The Maynooth University Department of Economics will welcome Dr Andreas Beerli from the KOF Swiss Economic Institute at ETH Zurich for a seminar on Friday, 23 October 2026. The event forms part of the department’s Semester 1 Seminar Series, which brings guest speakers from a range of institutions to present research on a variety of topics.
Titled “The Right to Be Heard: An RCT on Economizing Procedural Justice”, the seminar will examine the role of hearings in criminal proceedings and their impact on sentencing, perceptions of fairness and reoffending.
The right to be heard, known by the Latin principle Audi Alteram Partem, is a fundamental element of legal systems and is recognised as an important human right. Hearings give defendants an opportunity to present their perspective, potentially helping to establish the facts of a case and strengthen the legitimacy of judicial decisions. However, they also require considerable time and resources, creating challenges for criminal justice systems dealing with large volumes of cases.
Dr Beerli’s research focuses on a major reform of the Swiss Criminal Procedure Code, which transferred certain sentencing powers from courts to prosecutors through the use of penal orders. Under this system, prosecutors can issue sentencing decisions based on police reports without holding a hearing. According to the seminar abstract, this occurs in approximately 90% of criminal proceedings covered by the process.
To investigate the consequences, Dr Beerli and his collaborators conducted a field experiment with a public prosecution office in Switzerland. Defendants were randomly invited to participate in prosecutorial hearings, allowing the researchers to examine the causal effects of hearings on sentencing outcomes, perceptions of procedural fairness and recidivism.
The seminar will provide an opportunity to explore the relationship between procedural justice and the efficiency of criminal proceedings, as well as the wider implications of research into legal decision-making.
The Department of Economics Seminar Series takes place on Friday afternoons during the academic semester, featuring guest speakers and presentations on a variety of research topics.
The Semester 1 seminar schedule is available at https://buff.ly/Mgi60vk.
