New York, 20 January 2026
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), together with the Permanent Mission of Japan to the United Nations, convened an event at United Nations Headquarters in New York to commemorate the adoption by the United Nations General Assembly of the United Nations Model Strategies on Reducing Reoffending, commonly referred to as the Kyoto Model Strategies.
Adopted on 18 December 2025 following an intergovernmental standard-setting process conducted under the auspices of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ), the Kyoto Model Strategies represent the most recent addition to the UN standards and norms in crime prevention and criminal justice.
Reducing reoffending as a core criminal justice objective
The Fourteenth United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, held in held in Kyoto in 2021, laid the foundation for the adoption of the Kyoto Model Strategies. Reducing reoffending was firmly reflected in the agenda of the Congress, including through a dedicated workshop. The political commitment contained in the Kyoto Declaration subsequently led to an intergovernmental process, chaired by Japan, culminating in the adoption of the Kyoto Model Strategies by the General Assembly.
What are the Kyoto Model Strategies?
The Kyoto Model Strategies are a United Nations soft law instrument providing guidance to Member States on reducing reoffending through rehabilitation and social reintegration. They promote a holistic approach across the entire criminal justice cycle, from prevention and sentencing to rehabilitation and social reintegration.
From standard-setting to implementation
The event in New York was an important step on the path towards practical implementation of the Kyoto Model Strategies. Moderated by Ms. Xiaohong Li, Representative of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) New York Liaison Office, the event brought together national authorities, UN entities and practitioners to highlight the key elements of the Kyoto Model Strategies, with a strong focus on translating them into concrete policy and practice at national and operational levels, as “the real impact of the Kyoto Model Strategies will depend on how effectively they are translated into concrete policies and practices that strengthen public safety while upholding human dignity.”
Reaffirming multilateral commitment in New York
Opening the event, H.E. Mr. Tomohiro Mikanagi, Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative of Japan to the United Nations, underscored the significance of the Kyoto Model Strategies as a tangible outcome of multilateral cooperation: “The Kyoto Model Strategies are the product of a shared conviction that criminal justice systems are strongest when they give people a second chance, enabling rehabilitation, reintegration and safer societies.”
In a video message, Mr. John Brandolino, Acting Executive Director of UNODC, highlighted this historic global consensus on how to build justice systems that can better prevent reoffending through rehabilitation, reintegration and the engagement of communities and UNODC’s role, as custodians of the Strategies, in supporting Member States in translating UN standards and norms into practice.
He further emphasized UNODC’s role as custodian of the UN standards and norms: “The task now is to translate these strategies into tangible change. As their custodian, UNODC is fully committed to supporting their practical implementation, including through our partnership with Japan.”
Looking ahead
Closing the event, Ms. Fatema Yousuf, Acting Deputy Permanent Representative of the United Arab Emirates to the United Nations, reaffirmed the importance of sustained international cooperation to ensure that the Kyoto Model Strategies are translated into concrete policy and practice.
To learn more about the Kyoto Model Strategies:
United Nations Model Strategies on Reducing Reoffending (Kyoto Model Strategies)
