http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/site/index/ en U.S. Department of State 2012-05-16T18:44:45+00:00 21st session of the United Nations Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (also known as the CCPCJ or Crime Commission).

Led by Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs Brian Nichols, the U.S. delegation played a leading role throughout the week in molding 11 resolutions adopted by consensus. For example, the United States worked closely with Turkey to sponsor jointly a resolution on "Promoting efforts to eliminate violence against migrants, migrant workers and their families" (the theme for this year's CCPCJ). Twenty-eight additional countries from across the UN's regional groupings co-sponsored the resolution. Among other provisions, this resolution condemns criminal acts -- including acts motivated by racism -- against migrants, migrant workers, and their families, and encourages Member States that have not already done so to enact legislation and take other appropriate measures to combat international smuggling of migrants.

The United States co-sponsored resolutions on: statistics on crime and criminal justice, authored by Mexico; the rule of law and the reform of criminal justice institutions, proposed by Thailand; international cooperation to address the links that may exist between transnational criminal activities and terrorist activities, offered by Colombia; and the United Nations Principles and Guidelines on Access to Legal Aid in Criminal Justice Systems, submitted jointly by South Africa and Georgia. All these resolutions and more can be found here.

The United States also hosted a side event on the crime-terror nexus and co-hosted a side event with Turkey and the UN on the Global Counter Terrorism Forum. A broad, diverse group of representatives from Member States and civil society attended both events.

Created in 1992 by the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the Crime Commission is one of the governing bodies of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and guides UN activities in the field of crime prevention and criminal justice. The Crime Commission also shapes the quinquennial UN Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (or "Crime Congress"), one of the major UN conferences and the only one to draw together leading experts from member states, academia, and civil society. Last week's CCPCJ adopted a resolution that provides a roadmap to the 2015 Crime Congress to be held in Doha, Qatar.

The resolutions adopted at this CCPCJ promise to strengthen the impact of UNODC's work and further the UN's synergistic approach to promoting crime prevention and criminal justice.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/strengthening_law_combating_crime/ 2012-05-02T22:13:21+00:00
Over the course of the week, the U.S. delegation played a leading role in the unanimous adoption of 12 resolutions on issues ranging from preventing overdose deaths to addressing specific regional challenges to facilitating alternatives to imprisonment. We held more than 20 bilateral and multilateral meetings with other countries, led a panel discussion on drugged driving, and joined a panel on meeting the specific needs of drug-addicted women. The latter panel allowed us to highlight the first-ever U.S. National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security, as well as our ongoing support for domestic and international programs addressing women's needs and promoting gender equality.

Established in 1946 as a functional commission of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the CND reviews and analyzes the global drug control situation, considering the interrelated issues of drug abuse prevention, the rehabilitation of drug users, and preventing the supply and trafficking of illicit drugs. The CND is also responsible for supervising the application of international drug control treaties and advising ECOSOC on matters pertaining to the control of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, and their precursors. Resolutions negotiated at the annual sessions of the CND shape global drug control policy and direct the work of the UN Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC) on these matters and related initiatives.

The 1912 Opium Convention was one of the first international treaties specifically aimed against a global threat. To recognize that historic event, and all the subsequent global cooperation strengthening international drug controls, the United States sponsored a resolution commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Convention. This resolution gained a record number of co-sponsors from around the globe, from Russia and China to European and Latin American countries, and recommitted all of us to continue fighting against illicit opiates; reducing drug production, trafficking, and use; and ensuring the availability of controlled drugs for medical and scientific purposes.

Additional CND resolutions further reinforced and expanded existing drug controls. For example, the CND adopted a novel resolution on gender-specific treatment and rehabilitation needs. Other resolutions included an electronic import/export authorization system to facilitate legal trade of controlled substances; reintegrating persons released from prison after they've renounced drug abuse; and international cooperation in responding to new psychoactive substances. The United States also co-sponsored a resolution put forth by Russia and France to address opiate trafficking in Afghanistan and its surrounding region.

We're already beginning to see operational results from the CND. One country noted that, in response to a resolution, it plans to look into using a life-saving drug that can help prevent deaths from overdose. For its part, the United States looks forward to working with other states, as well as UNODC, in various joint projects and regional counter-narcotics initiatives addressed in the resolutions.

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