Crime Prevention Technical Assistance

Technical assistance in the area of crime prevention is provided in close coordination with, and as an integral part of  the technical assistance UNODC provides in the area of criminal justice reform, as appropriate.

In the area of crime prevention, UNODC  focuses its technical assistance  on several key issues, which include promoting knowledge based interventions (e.g., through victimization surveys and crime statistics), providing advisory services for the the development and implementation of regional and national strategies and action plans, and supporting sector-specific programmes and projects with a particular focus on at-risk youth groups.

In order to facilitate the support UNODC provides to Member States in this area, crime prevention tools and publications have been developed and others are under development. As in other areas, technical assistance in crime prevention is delivered in cooperation with other UN agencies and key national, regional and international stakeholders.

Finally, technical assistance in crime prevention is guided by the Guidelines for Cooperation and Technical Assistance in the Field of Urban Crime Prevention (ECOSOC Resolution 1995/9, Annex), which established, among others, the following principles:

• Local approach to problems
• Integrated Crime Prevention Action Plan

Local approach to problems : Recognizing the multiplicity of factors and forms which characterizes urban crime, the afore-said guidelines call for multi-agency and coordinated responses at the local level, in accordance with an integrated crime prevention action plan. Such local approach can include a local diagnostic survey of crime phenomena with the participation of all relevant stakeholders (national and local, government and non-government actors), followed by a consultative process to jointly design a strategy and solutions to these problems in accordance with the local context.

Integrated Action Plan in order to be comprehensive and efficient should a) define the nature and types of crime problems to be tackled; the objectives being pursued and the time by which these should be attained; the action envisaged and the respective responsabilities of those involved; b) consider involving a range of actors from development, health, education, housing and transport sectors; c) consider the relevance to the crime prevention action plan of such factors as relationships in the family, civic values, housing and urbanism, health, drug and alcohol abuse...; d) consider providing for action at various levels which include Primary Prevention: soc ial and situational crime prevention, working methods of the police and the courts...; Prevention of Recidivism: p olice and judiciary intervention including alternatives to imprisonment , active role to the community...; Post-release Support: socio-educational and family support;  Protection of Victims: raising awareness and re-enforcing rights and victim assistance systems.