The Institute for International Research on Criminal Policy (IRCP) was founded in 1992 as the Research Group Drug Policy, Criminal Policy and International Crime and got its final name in 2002. It is the intention of IRCP, which is integrated in the Department of Criminal Law and Criminology of the Faculty of Law of Ghent University, to conduct and promote internationally relevant scientific research regarding criminal policy issues.

The field of research of IRCP focuses on three main themes: justice and home affairs in the EU, international and comparative criminal law and criminal justice, and Belgian criminal law and criminal justice. More in-depth, the following phenomena are studied: drugs, organised crime and corruption, and trafficking in human beings and sexual exploitation of children.

Typical for the scientific activity developed by IRCP is its pursuit of a synthesis of fundamental and empirical research on the one hand, and policy proposals on the other. The implementation of research in scientific service and consultancy is an essential part of the group's activity.

The research activities are carried out by a coherent group of strongly motivated researchers, reinforced with the professional contribution of external collaborators. An ad hoc multidisciplinary team is composed for each research project.