Dr. Maria Mourani holds a degree in clinical criminology from the University of Montreal and a doctorate in sociology from the University of Ottawa. She is the founding president of Mourani-Criminology, the first private criminology firm in Quebec (Canada). Recognized for her expertise on street gangs, organized crime, human trafficking and juvenile prostitution, she has worked with public safety organizations and has piloted several national security files in the Parliament of Canada as a Member of Parliament. She is the sponsor of Bill C-452, an act to amend the Criminal Code to protect victims of sexual exploitation. During her professional and academic career, she has conducted research on criminal groups and since 2010, she has been interested in the jihadist involvement of youth. She is the author of several publications, including three on street gangs and the Italian mafia in Montreal. She was the Representative of the Government of Quebec at the Permanent Delegation of Canada to UNESCO in Paris and was responsible, among other things, for the issues of radicalization and artificial intelligence.
