Promotion of fair, humane and accountable criminal justice systems is a key step in fighting organized crime and promoting security and justice. UNODC provides Member States with expertise and advice to develop effective and responsible crime prevention strategies and policies and to build the capacity of their criminal justice systems to operate more effectively within the framework of the rule of law, while promoting human rights and protecting vulnerable groups.
The work of UNODC in crime prevention and criminal justice reform is guided by the UN standards and norms on crime prevention and criminal justice, a set of rules, principles, and guidelines relating to different aspects of criminal justice, such as responding to violence against women, protecting the rights of children, and prison reform.
The Compendium of UN standards and norms in crime prevention and criminal justice is available for download in English.
As the guardian of the United Nations standards and norms in crime prevention and criminal justice, which promote and protect human rights in the administration of justice, UNODC through its Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Section (Division for Treaty Affairs) aims to help reduce crime, to ensure the operation of fair, effective, inclusive, transparent and accountable criminal justice institutions, and to promote equal access to justice for all. A brochure on the work of the Section can be found here.
UNODC recognises that people in contact with criminal justice systems are often in vulnerable situations or belong to groups that have specific rights and needs in the criminal justice system and seeks to promote people-centred and human rights-based responses to crime, that are effective in securing public safety. It supports efforts to achieve targets under several of the Sustainable Development Goals, in particular SDG 16.
Find out more: https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/justice-and-prison-reform/cpcj-home.html
