The Institute, founded by Sir Leon Radzinowicz in 1959, was one of the first criminological institutes in Europe and has exerted a strong influence on the development of the discipline. Many of the academic staff are international leaders in their fields. Staff hail from multidisciplinary international backgrounds and their interests cover a broad range of topics, please see individual's personal pages to read more on the research involved. In recognition of their outstanding research, Cambridge criminologists have been awarded numerous prestigious international awards.
The Institute is also home to the Radzinowicz Library, which houses the most comprehensive criminology collection in the United Kingdom.