Sigrid van Wingerden appointed Professor of Criminology
Appointment
With effect from 1 September 2026, Sigrid van Wingerden has been appointed Professor of Criminology at Leiden University
In her new role as professor, Van Wingerden will focus on research into punishment and sentencing: ‘Criminology addresses many different topics, but punishment and sentencing connect a great number of them. If we want sanctions that are appropriate for offenders, we need to understand why people engage in criminal behaviour in the first place, how likely they are to reoffend, what we need to do to stop criminal behaviour, and which responses from government or society are effective and which are not. This knowledge, gained from research, will enable us to contribute to a more effective and legitimate system of criminal justice. I am also keen to ensure that our knowledge reaches the courts, so that our research can make a real impact in practice.’
Sentencing
Van Wingerden studied Law and Criminology at Leiden University. In 2006, she completed her master’s degree in Criminal Law and Criminal Procedure, graduating cum laude and specialising in Security Policy & Law Enforcement. In 2007, she joined Leiden University’s Institute of Criminal Law and Criminology as a PhD Fellow where she was awarded a PhD for her dissertation on risk-related offender characteristics in sentencing. Following the completion of her doctorate research, she remained affiliated with the Institute where she has served as Associate Professor since 2017.
Her research focuses on decision-making by judges and other actors in the criminal justice system as well as public opinion regarding sentencing. This research is conducted within the Criminal Justice research programme Societally Effective Criminal Justice. She has published in major national and international journals, contributed to edited volumes, and has regularly conducts research commissioned by the Council for the Judiciary and the Ministry of Justice and Security’s Research and Data Centre. In her research work, she is keen to seek collaboration with colleagues at home and abroad and across a broad range of academic disciplines. In addition to her own line of research, Van Wingerden is involved in the supervision of PhD candidates.
Her teaching includes courses in Criminology at both the bachelor’s and master’s level as well as thesis supervision of students. Van Wingerden is a passionate about teaching, ensuring her courses are topical, innovative and engaging. For many years, students have been highly positive in the assessment of her teaching and in 2025 she was awarded the Senior Teaching Qualification.
A passion for education and teaching
Van Wingerden has a long-standing track record in teaching, academic leadership and advisory roles. As Coordinator of the bachelor's programme in Criminology, she was closely involved in the development of the bachelor's in Cybersecurity & Cybercrime. From 2020 to 2025, she served as Director of Education for the Criminology degree programmes.
In this role, she was a driving force behind the redesign of the bachelor's programme in Criminology, which was launched in the 2025-2026 academic year. In 2017, Van Wingerden joined the management team of the Department of Criminology and on 1 November 2025, she was appointed Head of the Department.
She is Co-Editor-in-Chief of PROCES, a Dutch journal on criminal justice and criminology.
Academic Director and Professor of Criminal Law and Criminal Procedure Jeroen ten Voorde welcomes Van Wingerden’s appointment: ‘This appointment confirms Sigrid’s standing as a highly respected scholar in the field of criminology, who combines academic excellence with a strong commitment to teaching and proven leadership qualities. We are very proud of her and wish her every success in her role as professor.’