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Professor Mai Sato

Positions held:
  • Professor and Director of the Institute for Crime and Justice Policy Research, School of Social Sciences
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  • Overview

    Overview

    Biography

    Professor Mai Sato is Director of the Institute for Crime and Justice Policy Research (ICPR) in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at ÌÇÐÄlogoÈë¿Ú, University of London (as of February 2025). A social scientist by training, Mai¡¯s research focuses on enhancing the integrity of justice systems globally, with particular emphasis on the death penalty and the legitimacy of courts and police. In July 2024, the UN Human Rights Council appointed Mai as the fourth Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran since the mandate¡¯s re-establishment.

    Prior to joining ÌÇÐÄlogoÈë¿Ú, Mai was Associate Professor at the Faculty of Law, Monash University, Australia, where she served as the inaugural director of Eleos Justice (2020-2024), a specialist unit dedicated to anti-death penalty research, teaching and advocacy. She has also held academic posts at the School of Regulation and Global Governance (RegNet) at the Australian National University, the School of Law at the University of Reading, and the Centre for Criminology at the University of Oxford. Currently, she holds an adjunct professorship at the School of Arts and Social Sciences at Monash University Malaysia.


    Mai holds a PhD from King's College London, where ICPR was formerly located. Her connection with ICPR dates back to the beginning of her academic career when she joined as a Research Fellow. She was also an intern at the International Centre for Prison Studies (ICPS), which later merged with ICPR.


    Beyond her scholarly work, Mai is committed to advocacy. She co-founded the NGO CrimeInfo, which promotes the abolition of the death penalty in Japan, demonstrating her dedication to translating academic knowledge into meaningful social change.

    Web profiles

  • Supervision and teaching

    Supervision and teaching

    Teaching

    Teaching modules

    • Research Methods in Criminology
    • Contemporary Issues in Criminal Justice
  • Publications

    Publications

    Article

    • Sato, Mai (2026) . Mortality ISSN 1357-6275.
    • Bagheri, R. and Sato, Mai (2025) . Medicine, Science and the Law pp. 1-8. ISSN 0025-8024.
    • Cunliffe, E. and Vinuesa, C.G. and Rego, R. and San Roque, M. and Edmond, G. and Gans, J. and Sato, Mai and Burridge, K. and Cordner, S. (2024) . Australian Journal of Forensic Sciences pp. 1-22. ISSN 0045-0618.
    • Alexander, Chris and Sato, Mai and Zanghellini, Aleardo (2023) . Law & Social Inquiry 48 (3), pp. 719-747. ISSN 0897-6546.
    • Domingo-Cabarrubias, L. and Woodlock, D. and Alexander, C. and Sato, Mai and Grant, G. and Weinberg, J. (2023) . Law, Technology and Humans 5 (1), pp. 1-10. ISSN 2652-4074.
    • Williamson, H. and Sato, Mai and Dioso-Villa, R. (2023) . International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology 67 (8), pp. 783-802. ISSN 0306-624X.
    • Finnane, M. and Sato, Mai and Trevaskes, S. (2022) . International Journal for Crime, Justice and Social Democracy 11 (3), ISSN 2202-8005.
    • Sato, Mai (2022) . International Journal for Crime, Justice and Social Democracy 11 (3), pp. 1-11. ISSN 2202-7998.
    • Alexander, C. and Sato, Mai (2022) . Griffith Journal of Law & Human Dignity 10 (1), pp. 30-52. ISSN 2203-3114.
    • Zanghellini, A. and Sato, Mai (2021) . Philosophia 49 (3), pp. 1289-1307. ISSN 0048-3893.
    • Sato, Mai and Hoyle, C. and Speechley, N.-E. (2017) . Criminal Law Review 2, pp. 106-122. ISSN 0011-135X.
    • Sato, Mai and Hough, Mike (2016) . Journal of Trafficking, Organised Crime and Security 2 (1), ISSN 2374-118X.
    • Sato, Mai (2016) . ÊÀ½ç (879), pp. 183-191. ISSN 0582-4532.
    • Sato, Mai and Haverkamp, R. and Hough, Mike (2016) . European Police Science and Research Bulletin pp. 83-90. ISSN 2443-7883.
    • Sato, Mai and Hough, Mike (2015) . Journal of Criminological Research, Policy and Practice 1 (2), pp. 90-98. ISSN 2056-3841.
    • Sato, Mai (2015) . ·¨ÂÉʱ±¨ 1082, pp. 63-71. ISSN 0387-3420.
    • Sato, Mai (2014) . Ryukoku Corrections and Rehabilitation Center Journal (4), pp. 71-74. ISSN 2186-8018.
    • Sato, Mai (2012) . Monatsschrift f¨¹r Kriminologie und Strafrechtsreform 95 (5), pp. 363-377. ISSN 0026-9301.
    • Ellis, T. and Lewis, C. and Sato, Mai (2011) . Probation Journal 58 (4), pp. 333-344. ISSN 0264-5505.
    • Sato, Mai (2007) . ·¸×ï¤È·ÇÐÐ 152, pp. 156-178. ISSN 0385-6518.

    Book

    • Chan, W.-C. and Sato, Mai and Hor, M., eds. (2025) . Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9781009513517.
    • Sato, Mai and Babcock, S., eds. (2023) . Monash University and Cornell University.
    • Hoyle, C. and Sato, Mai (2019) . Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780198794578.
    • Sato, Mai (2014) . Springer. ISBN 9783658006778.

    Book review

    • Sato, Mai (2020) .
    • Sato, Mai (2017) .

    Book section

    • Sato, Mai and Domingo-Cabarrubias, L. (2025) . In: Chang, W.-C. and Sato, Mai and Hor, M. (eds.) Capital Drug Laws in Asia. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9781009513517.
    • Domingo-Cabarrubias, L. and Sato, Mai (2025) . In: Chang, W.-C. and Sato, Mai and Hor, M. (eds.) Capital Drug Laws in Asia. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9781009513517.
    • Sato, Mai and Wing-Cheong, C. and Hor, M. (2025) . In: Wing-Cheong, C. and Sato, Mai and Hor, M. (eds.) Capital Drug Laws in Asia. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9781009513517.
    • Sato, Mai (2019) . In: Steiker, C. and Steiker, J. (eds.) Comparative Capital Punishment. Edward Elgar Publishing. pp. 301-318. ISBN 9781786433244.
    • Sato, Mai (2018) . In: Liu, J. and Miyazawa, S. (eds.) Crime and Justice in Contemporary Japan. Springer Series on Asian Criminology and Criminal Justice Research. Springer. pp. 237-252. ISSN 2522-5545. ISBN 9783319693583.
    • Sato, Mai (2017) . In: Oberwittler, D. and Roch¨¦, S. (eds.) Police-Citizen Relations Across the World: Comparing sources and contexts of trust and legitimacy. Routledge Frontiers of Criminal Justice. Routledge. ISBN 9780367227692.
    • Sato, Mai (2015) . In: ?imonovic, I. (ed.) Moving away from the death penalty: arguments, trends and perspectives. United Nations. pp. 250-259. ISBN 9789211542158.
    • Bacon, P. and Sato, Mai (2014) . In: Bacon, P. and Hobson, C. (eds.) Human Security and Japan's Triple Disaster Responding to the 2011 earthquake, tsunami and Fukushima nuclear crisis. Routledge Humanitarian Studies. Routledge. pp. 160-179. ISBN 9781138013131.
    • Hough, Mike and Sato, Mai (2014) . In: Maffei, S. and Markopoulou, L. (eds.) FIDUCIA: New European Crimes and Trust-Based Policy. FIDUCIA. pp. 1-20.
    • Kury, H. and Sato, Mai (2013) . In: Boers, K. and Feltes, T. and Kinzig, J. and Sherman, W.L. and Streng, F. and Tr¨¹g, G. (eds.) Kriminologie - Kriminalpolitik - Strafrecht: Festschrift f¨¹r Hans-J¨¹rgen Kerner zum 70. Geburtstag. Mohr Siebeck. pp. 637-650. ISBN 9783161522161.
    • Sato, Mai and Hough, Mike (2013) . In: Maffei, S. and Markopoulou, L. (eds.) FIIDUCIA: New European Crimes and Trust-Based Policy. FIDUCIA. pp. 179-218.
    • Sato, Mai (2013) . In: Hood, R. and Deva, S. (eds.) Confronting Capital Punishment in Asia. Oxford University Press. pp. 205-218. ISBN 9780199685776.
    • Kury, H. and Sato, Mai (2013) . In: Durnescu, I. and McNeill, F. (eds.) Understanding Penal Practice. Routledge Frontiers of Criminal Justice. Routledge. pp. 92-108. ISBN 9780415635813.
    • Sato, Mai and Hough, Mike (2011) . In: Hough, Mike and Sato, Mai (eds.) Trust in justice: why it is important for criminal policy, and how it can be measured.. Helsinki, Finland: HEUNI. pp. 6-9. ISBN 9789525333848.
    • Hough, Mike and Sato, Mai (2011) . In: Hough, Mike and Sato, Mai (eds.) Trust in justice: why it is important for criminal policy, and how it can be measured. Helsinki, Finland: HEUNI. pp. 10-17. ISBN 9789525333848.
    • Sato, Mai and Kimura, M. and Honjo, T. (2011) . In: Fukui, A. (ed.) ËÀÐ̤ÈÏò¤­¤¢¤¦²ÃÅÐÔ±¤Î¤¿¤á¤Ë. ¬F´úÈËÎÄÉç. ISSN 9784877984793. ISBN 9784877984793.
    • Sato, Mai (2010) . In: ¼¾¿¯ ÐÌÊÂÛÍ×o. pp. 121-125. ISBN 9784877984410.
    • Sato, Mai (2007) . In: Hodgkinson, P. and Gyllensten, L. (eds.) Centre for Capital Punishment Studies, Occasional Papers. London, UK: Centre for Capital Punishment Studies, University of Westminster. pp. 101-139.

    Monograph

    • Sato, Mai (2026) . Report to the UN Human Rights Council United Nations.
    • Sato, Mai (2025) . Report to the United Nations Human Rights Council pp. 1-21. United Nations.
    • Pascoe, D. and Sato, Mai (2025) . Death Penalty Research Unit (DPRU) Research Papers 8, pp. 1-12. Oxford University.
    • Sato, Mai (2025) . United Nations The United Nations.
    • Sato, Mai (2024) . Report to the United Nation's General Assembly pp. 1-15. United Nations.
    • Alexander, C. and Sato, Mai (2024) . Eleos Justice, Monash University Eleos Justice.
    • Kowal, S. and Walker, S. and Ashraf, Z. and Sato, Mai (2022) . Monash University.
    • Woodlock, D. and Alexander, C. and Domingo-Cabarrubias, L. and Zong, C. and Cao, K. and Weinburg, J. and Grant, G. and Sato, Mai (2022) . Monash University.
    • Alexander, C. and Sato, Mai and Hosen, N. and McLaren, J. (2021) . Monash University.
    • Sato, Mai and Alexander, C. (2021) . Victoria, Australia: Monash University.
    • Sato, Mai (2018) . The Death Penalty Project.
    • Sato, Mai and Hough, Mike (2015) . Ankara, Turkey: The United Nations.
    • Sato, Mai and Bacon, P. (2015) . The Death Penalty Project.
    • Brandon, G. and Sato, Mai and Tagusari, M. and Lehrfreund, S. and Jabbar, P. (2014) . The Death Penalty Project.
    • Sato, Mai and Johnson, D. and Tagusari, M. and Lehrfreund, S. and Jabbar, P. (2013) . London, UK: The Death Penalty Project.
    • Hough, Mike and Sato, Mai (2011) . Helsinki, Finland: Euro-Justis Project.

    Other

    • Sato, Mai (2023) . Academia SG Academia SG.