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Irvin Waller
IOVA President
Irvin Waller

Irvin Waller has an MA in Economics and a Ph.D. in Law from Cambridge University. He is author of the popular Less Law, More Order: The Truth about Reducing Crime (lesslawmoreorder.com). He is a widely sought after public speaker (in English, French and Spanish) and consults to governments across the world on how to reduce crime and protect victims.

In 1970´s, his pioneering research led to his second seminal book - Burglary, The Victim and the Public on a model victimization survey and ways to assess gaps in services for victims. In 1976, he was invited to the NATO sponsored seminar in Bellagio, Italy as one of 50 victim research and service pioneers from across the world. At the 3rd International Symposium for Victimology in Munster, Germany in 1979, he was elected to the founding executive of the World Society of Victimology to which he was elected 5 times. He served for three times as secretary general and once as president and co-organised the Montreal Symposium.

He received awards from the World Federation for Mental Health and the National Organisation for Victim Assistance for his work leading to the UN adoption of the Declaration on Basic Principles of Justice for Victims of Crime and Abuse of Power. He served on the board of the latter and later received an award for his contributions to victim protection through research. He was on the Board of the International Bureau of Children´s Rights to help spearhead the adoption of the UN Guidelines on Justice for Child Victims and Witnesses in 2005.

He was the founding executive director of the International Centre for the Prevention of Crime affiliated with the United Nations. He developed the Safer Cities program with UN Habitat and collaborates with the World Health Organisation on violence prevention. He was an adviser on the UN Guidelines for the Prevention of Crime. He worked on national commissions in Canada, South Africa and the USA. His achievements for crime prevention were recognised by Belgium, Canada, England, France and The Netherlands.

In the 1970´s, he served Canada as a senior official on the abolition of the death penalty, gun control, dangerous offender legislation and prevention of violence against women. He has been a Full Professor of Criminology for 25 years and founding Director of the Institute for the Prevention of Crime, University of Ottawa (www.prevention-crime.ca).

His publications in English include:

  • Waller, Irvin, 2003. Crime Victims: Doing Justice to their Support and Protection. Helsinki: HEUNI.
  • Waller, Irvin, Daniel Sansfaçon, 2000. Investing Wisely in Prevention: .... Washington: Department of Justice,
  • Waller, Irvin (1974) Men Released from Prison. University of Toronto Press.
  • Waller, Irvin & J. Chan, "Prison Use: A ...International comparison," in Leslie Wilkins et al. Correctional Institutions,

His role is described in:

  • Rock, Paul, 1986. A View from the Shadows: ... Making of the Justice for Victims .... Oxford: Clarendon.
  • Oral History of the pioneers in the US Crime Victim Assistance Field http://vroh.uakron.edu/summaries/Waller.php.
  • Waller, Irvin, 2004. Harnessing Criminology and Victimology Internationally .... Toronto: De Sitter

Irvin Waller's Resume
A Sample of His Written Contributions to the Field
Other IOVA Board Members

More About IOVA
The Board of Directors & Their Written Contributions
Values & Principles
Background & Experience
The Mission
Organizational Goals
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