The Complementary Training Program in Criminal Sciences, led by Professor Marcos Daniel Veltrini Ticianelli, head of the Department of Public Law, has evolved significantly beyond its initial scope. The program has eventually expanded into two new fronts : GECRIM (Criminal Sciences Study Group) and NESJURI (Nucleus for Studies and Simulations of the Jury Court). According to Professor Marcos Ticianelli,  the program’s standout feature lies in the active involvement of the approximately 50 Law students, ranging from freshmen to seniors. These students participate in a variety of academic activities, from contacting guests to managing the coffee break.

Professor Marcos Ticianelli recalls that there was a previous project, which ended before the pandemic. The suspension of in-person classes prompted professors to seek new ways to engage students, leading to the development of the PFC, which was launched in 2020. The program initially began with an online seminar. At  the same time, some students expressed interest in participating in a national mock trial competition, while the professor was also looking for students for a project. This collaboration  resulted in the debut of the UEL team, composed entirely of female students, who won the 2020 competition.

On the students’ initiative, GECRIM was created within the project to prepare for competitions. Although the Program Coordinator oversees all activities, experienced students of GECRIM mentor newer participants. Interest in the group has quickly grown, and currently, there are two teams of eight students (the maximum allowed in competitions).”

Stages of the Process

Vinícius Labres Bueno, a 5th year Law student and one of the “student coordinators” of GECRIM – a term coined by Professor Marcos himself – explains that the competition involves several stages. It begins with a complex case that may  include some elements of a real case. In the first stage, students submit a written piece for either  prosecution or defense. Of these submissions, slightly more than 30 are selected to advance to the oral argument phase, which lasts 15 minutes, simulating a real trial. In 2023, it was held in November in Belo Horizonte.

Felipe Saconato Aoki, another 5th year student and fellow “student coordinator,” highlights that the evaluation panels for the competition are composed of nationally renowned legal practitioners and scholars. Vinícius Bueno adds that during the oral argument phase, colleges compete against each other, with one side representing the prosecution and the other the defense. This phase also includes rounds of questioning on matters of Criminal Law and Criminal Procedure.

Felipe Aoki reports that NESJURI, while not yet formalized as an independent project, is actively involved in a range of activities. The Center has been organizing schedules, planning activities, conducting theoretical studies, and hosting discussion meetings and workshops. Additionally,  NESJURI has been contacting, inviting, and hosting guests for online or in-person classes or lectures. Important names in Criminal Law and Criminal Procedure in the country have already taken part, including several former students of the course itself.  This experience shared by alumni is one of the highlights, according to Felipe. On November 21, 2023 the students conducted a mock trial, and due to high interest, they are considering making this a semesterly event.

The preparation for the mock trials is so rigorous that the Program participants receive specialized assistance in ‘Courtroom speaking’ This includes not only guidance on courtroom oration but also on physical posture and other elements required for constructing  strong arguments. INterestingly, these skills are taught by a UEL graduate who holds  Master’s in both Law and Performing Arts.

For Felipe, NESJURI is a ‘dream project.’ During the pandemic, YouTube served as a valuable resource for watching trials, and a YouTube channel is now part of the ‘student coordinators’ plans. He emphasizes the organization of seminars, the production of supporting materials, and the participation of notable guests, such as Judge Orlando Faccini Neto, who presided over the Kiss nightclub case in Santa Maria (RS), and a police chief from Goiás who discussed cryptocurrency- related crimes and is a UEL graduate. Joint meetings with GECRIM were also highlighted.  Later, the first mock trial was held, attracting an  interested audience that filled the space with over 200 seats, from which the jurors for the case were selected.

According to Felipe, the 2023 newcomers  were welcomed by the PFC and, in addition to learning about the course, took part in a workshop aimed at fostering integration. Felipe celebrates: 1 in 4 of the 240 new students expressed interest in the Program, so it was necessary to hold a selection test, even after increasing the number of available spots. This high level of interest inspired the idea of holding a mock trial every semester.

Another plan, according to Felipe, is to publish  a book on the Jury Trials, with one or two students co-authoring a chapter alongside a professor. The book is important, in Felipe’s opinion, in that it will help put Londrina back on the map in this field, particularly with the involvement of local professionals. There is no shortage of themes to explore, adds Professor Marcos.

Both programs, GECRIM and NESJURI have their own  Instagram profiles : @gcrimuel and @nesjuri, respectively.

The sentence

For Vinícius, participating in the PFC offers practical experience that broadens the perspective of daily work and promotes a humanistic education that goes beyond the legal realm. Felipe adds that the experience builds confidence, and the team management approach – where students train other students –  produces more than colleagues but friends who continue to relate professionally after graduation. In fact, according to Felipe, partnerships with the postgraduate program are already being established.

In summary, according to the Program Coordinator, students’ legal knowledge is broadened, and their study of Criminal Sciences is deepened, as the GECRIM plans to expand into other areas. With the growing number of participants, the project’s future is assured. Currently, the PFC has three faculty members and a partnership with the Ordem dos Advogados do Brasil/Londrina (Brazilian Bar Association), which has already received students from the Group.

Versão em inglês: Maurício Borges Ribeiro Brancalhão. Revisão: Raquel Prette. Supervisão: Fernanda Machado Brenner. Programa Paraná Fala Inglês (PFI).

Matéria originalmente publicada em português na edição nº1426 do Jornal Notícia: Senhoras e senhores do Júri.