NCJ Number
145264
Date Published
1988
Length
44 pages
Annotation
The Interregional Preparatory Meeting for the Eighth United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders, held in Vienna, Austria, in March 1988, focused on the topics of organized crime and terrorist criminal activities.
Abstract
The meeting was attended by experts from different regions of the world and observers from member countries. To facilitate meeting deliberations, participants looked at the dimensions of organized crime, the scope of terrorist criminal acts and their growing internationalization, the interface between organized crime and terrorism, national and international initiatives to improve crime prevention policies and strategies, and the United Nations role in dealing with international criminality. Meeting participants determined that, despite some common ground shared by both topics, organized crime and terrorism were distinct phenomena that should not be confused. Some experts stated that threats posed by both phenomena should not be exaggerated since that could risk provoking the wrong psychological reaction by the public. Other experts indicated that organized crime was the result of technological advances, that terrorism was a serious threat in many countries, and that international criminal law should be codified. In addition, meeting participants discussed the need for international cooperation, the lack of resources and trained personnel in many countries to deal with crime, prosecution, extradition, and the crucial role of the United Nations in preventing and controlling organized crime and terrorist criminal activities. Guidelines were formulated for national, regional, and international action on organized crime and terrorism that encompass criminal legislation, criminal investigation, law enforcement, international cooperation, jurisdiction issues, victim and witness protection, and the role of the mass media. Report annexes contain a list of meeting participants, a draft bilateral model treaty on mutual assistance in criminal matters, a draft model extradition treaty, and a list of documents relevant to the meeting agenda.