NCJ Number
210516
Date Published
February 2005
Length
25 pages
Annotation
In accordance with the United Nations (U.N.) General Assembly's resolution 59/151 of December 20, 2004, the U.N. Secretary-General presents an overview of the state of crime and criminal justice worldwide on the occasion of the 11th United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, held April 18-25, 2005, in Bangkok.
Abstract
The report covers crime trends and developments since the 10th United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders, held April 10-17, 2000. This report is based on preliminary findings of the Eighth United Nations Survey of Crime Trends and Operations of Criminal Justice Systems, as well as information from the global programs of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the International Crime Victim Survey. Results from both police records (the United Nations Survey) and other survey data (the Victim Survey) show a high level of violent crime in Africa and the Americas. Victim surveys also show that property crime is prevalent in Africa, although this prevalence is not reflected in police statistics. For the period 1995-2002, the countries that have provided consistent information over time show an overall 12-percent increase in police-recorded crime, matched by a corresponding increase in the incarceration rate. Trends for specific types of crime included increases in drug-related crime and robbery. Intentional homicide, on the other hand, decreased 19 percent. The increase in drug-related crime produced more arrests and convictions for such offenses, indicating that such crimes warrant increased prevention efforts. The need for more reliable mechanisms for collecting crime and criminal justice data in developing countries is noted. 15 figures and 32 notes