THE INSTITUTE

WHAT IS UNICRI?

The United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute - UNICRI - was created in 1968 to assist intergovernmental, governmental and non-governmental organizations in formulating and implementing improved policies in the field of crime prevention and criminal justice.

In a rapidly changing world, UNICRI's major goals today are advancing security, serving justice and building peace.

UNICRI sees itself as "the first response broker". It has become known for its dynamic, fresh and innovative approach in applied research.

Knowledge management, creativity in finding solutions and the power of partnerships are the major UNICRI instruments of work. UNICRI operates in selected niches as a "laboratory of ideas" and its activities help the integration of national and international efforts to search for good practices and adapt them to different national situations.

The UNICRI Applied Research Programme is organized in four main work areas: Emerging Crimes and Anti-Human Trafficking; Security Governance and Counter Terrorism Laboratory; Justice Reform and Post-Graduate Training.

Crime is a common concern both for governments and citizens across the globe. As crime becomes increasingly internationalized, new forms of crime emerge and organized crime spreads, national responses and international cooperation in the fields of crime prevention and criminal justice must work alongside one another. UNICRI supports governments and the international community at large in tackling the threats of crime to social peace, development and political stability.

WHAT CAN UNICRI DO?

The programmes of UNICRI aim to promote national self-reliance and the development of institutional capabilities. To this end, UNICRI provides a one-stop facility offering high-level expertise in crime prevention and criminal justice problems. Technical co-operation is enhanced by the use of action-oriented research to assist in the formulation of improved policies and concrete intervention programmes. Institutional and on-the-job training of specialized personnel form an integral part of UNICRI activities.

UNICRI' s goals are:

to advance understanding of crime-related problems
to foster just and efficient criminal justice systems
to support the respect of international instruments and other standards
to facilitate international law enforcement cooperation and judicial assistance.
UNICRI is governed by a Board of Trustees composed of eminent experts. The staff cover a wide range of expertise in the management of research, training, technical cooperation and documentation and are supported by highly qualified consultants selected according to project requirements.

AREAS OF ACTION

With 40 years of experience, UNICRI has been structuring its work programmes and modus operandi to make them always responsive to the needs of the international community.

UNICRI' s activities tackle major concerns in the field of crime prevention and criminal justice, such as corruption, security governance and counter-terrorism , organized crime (in particular, trafficking of persons as well as illicit drugs and arms). Other areas of intervention are, inter alia, violence, both domestic and in the workplace; environmental- and cyber-crimes; protection of victims and cultural heritage. UNICRI also conducts major programs in criminal justice reform, with a special focus on juvenile justice.

HOW TO SUPPORT UNICRI

UNICRI operates thanks to the generosity of a number of Member States and other Donors (international and regional organizations, charities, foundations etc.). The resources at the disposal of the Institute are nevertheless always insufficient to meet the demands for services, constantly received from the international community. UNICRI is entirely financed from voluntary contributions and does not receive any funding from the regular budget of the United Nations. Contributions may be credited to the Sub-account “UNICRI” of the United Nations Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Fund. Contributions in kind, staff secondments, direct participation in projects and any other forms of assistance can also support UNICRI programmes.

SERVICES AVAILABLE

Applied research and technical cooperation aimed at providing concrete assistance to requesting countries, in close collaboration with regional and national authorities, and in accordance with their self-perceived goals. UNICRI targets, in particular, regions and countries that for various reasons, including the comparative lack of intervention from other potential assisting entities, are more in need of support in the field of crime prevention and criminal justice. Co-operation projects often take a holistic approach, which tackles legislative, enforcement and social aspects, and may include services provided by UNICRI, such as documentation, research and training.

Data gathering and exchange of information on policy options, strategies and practices adopted in different geographical areas and criminal justice systems, through:

the operation of its international documentation centre,

the creation of comparative databases,

the assistance in the establishment of criminal justice databases in developing countries

the organization of meetings and seminars.

Promotion and coordination of international and regional research, with special attention to:

the analysis and assessment of conditions for and consequences of the adoption of national and international criminal justice strategies,

the study of major patterns and trends of crime.

Promotion of policy-relevant research at country level, through:

the analysis and assessment of policy formulation and implementation, including the implementation of the United Nations Conventions and the respect of human rights standards,

the establishment of networks between policy-makers, administrators and researchers,

the study of national or local crime-related problems in the context of development policies.

Training and educational activities aimed at developing and upgrading professional skills, and favouring exchange of information and cooperation among policy makers, administrators and professionals, in particular by:

carrying out training courses,

developing training curricula, methods and materials, and instructing trainers to use and disseminate them.

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