on Jan 26th, 2011Biosketch
Short Bio
In 1975 V.E. Kurapka graduated from the Faculty of Law of Vilnius University cum laude. After graduation, he began to work in the Justice Ministry’s Forensic Science Institute of Lithuania as a junior researcher. In 1979 he was elected to the ranks of senior researcher and from 1980 – 1990 worked as Chief of the Institute’s Firearms and Tool Marks Laboratory. In 1990 he was elected head of the Police Academy‘s Criminalistics Department.
Since 1994 till 2010 V.E. Kurapka was a Vice-Rector for Research at Mykolas Romeris University. Since 2010 he is professor of the Departament of Criminal Procedure at Mykolas Romeris University
Since 1990-1991 he has been giving lectures on Criminalistics and Expertology issues to Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree students at Mykolas Romeris University. V.E. Kurapka has been a member of many Doctoral Study Committees. He has supervised five doctoral candidates and is now supervising three doctoral candidates.
V.E. Kurapka has published over 100 scientific and methodological works including two textbooks and six study programmes. Over 40 publications have been published abroad. V.E. Kurapka presents reports at international scientific conferences and has been a member of a number of conference programme and scientific committees.
In 1988 Kurapka defended his thesis for a Doctoral Degree of Law. He has prepared a number of evidence criminalistics research methods and implemented them in law enforcement institutions. In 1991 V.E. Kurapka was bestowed with the pedagogical title of Associate Professor. In 2001 he was bestowed with the title of Professor.
From 1997-2001 he was the Board Chairman of the Research Programme, “Criminality and Criminal Justice.“ From 2001-2004, he was the Board Chairman of the Research Programme, “Dynamics, Prognosis and Control Trends of Criminality in Lithuania and Modern Conception of Criminalistics,” supported by the State Research and Study Foundation. He is a full member of the International Association for Identification. From 1998-2001 he was the contractor of the TEMPUS PHARE project, “Training of Officials for the Legal System’s Reform.” (JEP-IB-13053-98).
From 1998-2004 he was Chairman of the Board of the Lithuanian Lawyers’ Association. Since 1998 he is President of the Lithuanian Citizens’ Advice Union. Since 1999 he is a member of the Board of the Support Fund for Lithuanian Samogitian Culture and Academic Youth.
Since 2002 he is Chairman of the Commission for Publication of Higher Education Textbooks under the Scientific Council of Lithuania. From 2006 he is a member of the State Research Award Commission. From 2008 he is Board Chairman of the Research Programme “Threats of Criminality and Technologies of Management of Personal Security,” supported by the State Research and Study Foundation.