Publications

Promoting Integrity and Building Justice

Corruption

United Nations Convention Against Corruption

The UNCAC was adopted by the General Assembly by resolution 58/4 of 31 October 2003. The Convention entered into force on 14 December 2005. The Convention highlights the importance of prevention, criminalization, international cooperation and asset recovery.

 

Criminal Justice

Criminal Justice Assessment Toolkit

The Criminal Justice Assessment Toolkit is a standardized and cross-referenced set of tools designed to enable United Nations agencies, government officials engaged in criminal justice reform, as well as other organizations and individuals to conduct comprehensive assessments of criminal justice systems. The purpose of such assessments is to identify areas of technical assistance required and to assist in training on these issues.

The Tools have been grouped within criminal justice system sectors: Policing; Access to Justice; Custodial and Non-Custodial Measures; and Cross-Cutting Issues.

Handbook on Prisoner File Management

This Handbook is aimed at those who hold responsibility, at any level, for people in custody. It is of particular relevance to prison systems that do not have electronic systems for maintaining prisoner files.

The purpose of this handbook is three-fold: to demonstrate the importance of effective prisoner file management, to outline the key international human rights standards that apply to prisoner and detainee file management and to summarize the key requirements of prison systems in relation to prisoner and detainee file management in order to meet international human rights standards.

Compendium of United Nations Standards and Norms in Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice

The standards and norms in crime prevention and criminal justice, developed over the last 60 years, have paved the way to the adoption of five binding legal instruments and have provided a starting point for their negotiation. Now the hope is that those legal instruments will reinforce and strengthen the value and significance of the standards and norms, by eliciting the kind of system-wide cooperation that will give full weight to their further application.

This latest edition aspires to contribute to a wider awareness and dissemination of the United Nations standards and norms in crime prevention and criminal justice and, consequently, to reinforce respect for the rule of law and human rights in the administration of justice.

Juvenile Justice

Handbook for Professionals and Policymakers on Justice in Matters Involving Child Victims and Witnesses of Crime

In its resolution 2005/20, the Economic and Social Council adopted the Guidelines on Justice in Matters involving Child Victims and Witnesses of Crime. The Guidelines filled an important gap in international standards in the area of the treatment of children as victims or witnesses of crime.

In order to assist countries in implementing, at the national level, the provisions contained in the Guidelines and in other relevant international instruments, UNODC, in cooperation with UNICEF and the International Bureau for Children's Rights, has developed the Handbook for Professionals and Policymakers on the Guidelines on Justice in Matters involving Child Victims and Witnesses of Crime.

It is based on international best practices in the treatment of child victims and witnesses of crime by the criminal justice system. It is intended to serve as guidance for policymakers and professionals dealing with child victims and witnesses of crime, such as judges, medical and support staff, law enforcement officials, prosecutors, social workers, staff of non-governmental organizations and teachers.

United Nations Guidelines on Justice in Matters Involving Child Victims and Witnesses of Crime

In its resolution 2005/20, the Economic and Social Council adopted the Guidelines on Justice in Matters involving Child Victims and Witnesses of Crime. The Guidelines filled an important gap in international standards in the area of the treatment of children as victims or witnesses of crime.

The Guidelines, which represent good practice based on the consensus of contemporary knowledge and relevant regional and international norms, standards and principles, were adopted with a view to providing a practical framework to achieve the following objectives:

• To assist in the review of national laws, procedures and practices so that they ensure full respect for the rights of child victims and witnesses of crime and contribute to the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child by parties to that Convention.

• To assist Governments, international organizations, public agencies, nongovernmental and community-based organizations and other interested parties in designing and implementing legislation, policies, programmes and practices that address key issues related to child victims and witnesses of crime.

• To guide professionals and, where appropriate, volunteers working with child victims and witnesses of crime in their day-to-day practice in the adult and juvenile justice process at the national, regional and international levels, consistent with the Declaration of Basic Principles of Justice for Victims of Crime and Abuse of Power.

• To assist and support those caring for children in dealing sensitively with child victims and witnesses of crime.

Juvenile Justice Reform in Lebanon

Upon the request of the Lebanese Government, UNODC implemented two projects (LEB/98/R71 in 1999 AND LEB /02/R30 in 2002) that shared the same overall objective: to support the Lebanese Government to bring its juvenile justice system in line with CRC and UN Standard and Norms. This evaluation report discusses the activities undertaken within both projects in an integrated manner. The purpose is to establish what the projects have achieved and if they have attained their objectives. It also seeks to draw lessons and best practices that can be used to improve project planning, design and management.

Protecting the Rights of Children in Conflict with the Law

Established by a 1997 Resolution of the Economic and Social Council, the Inter-Agency Coordination Panel on Juvenile Justice, aims to coordinate policies, projects and activities among international organisations engaged with national authorities in juvenile justice reform. The work of the Panel is guided by the relevant provisions of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, other relevant international standards related to juvenile justice, and the recommendations of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child.

Human Trafficking and Smuggling of Migrants

Basic Training Manual on Investigating and Prosecuting the Smuggling of Migrants

This publication was launched during a side-event to the 19 th Annual Crime Commission held in Vienna during the period 17-19 May 2010. The Manual is a practical guide and training tool for criminal justice practitioners. The Basic Training Manual is the product of expertise shared in the context of three expert group meetings, which brought together law enforcers and prosecutors from around the world to exchange experiences from origin, transit and destination country perspectives. Key partners in the process of elaborating the Training Manual included EUROPOL, INTERPOL and the UK Serious and Organised Crime Agency (SOCA). The production of this manual was made possible through funding received from the European Union.

Combating Trafficking in Persons in Accordance with the Principles of Islamic Law

This paper addresses principles on the prohibition of exploitation and slavery in both the International and Islamic law, as well as principles providing protection for its victims. The paper is targeted both at Islamic practitioners who want to learn more about combating human trafficking and also at anti-trafficking practitioners wanting to learn more about Islamic law.

Needs Assessment Toolkit on the Criminal Justice Response to Human Trafficking

UNODC, in the framework of the Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking ( UN.GIFT) has developed the Needs Assessment Toolkit on the Criminal Justice Response to Human Trafficking.

The main objective of the toolkit is to guide the assessors in gathering and analyzing information pertaining to a country's criminal justice response to human trafficking. More specifically, it aims to assist governments, the civil society, the international community and other relevant actors to conduct a comprehensive or specific assessment of selected aspects of a country's criminal justice response to trafficking in persons.  The toolkit contains a number of components that are crucial for curtailing the crime of trafficking in persons and provides sufficient flexibility to be used for assessments both in places where a solid infrastructure for combating trafficking in persons exists and in places with few or no such measures.

Anti-Human Trafficking Manual for Criminal Justice Practitioners

In line with the "Trafficking in Persons" Protocol supplementing the United Nations Transnational Organized Crime Convention, the purpose of the United Nations Anti-Human Trafficking Manual for Criminal Justice Practitioners is to further facilitate the prevention of human trafficking, protection of its victims, prosecution of its culprits and develop international cooperation to achieve these targets.

Combating Trafficking in Persons - A Handbook for Parliamentarians

The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and UNODC, in the framework of the Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking (UN.GIFT), launched the publication Combating trafficking in persons: A Handbook for Parliamentarians.

As public awareness of human trafficking grows, people are demanding that action be taken to end it. As elected representatives, parliamentarians have a responsibility and the power to ensure that laws and other measures are put in place and implemented to that end. The Handbook is intended to inspire them to enact sound laws and adopt good practices that will strengthen national responses to human trafficking.

Toolkit to Combat Trafficking in Persons, 2008

The 123 tools contained in the Toolkit offer guidance, recommended resources, and promising practices to policymakers, law enforcers, judges, prosecutors, victim service providers and members of civil society who are working in interrelated spheres towards preventing trafficking, protecting and assisting victims and promoting international cooperation.