NCJ Number
198292
Date Published
March 2001
Length
88 pages
Annotation
At the request of the Center for International Crime Prevention within the United Nations Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention, the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) of the U.S. Department of Justice and a United Nations Program Network Institute were asked to review the questionnaires submitted by the member states on the implementation of the United Nations Declaration on Crime and Public Security; this report summarizes the responses to the questionnaire.
Abstract
NIJ received and reviewed 37 questionnaires, 36 from the United Nations member nations. Given the poor response to the questionnaire, it was impossible to draw any significant conclusions about the international measures that exist and those that are still required. Thus, this report can only report on the responses received and hint at possible trends. The majority of the 36 responding nations have disseminated the Declaration among government officials, and in some cases to the citizens. Many believe the Declaration has made an impact on relevant laws within their countries. Although most of the countries have adopted measures to provide their citizens with a sense of safety through traditional and innovative law enforcement and prevention programs along with strict border controls, it is not clear that these efforts are a result of the Declaration. A majority of the responding countries have existing or pending laws or initiatives that target serious transnational crime, but it is difficult to determine whether the Declaration was the catalyst for enactment of such laws. Many of the responding countries are participating in mutual legal assistance, extradition, and other types of international cooperation on criminal matters. Cooperation among law enforcement at the international level is evident in the high level of participation in training and education programs for the fight against serious transnational crimes. Although a majority of the responding countries have hosted or participated in these training activities, less have provided or received other types of technical assistance at an international level. A slight majority of responding countries have adopted legislation concerning effective implementation of the principal existing international treaties relating to various aspects of the problem of international terrorism and to the international drug control conventions. Victim assistance programs exist or are proposed in a majority of the responding countries; and most of the responding countries have existing or proposed legislation to combat the transnational flow of the proceeds of serious transnational crime. The poor response rate and inherent problems with the survey instrument make further inquiries into these issues all the more crucial. Nine appendices provide further details on the responses to the questionnaire.