JusForce: Transparency and Fairness in the European Justice System
In recent years, Europe has been facing growing challenges related to the use of force by law enforcement and the mechanisms ensuring accountability and transparency in policing. Questions around how power is exercised, monitored, and regulated within judicial and policing systems have sparked public debate, media scrutiny, and policy reforms across the continent.
Amidst this context, the JusForce Project emerges as a pioneering pan-European research initiative dedicated to understanding and strengthening the oversight of police actions and the justice system’s response to lethal force incidents.
About the JusForce Project
JusForce is a large-scale research project funded by the Institut des Études et de la Recherche sur le Droit et la Justice (IERDJ), French Ministry of Justice. It is led by Professor Sebastian Roché, in collaboration with Professor Aleksandra Zajac and Prof. Giuseppe Catenazzo.
The project investigates how European countries supervise police activities and enforce accountability within their judicial systems. By examining 25 oversight bodies across 20 European nations, JusForce aims to identify effective models and uncover systemic weaknesses that affect transparency and fairness in law enforcement.
Ultimately, JusForce seeks to build a comprehensive database on how different justice systems across Europe handle police shootings resulting in fatalities—a crucial step toward promoting justice, human rights, and institutional trust.
Project Structure
1. JusForceMacro – System Oversight
This part focuses on the institutional architecture of police oversight across Europe. The research analyzes both external and internal control mechanisms that regulate police behavior, evaluating their independence, efficiency, and accessibility to the public.
By mapping 25 monitoring agencies across 20 countries, the JusForceMacro study explores:
• The degree of independence of oversight institutions.
• How complaints against police misconduct are processed.
• The transparency of investigative procedures.
• The role of civil society and media in promoting accountability.
This analysis provides a comparative perspective on how European nations balance security, authority, and human rights, setting the foundation for a more transparent and equitable system of law enforcement.
2. JusForceJudiciare – Judicial Data
The second part delves into judicial data related to fatal police shootings between 1990 and 2022. Researchers collect and analyze court rulings, case files, expert reports, and judicial processes timelines to understand how justice is administered when the use of force results in death.
This comprehensive database allows the team to:
• Track the legal outcomes of police-related fatal cases.
• Measure the consistency of judicial responses across different legal systems.
• Assess whether judicial processes ensure fairness, accountability, and due process.
Through data-driven analysis, JusForceJudiciare provides valuable insights into the behavior of the justice system itself—highlighting its role not only in sanctioning misconduct but also in upholding public confidence and the rule of law.
The Broader Impact and Significance of JusForce
The impact of JusForce goes far beyond academic research. Its findings contribute to strengthening democratic institutions, public accountability, and citizen trust in law enforcement across Europe.
By producing reliable, evidence-based data, JusForce supports policy innovation and legislative reforms aimed at preventing abuse of power and improving the effectiveness of oversight mechanisms. Policymakers, scholars, and human rights organizations can use this information to:
• Develop new frameworks for independent oversight.
• Promote police professionalism and transparency.
• Enhance cooperation among European countries in justice governance.
In the long term, JusForce envisions a fair, trustworthy, and sustainable justice system—one that protects the rights of citizens, maintains public safety, and operates under the principles of equality and accountability.
Towards a Transparent and Accountable Future
The challenges of policing and justice are not unique to any single nation; they are shared across borders. The JusForce project stands as a testament to Europe’s collective effort to confront difficult questions and pursue meaningful change in the way justice is served.
Through collaboration, rigorous research, and open dialogue, JusForce aims to redefine what transparency and fairness mean in modern democracies—ensuring that justice is not only done but is also seen to be done.
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