Engaging young people in sports programmes can help reduce violent extremism
December 6, 2019

Engaging young people in sports programmes can help reduce violent extremism

Physical activities are an integral part of education in most countries today, and the popularity of different sports is universal, whether played in teams or individually. Increasingly, the practice of sports is also seen as one of the tools which can bring a crucial benefit to society: the prevention of violent extremism.

The Line Up, Live Up initiative, developed by the Youth Crime Prevention through Sports component of UNODC's Global Programme for the Implementation of the Doha Declaration, stems from the premise that sports can be a vehicle to increase young people's resilience to crime, violence and drug use. Through meaningful engagement with youth in marginalized areas or from disadvantaged backgrounds, Line Up, Live Up packs life skills training and physical activities during ten sessions with especially trained coaches.

UNODC’s innovative education and university partnerships are empowering young scholars
December 3, 2019

UNODC's innovative education and university partnerships are empowering young scholars

Academic conferences present scholars with opportunities not just to exchange important ideas, but also to question and challenge them; through this dynamic process, theories are worked and reworked, eventually forming a solid framework that applies in practice, beyond theory. For the Education for Justice (E4J) initiative, a component of the Global Programme for the Implementation of the Doha Declaration, such interactive conferences are an essential step in UNODC's drive to fulfil the internationally-agreed Sustainable Development Goals, especially SDG16 for peace, justice and strong institutions which falls under UNODC's remit.

Guidelines on creating a brand of prison products launched by UNODC this week
November 27, 2019

Guidelines on creating a brand of prison products launched by UNODC this week

Penitentiary systems around the world are increasingly adopting prisoner rehabilitation initiatives as they attempt to reduce crime in their communities. Not only are rehabilitated prisoners less likely to reoffend, to fall back into criminal activities or to endanger society, but they also are more likely to become financially self-sufficient if they have been trained in a discipline or trade which they can continue to practice once liberated.

Various rehabilitation educational and vocational programmes are being applied in different prison systems, including some of those supported by UNODC. In addition to these types of rehabilitative exercises, there are other common schemes in which prisoners are employed during their sentence, producing goods that are usable within the prison and also marketable outside.

Jericho’s first batch of electrical installations certified prisoners graduate
November 21, 2019

Jericho's first batch of electrical installations certified prisoners graduate

The pace of prisoner rehabilitation programmes is gaining traction around the world, with more penitentiary systems looking for ways to better prepare prisoners for reinsertion into society after completing their sentence. Such programmes not only contribute to helping prisoners become financially independent upon release, but have also been proven to reduce the possibility of recidivism.

This month, nine male prisoners proudly received their diplomas for Electrical Installations, after successfully completing the first advanced Technical, Vocational and Educational Training (TVET) at the Jericho Correctional and Rehabilitation Centre in the State of Palestine. 

Is 'Open Justice' Possible?
November 11, 2019

Is 'Open Justice' Possible?

In Argentina, the justice system is going through a crisis of trust and legitimacy. One of the reasons for this crisis is that access to justice presents numerous difficulties that are aggravated by the lack of public policies that strengthen transparency, accountability and citizens' participation in the judiciary.

In line with the Bangalore Principles of Judicial Conduct and the provisions for its implementation, we believe that public confidence in the justice system is of the utmost importance in a modern and democratic society. It is also essential that judges honour jurisdictional functions and actively work to promote transparency in the judiciary.

Therefore, it is our duty to echo the citizens' claims and to set out concrete actions to create a new way of administering justice in our country.