OAS-UNODC cooperation in implementing in the Americas the UN Survey on Crime Trends MISPA II, Santo Domingo 4-5 Nov 2009 Angela MeJose Manuel Martinez.

OAS-UNODC cooperation in implementing in the Americas the UN Survey on Crime TrendsMISPA II, Santo Domingo 4-5 Nov 2009

Angela Me Jose Manuel MartinezChief, Survey and Statistics Section Representative DPA Regional Office Panama

Why do we need crime and criminal justice statistics?

To develop targeted policies

To monitor the impact, effectiveness, efficiency of policies and programmes

Evidence-based policy making

Why do we need crime and criminal justice statistics?

National level

• Crime is no longer uniform in its distribution and no longer “predictable”

• In many countries crime today is characterized by “hotspots”

• National trends may hide large differences which need different policy responses

Why do we need crime and criminal justice statistics?

An example well-known decrease in violent crime in the US in past years

• Sprinfield, MA (population: 152,644): - 16.6% violent crime between 2005-2006

• Jackson, MS (population: 177,334)+ 44.2% violent crime between 2005-2006

Why do we need crime and criminal justice statistics?

National policy makers need to be more agile, using statistics, research and informed observation to understand and respond to ongoing challenges

Why do we need crime and criminal justice statistics?

International level

Internally: How are we doing?Externally: What countries offer the safest environment? What countries need more assistance?

To compare with other countries/regions

Source: UNODC International Homicide Statistics

0 20 40 60 80 100

ParaguayThailand

El SalvadorGeorgia

NicaraguaUnited States of AmericaBosnia and Herzegovina

IrelandHong Kong Special Administrative …

CanadaArmenia

ItalyBelize

KyrgyzstanTurkmenistan

UkraineSpain

SlovakiaTurkeySerbia

Czech RepublicMauritius

AlgeriaNew Zealand

PolandLithuania

AzerbaijanAustria

MongoliaSlovenia

GermanyBelarus

JapanMorocco

Republic of MoldovaFinland

ScotlandDenmarkMonaco

Singapore

% cases solved by police

% Intentional Homicide Cases Solved

To inform International Policy Making

To better understand the dynamics of crime

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

-3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3

World Bank RoL Index, 2004

IHS

Inte

nti

on

al h

om

icid

e r

ate

, 20

04

Source: UNODC

To better understand the dynamics of crime

Source: UNODC

The evidence at international level is possible with an international data collection system

0

50

100

150

200

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

Basis: 1995 = 100

Intentional homicide (14 countries)

Robbery (15 countries)

Burglary (10 countries)

Drug-related crime (14 countries)

Automobile theft (14 countries)

0

50

100

150

200

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

Basis: 1995 = 100

Intentional homicide (14 countries)

Robbery (15 countries)

Burglary (10 countries)

Drug-related crime (14 countries)

Automobile theft (14 countries)

Not a new idea……

The United Nations Survey of Crime Trends and Operations of Criminal Justice Systems (UN-CTS)

UNCCPCJ asked for a review

Resolution sponsored by Argentina

Regional Partnership UNODC-OAS in monitoring Crime in

the region

• Developing a regional monitoring system for the American States

• Core (CTS) + region-specific indicators • No duplications, no overburdening of

countries • An international data collection

system which is closer to countries

Revision of the CTS according to the resolution

• Inter-governmental meeting to finalize the content of CTS and core indicators hosted by Argentina (February 2010)

• The Region is in a leading position

CTS includes only administrative statistics

Source: International Crime Victim Survey (ICVS)

5552

46

37

2926 24

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

NorthAmerica

Australia WesternEurope

Africa Central-EasternEurope

Asia LatinAmerica

% victims who reported crimes to the police

Average percentage of crimes reported to the police in different world regions

Studying crime requires more than statistics on reported crimes

Figure reproduced from Trends in Crime and Justice 2005

Countries with high victimization rates very often do not rank high in police recorded crime and viceversa

More needs to be done at national and international level to collect and analyze statistics on victimization

More specific UNODC contributions to knowledge

and action in the region

Evidence-based programme development

“Crime, Violence and Development:

Trends, Costs, and Policy Options in the Caribbean” (UNODC and WB, 2007)

“Crime and Development in Central America” (UNODC and IDB, 2007)

SANTO DOMINGO Pact/ SICA-UNODC MANAGUA Mechanism

ADAM Legal Assistance

ConsultativeMechanism

Centres of Excellence

Network ofProsecutors

Network ofNational Strategic

Analysts

Focal Points forExpertise & Training

Donors

Central America Caribbean

International Organizations

(UNODC, CARICOM, SICA,OAS etc.)

Experts,Policy Makers

Centres of excellence - mandateManagua Conference: Centers of Excellence

• 1). Research and generation of regional expertise providing the following services.

• 2). Capacity-building through training and provision of technical equipment.

• 3). Information sharing and cooperation.

1Belize, Corruption2Honduras, (to be defined)3Costa Rica, (to be defined)1Dominican Republic,

Prison Reform2Nicaragua, Community Policing

1El Salvador, Urban Crime2Panama, Maritime Security3Guatemala, Organized Crime

Stage 1 Aug.-Cct. 09

Stage 2 Nov.-dic. 09

Stage 3 1st S 2010

South Cone and Andean Region Historic UNODC activities in the

Andean Region

UNODC will soon start developing a regional programme for Argentine, Brazil, Chile , Paraguay, Uruguay

For more information:http://www.unodc.org

/

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION

RM00083T