Facebook
Twitter
Flickr
YouTubeUNODC and Crime Prevention
The United Nations Millennium Declaration adopted by 189 governments in 2000 reaffirmed Members States commitment to fundamental values: "We consider certain fundamental values to be essential to international relations in the twenty-first century [...] Men and women have the right to live their lives and raise their children in dignity, free from hunger and from the fear of violence, oppression or injustice." These fundamental rights cannot be achieved unless crime is reduced and prevented.
"Crime Prevention comprises strategies and measures that seek to reduce the risk of crimes occurring, and their potential harmful effects on individuals and society, including fear of crime, by intervening to influence their multiple causes." (Guidelines for the Prevention of Crime ECOSOC Resolution 2002/13, Annex). Crime prevention is a multi-sectoral, multi-disciplinary and integrated endeavour.
The Introduction to the Guidelines for the Prevention of Crime indicate that "There is clear evidence that well-planned crime prevention strategies not only prevent crime and victimization, but also promote community safety and contribute to sustainable development of countries. Effective, responsible crime prevention enhances the quality of life of all citizens. It has long-term benefits in terms of reducing the costs associated with the formal criminal justice system, as well as other social costs that the result from crime." (Economic and Social Council resolution 2002/13, annex).
In 2005, the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), in its resolution 2005/22 "Action to promote effective crime prevention", requested UNODC to achieved a balanced approach between crime prevention and criminal justice responses, and to further develop initiatives on crime prevention. In 2008, the ECOSOC, in its resolution 2008/24 "Strengthening prevention of urban crime: an integrated approach", encouraged member states to integrate crime prevention considerations into all relevant social and economic policies and programmes in order to effectively address the conditions in which crime and violence can emerge.
In accordance with the United Nations standards and norms in crime prevention and criminal justice, UNODC contributes by assisting developing countries, countries emerging from conflict and countries with economies in transition, in building the capacity of key crime prevention actors and systems to operate more effectively, with particular attention to vulnerable groups. To that effect the Office focuses on the production of Crime Prevention Tools and Publications to inform policy and programming, as well as the Crime Prevention Technical Assistance it provides through its network of country, regional offices and Crime Prevention Inter-Agency Coordination. Crime Prevention Projects are also supported by UNODC.
Recognizing the multiple causes of crime and as the custodian of the United Nations standards and norms in crime prevention and criminal justice, UNODC promotes strategies, plans and programmes which are multi-sectoral, multi-disciplinary and which favour civil society participation. Such strategies and action plans are underpinned by the basic principles for the prevention of crime (Guidelines for the Prevention of Crime, ECOSOC Resolution 2002/13, Annex):
- Government leadership
- Socio-economic development and inclusion
- Cooperation and partnerships
- Sustainability and accountability
- Knowledge base
- Human Rights, rule of law and culture of lawfulness
- Interdependency
- Differentiation
Government leadership at all levels is required to create and maintain an institutional framework for effective crime prevention. Socio-economic development and inclusion refer to the need to integrate crime prevention into relevant social and economic policies, and focus on the social integration of at risk communities, children, families and youth. Cooperation and partnerships between government ministries and authorities, civil society organizations, business sector and private citizens are required given the wide-ranging nature of the causes of crime and the skills and responsibilities required to address them. Sustainability and accountability can only be achieved if adequate resources to establish and sustain programmes and evaluation are made available, and clear accountability for funding, implementation, evaluation and achievement of planned results is established. Knowledge base: strategies, policies and programmes need to be based on a broad multidisciplinary foundation of knowledge and evidence about crime problems, their causes, and proven practices. Human rights/rule of law/culture of lawfulness: the rule of law and those human rights which are recognized in international instruments to which Member States are parties must be respected in all aspects of crime prevention, and a culture of lawfulness actively promoted. Interdependency refers to the need for national crime prevention diagnoses and strategies to take into account, where appropriate the links between local criminal problems and international organized crime. The principle of Differentiation calls for crime prevention strategies to pay due regard to the different needs of men and women and consider the special needs of vulnerable members of society.