Steven Debbaut

Steven Debbaut holds a Bachelor in Social Work, a Master in Criminology, and a PhD in Criminology. His research interests and work include drug policy, drug law enforcement, police legitimacy, police officers’ self-legitimacy, and police culture. He is founding member and spokesman of the expert movement SMART on Drugs, which advocates for a more evidence-based drug policy.

He started his career as a drug counsellor and as a supervisor of young people who committed 'offences described as crimes'. Thereafter, he focused on socio-economic policy. As of 2010, he was active at the Karel de Grote University College, he taught, among other things, about social justice and influencing policy in the bachelor program of Social Work and he also drew up a refugee policy for the University College. As of 2014, he combined the activities at the University College with the coordination of 'A School Called Tribe': a music education ('jazz meets hiphop') activity in Ghent and Antwerp which he founded himself.

RESEARCH LINE

Policing and Surveillance