Prof. Dr. Henry Otgaar works as a research professor at the Leuven Institute of Criminology (KU Leuven) and as a professor of Legal Psychology at the section Forensic Psychology, Maastricht University. Furthermore, he is a visiting fellow at the City University London and the Center of Memory and the Law (London). 

 

Prof. Dr. Otgaar’s research concentrates on developmental changes in memory from childhood to adulthood. Specifically, he is interested in factors that relate to the development of memory illusions. He collaborates with research groups in the United Kingdom, Belgium, Canada, Sweden, and North America.  

 

Current studies focus on precursors of children’s and adults’ false memories, adaptive memory, delayed disclosure of sexual abuse, and interviewing children. Dr. Otgaar has disseminated his work extensively and had presented his work to psychologists, students, and practitioners. His research often attracts national as international media attention.

 

Also, he is frequently involved as an expert witness in legal cases concerning the reliability of eyewitness testimonies. He has often cooperated in legal cases involving child witnesses. Furthermore, Prof. Dr. Otgaar is a member of the Dutch Expert Group about Sexual Abuse cases (Landelijke Expertisegroep Bijzondere Zedenzaken), member of the National Expert Database (Landelijke Deskundigheidsmakelaar), member of the Committee of Exam and Advice of the National Expert Database, and works for the the Maastricht Forensic Institute (https://www.tmfi.nl) 

 

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