NCJ Number
54851
Journal
International Review of Criminal Policy Issue: 34 Dated: (1978) Pages: 22-25
Date Published
1978
Length
4 pages
Annotation
AN OVERVIEW OF UNITED NATIONS (UN) POLICIES AND PRACTICES REGARDING THE PROVISION OF TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE IN CRIME PREVENTION AND CONTROL IS PRESENTED.
Abstract
DIRECT SERVICES TO THE GOVERNMENTS OF UN MEMBER STATES IN THE PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF CRIME, PRIMARILY THROUGH FELLOWSHIPS AND PROVISION OF TECHNICAL EXPERTISE, HAVE BEEN PART OF UN OPERATIONS SINCE THE ORGANIZATION WAS FOUNDED. AS THE UN HAS INTENSIFIED ITS COMMITMENT TO THE NEEDS OF DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, PROBLEMS HAVE ARISEN WITH THE FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM. FOR INSTANCE, FELLOWSHIP HOLDERS FROM DEVELOPING COUNTRIES PREFER TO STUDY IN MORE ADVANCED COUNTRIES, WHOSE CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROGRAMS AND POLICIES THEY SOMETIMES ATTEMPT TO INTRODUCE PREMATURELY OR INAPPROPRIATELY IN THEIR OWN COUNTRIES. TO ADDRESS SUCH PROBLEMS, SOME HOST COUNTRIES HAVE DEVELOPED SPECIAL PROGRAMS FOR UN FELLOWS FROM DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, AND THE UN HAS SPONSORED REGIONAL INSTITUTES, WHERE FELLOWSHIP HOLDERS CAN LEARN OF ADVANCES IN NEIGBORING COUNTRIES. THE SYSTEM OF PROVIDING CRIMINAL JUSTICE EXPERTS TO COUNTRIES HAS AVOIDED SOME OF THE PROBLEMS OF THE FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM. TECHNICAL EXPERTISE IS AVAILABLE ON A SHORT-TERM OR LONG-TERM BASIS. MOST REQUESTS FOR EXPERT ASSISTANCE ARE IN THE AREAS OF POLICY AND PRACTICE. THERE HAS BEEN A TREND AWAY FROM REQUESTS FOR EXPERTISE IN SPECIFIC AREA (JUNVENILE COURTS, PROBATION, ETC.) AND TOWARD REQUESTS FOR ADVICE ON CRIME PREVENTION AND CONTROL IN GENERAL. ONE SIDE BENEFIT OF THE TECHNICAL EXPERT PROGRAM IS THAT EXPERTS OFTEN ENCOURAGE THEIR OWN COUNTRIES TO PROVIDE DIRECT ASSISTANCE TO THE NATIONS THEY HAVE VISITED AS UN EXPERTS. OVERALL, THERE HAS BEEN A DISTINCT DIMINUTION IN UN TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE IN CRIME PREVENTION AND CONTROL, PARTLY BECAUSE NATIONS ARE PLACING HIGHER PRIORITY ON REQUESTS FOR UN ASSISTANCE IN OTHER AREAS, AND PARTLY BECAUSE NO UN FUNDS ARE SPECIFICALLY EARMARKED FOR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE IN THIS FIELD. THE SITUATION APPEARS TO REFLECT THE STATUS, AUTHORITY, RELEVANCE, AND CREDIBILITY OF THE CRIME CONTROL FIELD ITSELF, BOTH NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY. (LKM)