Dr.
Linda Geven.
Welcome! I’m Linda Marjoleine Geven, a dedicated professional in the field of legal psychology. I am passionate about advancing the field through rigorous research with practical applications.
Born and raised in the Netherlands, I have spent many years abroad, enhancing my expertise and broadening my perspectives. I am fluent in Dutch, English, and German, and also speak Castilian Spanish.
Outside of my professional life, I love salsa dancing, exploring new destinations around the world and I am a huge animal lover.
(Under)graduate studies.
My academic journey began with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Vienna in 2014, where my research focused on resilience in young offenders and the dark triad, with a minor in criminal law.
Following my undergraduate studies, I volunteered with an organization dedicated to the reintegration of former prisoners into society. This experience, combined with participation in a summer school on Crime, Law, and Psychology, inspired me to pursue a master’s degree in Legal Psychology at Maastricht University. I graduated in 2015 with distinction (cum laude), having completed a research internship under Prof. Aldert Vrij at the University of Portsmouth, where I investigated the effects of cognitive load on deception detection.
Doctoral
degree.
I then embarked on a joint doctorate program (2015 – 2019) at the University of Amsterdam and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, under the guidance of Dr. Bruno Verschuere, Prof. Gershon Ben-Shakhar, and Prof. Merel Kindt. My research aimed to bridge the gap between research and practice in the field of memory detection, focusing on the Concealed Information Test.
In 2016, I was honored with a scholarship from the Stichting Fonds Catharine van Tussenbroek, allowing me to conduct research at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York under Prof. Saul Kassin. During this period, I received training as an expert witness on false confessions and completed the Reid Interview and Interrogation Course.
Assistant Professor.
In February 2020, I joined Leiden University as an assistant professor at the Institute of Criminal Law and Criminology. Here, I teach courses on legal psychology, methods and statistics, and oversee the cold case investigation project.
Looking ahead, I am committed to investigating wrongful convictions and improving the accuracy of distinguishing between guilty and innocent suspects. In 2022, I was awarded an NWO-VENI grant (€280,000) to further research false confessions in Europe. In 2024, together with Dr. Jenny Schell-Leugers and Teresa Schneider, I launched the European Registry of Exonerations (EUREX).
Service.
Outreach.
As an active member of the academic community, I serve as an ad-hoc peer reviewer for various journals and as the secretary of the European Association of Psychology and Law. My work has been presented at several international conferences, and I’ve received various awards. Additionally, I have been interviewed for publications like New Scientist, delivered guest lectures at institutions including the Dutch Police Academy, and my research has been featured on scientific television shows such as TopDoks and Klaas Kan Alles.
Since 2022, I have been working as an expert witness under supervision, with the goal of being registered in the Nederlands Register Gerechtelijk Deskundigen. I also contribute as a legal psychology expert for the Landelijke Expertisegroep Bijzondere Zedenzaken, among other roles.