UNODC and criminal justice, prison reform and crime prevention

Fair and effective criminal justice systems that ensure respect for human rights are a prerequisite for combating crime and for building societies based on the rule of law. UNODC assists States in developing strategies to reform all aspects of their criminal justice systems, with particular emphasis on assisting vulnerable groups. Through its field office network, UNODC has developed projects in the areas of juvenile justice, penal reform and support to victims. It has also prepared assessment tools and manuals in all areas of criminal justice reform on the basis of United Nations standards and norms in crime prevention and criminal justice.

"Effective criminal justice systems can only be developed based on the rule of law and the rule of law itself requires the protection of effective criminal justice measures."

Economic and Social Council resolution 2005/21 of 22 July 1005 on strengthening the technical cooperation capacity of the United Nations Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Programme in the area of the rule of law and criminal justice reform

 

The Criminal Justice Reform Unit is part of the Rule of Law Section of UNODC. The Unit contributes towards the mandate of UNODC by assisting developing countries, countries emerging from conflict and countries with economies in transition in building the capacity of their justice systems to operate more effectively within the framework of the rule of law and with particular attention to vulnerable groups, such as women and children.

The Unit oversees project development and provides substantive support for project implementation in the general areas of justice reform and crime prevention, including:

  • Juvenile justice
  • Penal reform
  • Restorative justice
  • Alternatives to imprisonment
  • Victim support
  • Monitoring and civilian oversight of criminal justice performance

Project activities include a wide number of interventions such as:

  • Training and skills transfer
  • Provision of advice
  • Law reform
  • Provision of grants to non-governmental organizations
  • Development of normative guides, manuals and reports on best practice and training

Mandates

Criminal justice reform is at the heart of the mandate of the United Nations. Successive United Nations congresses on crime prevention and criminal justice, the first of which was held in Geneva in 1955, have explored ways in which criminal justice systems can operate both more effectively and more humanely. The most recent Crime Congresses, held in Vienna, in 2000 and in Bangkok, in 2005, have continued to strengthen the role of the United Nations in the area of criminal justice reform. The Vienna Declaration on Crime and Justice: Meeting the Challenges of the Twenty-first Century and, in particular, its plans of action, highlighted the importance of the issue of criminal justice reform and the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice has continued to underscore the importance of effective global responses in that area. The mandate to assist States in building fair and effective criminal justice systems is also contained in resolutions by the main policymaking organs of the United Nations: the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council.

The Criminal Justice Reform Unit works on the implementation and the operationalization of the United Nations standards and norms in crime prevention and criminal justice. These include:

  • Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials (General Assembly resolution 34/169, annex)
  • United Nations Rules for the Protection of Juveniles Deprived of their Liberty (Assembly resolution 45/113, annex)
  • Procedures for the effective implementation of the Basic Principles on the Independence of the Judiciary (Economic and Social Council resolution 1989/60, annex)
  • United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Administration of Juvenile Justice (The Beijing Rules) (Assembly resolution 40/33, annex)
  • Procedures for the effective implementation of the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (Council resolution 1984/47, annex)
  • United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for Non-Custodial Measures (The Tokyo Rules) (Assembly resolution 45/110, annex)
  • Implementation of the Declaration of Basic Principles of Justice for Victims of Crime and Abuse of Power (Council resolution 1989/57)
  • Guidelines on Justice in Matters involving Child Victims and Witnesses of Crime (Council resolution 2005/20, annex).