Tools and Publications

UNODC develops tools for stakeholders to assist States in the implementation of the UN standards and norms. They include a variety of handbooks, training curriculums and model laws which provide guidance to United Nations agencies, governments and individuals at each stage of criminal justice reform.

An overview of all the handbooks and manuals that the Justice Section develops is available in English, French, Spanish and Russian

Standards & Norms on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice

  • Compendium of United Nations standards and norms in crime prevention and criminal justice is available in full, or in part here in English, Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish. The full version of the Compendium is also available in Portuguese and Farsi, however, please note the Portuguese and Farsi versions are not official UN translations.
  • UN standards and norms in crime prevention and criminal justice for Peacekeepers English, French, Spanish
  • UN Criminal Justice Standards for UN police English, French
  • Addendum to the Standards of Professional Responsibilities and Statement of the Essential Duties and Rights of Prosecutors: Compilation of comments received from Member States, English
  • Model Strategies and Practical Measures on the Elimination of Violence against Women in the Field of Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice English, Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish
  • United Nations Rules for the Treatment of Women Prisoners and Non-Custodial Measures for Women Offenders (the Bangkok Rules) English, Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish
  • United Nations Principles and Guidelines on Access to Legal Aid in Criminal Justice Systems http://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/RES/67/187

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 being 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.

Criminal Justice

  • Enhancing Criminal Justice Reform, including Restorative Justice English , Spanish
  • Criminal Justice Reform in Post-Conflict States: A Guide for Practitioners English
  • Further information is available on the International Centre for Criminal Law Reform and Criminal Justice Policy's website

Crime Prevention

  • Training Manual on Policing Urban Space English, Spanish
  • Introductory Handbook on Policing Urban Space English French Portuguese
  • Introductory Handbook on the Prevention of Recidivism and the Social Reintegration of Offenders English, French, Spanish
  • Crime Prevention Assessment tool English, French, Spanish, Portuguese
  • Handbook on the Crime Prevention Guidelines - Making them Work English, French, Spanish, Portuguese
  • Handbook on Crime Prevention in Southern Africa and the Caribbean Regions English
  • Practical Approaches to Urban Crime Prevention English
  • Handbook on Civilian Private Security Services English, French, Spanish, Arabic NEW!
  • Strategies and Best Practices for Crime Prevention, in particular in relation to Urban Crime and Youth at Risk English
  • Further information is available on the International Center for the Prevention of Crime's website
  • Global status report on violence prevention 2014 English, NEW!

Police reform

Prosecution Services

  • The Status and Role of Prosecutors - a UNODC and IAP Guide English, NEW!
  • Addendum to International Association of Prosecutors Standard English

Access to legal defence and legal aid

  • Handbook on Access to Legal Aid in Africa English
  • Handbook on Early access to legal aid in criminal justice processes English NEW!
  • Survey Report on Access to legal Aid in Africa English
  • Child Friendly Legal Aid in Africa (UNICEF, UNDP, UNODC) English , French
  • United Nations Principles and Guidelines on Access to Legal Aid in Criminal Justice Systems English, Arabic, French, Chinese, Russian, Spanish  NEW!

Prison reform and alternatives to imprisonment

  • Handbook of basic principles and promising practices on Alternatives to Imprisonment English, French, Spanish, Turkish
  • Handbook for Prison Leaders Arabic, English, French
  • Handbook on Prisoner File Management English, French, Arabic
  • Handbook on Prisoners With Special Needs, Arabic, English, Spanish, Turkish
  • Handbook on Women and Imprisonment English 2nd edition, Arabic 2nd edition, Russian, Turkish
  • Handbook on Strategies to Reduce Overcrowding in Prisons English, Arabic, Indonesian, Spanish  NEW!
  • Training Material on HIV/AIDS Prevention in Prison Settings (forthcoming)
  • Afghanistan: Implementing Alternatives to Imprisonment, in line with International Standards and National Legislation English
  • HIV/AIDS Prevention, Care, Treatment and Support in Prison Settings - a framework for an effective national response English
  • UNODC Prison Reform Concept Note English
  • Handbook on the International Transfer of Sentenced Persons English
  • Introductory Handbook on the Prevention of Recidivism and the Social Reintegration of Offenders English,  French , Spanish 
  • A Prison Evaluation Checklist for Post-Conflict Settings English NEW!

Restorative Justice

Justice for Children

  • Handbook for Professionals and Policymakers on Justice in Matters involving Child Victims and Witnesses of Crime Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, Spanish, Croatian  NEW!
  • Guidelines on Justice in Matters Involving Child Victims and Witnesses of Crime English
  • United Nations Guidelines on Justice in Matters involving child victims and witnesses of crime Online Training English, French
  • Justice in Matters Involving Child Victims and Witnesses of Crime: Model Law and Related Commentary English, Spanish, French,
  • Criteria for the Design and Evaluation of Juvenile Justice Reform Programmes English, French, Spanish, Russian 
  • Child-friendly version of the UN Guidelines on Justice in Matters Involving Child Victims and Witnesses of Crime Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, Spanish
  • Justice in Matters Involving Children in Conflict with the Law: Model Law on Juvenile Justice and Related Commentary English, Tajik, Russian, French
  • Guidance Note of the Secretary-General: UN Approach to Justice for Children English
  • Child Friendly Legal Aid in Africa English, French
  • UNODC/UNICEF Manual for the Measurement of juvenile justice indicators English, French, Spanish, Russian
  • Capacity Building in the Area of Child Justice (the Child Justice Project) South Africa, 2003, English
  • Strengthening Legislative and Institutional Capacity for Juvenile Justice and Support to the Juvenile Justice System in Lebanon, 2005 English, Arabic
  • Protecting the Rights of Children in Conflict with the Law, 2005 English, Arabic, French, Spanish
  • Introductory Booklet on the United Nations Model Strategies and Practical Measures on the Elimination of Violence against Children in the field of crime prevention and criminal justice English NEW!
  • Checklist to the United Nations Model Strategies and Practical Measures on the Elimination of Violence
    against Children in the field of crime prevention and criminal justice English NEW!

Gender in the Criminal Justice System

  • Handbook on Effective Police Responses to Violence against Women English, Spanish, French
  • Training Curriculum on Effective Police Responses to Violence against Women English, Spanish, French
  • Handbook on Effective Prosecution Responses to Violence against Women and Girls English, NEW!
  • Handbook on Women and Imprisonment English 2nd edition, Arabic 2nd edition, Russian, Turkish
  • Afghanistan: Female Prisoners and their social reintegration English
  • Strengthening Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Responses to Violence against Women English NEW!

Victims

  • Guide for policy makers on the Implementation of the United Nations Declaration of Basic Principles of Justice for Victims and Abuse of Power English
  • Handbook on Justice for Victims on the use and application of the Declaration of Basic Principles of Justice for Victims and Abuse of Power English
  • Intergovernmental Expert Group Meeting to review and update the Model Strategies and Practical Measures on the Elimination of Violence against Women in the Field of Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, Bangkok, 23-26 March 2009 English