Eugenios Trivizas

Eugenios Trivizas, born in 1946 in Athens, is a distinguished Greek criminologist and a highly acclaimed writer of children's literature. His academic career includes extensive studies in law and criminology, culminating in a PhD from the University of London. He has held teaching positions at the University of Reading and Panteion University, contributing significantly to the field of criminology through his research and publications.

Trivizas's research has explored various aspects of criminal justice, including crowd disorders, prosecutorial discretion, and the theory of general deterrence. He has conducted in-depth studies, sometimes with direct access to police and court records, examining the effectiveness of legal policies and the behavior of offenders and the justice system. His work has been published in prominent academic journals and covers topics ranging from the sociology of deviance to human rights implications of electronic monitoring.

As a children's author, Trivizas has achieved significant international recognition, publishing over a hundred books that have earned numerous awards and distinctions. Many of his works have been adapted for stage, television, and radio, making him one of Greece's most frequently performed playwrights for children. His book 'The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig' achieved bestseller status and has been translated into numerous languages.

Eugenios Trivizas's academic journey began with law degrees from the University of Athens, followed by advanced studies in comparative criminal law and shipping law at the University of London. He earned his PhD in Criminology from the London School of Economics. Since 1978, he has been a significant figure in criminology education, teaching at the University of Reading and Panteion University in Athens. His research has delved into complex areas of criminal justice, including systematic studies of crowd disorders in England, analyzing the interaction between participants and police, and the judicial responses. He gained unprecedented access to police and court records for his investigations, allowing for comparative analyses of political and football crowd incidents. His work also explored the extent of prosecutorial discretion and sentencing disparities within the justice system. Trivizas has also published extensively on topics such as the sociology of deviance, the human rights aspects of electronic offender monitoring, and censorship. A notable study examined the concept of general deterrence, investigating its effectiveness through a unique analysis of luggage theft rates following publicized terrorist incidents, suggesting a deterrent effect possibly linked to increased police vigilance or fear of explosives.

Beyond his academic pursuits, Eugenios Trivizas is a prolific and internationally recognized children's author. He has authored over one hundred books, all of which remain in print, and has garnered more than twenty national and international literary awards. His literary contributions have extended to adaptations for theater, television, and radio, establishing him as Greece's most frequently performed children's playwright. His play 'The Scarecrow' received an award for writing excellence. Internationally, his book 'The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig,' illustrated by Helen Oxenbury, achieved significant success, reaching second place on the American bestseller list for picture books and receiving accolades such as ALA Notable Book and Parents' Choice Gold Award. It has been translated into fifteen languages. Trivizas is also known for innovative works like 'The 33 pink rubies' and 'The 88 small stuffed vine leaves,' part of the 'Multiclone' series, which are examples of ergodic literature, offering multiple narratives within a single book.

In a notable legal undertaking, Eugenios Trivizas successfully challenged The Coca-Cola Company in 1997. He initiated legal proceedings to prevent the multinational corporation from registering the title of his TV serial and comic-strip books, 'Fruitopia,' as a trademark for their beverage line. The court initially ruled in Trivizas's favor, determining that Coca-Cola had infringed upon his intellectual property rights. The company appealed this decision, but the court of appeal reaffirmed the ruling in Trivizas's favor in December 1999. Trivizas expressed his intention to continue pursuing the case beyond Greece, highlighting his commitment to protecting his creative work.