The National Research Institute of Legal Policy is a sectoral research organization operating under the Finnish ministry of justice. The National Research Institute of Legal Policy was established in 1973, being preceded by the Institute of Criminology, which was founded in 1963.

As specified in the law on National Research Institute of Legal Policy (1139/2007), the tasks of the research institute are: 1) to practice independent research on legal policy, with regard to needs of the ministry of justice and society at large 2) to monitor legal policy and crime, and to analyze their trends 3) to promote national and international cooperation in research on legal policy 4) to publish research results, 5) to take part in researcher training in cooperation with universities.

NRILP carries out these tasks by publishing research reports both in three publication series (Publications, Research Communications and Research Briefs) and in Finnish and international academic journals. The researchers of the institute participate in both domestic and international scientific seminars, and act as experts in a variety of governmental working groups.