Compendium of UN Standards and Norms in Crime Prevention

Compendium
of United Nations standards

and norms in crime prevention
and criminal justice
UNITED NATIONS OFFICE ON DRUGS AND CRIME
Vienna
Compendium of United Nations

standards and norms in crime
prevention and criminal justice
UNITED NATIONS
New York, 2016
Contents Page
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xi
Part one. Persons in custody, non-custodial sanctions

and restorative justice
I. Treatment of prisoners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1. United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of
Prisoners (the Nelson Mandela Rules)
(General Assembly resolution 70/175, annex,
of 17 December 2015) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
2. Procedures for the effective implementation of the Standard
Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners
(Economic and Social Council resolution 1984/47, annex,
of 25 May 1984) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
3. Body of Principles for the Protection of All Persons under Any
Form of Detention or Imprisonment
of 9 December 1988) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
4. Basic Principles for the Treatment of Prisoners
of 14 December 1990) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
5. Kampala Declaration on Prison Conditions in Africa
of 21 July 1997) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
6. Status of foreign citizens in criminal proceedings
(Economic and Social Council resolution 1998/22,
of 28 July 1998) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
7. Arusha Declaration on Good Prison Practice
of 28 July 1999) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
iii
8. United Nations Rules for the Treatment of Women Prisoners and
Non-custodial Measures for Women Offenders (the Bangkok Rules)
of 21 December 2010) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
II. Alternatives to imprisonment and restorative justice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
9. United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for Non-custodial
Measures (the Tokyo Rules)
of 14 December 1990) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
10. Kadoma Declaration on Community Service and recommendations
of the seminar entitled “Criminal justice: the challenge of prison
overcrowding”, held in San José from 3 to 7 February 1997
annexes I and II, of 28 July 1998) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
11. Basic principles on the use of restorative justice programmes in
criminal matters
of 24 July 2002) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
III. Torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or
punishment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
12. Declaration on the Protection of All Persons from Being Subjected
to Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or
Punishment
(General Assembly resolution 3452 (XXX), annex,
of 9 December 1975) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
13. Principles of Medical Ethics relevant to the role of health
personnel, particularly physicians, in the protection of prisoners
and detainees against torture and other cruel, inhuman or
degrading treatment or punishment
of 18 December 1982) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
14. Principles on the Effective Investigation and Documentation of
Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or
Punishment
of 4 December 2000) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
iv
IV. Capital punishment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
15. Capital punishment
(General Assembly resolution 2857 (XXVI),
of 20 December 1971) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
16. Safeguards guaranteeing protection of the rights of those facing
the death penalty
of 25 May 1984) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
17. Implementation of the safeguards guaranteeing protection of the
rights of those facing the death penalty
of 24 May 1989) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
18. Principles on the Effective Prevention and Investigation of
Extralegal, Arbitrary and Summary Executions
of 24 May 1989) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
19. Safeguards guaranteeing protection of the rights of those facing
the death penalty
adopted on 23 July 1996). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Part two. Justice for children

20. United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Administration
of Juvenile Justice (the Beijing Rules)
of 29 November 1985) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
21. United Nations Guidelines for the Prevention of Juvenile
Delinquency (the Riyadh Guidelines)
of 14 December 1990) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
22. United Nations Rules for the Protection of Juveniles Deprived of
their Liberty
of 14 December 1990) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
23. Guidelines for Action on Children in the Criminal Justice System
annex, of 21 July 1997) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
v
24. Guidelines on Justice in Matters involving Child Victims and
Witnesses of Crime
annex, of 22 July 2005) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
25. United Nations Model Strategies and Practical Measures on the
Elimination of Violence against Children in the Field of Crime
Prevention and Criminal Justice
(General Assembly resolution 69/194,
annex, of 18 December 2014) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Part three. Crime prevention,
violence against women and victim issues
I. Crime prevention . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
26. Guidelines for cooperation and technical assistance in the field of
urban crime prevention
of 24 July 1995) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
27. United Nations Declaration on Crime and Public Security
of 12 December 1996) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
28. Firearm regulation for purposes of crime prevention and public
health and safety
of 21 July 1997) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
29. Guidelines for the Prevention of Crime
annex, of 24 July 2002) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
30. International Guidelines for Crime Prevention and Criminal
Justice Responses with Respect to Trafficking in Cultural Property
and Other Related Offences
of 18 December 2014) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
II. Violence against women . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
31. Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women
(General Assembly resolution 48/104, of 20 December 1993) . . . . . 245
32. Updated Model Strategies and Practical Measures on the
Elimination of Violence against Women in the Field of Crime
of 21 December 2010) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
vi
III. Victims . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
33. Declaration of Basic Principles of Justice for Victims of Crime
and Abuse of Power
of 29 November 1985) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
34. Implementation of the Declaration of Basic Principles of Justice
for Victims of Crime and Abuse of Power
of 24 May 1989) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
35. Plan of action for the implementation of the Declaration of Basic
Principles of Justice for Victims of Crime and Abuse of Power
of 28 July 1998) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
Part four. Good governance,

the independence of the judiciary, the integrity of
criminal justice personnel and access to legal aid
I. Good governance, the independence of the judiciary and the integrity
of criminal justice personnel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
36. Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials
of 17 December 1979) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
37. Guidelines for the Effective Implementation of the Code of
Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials
of 24 May 1989) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 286
38. Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law
Enforcement Officials
(Eighth United Nations Congress on the Prevention
of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders, Havana,
27 August-7 September 1990) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288
39. Basic Principles on the Independence of the Judiciary
(Seventh United Nations Congress on the Prevention of
Crime and the Treatment of Offenders, Milan,
40. Procedures for the effective implementation of the Basic
Principles on the Independence of the Judiciary
of 24 May 1989) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296
vii
41. Bangalore Principles of Judicial Conduct
of 27 July 2006) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
42. Guidelines on the Role of Prosecutors
(Eighth United Nations Congress on the Prevention of
Crime and the Treatment of Offenders, Havana,
43. International Code of Conduct for Public Officials
of 12 December 1996) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
II. Access to legal aid and legal representation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315
44. Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers
45. United Nations Principles and Guidelines on Access to Legal Aid
in Criminal Justice Systems
of 20 December 2012) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320
Part five. Legal, institutional and practical

arrangements for international cooperation
I. Model treaties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345
46. Model Agreement on the Transfer of Foreign Prisoners and
recommendations on the treatment of foreign prisoners
(Seventh United Nations Congress on the Prevention of
Crime and the Treatment of Offenders, Milan,
47. Model Treaty on Extradition
of 14 December 1990, and resolution 52/88,
annex, of 12 December 1997) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 350
48. Model Treaty on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters
of 14 December 1990, and resolution 53/112,
annex I, of 9 December 1998) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 359
49. Model Treaty on the Transfer of Proceedings in Criminal Matters
of 14 December 1990) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 370
viii
50. Model Treaty on the Transfer of Supervision of Offenders
Conditionally Sentenced or Conditionally Released
of 14 December 1990) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 375
51. Model treaty for the prevention of crimes that infringe on the
cultural heritage of peoples in the form of movable property
52. Model Bilateral Treaty for the Return of Stolen or Embezzled
Vehicles
annex II, of 21 July 1997) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 385
53. Model Bilateral Agreement on the Sharing of Confiscated
Proceeds of Crime or Property
annex, of 22 July 2005) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 391
II. Declarations of United Nations Congresses on Crime Prevention and
Criminal Justice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 399
54. Vienna Declaration on Crime and Justice: Meeting the Challenges
of the Twenty-first Century
of 4 December 2000) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 399
55. Plans of action for the implementation of the Vienna
Declaration on Crime and Justice: Meeting the Challenges
of the Twenty-first Century
of 31 January 2002) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 404
56. Bangkok Declaration on Synergies and Responses: Strategic
Alliances in Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice
of 16 December 2005) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 424
57. Salvador Declaration on Comprehensive Strategies for Global
Challenges: Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Systems and
Their Development in a Changing World
of 21 December 2010) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 431
ix
58. Doha Declaration on Integrating Crime Prevention and Criminal
Justice into the Wider United Nations Agenda to Address Social
and Economic Challenges and to Promote the Rule of Law at the
National and International Levels, and Public Participation
of 17 December 2015) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 441
x
Introduction
Since its foundation, the United Nations has been active in the development
and promotion of internationally recognized principles in crime prevention and
criminal justice. Over the years a considerable body of United Nations standards
and norms related to crime prevention and criminal justice has emerged, covering
a wide variety of issues such as access to justice, the treatment of offenders,
justice for children and victim protection, as well as violence against women.
The United Nations congresses on crime prevention and criminal justice, which
have been held on a quinquennial basis since 1955, have proved to be an
invaluable source and driving force for this process. Likewise, since its inception
in 1992, the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice has played a
leading role in developing and updating those standards and norms.
Criminal justice systems differ from one country to the other and their
response to antisocial behaviours is not always homogeneous. The United
Nations standards and norms in crime prevention and criminal justice provide
flexible guidance for reform that accounts for the differences in legal traditions,
systems and structures while providing a collective vision of how criminal justice
systems should be structured.
The standards and norms have made a significant contribution to promoting
more effective and fair criminal justice structures in three dimensions. Firstly,
they can be utilized at the national level by fostering in-depth assessments
leading to the adoption of necessary criminal justice reforms. Secondly, they can
help countries to develop subregional and regional strategies. Thirdly, globally
and internationally, the standards and norms represent “best practices” that can
be adapted by States to meet national needs.
The Compendium of United Nations Standards and Norms in Crime
Prevention and Criminal Justice was first published in 1992. The second edition
was issued in 2006.
The present edition of the Compendium includes a number of new standards
and norms that have been developed in the areas of treatment of prisoners,
women offenders, legal aid, judicial integrity, justice for children and violence
against women, as well as the declarations of the most recent United Nations
congresses on crime prevention and criminal justice.
Three of the instruments contained in the present Compendium include
cross-references to specific rules from the Standard Minimum Rules for the
xi
Treatment of Prisoners: the United Nations Rules for the Treatment of Women
Prisoners and Non-custodial Measures for Women Offenders (the Bangkok
Rules), the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Administration of
Juvenile Justice (the Beijing Rules) and the Basic Principles on the Use of Force
and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials. For the purposes of this publication,
footnotes have been added to the text of those instruments to guide the reader
to the relevant rule of the revised version of the Standard Minimum Rules,
which was adopted by the General Assembly on 17 December 2015 in its
resolution 70/175, entitled “United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the
Treatment of Prisoners (the Nelson Mandela Rules)”.
Additional international instruments that could assist crime prevention and
criminal justice practitioners in their work can be found in Human Rights: A
Compilation of International Instruments,1 published by the Office of the United
Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
It is hoped that this updated version of the Compendium will contribute to a
wider awareness and dissemination of the United Nations standards and norms in
crime prevention and criminal justice and, consequently, will reinforce respect
for the rule of law and human rights in the administration of justice.2
__________________
1 United Nations publication, Sales No. E.02.XIV.4. Additional useful information can be
found on the website of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human
Rights.
2 Additional useful information can be found on the website of the United Nations Office
on Drugs and Crime (www.unodc.org).

xii
Part one
Persons in custody,
non-custodial sanctions and restorative
justice
I. Treatment of prisoners
1. United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the
Treatment of Prisoners (the Nelson Mandela Rules)*
Preliminary observation 1
The following rules are not intended to describe in detail a model system of
penal institutions. They seek only, on the basis of the general consensus of
contemporary thought and the essential elements of the most adequate systems of
today, to set out what is generally accepted as being good principles and practice
in the treatment of prisoners and prison management.
1. In view of the great variety of legal, social, economic and geographical
conditions in the world, it is evident that not all of the rules are capable of
application in all places and at all times. They should, however, serve to
stimulate a constant endeavour to overcome practical difficulties in the way of
their application, in the knowledge that they represent, as a whole, the minimum
conditions which are accepted as suitable by the United Nations.
2. On the other hand, the rules cover a field in which thought is constantly
developing. They are not intended to preclude experiment and practices, provided
these are in harmony with the principles and seek to further the purposes which
derive from the text of the rules as a whole. It will always be justifiable for the
central prison administration to authorize departures from the rules in this spirit.
1. Part I of the rules covers the general management of prisons, and is
applicable to all categories of prisoners, criminal or civil, untried or convicted,
including prisoners subject to “security measures” or corrective measures ordered
by the judge.
2. Part II contains rules applicable only to the special categories dealt with in
each section. Nevertheless, the rules under section A, applicable to prisoners
under sentence, shall be equally applicable to categories of prisoners dealt with
__________________
* General Assembly resolution 70/176, annex, adopted on 17 December 2015.
3
4 Compendium of United Nations standards and norms in crime prevention and criminal justice
in sections B, C and D, provided they do not conflict with the rules governing
those categories and are for their benefit.
1. The rules do not seek to regulate the management of institutions set aside
for young persons such as juvenile detention facilities or correctional schools,
but in general part I would be equally applicable in such institutions.
2. The category of young prisoners should include at least all young persons
who come within the jurisdiction of juvenile courts. As a rule, such young
persons should not be sentenced to imprisonment.
I. Rules of general application

Basic principles
Rule 1
All prisoners shall be treated with the respect due to their inherent dignity
and value as human beings. No prisoner shall be subjected to, and all prisoners
shall be protected from, torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment
or punishment, for which no circumstances whatsoever may be invoked as a
justification. The safety and security of prisoners, staff, service providers and
visitors shall be ensured at all times.
Rule 2
1. The present rules shall be applied impartially. There shall be no
discrimination on the grounds of race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or
other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or any other status. The
religious beliefs and moral precepts of prisoners shall be respected.
2. In order for the principle of non-discrimination to be put into practice,
prison administrations shall take account of the individual needs of prisoners, in
particular the most vulnerable categories in prison settings. Measures to protect
and promote the rights of prisoners with special needs are required and shall not
be regarded as discriminatory.
Rule 3
Imprisonment and other measures that result in cutting off persons from the
outside world are afflictive by the very fact of taking from these persons the right
of self-determination by depriving them of their liberty. Therefore the prison
system shall not, except as incidental to justifiable separation or the maintenance
of discipline, aggravate the suffering inherent in such a situation.
Part one, chapter I. Treatment of prisoners 5
Rule 4
1. The purposes of a sentence of imprisonment or similar measures deprivative
of a person’s liberty are primarily to protect society against crime and to reduce
recidivism. Those purposes can be achieved only if the period of imprisonment is
used to ensure, so far as possible, the reintegration of such persons into society
upon release so that they can lead a law-abiding and self-supporting life.
2. To this end, prison administrations and other competent authorities should
offer education, vocational training and work, as well as other forms of
assistance that are appropriate and available, including those of a remedial,
moral, spiritual, social and health- and sports-based nature. All such programmes,
activities and services should be delivered in line with the individual treatment
needs of prisoners.
Rule 5
1. The prison regime should seek to minimize any differences between prison
life and life at liberty that tend to lessen the responsibility of the prisoners or the
respect due to their dignity as human beings.
2. Prison administrations shall make all reasonable accommodation and
adjustments to ensure that prisoners with physical, mental or other disabilities
have full and effective access to prison life on an equitable basis.
Prisoner file management

Rule 6
There shall be a standardized prisoner file management system in every
place where persons are imprisoned. Such a system may be an electronic
database of records or a registration book with numbered and signed pages.
Procedures shall be in place to ensure a secure audit trail and to prevent
unauthorized access to or modification of any information contained in the
system.
Rule 7
No person shall be received in a prison without a valid commitment order.
The following information shall be entered in the prisoner file management
system upon admission of every prisoner:
(a) Precise information enabling determination of his or her unique
identity, respecting his or her self-perceived gender;
(b) The reasons for his or her commitment and the responsible authority, in
addition to the date, time and place of arrest;
(c) The day and hour of his or her admission and release as well as of any
transfer;
(d) Any visible injuries and complaints about prior ill-treatment;

(e) An inventory of his or her personal property;
(f) The names of his or her family members, including, where applicable,
his or her children, the children’s ages, location and custody or guardianship
status;
(g) Emergency contact details and information on the prisoner’s next of
kin.
Rule 8
The following information shall be entered in the prisoner file management
system in the course of imprisonment, where applicable:
(a) Information related to the judicial process, including dates of court
hearings and legal representation;
(b) Initial assessment and classification reports;
(c) Information related to behaviour and discipline;
(d) Requests and complaints, including allegations of torture or other cruel,
inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, unless they are of a confidential
nature;
(e) Information on the imposition of disciplinary sanctions;
(f) Information on the circumstances and causes of any injuries or death
and, in the case of the latter, the destination of the remains.
Rule 9
All records referred to in rules 7 and 8 shall be kept confidential and made
available only to those whose professional responsibilities require access to such
records. Every prisoner shall be granted access to the records pertaining to him
or her, subject to redactions authorized under domestic legislation, and shall be
entitled to receive an official copy of such records upon his or her release.
Rule 10
Prisoner file management systems shall also be used to generate reliable
data about trends relating to and characteristics of the prison population,
including occupancy rates, in order to create a basis for evidence-based decision-
making.
Separation of categories
Rule 11
The different categories of prisoners shall be kept in separate institutions or
parts of institutions, taking account of their sex, age, criminal record, the legal
reason for their detention and the necessities of their treatment; thus:
(a) Men and women shall so far as possible be detained in separate
institutions; in an institution which receives both men and women, the whole of
the premises allocated to women shall be entirely separate;
(b) Untried prisoners shall be kept separate from convicted prisoners;
(c) Persons imprisoned for debt and other civil prisoners shall be kept
separate from persons imprisoned by reason of a criminal offence;
(d) Young prisoners shall be kept separate from adults.
Accommodation
Rule 12
1. Where sleeping accommodation is in individual cells or rooms, each
prisoner shall occupy by night a cell or room by himself or herself. If for special
reasons, such as temporary overcrowding, it becomes necessary for the central
prison administration to make an exception to this rule, it is not desirable to have
two prisoners in a cell or room.
2. Where dormitories are used, they shall be occupied by prisoners carefully
selected as being suitable to associate with one another in those conditions. There
shall be regular supervision by night, in keeping with the nature of the prison.
Rule 13
All accommodation provided for the use of prisoners and in particular all
sleeping accommodation shall meet all requirements of health, due regard being
paid to climatic conditions and particularly to cubic content of air, minimum
floor space, lighting, heating and ventilation.
Rule 14
In all places where prisoners are required to live or work:
(a) The windows shall be large enough to enable the prisoners to read or
work by natural light and shall be so constructed that they can allow the entrance
of fresh air whether or not there is artificial ventilation;
(b) Artificial light shall be provided sufficient for the prisoners to read or
work without injury to eyesight.
Rule 15
The sanitary installations shall be adequate to enable every prisoner to
comply with the needs of nature when necessary and in a clean and decent
manner.
Rule 16
Adequate bathing and shower installations shall be provided so that every
prisoner can, and may be required to, have a bath or shower, at a temperature
suitable to the climate, as frequently as necessary for general hygiene according
to season and geographical region, but at least once a week in a temperate
climate.
Rule 17
All parts of a prison regularly used by prisoners shall be properly
maintained and kept scrupulously clean at all times.
Personal hygiene
Rule 18
1. Prisoners shall be required to keep their persons clean, and to this end they
shall be provided with water and with such toilet articles as are necessary for
health and cleanliness.
2. In order that prisoners may maintain a good appearance compatible with
their self-respect, facilities shall be provided for the proper care of the hair and
beard, and men shall be able to shave regularly.
Clothing and bedding

Rule 19
1. Every prisoner who is not allowed to wear his or her own clothing shall be
provided with an outfit of clothing suitable for the climate and adequate to keep
him or her in good health. Such clothing shall in no manner be degrading or
humiliating.
2. All clothing shall be clean and kept in proper condition. Underclothing shall
be changed and washed as often as necessary for the maintenance of hygiene.
3. In exceptional circumstances, whenever a prisoner is removed outside the
prison for an authorized purpose, he or she shall be allowed to wear his or her
own clothing or other inconspicuous clothing.
Rule 20
If prisoners are allowed to wear their own clothing, arrangements shall be
made on their admission to the prison to ensure that it shall be clean and fit for
use.
Rule 21
Every prisoner shall, in accordance with local or national standards, be
provided with a separate bed and with separate and sufficient bedding which
shall be clean when issued, kept in good order and changed often enough to
ensure its cleanliness.
Food
Rule 22
1. Every prisoner shall be provided by the prison administration at the usual
hours with food of nutritional value adequate for health and strength, of
wholesome quality and well prepared and served.
2. Drinking water shall be available to every prisoner whenever he or she
needs it.
Exercise and sport

Rule 23
1. Every prisoner who is not employed in outdoor work shall have at least one
hour of suitable exercise in the open air daily if the weather permits.
2. Young prisoners, and others of suitable age and physique, shall receive
physical and recreational training during the period of exercise. To this end,
space, installations and equipment should be provided.
Health-care services
Rule 24
1. The provision of health care for prisoners is a State responsibility. Prisoners
should enjoy the same standards of health care that are available in the
community, and should have access to necessary health-care services free of
charge without discrimination on the grounds of their legal status.
2. Health-care services should be organized in close relationship to the general
public health administration and in a way that ensures continuity of treatment and
care, including for HIV, tuberculosis and other infectious diseases, as well as for
drug dependence.
Rule 25
1. Every prison shall have in place a health-care service tasked with
evaluating, promoting, protecting and improving the physical and mental health
of prisoners, paying particular attention to prisoners with special health-care
needs or with health issues that hamper their rehabilitation.
2. The health-care service shall consist of an interdisciplinary team with
sufficient qualified personnel acting in full clinical independence and shall
encompass sufficient expertise in psychology and psychiatry. The services of a
qualified dentist shall be available to every prisoner.
Rule 26
1. The health-care service shall prepare and maintain accurate, up-to-date and
confidential individual medical files on all prisoners, and all prisoners should be
granted access to their files upon request. A prisoner may appoint a third party to
access his or her medical file.
2. Medical files shall be transferred to the health-care service of the receiving
institution upon transfer of a prisoner and shall be subject to medical
confidentiality.
Rule 27
1. All prisons shall ensure prompt access to medical attention in urgent cases.
Prisoners who require specialized treatment or surgery shall be transferred to
specialized institutions or to civil hospitals. Where a prison service has its own
hospital facilities, they shall be adequately staffed and equipped to provide
prisoners referred to them with appropriate treatment and care.
2. Clinical decisions may only be taken by the responsible health-care
professionals and may not be overruled or ignored by non-medical prison staff.
Rule 28
In women’s prisons, there shall be special accommodation for all necessary
prenatal and postnatal care and treatment. Arrangements shall be made wherever
practicable for children to be born in a hospital outside the prison. If a child is
born in prison, this fact shall not be mentioned in the birth certificate.
Rule 29
1. A decision to allow a child to stay with his or her parent in prison shall be
based on the best interests of the child concerned. Where children are allowed to
remain in prison with a parent, provision shall be made for:
(a) Internal or external childcare facilities staffed by qualified persons,
where the children shall be placed when they are not in the care of their parent;
(b) Child-specific health-care services, including health screenings upon

admission and ongoing monitoring of their development by specialists.
2. Children in prison with a parent shall never be treated as prisoners.
Rule 30
A physician or other qualified health-care professionals, whether or not they
are required to report to the physician, shall see, talk with and examine every
prisoner as soon as possible following his or her admission and thereafter as
necessary. Particular attention shall be paid to:
(a) Identifying health-care needs and taking all necessary measures for
treatment;
(b) Identifying any ill-treatment that arriving prisoners may have been
subjected to prior to admission;
(c) Identifying any signs of psychological or other stress brought on by the
fact of imprisonment, including, but not limited to, the risk of suicide or
self-harm and withdrawal symptoms resulting from the use of drugs, medication
or alcohol; and undertaking all appropriate individualized measures or treatment;
(d) In cases where prisoners are suspected of having contagious diseases,
providing for the clinical isolation and adequate treatment of those prisoners
during the infectious period;
(e) Determining the fitness of prisoners to work, to exercise and to
participate in other activities, as appropriate.
Rule 31
The physician or, where applicable, other qualified health-care professionals
shall have daily access to all sick prisoners, all prisoners who complain of
physical or mental health issues or injury and any prisoner to whom their
attention is specially directed. All medical examinations shall be undertaken in
full confidentiality.
Rule 32
1. The relationship between the physician or other health-care professionals
and the prisoners shall be governed by the same ethical and professional
standards as those applicable to patients in the community, in particular:
(a) The duty of protecting prisoners’ physical and mental health and the
prevention and treatment of disease on the basis of clinical grounds only;
(b) Adherence to prisoners’ autonomy with regard to their own health and
informed consent in the doctor-patient relationship;
(c) The confidentiality of medical information, unless maintaining such

confidentiality would result in a real and imminent threat to the patient or to
others;
(d) An absolute prohibition on engaging, actively or passively, in acts that
may constitute torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or
punishment, including medical or scientific experimentation that may be
detrimental to a prisoner’s health, such as the removal of a prisoner’s cells, body
tissues or organs.
2. Without prejudice to paragraph 1 (d) of this rule, prisoners may be allowed,
upon their free and informed consent and in accordance with applicable law, to
participate in clinical trials and other health research accessible in the community
if these are expected to produce a direct and significant benefit to their health,
and to donate cells, body tissues or organs to a relative.
Rule 33
The physician shall report to the prison director whenever he or she
considers that a prisoner’s physical or mental health has been or will be
injuriously affected by continued imprisonment or by any condition of
imprisonment.
Rule 34
If, in the course of examining a prisoner upon admission or providing
medical care to the prisoner thereafter, health-care professionals become aware
of any signs of torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or
punishment, they shall document and report such cases to the competent medical,
administrative or judicial authority. Proper procedural safeguards shall be
followed in order not to expose the prisoner or associated persons to foreseeable
risk of harm.
Rule 35
1. The physician or competent public health body shall regularly inspect and
advise the prison director on:
(a) The quantity, quality, preparation and service of food;
(b) The hygiene and cleanliness of the institution and the prisoners;
(c) The sanitation, temperature, lighting and ventilation of the prison;
(d) The suitability and cleanliness of the prisoners’ clothing and bedding;
(e) The observance of the rules concerning physical education and sports,
in cases where there is no technical personnel in charge of these activities.
2. The prison director shall take into consideration the advice and reports
provided in accordance with paragraph 1 of this rule and rule 33 and shall take
immediate steps to give effect to the advice and the recommendations in the
reports. If the advice or recommendations do not fall within the prison director’s
competence or if he or she does not concur with them, the director shall
immediately submit to a higher authority his or her own report and the advice or
recommendations of the physician or competent public health body.
Restrictions, discipline and sanctions

Rule 36
Discipline and order shall be maintained with no more restriction than is
necessary to ensure safe custody, the secure operation of the prison and a
well-ordered community life.
Rule 37
The following shall always be subject to authorization by law or by the
regulation of the competent administrative authority:
(a) Conduct constituting a disciplinary offence;
(b) The types and duration of sanctions that may be imposed;
(c) The authority competent to impose such sanctions;
(d) Any form of involuntary separation from the general prison population,
such as solitary confinement, isolation, segregation, special care units or
restricted housing, whether as a disciplinary sanction or for the maintenance of
order and security, including promulgating policies and procedures governing the
use and review of, admission to and release from any form of involuntary
separation.
Rule 38
1. Prison administrations are encouraged to use, to the extent possible, conflict
prevention, mediation or any other alternative dispute resolution mechanism to
prevent disciplinary offences or to resolve conflicts.
2. For prisoners who are, or have been, separated, the prison administration
shall take the necessary measures to alleviate the potential detrimental effects of
their confinement on them and on their community following their release from
prison.
Rule 39
1. No prisoner shall be sanctioned except in accordance with the terms of the
law or regulation referred to in rule 37 and the principles of fairness and due
process. A prisoner shall never be sanctioned twice for the same act or offence.
2. Prison administrations shall ensure proportionality between a disciplinary

sanction and the offence for which it is established, and shall keep a proper
record of all disciplinary sanctions imposed.
3. Before imposing disciplinary sanctions, prison administrations shall
consider whether and how a prisoner’s mental illness or developmental disability
may have contributed to his or her conduct and the commission of the offence or
act underlying the disciplinary charge. Prison administrations shall not sanction
any conduct of a prisoner that is considered to be the direct result of his or her
mental illness or intellectual disability.
Rule 40
1. No prisoner shall be employed, in the service of the prison, in any
disciplinary capacity.
2. This rule shall not, however, impede the proper functioning of systems
based on self-government, under which specified social, educational or sports
activities or responsibilities are entrusted, under supervision, to prisoners who
are formed into groups for the purposes of treatment.
Rule 41
1. Any allegation of a disciplinary offence by a prisoner shall be reported
promptly to the competent authority, which shall investigate it without undue
delay.
2. Prisoners shall be informed, without delay and in a language that they
understand, of the nature of the accusations against them and shall be given
adequate time and facilities for the preparation of their defence.
3. Prisoners shall be allowed to defend themselves in person, or through legal
assistance when the interests of justice so require, particularly in cases involving
serious disciplinary charges. If the prisoners do not understand or speak the
language used at a disciplinary hearing, they shall be assisted by a competent
interpreter free of charge.
4. Prisoners shall have an opportunity to seek judicial review of disciplinary
sanctions imposed against them.
5. In the event that a breach of discipline is prosecuted as a crime, prisoners
shall be entitled to all due process guarantees applicable to criminal proceedings,
including unimpeded access to a legal adviser.
Rule 42
General living conditions addressed in these rules, including those related to
light, ventilation, temperature, sanitation, nutrition, drinking water, access to
open air and physical exercise, personal hygiene, health care and adequate
personal space, shall apply to all prisoners without exception.
Rule 43
1. In no circumstances may restrictions or disciplinary sanctions amount to
torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. The
following practices, in particular, shall be prohibited:
(a) Indefinite solitary confinement;
(b) Prolonged solitary confinement;
(c) Placement of a prisoner in a dark or constantly lit cell;
(d) Corporal punishment or the reduction of a prisoner’s diet or drinking
water;
(e) Collective punishment.
2. Instruments of restraint shall never be applied as a sanction for disciplinary
offences.
3. Disciplinary sanctions or restrictive measures shall not include the
prohibition of family contact. The means of family contact may only be restricted
for a limited time period and as strictly required for the maintenance of security
and order.
Rule 44
For the purpose of these rules, solitary confinement shall refer to the
confinement of prisoners for 22 hours or more a day without meaningful human
contact. Prolonged solitary confinement shall refer to solitary confinement for a
time period in excess of 15 consecutive days.
Rule 45
1. Solitary confinement shall be used only in exceptional cases as a last resort,
for as short a time as possible and subject to independent review, and only
pursuant to the authorization by a competent authority. It shall not be imposed by
virtue of a prisoner’s sentence.
2. The imposition of solitary confinement should be prohibited in the case of
prisoners with mental or physical disabilities when their conditions would be
exacerbated by such measures. The prohibition of the use of solitary confinement
and similar measures in cases involving women and children, as referred to in
other United Nations standards and norms in crime prevention and criminal
justice,1 continues to apply.
__________________
1 See rule 67 of the United Nations Rules for the Protection of Juveniles Deprived of their
Liberty (General Assembly resolution 45/113, annex); and rule 22 of the United Nations
Rules for the Treatment of Women Prisoners and Non-custodial Measures for Women
Offenders (the Bangkok Rules) (General Assembly resolution 65/229, annex).
Rule 46
1. Health-care personnel shall not have any role in the imposition of
disciplinary sanctions or other restrictive measures. They shall, however, pay
particular attention to the health of prisoners held under any form of involuntary
separation, including by visiting such prisoners on a daily basis and providing
prompt medical assistance and treatment at the request of such prisoners or
prison staff.
2. Health-care personnel shall report to the prison director, without delay, any
adverse effect of disciplinary sanctions or other restrictive measures on the
physical or mental health of a prisoner subjected to such sanctions or measures
and shall advise the director if they consider it necessary to terminate or alter
them for physical or mental health reasons.
3. Health-care personnel shall have the authority to review and recommend
changes to the involuntary separation of a prisoner in order to ensure that such
separation does not exacerbate the medical condition or mental or physical
disability of the prisoner.
Instruments of restraint
Rule 47
1. The use of chains, irons or other instruments of restraint which are
inherently degrading or painful shall be prohibited.
2. Other instruments of restraint shall only be used when authorized by law
and in the following circumstances:
(a) As a precaution against escape during a transfer, provided that they are
removed when the prisoner appears before a judicial or administrative authority;
(b) By order of the prison director, if other methods of control fail, in order
to prevent a prisoner from injuring himself or herself or others or from damaging
property; in such instances, the director shall immediately alert the physician or
other qualified health-care professionals and report to the higher administrative
authority.
Rule 48
1. When the imposition of instruments of restraint is authorized in accordance
with paragraph 2 of rule 47, the following principles shall apply:
(a) Instruments of restraint are to be imposed only when no lesser form of
control would be effective to address the risks posed by unrestricted movement;
(b) The method of restraint shall be the least intrusive method that is
necessary and reasonably available to control the prisoner’s movement, based on
the level and nature of the risks posed;
(c) Instruments of restraint shall be imposed only for the time period
required, and they are to be removed as soon as possible after the risks posed by
unrestricted movement are no longer present.
2. Instruments of restraint shall never be used on women during labour, during
childbirth and immediately after childbirth.
Rule 49
The prison administration should seek access to, and provide training in the
use of, control techniques that would obviate the need for the imposition of
instruments of restraint or reduce their intrusiveness.
Searches of prisoners and cells

Rule 50
The laws and regulations governing searches of prisoners and cells shall be
in accordance with obligations under international law and shall take into
account international standards and norms, keeping in mind the need to ensure
security in the prison. Searches shall be conducted in a manner that is respectful
of the inherent human dignity and privacy of the individual being searched, as
well as the principles of proportionality, legality and necessity.
Rule 51
Searches shall not be used to harass, intimidate or unnecessarily intrude
upon a prisoner’s privacy. For the purpose of accountability, the prison
administration shall keep appropriate records of searches, in particular strip and
body cavity searches and searches of cells, as well as the reasons for the
searches, the identities of those who conducted them and any results of the
searches.
Rule 52
1. Intrusive searches, including strip and body cavity searches, should be
undertaken only if absolutely necessary. Prison administrations shall be
encouraged to develop and use appropriate alternatives to intrusive searches.
Intrusive searches shall be conducted in private and by trained staff of the same
sex as the prisoner.
2. Body cavity searches shall be conducted only by qualified health-care
professionals other than those primarily responsible for the care of the prisoner
or, at a minimum, by staff appropriately trained by a medical professional in
standards of hygiene, health and safety.
Rule 53
Prisoners shall have access to, or be allowed to keep in their possession
without access by the prison administration, documents relating to their legal
proceedings.
Information to and complaints by prisoners

Rule 54
Upon admission, every prisoner shall be promptly provided with written
information about:
(a) The prison law and applicable prison regulations;
(b) His or her rights, including authorized methods of seeking information,
access to legal advice, including through legal aid schemes, and procedures for
making requests or complaints;
(c) His or her obligations, including applicable disciplinary sanctions; and
(d) All other matters necessary to enable the prisoner to adapt himself or
herself to the life of the prison.
Rule 55
1. The information referred to in rule 54 shall be available in the most
commonly used languages in accordance with the needs of the prison population.
If a prisoner does not understand any of those languages, interpretation
assistance should be provided.
2. If a prisoner is illiterate, the information shall be conveyed to him or her
orally. Prisoners with sensory disabilities should be provided with information in
a manner appropriate to their needs.
3. The prison administration shall prominently display summaries of the
information in common areas of the prison.
Rule 56
1. Every prisoner shall have the opportunity each day to make requests or
complaints to the prison director or the prison staff member authorized to
represent him or her.
2. It shall be possible to make requests or complaints to the inspector of
prisons during his or her inspections. The prisoner shall have the opportunity to
talk to the inspector or any other inspecting officer freely and in full
confidentiality, without the director or other members of the staff being present.
3. Every prisoner shall be allowed to make a request or complaint regarding
his or her treatment, without censorship as to substance, to the central prison
administration and to the judicial or other competent authorities, including those

vested with reviewing or remedial power.
4. The rights under paragraphs 1 to 3 of this rule shall extend to the legal
adviser of the prisoner. In those cases where neither the prisoner nor his or her
legal adviser has the possibility of exercising such rights, a member of the
prisoner’s family or any other person who has knowledge of the case may do so.
Rule 57
1. Every request or complaint shall be promptly dealt with and replied to
without delay. If the request or complaint is rejected, or in the event of undue
delay, the complainant shall be entitled to bring it before a judicial or other
authority.
2. Safeguards shall be in place to ensure that prisoners can make requests or
complaints safely and, if so requested by the complainant, in a confidential
manner. A prisoner or other person mentioned in paragraph 4 of rule 56 must not
be exposed to any risk of retaliation, intimidation or other negative consequences
as a result of having submitted a request or complaint.
3. Allegations of torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or
punishment of prisoners shall be dealt with immediately and shall result in a
prompt and impartial investigation conducted by an independent national
authority in accordance with paragraphs 1 and 2 of rule 71.
Contact with the outside world

Rule 58
1. Prisoners shall be allowed, under necessary supervision, to communicate
with their family and friends at regular intervals:
(a) By corresponding in writing and using, where available,
telecommunication, electronic, digital and other means; and
(b) By receiving visits.
2. Where conjugal visits are allowed, this right shall be applied without
discrimination, and women prisoners shall be able to exercise this right on an
equal basis with men. Procedures shall be in place and premises shall be made
available to ensure fair and equal access with due regard to safety and dignity.
Rule 59
Prisoners shall be allocated, to the extent possible, to prisons close to their
homes or their places of social rehabilitation.
Rule 60
1. Admission of visitors to the prison facility is contingent upon the visitor’s
consent to being searched. The visitor may withdraw his or her consent at any
time, in which case the prison administration may refuse access.
2. Search and entry procedures for visitors shall not be degrading and shall be
governed by principles at least as protective as those outlined in rules 50 to 52.
Body cavity searches should be avoided and should not be applied to children.
Rule 61
1. Prisoners shall be provided with adequate opportunity, time and facilities to
be visited by and to communicate and consult with a legal adviser of their own
choice or a legal aid provider, without delay, interception or censorship and in
full confidentiality, on any legal matter, in conformity with applicable domestic
law. Consultations may be within sight, but not within hearing, of prison staff.
2. In cases in which prisoners do not speak the local language, the prison
administration shall facilitate access to the services of an independent competent
interpreter.
3. Prisoners should have access to effective legal aid.
Rule 62
1. Prisoners who are foreign nationals shall be allowed reasonable facilities to
communicate with the diplomatic and consular representatives of the State to
which they belong.
2. Prisoners who are nationals of States without diplomatic or consular
representation in the country and refugees or stateless persons shall be allowed
similar facilities to communicate with the diplomatic representative of the State
which takes charge of their interests or any national or international authority
whose task it is to protect such persons.
Rule 63
Prisoners shall be kept informed regularly of the more important items of
news by the reading of newspapers, periodicals or special institutional
publications, by hearing wireless transmissions, by lectures or by any similar
means as authorized or controlled by the prison administration.
Books
Rule 64
Every prison shall have a library for the use of all categories of prisoners,
adequately stocked with both recreational and instructional books, and prisoners
shall be encouraged to make full use of it.
Religion
Rule 65
1. If the prison contains a sufficient number of prisoners of the same religion, a
qualified representative of that religion shall be appointed or approved. If the
number of prisoners justifies it and conditions permit, the arrangement should be
on a full-time basis.
2. A qualified representative appointed or approved under paragraph 1 of this
rule shall be allowed to hold regular services and to pay pastoral visits in private
to prisoners of his or her religion at proper times.
3. Access to a qualified representative of any religion shall not be refused to
any prisoner. On the other hand, if any prisoner should object to a visit of any
religious representative, his or her attitude shall be fully respected.
Rule 66
So far as practicable, every prisoner shall be allowed to satisfy the needs of
his or her religious life by attending the services provided in the prison and
having in his or her possession the books of religious observance and instruction
of his or her denomination.
Retention of prisoners’ property

Rule 67
1. All money, valuables, clothing and other effects belonging to a prisoner
which he or she is not allowed to retain under the prison regulations shall on his
or her admission to the prison be placed in safe custody. An inventory thereof
shall be signed by the prisoner. Steps shall be taken to keep them in good
condition.
2. On the release of the prisoner, all such articles and money shall be returned
to him or her except insofar as he or she has been authorized to spend money or
send any such property out of the prison, or it has been found necessary on
hygienic grounds to destroy any article of clothing. The prisoner shall sign a
receipt for the articles and money returned to him or her.
3. Any money or effects received for a prisoner from outside shall be treated in
the same way.
4. If a prisoner brings in any drugs or medicine, the physician or other
qualified health-care professionals shall decide what use shall be made of them.
Notifications
Rule 68
Every prisoner shall have the right, and shall be given the ability and means,
to inform immediately his or her family, or any other person designated as a
contact person, about his or her imprisonment, about his or her transfer to
another institution and about any serious illness or injury. The sharing of
prisoners’ personal information shall be subject to domestic legislation.
Rule 69
In the event of a prisoner’s death, the prison director shall at once inform
the prisoner’s next of kin or emergency contact. Individuals designated by a
prisoner to receive his or her health information shall be notified by the director
of the prisoner’s serious illness, injury or transfer to a health institution. The
explicit request of a prisoner not to have his or her spouse or nearest relative
notified in the event of illness or injury shall be respected.
Rule 70
The prison administration shall inform a prisoner at once of the serious
illness or death of a near relative or any significant other. Whenever
circumstances allow, the prisoner should be authorized to go, either under escort
or alone, to the bedside of a near relative or significant other who is critically ill,
or to attend the funeral of a near relative or significant other.
Investigations
Rule 71
1. Notwithstanding the initiation of an internal investigation, the prison
director shall report, without delay, any custodial death, disappearance or serious
injury to a judicial or other competent authority that is independent of the prison
administration and mandated to conduct prompt, impartial and effective
investigations into the circumstances and causes of such cases. The prison
administration shall fully cooperate with that authority and ensure that all
evidence is preserved.
2. The obligation in paragraph 1 of this rule shall equally apply whenever there
are reasonable grounds to believe that an act of torture or other cruel, inhuman or
degrading treatment or punishment has been committed in prison, irrespective of
whether a formal complaint has been received.
3. Whenever there are reasonable grounds to believe that an act referred to in
paragraph 2 of this rule has been committed, steps shall be taken immediately to
ensure that all potentially implicated persons have no involvement in the
investigation and no contact with the witnesses, the victim or the victim’s family.
Rule 72
The prison administration shall treat the body of a deceased prisoner with
respect and dignity. The body of a deceased prisoner should be returned to his or
her next of kin as soon as reasonably possible, at the latest upon completion of
the investigation. The prison administration shall facilitate a culturally
appropriate funeral if there is no other responsible party willing or able to do so

and shall keep a full record of the matter.
Removal of prisoners
Rule 73
1. When prisoners are being removed to or from an institution, they shall be
exposed to public view as little as possible, and proper safeguards shall be
adopted to protect them from insult, curiosity and publicity in any form.
2. The transport of prisoners in conveyances with inadequate ventilation or
light, or in any way which would subject them to unnecessary physical hardship,
shall be prohibited.
3. The transport of prisoners shall be carried out at the expense of the prison
administration and equal conditions shall apply to all of them.
Institutional personnel
Rule 74
1. The prison administration shall provide for the careful selection of every
grade of the personnel, since it is on their integrity, humanity, professional
capacity and personal suitability for the work that the proper administration of
prisons depends.
2. The prison administration shall constantly seek to awaken and maintain in
the minds both of the personnel and of the public the conviction that this work is
a social service of great importance, and to this end all appropriate means of
informing the public should be used.
3. To secure the foregoing ends, personnel shall be appointed on a full-time
basis as professional prison staff and have civil service status with security of
tenure subject only to good conduct, efficiency and physical fitness. Salaries
shall be adequate to attract and retain suitable men and women; employment
benefits and conditions of service shall be favourable in view of the exacting
nature of the work.
Rule 75
1. All prison staff shall possess an adequate standard of education and shall be
given the ability and means to carry out their duties in a professional manner.
2. Before entering on duty, all prison staff shall be provided with training
tailored to their general and specific duties, which shall be reflective of
contemporary evidence-based best practice in penal sciences. Only those
candidates who successfully pass the theoretical and practical tests at the end of
such training shall be allowed to enter the prison service.
3. The prison administration shall ensure the continuous provision of

in-service training courses with a view to maintaining and improving the
knowledge and professional capacity of its personnel, after entering on duty and
during their career.
Rule 76
1. Training referred to in paragraph 2 of rule 75 shall include, at a minimum,
training on:
(a) Relevant national legislation, regulations and policies, as well as
applicable international and regional instruments, the provisions of which must
guide the work and interactions of prison staff with inmates;
(b) Rights and duties of prison staff in the exercise of their functions,
including respecting the human dignity of all prisoners and the prohibition of
certain conduct, in particular torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading
treatment or punishment;
(c) Security and safety, including the concept of dynamic security, the use
of force and instruments of restraint, and the management of violent offenders,
with due consideration of preventive and defusing techniques, such as
negotiation and mediation;
(d) First aid, the psychosocial needs of prisoners and the corresponding
dynamics in prison settings, as well as social care and assistance, including early
detection of mental health issues.
2. Prison staff who are in charge of working with certain categories of
prisoners, or who are assigned other specialized functions, shall receive training
that has a corresponding focus.
Rule 77
All prison staff shall at all times so conduct themselves and perform their
duties as to influence the prisoners for good by their example and to command
their respect.
Rule 78
1. So far as possible, prison staff shall include a sufficient number of
specialists such as psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, teachers and trade
instructors.
2. The services of social workers, teachers and trade instructors shall be
secured on a permanent basis, without thereby excluding part-time or voluntary
workers.
Rule 79
1. The prison director should be adequately qualified for his or her task by
character, administrative ability, suitable training and experience.
2. The prison director shall devote his or her entire working time to official
duties and shall not be appointed on a part-time basis. He or she shall reside on
the premises of the prison or in its immediate vicinity.
3. When two or more prisons are under the authority of one director, he or she
shall visit each of them at frequent intervals. A responsible resident official shall
be in charge of each of these prisons.
Rule 80
1. The prison director, his or her deputy, and the majority of other prison staff
shall be able to speak the language of the greatest number of prisoners, or a
language understood by the greatest number of them.
2. Whenever necessary, the services of a competent interpreter shall be used.
Rule 81
1. In a prison for both men and women, the part of the prison set aside for
women shall be under the authority of a responsible woman staff member who
shall have the custody of the keys of all that part of the prison.
2. No male staff member shall enter the part of the prison set aside for women
unless accompanied by a woman staff member.
3. Women prisoners shall be attended and supervised only by women staff
members. This does not, however, preclude male staff members, particularly
doctors and teachers, from carrying out their professional duties in prisons or
parts of prisons set aside for women.
Rule 82
1. Prison staff shall not, in their relations with the prisoners, use force except
in self-defence or in cases of attempted escape, or active or passive physical
resistance to an order based on law or regulations. Prison staff who have recourse
to force must use no more than is strictly necessary and must report the incident
immediately to the prison director.
2. Prison staff shall be given special physical training to enable them to
restrain aggressive prisoners.
3. Except in special circumstances, prison staff performing duties which bring
them into direct contact with prisoners should not be armed. Furthermore, prison
staff should in no circumstances be provided with arms unless they have been
trained in their use.
Internal and external inspections

Rule 83
1. There shall be a twofold system for regular inspections of prisons and penal
services:
(a) Internal or administrative inspections conducted by the central prison
administration;
(b) External inspections conducted by a body independent of the prison
administration, which may include competent international or regional bodies.
2. In both cases, the objective of the inspections shall be to ensure that prisons
are managed in accordance with existing laws, regulations, policies and
procedures, with a view to bringing about the objectives of penal and corrections
services, and that the rights of prisoners are protected.
Rule 84
1. Inspectors shall have the authority:
(a) To access all information on the numbers of prisoners and places and
locations of detention, as well as all information relevant to the treatment of
prisoners, including their records and conditions of detention;
(b) To freely choose which prisons to visit, including by making
unannounced visits at their own initiative, and which prisoners to interview;
(c) To conduct private and fully confidential interviews with prisoners and
prison staff in the course of their visits;
(d) To make recommendations to the prison administration and other
competent authorities.
2. External inspection teams shall be composed of qualified and experienced
inspectors appointed by a competent authority and shall encompass health-care
professionals. Due regard shall be given to balanced gender representation.
Rule 85
1. Every inspection shall be followed by a written report to be submitted to the
competent authority. Due consideration shall be given to making the reports of
external inspections publicly available, excluding any personal data on prisoners
unless they have given their explicit consent.
2. The prison administration or other competent authorities, as appropriate,
shall indicate, within a reasonable time, whether they will implement the
recommendations resulting from the external inspection.
II. Rules applicable to special categories

A. Prisoners under sentence
Guiding principles
Rule 86
The guiding principles hereafter are intended to show the spirit in which
penal institutions should be administered and the purposes at which they should
aim, in accordance with the declaration made under preliminary observation 1 of
these rules.
Rule 87
Before the completion of the sentence, it is desirable that the necessary steps
be taken to ensure for the prisoner a gradual return to life in society. This aim
may be achieved, depending on the case, by a pre-release regime organized in the
same prison or in another appropriate institution, or by release on trial under
some kind of supervision which must not be entrusted to the police but should be
combined with effective social aid.
Rule 88
1. The treatment of prisoners should emphasize not their exclusion from the
community but their continuing part in it. Community agencies should therefore
be enlisted wherever possible to assist the prison staff in the task of social
rehabilitation of the prisoners.
2. There should be in connection with every prison social workers charged
with the duty of maintaining and improving all desirable relations of a prisoner
with his or her family and with valuable social agencies. Steps should be taken to
safeguard, to the maximum extent compatible with the law and the sentence, the
rights relating to civil interests, social security rights and other social benefits of
prisoners.
Rule 89
1. The fulfilment of these principles requires individualization of treatment
and for this purpose a flexible system of classifying prisoners in groups. It is
therefore desirable that such groups should be distributed in separate prisons
suitable for the treatment of each group.
2. These prisons do not need to provide the same degree of security for every
group. It is desirable to provide varying degrees of security according to the
needs of different groups. Open prisons, by the very fact that they provide no
physical security against escape but rely on the self-discipline of the inmates,
provide the conditions most favourable to the rehabilitation of carefully selected
prisoners.
3. It is desirable that the number of prisoners in closed prisons should not be so

large that the individualization of treatment is hindered. In some countries it is
considered that the population of such prisons should not exceed 500. In open
prisons the population should be as small as possible.
4. On the other hand, it is undesirable to maintain prisons which are so small
that proper facilities cannot be provided.
Rule 90
The duty of society does not end with a prisoner’s release. There should,
therefore, be governmental or private agencies capable of lending the released
prisoner efficient aftercare directed towards the lessening of prejudice against
him or her and towards his or her social rehabilitation.
Treatment
Rule 91
The treatment of persons sentenced to imprisonment or a similar measure
shall have as its purpose, so far as the length of the sentence permits, to establish
in them the will to lead law-abiding and self-supporting lives after their release
and to fit them to do so. The treatment shall be such as will encourage their
self-respect and develop their sense of responsibility.
Rule 92
1. To these ends, all appropriate means shall be used, including religious care
in the countries where this is possible, education, vocational guidance and
training, social casework, employment counselling, physical development and
strengthening of moral character, in accordance with the individual needs of each
prisoner, taking account of his or her social and criminal history, physical and
mental capacities and aptitudes, personal temperament, the length of his or her
sentence and prospects after release.
2. For every prisoner with a sentence of suitable length, the prison director
shall receive, as soon as possible after his or her admission, full reports on all the
matters referred to in paragraph 1 of this rule. Such reports shall always include a
report by the physician or other qualified health-care professionals on the
physical and mental condition of the prisoner.
3. The reports and other relevant documents shall be placed in an individual
file. This file shall be kept up to date and classified in such a way that it can be
consulted by the responsible personnel whenever the need arises.
Classification and individualization

Rule 93
1. The purposes of classification shall be:
(a) To separate from others those prisoners who, by reason of their
criminal records or characters, are likely to exercise a bad influence;
(b) To divide the prisoners into classes in order to facilitate their treatment
with a view to their social rehabilitation.
2. So far as possible, separate prisons or separate sections of a prison shall be
used for the treatment of different classes of prisoners.
Rule 94
As soon as possible after admission and after a study of the personality of
each prisoner with a sentence of suitable length, a programme of treatment shall
be prepared for him or her in the light of the knowledge obtained about his or her
individual needs, capacities and dispositions.
Privileges
Rule 95
Systems of privileges appropriate for the different classes of prisoners and
the different methods of treatment shall be established at every prison, in order to
encourage good conduct, develop a sense of responsibility and secure the interest
and cooperation of prisoners in their treatment.
Work
Rule 96
1. Sentenced prisoners shall have the opportunity to work and/or to actively
participate in their rehabilitation, subject to a determination of physical and
mental fitness by a physician or other qualified health-care professionals.
2. Sufficient work of a useful nature shall be provided to keep prisoners
actively employed for a normal working day.
Rule 97
1. Prison labour must not be of an afflictive nature.
2. Prisoners shall not be held in slavery or servitude.
3. No prisoner shall be required to work for the personal or private benefit of
any prison staff.
Rule 98
1. So far as possible the work provided shall be such as will maintain or
increase the prisoners’ ability to earn an honest living after release.
2. Vocational training in useful trades shall be provided for prisoners able to
profit thereby and especially for young prisoners.
3. Within the limits compatible with proper vocational selection and with the
requirements of institutional administration and discipline, prisoners shall be able
to choose the type of work they wish to perform.
Rule 99
1. The organization and methods of work in prisons shall resemble as closely
as possible those of similar work outside of prisons, so as to prepare prisoners for
the conditions of normal occupational life.
2. The interests of the prisoners and of their vocational training, however, must
not be subordinated to the purpose of making a financial profit from an industry
in the prison.
Rule 100
1. Preferably, institutional industries and farms should be operated directly by
the prison administration and not by private contractors.
2. Where prisoners are employed in work not controlled by the prison
administration, they shall always be under the supervision of prison staff. Unless
the work is for other departments of the government, the full normal wages for
such work shall be paid to the prison administration by the persons to whom the
labour is supplied, account being taken of the output of the prisoners.
Rule 101
1. The precautions laid down to protect the safety and health of free workers
shall be equally observed in prisons.
2. Provision shall be made to indemnify prisoners against industrial injury,
including occupational disease, on terms not less favourable than those extended
by law to free workers.
Rule 102
1. The maximum daily and weekly working hours of the prisoners shall be
fixed by law or by administrative regulation, taking into account local rules or
custom in regard to the employment of free workers.
2. The hours so fixed shall leave one rest day a week and sufficient time for
education and other activities required as part of the treatment and rehabilitation
of prisoners.
Rule 103
1. There shall be a system of equitable remuneration of the work of prisoners.
2. Under the system, prisoners shall be allowed to spend at least a part of their
earnings on approved articles for their own use and to send a part of their
earnings to their family.
3. The system should also provide that a part of the earnings should be set
aside by the prison administration so as to constitute a savings fund to be handed
over to the prisoner on his or her release.
Education and recreation

Rule 104
1. Provision shall be made for the further education of all prisoners capable of
profiting thereby, including religious instruction in the countries where this is
possible. The education of illiterate prisoners and of young prisoners shall be
compulsory and special attention shall be paid to it by the prison administration.
2. So far as practicable, the education of prisoners shall be integrated with the
educational system of the country so that after their release they may continue
their education without difficulty.
Rule 105
Recreational and cultural activities shall be provided in all prisons for the
benefit of the mental and physical health of prisoners.
Social relations and aftercare

Rule 106
Special attention shall be paid to the maintenance and improvement of such
relations between a prisoner and his or her family as are desirable in the best
interests of both.
Rule 107
From the beginning of a prisoner’s sentence, consideration shall be given to
his or her future after release and he or she shall be encouraged and provided
assistance to maintain or establish such relations with persons or agencies outside
the prison as may promote the prisoner’s rehabilitation and the best interests of
his or her family.
Rule 108
1. Services and agencies, governmental or otherwise, which assist released
prisoners in re-establishing themselves in society shall ensure, so far as is
possible and necessary, that released prisoners are provided with appropriate
documents and identification papers, have suitable homes and work to go to, are
suitably and adequately clothed having regard to the climate and season and have
sufficient means to reach their destination and maintain themselves in the period
immediately following their release.
2. The approved representatives of such agencies shall have all necessary
access to the prison and to prisoners and shall be taken into consultation as to the
future of a prisoner from the beginning of his or her sentence.
3. It is desirable that the activities of such agencies shall be centralized or
coordinated as far as possible in order to secure the best use of their efforts.
B. Prisoners with mental disabilities and/or health conditions

Rule 109
1. Persons who are found to be not criminally responsible, or who are later
diagnosed with severe mental disabilities and/or health conditions, for whom
staying in prison would mean an exacerbation of their condition, shall not be
detained in prisons, and arrangements shall be made to transfer them to mental
health facilities as soon as possible.
2. If necessary, other prisoners with mental disabilities and/or health
conditions can be observed and treated in specialized facilities under the
supervision of qualified health-care professionals.
3. The health-care service shall provide for the psychiatric treatment of all
other prisoners who are in need of such treatment.
Rule 110
It is desirable that steps should be taken, by arrangement with the
appropriate agencies, to ensure if necessary the continuation of psychiatric
treatment after release and the provision of social psychiatric aftercare.
C. Prisoners under arrest or awaiting trial

Rule 111
1. Persons arrested or imprisoned by reason of a criminal charge against them,
who are detained either in police custody or in prison custody (jail) but have not
yet been tried and sentenced, will be referred to as “untried prisoners” hereinafter
in these rules.
2. Unconvicted prisoners are presumed to be innocent and shall be treated as
such.
3. Without prejudice to legal rules for the protection of individual liberty or
prescribing the procedure to be observed in respect of untried prisoners, these
prisoners shall benefit from a special regime which is described in the following
rules in its essential requirements only.
Rule 112
1. Untried prisoners shall be kept separate from convicted prisoners.
2. Young untried prisoners shall be kept separate from adults and shall in
principle be detained in separate institutions.
Rule 113
Untried prisoners shall sleep singly in separate rooms, with the reservation
of different local custom in respect of the climate.
Rule 114
Within the limits compatible with the good order of the institution, untried
prisoners may, if they so desire, have their food procured at their own expense
from the outside, either through the administration or through their family or
friends. Otherwise, the administration shall provide their food.
Rule 115
An untried prisoner shall be allowed to wear his or her own clothing if it is
clean and suitable. If he or she wears prison dress, it shall be different from that
supplied to convicted prisoners.
Rule 116
An untried prisoner shall always be offered the opportunity to work, but
shall not be required to work. If he or she chooses to work, he or she shall be
paid for it.
Rule 117
An untried prisoner shall be allowed to procure at his or her own expense or
at the expense of a third party such books, newspapers, writing material and
other means of occupation as are compatible with the interests of the
administration of justice and the security and good order of the institution.
Rule 118
An untried prisoner shall be allowed to be visited and treated by his or her
own doctor or dentist if there are reasonable grounds for the application and he
or she is able to pay any expenses incurred.
Rule 119
1. Every untried prisoner has the right to be promptly informed about the
reasons for his or her detention and about any charges against him or her.
2. If an untried prisoner does not have a legal adviser of his or her own choice,
he or she shall be entitled to have a legal adviser assigned to him or her by a
judicial or other authority in all cases where the interests of justice so require and
without payment by the untried prisoner if he or she does not have sufficient
means to pay. Denial of access to a legal adviser shall be subject to independent
review without delay.
Rule 120
1. The entitlements and modalities governing the access of an untried prisoner
to his or her legal adviser or legal aid provider for the purpose of his or her
defence shall be governed by the same principles as outlined in rule 61.
2. An untried prisoner shall, upon request, be provided with writing material
for the preparation of documents related to his or her defence, including
confidential instructions for his or her legal adviser or legal aid provider.
D. Civil prisoners
Rule 121
In countries where the law permits imprisonment for debt, or by order of a
court under any other non-criminal process, persons so imprisoned shall not be
subjected to any greater restriction or severity than is necessary to ensure safe
custody and good order. Their treatment shall be not less favourable than that of
untried prisoners, with the reservation, however, that they may possibly be
required to work.
E. Persons arrested or detained without charge

Rule 122
Without prejudice to the provisions of article 9 of the International
Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,2 persons arrested or imprisoned without
charge shall be accorded the same protection as that accorded under part I and
part II, section C, of these rules. Relevant provisions of part II, section A, of
these rules shall likewise be applicable where their application may be conducive
to the benefit of this special group of persons in custody, provided that no
measures shall be taken implying that re-education or rehabilitation is in any way
appropriate to persons not convicted of any criminal offence.
__________________
2 General Assembly resolution 2200 A (XXI), annex.
2. Procedures for the effective implementation of the

Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners*
Procedure 1
All States whose standards for the protection of all persons subjected to any
form of detention or imprisonment fall short of the Standard Minimum Rules for
the Treatment of Prisoners shall adopt the Rules.
Commentary
The General Assembly, in its resolution 2858 (XXVI) of 20 December 1971,
invited the attention of Member States to the Standard Minimum Rules and
recommended that they should be effectively implemented in the administration
of penal and correctional institutions and that favourable consideration should be
given to their incorporation in national legislation. Some States may have
standards that are more advanced than the Rules, and the adoption of the Rules is
therefore not requested on the part of such States. Where States feel that the
Rules need to be harmonized with their legal system and adapted to their culture,
the emphasis is placed on the substance rather than the letter of the Rules.
Procedure 2
Subject, as necessary, to their adaptation to the existing laws and culture but
without deviation from the spirit and purpose of the Rules, the Standard
Minimum Rules shall be embodied in national legislation and other regulations.
Commentary
This procedure emphasizes that it is necessary to embody the Rules
within national legislation and regulations, thus covering also some aspects of
procedure 1.
Procedure 3
The Standard Minimum Rules shall be made available to all persons
concerned, particularly to law enforcement officials and correctional personnel,
for purposes of enabling their application and execution in the criminal justice
system.
Commentary
This procedure stresses that the Rules, as well as national statutes and
regulations implementing the Rules, should be made available to all persons
concerned with their implementation, in particular law enforcement officials and
correctional personnel. The effective implementation of the Rules might also
involve the organization of training courses by the central administration in
__________________
* Economic and Social Council resolution 1984/47, annex, adopted on 25 May 1984.
charge of correctional matters. The dissemination of procedures is discussed in

procedures 7 to 9.
Procedure 4
The Standard Minimum Rules, as embodied in national legislation and other
regulations, shall also be made available and understandable to all prisoners and
all persons under detention, on their admission and during their confinement.
Commentary
To achieve the goal of the Standard Minimum Rules, it is necessary to make
the Rules, as well as the implementing national statutes and regulations, available
to prisoners and all persons under detention (rule 95), in order to further the
awareness that the Rules represent the minimum conditions that are accepted as
suitable by the United Nations. Thus, this procedure supplements the provisions
contained in procedure 3.
A similar requirement, that the Rules be made available to the persons for
whose protection they have been elaborated, has been already established in the
four Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949,1 of which articles 47 of the first
Convention, 48 of the second, 127 of the third and 144 of the fourth state in
common:
“The High Contracting Parties undertake, in time of peace as in time of war,
to disseminate the text of the present Convention as widely as possible in
their respective countries, and, in particular, to include the study thereof in
their programmes of military and, if possible, civil instruction, so that the
principles thereof may become known to the entire population, in particular
to the armed fighting forces, the medical personnel and the chaplains.”
Procedure 5
States shall inform the Secretary-General of the United Nations every
five years of the extent of the implementation and the progress made with regard to
the application of the Standard Minimum Rules, and of the factors and difficulties,
if any, affecting their implementation, by responding to the Secretary-General’s
questionnaire. This questionnaire should, following a specified schedule, be
selective and limited so specific questions in order to secure an in-depth review
and study of the problems selected. Taking into account the reports of
Governments as well as other relevant information available within the
United Nations system, the Secretary-General shall prepare independent periodic
reports on progress made with respect to the implementation of the Standard
Minimum Rules. In the preparation of those reports the Secretary-General may
also enlist the cooperation of specialized agencies and of the relevant
intergovernmental organizations and non-governmental organizations in
consultative status with the Economic and Social Council. The Secretary-General
__________________
1 United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 75, Nos. 970-973.
shall submit the above-mentioned reports to the Committee on Crime Prevention

and Control for consideration and further action, as appropriate.
Commentary
It will be recalled that the Economic and Social Council, in its resolution 663
C (XXIV) of 31 July 1957, recommended that the Secretary-General be
informed every five years of the progress made with regard to the application of
the Standard Minimum Rules and authorized the Secretary-General to make
arrangements for the publication, as appropriate, of such information and to ask for
supplementary information if necessary. Seeking the cooperation of specialized
agencies and relevant intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations is a
well-established United Nations practice. In the preparation of his independent
reports on progress made with respect to the implementation of the Standard
Minimum Rules, the Secretary-General will take into account, inter alia,
information available in the human rights organs of the United Nations, including
the Commission on Human Rights, the Sub-Commission on Prevention of
Discrimination and Protection of Minorities, the Human Rights Committee
functioning under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and
the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. The implementation
work under the future convention against torture could also be taken into account,
as well as any information which might be gathered under the body of principles
for the protection of prisoners and detainees currently under preparation in the
General Assembly.
Procedure 6
As part of the information mentioned in procedure 5 above, States should
provide the Secretary-General with:
(a) Copies or abstracts of all laws, regulations and administrative measures
concerning the application of the Standard Minimum Rules to persons under
detention and to places and programmes of detention;
(b) Any data and descriptive material on treatment programmes, personnel
and the number of persons under any form of detention, and statistics, if available;
(c) Any other relevant information on the implementation of the Rules, as
well as information on the possible difficulties in their application.
Commentary
This requirement derives from both resolution 663 C (XXIV) of the Economic
and Social Council and the recommendations of the United Nations congresses on
the prevention of crime and the treatment of offenders. Although the items of
information suggested here are not specifically provided for, it seems feasible to
collect such information in order to assist Member States in overcoming difficulties
through an exchange of experience. Furthermore, the request for such information
is analogous to the existing periodic reporting system on human rights originally
established by the Economic and Social Council in its resolution 624 B (XXII) of
1 August 1956.
Procedure 7
The Secretary-General shall disseminate the Standard Minimum Rules and
the present implementing procedures, in as many languages as possible, and
make them available to all States and intergovernmental and non-governmental
organizations concerned, in order to ensure the widest circulation of the Rules
and the present implementing procedures.
Commentary
The need for the widest possible dissemination of the Standard Minimum Rules
is self-evident. Close cooperation with all appropriate intergovernmental and
non-governmental organizations is important to secure more effective dissemination
and implementation of the Rules. Therefore, the Secretariat should maintain close
contacts with such organizations and should make relevant information and data
available to them. It should also encourage those organizations to disseminate
information about the Standard Minimum Rules and the implementing procedures.
Procedure 8
The Secretary-General shall disseminate his reports on the implementation
of the Rules, including analytical summaries of the periodic surveys, reports of
the Committee on Crime Prevention and Control, reports prepared for the United
Nations congresses on the prevention of crime and the treatment of offenders as
well as the reports of the congresses, scientific publications and other relevant
documentation as from time to time may be deemed necessary to further the
implementation of the Standard Minimum Rules.
Commentary
This procedure reflects the present practice of disseminating such reports as
part of the documentation for the United Nations bodies concerned, as United
Nations publications or as articles in the Yearbook on Human Rights and the
International Review of Criminal Policy, the Crime Prevention and Criminal
Justice Newsletter and any other relevant publications.
Procedure 9
The Secretary-General shall ensure the widest possible reference to and use
of the text of the Standard Minimum Rules by the United Nations in all its
relevant programmes, including technical cooperation activities.
Commentary
It should be ensured that all relevant United Nations bodies include or make
reference to the Rules and the implementing procedures, thus contributing to
wider dissemination and increasing the awareness of specialized agencies,
governmental, intergovernmental and non-governmental bodies and the general

public of the Rules and of the commitment of the Economic and Social Council
and the General Assembly to their implementation.
The extent to which the Rules have any practical effect on correctional
administrations depends to a great extent on the measures through which they
permeate local legislative and administrative practices. They should be known
and understood by a wide range of professionals and non-professionals
throughout the world. Therefore there is a great need for more publicity in any
form, which could also be attained by frequent references to the Rules,
accompanied by public information campaigns.
Procedure 10
As part of its technical cooperation and development programmes the
United Nations shall:
(a) Aid Governments, at their request, in setting up and strengthening
comprehensive and humane correctional systems;
(b) Make available to Governments requesting them the services of experts
and regional and interregional advisers on crime prevention and criminal justice;
(c) Promote national and regional seminars and other meetings at the
professional and non-professional levels to further the dissemination of the
Standard Minimum Rules and the present implementing procedures;
(d) Strengthen substantive support to regional research and training
institutes in crime prevention and criminal justice that are associated with the
United Nations.
The United Nations regional research and training institutes in crime
prevention and criminal justice, in cooperation with national institutions, shall
develop curricula and training materials, based on the Standard Minimum Rules
and the present implementing procedures, suitable for use in criminal justice
educational programmes at all levels, as well as in specialized courses on human
rights and other related subjects.
Commentary
The purpose of this procedure is to ensure that the United Nations technical
assistance programmes and the training activities of the United Nations regional
institutes are used as indirect instruments for the application of the Standard
Minimum Rules and the present implementing procedures. Apart from regular
training courses for correctional personnel, training manuals and the like,
particularly at the policy and decision-making level, provision should be made for
expert advice on the questions submitted by Member States, including an expert
referral system to interested States. This expert referral system seems particularly
necessary in order to implement the Rules according to their spirit and with a view
to the socioeconomic structure of the countries requesting such assistance.
Procedure 11
The United Nations Committee on Crime Prevention and Control shall:
(a) Keep under review, from time to time, the Standard Minimum Rules,
with a view to the elaboration of new rules, standards and procedures applicable
to the treatment of persons deprived of liberty;
(b) Follow up the present implementing procedures, including periodic
reporting under procedure 5 above.
Commentary
As most of the information collected in the course of periodic inquiries as well
as during technical assistance missions would be brought to the attention of the
Committee on Crime Prevention and Control, ensuring the effectiveness of the Rules
in improving correctional practices rests with the Committee, whose
recommendations would determine the future course in the application of the Rules,
together with the implementing procedures. The Committee should therefore clearly
define existing shortcomings in or the reasons for the lack of implementation of the
Rules, inter alia, through contacts with the judiciary and ministries of justice of the
countries concerned, with the view to suggesting appropriate remedies.
Procedure 12
The Committee on Crime Prevention and Control shall assist the General
Assembly, the Economic and Social Council and any other United Nations
human rights bodies, as appropriate, with recommendations relating to reports of
ad hoc inquiry commissions, with respect to matters pertaining to the application
and implementation of the Standard Minimum Rules.
Commentary
As the Committee on Crime Prevention and Control is the relevant body to
review the implementation of the Standard Minimum Rules, it should also assist
the above-mentioned bodies.
Procedure 13
Nothing in the present implementing procedures should be construed as
precluding resort to any other means or remedies available under international
law or set forth by other United Nations bodies and agencies for the redress of
violations of human rights, including the procedure on consistent patterns of
gross violations of human rights under Economic and Social Council
resolution 1503 (XLVIII) of 27 May 1970, the communication procedure under
the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights2
and the communication procedure under the International Convention on the
Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.3
__________________
3 United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 660, No. 9464.
Commentary
Since the Standard Minimum Rules are only partly concerned with specific
human rights issues, the present procedures should not exclude any avenue for
redress of any violation of such rights, in accordance with existing international
or regional standards and norms.
3. Body of Principles for the Protection of All Persons under

Any Form of Detention or Imprisonment*
Scope of the Body of Principles

These principles apply for the protection of all persons under any form of
detention or imprisonment.
Use of terms
For the purposes of the Body of Principles:
(a) “Arrest” means the act of apprehending a person for the alleged
commission of an offence or by the action of an authority;
(b) “Detained person” means any person deprived of personal liberty
except as a result of conviction for an offence;
(c) “Imprisoned person” means any person deprived of personal liberty as
a result of conviction for an offence;
(d) “Detention” means the condition of detained persons as defined above;
(e) “Imprisonment” means the condition of imprisoned persons as defined
above;
(f) The words “a judicial or other authority” mean a judicial or other
authority under the law whose status and tenure should afford the strongest
possible guarantees of competence, impartiality and independence.
Principle 1
All persons under any form of detention or imprisonment shall be treated in
a humane manner and with respect for the inherent dignity of the human person.
Principle 2
Arrest, detention or imprisonment shall only be carried out strictly in
accordance with the provisions of the law and by competent officials or persons
authorized for that purpose.
__________________
Principle 3
There shall be no restriction upon or derogation from any of the human
rights of persons under any form of detention or imprisonment recognized or
existing in any State pursuant to law, conventions, regulations or custom on the
pretext that this Body of Principles does not recognize such rights or that it
recognizes them to a lesser extent.
Principle 4
Any form of detention or imprisonment and all measures affecting the
human rights of a person under any form of detention or imprisonment shall be
ordered by, or be subject to the effective control of, a judicial or other authority.
Principle 5
1. These principles shall be applied to all persons within the territory of any
given State, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language,
religion or religious belief, political or other opinion, national, ethnic or social
origin, property, birth or other status.
2. Measures applied under the law and designed solely to protect the rights and
special status of women, especially pregnant women and nursing mothers,
children and juveniles, aged, sick or handicapped persons shall not be deemed to
be discriminatory. The need for, and the application of, such measures shall
always be subject to review by a judicial or other authority.
Principle 6
No person under any form of detention or imprisonment shall be subjected
to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.1 No
circumstance whatever may be invoked as a justification for torture or other
cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
Principle 7
1. States should prohibit by law any act contrary to the rights and duties
contained in these principles, make any such act subject to appropriate sanctions
and conduct impartial investigations upon complaints.
2. Officials who have reason to believe that a violation of this Body of
Principles has occurred or is about to occur shall report the matter to their
superior authorities and, where necessary, to other appropriate authorities or
organs vested with reviewing or remedial powers.
__________________
1 The term “cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment” should be interpreted
so as to extend the widest possible protection against abuses, whether physical or mental,
including the holding of a detained or imprisoned person in conditions which deprive him,
temporarily or permanently, of the use of any of his natural senses, such as sight or hearing,
or of his awareness of place and the passing of time.
3. Any other person who has ground to believe that a violation of this Body of
Principles has occurred or is about to occur shall have the right to report the
matter to the superiors of the officials involved as well as to other appropriate
authorities or organs vested with reviewing or remedial powers.
Principle 8
Persons in detention shall be subject to treatment appropriate to their
unconvicted status. Accordingly, they shall, whenever possible, be kept separate
from imprisoned persons.
Principle 9
The authorities which arrest a person, keep him under detention or
investigate the case shall exercise only the powers granted to them under the law
and the exercise of these powers shall be subject to recourse to a judicial or other
authority.
Principle 10
Anyone who is arrested shall be informed at the time of his arrest of the
reason for his arrest and shall be promptly informed of any charges against him.
Principle 11
1. A person shall not be kept in detention without being given an effective
opportunity to be heard promptly by a judicial or other authority. A detained
person shall have the right to defend himself or to be assisted by counsel as
prescribed by law.
2. A detained person and his counsel, if any, shall receive prompt and full
communication of any order of detention, together with the reasons therefor.
3. A judicial or other authority shall be empowered to review as appropriate
the continuance of detention.
Principle 12
1. There shall be duly recorded:
(a) The reasons for the arrest;
(b) The time of the arrest and the taking of the arrested person to a place of
custody as well as that of his first appearance before a judicial or other authority;
(c) The identity of the law enforcement officials concerned;
(d) Precise information concerning the place of custody.
2. Such records shall be communicated to the detained person, or his counsel,
if any, in the form prescribed by law.
Principle 13
Any person shall, at the moment of arrest and at the commencement of
detention or imprisonment, or promptly thereafter, be provided by the authority
responsible for his arrest, detention or imprisonment, respectively, with
information on and an explanation of his rights and how to avail himself of such
rights.
Principle 14
A person who does not adequately understand or speak the language used by
the authorities responsible for his arrest, detention or imprisonment is entitled to
receive promptly in a language which he understands the information referred to
in principle 10, principle 11, paragraph 2, principle 12, paragraph 1, and
principle 13 and to have the assistance, free of charge, if necessary, of an
interpreter in connection with legal proceedings subsequent to his arrest.
Principle 15
Notwithstanding the exceptions contained in principle 16, paragraph 4, and
principle 18, paragraph 3, communication of the detained or imprisoned person
with the outside world, and in particular his family or counsel, shall not be
denied for more than a matter of days.
Principle 16
1. Promptly after arrest and after each transfer from one place of detention or
imprisonment to another, a detained or imprisoned person shall be entitled to
notify or to require the competent authority to notify members of his family or
other appropriate persons of his choice of his arrest, detention or imprisonment
or of the transfer and of the place where he is kept in custody.
2. If a detained or imprisoned person is a foreigner, he shall also be promptly
informed of his right to communicate by appropriate means with a consular post
or the diplomatic mission of the State of which he is a national or which is
otherwise entitled to receive such communication in accordance with
international law or with the representative of the competent international
organization, if he is a refugee or is otherwise under the protection of an
intergovernmental organization.
3. If a detained or imprisoned person is a juvenile or is incapable of
understanding his entitlement, the competent authority shall on its own initiative
undertake the notification referred to in the present principle. Special attention
shall be given to notifying parents or guardians.
4. Any notification referred to in the present principle shall be made or
permitted to be made without delay. The competent authority may however delay
a notification for a reasonable period where exceptional needs of investigation so
require.
Principle 17
1. A detained person shall be entitled to have the assistance of a legal counsel.
He shall be informed of his right by the competent authority promptly after arrest
and shall be provided with reasonable facilities for exercising it.
2. If a detained person does not have a legal counsel of his own choice, he
shall be entitled to have a legal counsel assigned to him by a judicial or other
authority in all cases where the interests of justice so require and without
payment by him if he does not have sufficient means to pay.
Principle 18
1. A detained or imprisoned person shall be entitled to communicate and
consult with his legal counsel.
2. A detained or imprisoned person shall be allowed adequate time and
facilities for consultation with his legal counsel.
3. The right of a detained or imprisoned person to be visited by and to consult
and communicate, without delay or censorship and in full confidentiality, with
his legal counsel may not be suspended or restricted save in exceptional
circumstances, to be specified by law or lawful regulations, when it is considered
indispensable by a judicial or other authority in order to maintain security and
good order.
4. Interviews between a detained or imprisoned person and his legal counsel
may be within sight, but not within the hearing, of a law enforcement official.
5. Communications between a detained or imprisoned person and his legal
counsel mentioned in the present principle shall be inadmissible as evidence
against the detained or imprisoned person unless they are connected with a
continuing or contemplated crime.
Principle 19
A detained or imprisoned person shall have the right to be visited by and to
correspond with, in particular, members of his family and shall be given adequate
opportunity to communicate with the outside world, subject to reasonable
conditions and restrictions as specified by law or lawful regulations.
Principle 20
If a detained or imprisoned person so requests, he shall if possible be kept in
a place of detention or imprisonment reasonably near his usual place of
residence.
Principle 21
1. It shall be prohibited to take undue advantage of the situation of a detained
or imprisoned person for the purpose of compelling him to confess, to
incriminate himself otherwise or to testify against any other person.
2. No detained person while being interrogated shall be subject to violence,
threats or methods of interrogation which impair his capacity of decision or his
judgement.
Principle 22
No detained or imprisoned person shall, even with his consent, be subjected
to any medical or scientific experimentation which may be detrimental to his
health.
Principle 23
1. The duration of any interrogation of a detained or imprisoned person and of
the intervals between interrogations as well as the identity of the officials who
conducted the interrogations and other persons present shall be recorded and
certified in such form as may be prescribed by law.
2. A detained or imprisoned person, or his counsel when provided by law, shall
have access to the information described in paragraph 1 of the present principle.
Principle 24
A proper medical examination shall be offered to a detained or imprisoned
person as promptly as possible after his admission to the place of detention or
imprisonment, and thereafter medical care and treatment shall be provided
whenever necessary. This care and treatment shall be provided free of charge.
Principle 25
A detained or imprisoned person or his counsel shall, subject only to
reasonable conditions to ensure security and good order in the place of detention
or imprisonment, have the right to request or petition a judicial or other authority
for a second medical examination or opinion.
Principle 26
The fact that a detained or imprisoned person underwent a medical
examination, the name of the physician and the results of such an examination
shall be duly recorded. Access to such records shall be ensured. Modalities
therefore shall be in accordance with relevant rules of domestic law.
Principle 27
Non-compliance with these principles in obtaining evidence shall be taken
into account in determining the admissibility of such evidence against a detained
or imprisoned person.
Principle 28
A detained or imprisoned person shall have the right to obtain within the
limits of available resources, if from public sources, reasonable quantities of
educational, cultural and informational material, subject to reasonable conditions
to ensure security and good order in the place of detention or imprisonment.
Principle 29
1. In order to supervise the strict observance of relevant laws and regulations,
places of detention shall be visited regularly by qualified and experienced
persons appointed by, and responsible to, a competent authority distinct from the
authority directly in charge of the administration of the place of detention or
imprisonment.
2. A detained or imprisoned person shall have the right to communicate freely
and in full confidentiality with the persons who visit the places of detention or
imprisonment in accordance with paragraph 1 of the present principle, subject to
reasonable conditions to ensure security and good order in such places.
Principle 30
1. The types of conduct of the detained or imprisoned person that constitute
disciplinary offences during detention or imprisonment, the description and
duration of disciplinary punishment that may be inflicted and the authorities
competent to impose such punishment shall be specified by law or lawful
regulations and duly published.
2. A detained or imprisoned person shall have the right to be heard before
disciplinary action is taken. He shall have the right to bring such action to higher
authorities for review.
Principle 31
The appropriate authorities shall endeavour to ensure, according to domestic
law, assistance when needed to dependent and, in particular, minor members of
the families of detained or imprisoned persons and shall devote a particular
measure of care to the appropriate custody of children left without supervision.
Principle 32
1. A detained person or his counsel shall be entitled at any time to take
proceedings according to domestic law before a judicial or other authority to
challenge the lawfulness of his detention in order to obtain his release without
delay, if it is unlawful.
2. The proceedings referred to in paragraph 1 of the present principle shall be
simple and expeditious and at no cost for detained persons without adequate
means. The detaining authority shall produce without unreasonable delay the
detained person before the reviewing authority.
Principle 33
1. A detained or imprisoned person or his counsel shall have the right to make
a request or complaint regarding his treatment, in particular in case of torture or
other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, to the authorities responsible for the
administration of the place of detention and to higher authorities and, when
necessary, to appropriate authorities vested with reviewing or remedial powers.
2. In those cases where neither the detained or imprisoned person nor his
counsel has the possibility to exercise his rights under paragraph 1 of the present
principle, a member of the family of the detained or imprisoned person or any
other person who has knowledge of the case may exercise such rights.
3. Confidentiality concerning the request or complaint shall be maintained if
so requested by the complainant.
4. Every request or complaint shall be promptly dealt with and replied to
without undue delay. If the request or complaint is rejected or, in case of
inordinate delay, the complainant shall be entitled to bring it before a judicial or
other authority. Neither the detained or imprisoned person nor any complainant
under paragraph 1 of the present principle shall suffer prejudice for making a
request or complaint.
Principle 34
Whenever the death or disappearance of a detained or imprisoned person
occurs during his detention or imprisonment, an inquiry into the cause of death or
disappearance shall be held by a judicial or other authority, either on its own
motion or at the instance of a member of the family of such a person or any
person who has knowledge of the case. When circumstances so warrant, such an
inquiry shall be held on the same procedural basis whenever the death or
disappearance occurs shortly after the termination of the detention or
imprisonment. The findings of such inquiry or a report thereon shall be made
available upon request, unless doing so would jeopardize an ongoing criminal
investigation.
Principle 35
1. Damage incurred because of acts or omissions by a public official contrary
to the rights contained in these principles shall be compensated according to the
applicable rules or liability provided by domestic law.
2. Information required to be recorded under these principles shall be available

in accordance with procedures provided by domestic law for use in claiming
compensation under the present principle.
Principle 36
1. A detained person suspected of or charged with a criminal offence shall be
presumed innocent and shall be treated as such until proved guilty according to
law in a public trial at which he has had all the guarantees necessary for his
defence.
2. The arrest or detention of such a person pending investigation and trial shall
be carried out only for the purposes of the administration of justice on grounds
and under conditions and procedures specified by law. The imposition of
restrictions upon such a person which are not strictly required for the purpose of
the detention or to prevent hindrance to the process of investigation or the
administration of justice, or for the maintenance of security and good order in the
place of detention shall be forbidden.
Principle 37
A person detained on a criminal charge shall be brought before a judicial or
other authority provided by law promptly after his arrest. Such authority shall
decide without delay upon the lawfulness and necessity of detention. No person
may be kept under detention pending investigation or trial except upon the
written order of such an authority. A detained person shall, when brought before
such an authority, have the right to make a statement on the treatment received
by him while in custody.
Principle 38
A person detained on a criminal charge shall be entitled to trial within a
reasonable time or to release pending trial.
Principle 39
Except in special cases provided for by law, a person detained on a criminal
charge shall be entitled, unless a judicial or other authority decides otherwise in
the interest of the administration of justice, to release pending trial subject to the
conditions that may be imposed in accordance with the law. Such authority shall
keep the necessity of detention under review.
General clause
Nothing in this Body of Principles shall be construed as restricting or
derogating from any right defined in the International Covenant on Civil and
Political Rights.2
__________________
4. Basic Principles for the Treatment of Prisoners*
1. All prisoners shall be treated with the respect due to their inherent dignity
and value as human beings.
2. There shall be no discrimination on the grounds of race, colour, sex,
language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property,
birth or other status.
3. It is, however, desirable to respect the religious beliefs and cultural precepts
of the group to which prisoners belong, whenever local conditions so require.
4. The responsibility of prisons for the custody of prisoners and for the
protection of society against crime shall be discharged in keeping with a State’s
other social objectives and its fundamental responsibilities for promoting the
well-being and development of all members of society.
5. Except for those limitations that are demonstrably necessitated by the fact of
incarceration, all prisoners shall retain the human rights and fundamental
freedoms set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,1 and, where the
State concerned is a party, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and
Cultural Rights,2 and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
and the Optional Protocol thereto,3 as well as such other rights as are set out in
other United Nations covenants.
6. All prisoners shall have the right to take part in cultural activities and
education aimed at the full development of the human personality.
7. Efforts addressed to the abolition of solitary confinement as a punishment,
or to the restriction of its use, should be undertaken and encouraged.
8. Conditions shall be created enabling prisoners to undertake meaningful
remunerated employment which will facilitate their reintegration into the
country’s labour market and permit them to contribute to their own financial
support and to that of their families.
9. Prisoners shall have access to the health services available in the country
without discrimination on the grounds of their legal situation.
10. With the participation and help of the community and social institutions, and
with due regard to the interests of victims, favourable conditions shall be created
for the reintegration of the ex-prisoner into society under the best possible
conditions.
11. The above Principles shall be applied impartially.
__________________
1 General Assembly resolution 217 A (III).
3 Ibid.
5. Kampala Declaration on Prison Conditions in Africa*
Prison conditions
Considering that in many countries in Africa the level of overcrowding in
prisons is inhuman, that there is a lack of hygiene, insufficient or poor food,
difficult access to medical care, a lack of physical activities or education, as well
as an inability to maintain family ties,
Bearing in mind that any person who is denied freedom has a right to human
dignity,
Bearing in mind also that the universal norms on human rights place an
absolute prohibition on torture of any description,
Bearing in mind further that some groups of prisoners, including juveniles,
women, the old and the mentally and physically ill, are especially vulnerable and
require particular attention,
Bearing in mind that juveniles must be separated from adult prisoners and
that they must be treated in a manner appropriate to their age,
Remembering the importance of proper treatment for female detainees and
the need to recognize their special needs,
The participants in the International Seminar on Prison Conditions in
Africa,1 held at Kampala from 19 to 21 September 1996, recommend:
1. That the human rights of prisoners should be safeguarded at all times
and that non-governmental agencies should have a special role in this respect;
2. That prisoners should retain all rights which are not expressly taken
away by the fact of their detention;
3. That prisoners should have living conditions which are compatible with
human dignity;
4. That conditions in which prisoners are held and the prison regulations
should not aggravate the suffering already caused by the loss of liberty;
5. That the detrimental effects of imprisonment should be minimized so
that prisoners do not lose their self-respect and sense of personal responsibility;
6. That prisoners should be given the opportunity to maintain and develop
links with their families and the outside world;
__________________
* Economic and Social Council resolution 1997/36, annex, adopted on 21 July 1997.
1 The seminar was organized jointly by Prison Reform International and the African
Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, in partnership with the Foundation for Human
Rights Initiative and the Government of Uganda through the Prisons Department, and with
the participation of the International Committee of the Red Cross and International Prison
Watch.
7. That prisoners should be given access to education and skills training

in order to make it easier for them to reintegrate into society after their release;
8. That special attention should be paid to vulnerable prisoners and that
non-governmental organizations should be supported in their work with these
prisoners;
9. That all the norms of the United Nations and the African Charter on
Human and Peoples’ Rights2 on the treatment of prisoners should be incorporated
into national legislation in order to protect the human rights of prisoners;
10. That the Organization of African Unity and its member States should
take steps to ensure that prisoners are detained in the minimum conditions of
security necessary for public safety.
Remand prisoners
Considering that in most prisons in Africa a great proportion of prisoners
are awaiting trial, sometimes for several years,
Considering also that for this reason the procedures and policies adopted by
the police, the prosecuting authorities and the judiciary can significantly
influence prison overcrowding,
Africa, held at Kampala from 19 to 21 September 1996, recommend:
1. That the police, the prosecuting authorities and the judiciary should be
aware of the problems caused by prison overcrowding and should join the prison
administration in seeking solutions to reduce this;
2. That judicial investigations and proceedings should ensure that
prisoners are kept in remand detention for the shortest possible period, avoiding,
for example, continual remands in custody by the court;
3. That there should be a system for regular review of the time detainees
spend on remand.
Prison staff
Considering that any improvement in conditions for prisoners will be
dependent on staff having pride in their work and a proper level of competence,
Bearing in mind that this will only happen if staff are properly trained,
1. That there should be a proper career structure for prison staff;
2. That all prison personnel should be linked to one government ministry
and that there should be a clear line of command between the central prison
administration and the staff in prisons;
__________________
3. That the State should provide sufficient material and financial

resources for staff to carry out their work properly;
4. That in each country there should be an appropriate training
programme for prison staff to which the United Nations African Institute for the
Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders should be invited to
contribute;
5. That there should be a national or subregional institution to deliver this
training programme;
6. That the penitentiary administration should be directly involved in the
recruitment of prison staff.
Alternative sentencing
Noting that, in an attempt to reduce prison overcrowding, some countries
have been trying to find a solution through amnesties or pardons or by building
new prisons,
Considering that overcrowding causes a variety of problems, including
difficulties for overworked staff,
Taking into account the limited effectiveness of imprisonment, especially
for those serving short sentences, and the cost of imprisonment to the whole of
society,
Considering the growing interest in African countries in measures which
replace custodial sentences, especially in the light of human rights principles,
Considering that community service and other non-custodial measures are
innovative alternatives to imprisonment and that there are promising
developments in Africa in this regard,
Considering also that compensation for damage done is an important
element of non-custodial sentences,
Considering further that legislation can be introduced to ensure that
community service and other non-custodial measures will be imposed as an
alternative to imprisonment,
1. That petty offences should be dealt with according to customary
practice, provided this meets human rights requirements and that those involved
so agree;
2. That, whenever possible, petty offences should be dealt with by
mediation and should be resolved between the parties involved without recourse
to the criminal justice system;
3. That the principle of civil reparation or financial recompense should be
applied, taking into account the financial capability of the offender or of his or
her parents;
4. That the work done by the offender should, if possible, recompense the victim;
5. That community service and other non-custodial measures should, if
possible, be preferred to imprisonment;
6. That there should be a study of the feasibility of adapting successful
African models of non-custodial measures and applying them in countries where
they are not yet being used;
7. That the public should be educated about the objectives of these
alternatives and how they work.
African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights

Considering that the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights
has the mandate to ensure the promotion and the protection of human and
peoples’ rights in Africa,
Considering also that the Commission has shown on many occasions its
special concern on the subject of poor prison conditions in Africa and that it has
adopted special resolutions and decisions on this question previously,
Africa, held at Kampala from 19 to 21 September 1996, recommend that the
African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights:
1. Should continue to attach priority to the improvement of prison
conditions throughout Africa;
2. Should nominate a Special Rapporteur on Prisons in Africa as soon as
possible;
3. Should make the member States aware of the recommendations
contained in the present Declaration and publicize United Nations and African
norms and standards on imprisonment;
4. Should cooperate with non-governmental organizations and other
qualified institutions in order to ensure that the recommendations contained in
the present Declaration are implemented in all the member States.
6. Status of foreign citizens in criminal proceedings*
The Economic and Social Council,

Guided by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted
and proclaimed by the General Assembly by its resolution 217 A (III) of
10 December 1948,
Bearing in mind the relevant international legal instruments in the field of
human rights,
__________________
* Economic and Social Council resolution 1998/22, adopted on 28 July 1998.
Bearing in mind also the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of
Prisoners, adopted by the First United Nations Congress on the Prevention of
Crime and the Treatment of Offenders, held at Geneva from 22 August to
3 September 19551 and approved by the Economic and Social Council in its
resolution 663 C (XXIV) of 31 July 1957, and the procedures for the effective
implementation of the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners,
approved by the Council in its resolution 1984/47 of 25 May 1984 and set out in
the annex thereto,
Recalling General Assembly resolution 49/159 of 23 December 1994, in
which the Assembly approved the Naples Political Declaration and Global Action
Plan against Organized Transnational Crime adopted by the World Ministerial
Conference on Organized Transnational Crime, held at Naples, Italy, from 21 to
23 November 1994,2
Conscious of the need to respect human dignity and the recognized rights of
persons undergoing criminal proceedings as set forth in the International
Covenants on Human Rights,3
Urges Member States that have not yet done so to consider adopting the
following measures:
(a) Carefully examine whether foreign citizens under criminal prosecution
are guaranteed universally recognized rights with regard to criminal prosecution
at all stages of proceedings;
(b) Ensure that individuals are not subjected to more severe custodial
penalties or inferior prison conditions in a State solely because they are not
nationals of that State;
(c) Undertake the necessary arrangements to ensure that any foreign
citizen subject to criminal proceedings whose native language is not that of the
State conducting the proceedings against him or her and who, for that reason, is
unable to understand the nature of such proceedings has access throughout his or
her trial to the services of a suitable interpreter in his or her native language, to
the extent possible;
(d) Whenever permitted by its internal law or practice, make available to
foreign citizens as well as to nationals, provided that they fulfil the relevant legal
requirements, alternative penal sentences or administrative penalties provided for
under the legislation of the State conducting proceedings;
(e) Intensify efforts to implement applicable international instruments,
such as the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations,4 concerning, inter alia,
notification to consular authorities of the detention of their citizens.
__________________
1 United Nations publication, Sales No. 1956.IV.4, annex I, sect. A.
2 A/49/748, annex, chap. I, sect. A.
7. Arusha Declaration on Good Prison Practice*
Aware of the fact that the management of prisons is a social service and that
it is important to keep the public informed about the work of prison services,
Also aware of the need to promote transparency and accountability in the
management of prisons and of prisoners in Africa,
Recalling the Kampala Declaration on Prison Conditions in Africa,1 which
sets out an agenda for penal reform in Africa,
Taking note of the Kadoma Declaration on Community Service,2 which
recommends greater use of non-custodial measures for offences committed at the
lower end of the criminal scale,
Taking note also of the provisions of the African Charter on Human and
Peoples’ Rights of 1981,3 the International Covenant on Civil and Political
Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights,4
and the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading
Treatment or Punishment5 that safeguard the right to life, to a prompt trial and to
human dignity,
Bearing in mind the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of
Prisoners,6 the Basic Principles for the Treatment of Prisoners,7 the United
Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Administration of Juvenile Justice (the
Beijing Rules),8 the Body of Principles for the Protection of All Persons under
Any Form of Detention or Imprisonment9 and the Code of Conduct for Law
Enforcement Officials,10
Bearing in mind also that prison officers who comply with national and
international standards for the protection of prisoners deserve the respect and the
cooperation of the prison administration where they serve and of the community
as a whole,
Noting that conditions in most African prisons fall short of these minimum
national and international standards,
__________________
Economic and Social Council resolution 1999/27, annex, adopted on 28 July 1999.
*
Economic and Social Council resolution 1997/36, annex.

1
2 Economic and Social Council resolution 1998/23, annex I.
6 Human Rights: A Compilation of International Instruments, Volume I (First Part),
Universal Instruments (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.02.XIV.4

(Vol. I, Part 1)), sect. J, No. 34.
7 General Assembly resolution 45/111, annex.
The participants in the Fourth Conference of the Central, Eastern and

Southern African Heads of Correctional Services, meeting in Arusha from 23 to
27 February 1999, agree with the following principles:
(a) To promote and implement good prison practice, in conformity with the
international standards mentioned above, and to adjust domestic laws to those
standards, if this has not yet been done;
(b) To improve management practices in individual prisons and in the
penitentiary system as a whole in order to increase transparency and efficiency
within the prison service;
(c) To enhance the professionalism of prison staff and to improve their
working and living conditions;
(d) To respect and protect the rights and dignity of prisoners as well as to
ensure compliance with national and international standards;
(e) To provide training programmes to prison staff that incorporate human
rights standards in a way that is meaningful and relevant and to improve the
skills base of prison officers and, for this purpose, to establish a training board of
the Conference of the Central, Eastern and Southern African Heads of
Correctional Services;
(f) To establish a criminal justice mechanism comprising all the
components of the criminal justice system that would coordinate activities and
cooperate in the solution of common problems;
(g) To invite civil society groups into the prisons to work in partnership
with the prison services in order to improve the conditions of imprisonment and
the working environment of prisons;
(h) To call upon Governments and national and international organizations
to give full support to the present declaration.
8. United Nations Rules for the Treatment of Women Prisoners

and Non-custodial Measures for Women Offenders
(the Bangkok Rules)*
Preliminary observations
1. The Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners1 apply to all
prisoners without discrimination; therefore, the specific needs and realities of all
prisoners, including of women prisoners, should be taken into account in their
application. The Rules, adopted more than 50 years ago, did not, however, draw
sufficient attention to women’s particular needs. With the increase in the number
of women prisoners worldwide, the need to bring more clarity to considerations
that should apply to the treatment of women prisoners has acquired importance
and urgency.
2. Recognizing the need to provide global standards with regard to the distinct
considerations that should apply to women prisoners and offenders and taking
into account a number of relevant resolutions adopted by different United
Nations bodies, in which Member States were called upon to respond
appropriately to the needs of women offenders and prisoners, the present rules
have been developed to complement and supplement, as appropriate, the
Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners and the United Nations
Standard Minimum Rules for Non-custodial Measures (the Tokyo Rules)2 in
connection with the treatment of women prisoners and alternatives to
imprisonment for women offenders.
3. The present rules do not in any way replace the Standard Minimum Rules
for the Treatment of Prisoners or the Tokyo Rules and, therefore, all relevant
provisions contained in those two sets of rules continue to apply to all prisoners
and offenders without discrimination. While some of the present rules bring
further clarity to existing provisions in the Standard Minimum Rules for the
Treatment of Prisoners and in the Tokyo Rules in their application to women
prisoners and offenders, others cover new areas.
4. These rules are inspired by principles contained in various United Nations
conventions and declarations and are therefore consistent with the provisions of
existing international law. They are addressed to prison authorities and
__________________
* General Assembly resolution 65/229, annex, adopted on 21 December 2010. This
instrument contains references to specific provisions of the Standard Minimum Rules for the
Treatment of Prisoners, which were subsequently updated and adopted by the General
Assembly on 17 December 2015 in its resolution 70/175, entitled “United Nations Standard
Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (the Nelson Mandela Rules)”. For the
purposes of this publication, footnotes have been added to indicate the corresponding
provisions of the Nelson Mandela Rules.
Universal Instruments (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.02.XIV.4

(Vol. I, Part 1)), sect. J, No. 34.
criminal justice agencies (including policymakers, legislators, the prosecution

service, the judiciary and the probation service) involved in the administration of
non-custodial sanctions and community-based measures.
5. The specific requirements for addressing the situation of women offenders
have been emphasized at the United Nations in various contexts. For example,
in 1980, the Sixth United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the
Treatment of Offenders adopted a resolution on the specific needs of women
prisoners,3 in which it recommended that, in the implementation of the
resolutions adopted by the Sixth Congress directly or indirectly relevant to the
treatment of offenders, recognition should be given to the specific problems of
women prisoners and the need to provide the means for their solution; that, in
countries where it was not yet done, programmes and services used as
alternatives to imprisonment should be made available to women offenders on an
equal basis with male offenders; and that the United Nations, the governmental
and non-governmental organizations in consultative status with it and all other
international organizations should make continuing efforts to ensure that the
woman offender was treated fairly and equally during arrest, trial, sentence and
imprisonment, particular attention being paid to the special problems which
women offenders encounter, such as pregnancy and child care.
6. The Seventh Congress, the Eighth Congress and the Ninth Congress also
made specific recommendations concerning women prisoners.4,5,6
7. In the Vienna Declaration on Crime and Justice: Meeting the Challenges of
the Twenty-first Century,7 adopted by the Tenth Congress, Member States
committed themselves to taking into account and addressing, within the United
Nations crime prevention and criminal justice programme, as well as within
national crime prevention and criminal justice strategies, any disparate impact of
programmes and policies on women and men (para. 11); and to the development
__________________
3 Sixth United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of
Offenders, Caracas, 25 August-5 September 1980: report prepared by the Secretariat

(United Nations publication, Sales No. E.81.IV.4), chap. I, sect. B, resolution 9.
4 See Seventh United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of
Offenders, Milan, 26 August-6 September 1985: report prepared by the Secretariat

(United Nations publication, Sales No. E.86.IV.1), chap. I, sect. E, resolution 6 (on the fair
treatment of women by the criminal justice system).
5 See Eighth United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of
Offenders, Havana, 27 August-7 September 1990: report prepared by the Secretariat

(United Nations publication, Sales No. E.91.IV.2), chap. I, sect. A.5 (Basic Principles for the
Treatment of Prisoners (see also General Assembly resolution 45/111, annex)); and ibid.,
sect. C, resolutions 17 (on pretrial detention), 19 (on the management of criminal justice and
development of sentencing policies) and 21 (on international and interregional cooperation in
prison management and community-based sanctions and other matters).
6 See A/CONF.169/16/Rev.1, chap. I, resolutions 1 (on recommendations on the four
substantive topics of the Ninth United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the
Treatment of Offenders), 5 (on the practical implementation of the Standard Minimum Rules
for the Treatment of Prisoners) and 8 (on the elimination of violence against women).
of action-oriented policy recommendations based on the special needs of women

as prisoners and offenders (para. 12). The plans of action for the implementation
of the Vienna Declaration8 contain a separate section (sect. XIII) devoted to
specific recommended measures to follow up on the commitments undertaken in
paragraphs 11 and 12 of the Declaration, including that of States reviewing,
evaluating and, if necessary, modifying their legislation, policies, procedures and
practices relating to criminal matters, in a manner consistent with their legal
systems, in order to ensure that women are treated fairly by the criminal justice
system.
8. The General Assembly, in its resolution 58/183 of 22 December 2003
entitled “Human rights in the administration of justice”, called for increased
attention to be devoted to the issue of women in prison, including the children of
women in prison, with a view to identifying the key problems and ways in which
they could be addressed.
9. In its resolution 61/143 of 19 December 2006 entitled “Intensification of
efforts to eliminate all forms of violence against women”, the General Assembly
stressed that “violence against women” meant any act of gender-based violence
resulting in, or likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm or
suffering to women, including arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring
in public or in private life, and urged States to review and, where appropriate,
revise, amend or abolish all laws, regulations, policies, practices and customs
discriminating against women or having a discriminatory impact on women, and
ensure that provisions of multiple legal systems, where they existed, complied
with international human rights obligations, commitments and principles,
including the principle of non-discrimination; to take positive measures to
address structural causes of violence against women and to strengthen prevention
efforts addressing discriminatory practices and social norms, including with
regard to women in need of special attention, such as women in institutions or in
detention; and to provide training and capacity-building on gender equality and
women’s rights for law enforcement personnel and the judiciary. The resolution
is an acknowledgement of the fact that violence against women has specific
implications for women’s contact with the criminal justice system, as well as
their right to be free of victimization while imprisoned. Physical and
psychological safety is critical to ensuring human rights and improving outcomes
for women offenders, of which the present rules take account.
10. Finally, in the Bangkok Declaration on Synergies and Responses:
Strategic Alliances in Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, adopted by the
Eleventh United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice on
25 April 2005,9 Member States declared that they were committed to the
development and maintenance of fair and efficient criminal justice institutions,
including the humane treatment of all those in pretrial and correctional facilities,
__________________
in accordance with applicable international standards (para. 8); and they

recommended that the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice
should give consideration to reviewing the adequacy of standards and norms in
relation to prison management and prisoners (para. 30).
11. As with the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, in
view of the great variety of legal, social, economic and geographical conditions
worldwide, it is evident that not all of the following rules can be equally applied
in all places and at all times. They should, however, serve to stimulate a constant
endeavour to overcome practical difficulties in how they are applied, in the
knowledge that they represent, as a whole, the global aspirations considered by
the United Nations as leading to the common goal of improving outcomes for
women prisoners, their children and their communities.
12. Some of these rules address issues applicable to both men and women
prisoners, including those relating to parental responsibilities, some medical
services, searching procedures and the like, although the rules are mainly
concerned with the needs of women and their children. However, as the focus
includes the children of imprisoned mothers, there is a need to recognize the
central role of both parents in the lives of children. Accordingly, some of these
rules would apply equally to male prisoners and offenders who are fathers.
Introduction
13. The following rules do not in any way replace the Standard Minimum Rules
for the Treatment of Prisoners and the Tokyo Rules. Therefore, all provisions
contained in those two sets of rules continue to apply to all prisoners and
offenders without discrimination.
14. Section I of the present rules, covering the general management of
institutions, is applicable to all categories of women deprived of their liberty,
including criminal or civil, untried or convicted women prisoners, as well as
women subject to “security measures” or corrective measures ordered by a judge.
15. Section II contains rules applicable only to the special categories dealt with
in each subsection. Nevertheless, the rules under subsection A, applicable to
prisoners under sentence, shall be equally applicable to the category of prisoners
dealt with in subsection B, provided they do not conflict with the rules governing
that category of women and are for their benefit.
16. Subsections A and B both provide additional rules for the treatment of
juvenile female prisoners. It is important to note, however, that separate
strategies and policies in accordance with international standards, in particular
the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Administration of Juvenile
Justice (the Beijing Rules),10 the United Nations Guidelines for the Prevention of
Juvenile Delinquency (the Riyadh Guidelines),11 the United Nations Rules for
__________________
the Protection of Juveniles Deprived of Their Liberty12 and the Guidelines for
Action on Children in the Criminal Justice System,13 need to be designed for the
treatment and rehabilitation of this category of prisoners, while
institutionalization shall be avoided to the maximum possible extent.
17. Section III contains rules covering the application of non-custodial
sanctions and measures for women and juvenile female offenders, including on
arrest and at the pretrial, sentencing and post-sentencing stages of the criminal
justice process.
18. Section IV contains rules on research, planning, evaluation, public
awareness-raising and sharing of information, and is applicable to all categories
of female offenders covered in these rules.
I. Rules of general application

1. Basic principle
[Supplements rule 6 of the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of
Prisoners]14
Rule 1
In order for the principle of non-discrimination embodied in rule 6 of the
Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners to be put into practice,
account shall be taken of the distinctive needs of women prisoners in the
application of the Rules. Providing for such needs in order to accomplish
substantial gender equality shall not be regarded as discriminatory.
2. Admission
Rule 2
1. Adequate attention shall be paid to the admission procedures for women and
children, due to their particular vulnerability at this time. Newly arrived women
prisoners shall be provided with facilities to contact their relatives; access to
legal advice; information about prison rules and regulations, the prison regime
and where to seek help when in need in a language that they understand; and, in
the case of foreign nationals, access to consular representatives as well.
2. Prior to or on admission, women with caretaking responsibilities for
children shall be permitted to make arrangements for those children, including
the possibility of a reasonable suspension of detention, taking into account the
best interests of the children.
__________________
13 Economic and Social Council resolution 1997/30, annex.
14 Please refer to rule 2 of the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment
of Prisoners (the Nelson Mandela Rules).

3. Register
Prisoners]15
Rule 3
1. The number and personal details of the children of a woman being admitted
to prison shall be recorded at the time of admission. The records shall include,
without prejudicing the rights of the mother, at least the names of the children,
their ages and, if not accompanying the mother, their location and custody or
guardianship status.
2. All information relating to the children’s identity shall be kept confidential,
and the use of such information shall always comply with the requirement to take
into account the best interests of the children.
4. Allocation
Rule 4
Women prisoners shall be allocated, to the extent possible, to prisons close
to their home or place of social rehabilitation, taking account of their caretaking
responsibilities, as well as the individual woman’s preference and the availability
of appropriate programmes and services.
5. Personal hygiene
[Supplements rules 15 and 16 of the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment
of Prisoners]16
Rule 5
The accommodation of women prisoners shall have facilities and materials
required to meet women’s specific hygiene needs, including sanitary towels
provided free of charge and a regular supply of water to be made available for the
personal care of children and women, in particular women involved in cooking
and those who are pregnant, breastfeeding or menstruating.
__________________
15 Please refer to rules 6 to 10 of the Nelson Mandela Rules.
16 Please refer to rule 18 of the Nelson Mandela Rules.
6. Health-care services
[Supplements rules 22 to 26 of the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of
Prisoners]17
(a) Medical screening on entry
Prisoners]18
Rule 6
The health screening of women prisoners shall include comprehensive
screening to determine primary health-care needs, and also shall determine:
(a) The presence of sexually transmitted diseases or blood-borne diseases;
and, depending on risk factors, women prisoners may also be offered testing for
HIV, with pre- and post-test counselling;
(b) Mental health-care needs, including post-traumatic stress disorder and
risk of suicide and self-harm;
(c) The reproductive health history of the woman prisoner, including current
or recent pregnancies, childbirth and any related reproductive health issues;
(d) The existence of drug dependency;
(e) Sexual abuse and other forms of violence that may have been suffered
prior to admission.
Rule 7
1. If the existence of sexual abuse or other forms of violence before or during
detention is diagnosed, the woman prisoner shall be informed of her right to seek
recourse from judicial authorities. The woman prisoner should be fully informed
of the procedures and steps involved. If the woman prisoner agrees to take legal
action, appropriate staff shall be informed and immediately refer the case to the
competent authority for investigation. Prison authorities shall help such women
to access legal assistance.
2. Whether or not the woman chooses to take legal action, prison authorities
shall endeavour to ensure that she has immediate access to specialized
psychological support or counselling.
3. Specific measures shall be developed to avoid any form of retaliation
against those making such reports or taking legal action.
Rule 8
The right of women prisoners to medical confidentiality, including
specifically the right not to share information and not to undergo screening in
relation to their reproductive health history, shall be respected at all times.
__________________
Rule 9
If the woman prisoner is accompanied by a child, that child shall also
undergo health screening, preferably by a child health specialist, to determine
any treatment and medical needs. Suitable health care, at least equivalent to that
in the community, shall be provided.
(b) Gender-specific health care

Rule 10
1. Gender-specific health-care services at least equivalent to those available in
the community shall be provided to women prisoners.
2. If a woman prisoner requests that she be examined or treated by a woman
physician or nurse, a woman physician or nurse shall be made available, to the
extent possible, except for situations requiring urgent medical intervention. If a
male medical practitioner undertakes the examination contrary to the wishes of
the woman prisoner, a woman staff member shall be present during the
examination.
Rule 11
1. Only medical staff shall be present during medical examinations unless the
doctor is of the view that exceptional circumstances exist or the doctor requests a
member of the prison staff to be present for security reasons or the woman
prisoner specifically requests the presence of a member of staff as indicated in
rule 10, paragraph 2, above.
2. If it is necessary for non-medical prison staff to be present during medical
examinations, such staff should be women and examinations shall be carried out
in a manner that safeguards privacy, dignity and confidentiality.
(c) Mental health and care

Rule 12
Individualized, gender-sensitive, trauma-informed and comprehensive
mental health care and rehabilitation programmes shall be made available for
women prisoners with mental health-care needs in prison or in non-custodial
settings.
Rule 13
Prison staff shall be made aware of times when women may feel particular
distress, so as to be sensitive to their situation and ensure that the women are
provided appropriate support.
(d) HIV prevention, treatment, care and support

Rule 14
In developing responses to HIV/AIDS in penal institutions, programmes and
services shall be responsive to the specific needs of women, including prevention
of mother-to-child transmission. In this context, prison authorities shall
encourage and support the development of initiatives on HIV prevention,
treatment and care, such as peer-based education.
(e) Substance abuse treatment programmes

Rule 15
Prison health services shall provide or facilitate specialized treatment
programmes designed for women substance abusers, taking into account prior
victimization, the special needs of pregnant women and women with children, as
well as their diverse cultural backgrounds.
(f) Suicide and self-harm prevention

Rule 16
Developing and implementing strategies, in consultation with mental
health-care and social welfare services, to prevent suicide and self-harm among
women prisoners and providing appropriate, gender-specific and specialized
support to those at risk shall be part of a comprehensive policy of mental health
care in women’s prisons.
(g) Preventive health-care services

Rule 17
Women prisoners shall receive education and information about preventive
health-care measures, including on HIV, sexually transmitted diseases and other
blood-borne diseases, as well as gender-specific health conditions.
Rule 18
Preventive health-care measures of particular relevance to women, such as
Papanicolaou tests and screening for breast and gynaecological cancer, shall be
offered to women prisoners on an equal basis with women of the same age in the
community.
7. Safety and security

Prisoners]19
(a) Searches
Rule 19
Effective measures shall be taken to ensure that women prisoners’ dignity
and respect are protected during personal searches, which shall only be carried
out by women staff who have been properly trained in appropriate searching
methods and in accordance with established procedures.
Rule 20
Alternative screening methods, such as scans, shall be developed to replace
strip searches and invasive body searches, in order to avoid the harmful
psychological and possible physical impact of invasive body searches.
Rule 21
Prison staff shall demonstrate competence, professionalism and sensitivity
and shall preserve respect and dignity when searching both children in prison
with their mother and children visiting prisoners.
(b) Discipline and punishment

Prisoners]20
Rule 22
Punishment by close confinement or disciplinary segregation shall not be
applied to pregnant women, women with infants and breastfeeding mothers in
prison.
Rule 23
Disciplinary sanctions for women prisoners shall not include a prohibition
of family contact, especially with children.
__________________
(c) Instruments of restraint

[Supplements rules 33 and 34 of the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment
of Prisoners]21
Rule 24
Instruments of restraint shall never be used on women during labour, during
birth and immediately after birth.
(d) Information to and complaints by prisoners; inspections

[Supplements rules 35 and 36 and, with regard to inspection, rule 55 of the
Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners]22
Rule 25
1. Women prisoners who report abuse shall be provided immediate protection,
support and counselling, and their claims shall be investigated by competent and
independent authorities, with full respect for the principle of confidentiality.
Protection measures shall take into account specifically the risks of retaliation.
2. Women prisoners who have been subjected to sexual abuse, and especially
those who have become pregnant as a result, shall receive appropriate medical
advice and counselling and shall be provided with the requisite physical and
mental health care, support and legal aid.
3. In order to monitor the conditions of detention and treatment of women
prisoners, inspectorates, visiting or monitoring boards or supervisory bodies shall
include women members.
8. Contact with the outside world

Prisoners]23
Rule 26
Women prisoners’ contact with their families, including their children, and
their children’s guardians and legal representatives shall be encouraged and
facilitated by all reasonable means. Where possible, measures shall be taken to
counterbalance disadvantages faced by women detained in institutions located far
from their homes.
__________________
21Please refer to rules 47 to 49 of the Nelson Mandela Rules.
22Please refer to rules 54 to 57 and, with regard to inspection, rules 83 to 85 of the Nelson
Mandela Rules.
Rule 27
Where conjugal visits are allowed, women prisoners shall be able to
exercise this right on an equal basis with men.
Rule 28
Visits involving children shall take place in an environment that is
conducive to a positive visiting experience, including with regard to staff
attitudes, and shall allow open contact between mother and child. Visits
involving extended contact with children should be encouraged, where possible.
9. Institutional personnel and training

Prisoners]24
Rule 29
Capacity-building for staff employed in women’s prisons shall enable them
to address the special social reintegration requirements of women prisoners and
manage safe and rehabilitative facilities. Capacity-building measures for women
staff shall also include access to senior positions with key responsibility for the
development of policies and strategies relating to the treatment and care of
women prisoners.
Rule 30
There shall be a clear and sustained commitment at the managerial level in
prison administrations to prevent and address gender-based discrimination
against women staff.
Rule 31
Clear policies and regulations on the conduct of prison staff aimed at
providing maximum protection for women prisoners from any gender-based
physical or verbal violence, abuse and sexual harassment shall be developed and
implemented.
Rule 32
Women prison staff shall receive equal access to training as male staff, and
all staff involved in the management of women’s prisons shall receive training on
gender sensitivity and prohibition of discrimination and sexual harassment.
__________________
Rule 33
1. All staff assigned to work with women prisoners shall receive training
relating to the gender-specific needs and human rights of women prisoners.
2. Basic training shall be provided for prison staff working in women’s prisons
on the main issues relating to women’s health, in addition to first aid and basic
medicine.
3. Where children are allowed to stay with their mothers in prison, awareness-
raising on child development and basic training on the health care of children
shall also be provided to prison staff, in order for them to respond appropriately
in times of need and emergencies.
Rule 34
Capacity-building programmes on HIV shall be included as part of the regular
training curricula of prison staff. In addition to HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment,
care and support, issues such as gender and human rights, with a particular focus
on their link to HIV, stigma and discrimination, shall also be part of the curriculum.
Rule 35
Prison staff shall be trained to detect mental health-care needs and risk of
self-harm and suicide among women prisoners and to offer assistance by
providing support and referring such cases to specialists.
10. Juvenile female prisoners

Rule 36
Prison authorities shall put in place measures to meet the protection needs of
juvenile female prisoners.
Rule 37
Juvenile female prisoners shall have equal access to education and
vocational training that are available to juvenile male prisoners.
Rule 38
Juvenile female prisoners shall have access to age- and gender-specific
programmes and services, such as counselling for sexual abuse or violence. They
shall receive education on women’s health care and have regular access to
gynaecologists, similar to adult female prisoners.
Rule 39
Pregnant juvenile female prisoners shall receive support and medical care
equivalent to that provided for adult female prisoners. Their health shall be
monitored by a medical specialist, taking account of the fact that they may be at
greater risk of health complications during pregnancy due to their age.
II. Rules applicable to special categories

A. Prisoners under sentence
1. Classification and individualization

Prisoners]25
Rule 40
Prison administrators shall develop and implement classification methods
addressing the gender-specific needs and circumstances of women prisoners to
ensure appropriate and individualized planning and implementation towards
those prisoners’ early rehabilitation, treatment and reintegration into society.
Rule 41
The gender-sensitive risk assessment and classification of prisoners shall:
(a) Take into account the generally lower risk posed by women prisoners
to others, as well as the particularly harmful effects that high security measures
and increased levels of isolation can have on women prisoners;
(b) Enable essential information about women’s backgrounds, such as
violence they may have experienced, history of mental disability and substance
abuse, as well as parental and other caretaking responsibilities, to be taken into
account in the allocation and sentence planning process;
(c) Ensure that women’s sentence plans include rehabilitative programmes
and services that match their gender-specific needs;
(d) Ensure that those with mental health-care needs are housed in
accommodation which is not restrictive, and at the lowest possible security level,
and receive appropriate treatment, rather than being placed in higher security
level facilities solely due to their mental health problems.
2. Prison regime
[Supplements rules 65, 66 and 70 to 81 of the Standard Minimum Rules for the
Treatment of Prisoners]26
Rule 42
1. Women prisoners shall have access to a balanced and comprehensive
programme of activities which take account of gender-appropriate needs.
__________________
25 Please refer to rules 93 and 94 of the Nelson Mandela Rules.
26 Please refer to rules 91, 92 and 95 to 108 of the Nelson Mandela Rules.
2. The regime of the prison shall be flexible enough to respond to the needs of
pregnant women, nursing mothers and women with children. Childcare facilities
or arrangements shall be provided in prisons in order to enable women prisoners
to participate in prison activities.
3. Particular efforts shall be made to provide appropriate programmes for
pregnant women, nursing mothers and women with children in prison.
4. Particular efforts shall be made to provide appropriate services for women
prisoners who have psychosocial support needs, especially those who have been
subjected to physical, mental or sexual abuse.
Social relations and aftercare

Prisoners]27
Rule 43
Prison authorities shall encourage and, where possible, also facilitate visits
to women prisoners as an important prerequisite to ensuring their mental
well-being and social reintegration.
Rule 44
In view of women prisoners’ disproportionate experience of domestic
violence, they shall be properly consulted as to who, including which family
members, is allowed to visit them.
Rule 45
Prison authorities shall utilize options such as home leave, open prisons,
halfway houses and community-based programmes and services to the maximum
possible extent for women prisoners, to ease their transition from prison to
liberty, to reduce stigma and to re-establish their contact with their families at the
earliest possible stage.
Rule 46
Prison authorities, in cooperation with probation and/or social welfare
services, local community groups and non-governmental organizations, shall
design and implement comprehensive pre- and post-release reintegration
programmes which take into account the gender-specific needs of women.
Rule 47
Additional support following release shall be provided to released women
prisoners who need psychological, medical, legal and practical help to ensure
their successful social reintegration, in cooperation with services in the
community.
__________________
3. Pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers

and mothers with children in prison
Prisoners]28
Rule 48
1. Pregnant or breastfeeding women prisoners shall receive advice on their
health and diet under a programme to be drawn up and monitored by a qualified
health practitioner. Adequate and timely food, a healthy environment and regular
exercise opportunities shall be provided free of charge for pregnant women,
babies, children and breastfeeding mothers.
2. Women prisoners shall not be discouraged from breastfeeding their children,
unless there are specific health reasons to do so.
3. The medical and nutritional needs of women prisoners who have recently
given birth, but whose babies are not with them in prison, shall be included in
treatment programmes.
Rule 49
Decisions to allow children to stay with their mothers in prison shall be
based on the best interests of the children. Children in prison with their mothers
shall never be treated as prisoners.
Rule 50
Women prisoners whose children are in prison with them shall be provided
with the maximum possible opportunities to spend time with their children.
Rule 51
1. Children living with their mothers in prison shall be provided with ongoing
health-care services and their development shall be monitored by specialists, in
collaboration with community health services.
2. The environment provided for such children’s upbringing shall be as close
as possible to that of a child outside prison.
Rule 52
1. Decisions as to when a child is to be separated from its mother shall be
based on individual assessments and the best interests of the child within the
scope of relevant national laws.
__________________
28 Please refer to rules 28 and 29 of the Nelson Mandela Rules.
2. The removal of the child from prison shall be undertaken with sensitivity,
only when alternative care arrangements for the child have been identified and,
in the case of foreign-national prisoners, in consultation with consular officials.
3. After children are separated from their mothers and placed with family or
relatives or in other alternative care, women prisoners shall be given the
maximum possible opportunity and facilities to meet with their children, when it
is in the best interests of the children and when public safety is not compromised.
4. Foreign nationals
Prisoners]29
Rule 53
1. Where relevant bilateral or multilateral agreements are in place, the transfer
of non-resident foreign-national women prisoners to their home country,
especially if they have children in their home country, shall be considered as
early as possible during their imprisonment, following the application or
informed consent of the woman concerned.
2. Where a child living with a non-resident foreign-national woman prisoner is
to be removed from prison, consideration should be given to relocation of the
child to its home country, taking into account the best interests of the child and in
consultation with the mother.
5. Minorities and indigenous peoples

Rule 54
Prison authorities shall recognize that women prisoners from different
religious and cultural backgrounds have distinctive needs and may face multiple
forms of discrimination in their access to gender- and culture-relevant
programmes and services. Accordingly, prison authorities shall provide
comprehensive programmes and services that address these needs, in consultation
with women prisoners themselves and the relevant groups.
Rule 55
Pre- and post-release services shall be reviewed to ensure that they are
appropriate and accessible to indigenous women prisoners and to women
prisoners from ethnic and racial groups, in consultation with the relevant groups.
__________________
B. Prisoners under arrest or awaiting trial

Prisoners]30
Rule 56
The particular risk of abuse that women face in pretrial detention shall be
recognized by relevant authorities, which shall adopt appropriate measures in
policies and practice to guarantee such women’s safety at this time. (See also
rule 58 below, with regard to alternatives to pretrial detention.)
III. Non-custodial measures

Rule 57
The provisions of the Tokyo Rules shall guide the development and
implementation of appropriate responses to women offenders. Gender-specific
options for diversionary measures and pretrial and sentencing alternatives shall
be developed within Member States’ legal systems, taking account of the history
of victimization of many women offenders and their caretaking responsibilities.
Rule 58
Taking into account the provisions of rule 2.3 of the Tokyo Rules, women
offenders shall not be separated from their families and communities without due
consideration being given to their backgrounds and family ties. Alternative ways
of managing women who commit offences, such as diversionary measures and
pretrial and sentencing alternatives, shall be implemented wherever appropriate
and possible.
Rule 59
Generally, non-custodial means of protection, for example in shelters
managed by independent bodies, non-governmental organizations or other
community services, shall be used to protect women who need such protection.
Temporary measures involving custody to protect a woman shall only be applied
when necessary and expressly requested by the woman concerned and shall in all
cases be supervised by judicial or other competent authorities. Such protective
measures shall not be continued against the will of the woman concerned.
Rule 60
Appropriate resources shall be made available to devise suitable alternatives
for women offenders in order to combine non-custodial measures with
interventions to address the most common problems leading to women’s contact
with the criminal justice system. These may include therapeutic courses and
__________________
counselling for victims of domestic violence and sexual abuse; suitable treatment
for those with mental disability; and educational and training programmes to
improve employment prospects. Such programmes shall take account of the need
to provide care for children and women-only services.
Rule 61
When sentencing women offenders, courts shall have the power to consider
mitigating factors such as lack of criminal history and relative non-severity and
nature of the criminal conduct, in the light of women’s caretaking responsibilities
and typical backgrounds.
Rule 62
The provision of gender-sensitive, trauma-informed, women-only substance
abuse treatment programmes in the community and women’s access to such
treatment shall be improved, for crime prevention as well as for diversion and
alternative sentencing purposes.
1. Post-sentencing dispositions
Rule 63
Decisions regarding early conditional release (parole) shall favourably take
into account women prisoners’ caretaking responsibilities, as well as their
specific social reintegration needs.
2. Pregnant women and women with dependent children

Rule 64
Non-custodial sentences for pregnant women and women with dependent
children shall be preferred where possible and appropriate, with custodial
sentences being considered when the offence is serious or violent or the woman
represents a continuing danger, and after taking into account the best interests of
the child or children, while ensuring that appropriate provision has been made for
the care of such children.
3. Juvenile female offenders

Rule 65
Institutionalization of children in conflict with the law shall be avoided to
the maximum extent possible. The gender-based vulnerability of juvenile female
offenders shall be taken into account in decision-making.
4. Foreign nationals
Rule 66
Maximum effort shall be made to ratify the United Nations Convention
against Transnational Organized Crime31 and the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress
and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children,
supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized
Crime32 to fully implement their provisions so as to provide maximum protection
to victims of trafficking in order to avoid secondary victimization of many
foreign-national women.
IV. Research, planning, evaluation and public awareness-raising

1. Research, planning and evaluation
Rule 67
Efforts shall be made to organize and promote comprehensive, result-
oriented research on the offences committed by women, the reasons that trigger
women’s confrontation with the criminal justice system, the impact of secondary
criminalization and imprisonment on women, the characteristics of women
offenders, as well as programmes designed to reduce reoffending by women, as a
basis for effective planning, programme development and policy formulation to
respond to the social reintegration needs of women offenders.
Rule 68
Efforts shall be made to organize and promote research on the number of
children affected by their mothers’ confrontation with the criminal justice system,
and imprisonment in particular, and the impact of this on the children, in order to
contribute to policy formulation and programme development, taking into
account the best interests of the children.
Rule 69
Efforts shall be made to review, evaluate and make public periodically the
trends, problems and factors associated with offending behaviour in women and
the effectiveness in responding to the social reintegration needs of women
offenders, as well as their children, in order to reduce the stigmatization and
negative impact of those women’s confrontation with the criminal justice system
on them.
__________________
32 Ibid., vol. 2237, No. 39574.
2. Raising public awareness, sharing information and training

Rule 70
1. The media and the public shall be informed about the reasons that lead to
women’s entrapment in the criminal justice system and the most effective ways
to respond to it, in order to enable women’s social reintegration, taking into
account the best interests of their children.
2. Publication and dissemination of research and good practice examples shall
form comprehensive elements of policies that aim to improve the outcomes and
the fairness to women and their children of criminal justice responses to women
offenders.
3. The media, the public and those with professional responsibility in matters
concerning women prisoners and offenders shall be provided regularly with
factual information about the matters covered in these rules and about their
implementation.
4. Training programmes on the present rules and the results of research shall
be developed and implemented for relevant criminal justice officials to raise their
awareness and sensitize them to their provisions contained therein.
II. Alternatives to imprisonment and restorative justice
9. United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for
Non-custodial Measures (the Tokyo Rules)*
I. General principles
1. Fundamental aims
1.1 The present Standard Minimum Rules provide a set of basic principles to
promote the use of non-custodial measures, as well as minimum safeguards for
persons subject to alternatives to imprisonment.
1.2 The Rules are intended to promote greater community involvement in the
management of criminal justice, specifically in the treatment of offenders, as
well as to promote among offenders a sense of responsibility towards society.
1.3 The Rules shall be implemented taking into account the political, economic,
social and cultural conditions of each country and the aims and objectives of its
criminal justice system.
1.4 When implementing the Rules, Member States shall endeavour to ensure a
proper balance between the rights of individual offenders, the rights of victims,
and the concern of society for public safety and crime prevention.
1.5 Member States shall develop non-custodial measures within their legal
systems to provide other options, thus reducing the use of imprisonment, and to
rationalize criminal justice policies, taking into account the observance of human
rights, the requirements of social justice and the rehabilitation needs of the
offender.
2. The scope of non-custodial measures

2.1 The relevant provisions of the present Rules shall be applied to all persons
subject to prosecution, trial or the execution of a sentence, at all stages of the
administration of criminal justice. For the purposes of the Rules, these persons
are referred to as “offenders”, irrespective of whether they are suspected, accused
or sentenced.
__________________
79
2.2 The Rules shall be applied without any discrimination on the grounds of
race, colour, sex, age, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or
social origin, property, birth or other status.
2.3 In order to provide greater flexibility consistent with the nature and gravity
of the offence, with the personality and background of the offender and with the
protection of society and to avoid unnecessary use of imprisonment, the criminal
justice system should provide a wide range of non-custodial measures, from
pretrial to post-sentencing dispositions. The number and types of non-custodial
measures available should be determined in such a way that consistent sentencing
remains possible.
2.4 The development of new non-custodial measures should be encouraged and
closely monitored and their use systematically evaluated.
2.5 Consideration shall be given to dealing with offenders in the community,
avoiding as far as possible resort to formal proceedings or trial by a court, in
accordance with legal safeguards and the rule of law.
2.6 Non-custodial measures should be used in accordance with the principle of
minimum intervention.
2.7 The use of non-custodial measures should be part of the movement towards
depenalization and decriminalization instead of interfering with or delaying
efforts in that direction.
3. Legal safeguards
3.1 The introduction, definition and application of non-custodial measures shall
be prescribed by law.
3.2 The selection of a non-custodial measure shall be based on an assessment of
established criteria in respect of both the nature and gravity of the offence and
the personality, background of the offender, the purposes of sentencing and the
rights of victims.
3.3 Discretion by the judicial or other competent independent authority shall be
exercised at all stages of the proceedings by ensuring full accountability and only
in accordance with the rule of law.
3.4 Non-custodial measures imposing an obligation on the offender, applied
before or instead of formal proceedings or trial, shall require the offender’s
consent.
3.5 Decisions on the imposition of non-custodial measures shall be subject to
review by a judicial or other competent independent authority, upon application
by the offender.
3.6 The offender shall be entitled to make a request or complaint to a judicial or
other competent independent authority on matters affecting his or her individual
rights in the implementation of non-custodial measures.
Part one, chapter II. Alternatives to imprisonment and restorative justice 81
3.7 Appropriate machinery shall be provided for the recourse and, if possible,
redress of any grievance related to non-compliance with internationally
recognized human rights.
3.8 Non-custodial measures shall not involve medical or psychological
experimentation on, or undue risk of physical or mental injury to, the offender.
3.9 The dignity of the offender subject to non-custodial measures shall be
protected at all times.
3.10 In the implementation of non-custodial measures, the offender’s rights shall
not be restricted further than was authorized by the competent authority that
rendered the original decision.
3.11 In the application of non-custodial measures, the offender’s right to privacy
shall be respected, as shall be the right to privacy of the offender’s family.
3.12 The offender’s personal records shall be kept strictly confidential and closed
to third parties. Access to such records shall be limited to persons directly
concerned with the disposition of the offender’s case or to other duly authorized
persons.
4. Saving clause
4.1 Nothing in the present Rules shall be interpreted as precluding the application
of the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners,1 the United Nations
Standard Minimum Rules for the Administration of Juvenile Justice (the Beijing
Rules),2 the Body of Principles for the Protection of All Persons under Any Form of
Detention or Imprisonment3 or any other human rights instruments and standards
recognized by the international community and relating to the treatment of offenders
and the protection of their basic human rights.
II. Pretrial stage

5. Pretrial dispositions
5.1 Where appropriate and compatible with the legal system, the police, the
prosecution service or other agencies dealing with criminal cases should be
empowered to discharge the offender if they consider that it is not necessary to
proceed with the case for the protection of society, crime prevention or the
promotion of respect for the law and the rights of victims. For the purpose of
deciding upon the appropriateness of discharge or determination of proceedings, a
set of established criteria shall be developed within each legal system. For minor
cases the prosecutor may impose suitable non-custodial measures, as appropriate.
__________________
Universal Instruments (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.02.XIV.4 (Vol. I, Part 1)),
sect. J, No. 34.
6. Avoidance of pretrial detention

6.1 Pretrial detention shall be used as a means of last resort in criminal
proceedings, with due regard for the investigation of the alleged offence and for
the protection of society and the victim.
6.2 Alternatives to pretrial detention shall be employed at as early a stage as
possible. Pretrial detention shall last no longer than necessary to achieve the
objectives stated under rule 6.1 and shall be administered humanely and with
respect for the inherent dignity of human beings.
6.3 The offender shall have the right to appeal to a judicial or other competent
independent authority in cases where pretrial detention is employed.
III. Trial and sentencing stage

7. Social inquiry reports
7.1 If the possibility of social inquiry reports exists, the judicial authority may
avail itself of a report prepared by a competent, authorized official or agency.
The report should contain social information on the offender that is relevant to
the person’s pattern of offending and current offences. It should also contain
information and recommendations that are relevant to the sentencing procedure.
The report shall be factual, objective and unbiased, with any expression of
opinion clearly identified.
8. Sentencing dispositions
8.1 The judicial authority, having at its disposal a range of non-custodial
measures, should take into consideration in making its decision the rehabilitative
needs of the offender, the protection of society and the interests of the victim,
who should be consulted whenever appropriate.
8.2 Sentencing authorities may dispose of cases in the following ways:
(a) Verbal sanctions, such as admonition, reprimand and warning;
(b) Conditional discharge;
(c) Status penalties;
(d) Economic sanctions and monetary penalties, such as fines and dayfines;
(e) Confiscation or an expropriation order;
(f) Restitution to the victim or a compensation order;
(g) Suspended or deferred sentence;
(h) Probation and judicial supervision;
(i) A community service order;
(j) Referral to an attendance centre;
(k) House arrest;
(l) Any other mode of non-institutional treatment;

(m) Some combination of the measures listed above.
IV. Post-sentencing stage

9. Post-sentencing dispositions
9.1 The competent authority shall have at its disposal a wide range of
post-sentencing alternatives in order to avoid institutionalization and to assist
offenders in their early reintegration into society.
9.2 Post-sentencing dispositions may include:
(a) Furlough and halfway houses;
(b) Work or education release;
(c) Various forms of parole;
(d) Remission;
(e) Pardon.
9.3 The decision on post-sentencing dispositions, except in the case of pardon,
shall be subject to review by a judicial or other competent independent authority,
upon application of the offender.
9.4 Any form of release from an institution to a non-custodial programme shall
be considered at the earliest possible stage.
V. Implementation of non-custodial measures

10. Supervision
10.1 The purpose of supervision is to reduce reoffending and to assist the
offender’s integration into society in a way which minimizes the likelihood of a
return to crime.
10.2 If a non-custodial measure entails supervision, the latter shall be carried out
by a competent authority under the specific conditions prescribed by law.
10.3 Within the framework of a given non-custodial measure, the most suitable
type of supervision and treatment should be determined for each individual case
aimed at assisting the offender to work on his or her offending. Supervision and
treatment should be periodically reviewed and adjusted as necessary.
10.4 Offenders should, when needed, be provided with psychological, social and
material assistance and with opportunities to strengthen links with the
community and facilitate their reintegration into society.
11. Duration
11.1 The duration of a non-custodial measure shall not exceed the period
established by the competent authority in accordance with the law.
11.2 Provision may be made for early termination of the measure if the offender
has responded favourably to it.
12. Conditions
12.1 If the competent authority shall determine the conditions to be observed by
the offender, it should take into account both the needs of society and the needs
and rights of the offender and the victim.
12.2 The conditions to be observed shall be practical, precise and as few as
possible, and shall be aimed at reducing the likelihood of an offender relapsing
into criminal behaviour and at increasing the offender’s chances of social
integration, taking into account the needs of the victim.
12.3 At the beginning of the application of a non-custodial measure, the offender
shall receive an explanation, orally and in writing, of the conditions governing
the application of the measure, including the offender’s obligations and rights.
12.4 The conditions may be modified by the competent authority under the
established statutory provisions, in accordance with the progress made by the
offender.
13. Treatment process

13.1 Within the framework of a given non-custodial measure, in appropriate
cases, various schemes, such as case-work, group therapy, residential
programmes and the specialized treatment of various categories of offenders,
should be developed to meet the needs of offenders more effectively.
13.2 Treatment should be conducted by professionals who have suitable training
and practical experience.
13.3 When it is decided that treatment is necessary, efforts should be made to
understand the offender’s background, personality, aptitude, intelligence, values
and, especially, the circumstances leading to the commission of the offence.
13.4 The competent authority may involve the community and social support
systems in the application of non-custodial measures.
13.5 Caseload assignments shall be maintained as far as practicable at a
manageable level to ensure the effective implementation of treatment
programmes.
13.6 For each offender, a case record shall be established and maintained by the
competent authority.
14. Discipline and breach of conditions

14.1 A breach of the conditions to be observed by the offender may result in a
modification or revocation of the non-custodial measure.
14.2 The modification or revocation of the non-custodial measure shall be made

by the competent authority; this shall be done only after a careful examination of
the facts adduced by both the supervising officer and the offender.
14.3 The failure of a non-custodial measure should not automatically lead to the
imposition of a custodial measure.
14.4 In the event of a modification or revocation of the non-custodial measure,
the competent authority shall attempt to establish a suitable alternative
non-custodial measure. A sentence of imprisonment may be imposed only in the
absence of other suitable alternatives.
14.5 The power to arrest and detain the offender under supervision in cases
where there is a breach of the conditions shall be prescribed by law.
14.6 Upon modification or revocation of the non-custodial measure, the offender
shall have the right to appeal to a judicial or other competent independent
authority.
VI. Staff
15. Recruitment
15.1 There shall be no discrimination in the recruitment of staff on the grounds
of race, colour, sex, age, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or
social origin, property, birth or other status. The policy regarding staff
recruitment should take into consideration national policies of affirmative action
and reflect the diversity of the offenders to be supervised.
15.2 Persons appointed to apply non-custodial measures should be personally
suitable and, whenever possible, have appropriate professional training and
practical experience. Such qualifications shall be clearly specified.
15.3 To secure and retain qualified professional staff, appropriate service status,
adequate salary and benefits commensurate with the nature of the work should be
ensured and ample opportunities should be provided for professional growth and
career development.
16. Staff training

16.1 The objective of training shall be to make clear to staff their responsibilities
with regard to rehabilitating the offender, ensuring the offender’s rights and
protecting society. Training should also give staff an understanding of the need to
cooperate in and coordinate activities with the agencies concerned.
16.2 Before entering duty, staff shall be given training that includes instruction
on the nature of non-custodial measures, the purposes of supervision and the
various modalities of the application of non-custodial measures.
16.3 After entering duty, staff shall maintain and improve their knowledge and
professional capacity by attending in-service training and refresher courses.
Adequate facilities shall be made available for that purpose.
VII. Volunteers and other community resources

17. Public participation
17.1 Public participation should be encouraged as it is a major resource and one
of the most important factors in improving ties between offenders undergoing
non-custodial measures and the family and community. It should complement the
efforts of the criminal justice administration.
17.2 Public participation should be regarded as an opportunity for members of
the community to contribute to the protection of their society.
18. Public understanding and cooperation

18.1 Government agencies, the private sector and the general public should be
encouraged to support voluntary organizations that promote non-custodial
measures.
18.2 Conferences, seminars, symposiums and other activities should be regularly
organized to stimulate awareness of the need for public participation in the
application of non-custodial measures.
18.3 All forms of the mass media should be utilized to help to create a
constructive public attitude, leading to activities conducive to a broader
application of non-custodial treatment and the social integration of offenders.
18.4 Every effort should be made to inform the public of the importance of its
role in the implementation of non-custodial measures.
19. Volunteers
19.1 Volunteers shall be carefully screened and recruited on the basis of their
aptitude for and interest in the work involved. They shall be properly trained for
the specific responsibilities to be discharged by them and shall have access to
support and counselling from, and the opportunity to consult with, the competent
authority.
19.2 Volunteers should encourage offenders and their families to develop
meaningful ties with the community and a broader sphere of contact by providing
counselling and other appropriate forms of assistance according to their capacity
and the offenders’ needs.
19.3 Volunteers shall be insured against accident, injury and public liability
when carrying out their duties. They shall be reimbursed for authorized
expenditures incurred in the course of their work. Public recognition should be
extended to them for the services they render for the well-being of the
community.
VIII. Research, planning, policy formulation and evaluation

20. Research and planning
20.1 As an essential aspect of the planning process, efforts should be made to
involve both public and private bodies in the organization and promotion of
research on the non-custodial treatment of offenders.
20.2 Research on the problems that confront clients, practitioners, the
community and policymakers should be carried out on a regular basis.
20.3 Research and information mechanisms should be built into the criminal
justice system for the collection and analysis of data and statistics on the
implementation of non-custodial treatment for offenders.
21. Policy formulation and programme development

21.1 Programmes for non-custodial measures should be systematically planned
and implemented as an integral part of the criminal justice system within the
national development process.
21.2 Regular evaluations should be carried out with a view to implementing
non-custodial measures more effectively.
21.3 Periodic reviews should be concluded to assess the objectives, functioning
and effectiveness of non-custodial measures.
22. Linkages with relevant agencies and activities

22.1 Suitable mechanisms should be evolved at various levels to facilitate the
establishment of linkages between services responsible for non-custodial
measures, other branches of the criminal justice system, social development and
welfare agencies, both governmental and non-governmental, in such fields as
health, housing, education and labour, and the mass media.
23. International cooperation

23.1 Efforts shall be made to promote scientific cooperation between countries
in the field of non-institutional treatment. Research, training, technical assistance
and the exchange of information among Member States on non-custodial
measures should be strengthened, through the United Nations institutes for the
prevention of crime and the treatment of offenders, in close collaboration with
the Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Branch of the Centre for Social
Development and Humanitarian Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat.
23.2 Comparative studies and the harmonization of legislative provisions should
be furthered to expand the range of non-institutional options and facilitate their
application across national frontiers, in accordance with the Model Treaty on the
Transfer of Supervision of Offenders Conditionally Sentenced or Conditionally
Released.4
__________________
10. Kadoma Declaration on Community Service and

recommendations of the seminar entitled “Criminal justice:
the challenge of prison overcrowding”, held in San José from
3 to 7 February 1997*
Kadoma Declaration on Community Service

Recalling the Kampala Declaration on Prison Conditions in Africa, adopted
at the International Seminar on Prison Conditions in Africa, held at Kampala
from 19 to 21 September 1996, which takes into account the limited effectiveness
of imprisonment, especially for those serving short sentences, and the cost of
imprisonment to the whole of society,
Noting the growing interest in many countries in measures that replace custodial
sentences and the promising developments across the world in this regard,
Noting with appreciation that the importance of the Kampala Declaration
was recognized by the Economic and Social Council in its resolution 1997/36 of
21 July 1997 on international cooperation for the improvement of prison
conditions, to which the Declaration was annexed,
Bearing in mind the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for
Non-custodial Measures (the Tokyo Rules)1 and the United Nations Standard
Minimum Rules for the Administration of Juvenile Justice (the Beijing Rules),2
Considering that, in many countries in Africa, the level of overcrowding is
inhuman,
Recalling that the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights3 reaffirms
the dignity inherent in a human being and the prohibition of degrading
punishment and treatment,
Welcoming the success of the Zimbabwe community service scheme and its
adoption by the Government of Zimbabwe following a three-year trial period,
Noting with appreciation that other African countries, including French-
speaking and Portuguese-speaking countries, are interested in introducing
community service as a penal sanction in their criminal justice systems,
The participants at the International Conference on Community Service
Orders in Africa, held at Kadoma, Zimbabwe, from 24 to 28 November 1997,
make the following Declaration:
1. The use of prison should be strictly limited to being a measure of last
resort. Prisons represent a waste of scarce resources and human potential. The
majority of prisoners who occupy them pose no actual threat to society;
__________________
* Economic and Social Council resolution 1998/23, annexes I and II, respectively, adopted
on 28 July 1998.
2. The overcrowding in our prisons requires positive action through, inter

alia, the introduction of community service;
3. Community service is in conformity with African traditions of dealing
with offenders and with healing the damage caused by crime within the
community. Furthermore, it is a positive and cost-effective measure to be
preferred, whenever possible, to a sentence of imprisonment;
4. Community service should be effectively implemented and supervised
and should involve a programme of work in which the offender is required to
carry out a number of hours of voluntary work for the benefit of the community
in his or her own time;
5. Governments, donors and civil society organizations are invited to
support research, pilot schemes and other initiatives in this important area;
6. Countries that already have community service should take into account
lessons learned from elsewhere and review their own schemes accordingly;
7. There should be promotion of community support through sensitization
campaigns targeting public opinion and the development of statistical databases
to measure the effectiveness of community service;
8. We encourage those countries that have not yet done so to develop
non-custodial sentencing alternatives and to this end we commit ourselves to
cooperating with and coordinating our action through other national committees
on community service and/or interested groups, in order to better promote the
scheme;
9. We adopt the Plan of Action attached hereto.
Annex
Plan of action for the Kadoma Declaration on Community Service
Further to the Kadoma Declaration on Community Service, adopted by the
participants at the Kadoma Conference on Community Service Orders in Africa,
held at Kadoma, Zimbabwe, from 24 to 28 November 1997, the participants
adopt the following Plan of Action:
1. Network
Establish a network of national committees on community service and other
interested groups to provide mutual support and encouragement through:
• The provision of resource persons to assist at seminars in the subregion
and elsewhere
• The sharing of documentation (legislation, guidelines, administrative
forms) and ideas
• Coordination and support of new projects
• Cooperation and assistance in administering the scheme

• Assistance in staff training
• Exchange visits
2. Community service directory

Compile a community service directory. To this end, a home page will be
established on the Internet informing interested persons of developments in this
area and a book will be produced that includes:
• The contact points and addresses of all national committees on community
service and those contacts engaged in community service schemes
• A list of experts and resource persons
• Contacts in interested countries
• Interested groups and organizations around the world
• Donor contacts and government contacts
The book will be distributed in different languages, including French and
English.
3. Newsletter
Issue a newsletter:
• To be produced by each national committee on community service at
regular intervals and circulated to the network
• To include initiatives undertaken, problems encountered, solutions found,
reports on workshops, a calendar of events, requests for support (for
example, resource persons), statistics and other information
• To be disseminated through the Internet or the mail, or both
4. Research and data-gathering

Set up mechanisms for research and data-gathering whereby:
• Research findings and data gathered will be shared through the newsletter
or via the Internet
• Research projects will be identified (for example, on cost-benefit analyses)
and funding application supported by the network
• Joint research projects on the benefits, problems and effectiveness of
community service where the scheme is applied will be undertaken
regionally and internationally
Recommendations of the seminar entitled “Criminal justice: the challenge of

prison overcrowding”, held in San José from 3 to 7 February 1997
1. The Secretary-General should take measures to ensure that assistance is
offered to States requesting it, either by drawing on existing resources or by
creating a special budget heading, with a view to improving the physical
conditions of prisons.
2. The Secretary-General should take measures to ensure that the relevant
entities are furnished with the necessary resources to provide training for the
administrative and operational personnel of the prisons of Member States
requesting such training, priority being accorded to the most overcrowded
prisons.
3. Measures should be taken to ensure that international and regional financial
institutions, such as the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank,
adopt initiatives aimed at reducing prison overcrowding, including the provision
of assistance for programmes of prison construction and the renovation of
infrastructure.
4. The World Health Organization and regional bodies should be requested to
incorporate, in their programmes of assistance, initiatives aimed at improving
prison hospital facilities and the medical and hospital services offered to
prisoners in States requesting such assistance.
5. Member States should urge the Secretary-General to promote and adopt,
jointly with requesting Member States, measures to privatize individual prisons
in such a way that they provide for security, the well-being and social
reintegration of prisoners, profitable industrial use of prison labour and
employment opportunities for prisoners after their release.
6. Member States should seek to establish in prisons human rights committees
and work panels as alternative conflict-resolution mechanisms.
7. Member States should explore the possibility of adopting strategies to
involve private enterprise in prison social rehabilitation programmes by creating
enterprises and micro-enterprises to encourage investment in the vocational
training of prisoners, employment creation within prisons and the reintegration of
former prisoners into the labour force, thereby ensuring full application of the
principles of social reintegration and rehabilitation of former prisoners within the
productive mainstream of countries.
8. Member States should take measures to ensure the marketing of prison
production through promotional and marketing programmes and to progressively
set up workshops in prisons.
11. Basic principles on the use of restorative justice

programmes in criminal matters*
Preamble
Recalling that there has been, worldwide, a significant growth of restorative
justice initiatives,
Recognizing that those initiatives often draw upon traditional and
indigenous forms of justice which view crime as fundamentally harmful to
people,
Emphasizing that restorative justice is an evolving response to crime that
respects the dignity and equality of each person, builds understanding, and
promotes social harmony through the healing of victims, offenders and
communities,
Stressing that this approach enables those affected by crime to share openly
their feelings and experiences, and aims at addressing their needs,
Aware that this approach provides an opportunity for victims to obtain
reparation, feel safer and seek closure; allows offenders to gain insight into the
causes and effects of their behaviour and to take responsibility in a meaningful
way; and enables communities to understand the underlying causes of crime, to
promote community well-being and to prevent crime,
Noting that restorative justice gives rise to a range of measures that are
flexible in their adaptation to established criminal justice systems and that
complement those systems, taking into account legal, social and cultural
circumstances,
Recognizing that the use of restorative justice does not prejudice the right of
States to prosecute alleged offenders,
I. Use of terms
1. “Restorative justice programme” means any programme that uses restorative
processes and seeks to achieve restorative outcomes.
2. “Restorative process” means any process in which the victim and the
offender, and, where appropriate, any other individuals or community members
affected by a crime, participate together actively in the resolution of matters
arising from the crime, generally with the help of a facilitator. Restorative
processes may include mediation, conciliation, conferencing and sentencing
circles.
3. “Restorative outcome” means an agreement reached as a result of a
restorative process. Restorative outcomes include responses and programmes
such as reparation, restitution and community service, aimed at meeting the
__________________
individual and collective needs and responsibilities of the parties and achieving
the reintegration of the victim and the offender.
4. “Parties” means the victim, the offender and any other individuals or
community members affected by a crime who may be involved in a restorative
process.
5. “Facilitator” means a person whose role is to facilitate, in a fair and
impartial manner, the participation of the parties in a restorative process.
II. Use of restorative justice programmes

6. Restorative justice programmes may be used at any stage of the criminal
justice system, subject to national law.
7. Restorative processes should be used only where there is sufficient evidence
to charge the offender and with the free and voluntary consent of the victim and
the offender. The victim and the offender should be able to withdraw such
consent at any time during the process. Agreements should be arrived at
voluntarily and should contain only reasonable and proportionate obligations.
8. The victim and the offender should normally agree on the basic facts of a
case as the basis for their participation in a restorative process. Participation of
the offender shall not be used as evidence of admission of guilt in subsequent
legal proceedings.
9. Disparities leading to power imbalances, as well as cultural differences
among the parties, should be taken into consideration in referring a case to, and
in conducting, a restorative process.
10. The safety of the parties shall be considered in referring any case to, and in
conducting, a restorative process.
11. Where restorative processes are not suitable or possible, the case should be
referred to the criminal justice authorities and a decision should be taken as to
how to proceed without delay. In such cases, criminal justice officials should
endeavour to encourage the offender to take responsibility vis-à-vis the victim
and affected communities, and support the reintegration of the victim and the
offender into the community.
III. Operation of restorative justice programmes

12. Member States should consider establishing guidelines and standards, with
legislative authority when necessary, that govern the use of restorative justice
programmes. Such guidelines and standards should respect the basic principles
set forth in the present instrument and should address, inter alia:
(a) The conditions for the referral of cases to restorative justice
programmes;
(b) The handling of cases following a restorative process;
(c) The qualifications, training and assessment of facilitators;

(d) The administration of restorative justice programmes;
(e) Standards of competence and rules of conduct governing the operation
of restorative justice programmes.
13. Fundamental procedural safeguards guaranteeing fairness to the offender
and the victim should be applied to restorative justice programmes and in
particular to restorative processes:
(a) Subject to national law, the victim and the offender should have the
right to consult with legal counsel concerning the restorative process and, where
necessary, to translation and/or interpretation. Minors should, in addition, have
the right to the assistance of a parent or guardian;
(b) Before agreeing to participate in restorative processes, the parties
should be fully informed of their rights, the nature of the process and the possible
consequences of their decision;
(c) Neither the victim nor the offender should be coerced, or induced by
unfair means, to participate in restorative processes or to accept restorative
outcomes.
14. Discussions in restorative processes that are not conducted in public should
be confidential, and should not be disclosed subsequently, except with the
agreement of the parties or as required by national law.
15. The results of agreements arising out of restorative justice programmes
should, where appropriate, be judicially supervised or incorporated into judicial
decisions or judgements. Where that occurs, the outcome should have the same
status as any other judicial decision or judgement and should preclude
prosecution in respect of the same facts.
16. Where no agreement is reached among the parties, the case should be
referred back to the established criminal justice process and a decision as to how
to proceed should be taken without delay. Failure to reach an agreement alone
shall not be used in subsequent criminal justice proceedings.
17. Failure to implement an agreement made in the course of a restorative
process should be referred back to the restorative programme or, where required
by national law, to the established criminal justice process and a decision as to
how to proceed should be taken without delay. Failure to implement an
agreement, other than a judicial decision or judgement, should not be used as
justification for a more severe sentence in subsequent criminal justice
proceedings.
18. Facilitators should perform their duties in an impartial manner, with due
respect to the dignity of the parties. In that capacity, facilitators should ensure
that the parties act with respect towards each other and enable the parties to find
a relevant solution among themselves.
19. Facilitators shall possess a good understanding of local cultures and

communities and, where appropriate, receive initial training before taking up
facilitation duties.
IV. Continuing development of

restorative justice programmes
20. Member States should consider the formulation of national strategies and
policies aimed at the development of restorative justice and at the promotion of a
culture favourable to the use of restorative justice among law enforcement,
judicial and social authorities, as well as local communities.
21. There should be regular consultation between criminal justice authorities
and administrators of restorative justice programmes to develop a common
understanding and enhance the effectiveness of restorative processes and
outcomes, to increase the extent to which restorative programmes are used, and
to explore ways in which restorative approaches might be incorporated into
criminal justice practices.
22. Member States, in cooperation with civil society where appropriate, should
promote research on and evaluation of restorative justice programmes to assess
the extent to which they result in restorative outcomes, serve as a complement or
alternative to the criminal justice process and provide positive outcomes for all
parties. Restorative justice processes may need to undergo change in concrete
form over time. Member States should therefore encourage regular evaluation
and modification of such programmes. The results of research and evaluation
should guide further policy and programme development.
V. Saving clause
23. Nothing in these basic principles shall affect any rights of an offender or a
victim which are established in national law or applicable international law.
III. Torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading
treatment or punishment
12. Declaration on the Protection of All Persons from Being
Subjected to Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading
Treatment or Punishment*
Article 1
1. For the purpose of this Declaration, torture means any act by which severe
pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted by or at
the instigation of a public official on a person for such purposes as obtaining
from him or a third person information or confession, punishing him for an act he
has committed or is suspected of having committed, or intimidating him or other
persons. It does not include pain or suffering arising only from, inherent in or
incidental to, lawful sanctions to the extent consistent with the Standard
Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners.1
2. Torture constitutes an aggravated and deliberate form of cruel, inhuman or
degrading treatment or punishment.
Article 2
Any act of torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or
punishment is an offence to human dignity and shall be condemned as a denial of
the purposes of the Charter of the United Nations and as a violation of the human
rights and fundamental freedoms proclaimed in the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights.
Article 3
No State may permit or tolerate torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading
treatment or punishment. Exceptional circumstances such as a state of war or a
__________________
* General Assembly resolution 3452 (XXX), annex.
sect. J, No. 34.
97
threat of war, internal political instability or any other public emergency may not
be invoked as a justification of torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading
treatment or punishment.
Article 4
Each State shall, in accordance with the provisions of this Declaration, take
effective measures to prevent torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading
treatment or punishment from being practised within its jurisdiction.
Article 5
The training of law enforcement personnel and of other public officials who
may be responsible for persons deprived of their liberty shall ensure that full
account is taken of the prohibition against torture and other cruel, inhuman or
degrading treatment or punishment. This prohibition shall also, where
appropriate, be included in such general rules or instructions as are issued in
regard to the duties and functions of anyone who may be involved in the custody
or treatment of such persons.
Article 6
Each State shall keep under systematic review interrogation methods and
practices as well as arrangements for the custody and treatment of persons
deprived of their liberty in its territory, with a view to preventing any cases of
torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
Article 7
Each State shall ensure that all acts of torture as defined in article 1 are
offences under its criminal law. The same shall apply in regard to acts which
constitute participation in, complicity in, incitement to or an attempt to commit
torture.
Article 8
Any person who alleges that he has been subjected to torture or other cruel,
inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment by or at the instigation of a public
official shall have the right to complain to, and to have his case impartially
examined by, the competent authorities of the State concerned.
Article 9
Wherever there is reasonable ground to believe that an act of torture as
defined in article 1 has been committed, the competent authorities of the State
concerned shall promptly proceed to an impartial investigation even if there has
been no formal complaint.
Part one, chapter III. Torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment 99
Article 10
If an investigation under article 8 or article 9 establishes that an act of
torture as defined in article 1 appears to have been committed, criminal
proceedings shall be instituted against the alleged offender or offenders in
accordance with national law. If an allegation of other forms of cruel, inhuman or
degrading treatment or punishment is considered to be well founded, the alleged
offender or offenders shall be subject to criminal, disciplinary or other
appropriate proceedings.
Article 11
Where it is proved that an act of torture or other cruel, inhuman or
degrading treatment or punishment has been committed by or at the instigation of
a public official, the victim shall be afforded redress and compensation in
accordance with national law.
Article 12
Any statement which is established to have been made as a result of torture
or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment may not be
invoked as evidence against the person concerned or against any other person in
any proceedings.
13. Principles of Medical Ethics relevant to the role of health

personnel, particularly physicians, in the protection of prisoners
and detainees against torture and other cruel, inhuman or
degrading treatment or punishment*
Principle 1
Health personnel, particularly physicians, charged with the medical care of
prisoners and detainees have a duty to provide them with protection of their
physical and mental health and treatment of disease of the same quality and
standard as is afforded to those who are not imprisoned or detained.
Principle 2
It is a gross contravention of medical ethics, as well as an offence under
applicable international instruments, for health personnel, particularly
physicians, to engage, actively or passively, in acts which constitute participation
__________________
in, complicity in, incitement to or attempts to commit torture or other cruel,

inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.1
Principle 3
It is a contravention of medical ethics for health personnel, particularly
physicians, to be involved in any professional relationship with prisoners or
detainees the purpose of which is not solely to evaluate, protect or improve their
physical and mental health.
Principle 4
physicians:
(a) To apply their knowledge and skills in order to assist in the
interrogation of prisoners and detainees in a manner that may adversely affect the
physical or mental health or condition of such prisoners or detainees and which is
not in accordance with the relevant international instruments;2
(b) To certify, or to participate in the certification of, the fitness of
prisoners or detainees for any form of treatment or punishment that may
adversely affect their physical or mental health and which is not in accordance
with the relevant international instruments, or to participate in any way in the
__________________
1 See the Declaration on the Protection of All Persons from Being Subjected to Torture
and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (General Assembly

resolution 3452 (XXX), annex), article 1 of which states:
1. For the purpose of this Declaration, torture means any act by which severe pain or
suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted by or at the instigation of
a public official on a person for such purposes as obtaining from him or a third person
information or confession, punishing him for an act he has committed or is suspected of
having committed, or intimidating him or other persons. It does not include pain or
suffering arising only from, inherent in or incidental to, lawful sanctions to the extent
consistent with the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners.
2. Torture constitutes an aggravated and deliberate form of cruel, inhuman or degrading
treatment or punishment.
Article 7 of the Declaration states:
Each State shall ensure that all acts of torture as defined in article 1 are offences under
its criminal law. The same shall apply in regard to acts which constitute participation in,
complicity in, incitement to or an attempt to commit torture.
2 Particularly the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (General Assembly
resolution 217 A (III)), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (Assembly resolution 2200
A (XXI), annex), the Declaration on the Protection of All Persons from Being Subjected to
Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
(Assembly resolution 3452 (XXX), annex) and the Standard Minimum Rules for the
Treatment of Prisoners (Human Rights: A Compilation of International Instruments, Volume I
(First Part), Universal Instruments (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.02.XIV.4 (Vol. I,
Part 1)), sect. J, No. 34).
infliction of any such treatment or punishment which is not in accordance with

the relevant international instruments.
Principle 5
physicians, to participate in any procedure for restraining a prisoner or detainee
unless such a procedure is determined in accordance with purely medical criteria
as being necessary for the protection of the physical or mental health or the
safety of the prisoner or detainee himself, of his fellow prisoners or detainees, or
of his guardians, and it presents no hazard to his physical or mental health.
Principle 6
There may be no derogation from the foregoing principles on any ground
whatsoever, including public emergency.
14. Principles on the Effective Investigation and Documentation

of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment
or Punishment*
1. The purposes of effective investigation and documentation of torture and

other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment (hereinafter “torture
or other ill-treatment”) include the following:
(a) Clarification of the facts and establishment and acknowledgement of
individual and State responsibility for victims and their families;
(b) Identification of measures needed to prevent recurrence;
(c) Facilitation of prosecution and/or, as appropriate, disciplinary sanctions
for those indicated by the investigation as being responsible and demonstration
of the need for full reparation and redress from the State, including fair and
adequate financial compensation and provision of the means for medical care and
rehabilitation.
2. States shall ensure that complaints and reports of torture or ill-treatment are
promptly and effectively investigated. Even in the absence of an express
complaint, an investigation shall be undertaken if there are other indications that
torture or ill-treatment might have occurred. The investigators, who shall be
independent of the suspected perpetrators and the agency they serve, shall be
competent and impartial. They shall have access to, or be empowered to
commission investigations by, impartial medical or other experts. The methods
used to carry out such investigations shall meet the highest professional
standards and the findings shall be made public.
__________________
3. (a) The investigative authority shall have the power and obligation to
obtain all the information necessary to the inquiry.1 The persons conducting the
investigation shall have at their disposal all the necessary budgetary and
technical resources for effective investigation. They shall also have the authority
to oblige all those acting in an official capacity allegedly involved in torture or
ill-treatment to appear and testify. The same shall apply to any witness. To this
end, the investigative authority shall be entitled to issue summonses to witnesses,
including any officials allegedly involved, and to demand the production of
evidence;
(b) Alleged victims of torture or ill-treatment, witnesses, those conducting
the investigation and their families shall be protected from violence, threats of
violence or any other form of intimidation that may arise pursuant to the
investigation. Those potentially implicated in torture or ill-treatment shall be
removed from any position of control or power, whether direct or indirect, over
complainants, witnesses and their families, as well as those conducting the
investigation.
4. Alleged victims of torture or ill-treatment and their legal representatives
shall be informed of, and have access to, any hearing, as well as to all
information relevant to the investigation, and shall be entitled to present other
evidence.
5. (a) In cases in which the established investigative procedures are
inadequate because of insufficient expertise or suspected bias, or because of the
apparent existence of a pattern of abuse or for other substantial reasons, States
shall ensure that investigations are undertaken through an independent
commission of inquiry or similar procedure. Members of such a commission
shall be chosen for their recognized impartiality, competence and independence
as individuals. In particular, they shall be independent of any suspected
perpetrators and the institutions or agencies they may serve. The commission
shall have the authority to obtain all information necessary to the inquiry and
shall conduct the inquiry as provided for under these Principles;1
(b) A written report, made within a reasonable time, shall include the scope
of the inquiry, procedures and methods used to evaluate evidence as well as
conclusions and recommendations based on findings of fact and on applicable
law. Upon completion, the report shall be made public. It shall also describe in
detail specific events that were found to have occurred and the evidence upon
which such findings were based and list the names of witnesses who testified,
with the exception of those whose identities have been withheld for their own
protection. The State shall, within a reasonable period of time, reply to the report
of the investigation and, as appropriate, indicate steps to be taken in response.
__________________
1 Under certain circumstances, professional ethics may require information to be kept
confidential. These requirements should be respected.

6. (a) Medical experts involved in the investigation of torture or ill-treatment

shall behave at all times in conformity with the highest ethical standards and, in
particular, shall obtain informed consent before any examination is undertaken.
The examination must conform to established standards of medical practice. In
particular, examinations shall be conducted in private under the control of the
medical expert and outside the presence of security agents and other government
officials;
(b) The medical expert shall promptly prepare an accurate written report,
which shall include at least the following:
(i) Circumstances of the interview: name of the subject and name and
affiliation of those present at the examination; exact time and date; location,
nature and address of the institution (including, where appropriate, the
room) where the examination is being conducted (e.g., detention centre,
clinic or house); circumstances of the subject at the time of the examination
(e.g., nature of any restraints on arrival or during the examination, presence
of security forces during the examination, demeanour of those
accompanying the prisoner or threatening statements to the examiner); and
any other relevant factors;
(ii) History: detailed record of the subject’s story as given during the
interview, including alleged methods of torture or ill-treatment, times when
torture or ill-treatment is alleged to have occurred and all complaints of
physical and psychological symptoms;
(iii) Physical and psychological examination: record of all physical and
psychological findings on clinical examination, including appropriate
diagnostic tests and, where possible, colour photographs of all injuries;
(iv) Opinion: interpretation as to the probable relationship of the physical
and psychological findings to possible torture or ill-treatment. A
recommendation for any necessary medical and psychological treatment
and/or further examination shall be given;
(v) Authorship: the report shall clearly identify those carrying out the
examination and shall be signed;
(c) The report shall be confidential and communicated to the subject or his
or her nominated representative. The views of the subject and his or her
representative about the examination process shall be solicited and recorded in
the report. It shall also be provided in writing, where appropriate, to the authority
responsible for investigating the allegation of torture or ill-treatment. It is the
responsibility of the State to ensure that it is delivered securely to these persons.
The report shall not be made available to any other person, except with the
consent of the subject or on the authorization of a court empowered to enforce
such a transfer.
IV. Capital punishment
15. Capital punishment*
The General Assembly,

Recalling its resolution 2393 (XXIII) of 26 November 1968 concerning the
application of the most careful legal procedures and the greatest possible
safeguards for the accused in capital cases as well as the attitude of Member
States to possible further restriction of the use of capital punishment or to its
total abolition,
Taking note of the section of the report of the Economic and Social Council1
concerning the consideration by the Council of the report on capital punishment2
submitted by the Secretary-General in implementation of the aforementioned
resolution,
Taking note of the Economic and Social Council resolution 1574 (L) of
20 May 1971,
Expressing the desirability of continuing and extending the consideration of
the question of capital punishment by the United Nations,
1. Notes with satisfaction the measures already taken by a number of
States in order to ensure careful legal procedures and safeguards for the accused
in capital cases in countries where the death penalty still exists;
2. Considers that further efforts should be made to ensure such procedures
and safeguards in capital cases everywhere;
3. Affirms that, in order fully to guarantee the right to life, provided for in
article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the main objective to be
pursued is that of progressively restricting the number of offences for which
capital punishment may be imposed, with a view to the desirability of abolishing
this punishment in all countries;
__________________
* General Assembly resolution 2857 (XXVI), adopted on 20 December 1971.
1 Official Records of the General Assembly, Twenty-sixth Session, Supplement No. 3
(A/8403), chap. XVIII, sect. C.
2 E/4947 and Corr.1.
105
4. Invites Member States which have not yet done so to inform the
Secretary-General of their legal procedures and safeguards as well as of their
attitude to possible further restriction of the use of the death penalty or its total
abolition, by providing the information requested in paragraphs 1 (c) and 2 of
General Assembly resolution 2393 (XXIII);
5. Requests the Secretary-General to circulate as soon as possible
to Member States all the replies already received from Member States to the
queries contained in paragraphs 1 (c) and 2 of resolution 2393 (XXXIII)
and those to be received after the adoption of the present resolution, and to
submit a supplementary report to the Economic and Social Council at its
fifty-second session;
6. Further requests the Secretary-General, on the basis of material
furnished in accordance with paragraph 4 above by Governments of Member
States where capital punishment still exists, to prepare a separate report
regarding practices and statutory rules which may govern the right of a person
sentenced to capital punishment to petition for pardon, commutation or reprieve,
and to submit that report to the General Assembly.
16. Safeguards guaranteeing protection of the

rights of those facing the death penalty*
1. In countries which have not abolished the death penalty, capital punishment
may be imposed only for the most serious crimes, it being understood that their
scope should not go beyond intentional crimes with lethal or other extremely
grave consequences.
2. Capital punishment may be imposed only for a crime for which the death
penalty is prescribed by law at the time of its commission, it being understood
that if, subsequent to the commission of the crime, provision is made by law for
the imposition of a lighter penalty, the offender shall benefit thereby.
3. Persons below 18 years of age at the time of the commission of the crime
shall not be sentenced to death, nor shall the death sentence be carried out on
pregnant women, or on new mothers, or on persons who have become insane.
4. Capital punishment may be imposed only when the guilt of the person
charged is based upon clear and convincing evidence leaving no room for an
alternative explanation of the facts.
5. Capital punishment may only be carried out pursuant to a final judgement
rendered by a competent court after legal process which gives all possible
safeguards to ensure a fair trial, at least equal to those contained in article 14 of
the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,1 including the right of
__________________
Part one, chapter IV. Capital punishment 107
anyone suspected of or charged with a crime for which capital punishment may
be imposed to adequate legal assistance at all stages of the proceedings.
6. Anyone sentenced to death shall have the right to appeal to a court of higher
jurisdiction, and steps should be taken to ensure that such appeals shall become
mandatory.
7. Anyone sentenced to death shall have the right to seek pardon, or
commutation of sentence; pardon or commutation of sentence may be granted in
all cases of capital punishment.
8. Capital punishment shall not be carried out pending any appeal or other
recourse procedure or other proceeding relating to pardon or commutation of the
sentence.
9. Where capital punishment occurs, it shall be carried out so as to inflict the
minimum possible suffering.
17. Implementation of the safeguards guaranteeing

protection of the rights of those facing the death penalty*

Recalling its resolution 1984/50 of 25 May 1984, in which it approved the
safeguards guaranteeing protection of the rights of those facing the death penalty,
Recalling also resolution 15 of the Seventh United Nations Congress on the
Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders,1
Recalling further section X of its resolution 1986/10 of 21 May 1986, in
which it requested a study on the question of the death penalty and new
contributions of the criminal sciences to the matter,
Taking note of the report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of
the United Nations safeguards guaranteeing protection of the rights of those
facing the death penalty,2
Noting with satisfaction that a large number of Member States have
provided the Secretary-General with information on the implementation of the
safeguards and have made contributions,
Noting with appreciation the study on the question of the death penalty and
the new contributions of the criminal sciences to the matter,3
__________________
* Economic and Social Council resolution 1989/64, adopted on 24 May 1989.
Offenders, Milan, 26 August-6 September 1985: report prepared by the Secretariat (United
Nations publication, Sales No. E.86.IV.1), chap. I, sect. E.
2 E/AC.57/1988/9 and Corr.1 and 2.
3 E/AC.57/1988/CRP.7.
Alarmed at the continued occurrence of practices incompatible with the

safeguards guaranteeing protection of the rights of those facing the death penalty,
Aware that effective implementation of those safeguards requires a review of
relevant national legislation and the improved dissemination of the text to all
persons and entities concerned with them, as specified in resolution 15 of the
Seventh Congress,
Convinced that further progress should be achieved towards more effective
implementation of the safeguards at the national level on the understanding that
they shall not be invoked to delay or to prevent the abolition of capital
punishment,
Acknowledging the need for comprehensive and accurate information and
additional research about the implementation of the safeguards and the death
penalty in general in every region of the world,
1. Recommends that Member States take steps to implement the
safeguards and strengthen further the protection of the rights of those facing the
death penalty, where applicable, by:
(a) Affording special protection to persons facing charges for which the
death penalty is provided by allowing time and facilities for the preparation of
their defence, including the adequate assistance of counsel at every stage of the
proceedings, above and beyond the protection afforded in non-capital cases;
(b) Providing for mandatory appeals or review with provisions for
clemency or pardon in all cases of capital offence;
(c) Establishing a maximum age beyond which a person may not be
sentenced to death or executed;
(d) Eliminating the death penalty for persons suffering from mental
retardation or extremely limited mental competence, whether at the stage of
sentence or execution;
2. Invites Member States to cooperate with specialized bodies,
non-governmental organizations, academic institutions and specialists in the field
in efforts to conduct research on the use of the death penalty in every region of
the world;
3. Also invites Member States to facilitate the efforts of the Secretary-
General to gather comprehensive, timely and accurate information about the
implementation of the safeguards and the death penalty in general;
4. Further invites Member States that have not yet done so to review the
extent to which their legislation provides for the safeguards guaranteeing
protection of the rights of those facing the death penalty as set out in the annex to
Council resolution 1984/50;
5. Urges Member States to publish, for each category of offence for which
the death penalty is authorized, and if possible on an annual basis, information on
the use of the death penalty, including the number of persons sentenced to death,
the number of executions actually carried out, the number of persons under
sentence of death, the number of death sentences reversed or commuted on
appeal and the number of instances in which clemency has been granted, and to
include information on the extent to which the safeguards referred to above are
incorporated in national law;
6. Recommends that the report of the Secretary-General on the question of
capital punishment, to be submitted to the Council in 1990, in pursuance of its
resolution 1745 (LIV) of 16 May 1973, should henceforth cover the
implementation of the safeguards as well as the use of capital punishment;
7. Requests the Secretary-General to publish the study on the question of
the death penalty and the new contributions of the criminal sciences to the
matter, prepared pursuant to Council resolution 1986/10, section X, and to make
it available, with other relevant documentation, to the Eighth United Nations
Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders.
18. Principles on the Effective Prevention and Investigation of

Extralegal, Arbitrary and Summary Executions*
Prevention
1. Governments shall prohibit by law all extralegal, arbitrary and summary
executions and shall ensure that any such executions are recognized as offences
under their criminal laws, and are punishable by appropriate penalties which take
into account the seriousness of such offences. Exceptional circumstances
including a state of war or threat of war, internal political instability or any other
public emergency may not be invoked as a justification of such executions. Such
executions shall not be carried out under any circumstances including, but not
limited to, situations of internal armed conflict, excessive or illegal use of force
by a public official or other person acting in an official capacity or by a person
acting at the instigation, or with the consent or acquiescence of such person, and
situations in which deaths occur in custody. This prohibition shall prevail over
decrees issued by governmental authority.
2. In order to prevent extralegal, arbitrary and summary executions,
Governments shall ensure strict control, including a clear chain of command over
all officials responsible for apprehension, arrest, detention, custody and
imprisonment, as well as those officials authorized by law to use force and
firearms.
3. Governments shall prohibit orders from superior officers or public
authorities authorizing or inciting other persons to carry out any such extralegal,
arbitrary or summary executions. All persons shall have the right and the duty to
__________________
defy such orders. Training of law enforcement officials shall emphasize the
above provisions.
4. Effective protection through judicial or other means shall be guaranteed to
individuals and groups who are in danger of extralegal, arbitrary or summary
executions, including those who receive death threats.
5. No one shall be involuntarily returned or extradited to a country where there
are substantial grounds for believing that he or she may become a victim of
extralegal, arbitrary or summary execution in that country.
6. Governments shall ensure that persons deprived of their liberty are held in
officially recognized places of custody, and that accurate information on their
custody and whereabouts, including transfers, is made promptly available to their
relatives and lawyer or other persons of confidence.
7. Qualified inspectors, including medical personnel, or an equivalent
independent authority, shall conduct inspections in places of custody on a regular
basis, and be empowered to undertake unannounced inspections on their own
initiative, with full guarantees of independence in the exercise of this function.
The inspectors shall have unrestricted access to all persons in such places of
custody, as well as to all their records.
8. Governments shall make every effort to prevent extralegal, arbitrary and
summary executions through measures such as diplomatic intercession, improved
access of complainants to intergovernmental and judicial bodies, and public
denunciation. Intergovernmental mechanisms shall be used to investigate reports
of any such executions and to take effective action against such practices.
Governments, including those of countries where extralegal, arbitrary and
summary executions are reasonably suspected to occur, shall cooperate fully in
international investigations on the subject.
Investigation
9. There shall be thorough, prompt and impartial investigation of all suspected
cases of extralegal, arbitrary and summary executions, including cases where
complaints by relatives or other reliable reports suggest unnatural death in the
above circumstances. Governments shall maintain investigative offices and
procedures to undertake such inquiries. The purpose of the investigation shall be
to determine the cause, manner and time of death, the person responsible, and
any pattern or practice which may have brought about that death. It shall include
an adequate autopsy, collection and analysis of all physical and documentary
evidence and statements from witnesses. The investigation shall distinguish
between natural death, accidental death, suicide and homicide.
10. The investigative authority shall have the power to obtain all the
information necessary to the inquiry. Those persons conducting the investigation
shall have at their disposal all the necessary budgetary and technical resources
for effective investigation. They shall also have the authority to oblige officials
allegedly involved in any such executions to appear and testify. The same shall
apply to any witness. To this end, they shall be entitled to issue summonses to
witnesses, including the officials allegedly involved, and to demand the
production of evidence.
11. In cases in which the established investigative procedures are inadequate
because of lack of expertise or impartiality, because of the importance of the
matter or because of the apparent existence of a pattern of abuse, and in cases
where there are complaints from the family of the victim about these
inadequacies or other substantial reasons, Governments shall pursue
investigations through an independent commission of inquiry or similar
procedure. Members of such a commission shall be chosen for their recognized
impartiality, competence and independence as individuals. In particular, they
shall be independent of any institution, agency or person that may be the subject
of the inquiry. The commission shall have the authority to obtain all information
necessary to the inquiry and shall conduct the inquiry as provided for under these
Principles.
12. The body of the deceased person shall not be disposed of until an adequate
autopsy is conducted by a physician, who shall, if possible, be an expert in
forensic pathology. Those conducting the autopsy shall have the right of access to
all investigative data, to the place where the body was discovered, and to the
place where the death is thought to have occurred. If the body has been buried
and it later appears that an investigation is required, the body shall be promptly
and competently exhumed for an autopsy. If skeletal remains are discovered, they
should be carefully exhumed and studied according to systematic anthropological
techniques.
13. The body of the deceased shall be available to those conducting the autopsy
for a sufficient amount of time to enable a thorough investigation to be carried
out. The autopsy shall, at a minimum, attempt to establish the identity of the
deceased and the cause and manner of death. The time and place of death shall
also be determined to the extent possible. Detailed colour photographs of the
deceased shall be included in the autopsy report in order to document and support
the findings of the investigation. The autopsy report must describe any and all
injuries to the deceased including any evidence of torture.
14. In order to ensure objective results, those conducting the autopsy must be
able to function impartially and independently of any potentially implicated
persons or organizations or entities.
15. Complainants, witnesses, those conducting the investigation and their
families shall be protected from violence, threats of violence or any other form of
intimidation. Those potentially implicated in extralegal, arbitrary or summary
executions shall be removed from any position of control or power, whether
direct or indirect, over complainants, witnesses and their families, as well as over
those conducting investigations.
16. Families of the deceased and their legal representatives shall be informed of,
and have access to any hearing as well as to all information relevant to the
investigation, and shall be entitled to present other evidence. The family of the
deceased shall have the right to insist that a medical or other qualified
representative be present at the autopsy. When the identity of a deceased person
has been determined, a notification of death shall be posted, and the family or
relatives of the deceased shall be informed immediately. The body of the
deceased shall be returned to them upon completion of the investigation.
17. A written report shall be made within a reasonable period of time on the
methods and findings of such investigations. The report shall be made public
immediately and shall include the scope of the inquiry, procedures and methods
used to evaluate evidence as well as conclusions and recommendations based on
findings of fact and on applicable law. The report shall also describe in detail
specific events that were found to have occurred and the evidence upon which
such findings were based, and list the names of witnesses who testified, with the
exception of those whose identities have been withheld for their own protection.
The Government shall, within a reasonable period of time, either reply to the
report of the investigation, or indicate the steps to be taken in response to it.
Legal proceedings
18. Governments shall ensure that persons identified by the investigation as
having participated in extralegal, arbitrary or summary executions in any
territory under their jurisdiction are brought to justice. Governments shall either
bring such persons to justice or cooperate to extradite any such persons to other
countries wishing to exercise jurisdiction. This principle shall apply irrespective
of who and where the perpetrators or the victims are, their nationalities or where
the offence was committed.
19. Without prejudice to principle 3 above, an order from a superior officer or a
public authority may not be invoked as a justification for extralegal, arbitrary or
summary executions. Superiors, officers or other public officials may be held
responsible for acts committed by officials under their authority if they had a
reasonable opportunity to prevent such acts. In no circumstances, including a
state of war, siege or other public emergency, shall blanket immunity from
prosecution be granted to any person allegedly involved in extralegal, arbitrary
or summary executions.
20. The families and dependents of victims of extralegal, arbitrary or summary
executions shall be entitled to fair and adequate compensation within a
reasonable period of time.
19. Safeguards guaranteeing protection of the rights of

those facing the death penalty*

Recalling General Assembly resolutions 2857 (XXVI) of 20 December 1971
and 32/61 of 8 December 1977 and Economic and Social Council
resolutions 1745 (LIV) of 16 May 1973, 1930 (LVIII) of 6 May 1975, 1990/51 of
24 July 1990 and 1995/57 of 28 July 1995,
Recalling also article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political
Rights,1
Recalling further the safeguards guaranteeing protection of the rights of
those facing the death penalty, annexed to its resolution 1984/50 of 25 May 1984,
and its resolution 1989/64 of 24 May 1989 on the implementation of the
safeguards,
Taking note of the report of the Secretary-General on capital punishment and
implementation of the safeguards guaranteeing protection of the rights of those
facing the death penalty,2
Recalling the Principles on the Effective Prevention and Investigation of
Extralegal, Arbitrary and Summary Executions, set forth in the annex to its
resolution 1989/65 of 24 May 1989 and endorsed by the General Assembly in its
resolution 44/162 of 15 December 1989, and taking note of the recommendations
of the Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on extrajudicial,
summary or arbitrary executions concerning the death penalty contained in his
report to the Commission on Human Rights at its fifty-second session,3
Taking note of Security Council resolution 827 (1993) of 25 May 1993, in
which the Security Council decided to establish the International Tribunal for the
Prosecution of Persons Responsible for Serious Violations of International
Humanitarian Law Committed in the Territory of the Former Yugoslavia since
1991 and to adopt the statute of the International Tribunal annexed to the report
of the Secretary-General pursuant to paragraph 2 of Security Council
resolution 808 (1993) of 22 February 1993,4 and taking note also of Security
Council resolution 955 (1994) of 8 November 1994, in which the Security
Council decided to establish the International Criminal Tribunal for the
Prosecution of Persons Responsible for Genocide and Other Serious Violations of
International Humanitarian Law Committed in the Territory of Rwanda and
Rwandan Citizens Responsible for Genocide and Other Such Violations
__________________
2 E/CN.15/1996/19.
3 E/CN.4/1996/4 and Corr.1.
4 See Official Records of the Security Council, Forty-eighth Year, Supplement for April,
May and June 1993, document S/25704 and Add.1.

Committed in the Territory of Neighbouring States between 1 January and

31 December 1994 and to adopt the statute of the International Tribunal for
Rwanda annexed to that resolution,
1. Notes that, during the period covered by the report of the Secretary-
General on capital punishment and implementation of the safeguards
guaranteeing protection of the rights of those facing the death penalty,2 an
increasing number of countries abolished the death penalty and others followed a
policy reducing the number of capital offences and declared that they had not
sentenced any offender to that penalty, while still others retained it and a few
reintroduced it;
2. Calls upon Member States in which the death penalty has not been
abolished to effectively apply the safeguards guaranteeing protection of the rights
of those facing the death penalty, which state that capital punishment may be
imposed for only the most serious crimes, it being understood that their scope
should not go beyond intentional crimes with lethal or other extremely grave
consequences;
3. Encourages Member States in which the death penalty has not been
abolished to ensure that each defendant facing a possible death sentence is given
all guarantees to ensure a fair trial, as contained in article 14 of the International
Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,1 and bearing in mind the Basic Principles
on the Independence of the Judiciary,5 the Basic Principles on the Role of
Lawyers,6 the Guidelines on the Role of Prosecutors,7 the Body of Principles for
the Protection of All Persons under Any Form of Detention or Imprisonment,8
and the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners;9
4. Also encourages Member States in which the death penalty has not
been abolished to ensure that defendants who do not sufficiently understand the
language used in court are fully informed, by way of interpretation or translation,
of all the charges against them and the content of the relevant evidence
deliberated in court;
5. Calls upon Member States in which the death penalty may be carried
out to allow adequate time for the preparation of appeals to a court of higher
jurisdiction and for the completion of appeal proceedings, as well as petitions for
__________________
5 Seventh United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of
Offenders, Milan, Italy, 26 August-6 September 1985: report prepared by the Secretariat
(United Nations publication, Sales No. E.86.IV.1), chap. I, sect. D.2, annex.
6 Eighth United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of
Offenders, Havana, 27 August-7 September 1990: report prepared by the Secretariat (United
Nations publication, Sales No. E.91.IV.1), chap. I, sect. B.3, annex.
7 Ibid., sect. C. 26.
sect. J, No. 34.
clemency, in order to effectively apply rules 5 and 8 of the safeguards

guaranteeing protection of the rights of those facing the death penalty;
6. Also calls upon Member States in which the death penalty may be
carried out to ensure that officials involved in decisions to carry out an execution
are fully informed of the status of appeals and petitions for clemency of the
prisoner in question;
7. Urges Member States in which the death penalty may be carried out to
effectively apply the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, in
order to keep to a minimum the suffering of prisoners under sentence of death
and to avoid any exacerbation of such suffering.
Part two
Justice for children
20. United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the
Administration of Juvenile Justice (the Beijing Rules)*
Part one
General principles
1. Fundamental perspectives
1.1 Member States shall seek, in conformity with their respective general
interests, to further the well-being of the juvenile and her or his family.
1.2 Member States shall endeavour to develop conditions that will ensure for
the juvenile a meaningful life in the community, which, during that period in life
when she or he is most susceptible to deviant behaviour, will foster a process of
personal development and education that is as free from crime and delinquency
as possible.
1.3 Sufficient attention shall be given to positive measures that involve the full
mobilization of all possible resources, including the family, volunteers and other
community groups, as well as schools and other community institutions, for the
purpose of promoting the well-being of the juvenile, with a view to reducing the
need for intervention under the law, and of effectively, fairly and humanely
dealing with the juvenile in conflict with the law.
1.4 Juvenile justice shall be conceived as an integral part of the national
development process of each country, within a comprehensive framework of
social justice for all juveniles, thus, at the same time, contributing to the
protection of the young and the maintenance of a peaceful order in society.
1.5 These Rules shall be implemented in the context of economic, social and
cultural conditions prevailing in each Member State.
__________________
* General Assembly resolution 40/33, annex, adopted on 29 November 1985. This
instrument contains references to specific provisions of the Standard Minimum Rules for the
Treatment of Prisoners, which were subsequently updated and adopted by the General
Assembly on 17 December 2015 in its resolution 70/175, entitled “United Nations Standard
Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (the Nelson Mandela Rules)”. For the
purposes of this publication, footnotes have been added to indicate the corresponding
provisions of the Nelson Mandela Rules.
119
1.6 Juvenile justice services shall be systematically developed and coordinated

with a view to improving and sustaining the competence of personnel involved in
the services, including their methods, approaches and attitudes.
Commentary
These broad fundamental perspectives refer to comprehensive social policy
in general and aim at promoting juvenile welfare to the greatest possible extent,
which will minimize the necessity of intervention by the juvenile justice system,
and in turn, will reduce the harm that may be caused by any intervention. Such
care measures for the young, before the onset of delinquency, are basic policy
requisites designed to obviate the need for the application of the Rules.
Rules 1.1 to 1.3 point to the important role that a constructive social policy for
juveniles will play, inter alia, in the prevention of juvenile crime and delinquency.
Rule 1.4 defines juvenile justice as an integral part of social justice for juveniles,
while rule 1.6 refers to the necessity of constantly improving juvenile justice, without
falling behind in the development of progressive social policy for juveniles in
general and bearing in mind the need for consistent improvement of staff services.
Rule 1.5 seeks to take account of existing conditions in Member States
which would cause the manner of implementation of particular rules necessarily
to be different from the manner adopted in other States.
2. Scope of the Rules and definitions used

2.1 The following Standard Minimum Rules shall be applied to juvenile
offenders impartially, without distinction of any kind, for example as to race,
colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinions, national or social
origin, property, birth or other status.
2.2 For purposes of these Rules, the following definitions shall be applied by
Member States in a manner which is compatible with their respective legal
systems and concepts:
(a) A juvenile is a child or young person who, under the respective legal
systems, may be dealt with for an offence in a manner which is different from an
adult;
(b) An offence is any behaviour (act or omission) that is punishable by law
under the respective legal systems;
(c) A juvenile offender is a child or young person who is alleged to have
committed or who has been found to have committed an offence.
2.3 Efforts shall be made to establish, in each national jurisdiction, a set of
laws, rules and provisions specifically applicable to juvenile offenders and
institutions and bodies entrusted with the functions of the administration of
juvenile justice and designed:
(a) To meet the varying needs of juvenile offenders, while protecting their
basic rights;
Part two, Justice for children 121
(b) To meet the needs of society;

(c) To implement the following rules thoroughly and fairly.
Commentary
The Standard Minimum Rules are deliberately formulated so as to be
applicable within different legal systems and, at the same time, to set some
minimum standards for the handling of juvenile offenders under any definition of
a juvenile and under any system of dealing with juvenile offenders. The Rules are
always to be applied impartially and without distinction of any kind.
Rule 2.1 therefore stresses the importance of the Rules always being applied
impartially and without distinction of any kind. The rule follows the formulation
of principle 2 of the Declaration of the Rights of the Child.1
Rule 2.2 defines “juvenile” and “offence” as the components of the notion
of the “juvenile offender”, who is the main subject of these Standard Minimum
Rules (see, however, also rules 3 and 4). It should be noted that age limits will
depend on, and are explicitly made dependent on, each respective legal system,
thus fully respecting the economic, social, political, cultural and legal systems of
Member States. This makes for a wide variety of ages coming under the
definition of “juvenile”, ranging from 7 years to 18 years or above. Such a
variety seems inevitable in view of the different national legal systems and does
not diminish the impact of these Standard Minimum Rules.
Rule 2.3 is addressed to the necessity of specific national legislation for the
optimal implementation of these Standard Minimum Rules, both legally and
practically.
3. Extension of the Rules

3.1 The relevant provisions of the Rules shall be applied not only to juvenile
offenders but also to juveniles who may be proceeded against for any specific
behaviour that would not be punishable if committed by an adult.
3.2 Efforts shall be made to extend the principles embodied in the Rules to all
juveniles who are dealt with in welfare and care proceedings.
__________________
1 General Assembly resolution 1386 (XIV). See also the Convention on the Elimination of
All Forms of Discrimination against Women (United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 1249,
No. 20378); the Declaration of the World Conference to Combat Racism and Racial
Discrimination (Report of the World Conference to Combat Racism and Racial
Discrimination, Geneva, 14-25 August 1978 (United Nations publication, Sales
No. E.79.XIV.2), chap. II); the Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance
and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief (General Assembly resolution 36/55); the
Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (Human Rights: A Compilation of
International Instruments, Volume I (First Part), Universal Instruments (United Nations
publication, Sales No. E.02.XIV.4 (Vol. I, Part 1)), sect. J, No. 34); the Caracas Declaration
(General Assembly resolution 35/171, annex); and rule 9.
3.3 Efforts shall also be made to extend the principles embodied in the Rules to
young adult offenders.
Commentary
Rule 3 extends the protection afforded by the Standard Minimum Rules for
the Administration of Juvenile Justice to cover:
(a) The so-called “status offences” prescribed in various national legal
systems where the range of behaviour considered to be an offence is wider for
juveniles than it is for adults (for example, truancy, school and family
disobedience, public drunkenness, etc.) (rule 3.1);
(b) Juvenile welfare and care proceedings (rule 3.2);
(c) Proceedings dealing with young adult offenders, depending of course
on each given age limit (rule 3.3).
The extension of the Rules to cover these three areas seems to be justified.
Rule 3.1 provides minimum guarantees in those fields, and rule 3.2 is considered
a desirable step in the direction of more fair, equitable and humane justice for all
juveniles in conflict with the law.
4. Age of criminal responsibility

4.1 In those legal systems recognizing the concept of the age of criminal
responsibility for juveniles, the beginning of that age shall not be fixed at too low
an age level, bearing in mind the facts of emotional, mental and intellectual
maturity.
Commentary
The minimum age of criminal responsibility differs widely owing to history
and culture. The modern approach would be to consider whether a child can live
up to the moral and psychological components of criminal responsibility; that is,
whether a child, by virtue of her or his individual discernment and understanding,
can be held responsible for essentially antisocial behaviour. If the age of criminal
responsibility is fixed too low or if there is no lower age limit at all, the notion of
responsibility would become meaningless. In general, there is a close relationship
between the notion of responsibility for delinquent or criminal behaviour and
other social rights and responsibilities (such as marital status, civil majority,
etc.).
Efforts should therefore be made to agree on a reasonable lowest age limit
that is applicable internationally.
5. Aims of juvenile justice

5.1 The juvenile justice system shall emphasize the well-being of the juvenile
and shall ensure that any reaction to juvenile offenders shall always be in
proportion to the circumstances of both the offenders and the offence.
Commentary
Rule 5 refers to two of the most important objectives of juvenile justice. The
first objective is the promotion of the well-being of the juvenile. This is the main
focus of those legal systems in which juvenile offenders are dealt with by family
courts or administrative authorities, but the well-being of the juvenile should also
be emphasized in legal systems that follow the criminal court model, thus
contributing to the avoidance of merely punitive sanctions. (See also rule 14.)
The second objective is “the principle of proportionality”. This principle is
well-known as an instrument for curbing punitive sanctions, mostly expressed in
terms of just desert in relation to the gravity of the offence. The response to
young offenders should be based on the consideration not only of the gravity of
the offence but also of personal circumstances. The individual circumstances of
the offender (for example social status, family situation, the harm caused by the
offence or other factors affecting personal circumstances) should influence the
proportionality of the reaction (for example by having regard to the offender’s
endeavour to indemnify the victim or to her or his willingness to turn to a
wholesome and useful life).
By the same token, reactions aiming to ensure the welfare of the young
offender may go beyond necessity and therefore infringe upon the fundamental
rights of the young individual, as has been observed in some juvenile justice
systems. Here, too, the proportionality of the reaction to the circumstances of
both the offender and the offence, including the victim, should be safeguarded.
In essence, rule 5 calls for no less and no more than a fair reaction in any
given cases of juvenile delinquency and crime. The issues combined in the rule
may help to stimulate development in both regards: new and innovative types of
reactions are as desirable as precautions against any undue widening of the net of
formal social control over juveniles.
6. Scope of discretion
6.1 In view of the varying special needs of juveniles as well as the variety of
measures available, appropriate scope for discretion shall be allowed at all stages
of proceedings and at the different levels of juvenile justice administration,
including investigation, prosecution, adjudication and the follow-up of
dispositions.
6.2 Efforts shall be made, however, to ensure sufficient accountability at all
stages and levels in the exercise of any such discretion.
6.3 Those who exercise discretion shall be specially qualified or trained to

exercise it judiciously and in accordance with their functions and mandates.
Commentary
Rules 6.1, 6.2 and 6.3 combine several important features of effective, fair
and humane juvenile justice administration: the need to permit the exercise of
discretionary power at all significant levels of processing so that those who make
determinations can take the actions deemed to be most appropriate in each
individual case; and the need to provide checks and balances in order to curb any
abuses of discretionary power and to safeguard the rights of the young offender.
Accountability and professionalism are instruments best apt to curb broad
discretion. Thus, professional qualifications and expert training are emphasized
here as a valuable means of ensuring the judicious exercise of discretion in
matters of juvenile offenders. (See also rules 1.6 and 2.2.) The formulation of
specific guidelines on the exercise of discretion and the provision of systems of
review, appeal and the like in order to permit scrutiny of decisions and
accountability are emphasized in this context. Such mechanisms are not specified
here, as they do not easily lend themselves to incorporation into international
standard minimum rules, which cannot possibly cover all differences in justice
systems.
7. Rights of juveniles
7.1 Basic procedural safeguards such as the presumption of innocence, the right
to be notified of the charges, the right to remain silent, the right to counsel, the
right to the presence of a parent or guardian, the right to confront and
cross-examine witnesses and the right to appeal to a higher authority shall be
guaranteed at all stages of proceedings.
Commentary
Rule 7.1 emphasizes some important points that represent essential elements
for a fair and just trial and that are internationally recognized in existing human
rights instruments. (See also rule 14.) The presumption of innocence, for
instance, is also to be found in article 11 of the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights2 and in article 14, paragraph 2, of the International Covenant on Civil and
Political Rights.3
Rules 14 seq. of these Standard Minimum Rules specify issues that are
important for proceedings in juvenile cases, in particular, while rule 7.1 affirms
the most basic procedural safeguards in a general way.
__________________
8. Protection of privacy
8.1 The juvenile’s right to privacy shall be respected at all stages in order to
avoid harm being caused to her or him by undue publicity or by the process of
labelling.
8.2 In principle, no information that may lead to the identification of a juvenile
offender shall be published.
Commentary
Rule 8 stresses the importance of the protection of the juvenile’s right to
privacy. Young persons are particularly susceptible to stigmatization.
Criminological research into labelling processes has provided evidence of the
detrimental effects (of different kinds) resulting from the permanent
identification of young persons as “delinquent” or “criminal”.
Rule 8 also stresses the importance of protecting the juvenile from the
adverse effects that may result from the publication in the mass media of
information about the case (for example the names of young offenders, alleged or
convicted). The interest of the individual should be protected and upheld, at least
in principle. (The general contents of rule 8 are further specified in rule 2.1.)
9. Saving clause
9.1 Nothing in these Rules shall be interpreted as precluding the application of
the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners4 adopted by the
United Nations and other human rights instruments and standards recognized by
the international community that relate to the care and protection of the young.
Commentary
Rule 9 is meant to avoid any misunderstanding in interpreting and
implementing the present Rules in conformity with principles contained in
relevant existing or emerging international human rights instruments and
standards — such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,2 the
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,3 and the Declaration of the
Rights of the Child1 and the draft convention on the rights of the child.5 It should
be understood that the application of the present Rules is without prejudice to
any such international instruments which may contain provisions of wider
application.4 (See also rule 27.)
__________________
sect. J, No. 34.
5 See Economic and Social Council resolution 1985/42.
Part two
Investigation and prosecution
10. Initial contact
10.1 Upon the apprehension of a juvenile, her or his parents or guardian shall be
immediately notified of such apprehension, and, where such immediate
notification is not possible, the parents or guardian shall be notified within the
shortest possible time thereafter.
10.2 A judge or other competent official or body shall, without delay, consider
the issue of release.
10.3 Contacts between the law enforcement agencies and a juvenile offender
shall be managed in such a way as to respect the legal status of the juvenile,
promote the well-being of the juvenile and avoid harm to her or him, with due
regard to the circumstances of the case.
Commentary
Rule 10.1 is in principle contained in rule 92 of the Standard Minimum
Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners.6
The question of release (rule 10.2) shall be considered without delay by a
judge or other competent official. The latter refers to any person or institution in
the broadest sense of the term, including community boards or police authorities
having power to release an arrested person. (See also the International Covenant
on Civil and Political Rights, article 9, paragraph 3.3)
Rule 10.3 deals with some fundamental aspects of the procedures and
behaviour on the part of the police and other law enforcement officials in cases
of juvenile crime. To “avoid harm” is admittedly flexible wording and covers
many features of possible interaction (for example the use of harsh language,
physical violence or exposure to the environment). Involvement in juvenile
__________________
6 The Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners and related
recommendations were adopted in 1955 (see First United Nations Congress on the
Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders, Geneva, 22 August-3 September 1955:
report prepared by the Secretariat (United Nations publication, Sales No. 1956.IV.4). In its
resolution 663 C (XXIV) of 31 July 1957, the Economic and Social Council approved the
Standard Minimum Rules and endorsed, inter alia, the recommendations on the selection and
training of personnel for penal and correctional institutions and on open penal and
correctional institutions. The Council recommended that Governments should give
favourable consideration to the adoption and application of the Standard Minimum Rules and
should take the other two groups of recommendations as fully as possible into account in the
administration of penal and correctional institutions. The inclusion of a new rule, rule 95,
was authorized by the Economic and Social Council in its resolution 2076 (LXII) of 13 May
1977. A revised version of the Rules was adopted by the General Assembly on 17 December
2015 in its resolution 70/175, entitled “United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the
Treatment of Prisoners (the Nelson Mandela Rules)”. Rule 10.1 of the present Beijing Rules
is in principle contained in rule 119 of the Nelson Mandela Rules.
justice processes in itself can be “harmful” to juveniles; the term “avoid harm”
should be broadly interpreted, therefore, as doing the least harm possible to the
juvenile in the first instance, as well as any additional or undue harm. This is
especially important in the initial contact with law enforcement agencies, which
might profoundly influence the juvenile’s attitude towards the State and society.
Moreover, the success of any further intervention is largely dependent on such
initial contacts. Compassion and kind firmness are important in these situations.
11. Diversion
11.1 Consideration shall be given, wherever appropriate, to dealing with juvenile
offenders without resorting to formal trial by the competent authority, referred to
in rule 14.1 below.
11.2 The police, the prosecution or other agencies dealing with juvenile cases
shall be empowered to dispose of such cases, at their discretion, without recourse
to formal hearings, in accordance with the criteria laid down for that purpose in
the respective legal system and also in accordance with the principles contained
in these Rules.
11.3 Any diversion involving referral to appropriate community or other services
shall require the consent of the juvenile, or her or his parents or guardian,
provided that such decision to refer a case shall be subject to review by a
competent authority, upon application.
11.4 In order to facilitate the discretionary disposition of juvenile cases, efforts
shall be made to provide for community programmes, such as temporary
supervision and guidance, restitution, and compensation of victims.
Commentary
Diversion, involving removal from criminal justice processing and,
frequently, redirection to community support services, is commonly practised on
a formal and informal basis in many legal systems. This practice serves to hinder
the negative effects of subsequent proceedings in juvenile justice administration
(for example the stigma of conviction and sentence). In many cases,
non-intervention would be the best response. Thus, diversion at the outset and
without referral to alternative (social) services may be the optimal response. This
is especially the case where the offence is of a non-serious nature and where the
family, the school or other informal social control institutions have already
reacted, or are likely to react, in an appropriate and constructive manner.
As stated in rule 11.2, diversion may be used at any point of decision-
making — by the police, the prosecution or other agencies such as the courts,
tribunals, boards or councils. It may be exercised by one authority or several or
all authorities, according to the rules and policies of the respective systems and
in line with the present Rules. It need not necessarily be limited to petty cases,
thus rendering diversion an important instrument.
Rule 11.3 stresses the important requirement of securing the consent of the
young offender (or the parent or guardian) to the recommended diversionary
measure(s). (Diversion to community service without such consent would
contradict the Abolition of Forced Labour Convention.7) However, this consent
should not be left unchallengeable, since it might sometimes be given out of
sheer desperation on the part of the juvenile. The rule underlines that care should
be taken to minimize the potential for coercion and intimidation at all levels in
the diversion process. Juveniles should not feel pressured (for example in order
to avoid court appearance) or be pressured into consenting to diversion
programmes. Thus, it is advocated that provision should be made for an objective
appraisal of the appropriateness of dispositions involving young offenders by a
“competent authority upon application”. (The “competent authority” may be
different from that referred to in rule 14.)
Rule 11.4 recommends the provision of viable alternatives to juvenile
justice processing in the form of community-based diversion. Programmes that
involve settlement by victim restitution and those that seek to avoid future
conflict with the law through temporary supervision and guidance are especially
commended. The merits of individual cases would make diversion appropriate,
even when more serious offences have been committed (for example first
offence, the act having been committed under peer pressure, etc.).
12. Specialization within the police

12.1 In order to best fulfil their functions, police officers who frequently or
exclusively deal with juveniles or who are primarily engaged in the prevention of
juvenile crime shall be specially instructed and trained. In large cities, special
police units should be established for that purpose.
Commentary
Rule 12 draws attention to the need for specialized training for all law
enforcement officials who are involved in the administration of juvenile justice.
As police are the first point of contact with the juvenile justice system, it is most
important that they act in an informed and appropriate manner.
While the relationship between urbanization and crime is clearly complex,
an increase in juvenile crime has been associated with the growth of large cities,
particularly with rapid and unplanned growth. Specialized police units would
therefore be indispensable, not only in the interest of implementing specific
principles contained in the present instrument (such as rule 1.6) but more
generally for improving the prevention and control of juvenile crime and the
handling of juvenile offenders.
__________________
7 Convention No. 105, adopted on 25 June 1957 by the General Conference of the
International Labour Organization at its fortieth session. United Nations, Treaty Series,
vol. 320, No. 4648.
13. Detention pending trial

13.1 Detention pending trial shall be used only as a measure of last resort and
for the shortest possible period of time.
13.2 Whenever possible, detention pending trial shall be replaced by alternative
measures, such as close supervision, intensive care or placement with a family or
in an educational setting or home.
13.3 Juveniles under detention pending trial shall be entitled to all rights and
guarantees of the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners
adopted by the United Nations.
13.4 Juveniles under detention pending trial shall be kept separate from adults
and shall be detained in a separate institution or in a separate part of an
institution also holding adults.
13.5 While in custody, juveniles shall receive care, protection and all necessary
individual assistance — social, educational, vocational, psychological, medical
and physical — that they may require in view of their age, sex and personality.
Commentary
The danger to juveniles of “criminal contamination” while in detention
pending trial must not be underestimated. It is therefore important to stress the
need for alternative measures. By doing so, rule 13.1 encourages the devising of
new and innovative measures to avoid such detention in the interest of the
well-being of the juvenile.
Juveniles under detention pending trial are entitled to all the rights and
guarantees of the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners as well
as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,3 especially article 9
and article 10, paragraphs 2 (b) and 3.
Rule 13.4 does not prevent States from taking other measures against the
negative influences of adult offenders which are at least as effective as the
measures mentioned in the rule.
Different forms of assistance that may become necessary have been
enumerated to draw attention to the broad range of particular needs of young
detainees to be addressed (for example females or males, drug addicts,
alcoholics, mentally ill juveniles, young persons suffering from the trauma, for
example, of arrest, etc.).
Varying physical and psychological characteristics of young detainees may
warrant classification measures by which some are kept separate while in
detention pending trial, thus contributing to the avoidance of victimization and
rendering more appropriate assistance.
The Sixth United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment
of Offenders, in its resolution 48 on juvenile justice standards, specified that the Rules,
inter alia, should reflect the basic principle that pretrial detention should be used only
as a last resort, that no minors should be held in a facility where they are vulnerable to
the negative influences of adult detainees and that account should always be taken of
the needs particular to their stage of development.
Part three
Adjudication and disposition
14. Competent authority to adjudicate
14.1 Where the case of a juvenile offender has not been diverted (under rule 11),
she or he shall be dealt with by the competent authority (court, tribunal, board,
council, etc.) according to the principles of a fair and just trial.
14.2 The proceedings shall be conducive to the best interests of the juvenile and
shall be conducted in an atmosphere of understanding, which shall allow the
juvenile to participate therein and to express herself or himself freely.
Commentary
It is difficult to formulate a definition of the competent body or person that
would universally describe an adjudicating authority. “Competent authority” is
meant to include those who preside over courts or tribunals (composed of a
single judge or of several members), including professional and lay magistrates
as well as administrative boards (for example the Scottish and Scandinavian
systems) or other more informal community and conflict resolution agencies of
an adjudicatory nature.
The procedure for dealing with juvenile offenders shall in any case follow
the minimum standards that are applied almost universally for any criminal
defendant under the procedure known as “due process of law”. In accordance
with due process, a “fair and just trial” includes such basic safeguards as the
presumption of innocence, the presentation and examination of witnesses, the
common legal defences, the right to remain silent, the right to have the last word
in a hearing, the right to appeal, etc. (See also rule 7.1.)
15. Legal counsel, parents and guardians

15.1 Throughout the proceedings the juvenile shall have the right to be
represented by a legal adviser or to apply for free legal aid where there is
provision for such aid in the country.
15.2 The parents or the guardian shall be entitled to participate in the
proceedings and may be required by the competent authority to attend them in
__________________
8 See Sixth United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of
Offenders, Caracas, 25 August-5 September 1980: report prepared by the Secretariat (United
Nations publication, Sales No. E.81.IV.4), chap. I, sect. B.
the interest of the juvenile. They may, however, be denied participation by the
competent authority if there are reasons to assume that such exclusion is
necessary in the interest of the juvenile.
Commentary
Rule 15.1 uses terminology similar to that found in rule 93 of the Standard
Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners.9 Whereas legal counsel and free
legal aid are needed to assure the juvenile legal assistance, the right of the
parents or guardian to participate as stated in rule 15.2 should be viewed as
general psychological and emotional assistance to the juvenile — a function
extending throughout the procedure.
The competent authority’s search for an adequate disposition of the case may
profit, in particular, from the cooperation of the legal representatives of the juvenile
(or, for that matter, some other personal assistant who the juvenile can and does
really trust). Such concern can be thwarted if the presence of parents or guardians at
the hearings plays a negative role, for instance, if they display a hostile attitude
towards the juvenile; hence, the possibility of their exclusion must be provided for.
16. Social inquiry reports

16.1 In all cases except those involving minor offences, before the competent
authority renders a final disposition prior to sentencing, the background and
circumstances in which the juvenile is living or the conditions under which the
offence has been committed shall be properly investigated so as to facilitate
judicious adjudication of the case by the competent authority.
Commentary
Social inquiry reports (social reports or pre-sentence reports) are an
indispensable aid in most legal proceedings involving juveniles. The competent
authority should be informed of relevant facts about the juvenile, such as social
and family background, school career, educational experiences, etc. For this
purpose, some jurisdictions use special social services or personnel attached to
the court or board. Other personnel, including probation officers, may serve the
same function. The rule therefore requires that adequate social services should be
available to deliver social inquiry reports of a qualified nature.
17. Guiding principles in adjudication and disposition

17.1 The disposition of the competent authority shall be guided by the following
principles:
(a) The reaction taken shall always be in proportion not only to the
circumstances and the gravity of the offence but also to the circumstances and the
needs of the juvenile as well as to the needs of the society;
__________________
(b) Restrictions on the personal liberty of the juvenile shall be imposed

only after careful consideration and shall be limited to the possible minimum;
(c) Deprivation of personal liberty shall not be imposed unless the juvenile
is adjudicated of a serious act involving violence against another person or of
persistence in committing other serious offences and unless there is no other
appropriate response;
(d) The well-being of the juvenile shall be the guiding factor in the
consideration of her or his case.
17.2 Capital punishment shall not be imposed for any crime committed by
juveniles.
17.3 Juveniles shall not be subject to corporal punishment.
17.4 The competent authority shall have the power to discontinue the
proceedings at any time.
Commentary
The main difficulty in formulating guidelines for the adjudication of young
persons stems from the fact that there are unresolved conflicts of a philosophical
nature, such as the following:
(a) Rehabilitation versus just desert;
(b) Assistance versus repression and punishment;
(c) Reaction according to the singular merits of an individual case versus
reaction according to the protection of society in general;
(d) General deterrence versus individual incapacitation.
The conflict between these approaches is more pronounced in juvenile cases
than in adult cases. With the variety of causes and reactions characterizing
juvenile cases, these alternatives become intricately interwoven.
It is not the function of the Standard Minimum Rules for the Administration
of Juvenile Justice to prescribe which approach is to be followed but rather to
identify one that is most closely in consonance with internationally accepted
principles. Therefore the essential elements as laid down in rule 17.1, in
particular in subparagraphs (a) and (c), are mainly to be understood as practical
guidelines that should ensure a common starting point; if heeded by the
concerned authorities (see also rule 5), they could contribute considerably to
ensuring that the fundamental rights of juvenile offenders are protected,
especially the fundamental rights of personal development and education.
Rule 17.1 (b) implies that strictly punitive approaches are not appropriate.
Whereas in adult cases, and possibly also in cases of severe offences by
juveniles, just desert and retributive sanctions might be considered to have some
merit, in juvenile cases such considerations should always be outweighed by the

interest of safeguarding the well-being and the future of the young person.
In line with resolution 8 of the Sixth United Nations Congress,8 rule 17.1 (b)
encourages the use of alternatives to institutionalization to the maximum extent
possible, bearing in mind the need to respond to the specific requirements of the
young. Thus, full use should be made of the range of existing alternative
sanctions and new alternative sanctions should be developed, bearing the public
safety in mind. Probation should be granted to the greatest possible extent via
suspended sentences, conditional sentences, board orders and other dispositions.
Rule 17.1 (c) corresponds to one of the guiding principles in resolution 4 of
the Sixth Congress8 which aims at avoiding incarceration in the case of juveniles
unless there is no other appropriate response that will protect the public safety.
The provision prohibiting capital punishment in rule 17.2 is in accordance
with article 6, paragraph 5, of the International Covenant on Civil and Political
Rights.3
The provision against corporal punishment is in line with article 7 of the
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights3 and the Declaration on the
Protection of All Persons from Being Subjected to Torture and Other Cruel,
Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment,10 as well as the Convention
against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or
Punishment11 and the draft convention on the rights of the child.5
The power to discontinue the proceedings at any time (rule 17.4) is a
characteristic inherent in the handling of juvenile offenders as opposed to adults.
At any time, circumstances may become known to the competent authority which
would make a complete cessation of the intervention appear to be the best
disposition of the case.
18. Various disposition measures

18.1 A large variety of disposition measures shall be made available to the
competent authority, allowing for flexibility so as to avoid institutionalization to
the greatest extent possible. Such measures, some of which may be combined,
include:
(a) Care, guidance and supervision orders;
(b) Probation;
(c) Community service orders;
(d) Financial penalties, compensation and restitution;
(e) Intermediate treatment and other treatment orders;
__________________
10 General Assembly resolution 3452 (XXX), annex.
(f) Orders to participate in group counselling and similar activities;

(g) Orders concerning foster care, living communities or other educational
settings;
(h) Other relevant orders.
18.2 No juvenile shall be removed from parental supervision, whether partly or
entirely, unless the circumstances of her or his case make this necessary.
Commentary
Rule 18.1 attempts to enumerate some of the important reactions and
sanctions that have been practised and proved successful thus far, in different
legal systems. On the whole they represent promising options that deserve
replication and further development. The rule does not enumerate staffing
requirements because of possible shortages of adequate staff in some regions; in
those regions measures requiring less staff may be tried or developed.
The examples given in rule 18.1 have in common, above all, a reliance on
and an appeal to the community for the effective implementation of alternative
dispositions. Community-based correction is a traditional measure that has taken
on many aspects. On that basis, relevant authorities should be encouraged to
offer community-based services.
Rule 18.2 points to the importance of the family which, according to
article 10, paragraph l, of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and
Cultural Rights, is “the natural and fundamental group unit of society”.3 Within
the family, the parents have not only the right but also the responsibility to care
for and supervise their children. Rule 18.2, therefore, requires that the separation
of children from their parents is a measure of last resort. It may be resorted to
only when the facts of the case clearly warrant this grave step (for example child
abuse).
19. Least possible use of institutionalization

19.1 The placement of a juvenile in an institution shall always be a disposition
of last resort and for the minimum necessary period.
Commentary
Progressive criminology advocates the use of non-institutional over
institutional treatment. Little or no difference has been found in terms of the
success of institutionalization as compared to non-institutionalization. The many
adverse influences on an individual that seem unavoidable within any
institutional setting evidently cannot be outbalanced by treatment efforts. This is
especially the case for juveniles, who are vulnerable to negative influences.
Moreover, the negative effects, not only of loss of liberty but also of separation
from the usual social environment, are certainly more acute for juveniles than for
adults because of their early stage of development.
Rule 19 aims at restricting institutionalization in two regards: in quantity

(“last resort”) and in time (“minimum necessary period”). Rule 19 reflects one of
the basic guiding principles of resolution 4 of the Sixth United Nations
Congress:8 a juvenile offender should not be incarcerated unless there is no other
appropriate response. The rule, therefore, makes the appeal that if a juvenile must
be institutionalized, the loss of liberty should be restricted to the least possible
degree, with special institutional arrangements for confinement and bearing in
mind the differences in kinds of offenders, offences and institutions. In fact,
priority should be given to “open” over “closed” institutions. Furthermore, any
facility should be of a correctional or educational rather than of a prison type.
20. Avoidance of unnecessary delay

20.1 Each case shall from the outset be handled expeditiously, without any
unnecessary delay.
Commentary
The speedy conduct of formal procedures in juvenile cases is a paramount
concern. Otherwise whatever good may be achieved by the procedure and the
disposition is at risk. As time passes, the juvenile will find it increasingly
difficult, if not impossible, to relate the procedure and disposition to the offence,
both intellectually and psychologically.
21. Records
21.1 Records of juvenile offenders shall be kept strictly confidential and closed
to third parties. Access to such records shall be limited to persons directly
concerned with the disposition of the case at hand or other duly authorized
persons.
21.2 Records of juvenile offenders shall not be used in adult proceedings in
subsequent cases involving the same offender.
Commentary
The rule attempts to achieve a balance between conflicting interests
connected with records or files: those of the police, prosecution and other
authorities in improving control versus the interests of the juvenile offender. (See
also rule 8.) “Other duly authorized persons” would generally include, among
others, researchers.
22. Need for professionalism and training

22.1 Professional education, in-service training, refresher courses and other
appropriate modes of instruction shall be utilized to establish and maintain the
necessary professional competence of all personnel dealing with juvenile cases.
22.2 Juvenile justice personnel shall reflect the diversity of juveniles who come
into contact with the juvenile justice system. Efforts shall be made to ensure the
fair representation of women and minorities in juvenile justice agencies.
Commentary
The authorities competent for disposition may be persons with very different
backgrounds (magistrates in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern
Ireland and in regions influenced by the common law system; legally trained
judges in countries using Roman law and in regions influenced by them; and
elsewhere elected or appointed laymen or jurists, members of community-based
boards, etc.). For all these authorities, a minimum training in law, sociology,
psychology, criminology and behavioural sciences would be required. This is
considered as important as the organizational specialization and independence of
the competent authority.
For social workers and probation officers, it might not be feasible to require
professional specialization as a prerequisite for taking over any function dealing
with juvenile offenders. Thus, professional on-the-job instruction would be
minimum qualifications.
Professional qualifications are an essential element in ensuring the impartial
and effective administration of juvenile justice. Accordingly, it is necessary to
improve the recruitment, advancement and professional training of personnel and
to provide them with the necessary means to enable them to properly fulfil their
functions.
All political, social, sexual, racial, religious, cultural or any other kind of
discrimination in the selection, appointment and advancement of juvenile justice
personnel should be avoided in order to achieve impartiality in the administration
of juvenile justice. This was recommended by the Sixth Congress. Furthermore,
the Sixth Congress called on Member States to ensure the fair and equal
treatment of women as criminal justice personnel and recommended that special
measures should be taken to recruit, train and facilitate the advancement of
female personnel in juvenile justice administration.8
Part four
Non-institutional treatment
23. Effective implementation of disposition

23.1 Appropriate provisions shall be made for the implementation of orders of
the competent authority, as referred to in rule 14.1 above, by that authority itself
or by some other authority as circumstances may require.
23.2 Such provisions shall include the power to modify the orders as the
competent authority may deem necessary from time to time, provided that such
modification shall be determined in accordance with the principles contained in
these Rules.
Commentary
Disposition in juvenile cases, more so than in adult cases, tends to influence
the offender’s life for a long period of time. Thus, it is important that the
competent authority or an independent body (parole board, probation office,
youth welfare institutions or others) with qualifications equal to those of the
competent authority that originally disposed of the case should monitor the
implementation of the disposition. In some countries, a juge de l’exécution des
peines has been installed for this purpose.
The composition, powers and functions of the authority must be flexible;
they are described in general terms in rule 23 in order to ensure wide
acceptability.
24. Provision of needed assistance

24.1 Efforts shall be made to provide juveniles, at all stages of the proceedings,
with necessary assistance such as lodging, education or vocational training,
employment or any other assistance, helpful and practical, in order to facilitate
the rehabilitative process.
Commentary
The promotion of the well-being of the juvenile is of paramount
consideration. Thus, rule 24 emphasizes the importance of providing requisite
facilities, services and other necessary assistance as may further the best interests
of the juvenile throughout the rehabilitative process.
25. Mobilization of volunteers and other community services

25.1 Volunteers, voluntary organizations, local institutions and other community
resources shall be called upon to contribute effectively to the rehabilitation of the
juvenile in a community setting and, as far as possible, within the family unit.
Commentary
This rule reflects the need for a rehabilitative orientation of all work with
juvenile offenders. Cooperation with the community is indispensable if the
directives of the competent authority are to be carried out effectively. Volunteers
and voluntary services, in particular, have proved to be valuable resources but are
at present underutilized. In some instances, the cooperation of ex-offenders
(including ex-addicts) can be of considerable assistance.
Rule 25 emanates from the principles laid down in rules 1.1 to 1.6 and
follows the relevant provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and
Political Rights.3
Part five
Institutional treatment
26. Objectives of institutional treatment
26.1 The objective of training and treatment of juveniles placed in institutions is
to provide care, protection, education and vocational skills, with a view to
assisting them to assume socially constructive and productive roles in society.
26.2 Juveniles in institutions shall receive care, protection and all necessary
assistance — social, educational, vocational, psychological, medical and physical
— that they may require because of their age, sex, and personality and in the
interest of their wholesome development.
26.3 Juveniles in institutions shall be kept separate from adults and shall be
detained in a separate institution or in a separate part of an institution also
holding adults.
26.4 Young female offenders placed in an institution deserve special attention as
to their personal needs and problems. They shall by no means receive less care,
protection, assistance, treatment and training than young male offenders. Their
fair treatment shall be ensured.
26.5 In the interest and well-being of the institutionalized juvenile, the parents
or guardians shall have a right of access.
26.6 Interministerial and interdepartmental cooperation shall be fostered for the
purpose of providing adequate academic or, as appropriate, vocational training to
institutionalized juveniles, with a view to ensuring that they do not leave the
institution at an educational disadvantage.
Commentary
The objectives of institutional treatment as stipulated in rules 26.1 and 26.2
would be acceptable to any system and culture. However, they have not yet been
attained everywhere, and much more has to be done in this respect.
Medical and psychological assistance, in particular, are extremely important
for institutionalized drug addicts, violent and mentally ill young persons.
The avoidance of negative influences through adult offenders and the
safeguarding of the well-being of juveniles in an institutional setting, as
stipulated in rule 26.3, are in line with one of the basic guiding principles of the
Rules, as set out by the Sixth Congress in its resolution 4.8 The rule does not
prevent States from taking other measures against the negative influences of
adult offenders, which are at least as effective as the measures mentioned in the
rule. (See also rule 13.4.)
Rule 26.4 addresses the fact that female offenders normally receive less
attention than their male counterparts, as pointed out by the Sixth Congress. In
particular, resolution 9 of the Sixth Congress8 calls for the fair treatment of
female offenders at every stage of criminal justice processes and for special
attention to their particular problems and needs while in custody. Moreover, this
rule should also be considered in the light of the Caracas Declaration of the Sixth
Congress, which, inter alia, calls for equal treatment in criminal justice
administration,12 and against the background of the Declaration on the
Elimination of Discrimination against Women13 and the Convention on the
Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.14
The right of access (rule 26.5) follows from the provisions of rules 7.1, 10.1,
15.2 and 18.2. Interministerial and interdepartmental cooperation (rule 26.6) are
of particular importance in the interest of generally enhancing the quality of
institutional treatment and training.
27. Application of the Standard Minimum Rules for the

Treatment of Prisoners adopted by the United Nations
27.1 The Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners and related
recommendations shall be applicable as far as relevant to the treatment of
juvenile offenders in institutions, including those in detention pending
adjudication.
27.2 Efforts shall be made to implement the relevant principles laid down in the
Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners to the largest possible
extent so as to meet the varying needs of juveniles specific to their age, sex and
personality.
Commentary
The Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners were among
the first instruments of this kind to be promulgated by the United Nations. It is
generally agreed that they have had a worldwide impact. Although there are still
countries where implementation is more an aspiration than a fact, those Standard
Minimum Rules continue to be an important influence in the humane and
equitable administration of correctional institutions.
Some essential protections covering juvenile offenders in institutions are
contained in the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners
(accommodation, architecture, bedding, clothing, complaints and requests,
contact with the outside world, food, medical care, religious service, separation
of ages, staffing, work, etc.) as are provisions concerning punishment and
discipline, and restraint for dangerous offenders. It would not be appropriate to
modify those Standard Minimum Rules according to the particular characteristics
of institutions for juvenile offenders within the scope of the Standard Minimum
Rules for the Administration of Juvenile Justice.
__________________
12 See General Assembly resolution 35/171, annex, para. 1.6.
13 General Assembly resolution 2263 (XXII).
Rule 27 focuses on the necessary requirements for juveniles in institutions

(rule 27.1) as well as on the varying needs specific to their age, sex and
personality (rule 27.2). Thus, the objectives and content of the rule interrelate to
the relevant provisions of the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of
Prisoners.
28. Frequent and early recourse to conditional release

28.1 Conditional release from an institution shall be used by the appropriate
authority to the greatest possible extent, and shall be granted at the earliest
possible time.
28.2 Juveniles released conditionally from an institution shall be assisted and
supervised by an appropriate authority and shall receive full support by the
community.
Commentary
The power to order conditional release may rest with the competent
authority, as mentioned in rule 14.1 or with some other authority. In view of this,
it is adequate to refer here to the “appropriate” rather than to the “competent”
authority.
Circumstances permitting, conditional release shall be preferred to serving a
full sentence. Upon evidence of satisfactory progress towards rehabilitation, even
offenders who had been deemed dangerous at the time of their institutionalization
can be conditionally released whenever feasible. Like probation, such release
may be conditional on the satisfactory fulfilment of the requirements specified by
the relevant authorities for a period of time established in the decision, for
example relating to “good behaviour” of the offender, attendance in community
programmes, residence in halfway houses, etc.
In the case of offenders conditionally released from an institution, assistance
and supervision by a probation or other officer (particularly where probation has
not yet been adopted) should be provided and community support should be
encouraged.
29. Semi-institutional arrangements

29.1 Efforts shall be made to provide semi-institutional arrangements, such as
halfway houses, educational homes, daytime training centres and other such
appropriate arrangements that may assist juveniles in their proper reintegration
into society.
Commentary
The importance of care following a period of institutionalization should not
be underestimated. This rule emphasizes the necessity of forming a net of
semi-institutional arrangements.
This rule also emphasizes the need for a diverse range of facilities and
services designed to meet the different needs of young offenders re-entering the
community and to provide guidance and structural support as an important step
towards successful reintegration into society.
Part six
Research, planning, policy formulation
and evaluation
30. Research as a basis for planning,
policy formulation and evaluation
30.1 Efforts shall be made to organize and promote necessary research as a basis
for effective planning and policy formulation.
30.2 Efforts shall be made to review and appraise periodically the trends,
problems and causes of juvenile delinquency and crime as well as the varying
particular needs of juveniles in custody.
30.3 Efforts shall be made to establish a regular evaluative research mechanism
built into the system of juvenile justice administration and to collect and analyse
relevant data and information for appropriate assessment and future improvement
and reform of the administration.
30.4 The delivery of services in juvenile justice administration shall be
systematically planned and implemented as an integral part of national
development efforts.
Commentary
The utilization of research as a basis for an informed juvenile justice policy
is widely acknowledged as an important mechanism for keeping practices abreast
of advances in knowledge and the continuing development and improvement of
the juvenile justice system. The mutual feedback between research and policy is
especially important in juvenile justice. With rapid and often drastic changes in
the lifestyles of the young and in the forms and dimensions of juvenile crime, the
societal and justice responses to juvenile crime and delinquency quickly become
outmoded and inadequate.
Rule 30 thus establishes standards for integrating research into the process
of policy formulation and application in juvenile justice administration. The rule
draws particular attention to the need for regular review and evaluation of
existing programmes and measures and for planning within the broader context
of overall development objectives.
A constant appraisal of the needs of juveniles, as well as the trends and
problems of delinquency, is a prerequisite for improving the methods of
formulating appropriate policies and establishing adequate interventions, at both
formal and informal levels. In this context, research by independent persons and
bodies should be facilitated by responsible agencies, and it may be valuable to
obtain and to take into account the views of juveniles themselves, not only those
who come into contact with the system.
The process of planning must particularly emphasize a more effective and
equitable system for the delivery of necessary services. Towards that end, there
should be a comprehensive and regular assessment of the wide-ranging,
particular needs and problems of juveniles and an identification of clear-cut
priorities. In that connection, there should also be a coordination in the use of
existing resources, including alternatives and community support that would be
suitable in setting up specific procedures designed to implement and monitor
established programmes.
21. United Nations Guidelines for the Prevention of

Juvenile Delinquency (the Riyadh Guidelines)*
I. Fundamental principles
1. The prevention of juvenile delinquency is an essential part of crime
prevention in society. By engaging in lawful, socially useful activities and
adopting a humanistic orientation towards society and outlook on life, young
persons can develop non-criminogenic attitudes.
2. The successful prevention of juvenile delinquency requires efforts on the
part of the entire society to ensure the harmonious development of adolescents,
with respect for and promotion of their personality from early childhood.
3. For the purposes of the interpretation of the present Guidelines, a
child-centred orientation should be pursued. Young persons should have an active
role and partnership within society and should not be considered as mere objects
of socialization or control.
4. In the implementation of the present Guidelines, in accordance with national
legal systems, the well-being of young persons from their early childhood should
be the focus of any preventive programme.
5. The need for and importance of progressive delinquency prevention policies
and the systematic study and the elaboration of measures should be recognized.
These should avoid criminalizing and penalizing a child for behaviour that does
not cause serious damage to the development of the child or harm to others. Such
policies and measures should involve:
(a) The provision of opportunities, in particular educational opportunities,
to meet the varying needs of young persons and to serve as a supportive
framework for safeguarding the personal development of all young persons,
particularly those who are demonstrably endangered or at social risk and are in
need of special care and protection;
__________________
* General Assembly resolution 45/112, annex.
(b) Specialized philosophies and approaches for delinquency prevention,

on the basis of laws, processes, institutions, facilities and a service delivery
network aimed at reducing the motivation, need and opportunity for, or
conditions giving rise to, the commission of infractions;
(c) Official intervention to be pursued primarily in the overall interest of
the young person and guided by fairness and equity;
(d) Safeguarding the well-being, development, rights and interests of all
young persons;
(e) Consideration that youthful behaviour or conduct that does not conform
to overall social norms and values is often part of the maturation and growth
process and tends to disappear spontaneously in most individuals with the
transition to adulthood;
(f) Awareness that, in the predominant opinion of experts, labelling a
young person as “deviant’’, “delinquent” or “pre-delinquent” often contributes to
the development of a consistent pattern of undesirable behaviour by young
persons.
6. Community-based services and programmes should be developed for the
prevention of juvenile delinquency, particularly where no agencies have yet been
established. Formal agencies of social control should only be utilized as a means
of last resort.
II. Scope of the guidelines

7. The present Guidelines should be interpreted and implemented within the
broad framework of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,1 the
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights the International
Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,2 the Declaration of the Rights of the
Child3 and the Convention on the Rights of the Child,4 and in the context of the
United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Administration of Juvenile
Justice (the Beijing Rules),5 as well as other instruments and norms relating to
the rights, interests and well-being of all children and young persons.
8. The present Guidelines should also be implemented in the context of the
economic, social and cultural conditions prevailing in each Member State.
__________________
3 General Assembly resolution 1386 (XIV).
III. General prevention

9. Comprehensive prevention plans should be instituted at every level of
government and include the following:
(a) In-depth analyses of the problem and inventories of programmes,
services, facilities and resources available;
(b) Well-defined responsibilities for the qualified agencies, institutions and
personnel involved in preventive efforts;
(c) Mechanisms for the appropriate coordination of prevention efforts
between governmental and non-governmental agencies;
(d) Policies, programmes and strategies based on prognostic studies to be
continuously monitored and carefully evaluated in the course of implementation;
(e) Methods for effectively reducing the opportunity to commit delinquent
acts;
(f) Community involvement through a wide range of services and
programmes;
(g) Close interdisciplinary cooperation between national, state, provincial
and local governments, with the involvement of the private sector, representative
citizens of the community to be served, and labour, childcare, health education,
social, law enforcement and judicial agencies in taking concerted action to
prevent juvenile delinquency and youth crime;
(h) Youth participation in delinquency prevention policies and processes,
including recourse to community resources, youth self-help, and victim
compensation and assistance programmes;
(i) Specialized personnel at all levels.
IV. Socialization processes

10. Emphasis should be placed on preventive policies facilitating the successful
socialization and integration of all children and young persons, in particular
through the family, the community, peer groups, schools, vocational training and
the world of work, as well as through voluntary organizations. Due respect
should be given to the proper personal development of children and young
persons, and they should be accepted as full and equal partners in socialization
and integration processes.
A. Family
11. Every society should place a high priority on the needs and well-being of
the family and of all its members.
12. Since the family is the central unit responsible for the primary socialization
of children, governmental and social efforts to preserve the integrity of the
family, including the extended family, should be pursued. The society has a
responsibility to assist the family in providing care and protection and in
ensuring the physical and mental well-being of children. Adequate arrangements
including day care should be provided.
13. Governments should establish policies that are conducive to the bringing up
of children in stable and settled family environments. Families in need of
assistance in the resolution of conditions of instability or conflict should be
provided with requisite services.
14. Where a stable and settled family environment is lacking and when
community efforts to assist parents in this regard have failed and the extended
family cannot fulfil this role, alternative placements, including foster care and
adoption, should be considered. Such placements should replicate, to the extent
possible, a stable and settled family environment, while, at the same time,
establishing a sense of permanency for children, thus avoiding problems
associated with “foster drift”.
15. Special attention should be given to children of families affected by
problems brought about by rapid and uneven economic, social and cultural
change, in particular the children of indigenous, migrant and refugee families. As
such changes may disrupt the social capacity of the family to secure the
traditional rearing and nurturing of children, often as a result of role and culture
conflict, innovative and socially constructive modalities for the socialization of
children have to be designed.
16. Measures should be taken and programmes developed to provide families
with the opportunity to learn about parental roles and obligations as regards child
development and child care, promoting positive parent-child relationships,
sensitizing parents to the problems of children and young persons and
encouraging their involvement in family and community-based activities.
17. Governments should take measures to promote family cohesion and
harmony and to discourage the separation of children from their parents, unless
circumstances affecting the welfare and future of the child leave no viable
alternative.
18. It is important to emphasize the socialization function of the family and
extended family; it is also equally important to recognize the future role,
responsibilities, participation and partnership of young persons in society.
19. In ensuring the right of the child to proper socialization, Governments and
other agencies should rely on existing social and legal agencies, but, whenever
traditional institutions and customs are no longer effective, they should also
provide and allow for innovative measures.
B. Education
20. Governments are under an obligation to make public education accessible to
all young persons.
21. Education systems should, in addition to their academic and vocational

training activities, devote particular attention to the following:
(a) Teaching of basic values and developing respect for the child’s own
cultural identity and patterns, for the social values of the country in which the
child is living, for civilizations different from the child’s own and for human
rights and fundamental freedoms;
(b) Promotion and development of the personality, talents and mental and
physical abilities of young people to their fullest potential;
(c) Involvement of young persons as active and effective participants in,
rather than mere objects of, the educational process;
(d) Undertaking activities that foster a sense of identity with and of
belonging to the school and the community;
(e) Encouragement of young persons to understand and respect diverse
views and opinions, as well as cultural and other differences;
(f) Provision of information and guidance regarding vocational training,
employment opportunities and career development;
(g) Provision of positive emotional support to young persons and the
avoidance of psychological maltreatment;
(h) Avoidance of harsh disciplinary measures, particularly corporal
punishment.
22. Educational systems should seek to work together with parents, community
organizations and agencies concerned with the activities of young persons.
23. Young persons and their families should be informed about the law and their
rights and responsibilities under the law, as well as the universal value system,
including United Nations instruments.
24. Educational systems should extend particular care and attention to young
persons who are at social risk. Specialized prevention programmes and
educational materials, curricula, approaches and tools should be developed and
fully utilized.
25. Special attention should be given to comprehensive policies and strategies
for the prevention of alcohol, drug and other substance abuse by young persons.
Teachers and other professionals should be equipped and trained to prevent and
deal with these problems. Information on the use and abuse of drugs, including
alcohol, should be made available to the student body.
26. Schools should serve as resource and referral centres for the provision of
medical, counselling and other services to young persons, particularly those with
special needs and suffering from abuse, neglect, victimization and exploitation.
27. Through a variety of educational programmes, teachers and other adults and
the student body should be sensitized to the problems, needs and perceptions of
young persons, particularly those belonging to underprivileged, disadvantaged,

ethnic or other minority and low-income groups.
28. School systems should attempt to meet and promote the highest professional
and educational standards with respect to curricula, teaching and learning
methods and approaches, and the recruitment and training of qualified teachers.
Regular monitoring and assessment of performance by the appropriate
professional organizations and authorities should be ensured.
29. School systems should plan, develop and implement extracurricular
activities of interest to young persons, in cooperation with community groups.
30. Special assistance should be given to children and young persons who find it
difficult to comply with attendance codes, and to “dropouts”.
31. Schools should promote policies and rules that are fair and just; students
should be represented in bodies formulating school policy, including policy on
discipline, and decision-making.
C. Community
32. Community-based services and programmes which respond to the special
needs, problems, interests and concerns of young persons and which offer
appropriate counselling and guidance to young persons and their families should
be developed, or strengthened where they exist.
33. Communities should provide, or strengthen where they exist, a wide range
of community-based support measures for young persons, including community
development centres, recreational facilities and services to respond to the special
problems of children who are at social risk. In providing these helping measures,
respect for individual rights should be ensured.
34. Special facilities should be set up to provide adequate shelter for young
persons who are no longer able to live at home or who do not have homes to live
in.
35. A range of services and helping measures should be provided to deal with
the difficulties experienced by young persons in the transition to adulthood. Such
services should include special programmes for young drug abusers which
emphasize care, counselling, assistance and therapy-oriented interventions.
36. Voluntary organizations providing services for young persons should be
given financial and other support by Governments and other institutions.
37. Youth organizations should be created or strengthened at the local level and
given full participatory status in the management of community affairs. These
organizations should encourage youth to organize collective and voluntary
projects, particularly projects aimed at helping young persons in need of
assistance.
38. Government agencies should take special responsibility and provide

necessary services for homeless or street children; information about local
facilities, accommodation, employment and other forms and sources of help
should be made readily available to young persons.
39. A wide range of recreational facilities and services of particular interest to
young persons should be established and made easily accessible to them.
D. Mass media
40. The mass media should be encouraged to ensure that young persons have
access to information and material from a diversity of national and international
sources.
41. The mass media should be encouraged to portray the positive contribution
of young persons to society.
42. The mass media should be encouraged to disseminate information on the
existence of services, facilities and opportunities for young persons in society.
43. The mass media generally, and the television and film media in particular,
should be encouraged to minimize the level of pornography, drugs and violence
portrayed and to display violence and exploitation disfavourably, as well as to
avoid demeaning and degrading presentations, especially of children, women and
interpersonal relations, and to promote egalitarian principles and roles.
44. The mass media should be aware of its extensive social role and
responsibility, as well as its influence, in communications relating to youthful
drug and alcohol abuse. It should use its power for drug abuse prevention by
relaying consistent messages through a balanced approach. Effective drug
awareness campaigns at all levels should be promoted.
V. Social policy
45. Government agencies should give high priority to plans and programmes for
young persons and should provide sufficient funds and other resources for the
effective delivery of services, facilities and staff for adequate medical and mental
health care, nutrition, housing and other relevant services, including drug and
alcohol abuse prevention and treatment, ensuring that such resources reach and
actually benefit young persons.
46. The institutionalization of young persons should be a measure of last resort
and for the minimum necessary period, and the best interests of the young person
should be of paramount importance. Criteria authorizing formal intervention of
this type should be strictly defined and limited to the following situations:
(a) where the child or young person has suffered harm that has been inflicted by
the parents or guardians; (b) where the child or young person has been sexually,
physically or emotionally abused by the parents or guardians; (c) where the child
or young person has been neglected, abandoned or exploited by the parents or
guardians; (d) where the child or young person is threatened by physical or moral
danger due to the behaviour of the parents or guardians; and (e) where a serious
physical or psychological danger to the child or young person has manifested
itself in his or her own behaviour and neither the parents, the guardians, the
juvenile himself or herself nor non-residential community services can meet the
danger by means other than institutionalization.
47. Government agencies should provide young persons with the opportunity of
continuing in full-time education, funded by the State where parents or guardians
are unable to support the young persons, and of receiving work experience.
48. Programmes to prevent delinquency should be planned and developed on the
basis of reliable, scientific research findings, and periodically monitored,
evaluated and adjusted accordingly.
49. Scientific information should be disseminated to the professional
community and to the public at large about the sort of behaviour or situation
which indicates or may result in physical and psychological victimization, harm
and abuse, as well as exploitation, of young persons.
50. Generally, participation in plans and programmes should be voluntary.
Young persons themselves should be involved in their formulation, development
and implementation.
51. Governments should begin or continue to explore, develop and implement
policies, measures and strategies within and outside the criminal justice system
to prevent domestic violence against and affecting young persons and to ensure
fair treatment to these victims of domestic violence.
VI. Legislation and juvenile

justice administration
52. Governments should enact and enforce specific laws and procedures to
promote and protect the rights and well-being of all young persons.
53. Legislation preventing the victimization, abuse, exploitation and the use for
criminal activities of children and young persons should be enacted and enforced.
54. No child or young person should be subjected to harsh or degrading
correction or punishment measures at home, in schools or in any other
institutions.
55. Legislation and enforcement aimed at restricting and controlling
accessibility of weapons of any sort to children and young persons should be
pursued.
56. In order to prevent further stigmatization, victimization and criminalization
of young persons, legislation should be enacted to ensure that any conduct not
considered an offence or not penalized if committed by an adult is not considered
an offence and not penalized if committed by a young person.
57. Consideration should be given to the establishment of an office of

ombudsman or similar independent organ, which would ensure that the status,
rights and interests of young persons are upheld and that proper referral to
available services is made. The ombudsman or other organ designated would also
supervise the implementation of the Riyadh Guidelines, the Beijing Rules and the
Rules for the Protection of Juveniles Deprived of their Liberty. The ombudsman
or other organ would, at regular intervals, publish a report on the progress made
and on the difficulties encountered in the implementation of the instrument.
Child advocacy services should also be established.
58. Law enforcement and other relevant personnel, of both sexes, should be
trained to respond to the special needs of young persons and should be familiar
with and use, to the maximum extent possible, programmes and referral
possibilities for the diversion of young persons from the justice system.
59. Legislation should be enacted and strictly enforced to protect children and
young persons from drug abuse and drug traffickers.
VII. Research, policy

development and coordination
60. Efforts should be made and appropriate mechanisms established to promote,
on both a multidisciplinary and an interdisciplinary basis, interaction and
coordination between economic, social, education and health agencies and
services, the justice system, youth, community and development agencies and
other relevant institutions.
61. The exchange of information, experience and expertise gained through
projects, programmes, practices and initiatives relating to youth crime,
delinquency prevention and juvenile justice should be intensified at the national,
regional and international levels.
62. Regional and international cooperation on matters of youth crime,
delinquency prevention and juvenile justice involving practitioners, experts and
decision makers should be further developed and strengthened.
63. Technical and scientific cooperation on practical and policy-related matters,
particularly in training, pilot and demonstration projects, and on specific issues
concerning the prevention of youth crime and juvenile delinquency should be
strongly supported by all Governments, the United Nations system and other
concerned organizations.
64. Collaboration should be encouraged in undertaking scientific research with
respect to effective modalities for youth crime and juvenile delinquency
prevention and the findings of such research should be widely disseminated and
evaluated.
65. Appropriate United Nations bodies, institutes, agencies and offices should
pursue close collaboration and coordination on various questions related to
children, juvenile justice and youth crime and juvenile delinquency prevention.
66. On the basis of the present Guidelines, the United Nations Secretariat, in
cooperation with interested institutions, should play an active role in the conduct
of research, scientific collaboration, the formulation of policy options and the
review and monitoring of their implementation, and should serve as a source of
reliable information on effective modalities for delinquency prevention.
22. United Nations Rules for the Protection of Juveniles

Deprived of their Liberty*
I. Fundamental perspectives
1. The juvenile justice system should uphold the rights and safety and promote
the physical and mental well-being of juveniles. Imprisonment should be used as
a last resort.
2. Juveniles should only be deprived of their liberty in accordance with the
principles and procedures set forth in these Rules and in the United Nations
Standard Minimum Rules for the Administration of Juvenile Justice (the Beijing
Rules).1 Deprivation of the liberty of a juvenile should be a disposition of last
resort and for the minimum necessary period and should be limited to
exceptional cases. The length of the sanction should be determined by the
judicial authority, without precluding the possibility of his or her early release.
3. The Rules are intended to establish minimum standards accepted by the
United Nations for the protection of juveniles deprived of their liberty in all
forms, consistent with human rights and fundamental freedoms, and with a view
to counteracting the detrimental effects of all types of detention and to fostering
integration in society.
4. The Rules should be applied impartially, without discrimination of any kind
as to race, colour, sex, age, language, religion, nationality, political or other
opinion, cultural beliefs or practices, property, birth or family status, ethnic or
social origin, and disability. The religious and cultural beliefs, practices and
moral concepts of the juvenile should be respected.
5. The Rules are designed to serve as convenient standards of reference and to
provide encouragement and guidance to professionals involved in the
management of the juvenile justice system.
6. The Rules should be made readily available to juvenile justice personnel in
their national languages. Juveniles who are not fluent in the language spoken by
the personnel of the detention facility should have the right to the services of an
interpreter free of charge whenever necessary, in particular during medical
examinations and disciplinary proceedings.
__________________
7. Where appropriate, States should incorporate the Rules into their legislation
or amend it accordingly and provide effective remedies for their breach,
including compensation when injuries are inflicted on juveniles. States should
also monitor the application of the Rules.
8. The competent authorities should constantly seek to increase the awareness
of the public that the care of detained juveniles and preparation for their return to
society is a social service of great importance, and to this end active steps should
be taken to foster open contacts between the juveniles and the local community.
9. Nothing in the Rules should be interpreted as precluding the application of
the relevant United Nations and human rights instruments and standards,
recognized by the international community, that are more conducive to ensuring
the rights, care and protection of juveniles, children and all young persons.
10. In the event that the practical application of particular Rules contained in
sections II to V, inclusive, presents any conflict with the Rules contained in the
present section, compliance with the latter shall be regarded as the predominant
requirement.
II. Scope and application of the rules

11. For the purposes of the Rules, the following definitions should apply:
(a) A juvenile is every person under the age of 18. The age limit below
which it should not be permitted to deprive a child of his or her liberty should be
determined by law;
(b) The deprivation of liberty means any form of detention or
imprisonment or the placement of a person in a public or private custodial
setting, from which this person is not permitted to leave at will, by order of any
judicial, administrative or other public authority.
12. The deprivation of liberty should be effected in conditions and
circumstances which ensure respect for the human rights of juveniles. Juveniles
detained in facilities should be guaranteed the benefit of meaningful activities
and programmes which would serve to promote and sustain their health and
self-respect, to foster their sense of responsibility and encourage those attitudes
and skills that will assist them in developing their potential as members of
society.
13. Juveniles deprived of their liberty shall not for any reason related to their
status be denied the civil, economic, political, social or cultural rights to which
they are entitled under national or international law, and which are compatible
with the deprivation of liberty.
14. The protection of the individual rights of juveniles with special regard to the
legality of the execution of the detention measures shall be ensured by the
competent authority, while the objectives of social integration should be secured
by regular inspections and other means of control carried out, according to
international standards, national laws and regulations, by a duly constituted body

authorized to visit the juveniles and not belonging to the detention facility.
15. The Rules apply to all types and forms of detention facilities in which
juveniles are deprived of their liberty. Sections I, II, IV and V of the Rules apply
to all detention facilities and institutional settings in which juveniles are
detained, and section III applies specifically to juveniles under arrest or awaiting
trial.
16. The Rules shall be implemented in the context of the economic, social and
cultural conditions prevailing in each Member State.
III. Juveniles under arrest or awaiting trial

17. Juveniles who are detained under arrest or awaiting trial (“untried’’) are
presumed innocent and shall be treated as such. Detention before trial shall be
avoided to the extent possible and limited to exceptional circumstances.
Therefore, all efforts shall be made to apply alternative measures. When
preventive detention is nevertheless used, juvenile courts and investigative
bodies shall give the highest priority to the most expeditious processing of such
cases to ensure the shortest possible duration of detention. Untried detainees
should be separated from convicted juveniles.
18. The conditions under which an untried juvenile is detained should be
consistent with the rules set out below, with additional specific provisions as are
necessary and appropriate, given the requirements of the presumption of
innocence, the duration of the detention and the legal status and circumstances of
the juvenile. These provisions would include, but not necessarily be restricted to,
the following:
(a) Juveniles should have the right of legal counsel and be enabled to apply
for free legal aid, where such aid is available, and to communicate regularly with
their legal advisers. Privacy and confidentiality shall be ensured for such
communications;
(b) Juveniles should be provided, where possible, with opportunities to
pursue work, with remuneration, and continue education or training, but should
not be required to do so. Work, education or training should not cause the
continuation of the detention;
(c) Juveniles should receive and retain materials for their leisure and
recreation as are compatible with the interests of the administration of justice.
IV. The management of juvenile facilities

A. Records
19. All reports, including legal records, medical records and records of
disciplinary proceedings, and all other documents relating to the form, content
and details of treatment, should be placed in a confidential individual file, which
should be kept up to date, accessible only to authorized persons and classified in

such a way as to be easily understood. Where possible, every juvenile should
have the right to contest any fact or opinion contained in his or her file so as to
permit rectification of inaccurate, unfounded or unfair statements. In order to
exercise this right, there should be procedures that allow an appropriate third
party to have access to and to consult the file on request. Upon release, the
records of juveniles shall be sealed, and, at an appropriate time, expunged.
20. No juvenile should be received in any detention facility without a valid
commitment order of a judicial, administrative or other public authority. The
details of this order should be immediately entered in the register. No juvenile
should be detained in any facility where there is no such register.
B. Admission, registration, movement and transfer

21. In every place where juveniles are detained, a complete and secure record of
the following information should be kept concerning each juvenile received:
(a) Information on the identity of the juvenile;
(b) The fact of and reasons for commitment and the authority therefor;
(c) The day and hour of admission, transfer and release;
(d) Details of the notifications to parents and guardians on every
admission, transfer or release of the juvenile in their care at the time of
commitment;
(e) Details of known physical and mental health problems, including drug
and alcohol abuse.
22. The information on admission, place, transfer and release should be
provided without delay to the parents and guardians or closest relative of the
juvenile concerned.
23. As soon as possible after reception, full reports and relevant information on
the personal situation and circumstances of each juvenile should be drawn up and
submitted to the administration.
24. On admission, all juveniles shall be given a copy of the rules governing the
detention facility and a written description of their rights and obligations in a
language they can understand, together with the address of the authorities
competent to receive complaints, as well as the address of public or private
agencies and organizations which provide legal assistance. For those juveniles
who are illiterate or who cannot understand the language in the written form, the
information should be conveyed in a manner enabling full comprehension.
25. All juveniles should be helped to understand the regulations governing the
internal organization of the facility, the goals and methodology of the care
provided, the disciplinary requirements and procedures, other authorized methods
of seeking information and of making complaints, and all such other matters as
are necessary to enable them to understand fully their rights and obligations
during detention.
26. The transport of juveniles should be carried out at the expense of the
administration in conveyances with adequate ventilation and light, in conditions
that should in no way subject them to hardship or indignity. Juveniles should not
be transferred from one facility to another arbitrarily.
C. Classification and placement

27. As soon as possible after the moment of admission, each juvenile should be
interviewed, and a psychological and social report identifying any factors
relevant to the specific type and level of care and programme required by the
juvenile should be prepared. This report, together with the report prepared by a
medical officer who has examined the juvenile upon admission, should be
forwarded to the director for purposes of determining the most appropriate
placement for the juvenile within the facility and the specific type and level of
care and programme required and to be pursued. When special rehabilitative
treatment is required, and the length of stay in the facility permits, trained
personnel of the facility should prepare a written, individualized treatment plan
specifying treatment objectives and time frame and the means, stages and delays
with which the objectives should be approached.
28. The detention of juveniles should only take place under conditions that take
full account of their particular needs, status and special requirements according
to their age, personality, sex and type of offence, as well as mental and physical
health, and which ensure their protection from harmful influences and risk
situations. The principal criterion for the separation of different categories of
juveniles deprived of their liberty should be the provision of the type of care best
suited to the particular needs of the individuals concerned and the protection of
their physical, mental and moral integrity and well-being.
29. In all detention facilities juveniles should be separated from adults, unless
they are members of the same family. Under controlled conditions, juveniles may
be brought together with carefully selected adults as part of a special programme
that has been shown to be beneficial for the juveniles concerned.
30. Open detention facilities for juveniles should be established. Open detention
facilities are those with no or minimal security measures. The population in such
detention facilities should be as small as possible. The number of juveniles
detained in closed facilities should be small enough to enable individualized
treatment. Detention facilities for juveniles should be decentralized and of such
size as to facilitate access and contact between the juveniles and their families.
Small-scale detention facilities should be established and integrated into the
social, economic and cultural environment of the community.
D. Physical environment and accommodation

31. Juveniles deprived of their liberty have the right to facilities and services
that meet all the requirements of health and human dignity.
32. The design of detention facilities for juveniles and the physical environment
should be in keeping with the rehabilitative aim of residential treatment, with due
regard to the need of the juvenile for privacy, sensory stimuli, opportunities for
association with peers and participation in sports, physical exercise and leisure-
time activities. The design and structure of juvenile detention facilities should be
such as to minimize the risk of fire and to ensure safe evacuation from the
premises. There should be an effective alarm system in case of fire, as well as
formal and drilled procedures to ensure the safety of the juveniles. Detention
facilities should not be located in areas where there are known health or other
hazards or risks.
33. Sleeping accommodation should normally consist of small group
dormitories or individual bedrooms, account being taken of local standards.
During sleeping hours there should be regular, unobtrusive supervision of all
sleeping areas, including individual rooms and group dormitories, in order to
ensure the protection of each juvenile. Every juvenile should, in accordance with
local or national standards, be provided with separate and sufficient bedding,
which should be clean when issued, kept in good order and changed often enough
to ensure cleanliness.
34. Sanitary installations should be so located and of a sufficient standard to
enable every juvenile to comply, as required, with their physical needs in privacy
and in a clean and decent manner.
35. The possession of personal effects is a basic element of the right to privacy
and essential to the psychological well-being of the juvenile. The right of every
juvenile to possess personal effects and to have adequate storage facilities for
them should be fully recognized and respected. Personal effects that the juvenile
does not choose to retain or that are confiscated should be placed in safe custody.
An inventory thereof should be signed by the juvenile. Steps should be taken to
keep them in good condition. All such articles and money should be returned to
the juvenile on release, except insofar as he or she has been authorized to spend
money or send such property out of the facility. If a juvenile receives or is found
in possession of any medicine, the medical officer should decide what use should
be made of it.
36. To the extent possible juveniles should have the right to use their own
clothing. Detention facilities should ensure that each juvenile has personal
clothing suitable for the climate and adequate to ensure good health, and which
should in no manner be degrading or humiliating. Juveniles removed from or
leaving a facility for any purpose should be allowed to wear their own clothing.
37. Every detention facility shall ensure that every juvenile receives food that is
suitably prepared and presented at normal meal times and of a quality and
quantity to satisfy the standards of dietetics, hygiene and health and, as far as
possible, religious and cultural requirements. Clean drinking water should be
available to every juvenile at any time.
E. Education, vocational training and work

38. Every juvenile of compulsory school age has the right to education suited to
his or her needs and abilities and designed to prepare him or her for return to
society. Such education should be provided outside the detention facility in
community schools wherever possible and, in any case, by qualified teachers
through programmes integrated with the education system of the country so that,
after release, juveniles may continue their education without difficulty. Special
attention should be given by the administration of the detention facilities to the
education of juveniles of foreign origin or with particular cultural or ethnic
needs. Juveniles who are illiterate or have cognitive or learning difficulties
should have the right to special education.
39. Juveniles above compulsory school age who wish to continue their
education should be permitted and encouraged to do so, and every effort should
be made to provide them with access to appropriate educational programmes.
40. Diplomas or educational certificates awarded to juveniles while in detention
should not indicate in any way that the juvenile has been institutionalized.
41. Every detention facility should provide access to a library that is adequately
stocked with both instructional and recreational books and periodicals suitable
for the juveniles, who should be encouraged and enabled to make full use of it.
42. Every juvenile should have the right to receive vocational training in
occupations likely to prepare him or her for future employment.
43. With due regard to proper vocational selection and to the requirements of
institutional administration, juveniles should be able to choose the type of work
they wish to perform.
44. All protective national and international standards applicable to child labour
and young workers should apply to juveniles deprived of their liberty.
45. Wherever possible, juveniles should be provided with the opportunity to
perform remunerated labour, if possible within the local community, as a
complement to the vocational training provided in order to enhance the
possibility of finding suitable employment when they return to their
communities. The type of work should be such as to provide appropriate training
that will be of benefit to the juveniles following release. The organization and
methods of work offered in detention facilities should resemble as closely as
possible those of similar work in the community, so as to prepare juveniles for
the conditions of normal occupational life.
46. Every juvenile who performs work should have the right to an equitable
remuneration. The interests of the juveniles and of their vocational training
should not be subordinated to the purpose of making a profit for the detention
facility or a third party. Part of the earnings of a juvenile should normally be set
aside to constitute a savings fund to be handed over to the juvenile on release.
The juvenile should have the right to use the remainder of those earnings to
purchase articles for his or her own use or to indemnify the victim injured by his
or her offence or to send it to his or her family or other persons outside the
detention facility.
F. Recreation
47. Every juvenile should have the right to a suitable amount of time for daily
free exercise, in the open air whenever weather permits, during which time
appropriate recreational and physical training should normally be provided.
Adequate space, installations and equipment should be provided for these
activities. Every juvenile should have additional time for daily leisure activities,
part of which should be devoted, if the juvenile so wishes, to arts and crafts skill
development. The detention facility should ensure that each juvenile is physically
able to participate in the available programmes of physical education. Remedial
physical education and therapy should be offered, under medical supervision, to
juveniles needing it.
G. Religion
48. Every juvenile should be allowed to satisfy the needs of his or her religious
and spiritual life, in particular by attending the services or meetings provided in
the detention facility or by conducting his or her own services and having
possession of the necessary books or items of religious observance and
instruction of his or her denomination. If a detention facility contains a sufficient
number of juveniles of a given religion, one or more qualified representatives of
that religion should be appointed or approved and allowed to hold regular
services and to pay pastoral visits in private to juveniles at their request. Every
juvenile should have the right to receive visits from a qualified representative of
any religion of his or her choice, as well as the right not to participate in religious
services and freely to decline religious education, counselling or indoctrination.
H. Medical care
49. Every juvenile shall receive adequate medical care, both preventive and
remedial, including dental, ophthalmological and mental health care, as well as
pharmaceutical products and special diets as medically indicated. All such
medical care should, where possible, be provided to detained juveniles through
the appropriate health facilities and services of the community in which the
detention facility is located, in order to prevent stigmatization of the juvenile and
promote self-respect and integration into the community.
50. Every juvenile has a right to be examined by a physician immediately upon
admission to a detention facility, for the purpose of recording any evidence of
prior ill-treatment and identifying any physical or mental condition requiring

medical attention.
51. The medical services provided to juveniles should seek to detect and should
treat any physical or mental illness, substance abuse or other condition that may
hinder the integration of the juvenile into society. Every detention facility for
juveniles should have immediate access to adequate medical facilities and
equipment appropriate to the number and requirements of its residents and staff
trained in preventive health care and the handling of medical emergencies. Every
juvenile who is ill, who complains of illness or who demonstrates symptoms of
physical or mental difficulties should be examined promptly by a medical officer.
52. Any medical officer who has reason to believe that the physical or mental
health of a juvenile has been or will be injuriously affected by continued
detention, a hunger strike or any condition of detention should report this fact
immediately to the director of the detention facility in question and to the
independent authority responsible for safeguarding the well-being of the juvenile.
53. A juvenile who is suffering from mental illness should be treated in a
specialized institution under independent medical management. Steps should be
taken, by arrangement with appropriate agencies, to ensure any necessary
continuation of mental health care after release.
54. Juvenile detention facilities should adopt specialized drug abuse prevention
and rehabilitation programmes administered by qualified personnel. These
programmes should be adapted to the age, sex and other requirements of the
juveniles concerned, and detoxification facilities and services staffed by trained
personnel should be available to drug- or alcohol-dependent juveniles.
55. Medicines should be administered only for necessary treatment on medical
grounds and, when possible, after having obtained the informed consent of the
juvenile concerned. In particular, they must not be administered with a view to
eliciting information or a confession, as a punishment or as a means of restraint.
Juveniles shall never be testees in the experimental use of drugs and treatment.
The administration of any drug should always be authorized and carried out by
qualified medical personnel.
I. Notification of illness, injury and death

56. The family or guardian of a juvenile and any other person designated by the
juvenile have the right to be informed of the state of health of the juvenile on
request and in the event of any important changes in the health of the juvenile.
The director of the detention facility should notify immediately the family or
guardian of the juvenile concerned, or other designated person, in case of death,
illness requiring transfer of the juvenile to an outside medical facility, or a
condition requiring clinical care within the detention facility for more than
48 hours. Notification should also be given to the consular authorities of the
State of which a foreign juvenile is a citizen.
57. Upon the death of a juvenile during the period of deprivation of liberty, the
nearest relative should have the right to inspect the death certificate, see the body
and determine the method of disposal of the body. Upon the death of a juvenile in
detention, there should be an independent inquiry into the causes of death, the
report of which should be made accessible to the nearest relative. This inquiry
should also be made when the death of a juvenile occurs within six months from
the date of his or her release from the detention facility and there is reason to
believe that the death is related to the period of detention.
58. A juvenile should be informed at the earliest possible time of the death,
serious illness or injury of any immediate family member and should be provided
with the opportunity to attend the funeral of the deceased or go to the bedside of
a critically ill relative.
J. Contacts with the wider community

59. Every means should be provided to ensure that juveniles have adequate
communication with the outside world, which is an integral part of the right to
fair and humane treatment and is essential to the preparation of juveniles for their
return to society. Juveniles should be allowed to communicate with their
families, friends and other persons or representatives of reputable outside
organizations, to leave detention facilities for a visit to their home and family and
to receive special permission to leave the detention facility for educational,
vocational or other important reasons. Should the juvenile be serving a sentence,
the time spent outside a detention facility should be counted as part of the period
of sentence.
60. Every juvenile should have the right to receive regular and frequent visits,
in principle once a week and not less than once a month, in circumstances that
respect the need of the juvenile for privacy, contact and unrestricted
communication with the family and the defence counsel.
61. Every juvenile should have the right to communicate in writing or by
telephone at least twice a week with the person of his or her choice, unless
legally restricted, and should be assisted as necessary in order effectively to
enjoy this right. Every juvenile should have the right to receive correspondence.
62. Juveniles should have the opportunity to keep themselves informed
regularly of the news by reading newspapers, periodicals and other publications,
through access to radio and television programmes and motion pictures, and
through the visits of the representatives of any lawful club or organization in
which the juvenile is interested.
K. Limitations of physical restraint and the use of force

63. Recourse to instruments of restraint and to force for any purpose should be
prohibited, except as set forth in rule 64 below.
64. Instruments of restraint and force can only be used in exceptional cases,
where all other control methods have been exhausted and failed, and only as
explicitly authorized and specified by law and regulation. They should not cause
humiliation or degradation, and should be used restrictively and only for the
shortest possible period of time. By order of the director of the administration,
such instruments might be resorted to in order to prevent the juvenile from
inflicting self-injury, injuries to others or serious destruction of property. In such
instances, the director should at once consult medical and other relevant
personnel and report to the higher administrative authority.
65. The carrying and use of weapons by personnel should be prohibited in any
facility where juveniles are detained.
L. Disciplinary procedures
66. Any disciplinary measures and procedures should maintain the interest of
safety and an ordered community life and should be consistent with the
upholding of the inherent dignity of the juvenile and the fundamental objective of
institutional care, namely, instilling a sense of justice, self-respect and respect for
the basic rights of every person.
67. All disciplinary measures constituting cruel, inhuman or degrading
treatment shall be strictly prohibited, including corporal punishment, placement
in a dark cell, closed or solitary confinement or any other punishment that may
compromise the physical or mental health of the juvenile concerned. The
reduction of diet and the restriction or denial of contact with family members
should be prohibited for any purpose. Labour should always be viewed as an
educational tool and a means of promoting the self-respect of the juvenile in
preparing him or her for return to the community and should not be imposed as a
disciplinary sanction. No juvenile should be sanctioned more than once for the
same disciplinary infraction. Collective sanctions should be prohibited.
68. Legislation or regulations adopted by the competent administrative authority
should establish norms concerning the following, taking full account of the
fundamental characteristics, needs and rights of juveniles:
(a) Conduct constituting a disciplinary offence;
(b) Type and duration of disciplinary sanctions that may be inflicted;
(c) The authority competent to impose such sanctions;
(d) The authority competent to consider appeals.
69. A report of misconduct should be presented promptly to the competent
authority, which should decide on it without undue delay. The competent
authority should conduct a thorough examination of the case.
70. No juvenile should be disciplinarily sanctioned except in strict accordance
with the terms of the law and regulations in force. No juvenile should be
sanctioned unless he or she has been informed of the alleged infraction in a
manner appropriate to the full understanding of the juvenile, and given a proper
opportunity of presenting his or her defence, including the right of appeal to a
competent impartial authority. Complete records should be kept of all
disciplinary proceedings.
71. No juveniles should be responsible for disciplinary functions except in
the supervision of specified social, educational or sports activities or in
self-government programmes.
M. Inspection and complaints

72. Qualified inspectors or an equivalent duly constituted authority not
belonging to the administration of the facility should be empowered to conduct
inspections on a regular basis and to undertake unannounced inspections on their
own initiative, and should enjoy full guarantees of independence in the exercise
of this function. Inspectors should have unrestricted access to all persons
employed by or working in any facility where juveniles are or may be deprived
of their liberty, to all juveniles and to all records of such facilities.
73. Qualified medical officers attached to the inspecting authority or the public
health service should participate in the inspections, evaluating compliance with
the rules concerning the physical environment, hygiene, accommodation, food,
exercise and medical services, as well as any other aspect or conditions of
institutional life that affect the physical and mental health of juveniles. Every
juvenile should have the right to talk in confidence to any inspecting officer.
74. After completing the inspection, the inspector should be required to submit
a report on the findings. The report should include an evaluation of the
compliance of the detention facilities with the present rules and relevant
provisions of national law, and recommendations regarding any steps considered
necessary to ensure compliance with them. Any facts discovered by an inspector
that appear to indicate that a violation of legal provisions concerning the rights of
juveniles or the operation of a juvenile detention facility has occurred should be
communicated to the competent authorities for investigation and prosecution.
75. Every juvenile should have the opportunity of making requests or
complaints to the director of the detention facility and to his or her authorized
representative.
76. Every juvenile should have the right to make a request or complaint, without
censorship as to substance, to the central administration, the judicial authority or
other proper authorities through approved channels, and to be informed of the
response without delay.
77. Efforts should be made to establish an independent office (ombudsman) to
receive and investigate complaints made by juveniles deprived of their liberty
and to assist in the achievement of equitable settlements.
78. Every juvenile should have the right to request assistance from family
members, legal counsellors, humanitarian groups or others where possible, in
order to make a complaint. Illiterate juveniles should be provided with assistance

should they need to use the services of public or private agencies and
organizations which provide legal counsel or which are competent to receive
complaints.
N. Return to the community

79. All juveniles should benefit from arrangements designed to assist them in
returning to society, family life, education or employment after release.
Procedures, including early release, and special courses should be devised to this
end.
80. Competent authorities should provide or ensure services to assist juveniles
in re-establishing themselves in society and to lessen prejudice against such
juveniles. These services should ensure, to the extent possible, that the juvenile is
provided with suitable residence, employment, clothing, and sufficient means to
maintain himself or herself upon release in order to facilitate successful
reintegration. The representatives of agencies providing such services should be
consulted and should have access to juveniles while detained, with a view to
assisting them in their return to the community.
V. Personnel
81. Personnel should be qualified and include a sufficient number of specialists
such as educators, vocational instructors, counsellors, social workers,
psychiatrists and psychologists. These and other specialist staff should normally
be employed on a permanent basis. This should not preclude part-time or
volunteer workers when the level of support and training they can provide is
appropriate and beneficial. Detention facilities should make use of all remedial,
educational, moral, spiritual, and other resources and forms of assistance that are
appropriate and available in the community, according to the individual needs
and problems of detained juveniles.
82. The administration should provide for the careful selection and recruitment
of every grade and type of personnel, since the proper management of detention
facilities depends on their integrity, humanity, ability and professional capacity to
deal with juveniles, as well as personal suitability for the work.
83. To secure the foregoing ends, personnel should be appointed as professional
officers with adequate remuneration to attract and retain suitable women and
men. The personnel of juvenile detention facilities should be continually
encouraged to fulfil their duties and obligations in a humane, committed,
professional, fair and efficient manner, to conduct themselves at all times in such
a way as to deserve and gain the respect of the juveniles, and to provide juveniles
with a positive role model and perspective.
84. The administration should introduce forms of organization and management
that facilitate communications between different categories of staff in each
detention facility so as to enhance cooperation between the various services
engaged in the care of juveniles, as well as between staff and the administration,
with a view to ensuring that staff directly in contact with juveniles are able to
function in conditions favourable to the efficient fulfilment of their duties.
85. The personnel should receive such training as will enable them to carry out
their responsibilities effectively, in particular training in child psychology, child
welfare and international standards and norms of human rights and the rights of
the child, including the present Rules. The personnel should maintain and
improve their knowledge and professional capacity by attending courses of
in-service training, to be organized at suitable intervals throughout their career.
86. The director of a facility should be adequately qualified for his or her task,
with administrative ability and suitable training and experience, and should carry
out his or her duties on a full-time basis.
87. In the performance of their duties, personnel of detention facilities should
respect and protect the human dignity and fundamental human rights of all
juveniles, in particular, as follows:
(a) No member of the detention facility or institutional personnel may
inflict, instigate or tolerate any act of torture or any form of harsh, cruel,
inhuman or degrading treatment, punishment, correction or discipline under any
pretext or circumstance whatsoever;
(b) All personnel should rigorously oppose and combat any act of
corruption, reporting it without delay to the competent authorities;
(c) All personnel should respect the present Rules. Personnel who have
reason to believe that a serious violation of the present Rules has occurred or is
about to occur should report the matter to their superior authorities or organs
vested with reviewing or remedial power;
(d) All personnel should ensure the full protection of the physical and
mental health of juveniles, including protection from physical, sexual and
emotional abuse and exploitation, and should take immediate action to secure
medical attention whenever required;
(e) All personnel should respect the right of the juvenile to privacy, and in
particular should safeguard all confidential matters concerning juveniles or their
families learned as a result of their professional capacity;
(f) All personnel should seek to minimize any differences between life
inside and outside the detention facility which tend to lessen due respect for the
dignity of juveniles as human beings.
23. Guidelines for Action on Children

in the Criminal Justice System*
1. Pursuant to Economic and Social Council resolution 1996/13 of 23 July

1996, the present Guidelines for Action on Children in the Criminal Justice
System were developed at the expert group meeting on the elaboration of a
programme of action to promote the effective use and application of international
standards and norms in juvenile justice, held at Vienna from 23 to 25 February
1997 with the financial support of the Government of Austria. In developing the
Guidelines for Action, the experts took into account the views expressed and the
information submitted by Governments.
2. Twenty-nine experts from eleven States in different regions, representatives
of the Centre for Human Rights of the Secretariat, the United Nations Children’s
Fund and the Committee on the Rights of the Child, as well as observers for
non-governmental organizations concerned with juvenile justice, participated in
the meeting.
3. The Guidelines for Action are addressed to the Secretary-General and
relevant United Nations agencies and programmes, States parties to the
Convention on the Rights of the Child,1 as regards its implementation, as well as
Member States as regards the use and application of the United Nations Standard
Minimum Rules for the Administration of Juvenile Justice (the Beijing Rules),2
the United Nations Guidelines for the Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency (the
Riyadh Guidelines)3 and the United Nations Rules for the Protection of Juveniles
Deprived of their Liberty,4 hereinafter together referred to as “United Nations
standards and norms in juvenile justice”.
I. Aims, objectives and basic considerations

4. The aims of the Guidelines for Action are to provide a framework to achieve
the following objectives:
(a) To implement the Convention on the Rights of the Child and to pursue
the goals set forth in the Convention with regard to children in the context of the
administration of juvenile justice, as well as to use and apply the United Nations
standards and norms in juvenile justice and other related instruments, such as the
Declaration of Basic Principles of Justice for Victims of Crime and Abuse of
Power;5
(b) To facilitate the provision of assistance to States parties for the
effective implementation of the Convention and related instruments.
__________________
5. In order to ensure effective use of the Guidelines for Action, improved

cooperation between Governments, relevant entities of the United Nations
system, non-governmental organizations, professional groups, the media,
academic institutions, children and other members of civil society is essential.
6. The Guidelines for Action should be based on the principle that the
responsibility for implementing the Convention clearly rests with the States
parties thereto.
7. The basis for the use of the Guidelines for Action should be the
recommendations of the Committee on the Rights of the Child.
8. In the use of the Guidelines for Action at both the international and national
levels, consideration should be given to the following:
(a) Respect for human dignity, compatible with the four general principles
underlying the Convention, namely: non-discrimination, including gender
sensitivity, upholding the best interests of the child, the right to life, survival and
development and respect for the views of the child;
(b) A rights-based orientation;
(c) A holistic approach to implementation through maximization of
resources and efforts;
(d) The integration of services on an interdisciplinary basis;
(e) The participation of children and concerned sectors of society;
(f) The empowerment of partners through a developmental process;
(g) Sustainability without continuing dependency on external bodies;
(h) Equitable application and accessibility to those in greatest need;
(i) Accountability and transparency of operations;
(j) Proactive responses based on effective preventive and remedial
measures.
9. Adequate resources (human, organizational, technological, financial and
information) should be allocated and utilized efficiently at all levels
(international, regional, national, provincial and local) and in collaboration
with relevant partners, including Governments, United Nations entities,
non-governmental organizations, professional groups, the media, academic
institutions, children and other members of civil society, as well as other
partners.
II. Plans for the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child,
the pursuit of its goals and the use and application of international standards
and norms in juvenile justice
A. Measures of general application
10. The importance of a comprehensive and consistent national approach in the
area of juvenile justice should be recognized, with respect for the
interdependence and indivisibility of all rights of the child.
11. Measures relating to policy, decision-making, leadership and reform should
be taken, with the goal of ensuring that:
(a) The principles and provisions of the Convention on the Rights of the
Child and the United Nations standards and norms in juvenile justice are fully
reflected in national and local legislation policy and practice, in particular by
establishing a child-oriented juvenile justice system that guarantees the rights of
children, prevents the violation of the rights of children, promotes children’s
sense of dignity and worth and fully respects their age, stage of development and
their right to participate meaningfully in and contribute to society;
(b) The relevant contents of the above-mentioned instruments are made
widely known to children in language accessible to children. In addition, if
necessary, procedures should be established to ensure that each and every child is
provided with the relevant information on his or her rights set out in those
instruments, at least from his or her first contact with the criminal justice system,
and is reminded of his or her obligation to obey the law;
(c) Understanding on the part of the public and the media of the spirit,
aims and principles of justice centred on the child is promoted in accordance
with the United Nations standards and norms in juvenile justice.
B. Specific targets
12. States should ensure the effectiveness of their birth registration programmes.
In those instances where the age of the child involved in the justice system is
unknown, measures should be taken to ensure that the true age of a child is
ascertained by independent and objective assessment.
13. Notwithstanding the age of criminal responsibility, civil majority and the
age of consent as defined by national legislation, States should ensure that
children benefit from all their rights, as guaranteed to them by international law
and, specifically in this context, those set forth in articles 3, 37 and 40 of the
Convention.
14. Particular attention should be given to the following points:
(a) There should be a comprehensive child-centred juvenile justice
process;
(b) Independent expert or other types of panels should review existing and
proposed juvenile justice laws and their impact on children;
(c) No child who is under the legal age of criminal responsibility should be
subject to criminal charges;
(d) States should establish juvenile courts with primary jurisdiction over
juveniles who commit criminal acts and special procedures should be designed to
take into account the specific needs of children. As an alternative, regular courts
should incorporate such procedures, as appropriate. Wherever necessary, national
legislative and other measures should be considered to accord all the rights of
and protection for the child, where the child is brought before a court other than a
juvenile court, in accordance with articles 3, 37 and 40 of the Convention.
15. A review of existing procedures should be undertaken and, where possible,
diversion or other alternative initiatives to the classical criminal justice systems
should be developed to avoid recourse to the criminal justice systems for young
persons accused of an offence. Appropriate steps should be taken to make
available throughout the State a broad range of alternative and educative
measures at the pre-arrest, pretrial, trial and post-trial stages, in order to prevent
recidivism and promote the social rehabilitation of child offenders. Whenever
appropriate, mechanisms for the informal resolution of disputes in cases
involving a child offender should be utilized, including mediation and restorative
justice practices, in particular processes involving victims. In the various
measures to be adopted, the family should be involved, to the extent that it
operates in favour of the good of the child offender. States should ensure that
alternative measures comply with the Convention and the United Nations
standards and norms in juvenile justice, as well as other existing standards and
norms in crime prevention and criminal justice, such as the United Nations
Standard Minimum Rules for Non-custodial Measures (the Tokyo Rules),6 with
special regard to ensuring respect for due-process rules in applying such
measures and for the principle of minimum intervention.
16. Priority should be given to setting up agencies and programmes to provide
legal and other assistance, such as interpretation services to children, if
necessary, free of charge, and, in particular, to ensure that the right of every child
to have access to such assistance from the moment that the child is detained is
respected in practice.
17. Appropriate action should be ensured to alleviate the problem of children in
need of special protection measures, such as children working or living on the
streets or children permanently deprived of a family environment, children with
disabilities, children of minorities, immigrants and indigenous peoples and other
vulnerable groups of children.
18. The placement of children in closed institutions should be reduced. Such
placement of children should only take place in accordance with the provisions
__________________
of article 37 (b) of the Convention and as a matter of last resort and for the
shortest period of time. Corporal punishment in the child justice and welfare
systems should be prohibited.
19. The United Nations Rules for the Protection of Juveniles Deprived of their
Liberty and article 37 (d) of the Convention also apply to any public or private
setting from which the child cannot leave at will, by order of any judicial,
administrative or other public authority.
20. In order to maintain a link between the detained child and his or her family
and community and to facilitate his or her social reintegration, it is important to
ensure easy access by relatives and persons who have a legitimate interest in the
child to institutions where children are deprived of their liberty, unless the best
interests of the child would suggest otherwise.
21. An independent body to monitor and report regularly on conditions in
custodial facilities should be established, if necessary. Monitoring should take
place within the framework of the United Nations standards and norms in
juvenile justice, in particular the United Nations Rules for the Protection of
Juveniles Deprived of their Liberty. States should permit children to
communicate freely and confidentially with the monitoring bodies.
22. States should consider positively requests from concerned humanitarian,
human rights and other organizations for access to custodial facilities, where
appropriate.
23. In relation to children in the criminal justice system, due account should be
taken of concerns raised by intergovernmental and non-governmental
organizations and other interested parties, in particular systemic issues, including
inappropriate admissions and lengthy delays that have an impact on children
deprived of their liberty.
24. All persons who have contact with or being responsible for children in the
criminal justice system should receive education and training in human rights,
the principles and provisions of the Convention and other United Nations
standards and norms in juvenile justice as an integral part of their training
programmes. Such persons include police and other law enforcement officials,
judges and magistrates, prosecutors, lawyers and administrators, prison officers
and other professionals working in institutions where children are deprived of
their liberty, and health personnel, social workers, peacekeepers and other
professionals concerned with juvenile justice.
25. In the light of existing international standards, States should establish
mechanisms to ensure a prompt, thorough and impartial investigation into
allegations against officials of deliberate violation of the fundamental rights and
freedoms of children. States should equally ensure that those found responsible
are duly sanctioned.
C. Measures to be taken at the international level

26. Juvenile justice should be given due attention internationally, regionally and
nationally, including within the framework of the United Nations system-wide
action.
27. There is an urgent need for close cooperation between all bodies in this
field, in particular, the Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Division of the
Secretariat, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human
Rights/Centre for Human Rights, the Office of the United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees, the United Nations Children’s Fund, the United
Nations Development Programme, the Committee on the Rights of the Child, the
International Labour Organization, the United Nations Educational, Scientific
and Cultural Organization and the World Health Organization. In addition, the
World Bank and other international and regional financial institutions and
organizations, as well as non-governmental organizations and academic
institutions, are invited to support the provision of advisory services and
technical assistance in the field of juvenile justice. Cooperation should therefore
be strengthened, in particular with regard to research, dissemination of
information, training, the implementation and monitoring of the Convention and
the use and application of existing standards, as well as with regard to the
provision of technical advice and assistance programmes, for example, by
making use of existing international networks on juvenile justice.
28. The effective implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child,
as well as the use and application of international standards through technical
cooperation and advisory service programmes, should be ensured by giving
particular attention to the following aspects related to protecting and promoting
human rights of children in detention, strengthening the rule of law and
improving the administration of the juvenile justice system:
(a) Assistance in legal reform;
(b) The strengthening of national capacities and infrastructures;
(c) Training programmes for police and other law enforcement officials,
judges and magistrates, prosecutors, lawyers, administrators, prison officers and
other professionals working in institutions where children are deprived of their
liberty, health personnel, social workers, peacekeepers and other professionals
concerned with juvenile justice;
(d) The preparation of training manuals;
(e) The preparation of information and education material to inform
children about their rights in juvenile justice;
(f) Assistance with the development of information and management
systems.
29. Close cooperation should be maintained between the Crime Prevention and
Criminal Justice Division and the Department of Peacekeeping Operations of the
Secretariat in view of the relevance of the protection of the rights of children in

peacekeeping operations, including the problems of children and youth as victims
and perpetrators of crime in peacebuilding and post-conflict or other emerging
situations.
D. Mechanisms for the implementation of

technical advice and assistance projects
30. In accordance with articles 43, 44 and 45 of the Convention, the Committee
on the Rights of the Child reviews the reports of States parties on the
implementation of the Convention. According to article 44 of the Convention,
these reports should indicate factors and difficulties, if any, affecting the degree
of fulfilment of the obligations under the Convention.
31. States parties to the Convention are invited to provide in their initial and
periodic reports comprehensive information, data and indicators on the
implementation of the provisions of the Convention and on the use and
application of the United Nations standards and norms in juvenile justice.7
32. As a result of the process of examining the progress made by States parties
in fulfilling their obligations under the Convention, the Committee on the Rights
of the Child may make suggestions and general recommendations to the States
parties to ensure full compliance with the Convention (in accordance with
article 45 (d) of the Convention). In order to foster the effective implementation
of the Convention and to encourage international cooperation in the area of
juvenile justice, the Committee transmits, as it may consider appropriate, to the
specialized agencies, the United Nations Children’s Fund and other competent
bodies any reports from States parties that contain a request, or indicate a need,
for advisory services and technical assistance, together with observations and
suggestions of the Committee, if any, on those requests or indications (in
accordance with article 45 (b) of the Convention).
33. Accordingly, should a State party report and the review process by the
Committee reveal any necessity to initiate reform in the area of juvenile justice,
including through assistance by the United Nations technical advice and
assistance programmes or those of the specialized agencies, the State party may
request such assistance, including assistance from the Crime Prevention and
Criminal Justice Division, the Centre for Human Rights and the United Nations
Children’s Fund.
__________________
7 See the general guidelines regarding the form and contents of periodic reports to be
submitted by States parties under article 44, paragraph 1 (b), of the Convention, adopted by
the Committee at its 343rd meeting (thirteenth session), on 11 October 1996 (CRC/C/58); for
a summary of the discussion on the topic (the administration of juvenile justice) of the
special thematic day of the Committee on the Rights of the Child, see the report of the
Committee on its tenth session (Geneva, 30 October-17 November 1995) (CRC/C/46),
pp. 33-39.
34. In order to provide adequate assistance in response to those requests, a

coordination panel on technical advice and assistance in juvenile justice should
be established, to be convened at least annually by the Secretary-General. The
panel will consist of representatives of the Crime Prevention and Criminal
Justice Division, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for
Human Rights/Centre for Human Rights, the United Nations Children’s Fund, the
United Nations Development Programme, the Committee on the Rights of the
Child, the institutes comprising the United Nations Crime Prevention and
Criminal Justice Programme network and other relevant United Nations entities,
as well as other interested intergovernmental, regional and non-governmental
organizations, including international networks on juvenile justice and academic
institutions involved in the provision of technical advice and assistance, in
accordance with paragraph 39 below.
35. Prior to the first meeting of the coordination panel, a strategy should be
elaborated for addressing the issue of how to activate further international
cooperation in the field of juvenile justice. The coordination panel should also
facilitate the identification of common problems, the compilation of examples of
good practice and the analysis of shared experiences and needs, which in turn
would lead to a more strategic approach to needs assessment and to effective
proposals for action. Such a compilation would allow for concerted advisory
services and technical assistance in juvenile justice, including an early agreement
with the Government requesting such assistance, as well as with all other
partners having the capacity and the competence to implement the various
segments of a country project, thus ensuring the most effective and problem-
oriented action. This compilation should be developed continuously in close
cooperation with all parties involved. It will take into account the possible
introduction of diversion programmes and measures to improve the
administration of juvenile justice, to reduce the use of remand homes and pretrial
detention, to improve the treatment of children deprived of their liberty and to
create effective reintegration and recovery programmes.
36. Emphasis should be placed on formulating comprehensive prevention plans,
as called for in the United Nations Guidelines for the Prevention of Juvenile
Delinquency (the Riyadh Guidelines).3 Projects should focus on strategies to
socialize and integrate all children and young persons successfully, in particular
through the family, the community, peer groups, schools, vocational training and
the world of work. These projects should pay particular attention to children in
need of special protection measures, such as children working or living on the
streets or children permanently deprived of a family environment, children with
disabilities, children of minorities, immigrants and indigenous peoples and other
vulnerable groups of children. In particular, the placement of these children in
institutions should be proscribed as much as possible. Measures of social
protection should be developed in order to limit the risks of criminalization for
these children.
37. The strategy will also set out a coordinated process for the delivery of
international advisory services and technical assistance to States parties to the
Convention, on the basis of joint missions to be undertaken, whenever
appropriate, by staff of the different organizations and agencies involved, with a
view to devising longer-term technical assistance projects.
38. Important actors in the delivery of advisory services and technical assistance
programmes at the country level are the United Nations resident coordinators,
with significant roles to be played by the field offices of the Office of the United
Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights/Centre for Human Rights, the
United Nations Children’s Fund and the United Nations Development
Programme. The vital nature of the integration of juvenile justice technical
cooperation in country planning and programming, including through the United
Nations country strategy note, is emphasized.
39. Resources must be mobilized for both the coordinating mechanism of the
coordination panel and regional and country projects formulated to improve
observance of the Convention. Resources for those purposes (see paras. 34 to 38
above) will come either from regular budgets or from extrabudgetary resources.
Most of the resources for specific projects will have to be mobilized from
external sources.
40. The coordination panel may wish to encourage, and in fact be the vehicle
for, a coordinated approach to resource mobilization in this area. Such resource
mobilization should be on the basis of a common strategy as contained in a
programme document drawn up in support of a global programme in this area.
All interested United Nations bodies and agencies as well as non-governmental
organizations that have a demonstrated capacity to deliver technical cooperation
services in this area should be invited to participate in such a process.
E. Further considerations for the implementation of country projects

41. One of the obvious tenets in juvenile delinquency prevention and juvenile
justice is that long-term change is brought about not only when symptoms are
treated but also when root causes are addressed. For example, excessive use of
juvenile detention will be dealt with adequately only by applying a
comprehensive approach, which involves both organizational and managerial
structures at all levels of investigation, prosecution and the judiciary, as well as
the penitentiary system. This requires communication, inter alia, with and among
police, prosecutors, judges and magistrates, authorities of local communities,
administration authorities and with the relevant authorities of detention centres.
In addition, it requires the will and ability to cooperate closely with each other.
42. To prevent further overreliance on criminal justice measures to deal with
children’s behaviour, efforts should be made to establish and apply programmes
aimed at strengthening social assistance, which would allow for the diversion of
children from the justice system, as appropriate, as well as improving the
application of non-custodial measures and reintegration programmes. To
establish and apply such programmes, it is necessary to foster close cooperation

between the child justice sectors, different services in charge of law enforcement
and the social welfare and education sectors.
III. Plans concerned with child

victims and witnesses
43. In accordance with the Declaration of Basic Principles of Justice for Victims
of Crime and Abuse of Power,5 States should undertake to ensure that child
victims and witnesses are provided with appropriate access to justice and fair
treatment, restitution, compensation and social assistance. If applicable,
measures should be taken to prevent the settling of penal matters through
compensation outside the justice system, when doing so is not in the best
interests of the child.
44. Police, lawyers, the judiciary and other court personnel should receive
training in dealing with cases where children are victims. States should consider
establishing, if they have not yet done so, specialized offices and units to deal
with cases involving offences against children. States should establish, as
appropriate, a code of practice for the proper management of cases involving
child victims.
45. Child victims should be treated with compassion and respect for their
dignity. They are entitled to access to the mechanisms of justice and to prompt
redress, as provided for by national legislation, for the harm they have suffered.
46. Child victims should have access to assistance that meets their needs, such
as advocacy, protection, economic assistance, counselling, health and social
services, social reintegration and physical and psychological recovery services.
Special assistance should be given to those children who are disabled or ill.
Emphasis should be placed upon family- and community-based rehabilitation
rather than institutionalization.
47. Judicial and administrative mechanisms should be established and
strengthened where necessary to enable child victims to obtain redress through
formal or informal procedures that are prompt, fair and accessible. Child victims
and/or their legal representatives should be informed accordingly.
48. Access should be allowed to fair and adequate compensation for all child
victims of violations of human rights, specifically torture and other cruel,
inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, including rape and sexual abuse,
unlawful or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, unjustifiable detention and
miscarriage of justice. The legal representation needed to bring an action within
an appropriate court or tribunal, as well as interpretation into the native language
of the child, if necessary, should be available.
49. Child witnesses need assistance in the judicial and administrative processes.
States should review, evaluate and improve, as necessary, the situation for
children as witnesses of crime in their evidential and procedural law to ensure
that the rights of children are fully protected. In accordance with the different
law traditions, practices and legal framework, direct contact should be avoided as
far as possible between the child victim and the offender during the process of
investigation and prosecution as well as during trial hearings. The identification
of the child victim in the media should be prohibited, where necessary, to protect
the privacy of the child. Where prohibition is contrary to the fundamental legal
principles of Member States, such identification should be discouraged.
50. States should consider, if necessary, amendments to their penal procedural
codes to allow for, inter alia, videotaping of testimony by the child and
presentation of the videotaped testimony in court as an official piece of evidence.
In particular, police, prosecutors, judges and magistrates should apply more
child-friendly practices, for example, in police operations and interviews of child
witnesses.
51. The responsiveness of judicial and administrative processes to the needs of
child victims and witnesses should be facilitated by:
(a) Informing child victims of their role and the scope, timing and progress
of the proceedings and of the disposition of their cases, especially where serious
crimes are involved;
(b) Encouraging the development of child witness preparation schemes to
familiarize children with the criminal justice process prior to giving evidence.
Appropriate assistance should be provided to child victims and witnesses
throughout the legal process;
(c) Allowing the views and concerns of child victims to be presented and
considered at appropriate stages of the proceedings where their personal interests
are affected, without prejudice to the accused and in accordance with the relevant
national criminal justice system;
(d) Taking measures to minimize delays in the criminal justice process,
protecting the privacy of child victims and witnesses and, where necessary,
ensuring their safety from intimidation and retaliation.
52. Children displaced illegally or wrongfully retained across borders are, as a
general principle, to be returned to the country of origin. Due attention should be
paid to their safety and they should be treated humanely and should receive
necessary assistance, pending their return. They should be returned promptly to
ensure compliance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child.1 Where the
Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction of
1980,8 the Convention on the Protection of Children and Cooperation in respect
of Intercountry Adoption of 19939 or the Convention on Jurisdiction, Applicable
Law, Recognition, Enforcement and Cooperation in respect of Parental
Responsibility and Measures for the Protection of the Child of 1996,9 approved
__________________
8United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 1343, No. 22514.
9See Permanent Bureau of the Hague Conference on Private International Law, The
Hague, 1996, Collection of Conventions (1951-1996).
by the Hague Conference on Private International Law, is applicable, the

provisions of the convention in question with regard to the return of the child
should be promptly applied. Upon the return of the child, the country of origin
should treat the child with respect, in accordance with international principles of
human rights, and offer adequate family-based rehabilitation measures.
53. The United Nations Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Programme,
including the institutes comprising the Programme network, the Office of the
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights/Centre for Human Rights,
the United Nations Children’s Fund, the United Nations Development
Programme, the Committee on the Rights of the Child, the United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the World Bank and interested
non-governmental organizations should assist Member States, at their request,
from within the overall appropriations of their regular budgets or from
extrabudgetary resources, in developing multidisciplinary training, education and
information activities for law enforcement and other criminal justice personnel,
including police officers, prosecutors, judges and magistrates.
24. Guidelines on Justice in Matters involving

Child Victims and Witnesses of Crime*
I. Objectives
1. The present Guidelines on Justice for Child Victims and Witnesses of Crime
set forth good practice based on the consensus of contemporary knowledge and
relevant international and regional norms, standards and principles.
2. The Guidelines should be implemented in accordance with relevant national
legislation and judicial procedures as well as take into consideration legal, social,
economic, cultural and geographical conditions. However, States should
constantly endeavour to overcome practical difficulties in the application of the
Guidelines.
3. The Guidelines provide a practical framework to achieve the following
objectives:
(a) To assist in the review of national and domestic laws, procedures and
practices so that these ensure full respect for the rights of child victims and
witnesses of crime and contribute to the implementation of the Convention on the
Rights of the Child,1 by parties to that Convention;
(b) To assist Governments, international organizations, public agencies,
non-governmental and community-based organizations and other interested
parties in designing and implementing legislation, policy, programmes and
practices that address key issues related to child victims and witnesses of crime;
__________________
* Economic and Social Council resolution 2005/20.
(c) To guide professionals and, where appropriate, volunteers working with

child victims and witnesses of crime in their day-to-day practice in the adult and
juvenile justice process at the national, regional and international levels,
consistent with the Declaration of Basic Principles of Justice for Victims of
Crime and Abuse of Power;2
(d) To assist and support those caring for children in dealing sensitively
with child victims and witnesses of crime.
4. In implementing the Guidelines, each jurisdiction should ensure that
adequate training, selection and procedures are put in place to protect and meet
the special needs of child victims and witnesses of crime, where the nature of the
victimization affects categories of children differently, such as sexual assault of
children, especially girls.
5. The Guidelines cover a field in which knowledge and practice are growing
and improving. They are neither intended to be exhaustive nor to preclude further
development, provided it is in harmony with their underlying objectives and
principles.
6. The Guidelines could also be applied to processes in informal and
customary systems of justice such as restorative justice and in non-criminal fields
of law including, but not limited to, custody, divorce, adoption, child protection,
mental health, citizenship, immigration and refugee law.
II. Special considerations

7. The Guidelines were developed:
(a) Cognizant that millions of children throughout the world suffer harm as
a result of crime and abuse of power and that the rights of those children have
not been adequately recognized and that they may suffer additional hardship
when assisting in the justice process;
(b) Recognizing that children are vulnerable and require special protection
appropriate to their age, level of maturity and individual special needs;
(c) Recognizing that girls are particularly vulnerable and may face
discrimination at all stages of the justice system;
(d) Reaffirming that every effort must be made to prevent victimization of
children, including through implementation of the Guidelines for the Prevention
of Crime;3
(e) Cognizant that children who are victims and witnesses may suffer
additional hardship if mistakenly viewed as offenders when they are in fact
victims and witnesses;
__________________
(f) Recalling that the Convention on the Rights of the Child sets forth
requirements and principles to secure effective recognition of the rights of
children and that the Declaration of Basic Principles of Justice for Victims of
Crime and Abuse of Power sets forth principles to provide victims with the right
to information, participation, protection, reparation and assistance;
(g) Recalling international and regional initiatives that implement the
principles of the Declaration of Basic Principles of Justice for Victims of Crime
and Abuse of Power, including the Handbook on Justice for Victims and the
Guide for Policy Makers on the Declaration of Basic Principles, both issued by
the United Nations Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention in 1999;
(h) Recognizing the efforts of the International Bureau for Children’s
Rights in laying the groundwork for the development of guidelines on justice for
child victims and witnesses of crime;
(i) Considering that improved responses to child victims and witnesses of
crime can make children and their families more willing to disclose instances of
victimization and more supportive of the justice process;
(j) Recalling that justice for child victims and witnesses of crime must be
assured while safeguarding the rights of accused and convicted offenders;
(k) Bearing in mind the variety of legal systems and traditions, and noting that
crime is increasingly transnational in nature and that there is a need to ensure that
child victims and witnesses of crime receive equivalent protection in all countries.
III. Principles
8. As stated in international instruments and in particular the Convention on
the Rights of the Child as reflected in the work of the Committee on the Rights of
the Child, and in order to ensure justice for child victims and witnesses of crime,
professionals and others responsible for the well-being of those children must
respect the following cross-cutting principles:
(a) Dignity. Every child is a unique and valuable human being and as such
his or her individual dignity, special needs, interests and privacy should be
respected and protected;
(b) Non-discrimination. Every child has the right to be treated fairly and
equally, regardless of his or her or the parent’s or legal guardian’s race, ethnicity,
colour, gender, language, religion, political or other opinion, national, ethnic or
social origin, property, disability and birth or other status;
(c) Best interests of the child. While the rights of accused and convicted
offenders should be safeguarded, every child has the right to have his or her best
interests given primary consideration. This includes the right to protection and to
a chance for harmonious development:
(i) Protection. Every child has the right to life and survival and to be
shielded from any form of hardship, abuse or neglect, including physical,
psychological, mental and emotional abuse and neglect;
(ii) Harmonious development. Every child has the right to a chance for
harmonious development and to a standard of living adequate for physical,
mental, spiritual, moral and social growth. In the case of a child who has
been traumatized, every step should be taken to enable the child to enjoy
healthy development;
(d) Right to participation. Every child has, subject to national procedural
law, the right to express his or her views, opinions and beliefs freely, in his or her
own words, and to contribute especially to the decisions affecting his or her life,
including those taken in any judicial processes, and to have those views taken
into consideration according to his or her abilities, age, intellectual maturity and
evolving capacity.
IV. Definitions
9. Throughout these Guidelines, the following definitions apply:
(a) “Child victims and witnesses” denotes children and adolescents, under
the age of 18, who are victims of crime or witnesses to crime regardless of their
role in the offence or in the prosecution of the alleged offender or groups of
offenders;
(b) “Professionals” refers to persons who, within the context of their work,
are in contact with child victims and witnesses of crime or are responsible for
addressing the needs of children in the justice system and for whom these
Guidelines are applicable. This includes, but is not limited to, the following:
child and victim advocates and support persons; child protection service
practitioners; child welfare agency staff; prosecutors and, where appropriate,
defence lawyers; diplomatic and consular staff; domestic violence programme
staff; judges; court staff; law enforcement officials; medical and mental health
professionals; and social workers;
(c) “Justice process” encompasses detection of the crime, making of the
complaint, investigation, prosecution and trial and post-trial procedures,
regardless of whether the case is handled in a national, international or regional
criminal justice system for adults or juveniles, or in a customary or informal
system of justice;
(d) “Child-sensitive” denotes an approach that balances the child’s right to
protection and that takes into account the child’s individual needs and views.
V. The right to be treated

with dignity and compassion
10. Child victims and witnesses should be treated in a caring and sensitive
manner throughout the justice process, taking into account their personal
situation and immediate needs, age, gender, disability and level of maturity and
fully respecting their physical, mental and moral integrity.
11. Every child should be treated as an individual with his or her individual
needs, wishes and feelings.
12. Interference in the child’s private life should be limited to the minimum
needed at the same time as high standards of evidence collection are maintained
in order to ensure fair and equitable outcomes of the justice process.
13. In order to avoid further hardship to the child, interviews, examinations and
other forms of investigation should be conducted by trained professionals who
proceed in a sensitive, respectful and thorough manner.
14. All interactions described in these Guidelines should be conducted in a
child-sensitive manner in a suitable environment that accommodates the special
needs of the child, according to his or her abilities, age, intellectual maturity and
evolving capacity. They should also take place in a language that the child uses
and understands.
VI. The right to be
protected from discrimination
15. Child victims and witnesses should have access to a justice process that
protects them from discrimination based on the child’s, parent’s or legal
guardian’s race, colour, gender, language, religion, political or other opinion,
national, ethnic or social origin, property, disability and birth or other status.
16. The justice process and support services available to child victims and
witnesses and their families should be sensitive to the child’s age, wishes,
understanding, gender, sexual orientation, ethnic, cultural, religious, linguistic and
social background, caste, socioeconomic condition and immigration or refugee
status, as well as to the special needs of the child, including health, abilities and
capacities. Professionals should be trained and educated about such differences.
17. In certain cases, special services and protection will need to be instituted to
take account of gender and the different nature of specific offences against
children, such as sexual assault involving children.
18. Age should not be a barrier to a child’s right to participate fully in the
justice process. Every child should be treated as a capable witness, subject to
examination, and his or her testimony should not be presumed invalid or
untrustworthy by reason of the child’s age alone as long as his or her age and
maturity allow the giving of intelligible and credible testimony, with or without
communication aids and other assistance.
VII. The right to be informed

19. Child victims and witnesses, their parents or guardians and legal
representatives, from their first contact with the justice process and throughout
that process, should be promptly and adequately informed, to the extent feasible
and appropriate, of, inter alia:
(a) The availability of health, psychological, social and other relevant
services as well as the means of accessing such services along with legal or other
advice or representation, compensation and emergency financial support, where

applicable;
(b) The procedures for the adult and juvenile criminal justice process,
including the role of child victims and witnesses, the importance, timing and
manner of testimony, and ways in which “questioning” will be conducted during
the investigation and trial;
(c) The existing support mechanisms for the child when making a
complaint and participating in the investigation and court proceedings;
(d) The specific places and times of hearings and other relevant events;
(e) The availability of protective measures;
(f) The existing mechanisms for review of decisions affecting child
victims and witnesses;
(g) The relevant rights for child victims and witnesses pursuant to the
Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Declaration of Basic Principles of
Justice for Victims of Crime and Abuse of Power.
20. In addition, child victims, their parents or guardians and legal
representatives should be promptly and adequately informed, to the extent
feasible and appropriate, of:
(a) The progress and disposition of the specific case, including the
apprehension, arrest and custodial status of the accused and any pending changes
to that status, the prosecutorial decision and relevant post-trial developments and
the outcome of the case;
(b) The existing opportunities to obtain reparation from the offender or
from the State through the justice process, through alternative civil proceedings
or through other processes.
VIII. The right to be heard and to

express views and concerns
21. Professionals should make every effort to enable child victims and witnesses
to express their views and concerns related to their involvement in the justice
process, including by:
(a) Ensuring that child victims and where appropriate witnesses are
consulted on the matters set forth in paragraph 19 above;
(b) Ensuring that child victims and witnesses are enabled to express freely
and in their own manner their views and concerns regarding their involvement in
the justice process, their concerns regarding safety in relation to the accused, the
manner in which they prefer to provide testimony and their feelings about the
conclusions of the process;
(c) Giving due regard to the child’s views and concerns and, if they are
unable to accommodate them, explain the reasons to the child.
IX. The right to effective assistance

22. Child victims and witnesses and, where appropriate, family members should
have access to assistance provided by professionals who have received relevant
training as set out in paragraphs 40 to 42 below. This may include assistance and
support services such as financial, legal, counselling, health, social and
educational services, physical and psychological recovery services and other
services necessary for the child’s reintegration. All such assistance should
address the child’s needs and enable him or her to participate effectively at all
stages of the justice process.
23. In assisting child victims and witnesses, professionals should make every
effort to coordinate support so that the child is not subjected to excessive
interventions.
24. Child victims and witnesses should receive assistance from support persons,
such as child victim/witness specialists, commencing at the initial report and
continuing until such services are no longer required.
25. Professionals should develop and implement measures to make it easier for
children to testify or give evidence to improve communication and understanding
at the pretrial and trial stages. These measures may include:
(a) Child victim and witness specialists to address the child’s special
needs;
(b) Support persons, including specialists and appropriate family members
to accompany the child during testimony;
(c) Where appropriate, to appoint guardians to protect the child’s legal
interests.
X. The right to privacy

26. Child victims and witnesses should have their privacy protected as a matter
of primary importance.
27. Information relating to a child’s involvement in the justice process should
be protected. This can be achieved through maintaining confidentiality and
restricting disclosure of information that may lead to identification of a child
who is a victim or witness in the justice process.
28. Measures should be taken to protect children from undue exposure to the
public by, for example, excluding the public and the media from the courtroom
during the child’s testimony, where permitted by national law.
XI. The right to be protected from

hardship during the justice process
29. Professionals should take measures to prevent hardship during the detection,
investigation and prosecution process in order to ensure that the best interests
and dignity of child victims and witnesses are respected.
30. Professionals should approach child victims and witnesses with sensitivity,
so that they:
(a) Provide support for child victims and witnesses, including
accompanying the child throughout his or her involvement in the justice process,
when it is in his or her best interests;
(b) Provide certainty about the process, including providing child victims
and witnesses with clear expectations as to what to expect in the process, with as
much certainty as possible. The child’s participation in hearings and trials should
be planned ahead of time and every effort should be made to ensure continuity in
the relationships between children and the professionals in contact with them
throughout the process;
(c) Ensure that trials take place as soon as practical, unless delays are in
the child’s best interest. Investigation of crimes involving child victims and
witnesses should also be expedited and there should be procedures, laws or court
rules that provide for cases involving child victims and witnesses to be
expedited;
(d) Use child-sensitive procedures, including interview rooms designed for
children, interdisciplinary services for child victims integrated in the same
location, modified court environments that take child witnesses into
consideration, recesses during a child’s testimony, hearings scheduled at times of
day appropriate to the age and maturity of the child, an appropriate notification
system to ensure the child goes to court only when necessary and other
appropriate measures to facilitate the child’s testimony.
31. Professionals should also implement measures:
(a) To limit the number of interviews: special procedures for collection of
evidence from child victims and witnesses should be implemented in order to
reduce the number of interviews, statements, hearings and, specifically,
unnecessary contact with the justice process, such as through use of video
recording;
(b) To ensure that child victims and witnesses are protected, if compatible
with the legal system and with due respect for the rights of the defence, from
being cross-examined by the alleged perpetrator: as necessary, child victims and
witnesses should be interviewed, and examined in court, out of sight of the
alleged perpetrator, and separate courthouse waiting rooms and private interview
areas should be provided;
(c) To ensure that child victims and witnesses are questioned in a

child-sensitive manner and allow for the exercise of supervision by judges,
facilitate testimony and reduce potential intimidation, for example by using
testimonial aids or appointing psychological experts.
XII. The right to safety

32. Where the safety of a child victim or witness may be at risk, appropriate
measures should be taken to require the reporting of those safety risks to
appropriate authorities and to protect the child from such risk before, during and
after the justice process.
33. Professionals who come into contact with children should be required to
notify appropriate authorities if they suspect that a child victim or witness has
been harmed, is being harmed or is likely to be harmed.
34. Professionals should be trained in recognizing and preventing intimidation,
threats and harm to child victims and witnesses. Where child victims and
witnesses may be the subject of intimidation, threats or harm, appropriate
conditions should be put in place to ensure the safety of the child. Such
safeguards could include:
(a) Avoiding direct contact between child victims and witnesses and the
alleged perpetrators at any point in the justice process;
(b) Using court-ordered restraining orders supported by a registry system;
(c) Ordering pretrial detention of the accused and setting special “no
contact” bail conditions;
(d) Placing the accused under house arrest;
(e) Wherever possible and appropriate, giving child victims and witnesses
protection by the police or other relevant agencies and safeguarding their
whereabouts from disclosure.
XIII. The right to reparation

35. Child victims should, wherever possible, receive reparation in order to
achieve full redress, reintegration and recovery. Procedures for obtaining and
enforcing reparation should be readily accessible and child-sensitive.
36. Provided the proceedings are child-sensitive and respect these Guidelines,
combined criminal and reparations proceedings should be encouraged, together
with informal and community justice procedures such as restorative justice.
37. Reparation may include restitution from the offender ordered in the criminal
court, aid from victim compensation programmes administered by the State and
damages ordered to be paid in civil proceedings. Where possible, costs of social
and educational reintegration, medical treatment, mental health care and legal
services should be addressed. Procedures should be instituted to ensure

enforcement of reparation orders and payment of reparation before fines.
XIV. The right to special preventive measures

38. In addition to preventive measures that should be in place for all children,
special strategies are required for child victims and witnesses who are
particularly vulnerable to recurring victimization or offending.
39. Professionals should develop and implement comprehensive and specially
tailored strategies and interventions in cases where there are risks that child
victims may be victimized further. These strategies and interventions should take
into account the nature of the victimization, including victimization related to
abuse in the home, sexual exploitation, abuse in institutional settings and
trafficking. The strategies may include those based on government,
neighbourhood and citizen initiatives.
XV. Implementation
40. Adequate training, education and information should be made available to
professionals, working with child victims and witnesses with a view to
improving and sustaining specialized methods, approaches and attitudes in order
to protect and deal effectively and sensitively with child victims and witnesses.
41. Professionals should be trained to effectively protect and meet the needs of
child victims and witnesses, including in specialized units and services.
42. This training should include:
(a) Relevant human rights norms, standards and principles, including the
rights of the child;
(b) Principles and ethical duties of their office;
(c) Signs and symptoms that indicate crimes against children;
(d) Crisis assessment skills and techniques, especially for making referrals,
with an emphasis placed on the need for confidentiality;
(e) Impact, consequences, including negative physical and psychological
effects, and trauma of crimes against children;
(f) Special measures and techniques to assist child victims and witnesses
in the justice process;
(g) Cross-cultural and age-related linguistic, religious, social and gender
issues;
(h) Appropriate adult-child communication skills;
(i) Interviewing and assessment techniques that minimize any trauma to
the child while maximizing the quality of information received from the child;
(j) Skills to deal with child victims and witnesses in a sensitive,

understanding, constructive and reassuring manner;
(k) Methods to protect and present evidence and to question child
witnesses;
(l) Roles of, and methods used by, professionals working with child
victims and witnesses.
43. Professionals should make every effort to adopt an interdisciplinary and
cooperative approach in aiding children by familiarizing themselves with the
wide array of available services, such as victim support, advocacy, economic
assistance, counselling, education, health, legal and social services. This
approach may include protocols for the different stages of the justice process to
encourage cooperation among entities that provide services to child victims and
witnesses, as well as other forms of multidisciplinary work that includes police,
prosecutor, medical, social services and psychological personnel working in the
same location.
44. International cooperation should be enhanced between States and all sectors
of society, both at the national and international levels, including mutual
assistance for the purpose of facilitating collection and exchange of information
and the detection, investigation and prosecution of transnational crimes involving
child victims and witnesses.
45. Professionals should consider utilizing the present Guidelines as a basis for
developing laws and written policies, standards and protocols aimed at assisting
child victims and witnesses involved in the justice process.
46. Professionals should be enabled to periodically review and evaluate their
role, together with other agencies in the justice process, in ensuring the
protection of the rights of the child and the effective implementation of the
present Guidelines.
25. United Nations Model Strategies and Practical Measures on

the Elimination of Violence against Children in the Field of
Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice*
Introduction
1. The United Nations Model Strategies and Practical Measures on the
Elimination of Violence against Children in the Field of Crime Prevention and
Criminal Justice have been prepared to help Member States to address the need
for integrated strategies for violence prevention and child protection, thereby
offering children the protection to which they have an unqualified right.
__________________
* General Assembly resolution 69/194, annex.
2. The Model Strategies and Practical Measures take into consideration the
complementary roles of the justice system on the one hand, and the child
protection, social welfare, health and education sectors on the other, in creating a
protective environment and in preventing and responding to violence against
children. They draw attention to the need for Member States to ensure that
criminal law is used appropriately and effectively to criminalize various forms of
violence against children, including forms of violence prohibited by international
law. The Model Strategies and Practical Measures will enable criminal justice
institutions to strengthen and focus their efforts to prevent and respond to
violence against children, and to increase their diligence in investigating,
convicting and rehabilitating perpetrators of violent crimes against children.
3. The Model Strategies and Practical Measures take into account the fact that
children who are alleged as, accused of or recognized as having infringed
criminal law, especially those who are deprived of their liberty, face a high risk
of violence. Because special attention must be paid to the especially vulnerable
situation of these children, the Model Strategies and Practical Measures are
aimed at not only improving the effectiveness of the criminal justice system in
preventing and responding to violence against children, but also at protecting
children against any violence that may result from their contact with the justice
system.
4. The Model Strategies and Practical Measures reflect the fact that some of
the perpetrators of violence against children are themselves children and often
victims of violence. The need to protect child victims in such instances cannot
negate the rights of all of the children involved to have their best interests
considered as a matter of primary importance.
5. The Model Strategies and Practical Measures are grouped into three broad
categories: general prevention strategies to address violence against children as
part of broader child protection and crime prevention initiatives; strategies and
measures to improve the ability of the criminal justice system to respond to
crimes of violence against children and to protect child victims effectively; and
strategies and measures to prevent and respond to violence against children in
contact with the justice system. Good practices are set forth, to be considered and
used by Member States within the framework of their national legal systems in a
manner consistent with applicable international instruments, including relevant
human rights instruments, and taking into consideration relevant United Nations
standards and norms in crime prevention and criminal justice. Member States
should be guided by the Model Strategies and Practical Measures to the
maximum extent of their available resources and, where needed, within the
framework of international cooperation.
Definitions
6. For the purposes of the Model Strategies and Practical Measures:
(a) “Child” means, as in article 1 of the Convention on the Rights of the
Child,1 “every human being below the age of eighteen years unless under the law
applicable to the child, majority is attained earlier”;
(b) A “child protection system” refers to the national legal framework,
formal and informal structures, functions and capacities to prevent and respond
to violence against and abuse, exploitation and neglect of children;
(c) “Children in contact with the justice system” refers to children who
come into contact with the justice system as victims or witnesses, children
alleged as, accused of or recognized as having infringed criminal law, or children
who are in any other situation requiring legal proceedings, for example regarding
their care, custody or protection, including cases involving children of
incarcerated parents;
(d) “Child-sensitive” denotes an approach that takes into consideration the
child’s right to protection and individual needs and views in accordance with the
age and maturity of the child;
(e) “Child victims” denotes children who are victims of crime regardless
of their role in the offence or in the prosecution of the alleged offender or group
of offenders;
(f) “Crime prevention” comprises strategies and measures that seek to
reduce the risk of crimes occurring and their potential harmful effects on
individuals and society, including fear of crime, by intervening to influence the
multiple causes of crime;
(g) “Criminal justice system” refers to laws, procedures, professionals,
authorities and institutions that apply to victims, witnesses and persons alleged
as, accused of or recognized as having infringed criminal law;
(h) “Deprivation of liberty” means any form of detention or imprisonment
or the placement of a person in a public or private custodial setting, from which
that person is not permitted to leave at will, by order of any judicial,
administrative or other public authority;
(i) “Diversion” refers to a process for dealing with children alleged as,
accused of or recognized as having infringed criminal law as an alternative to
judicial proceedings, with the consent of the child and the child’s parents or legal
guardian;
(j) “Informal justice system” refers to the resolution of disputes and the
regulation of conduct by adjudication or with the assistance of a neutral third
party that is not part of the judiciary as established by law and/or whose
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substantive, procedural or structural foundation is not primarily based on

statutory law;
(k) A “juvenile justice system” comprises laws, policies, guidelines,
customary norms, systems, professionals, institutions and treatment specifically
applicable to children alleged as, accused of or recognized as having infringed
criminal law;
(l) “Legal aid” includes legal advice, assistance and representation for
persons detained, arrested or imprisoned as a result of being suspected or accused
of or charged with a criminal offence, and for victims and witnesses in the
criminal justice process, which is provided at no cost for those without sufficient
means or when the interests of justice so require. Furthermore, “legal aid” is
intended to include the concepts of legal education, access to legal information
and other services provided for persons through alternative dispute resolution
mechanisms and restorative justice processes;
(m) A “protective environment” is an environment conducive to ensuring to
the maximum extent possible the survival and development of the child,
including physical, mental, spiritual, moral, psychological and social
development, in a manner compatible with human dignity;
(n) “Restorative justice programme” means any programme that uses
restorative processes and seeks to achieve restorative outcomes;
(o) “Restorative process” means any process in which the victim and the
offender and, where appropriate, any other individuals or community members
affected by a crime participate actively together in the resolution of matters
arising from the crime, generally with the help of a facilitator. Restorative
processes may include mediation, conciliation, conferencing and sentencing
circles;
(p) “Violence” means all forms of physical or mental violence, injury or
abuse, neglect or negligent treatment, maltreatment or exploitation, including
sexual abuse.
Guiding principles
7. In implementing the Model Strategies and Practical Measures at the national
level, Member States should be guided by the following principles:
(a) That the inherent rights of the child to life, survival and development
are protected;
(b) That the right of the child to have his or her best interests as a primary
consideration in all matters involving or affecting him or her is respected,
whether the child is a victim or a perpetrator of violence, as well as in all
measures of prevention and protection;
(c) That every child is protected from all forms of violence without
discrimination of any kind, irrespective of the child’s or his or her parent’s or
legal guardian’s race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion,
national, ethnic or social origin, property, disability, birth or other status;
(d) That the child is informed of his or her rights in an age-appropriate
manner and that the right of the child to be consulted and to express his or her
views freely in all matters affecting him or her is fully respected;
(e) That all strategies and measures to prevent and respond to violence
against children are designed and implemented from a gender perspective that
specifically addresses gender-based violence;
(f) That the specific vulnerabilities of children and the situations they find
themselves in, including children in need of special protection and children
committing criminal offences under the age of criminal responsibility, should be
addressed as part of comprehensive violence prevention strategies and identified
as a priority for action;
(g) That measures to protect child victims of violence are non-coercive and
do not compromise the rights of these children.
Part one
Prohibiting violence against children, implementing broad prevention
measures and promoting research and data collection
8. Child protection should begin with the proactive prevention of violence and
the explicit prohibition of all forms of violence. Member States have the duty to
take appropriate measures that effectively protect children from all forms of
violence.
I. Ensuring the prohibition by law of all

forms of violence against children
9. Recognizing the importance of the existence of a sound legal framework
which prohibits violence against children and empowers authorities to respond
appropriately to incidents of violence, Member States are urged, as appropriate
and while taking into consideration relevant international human rights
instruments, to ensure:
(a) That their laws are comprehensive and effective in prohibiting and
eliminating all forms of violence against children and that provisions that justify,
allow for or condone violence against children or may increase the risk of
violence against children are removed;
(b) That cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment of children
is prohibited and eliminated in all settings, including schools.
10. Because a countless number of girls and boys fall victim to harmful
practices undertaken under different pretexts or grounds, including female genital
mutilation or cutting, forced marriage, breast ironing and witchcraft rituals,
Member States are urged, as appropriate and while taking into consideration
relevant international human rights instruments:
(a) To establish by law a clear and comprehensive prohibition of all
harmful practices against children, supported by detailed provisions in relevant
legislation to secure the effective protection of girls and boys from those
practices, to provide means of redress and to fight impunity;
(b) To remove from all national legislation any legal provisions that
provide justification or allow for consent to harmful practices against children;
(c) To ensure that resorting to informal justice systems does not jeopardize
children’s rights or preclude child victims from accessing the formal justice
system, and to establish the supremacy of international human rights law.
11. Recognizing the serious nature of many forms of violence against children
and the need to criminalize these conducts, Member States should review and
update their criminal law to ensure that the following acts are fully covered
thereunder:
(a) Engaging in sexual activities with a child who is under the legal age of
consent, ensuring as well that an appropriate “age of protection” or “legal age of
consent”, below which a child cannot legally consent to sexual activity, is set;
(b) Engaging in sexual activities with a child using coercion, force or
threats, abusing a position of trust, authority or influence over a child, including
within the family, and abusing a particularly vulnerable situation of a child,
because of a mental or physical disability or a situation of dependence;
(c) Committing sexual violence against a child, including sexual abuse,
sexual exploitation and sexual harassment through or facilitated by the use of
new information technologies, including the Internet;
(d) The sale of or trafficking in children for any purpose and in any form;
(e) Offering, delivering or accepting, by whatever means, a child for the
purpose of sexual exploitation of the child, transfer of organs of the child for
profit or engagement of the child in forced labour;
(f) Offering, obtaining, procuring or providing a child for child
prostitution;
(g) Producing, distributing, disseminating, importing, exporting, offering,
selling or possessing child pornography;
(h) Slavery or practices similar to slavery, debt bondage and serfdom and
forced labour, including forced or compulsory recruitment of children for use in
armed conflict;
(i) Committing gender-related violence against a child and, in particular,
gender-related killing of girls.
II. Implementing comprehensive prevention programmes

12. General and context-specific measures should be developed by Member States
to prevent violence against children. Prevention measures, building on a growing
understanding of factors that give rise to violence against children and addressing
the risks of violence to which children are exposed, should be part of a
comprehensive strategy to eliminate violence against children. Criminal justice
agencies, working together with, as appropriate, child protection, social welfare,
health and education agencies and civil society organizations, should develop
effective violence prevention programmes as part of both broader crime prevention
programmes and initiatives to build a protective environment for children.
13. Preventing the victimization of children through all available means should
be recognized as a crime prevention priority. Member States are therefore urged,
as appropriate and while taking into consideration relevant international human
rights instruments:
(a) To strengthen existing child protection systems and to help to create a
protective environment for children;
(b) To adopt measures to prevent violence within the family and the
community, address cultural acceptance or tolerance of violence against children,
including gender-related violence, and challenge harmful practices;
(c) To encourage and support the development and implementation at
every level of government of comprehensive plans for the prevention of violence
against children in all of its forms, based on in-depth analysis of the problem and
incorporating:
(i) An inventory of existing policies and programmes;
(ii) Well-defined responsibilities for the relevant institutions, agencies and
personnel involved in preventive measures;
(iii) Mechanisms for the appropriate coordination of preventive measures
between governmental and non-governmental agencies;
(iv) Evidence-based policies and programmes that are continually
monitored and carefully evaluated in the course of implementation;
(v) Parental capacity-building and family support as the primary
preventive measures, while strengthening child protection in school and in
the community;
(vi) Methods for effectively identifying, mitigating and reducing the risk of
violence against children;
(vii) Public awareness-raising and community involvement in prevention
policies and programmes;
(viii) Close interdisciplinary cooperation, with the involvement of all

relevant agencies, civil society groups, local and religious leaders and,
where relevant, other stakeholders;
(ix) Participation of children and families in policies and programmes for
the prevention of criminal activities and victimization;
(d) To identify the specific vulnerabilities and risks faced by children in
different situations and to adopt proactive measures to reduce those risks;
(e) To take appropriate actions to support and protect all children, in
particular children in different situations of vulnerability and children in need of
special protection;
(f) To be guided by the Guidelines for the Prevention of Crime2 and play a
leading role in developing effective crime prevention strategies and in creating
and maintaining institutional frameworks for their implementation and review.
14. The risk of violence against children committed by children should be
addressed by specific prevention measures, including measures:
(a) To prevent physical, psychological and sexual violence exerted, often
through bullying, by children against other children;
(b) To prevent the violence sometimes exerted by groups of children,
including violence by youth gangs;
(c) To prevent the recruitment, use and victimization of children by youth
gangs;
(d) To identify and protect children, in particular girls, who are linked to
gang members and who are vulnerable to sexual exploitation;
(e) To encourage law enforcement agencies to use multi-agency
intelligence to proactively profile local risk and, accordingly, to direct
enforcement and disruption activity.
15. The risk of violence associated with trafficking in children and various
forms of exploitation by criminal groups should be addressed by specific
prevention measures, including measures:
(a) To prevent the recruitment, use and victimization of children by
criminal groups, terrorist entities or violent extremist groups;
(b) To prevent the sale of children, trafficking in children, child
prostitution and child pornography;
(c) To prevent the production, possession and dissemination of images and
all other materials that depict, glorify or incite violence against children,
including when perpetrated by children, particularly through information
technologies, such as the Internet, in particular social networking environments.
__________________
16. Broad public education and awareness campaigns are required. Member States,
in cooperation with educational institutions, non-governmental organizations,
relevant professional associations and the media, are urged, as appropriate and while
taking into consideration relevant international human rights instruments:
(a) To implement and support effective public awareness and public
education initiatives that prevent violence against children by promoting respect
for their rights and by educating their families and communities about the
harmful impact of violence;
(b) To raise awareness of how to prevent and respond to violence against
children among persons who have regular contact with children in the justice,
child protection, social welfare, health and education sectors and in areas relating
to sport, culture and leisure activities;
(c) To encourage and support inter-agency cooperation in implementing
violence prevention activities and programmes, planning and delivering public
information campaigns, training professionals and volunteers, gathering data on
the incidence of violence against children, monitoring and evaluating the
effectiveness of programmes and strategies and exchanging information on good
practices and lessons learned;
(d) To encourage the private sector, in particular the information and
communications technology sector, the tourism and travel industry and the
banking and finance sectors, and civil society to participate in the development
and implementation of policies to prevent the exploitation and abuse of children;
(e) To encourage the media to contribute to community efforts to prevent
and respond to violence against children and to promote changes in social norms
that tolerate such violence, and to encourage the establishment of media-led
ethical guidelines that will allow child-friendly coverage and reportage on cases
involving child victims of abuse, exploitation, neglect and discrimination, taking
into consideration the right of children to privacy;
(f) To involve children, their families, communities, local leaders,
religious leaders and criminal justice and other relevant professionals in
discussing the impact and detrimental effects of violence against children and
ways to prevent violence and eliminate harmful practices;
(g) To challenge attitudes that condone or normalize violence against
children, including the tolerance and acceptance of corporal punishment and
harmful practices, and the acceptance of violence.
17. In order to address the vulnerability and the specific risks of violence faced
by unaccompanied children, migrant children and children who are refugees or
asylum seekers, Member States are urged, as appropriate and without prejudice to
their obligations under international law:
(a) To ensure that these children have access to independent assistance,
advocacy and advice, that they are always placed in appropriate accommodation
and treated in a manner that is fully compatible with their best interests, that they
are separated from adults when necessary to protect them and, when applicable,
to sever relationships with smugglers and traffickers, and that a legally appointed
representative is available from the moment an unaccompanied child is detected
by the authorities;
(b) To conduct regular analyses of the nature of the threats faced by these
children and to assess their needs for assistance and protection;
(c) To uphold the principle of burden-sharing and solidarity with the host
country and to enhance international cooperation.
III. Promoting research and data collection,

analysis and dissemination
18. Member States, the institutes of the United Nations crime prevention and
criminal justice programme network, relevant entities of the United Nations
system, other relevant international organizations, research institutes,
non-governmental organizations and professional associations are urged, as
appropriate:
(a) To set up and strengthen mechanisms for the systematic and
coordinated collection of data on violence against children, including on violence
against children in contact with the justice system;
(b) To monitor and publish periodic reports on cases of violence against
children reported to the police and other criminal justice agencies, including the
number of cases, apprehension or arrest and clearance rates, prosecution and case
disposition with regard to the alleged offenders and the prevalence of violence
against children and, in so doing, to make use of data derived from population-
based surveys. The reports should disaggregate data by type of violence and
include, for example, information on the age and sex of the alleged offender and
his or her relationship to the victim;
(c) To develop a multilevel system of reporting, starting from the most
basic unit of government to the national level and to allow, in accordance with
national legislation, the exchange of relevant information, statistics and data
among all relevant institutions to help to ensure comprehensive data gathering
for policy and programme development that will promote child protection;
(d) To develop population-based surveys and child-sensitive
methodologies aimed at collecting data regarding children, including crime and
victimization surveys, to allow for assessment of the nature and extent of
(e) To develop and implement indicators relating to the performance of the
justice system in preventing and responding to violence against children;
(f) To develop and monitor indicators relating to the prevalence of
violence against children in contact with the justice system;
(g) To evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of the justice system in

meeting the needs of child victims of violence and preventing such violence,
including with regard to the way in which the justice system treats child victims
of violence, the use it makes of different intervention models and the degree to
which it cooperates with other agencies responsible for the protection of
children, and also to evaluate and assess the impact of current legislation, rules
and procedures relating to violence against children;
(h) To collect, analyse and disseminate data on independent inspections of
places of detention, access to complaint mechanisms by children in detention and
outcomes of complaints and investigations in accordance with the obligations of
States under international human rights law;
(i) To use research studies and data collection to inform policy and
practice and to exchange and disseminate information concerning successful
violence prevention practices;
(j) To encourage and provide sufficient financial support for research on
(k) To ensure that data, periodic reports and research are aimed at
supporting the efforts of Member States to address violence against children and
are used in the framework of constructive cooperation and dialogue with and
among Member States.
Part two
Enhancing the ability and capacity of the criminal justice system
to respond to violence against children and protect child victims
IV. Establishing effective detection and reporting mechanisms
19. In order to respond to the need to detect and report acts of violence against
children, Member States are urged, as appropriate:
(a) To ensure that measures are taken to identify risk factors for different
types of violence and identify signs of actual violence in order to trigger
appropriate intervention as early as possible;
(b) To ensure that criminal justice professionals who routinely come into
contact with children in the course of their work are aware of risk factors and
indicators of various forms of violence, in particular at the national level, and
that they have received guidance and are trained on how to interpret such
indicators and have the knowledge, willingness and ability necessary to take
appropriate action, including the provision of immediate protection;
(c) To legally require professionals who routinely come into contact with
children in the course of their work to notify appropriate authorities if they
suspect that a child is, or is likely to become, a victim of violence;
(d) To ensure that safe child- and gender-sensitive approaches, procedures
and complaint, reporting and counselling mechanisms are established by law, are
in conformity with the obligations of Member States under the relevant

international human rights instruments, take into account relevant international
standards and norms on crime prevention and criminal justice and are easily
accessible to all children and their representative or a third party without fear of
reprisal or discrimination;
(e) To ensure that individuals, and in particular children, reporting in good
faith alleged incidents of violence against children are protected against all forms
of reprisal;
(f) To work with Internet service providers, mobile telephone companies,
search engines, public Internet facilities and others to facilitate and, where
feasible, enact appropriate legislative measures to ensure the reporting of any
representation, by whatever means, of a child engaged in real or simulated
explicit sexual activities or any representation of the sexual parts of a child for
primarily sexual purposes, defined as child pornography under the Optional
Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children,
child prostitution and child pornography3 to the police or other authorized bodies
and the blocking of access to websites where such material is available or the
deletion of illegal content, and to keep records, in accordance with the law, and
preserve evidence for a period of time and as determined by law for the purpose
of investigation and prosecution.
V. Offering effective protection to child victims of violence

20. In order to more effectively protect child victims of violence through the
criminal justice process and avoid their secondary victimization, Member States
are urged, as appropriate and while taking into consideration relevant
international human rights instruments, to take appropriate measures:
(a) To ensure that laws clearly define the roles and responsibilities of
government departments and define standards for the actions of other
institutions, services and facilities responsible for the detection of violence
against children and the care and protection of children, in particular in cases of
domestic violence;
(b) To ensure that police and other law enforcement agencies have, with
judicial authorization where required by national law, adequate powers to enter
premises and conduct arrests in cases of violence against children and to take
immediate measures to ensure the safety of the children;
(c) To ensure that police, prosecutors, judges and all other relevant
professionals who may be in contact with child victims respond promptly to
incidents of violence against children and that relevant cases are managed
expeditiously and efficiently;
__________________
(d) To ensure that criminal justice and other relevant professionals, in

dealing with cases of child victims of violence, pay particular attention to child-
and gender-sensitive approaches, including through the use of modern
technologies in different stages of criminal investigations and criminal
proceedings;
(e) To ensure that national standards, procedures and protocols are
developed and implemented among relevant national actors in order to respond
with sensitivity to child victims of violence whose physical or psychological
integrity remains at serious risk and requires their urgent removal from the
dangerous context, and that temporary protection and care are provided in an
appropriate place of safety pending a full determination of the best interests of
the child;
(f) To ensure that the police, courts and other competent authorities have
the legal authority to issue and enforce protection measures such as restraining or
barring orders in cases of violence against children, including removal of the
perpetrator from the domicile and prohibiting further contact with the victim and
other affected parties inside and outside the domicile, as well as to impose
penalties for breaches of those orders in accordance with national legislation, and
to ensure that, when the child victim of violence remains under the care and
protection of the non-abusive parent, the parent can safeguard the child and that
such protective measures are not dependent on the initiation of criminal
proceedings;
(g) To ensure that a registration system is established for judicial
protection and restraining or barring orders, where such orders are permitted by
national law, so that police and other criminal justice officials can quickly
determine whether such an order is in force;
(h) To ensure that an informal or mediated settlement of cases involving
violence against children takes place only when it is in the best interests of the
child, and does not involve harmful practices, such as forced marriage, taking
into account any power imbalance and the vulnerability of the child or his or her
family in consenting to a settlement, with due regard for any future risk to the
safety of the child or other children;
(i) To ensure that child victims of violence and their families have access
to appropriate mechanisms or procedures in order to obtain redress and
reparation, including from the State, and that relevant information about those
mechanisms is publicized and easily accessible.
21. Recognizing the fact that, for prosecutions to be effective, it is often
necessary for child victims of violence to participate in the criminal justice
process, that in some jurisdictions children can be required or compelled to
testify and that these children are vulnerable and in need of special protection,
assistance and support in order to prevent further hardship and trauma that may
result from their participation in the criminal justice process, Member States are
required in this regard to ensure that the child’s privacy is fully respected at all
stages of the proceedings and are urged, as appropriate:
(a) To ensure the availability for children of special services, physical and
mental health care and protection that take into account gender and are
appropriate to the age, level of maturity and needs of the child in order to prevent
further hardship and trauma and promote the physical and psychological recovery
and social reintegration of child victims of violence;
(b) To ensure that children who have been subjected to sexual abuse, and
especially girls who have become pregnant or children living with HIV/AIDS or
other sexually transmitted diseases as a result of the abuse, receive
age-appropriate medical advice and counselling and are provided with the
requisite physical and mental health care and support;
(c) To ensure that child victims receive assistance from support persons
commencing at the initial report and continuing until such services are no longer
required;
(d) To ensure that professionals who are responsible for assisting child
victims make every effort to coordinate support to avoid unnecessary procedures
and limit the number of interviews.
VI. Ensuring effective investigation and

prosecution of incidents of violence against children
22. In order to effectively investigate and prosecute incidents of violence
against children and bring the perpetrators to justice, Member States are urged, as
appropriate and while taking into consideration relevant international human
rights instruments:
(a) To ensure that the primary responsibility for initiating investigations
and prosecutions lies with the police, the prosecution and other competent
authorities and does not require an official complaint to be filed by the child
victim of violence or a parent or legal guardian of the child;
(b) To adopt and implement policies and programmes aimed at guiding all
decisions concerning the prosecution of offences of violence against children and
ensuring the fairness, integrity and effectiveness of such decisions;
(c) To ensure that the applicable laws, policies, procedures, programmes
and practices related to violence against children are consistently and effectively
implemented by the criminal justice system;
(d) To ensure that child-sensitive investigation procedures are adopted and
implemented so as to ensure that violence against children is correctly identified
and to help provide evidence for administrative, civil and criminal proceedings,
while according due assistance to children with special needs;
(e) To develop and implement policies and appropriate responses regarding
the investigation and collection of evidence, in particular bodily samples, that
take into account the needs and views of child victims of violence in accordance
with the age and maturity of child victims, respect their dignity and integrity and
minimize intrusion into their lives, while abiding by national standards for the
collection of evidence;
(f) To ensure that the persons investigating alleged incidents of violence
against children have the duty, powers and necessary authorization to obtain all
the information necessary to the investigation, in accordance with criminal
procedure as laid out in national law, and have at their disposal all the budgetary
and technical resources necessary for effective investigation;
(g) To ensure that great care is taken to avoid subjecting a child victim of
violence to further harm through the process of the investigation, including by
inviting and giving due weight to the child’s views in accordance with the age
and maturity of the child and adopting child-sensitive and gender-sensitive
investigation and prosecution practices;
(h) To ensure that decisions on the apprehension or arrest, detention and
terms of any form of release of an alleged perpetrator of violence against a child
take into account the need for the safety of the child and others related to the
child, and that such procedures also prevent further acts of violence.
VII. Enhancing cooperation among various sectors

23. Acknowledging the complementary roles of the criminal justice system,
child protection agencies, health, education and social service sectors and, in
some cases, informal justice systems in creating a protective environment and
preventing and responding to incidents of violence against children, Member
States are urged, as appropriate:
(a) To ensure effective coordination and cooperation among the criminal
justice, child protection, social welfare, health and education sectors in detecting,
reporting and responding to violence against children and protecting and
assisting child victims;
(b) To establish stronger operational links, particularly in emergency
situations, between health and social service agencies, both public and private,
and criminal justice agencies for the purposes of reporting, recording and
responding appropriately to acts of violence against children, while protecting
the privacy of child victims of violence;
(c) To establish stronger links between informal justice systems and justice
and child protection institutions;
(d) To develop information systems and inter-agency protocols to facilitate
the exchange of information and enable cooperation in identifying incidents of
violence against children, responding to them, protecting child victims of
violence and holding perpetrators accountable, in accordance with national laws
on data protection;
(e) To ensure that violent acts against children, when suspected by health
and social services or child protection agencies, are promptly reported to the
police and other law enforcement agencies;
(f) To promote the establishment of specialized units specifically trained
to deal with the complexities and sensitivities relating to child victims of
violence, from which victims can receive comprehensive assistance, protection
and intervention services, including health and social services, legal aid and
police assistance and protection;
(g) To ensure that adequate medical, psychological, social and legal
services sensitive to the needs of child victims of violence are in place to
enhance the criminal justice management of cases involving violence against
children, to encourage the development of specialized health services, including
comprehensive, free and confidential forensic examinations by trained health
providers and appropriate treatment, including HIV-specific treatment, and to
facilitate and support inter-agency referrals of child victims for services;
(h) To provide support to children whose parents or caregivers are deprived
of liberty in order to prevent and address the risk of violence such children may
be exposed to as a result of the parents’ or caregiver’s actions or situation.
VIII. Improving criminal proceedings in

matters involving child victims of violence
24. With respect to criminal proceedings in matters involving child victims of
violence, Member States are urged, as appropriate and while taking into
consideration relevant international human rights instruments:
(a) To ensure that comprehensive services are provided and protection
measures are taken to ensure the safety, privacy and dignity of victims and their
families at all stages of the criminal justice process, without prejudice to the
ability or willingness of the victim to participate in an investigation or
prosecution, and to protect them from intimidation and retaliation;
(b) To ensure that the child’s views are given due weight in accordance
with the age and maturity of the child, that the child is provided the opportunity
to participate fully in any judicial and administrative proceedings, that every
child is treated as a capable witness and that his or her testimony is not presumed
to be invalid or untrustworthy by reason of the child’s age alone, as long as the
court or other competent authority deems that his or her age and maturity allow
the giving of intelligible and credible testimony, with or without communication
aids and other assistance;
(c) To ensure, in appropriate cases, that child victims of violence are not
required to testify as part of the criminal justice process without the knowledge
of their parents or legal guardians, that a child’s refusal to testify does not
constitute a criminal or other offence and that child victims of violence are able
to testify in criminal proceedings through adequate measures and child-friendly
practices that facilitate such testimony by protecting their privacy, identity and
dignity, ensuring their safety before, during and after legal proceedings, avoiding
secondary victimization and respecting their need and legal right to be heard
while recognizing the legal rights of the accused;
(d) To ensure that child victims of violence, their parents or legal
guardians and legal representatives, from the first contact with the justice system
and throughout the judicial proceedings, are promptly and adequately informed
of, inter alia, the rights of the child, the relevant procedures, available legal aid
and the progress and disposition of the specific case;
(e) To ensure that the child victim’s parents or legal guardian and, where
appropriate, a child protection professional accompany the child during
interviews conducted as part of the investigation and during trial proceedings,
inter alia, while testifying as a witness, except in the following circumstances, as
dictated by the best interests of the child:
(i) The parent(s) or the legal guardian are the alleged perpetrator(s) of the
offence committed against the child;
(ii) The court deems that it is not in the best interests of the child to be
accompanied by his or her parent(s) or legal guardian, including on the basis
of credible concern expressed by the child;
(f) To ensure that proceedings relevant to the testimony of the child are
explained to the child and conducted in language that is simple and
comprehensible to the child and that interpretation into language that the child
understands is made available;
(g) To protect the privacy of child victims of violence as a matter of
primary importance, to protect them from undue exposure to the public, for
example by excluding the public and the media from the courtroom during the
child’s testimony, and to protect information relating to a child’s involvement in
the justice process by maintaining confidentiality and restricting disclosure of
information that may lead to identification of the child;
(h) To ensure, within the framework of national legal systems, that
criminal proceedings involving child victims take place as soon as possible,
unless delays are in the child’s best interest;
(i) To provide for the use of child-sensitive procedures, including
interview rooms designed for children, interdisciplinary services for child
victims integrated within the same location, modified court environments that
take child witnesses into consideration, recesses during a child’s testimony,
hearings scheduled at times of day appropriate to the age and maturity of the
child, an appropriate notification system to ensure that the child goes to court
only when necessary and other appropriate measures to facilitate the child’s
testimony;
(j) To ensure that, when child victims of violence may be the subject of
intimidation, threats or harm, appropriate conditions are put in place to ensure
their safety and that protective measures are taken, such as:
(i) Preventing direct contact between a child victim and the accused at any
point during the criminal justice process;
(ii) Requesting restraining orders from a competent court, supported by a
registry system;
(iii) Requesting a pretrial detention order for the accused from a competent
court, with “no contact” bail conditions;
(iv) Requesting an order from a competent court to place the accused under
house arrest if necessary;
(v) Requesting protection for a child victim by the police or other relevant
agencies and safeguarding the whereabouts of the child from disclosure.
25. Recognizing the serious nature of violence against children and taking into
account the severity of the physical and psychological harm caused to child
victims, Member States are urged, as appropriate and while taking into
consideration relevant international human rights instruments, to ensure, when
informal justice systems are resorted to, that violence against children is
appropriately denounced and deterred, that perpetrators of violence against
children are held accountable for their actions and that redress, support and
compensation for child victims is provided.
26. Recognizing that measures to protect and assist child victims of violence
must continue after the person accused of that violence has been convicted and
sentenced, Member States are urged, as appropriate and while taking into
(a) To ensure the right of a child victim of violence, or his or her parents or
legal guardian, to be notified of the offender’s release from detention or
imprisonment if they so wish;
(b) To develop, implement and evaluate treatment and reintegration and
rehabilitation programmes for those convicted of violence against children that
prioritize the safety of victims and the prevention of recidivism;
(c) To ensure that judicial and correctional authorities, as appropriate,
monitor compliance by perpetrators with any treatment or other court order;
(d) To ensure that the risk to a child victim of violence and the best
interests of that child are considered at the time of making decisions concerning
the release of the offender from detention or imprisonment or the re-entry of the
offender into society.
IX. Ensuring that sentencing reflects the

serious nature of violence against children
27. Recognizing the serious nature of violence against children, while taking
into account the fact that the perpetrators of that violence may also be children,
Member States are urged, as appropriate and while taking into consideration
relevant international human rights instruments:
(a) To ensure that offences involving violence against children are, by law,
punishable by appropriate penalties that take into account their grave nature;
(b) To ensure that national law takes into account specific factors which
may aggravate a crime, including the age of the victim, the fact that the victim is
severely handicapped mentally or intellectually, repeated violent acts, abuse of a
position of trust or authority and perpetration of violence against a child in a
close relationship with the offender;
(c) To ensure that people who commit acts of violence against children
while under the influence of alcohol, drugs or other substances are not exempt
from criminal responsibility;
(d) To ensure that individuals can be prohibited or restrained by a court
order or other means, within the framework of the national legal system, from
harassing, intimidating or threatening children;
(e) To ensure that safety risks, including the vulnerability of victims, are
taken into account in decisions concerning non-custodial sentences, bail,
conditional release, parole or probation, especially when dealing with repeat and
dangerous offenders;
(f) To make available to the courts, through legislation, a full range of
sentencing dispositions to protect the victim, other affected persons and society
from further violence, and to rehabilitate the perpetrator, as appropriate;
(g) To review and update national law to ensure that the decisions made by
the courts in cases involving violent offences against children:
(i) Denounce and deter violence against children;
(ii) Hold offenders accountable, with due regard to their age and maturity,
for their acts involving violence against children;
(iii) Promote victim and community safety, including by separating the
offender from the victim and, if necessary, from society;
(iv) Allow for the severity of the physical and psychological harm caused to
the victim to be taken into consideration;
(v) Take into account the impact on victims and, if affected, their family
members, of sentences imposed on perpetrators;
(vi) Provide reparations for harm caused as a result of the violence;
(vii) Promote the rehabilitation of the perpetrator, including by promoting a

sense of responsibility in offenders and, where appropriate, rehabilitating
and reintegrating perpetrators into the community.
X. Strengthening capacity and training of

criminal justice professionals
28. Recognizing the responsibility of criminal justice professionals to prevent
and respond to violence against children and to protect child victims of violence,
as well as the need to facilitate and support this role, Member States are urged, as
appropriate:
(a) To take measures and allocate adequate resources to develop the
capacity of professionals within the criminal justice system to actively prevent
violence against children and to protect and assist child victims of violence;
(b) To enable close cooperation, coordination and collaboration between
criminal justice officials and other relevant professionals, especially those from
the child protection, social welfare, health and education sectors;
(c) To design and implement training programmes for criminal justice
professionals on the rights of the child, in particular on the Convention on the
Rights of the Child and international human rights law, and to provide
information on appropriate ways to deal with all children, in particular those who
might be subject to discrimination, and to educate criminal justice professionals
about the stages of child development, the process of cognitive development, the
dynamics and nature of violence against children, the difference between regular
peer groups and gangs, and the appropriate management of children who are
under the influence of alcohol or drugs;
(d) To design and deliver guidance, information and training to informal
justice system actors in order to ensure that their practices, legal interpretations
and decisions comply with international human rights law and effectively protect
children against all forms of violence;
(e) To design and implement mandatory, cross-cultural gender- and
child-sensitivity training modules for criminal justice professionals on the
unacceptability of all forms of violence against children and on the harmful
impact on and consequences for all those who experience such violence;
(f) To ensure that criminal justice professionals receive adequate training
and continuing education on all relevant national laws, policies and programmes,
as well as relevant international legal instruments;
(g) To promote the development and use of specialized expertise among
criminal justice professionals, including through the establishment, where
possible, of specialized units or personnel and specialized courts or dedicated
court time, and to ensure that all police officers, prosecutors, judges and other
criminal justice professionals receive regular and institutionalized training to
sensitize them to gender- and child-related issues and to build their capacity with
regard to responding to violence against children;
(h) To ensure that criminal justice officials and other relevant authorities
are adequately trained in their respective areas of competence:
(i) To identify and respond appropriately to the specific needs of child
victims of violence;
(ii) To receive and treat all child victims of violence respectfully, with a
view to preventing secondary victimization;
(iii) To handle complaints confidentially;
(iv) To conduct effective investigations of alleged incidents of violence
against children;
(v) To interact with child victims in an age-appropriate and child- and
gender-sensitive manner;
(vi) To conduct safety assessments and implement risk management
measures;
(vii) To enforce protection orders;
(i) To support the development of codes of conduct for criminal justice
professionals that prohibit violence against children, including safe complaint
and referral procedures, and to encourage relevant professional associations to
develop enforceable standards of practice and behaviour.
Part three
Preventing and responding to violence
against children within the justice system
XI. Reducing the number of children in contact with the justice system
29. Recognizing the importance of avoiding the unnecessary criminalization and
penalization of children, Member States are urged, as appropriate and while
taking into consideration relevant international human rights instruments, to
ensure that any conduct not considered a criminal offence or not penalized if
committed by an adult is also not considered a criminal offence and not penalized
if committed by a child, in order to prevent the child’s stigmatization,
victimization and criminalization.
30. In this regard, Member States are encouraged not to set the minimum age of
criminal responsibility at too low an age level, bearing in mind the emotional,
mental and intellectual maturity of children, and in this respect reference is made
to the recommendations of the Committee on the Rights of the Child to increase
the lower minimum age of criminal responsibility without exception to the age of
12 years as the absolute minimum age, and to continue to increase it to a higher
age level.
31. Recognizing that an important and highly effective way of reducing the
number of children in the justice system is through diversion measures,
restorative justice programmes and the use of non-coercive treatment and
education programmes as alternative measures to judicial proceedings, as well as
the provision of support for families, Member States are urged, as appropriate
and while taking into consideration relevant international human rights
instruments:
(a) To consider diversion to community-based programmes and to provide
police and other law enforcement officers, prosecutors and judges with options
for diverting children away from the justice system, including warning and
community work, to be applied in combination with restorative justice processes;
(b) To foster close cooperation among the justice, child protection, social
welfare, health and education sectors, so as to promote the use and enhanced
application of alternative measures to judicial proceedings and to detention;
(c) To consider designing and implementing restorative justice
programmes for children as alternative measures to judicial proceedings;
(d) To consider the use of non-coercive treatment, education and assistance
programmes as alternative measures to judicial proceedings and the development
of alternative non-custodial interventions and effective social reintegration
programmes.
XII. Preventing violence associated with law enforcement

and prosecution activities
32. Mindful of the fact that police and other security forces can sometimes be
responsible for acts of violence against children, Member States are urged, while
taking into consideration relevant international legal instruments, to prevent
abuse of power, arbitrary detention, corruption and extortion by police officers
who target children and their families.
33. Member States are urged to effectively prohibit the use of all forms of
violence, torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment
to obtain information, extract confessions, coerce a child into acting as an
informant or agent for the police, or engage a child in activities against his or her
will.
34. Mindful of the fact that arrests and investigations are situations in which
violence against children can occur, Member States are urged, as appropriate and
while taking into consideration relevant international human rights instruments:
(a) To ensure that all arrests are conducted in conformity with the law, to
limit the apprehension, arrest and detention of children to situations in which
these measures are necessary as a last resort, and to promote and implement,
where possible, alternatives to arrest and detention, including summonses and
notices to appear, in cases involving children as alleged perpetrators;
(b) To implement the principle that the apprehension or arrest of children

should be conducted in a child-sensitive manner;
(c) To prohibit the use of firearms, electric shock weapons and violent
methods to apprehend and arrest children, and to adopt measures and procedures
that carefully limit and guide the use of force and instruments of restraint by the
police while apprehending or arresting children;
(d) To require, ensure and monitor police compliance with the obligation to
notify parents, legal guardians or caregivers immediately following the
apprehension or arrest of a child;
(e) To ensure that, when considering whether a parent, legal guardian,
legal representative or responsible adult or, when necessary, a child protection
professional is to be present at, or to observe a child during, the interview or
interrogation process, the best interests of the child as well as other relevant
factors are taken into consideration;
(f) To ensure that children are informed of their rights and have prompt
access to legal aid during police interrogation and while in police detention, and
that they may consult their legal representative freely and fully confidentially;
(g) To review, evaluate and, where necessary, update national laws,
policies, codes, procedures, programmes and practices to implement policies and
strict procedures for searching children while respecting their privacy and
dignity, for taking intimate and non-intimate samples from child suspects and for
assessing the age and gender of a child;
(h) To implement measures to specifically prevent violence related to
unlawful practices by the police, including arbitrary arrests and detention and
extrajudicial punishment of children for unlawful or unwanted behaviours;
(i) To establish accessible, child-appropriate and safe procedures for
children to complain about incidents of violence during their arrest or
interrogation or while in police custody;
(j) To ensure that alleged incidents of violence against children during
their contact with the police are independently, promptly and effectively
investigated and that those alleged to have been implicated in violence against
children are removed from any position of control or power, whether direct or
indirect, over complainants, witnesses and their families, as well as those
conducting the investigation;
(k) To take measures to address the risk of violence and protect children
during their transport to a court, hospital or other facility, including the risk of
violence while being held in court holding cells together with adults;
(l) To ensure that, when a parent, legal guardian or caregiver is arrested,
the child’s best interests, care and other needs are taken into account.
XIII. Ensuring that deprivation of liberty is used

only as a measure of last resort and for the shortest
appropriate period of time
35. Recognizing that limiting the use of detention as a sentence and encouraging
the use of alternatives to detention can help to reduce the risk of violence against
children within the justice system, Member States are urged, as appropriate and
while taking into consideration relevant international human rights instruments:
(a) Not to deprive children of their liberty unlawfully or arbitrarily and, in
cases of deprivation of liberty, to ensure that it is in conformity with the law and
used only as a measure of last resort and for the shortest appropriate period of time;
(b) To ensure that children have continued access to government-funded
legal aid during all stages of the justice process;
(c) To ensure that children can exercise their right to appeal a sentence and
obtain the legal aid necessary to do so;
(d) To provide for the possibility of early release and make available
aftercare and social reintegration programmes and services;
(e) To facilitate professional specialization, or at least specialized training,
for criminal justice professionals dealing with children alleged as, accused of or
recognized as having infringed criminal law.
XIV. Prohibiting torture and other cruel,

inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment
36. Recognizing that no child should be subjected to torture or other cruel,
inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, Member States are urged:
(a) To review, evaluate and, where necessary, update their national laws to
effectively prohibit sentences involving any form of corporal punishment for
crimes committed by children;
(b) To review, evaluate and, where necessary, update their national laws to
ensure that, under legislation and practice, neither capital punishment nor life
imprisonment without the possibility of release is imposed for offences
committed by persons when they were under 18 years of age.
XV. Preventing and responding to violence

against children in places of detention
37. Recognizing that the majority of children deprived of their liberty are in
police custody or pretrial or preventive detention and that those children might
be at risk of violence, Member States are urged, as appropriate and while taking
into consideration relevant international human rights instruments:
(a) To ensure that children in police custody or pretrial or preventive
detention can promptly appear before a court or tribunal to challenge that
detention and that they have an opportunity to be heard either directly or through
a representative or an appropriate body in a manner consistent with the
procedural rules of national law, in order to obtain a prompt decision on any such
action;
(b) To reduce delays in the justice process, to expedite trials and other
proceedings involving children alleged as, accused of or recognized as having
infringed criminal law, and to avoid the resulting prolonged or arbitrary detention
of children while they await trial or the conclusion of a police investigation;
(c) To ensure the effective oversight and independent monitoring of all
cases of police custody or pretrial or preventive detention of children;
(d) To endeavour to reduce pretrial detention by, inter alia, adopting
legislative and administrative measures and policies on its preconditions,
limitations, duration and alternatives and by taking measures aimed at the
implementation of existing legislation, as well as by ensuring access to justice
and legal aid.
38. Recognizing that, when children must be detained, the conditions of
detention themselves can be conducive to various forms of violence against
children, Member States are urged, as appropriate and while taking into
(a) To ensure that all detention facilities have adopted and implemented
child-sensitive policies, procedures and practices, and to monitor compliance
with them;
(b) To establish a maximum capacity for all places of detention and take
concrete and sustained measures to address and reduce overcrowding in such
institutions;
(c) To ensure that, in all places of detention, children are separated from
adults and girls are separated from boys;
(d) To promote good practices in order to strengthen the protection and
safety of children living in custody with an incarcerated parent, including
consultation with the parents to determine their views regarding their child’s care
during the period of custody and the provision of special mother-and-child units
or, where parents are detained for violation of immigration laws, separate family
units in order to identify their special needs and accordingly provide appropriate
protection;
(e) To facilitate the assessment and classification of children held in
detention facilities in order to identify their special needs and accordingly
provide appropriate protection and individualize treatment and interventions,
including with respect to the specific needs of girls, and to ensure that there is a
sufficient array of facilities to accommodate and adequately protect children of
different ages or with differing needs;
(f) To ensure that treatment and support is offered to detained children

with special needs, including to girls who are pregnant, give birth and/or raise
children in detention, and that treatment for mental illness, disabilities,
HIV/AIDS and other communicable and non-communicable diseases and drug
addiction is offered, and to address the needs of children at risk of committing
suicide or other forms of self harm;
(g) To ensure that appropriate care and protection is provided to children
accompanying a parent or legal guardian deprived of liberty on any ground,
including for a violation of immigration law;
(h) To review, update and improve safety and security policies and
practices within places of detention to reflect the obligation of the authorities to
ensure the safety of children and protect them against all forms of violence,
including violence among children;
(i) To prevent all forms of discrimination against or ostracism or
stigmatization of detained children;
(j) To take strict measures to ensure that all alleged incidents of violence,
including sexual abuse of children in a place of detention, are immediately
reported and independently, promptly and effectively investigated by appropriate
authorities and, when well founded, effectively prosecuted.
39. Recognizing also that it is imperative to minimize the risk of violence
against children in detention, Member States are urged, as appropriate and while
(a) To ensure that children in detention and their parents and/or legal
guardians are aware of their rights and can access the mechanisms in place to
protect those rights, including access to legal aid;
(b) To prohibit the use of placement in a dark cell or closed or solitary
confinement or any other punishment that may compromise the physical or
mental health of a child;
(c) To adopt and implement strict policies guiding the use of force and
physical restraints on children during their detention;
(d) To adopt policies prohibiting the carrying and use of weapons by
personnel in any facility where children are detained;
(e) To prohibit and effectively prevent the use of corporal punishment as a
disciplinary measure, to adopt clear and transparent disciplinary policies and
procedures that encourage the use of positive and educational forms of discipline
and to establish in law the duty of managers and personnel of detention facilities
to record, review and monitor every instance in which disciplinary measures or
punishment are used;
(f) To prohibit any form of violence or threats of violence against children

by staff of places of detention in order to force children to engage in activities
against their will;
(g) To ensure the effective supervision and protection of children, as
necessary, from violence by other children and adults, including through
measures to prevent bullying by adults and by other children, and from
self-harm;
(h) To prevent violence associated with youth gang activities and racist
harassment and violence within places of detention;
(i) To encourage and facilitate, wherever possible and in the best interests
of the child, frequent family visits and regular contact and communication
between children and their family members, as well as with the outside world,
and to ensure that disciplinary sanctions for detained children do not include a
prohibition of contact with family members;
(j) To prevent violence against and abuse of children suffering from
mental illness or drug addiction, including through treatment and other measures
to protect them from self-harm.
40. Recognizing the importance of preventing violence against children through
appropriate staff recruitment, selection, training and supervision, Member States
are urged, as appropriate:
(a) To ensure that all personnel working with children in places of
detention are qualified, selected on the basis of professional capacity, integrity,
ability and personal suitability, sufficiently remunerated, adequately trained and
effectively supervised;
(b) To ensure that any person who has been convicted of a criminal offence
against a child is not eligible to work in an agency or organization providing
services to children, and to require agencies and organizations providing services
to children to prevent persons who have been convicted of a criminal offence
against a child from coming into contact with children;
(c) To train all personnel and make them aware of their responsibility to
identify early signs of risks of violence and mitigate that risk, to report incidents
of violence against children and to actively protect children against violence in
an ethical and child- and gender-sensitive manner.
41. Taking into account the distinctive needs of girls and their vulnerability to
gender-based violence, Member States are urged, as appropriate and while taking
into consideration relevant international human rights instruments:
(a) To eliminate the risk of all forms of harassment, violence and
discrimination against girls;
(b) To ensure that the special needs and vulnerabilities of girls are taken
into account in decision-making processes;
(c) To ensure that the dignity of girls is respected and protected during
personal searches, which shall only be carried out by female staff who have been
properly trained in appropriate searching methods and in accordance with
established procedures;
(d) To implement alternative screening methods, such as scans, to replace
strip searches and invasive body searches in order to avoid the harmful
psychological and possible physical impact of such searches;
(e) To adopt and implement clear policies and regulations on the conduct
of staff aimed at providing maximum protection for girls deprived of their liberty
from any physical or verbal violence, abuse or sexual harassment.
42. Recognizing the crucial importance of independent monitoring and
inspection mechanisms, Member States are urged, as appropriate and while
(a) To ensure effective monitoring of, regular access to and inspection of
places of detention and community-based institutions by national independent
bodies and national human rights institutions, ombudspersons or members of the
judiciary, who are empowered to conduct unannounced visits, conduct interviews
with children and staff in private and investigate allegations of violence;
(b) To ensure that they cooperate with relevant international and regional
monitoring mechanisms that are legally entitled to visit institutions in which
children are deprived of their liberty;
(c) To promote international cooperation with regard to best practices and
lessons learned related to national monitoring and inspection mechanisms;
(d) To ensure that all deaths of children in detention facilities are reported
and promptly and independently investigated, and to promptly endeavour, as
appropriate, to investigate injuries suffered by children and ensure that their
parents, legal guardian or closest relatives are informed.
XVI. Detecting, assisting and protecting children who are

victims of violence as a result of their involvement with the
justice system as alleged or sentenced offenders
43. Given the crucial importance of providing children who report abuse and
incidents of violence within the justice system with immediate protection,
support and counselling, Member States are urged, as appropriate and while
(a) To establish complaint mechanisms for child victims of violence within
the justice system that are safe, confidential, effective and easily accessible;
(b) To ensure that children receive clear information, in particular when
they first arrive in a place of detention, both verbally and in writing, about their
rights, relevant procedures, how they can exercise their right to be heard and
listened to, effective remedies to address incidents of violence and available
services for assistance and support, as well as information on seeking

compensation for damages, that such information is age- and culturally
appropriate and child- and gender-sensitive, and that parents and legal guardians
are equally provided with relevant information on these measures;
(c) To protect children who report abuse, specifically taking into account
the risks of retaliation, including by removing those allegedly implicated in
violence against or ill-treatment of children from any position of control or
power, whether direct or indirect, over complainants, witnesses and their
families, and those conducting the investigation;
(d) To take effective measures to protect children who provide information
or act as witnesses in proceedings related to a case involving violence within the
justice system;
(e) To provide access to fair, prompt and equitable redress mechanisms and
accessible procedures for seeking and obtaining compensation for child victims
of violence in the justice system, and to endeavour to adequately fund victim
compensation schemes.
44. Recognizing the importance of detecting and responding to all incidents of
violence against children as a result of their involvement with the justice system
as alleged or sentenced offenders, Member States are urged, as appropriate:
(a) To ensure that laws establishing obligations to report violence against
children in the justice system respect children’s rights and are incorporated into
the relevant regulations of agencies and rules of conduct, and that all those
working with children have clear guidance on reporting requirements and
consequences;
(b) To implement protection measures for staff who report in good faith
alleged incidents of violence against children, and to adopt rules and procedures
that protect the identity of professionals and private individuals who bring cases
of violence against children to the attention of the competent authorities;
(c) To ensure the prompt, independent and effective investigation of all
alleged incidents of violence against children involved with the justice system, as
alleged or sentenced offenders, by competent and independent authorities,
including medical personnel, with full respect for the principle of confidentiality.
XVII. Strengthening accountability and

oversight mechanisms
45. Member States are urged to take all appropriate measures to combat
impunity and the tolerance of violence against children within the justice system,
including through awareness-raising programmes, education and effective
prosecution of violent offences committed against children within the justice
system.
46. Member States are encouraged to ensure that there is a clear and sustained
commitment and obligation at all levels of justice institutions to prevent and
address violence against children, including in a child- and gender-sensitive
manner.
47. Member States are urged, as appropriate and while taking into consideration
relevant international legal instruments:
(a) To promote accountability for incidents of violence against children in
the justice system, including by adopting and implementing effective measures to
enhance integrity and prevent corruption;
(b) To establish internal and external accountability mechanisms in
policing and in places of detention;
(c) To establish all key elements of an effective accountability system,
including independent national oversight, monitoring and complaint mechanisms
for agencies dealing with children;
(d) To ensure the independent, prompt and effective investigation and
prosecution of offences involving violence against children within the justice
system;
(e) To ensure that all public officials who are found to be responsible for
violence against children are held accountable through workplace disciplinary
measures, termination of employment and criminal justice investigations, where
appropriate;
(f) To promote transparency and public accountability regarding all
measures taken to hold accountable perpetrators of violence and those who are
responsible for preventing such violence;
(g) To undertake criminal or other public investigations into all serious
reports of violence against children at any stage of the justice process, and to
ensure that such investigations are carried out by persons of integrity, are
adequately funded and are completed without undue delay.
Part three
Crime prevention, violence against women
and victim issues
I. Crime prevention
26. Guidelines for cooperation and technical assistance in the
field of urban crime prevention*
A. Design and implementation of cooperation and assistance activities

1. Cooperation projects for urban crime prevention should take account of the
principles set out below.
1. Local approach to problems

2. Urban crime is characterized by a multiplicity of factors and forms. A
multi-agency approach and a coordinated response at the local level, in
accordance with an integrated crime prevention action plan, will often be helpful.
This should involve:
(a) A local diagnostic survey of crime phenomena, their characteristics,
factors leading to them, the form they take and their extent;
(b) The identification of all the relevant actors that could take part in
compiling the above-mentioned diagnostic survey in crime prevention as well as
in the fight against crime, for example public institutions (national or local),
local elected officials, the private sector (associations, enterprises), the voluntary
sector, community representatives etc.;
(c) The establishment, wherever appropriate, of consultation mechanisms
promoting closer liaison, the exchange of information, joint work and the design
of a coherent strategy;
(d) The elaboration of possible solutions to these problems in the local
context.
__________________
219
2. Integrated crime prevention action plan

3. The authors of an integrated crime prevention action plan, in order for it to
be comprehensive and efficient, should:
(a) Define:
(i) The nature and types of crime problems to be tackled, such as theft,
robbery, burglary, racial attacks, drug-related crimes, juvenile delinquency
and illegal possession of firearms, taking into account all the factors that
may directly or indirectly cause such problems or contribute to them;
(ii) The objectives being pursued and the time by which they should be
attained;
(iii) The action envisaged and the respective responsibilities of those
involved vis-à-vis the implementation of the plan (for example, whether
local or national resources are to be mobilized);
(b) Consider involving a range of actors representing in particular:
(i) Social workers and education, housing and health workers, in addition
to the police, the courts, public prosecutors and probation services etc.;
(ii) The community: elected officials, associations, volunteers, parents,
victims’ organizations etc.;
(iii) The economic sector: enterprises, banks, business, public transport etc.;
(iv) The media;
(c) Consider the relevance to the crime prevention action plan of such
factors as:
(i) Relationships in the family, between generations or between social
groups etc.;
(ii) Education, religious, moral and civic values, culture etc.;
(iii) Employment, training, measures for combating unemployment and
poverty;
(iv) Housing and urbanism;
(v) Health, drug and alcohol abuse;
(vi) Government and community welfare aid for the least fortunate
members of society;
(vii) Combating the culture of violence and intolerance;
Part three, chapter I. Crime prevention 221
(d) Consider providing for action at various levels:

(i) Primary prevention by:
a. Promoting situational criminal prevention measures, such as target
hardening and opportunity reduction;
b. Promoting welfare and health development and progress and by
combating all forms of social deprivation;
c. Promoting communal values and respect for fundamental human
rights;
d. Promoting civic responsibility and social mediation procedures;
e. Facilitating the adaptation of the working methods of the police and
the courts;
(ii) Prevention of recidivism by:
a. Facilitating the adaptation of methods of police intervention (rapid
response, intervention within the local community etc.);
b. Facilitating the adaptation of methods of judicial intervention and
implementation of alternative remedies:
i. Diversification of methods of treatment and of measures taken
according to the nature and seriousness of the cases (diversionary
schemes, mediation, a special system for minors etc.);
ii. Systematic research on the reintegration of offenders involved in
urban crime through the implementation of non-custodial measures;
iii. Socio-educational support within the framework of the sentence, in
prison and as preparation for release from prison;
c. Giving an active role to the community in the rehabilitation of
offenders;
(iii) After the sentence has been served: aid and socio-educational support,
family support etc.;
(iv) Protection of victims by practical improvements in their treatment by
means of the following:
a. Raising awareness of rights and how to exercise them effectively;
b. Reinforcing rights (in particular the right to compensation);
c. Introducing systems of victim assistance.
B. Implementation of the action plan

1. Central authorities
4. The central authorities, to the extent consistent with their competence,
should:
(a) Provide active support, assistance and encouragement to local actors;
(b) Coordinate national policy and strategies with local strategies and
needs;
(c) Organize consultation and cooperation mechanisms between the
various administrations concerned at the central level.
2. Authorities at all levels

5. Competent authorities at all levels should:
(a) Be constantly mindful of respect for the fundamental principles of
human rights in promoting these activities;
(b) Encourage and/or implement appropriate training and information to
support all professionals involved in crime prevention;
(c) Compare experiences and organize exchanges of know-how;
(d) Provide a means of evaluating regularly the effectiveness of the
strategy implemented and provide for the possibility of revising it.
27. United Nations Declaration on

Crime and Public Security*

Recalling the Declaration on the Occasion of the Fiftieth Anniversary of the
United Nations,1 the Declaration on Measures to Eliminate International
Terrorism2 and the Naples Political Declaration and Global Action Plan against
Organized Transnational Crime,3
Solemnly proclaims the following United Nations Declaration on Crime and
Public Security:
Article 1
Member States shall seek to protect the security and well-being of their
citizens and all persons within their jurisdiction by taking effective national
__________________
1 General Assembly resolution 50/6.
3 A/49/748, annex, sect. I.A.
measures to combat serious transnational crime, including organized crime, illicit

drug and arms trafficking, smuggling of other illicit articles, organized
trafficking in persons, terrorist crimes and the laundering of proceeds from
serious crimes, and shall pledge their mutual cooperation in those efforts.
Article 2
Member States shall promote bilateral, regional, multilateral and global law
enforcement cooperation and assistance, including, as appropriate, mutual legal
assistance arrangements, to facilitate the detection, apprehension and prosecution
of those who commit or are otherwise responsible for serious transnational
crimes and to ensure that law enforcement and other competent authorities can
cooperate effectively on an international basis.
Article 3
Member States shall take measures to prevent support for and operations of
criminal organizations in their national territories. Member States shall, to the
fullest possible extent, provide for effective extradition or prosecution of those
who engage in serious transnational crimes in order that they find no safe haven.
Article 4
Mutual cooperation and assistance in matters concerning serious
transnational crime shall also include, as appropriate, the strengthening of
systems for the sharing of information among Member States and the provision
of bilateral and multilateral technical assistance to Member States by utilizing
training, exchange programmes and law enforcement training academies and
criminal justice institutes at the international level.
Article 5
Member States that have not yet done so are urged to become parties as soon
as possible to the principal existing international treaties relating to various
aspects of the problem of international terrorism. States parties shall effectively
implement their provisions in order to fight against terrorist crimes. Member
States shall also take measures to implement General Assembly resolution 49/60
of 9 December 1994, on measures to eliminate international terrorism, and the
Declaration on Measures to Eliminate International Terrorism contained in the
annex to that resolution.
Article 6
Member States that have not yet done so are urged to become parties to the
international drug control conventions as soon as possible. States parties shall
effectively implement the provisions of the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs
of 19614 as amended by the 1972 Protocol,5 the Convention on Psychotropic

Substances of 1971,6 and the United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in
Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of 1988.7 Member States
specifically reaffirm that, on the basis of shared responsibility, they shall take all
necessary preventive and enforcement measures to eliminate the illicit production
of, trafficking in and distribution and consumption of narcotic drugs and
psychotropic substances, including measures to facilitate the fight against those
criminals involved in this type of transnational organized crime.
Article 7
Member States shall take measures within their national jurisdiction to
improve their ability to detect and interdict the movement across borders of those
who engage in serious transnational crime, as well as the instrumentalities of
such crime, and shall take effective specific measures to protect their territorial
boundaries, such as:
(a) Adopting effective controls on explosives and against illicit trafficking
by criminals in certain materials and their components that are specifically
designed for use in manufacturing nuclear, biological or chemical weapons and,
in order to lessen risks arising from such trafficking, by becoming parties to and
fully implementing all relevant international treaties relating to weapons of mass
destruction;
(b) Strengthening supervision of passport issuance and enhancement of
protection against tampering and counterfeiting;
(c) Strengthening enforcement of regulations on illicit transnational
trafficking in firearms, with a view to both suppressing the use of firearms in
criminal activities and reducing the likelihood of fuelling deadly conflict;
(d) Coordinating measures and exchanging information to combat the
organized criminal smuggling of persons across national borders.
Article 8
To combat further the transnational flow of the proceeds of crime, Member
States agree to adopt measures, as appropriate, to combat the concealment or
disguise of the true origin of proceeds of serious transnational crime and the
intentional conversion or transfer of such proceeds for that purpose. Member
States agree to require adequate record-keeping by financial and related
institutions and, as appropriate, the reporting of suspicious transactions and to
__________________
5 Ibid., vol. 976, No. 14152.
6 Ibid., vol. 1019, No. 14956.
7 See Official Records of the United Nations Conference for the Adoption of a Convention
against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, Vienna, 25 November-
20 December 1988, vol. I (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.94.XI.5).
ensure effective laws and procedures to permit the seizure and forfeiture of the
proceeds of serious transnational crime. Member States recognize the need to
limit the application of bank secrecy laws, if any, with respect to criminal
operations and to obtain the cooperation of the financial institutions in detecting
these and any other operations that may be used for the purpose of money-
laundering.
Article 9
Member States agree to take steps to strengthen the overall professionalism
of their criminal justice, law enforcement and victim assistance systems and
relevant regulatory authorities through measures such as training, resource
allocation and arrangements for technical assistance with other States and to
promote the involvement of all elements of society in combating and preventing
serious transnational crime.
Article 10
Member States agree to combat and prohibit corruption and bribery, which
undermine the legal foundations of civil society, by enforcing applicable
domestic laws against such activity. For this purpose, Member States also agree
to consider developing concerted measures for international cooperation to curb
corrupt practices, as well as developing technical expertise to prevent and control
corruption.
Article 11
Actions taken in furtherance of the present Declaration shall fully respect
the national sovereignty and territorial jurisdiction of Member States, as well as
the rights and obligations of Member States under existing treaties and
international law, and shall be consistent with human rights and fundamental
freedoms as recognized by the United Nations.
28. Firearm regulation for purposes of crime prevention

and public health and safety*

Recalling resolution 9 of 7 May 1995 adopted by the Ninth United Nations
Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders, held at
Cairo from 29 April to 8 May 1995,1
Recalling also section IV.A of its resolution 1995/27 of 24 July 1995 and its
resolution 1996/28 of 24 July 1996,
__________________
1 See A/CONF.169/16/Rev.1, chap. I.
Mindful of the need for effective implementation of those resolutions,

Taking note of the report of the Secretary-General on measures to regulate
firearms,2
Taking note also of the findings contained in the draft “United Nations
international study on firearm regulation”,3 prepared by the Crime Prevention
and Criminal Justice Division of the Secretariat,
Taking note further of the work of the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control
Commission of the Organization of American States on the question of control of
the international movement of illicit firearms and explosives, including the
proposal for a model regulation for the control of the international movement of
firearms,
1. Urges Member States that have not already replied to the questionnaire
related to the draft “United Nations international study on firearm regulation”3 to
do so by 30 September 1997;
2. Requests the Secretary-General to continue the data collection and
dissemination of information on firearm regulation, including the revised survey
format referred to in the report of the Expert Group Meeting on Gathering
Information on and Analysis of Firearm Regulation, held at Vienna from 10 to
14 February 19974 and the ongoing and regular maintenance of a list of contact
persons and organizations in each Member State with the responsibility of
providing such information and enhancing the existing database on firearm
regulation;
3. Takes note with appreciation of the proposal of the Secretary-General
to convene an ad hoc meeting of representatives of relevant international
organizations5 with a view to better coordinating the data collection that is
necessary for a more complete understanding of the issues affecting firearm
regulation;
4. Requests the Secretary-General to promote, within existing resources,
technical cooperation projects that recognize the relevance of firearm regulation
in addressing violence against women, in promoting justice for victims of crime
and in addressing the problem of children and youth as victims and perpetrators
of crime, and in re-establishing or strengthening the rule of law in post-conflict
peacekeeping projects;
5. Encourages Member States to consider, where they have not yet done
so, regulatory approaches to the civilian use of firearms that include the
following common elements:
(a) Regulations relating to firearm safety and storage;
__________________
2 E/CN.15/1997/4 and Corr.1.
3 E/CN.15/1997/CRP.6.
4 E/CN.15/1997/CRP.4.
5 E/CN.15/1997/20, para. 10.
(b) Appropriate penalties and/or administrative sanctions for offences

involving the misuse or unlawful possession of firearms;
(c) Mitigation of or exemption from criminal responsibility, amnesty or
similar programmes that individual Member States determine to be appropriate,
so as to encourage citizens to surrender illegal, unsafe or unwanted firearms;
(d) A licensing system, including the licensing of firearm businesses, to
ensure that firearms are not distributed to persons convicted of serious crimes or
other persons who are prohibited under the laws of the respective Member States
from owning or possessing firearms;
(e) A record-keeping system for firearms, including a system for the
commercial distribution of firearms and a requirement for appropriate marking of
firearms at manufacture and upon import, to assist criminal investigations,
discourage theft and ensure that firearms are distributed only to persons who may
lawfully own or possess firearms under the laws of the respective Member States;
6. Requests the Secretary-General to include in the provisional agendas
for the four regional workshops on firearm regulation to be organized in 1997 in
accordance with the workplan6 approved by the Council in its
resolution 1996/28, within existing resources or subject to the availability of
extrabudgetary funding, the possible development of a United Nations
declaration of principles, based on the regulatory approaches suggested above,
the collection of comparable information on firearm regulation, the provision of
technical assistance, training and information-sharing and the need for
implementing bilateral, regional or multilateral agreements or arrangements on
combating illicit trafficking in firearms, in order to ensure that all Member States
have sufficient capacity in the area of firearm regulation, and requests that
interested non-governmental organizations should each be allowed to make a
statement at the regional workshops on subjects covered in their agenda but
should not be permitted to attend workshop meetings where sensitive law
enforcement issues will be discussed;
7. Also requests the Secretary-General to seek the views of Member
States, the institutes constituting the United Nations Crime Prevention and
Criminal Justice Programme network, relevant United Nations entities and
intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations on the development of a
declaration of principles, based on the regulatory approaches suggested above,
and to submit a report containing the views received to the Commission on
Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice at its seventh session;
8. Further requests the Secretary-General to explore ways and means of
developing a programme of continuing education for criminal justice
administrators and of public education and awareness-building in relation to the
links between firearms in civilian use and the unacceptable levels of violence in
__________________
6 Official Records of the Economic and Social Council, 1996, Supplement No. 10 and
corrigenda (E/1996/30 and Corr.1-3), para. 73 (g).

cities, communities and families and to disseminate that information in order to

encourage Member States to undertake similar programmes;
9. Encourages Member States to ensure the tracing of illegal firearms and
accurate and prompt responses to requests from other Member States for firearm-
tracing;
10. Invites the International Criminal Police Organization to review the
firearm- and ballistic-tracing capabilities of its member States, with a view to
advising the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice on the
adequacy of those capabilities, and to clarify and compile common firearm
terminology and descriptions, preferably in the form of an index, in order to
enhance the sharing of investigative information on illegal firearms among
Member States;
11. Invites the United Nations Panel of Governmental Experts on Small
Arms, established in pursuance of General Assembly resolution 50/70 B of
12 December 1995, and other relevant specialized intergovernmental
organizations to provide the Commission with available information about the
results of their work in relation to the proliferation of illegal military small arms
in Member States;
12. Invites the Customs Cooperation Council, also called the World
Customs Organization, to review international customs practices relating to the
movement of firearms for civilian purposes and worldwide trends in firearm
smuggling, including such matters as import and export licensing, monitoring,
standard protocols, including a common import and export certificate, and an
advance notification system, with a view to advising the Commission on the
effectiveness of controls concerning the international movement of firearms;
13. Invites other relevant intergovernmental organizations to re-analyse
their data on issues related to firearms, within the scope of the United Nations
international study on firearm regulation, with a view to informing the
Commission, through the Secretary-General, of possible steps towards improving
the collection and analysis of the related interdisciplinary statistics;
14. Reiterates its request to the Secretary-General to publish the “United
Nations international study on firearm regulation”, as scheduled in the work plan
approved in Council resolution 1996/28, and to disseminate the study as widely
as possible;
15. Encourages Member States to disseminate the report of the Secretary-
General on measures to regulate firearms2 and the “United Nations international
study on firearm regulation” in their own countries and to consider the usefulness
of the report and the study in evaluating whether to undertake new initiatives in
firearm regulation;
16. Requests the Secretary-General to prepare a report on the
implementation of the present resolution and to submit it to the Commission at
its seventh session;
17. Decides that the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal

Justice should consider the item entitled “Measures to regulate firearms” at its
seventh session, drawing on the report of the Secretary-General referred to in
paragraph 16 above.
29. Guidelines for the Prevention of Crime*
I. Introduction
1. There is clear evidence that well-planned crime prevention strategies not
only prevent crime and victimization, but also promote community safety and
contribute to the sustainable development of countries. Effective, responsible
crime prevention enhances the quality of life of all citizens. It has long-term
benefits in terms of reducing the costs associated with the formal criminal justice
system, as well as other social costs that result from crime. Crime prevention
offers opportunities for a humane and more cost-effective approach to the
problems of crime. The present Guidelines outline the necessary elements for
effective crime prevention.
II. Conceptual frame of reference

2. It is the responsibility of all levels of government to create, maintain and
promote a context within which relevant governmental institutions and all
segments of civil society, including the corporate sector, can better play their part
in preventing crime.
3. For the purposes of the present Guidelines, “crime prevention” comprises
strategies and measures that seek to reduce the risk of crimes occurring, and their
potential harmful effects on individuals and society, including fear of crime, by
intervening to influence their multiple causes. The enforcement of laws,
sentences and corrections, while also performing preventive functions, falls
outside the scope of the Guidelines, given the comprehensive coverage of the
subject in other United Nations instruments.
4. The present Guidelines address crime and its effects on victims and society
and take into account the growing internationalization of criminal activities.
5. Community involvement and cooperation/partnerships represent important
elements of the concept of crime prevention set out herein. While the term
“community” may be defined in different ways, its essence in this context is the
involvement of civil society at the local level.
6. Crime prevention encompasses a wide range of approaches, including those
which:
(a) Promote the well-being of people and encourage pro-social behaviour
through social, economic, health and educational measures, with a particular
__________________
emphasis on children and youth, and focus on the risk and protective factors
associated with crime and victimization (prevention through social development
or social crime prevention);
(b) Change the conditions in neighbourhoods that influence offending,
victimization and the insecurity that results from crime by building on the
initiatives, expertise and commitment of community members (locally based
crime prevention);
(c) Prevent the occurrence of crimes by reducing opportunities, increasing
risks of being apprehended and minimizing benefits, including through
environmental design, and by providing assistance and information to potential
and actual victims (situational crime prevention);
(d) Prevent recidivism by assisting in the social reintegration of offenders
and other preventive mechanisms (reintegration programmes).
III. Basic principles

Government leadership
7. All levels of government should play a leadership role in developing
effective and humane crime prevention strategies and in creating and maintaining
institutional frameworks for their implementation and review.
Socioeconomic development and inclusion

8. Crime prevention considerations should be integrated into all relevant social
and economic policies and programmes, including those addressing employment,
education, health, housing and urban planning, poverty, social marginalization
and exclusion. Particular emphasis should be placed on communities, families,
children and youth at risk.
Cooperation/partnerships
9. Cooperation/partnerships should be an integral part of effective crime
prevention, given the wide-ranging nature of the causes of crime and the skills
and responsibilities required to address them. This includes partnerships
working across ministries and between authorities, community organizations,
non-governmental organizations, the business sector and private citizens.
Sustainability/accountability
10. Crime prevention requires adequate resources, including funding for
structures and activities, in order to be sustained. There should be clear
accountability for funding, implementation and evaluation and for the
achievement of planned results.
Knowledge base
11. Crime prevention strategies, policies, programmes and actions should be
based on a broad, multidisciplinary foundation of knowledge about crime
problems, their multiple causes and promising and proven practices.
Human rights/rule of law/culture of lawfulness

12. The rule of law and those human rights which are recognized in
international instruments to which Member States are parties must be respected
in all aspects of crime prevention. A culture of lawfulness should be actively
promoted in crime prevention.
Interdependency
13. National crime prevention diagnoses and strategies should, where
appropriate, take account of links between local criminal problems and
international organized crime.
Differentiation
14. Crime prevention strategies should, when appropriate, pay due regard to the
different needs of men and women and consider the special needs of vulnerable
members of society.
IV. Organization, methods and approaches

15. Recognizing that all States have unique governmental structures, this section
sets out tools and methodologies that Governments and all segments of civil
society should consider in developing strategies to prevent crime and reduce
victimization. It draws on international good practice.
Community involvement
16. In some of the areas listed below, Governments bear the primary responsibility.
However, the active participation of communities and other segments of civil society
is an essential part of effective crime prevention. Communities, in particular, should
play an important part in identifying crime prevention priorities, in implementation
and evaluation, and in helping to identify a sustainable resource base.
A. Organization
Government structures
17. Governments should include prevention as a permanent part of their
structures and programmes for controlling crime, ensuring that clear
responsibilities and goals exist within government for the organization of crime
prevention, by, inter alia:
(a) Establishing centres or focal points with expertise and resources;
(b) Establishing a crime prevention plan with clear priorities and targets;
(c) Establishing linkages and coordination between relevant government
agencies or departments;
(d) Fostering partnerships with non-governmental organizations, the
business, private and professional sectors and the community;
(e) Seeking the active participation of the public in crime prevention by
informing it of the need for and means of action and its role.
Training and capacity-building

18. Governments should support the development of crime prevention skills by:
(a) Providing professional development for senior officials in relevant
agencies;
(b) Encouraging universities, colleges and other relevant educational
agencies to offer basic and advanced courses, including in collaboration with
practitioners;
(c) Working with the educational and professional sectors to develop
certification and professional qualifications;
(d) Promoting the capacity of communities to develop and respond to their
needs.
Supporting partnerships
19. Governments and all segments of civil society should support the principle
of partnership, where appropriate, including:
(a) Advancing knowledge of the importance of this principle and the
components of successful partnerships, including the need for all of the partners
to have clear and transparent roles;
(b) Fostering the formation of partnerships at different levels and across
sectors;
(c) Facilitating the efficient operation of partnerships.
Sustainability
20. Governments and other funding bodies should strive to achieve
sustainability of demonstrably effective crime prevention programmes and
initiatives through, inter alia:
(a) Reviewing resource allocation to establish and maintain an appropriate
balance between crime prevention and the criminal justice and other systems, to
be more effective in preventing crime and victimization;
(b) Establishing clear accountability for funding, programming and

coordinating crime prevention initiatives;
(c) Encouraging community involvement in sustainability.
B. Methods
Knowledge base
21. As appropriate, Governments and/or civil society should facilitate
knowledge-based crime prevention by, inter alia:
(a) Providing the information necessary for communities to address crime
problems;
(b) Supporting the generation of useful and practically applicable
knowledge that is scientifically reliable and valid;
(c) Supporting the organization and synthesis of knowledge and
identifying and addressing gaps in the knowledge base;
(d) Sharing that knowledge, as appropriate, among, inter alia, researchers,
policymakers, educators, practitioners from other relevant sectors and the wider
community;
(e) Applying this knowledge in replicating successful interventions,
developing new initiatives and anticipating new crime problems and prevention
opportunities;
(f) Establishing data systems to help manage crime prevention more
cost-effectively, including by conducting regular surveys of victimization and
offending;
(g) Promoting the application of those data in order to reduce repeat
victimization, persistent offending and areas with a high level of crime.
Planning interventions
22. Those planning interventions should promote a process that includes:
(a) A systematic analysis of crime problems, their causes, risk factors and
consequences, in particular at the local level;
(b) A plan that draws on the most appropriate approach and adapts
interventions to the specific local problem and context;
(c) An implementation plan to deliver appropriate interventions that are
efficient, effective and sustainable;
(d) Mobilizing entities that are able to tackle causes;
(e) Monitoring and evaluation.
Support evaluation
23. Governments, other funding bodies and those involved in programme
development and delivery should:
(a) Undertake short- and longer-term evaluation to test rigorously what
works, where and why;
(b) Undertake cost-benefit analyses;
(c) Assess the extent to which action results in a reduction in levels of
crime and victimization, in the seriousness of crime and in fear of crime;
(d) Systematically assess the outcomes and unintended consequences, both
positive and negative, of action, such as a decrease in crime rates or the
stigmatization of individuals and/or communities.
C. Approaches
24. This section expands upon the social development and situational crime
prevention approaches. It also outlines approaches that Governments and civil
society should endeavour to follow in order to prevent organized crime.
Social development
25. Governments should address the risk factors of crime and victimization by:
(a) Promoting protective factors through comprehensive and
non-stigmatizing social and economic development programmes, including
health, education, housing and employment;
(b) Promoting activities that redress marginalization and exclusion;
(c) Promoting positive conflict resolution;
(d) Using education and public awareness strategies to foster a culture of
lawfulness and tolerance while respecting cultural identities.
Situational
26. Governments and civil society, including, where appropriate, the corporate
sector, should support the development of situational crime prevention
programmes by, inter alia:
(a) Improved environmental design;
(b) Appropriate methods of surveillance that are sensitive to the right to privacy;
(c) Encouraging the design of consumer goods to make them more
resistant to crime;
(d) Target “hardening” without impinging upon the quality of the built
environment or limiting free access to public space;
(e) Implementing strategies to prevent repeat victimization.
Prevention of organized crime

27. Governments and civil society should endeavour to analyse and address the
links between transnational organized crime and national and local crime
problems by, inter alia:
(a) Reducing existing and future opportunities for organized criminal
groups to participate in lawful markets with the proceeds of crime, through
appropriate legislative, administrative or other measures;
(b) Developing measures to prevent the misuse by organized criminal
groups of tender procedures conducted by public authorities and of subsidies and
licences granted by public authorities for commercial activity;
(c) Designing crime prevention strategies, where appropriate, to protect
socially marginalized groups, especially women and children, who are vulnerable
to the action of organized criminal groups, including trafficking in persons and
smuggling of migrants.
V. International cooperation
Standards and norms
28. In promoting international action in crime prevention, Member States are
invited to take into account the main international instruments related to human
rights and crime prevention to which they are parties, such as the Convention on
the Rights of the Child (General Assembly resolution 44/25, annex), the
Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women (General Assembly
resolution 48/104), the United Nations Guidelines for the Prevention of Juvenile
Delinquency (the Riyadh Guidelines) (General Assembly resolution 45/112,
annex), the Declaration of Basic Principles of Justice for Victims of Crime and
Abuse of Power (General Assembly resolution 40/34, annex), the guidelines for
cooperation and technical assistance in the field of urban crime prevention
(resolution 1995/9, annex), as well as the Vienna Declaration on Crime and
Justice: Meeting the Challenges of the Twenty-first Century (General Assembly
resolution 55/59, annex) and the United Nations Convention against
Transnational Organized Crime and the Protocols thereto (General Assembly
resolution 55/25, annexes I-III, and resolution 55/255, annex).
Technical assistance
29. Member States and relevant international funding organizations should
provide financial and technical assistance, including capacity-building and
training, to developing countries and countries with economies in transition,
communities and other relevant organizations for the implementation of effective
crime prevention and community safety strategies at the regional, national and
local levels. In that context, special attention should be given to research and
action on crime prevention through social development.
Networking
30. Member States should strengthen or establish international, regional and
national crime prevention networks with a view to exchanging proven and
promising practices, identifying elements of their transferability and making such
knowledge available to communities throughout the world.
Links between transnational and local crime

31. Member States should collaborate to analyse and address the links between
transnational organized crime and national and local crime problems.
Prioritizing crime prevention

32. The Centre for International Crime Prevention of the Office for Drug
Control and Crime Prevention of the Secretariat, the United Nations Crime
Prevention and Criminal Justice Programme network of institutes and other
relevant United Nations entities should include in their priorities crime
prevention as set out in these Guidelines, set up a coordination mechanism and
establish a roster of experts to undertake needs assessment and to provide
technical advice.
Dissemination
33. Relevant United Nations bodies and other organizations should cooperate to
produce crime prevention information in as many languages as possible, using
both print and electronic media.
30. International Guidelines for Crime Prevention and Criminal

Justice Responses with Respect to Trafficking in Cultural
Property and Other Related Offences *
Introduction
1. The International Guidelines for Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice
Responses with Respect to Trafficking in Cultural Property and Other Related
Offences have been developed in recognition of the criminal character of such
offences and their devastating consequences for the cultural heritage of
humankind. Pursuant to General Assembly resolutions 66/180 and 68/186 and
Economic and Social Council resolution 2010/19, draft guidelines were
developed by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in consultation with
Member States and in close cooperation, as appropriate, with the United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the International Criminal
Police Organization (INTERPOL) and other competent international
organizations.
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2. The first draft of the guidelines was reviewed at an informal expert group
meeting, held from 21 to 23 November 2011, composed of 20 experts from
around the world with expertise in various fields related to the subject matter of
the guidelines, including representatives of INTERPOL, the United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and the International Institute
for the Unification of Private Law. Based on the valuable comments and advice
on improving the draft, a second draft was presented to and discussed by the
open-ended intergovernmental expert group on protection against trafficking in
cultural property at its second meeting, held from 27 to 29 June 2012. Taking
into account a compendium, prepared by the Secretariat, of comments made by
Member States on the draft guidelines, the expert group reviewed and revised the
guidelines at its third meeting, held from 15 to 17 January 2014, with a view to
their finalization.
3. The Guidelines are based on crime prevention and criminal justice
aspects of protection against trafficking in cultural property, taking into
consideration a review of current practices and initiatives in several countries in
addressing the problem of trafficking in cultural property, as well as principles
and norms arising from the analysis of the following international legal
instruments: the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized
Crime;1 the United Nations Convention against Corruption;2 the Convention for
the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict3 and its
First3 and Second Protocols;4 the Protocol additional to the Geneva Conventions
of 12 August 1949, and relating to the protection of victims of international
armed conflicts;5 the Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the
Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property;6 the
Convention on Stolen or Illegally Exported Cultural Objects adopted by the
International Institute for the Unification of Private Law;7 and the Convention on
the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage.8
4. The present set of non-binding guidelines is available to Member States for
their consideration in the development and strengthening of crime prevention and
criminal justice policies, strategies, legislation and cooperation mechanisms to
prevent and combat trafficking in cultural property and related offences in all
situations. Their development follows the expression, by the General Assembly
and the Economic and Social Council in their resolutions, of alarm at the
growing involvement of organized criminal groups in all forms and aspects of
trafficking in cultural property and related offences, and of the need to promote
international cooperation to combat crime in a concerted manner.
__________________
2 Ibid., vol. 2349, No. 42146.
3 Ibid., vol. 249, No. 3511.
4 Ibid., vol. 2253, No. 3511.
5 Ibid., vol. 1125, No. 17512.
6 Ibid., vol. 823, No. 11806.
7 Ibid., vol. 2421, No. 43718.
8 Ibid., vol. 2562, No. 45694.
5. The Guidelines have the purpose of serving as a reference for national

policymakers and as a tool for capacity-building in the area of crime prevention
and criminal justice responses to trafficking in cultural property and related
offences, in coordination with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization and other competent international organizations, as
appropriate. On the basis of the guidelines finalized by the intergovernmental
expert group and submitted to the Commission on Crime Prevention and
Criminal Justice, and taking into consideration the technical background
document containing the version of the guidelines dated April 2012, and the
comments made by Member States, the Commission may ask the Secretariat to
develop a practical assistance tool, as appropriate, to aid in the implementation of
the Guidelines.
6. The Guidelines contain four chapters:
(a) Chapter I contains guidelines on crime prevention strategies (including
information and data collection, the role of cultural institutions and the private
sector, the monitoring of the cultural property market, imports and exports, and
archaeological sites, as well as education and public awareness);
(b) Chapter II contains guidelines on criminal justice policies (including
adherence to and implementation of relevant international treaties, the
criminalization of specific harmful conduct or the establishment of
administrative offences, corporate liability, seizure and confiscation and
investigative measures);
(c) Chapter III contains guidelines on international cooperation (including
matters related to jurisdictional basis, extradition, seizure and confiscation, and
cooperation among law enforcement and investigating authorities, as well as the
return, restitution or repatriation of cultural property);
(d) Chapter IV contains a guideline on the scope of application of the
Guidelines.
I. Prevention strategies
A. Information and data collection
Guideline 1. States should consider establishing and developing inventories or
databases, as appropriate, of cultural property for the purpose of protection
against its trafficking. The absence of registration of cultural property in such
inventories shall by no means exclude it from protection against trafficking and
related offences.
Guideline 2. States should consider, where possible under their national
legislation, the relevant cultural property as registered in the official inventory of
a State that has enacted laws on national or State ownership, provided that the
owner State has issued a public formal statement to that effect.
Guideline 3. States should consider:

(a) Introducing or improving statistics on import and export of cultural
property;
(b) Introducing or improving statistics, where practical, on administrative
and criminal offences against cultural property;
(c) Establishing or improving national databases, as appropriate, on
trafficking in cultural property and related offences and on trafficked, illicitly
exported or imported, stolen, looted, illicitly excavated or illicitly traded or
missing cultural property;
(d) Introducing mechanisms to enable the reporting of suspicious dealings
or sales on the Internet;
(e) Contributing to international data collection on trafficking in cultural
property and related offences through the United Nations Survey on Crime
Trends and Operations of Criminal Justice Systems, conducted by the United
Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, and the INTERPOL database on stolen
works of art and through other relevant organizations;
(f) Contributing to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization database of national laws and regulations pertaining to cultural
property.
Guideline 4. States should consider, as appropriate, establishing a central national
authority or empowering an existing authority and/or enacting other mechanisms
for coordinating the activities related to the protection of cultural property
against trafficking and related offences.
B. The role of cultural institutions and the private sector

Guideline 5. States should consider encouraging cultural institutions and the
private sector to adopt codes of conduct and to disseminate best practices on
policies on the acquisition of cultural property.
Guideline 6. States should encourage cultural institutions and the private sector
to report suspected trafficking in cultural property cases to law enforcement
authorities.
Guideline 7. States should consider promoting and supporting training on cultural
property regulations for cultural institutions and the private sector, in cooperation
with relevant international organizations, including rules on the acquisition of
cultural property.
Guideline 8. States should encourage, as appropriate, Internet providers and
web-based auctioneers and vendors to cooperate in preventing trafficking in
cultural property, including through the adoption of specific codes of conduct.
C. Monitoring
Guideline 9. States should consider, in accordance with the relevant international
instruments, introducing and implementing appropriate import and export control
procedures, such as certificates for the export and import of cultural property.
Guideline 10. States should consider creating and implementing monitoring
measures for the market of cultural property, including for the Internet.
Guideline 11. States should, where possible, create and implement programmes
for research, mapping and surveillance of archaeological sites for the purpose of
protecting them against pillage, clandestine excavation and trafficking.
D. Education and public awareness

Guideline 12. States should consider supporting and promoting public awareness
campaigns, including through the media, to foster among the general public a
culture of concern about trafficking in cultural property, for the purpose of
protecting that cultural property against pillage and trafficking.
II. Criminal justice policies

A. International legal texts
Guideline 13. States should consider adopting legislation criminalizing
trafficking in cultural property and related offences in accordance with applicable
existing international instruments, in particular the Organized Crime Convention,
relating to trafficking in cultural property and related offences.
Guideline 14. In bilateral cooperation, States may consider making use of the
model treaty for the prevention of crimes that infringe on the cultural heritage of
peoples in the form of movable property.9
B. Criminal and administrative offences

Guideline 15. States should consider defining the concept of “cultural property”,
including movable and immovable cultural property, when necessary, for the
purposes of criminal law.
Guideline 16. States should consider criminalizing, as serious offences, acts such
as:
(a) Trafficking in cultural property;
(b) Illicit export and illicit import of cultural property;
(c) Theft of cultural property (or consider elevating the offence of ordinary
theft to a serious offence when it involves cultural property);
__________________
(d) Looting of archaeological and cultural sites and/or illicit excavation;

(e) Conspiracy or participation in an organized criminal group for
trafficking in cultural property and related offences;
(f) Laundering, as referred to in article 6 of the Organized Crime
Convention, of trafficked cultural property.
Guideline 17. States should consider introducing in their criminal legislation
other offences, such as damaging or vandalizing cultural property or acquiring,
with conscious avoidance of the legal status, trafficked cultural property, when
such offences are related to trafficking in cultural property.
Guideline 18. States should consider introducing obligations, as appropriate, to
report suspected cases of trafficking of and related offences against cultural
property and to report the discovery of archaeological sites, archaeological finds
or other objects of relevant cultural interest, and, for those States that have done
so, to criminalize the failure to meet those obligations.
Guideline 19. States should consider making it possible, in a way not
contradictory to their fundamental legal principles, to infer a perpetrator’s
knowledge that an object has been reported as trafficked, illicitly exported or
imported, stolen, looted, illicitly excavated or illicitly traded, on the basis of
objective factual circumstances, including when the cultural property is
registered as such in a publicly accessible database.
C. Criminal and administrative sanctions

Guideline 20. States should consider providing proportionate, effective and
dissuasive sanctions for the above-mentioned criminal offences.
Guideline 21. States may consider adopting custodial sanctions for some selected
criminal offences so as to meet the standard, required under article 2 (b) of the
Organized Crime Convention, for “serious crime”.
Guideline 22. States should consider the adoption of bans and disqualifications,
and the revocation of licences, as complementary criminal or administrative
sanctions whenever possible.
D. Corporate liability
Guideline 23. States should consider introducing or extending liability (criminal,
administrative or civil in nature) of corporations or legal persons for the above-
mentioned offences.
Guideline 24. States should consider introducing proportionate, effective and
dissuasive sanctions for corporate offences of trafficking in cultural property and
related offences, including fines, bans or disqualifications, revocation of licences
and revocation of benefits, including tax exemptions or government subsidies,
where possible.
E. Seizure and confiscation

Guideline 25. States should consider introducing criminal investigation and the
search, seizure and confiscation of trafficked cultural property, as well as the
proceeds of crimes related to such trafficking, and ensure its return, restitution or
repatriation.
Guideline 26. States should consider, in a way not contradictory to their
fundamental legal principles, the possibility of requiring that the alleged
offender, the owner or the holder (if different) demonstrate the lawful origin of
cultural property liable to seizure or confiscation for trafficking or related
offences.
Guideline 27. States should consider introducing confiscation of the proceeds of
the offence or of property of a value equivalent to such proceeds.
Guideline 28. States may consider using confiscated economic assets for
financing expenses for recovery and other prevention measures.
F. Investigations
Guideline 29. States should consider creating specialized law enforcement bodies
or units, as well as providing specialized training for customs officials, law
enforcement personnel and public prosecutors, with regard to trafficking in
cultural property and related offences.
Guideline 30. States should consider enhancing coordination, at both the national
and international levels, among law enforcement bodies in order to increase the
probability of discovering and successfully investigating trafficking in cultural
property and related offences.
Guideline 31. States may consider, in the investigation of the above-mentioned
offences, especially if related to organized crime, allowing for the appropriate
use by their competent authorities of controlled delivery and other special
investigative techniques, such as electronic or other forms of surveillance and
undercover operations, within their territory, and allowing for the admissibility in
court of evidence derived therefrom.
III. Cooperation
A. Jurisdiction
Guideline 32. States should consider establishing their jurisdiction over the
above-mentioned criminal offences when such offences are committed within
their territory or when committed outside their territory by one of their nationals,
in a manner consistent with the principles of sovereign equality, the territorial
integrity of States and non-intervention in the domestic affairs of other States, as
enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations and the Organized Crime
Convention.
B. Judicial cooperation in criminal matters

Guideline 33. States that have not yet done so should consider becoming parties
to existing international law instruments, in particular the Organized Crime
Convention, and use them as a basis for international cooperation in criminal
matters in respect of trafficking in cultural property and related offences.
Guideline 34. States should consider providing each other with the widest
possible mutual legal assistance in investigations, prosecutions and judicial
proceedings in relation to the above-mentioned offences, also in order to enhance
the effectiveness and speed of the procedures.
Guideline 35. States should contribute to and regularly update the United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Database of National Cultural
Heritage Laws and any other relevant database.
C. Extradition
Guideline 36. States should consider making the crimes against cultural property
enumerated in guideline 16 extraditable offences. In the context of extradition
procedures, States should also consider adopting and applying, where possible,
provisional measures to preserve the cultural property related to the alleged
offence for the purpose of restitution.
Guideline 37. States should consider enhancing the effectiveness and speed of
extradition for trafficking in cultural property and related offences, where such
offences are considered extraditable.
Guideline 38. States should consider, in the case of refusal of extradition only on
the basis of nationality, submitting the case, when requested by the State that had
sought extradition, to the competent authority in order to consider prosecution.
D. International cooperation for purposes

of seizure and confiscation
Guideline 39. States should consider cooperating in identifying, tracing, seizing
and confiscating trafficked, illicitly exported or imported, stolen, looted, illicitly
excavated, illicitly traded or missing cultural property.
Guideline 40. States may consider putting in place mechanisms to enable the
contribution of confiscated financial assets to international or intergovernmental
bodies concerned with the fight against transnational organized crime, including
trafficking in cultural property and related offences.
E. International cooperation among law enforcement

and investigating authorities
Guideline 41. States should consider enhancing the exchange of information on
trafficking in cultural property and related offences by sharing or interconnecting
inventories of cultural property and databases on trafficked, illicitly exported or
imported, stolen, looted, illicitly excavated, illicitly traded or missing cultural

property, and/or contributing to international ones.
Guideline 42. States should consider, where appropriate, in the framework of
international judicial cooperation, enhancing the exchange of information on
previous convictions and ongoing investigations relating to trafficking in cultural
property and related offences.
Guideline 43. States should consider concluding bilateral or multilateral
agreements or arrangements in order to establish joint investigative teams for
trafficking in cultural property and related offences.
Guideline 44. States should consider assisting each other in planning and
implementing specialized training programmes for law enforcement personnel.
Guideline 45. States should consider enhancing or establishing privileged
channels of communication between their law enforcement agencies.
F. Return, restitution or repatriation

Guideline 46. States should consider, in order to enhance international
cooperation in criminal matters, undertaking appropriate measures to recover
trafficked, illicitly exported or imported, stolen, looted, illicitly excavated or
illicitly traded cultural property for the purpose of their return, restitution or
repatriation.
Guideline 47. States should consider pondering, procedurally, as appropriate, the
owner State’s provisions on national or State ownership in order to facilitate the
return, restitution or repatriation of public cultural property.
IV. Scope of application

Guideline 48. States should consider applying the Guidelines in any situations,
including exceptional circumstances, that foster trafficking in cultural property
and related offences, in the framework of the above-mentioned conventions and
other relevant international instruments.
II. Violence against women
31. Declaration on the Elimination of
Violence against Women*

Recognizing the urgent need for the universal application to women of the
rights and principles with regard to equality, security, liberty, integrity and
dignity of all human beings,
Noting that those rights and principles are enshrined in international
instruments, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,1 the
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,2 the International Covenant
on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights,2 the Convention on the Elimination of
All Forms of Discrimination against Women3 and the Convention against Torture
and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment,4
Recognizing that effective implementation of the Convention on the
Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women would contribute to
the elimination of violence against women and that the Declaration on the
Elimination of Violence against Women, set forth in the present resolution, will
strengthen and complement that process,
Concerned that violence against women is an obstacle to the achievement of
equality, development and peace, as recognized in the Nairobi Forward-looking
Strategies for the Advancement of Women,5 in which a set of measures to combat
violence against women was recommended, and to the full implementation of the
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women,
__________________
* General Assembly resolution 48/104, adopted on 20 December 1993.
5 Report of the World Conference to Review and Appraise the Achievements of the United
Nations Decade for Women: Equality, Development and Peace, Nairobi, 15-26 July 1985
(United Nations publication, Sales No. E.85.IV.10), chap. I, sect. A.
245
Affirming that violence against women constitutes a violation of the rights

and fundamental freedoms of women and impairs or nullifies their enjoyment of
those rights and freedoms, and concerned about the long-standing failure to
protect and promote those rights and freedoms in the case of violence against
women,
Recognizing that violence against women is a manifestation of historically
unequal power relations between men and women, which have led to domination
over and discrimination against women by men and to the prevention of the full
advancement of women, and that violence against women is one of the crucial
social mechanisms by which women are forced into a subordinate position
compared with men,
Concerned that some groups of women, such as women belonging to
minority groups, indigenous women, refugee women, migrant women, women
living in rural or remote communities, destitute women, women in institutions or
in detention, female children, women with disabilities, elderly women and
women in situations of armed conflict, are especially vulnerable to violence,
Recalling the conclusion in paragraph 23 of the annex to Economic and
Social Council resolution 1990/15 of 24 May 1990 that the recognition that
violence against women in the family and society was pervasive and cut across
lines of income, class and culture had to be matched by urgent and effective steps
to eliminate its incidence,
Recalling also Economic and Social Council resolution 1991/18 of 30 May
1991, in which the Council recommended the development of a framework for an
international instrument that would address explicitly the issue of violence
against women,
Welcoming the role that women’s movements are playing in drawing
increasing attention to the nature, severity and magnitude of the problem of
violence against women,
Alarmed that opportunities for women to achieve legal, social, political and
economic equality in society are limited, inter alia, by continuing and endemic
violence,
Convinced that in the light of the above there is a need for a clear and
comprehensive definition of violence against women, a clear statement of the
rights to be applied to ensure the elimination of violence against women in all its
forms, a commitment by States in respect of their responsibilities, and a
commitment by the international community at large to the elimination of
violence against women,
Solemnly proclaims the following Declaration on the Elimination of
Violence against Women and urges that every effort be made so that it becomes
generally known and respected:
Part three, chapter II. Violence against women 247
Article 1
For the purposes of this Declaration, the term “violence against women”
means any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in,
physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats
of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in
public or in private life.
Article 2
Violence against women shall be understood to encompass, but not be
limited to, the following:
(a) Physical, sexual and psychological violence occurring in the family,
including battering, sexual abuse of female children in the household, dowry-
related violence, marital rape, female genital mutilation and other traditional
practices harmful to women, non-spousal violence and violence related to
exploitation;
(b) Physical, sexual and psychological violence occurring within the
general community, including rape, sexual abuse, sexual harassment and
intimidation at work, in educational institutions and elsewhere, trafficking in
women and forced prostitution;
(c) Physical, sexual and psychological violence perpetrated or condoned
by the State, wherever it occurs.
Article 3
Women are entitled to the equal enjoyment and protection of all human
rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural, civil
or any other field. These rights include, inter alia:
(a) The right to life;6
(b) The right to equality;7
(c) The right to liberty and security of person;8
(d) The right to equal protection under the law;7
(e) The right to be free from all forms of discrimination;7
(f) The right to the highest standard attainable of physical and mental
health;9
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6 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, article 3; and International Covenant on Civil
and Political Rights, article 6.
7 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, article 26.
8 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, article 3; and International Covenant on Civil
and Political Rights, article 9.

9 International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, article 12.
(g) The right to just and favourable conditions of work;10

(h) The right not to be subjected to torture, or other cruel, inhuman or
degrading treatment or punishment.11
Article 4
States should condemn violence against women and should not invoke any
custom, tradition or religious consideration to avoid their obligations with respect
to its elimination. States should pursue by all appropriate means and without
delay a policy of eliminating violence against women and, to this end, should:
(a) Consider, where they have not yet done so, ratifying or acceding to the
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women or
withdrawing reservations to that Convention;
(b) Refrain from engaging in violence against women;
(c) Exercise due diligence to prevent, investigate and, in accordance with
national legislation, punish acts of violence against women, whether those acts
are perpetrated by the State or by private persons;
(d) Develop penal, civil, labour and administrative sanctions in domestic
legislation to punish and redress the wrongs caused to women who are subjected
to violence; women who are subjected to violence should be provided with
access to the mechanisms of justice and, as provided for by national legislation,
to just and effective remedies for the harm that they have suffered; States should
also inform women of their rights in seeking redress through such mechanisms;
(e) Consider the possibility of developing national plans of action to
promote the protection of women against any form of violence, or to include
provisions for that purpose in plans already existing, taking into account, as
appropriate, such cooperation as can be provided by non-governmental
organizations, particularly those concerned with the issue of violence against
women;
(f) Develop, in a comprehensive way, preventive approaches and all those
measures of a legal, political, administrative and cultural nature that promote the
protection of women against any form of violence, and ensure that the re-
victimization of women does not occur because of laws insensitive to gender
considerations, enforcement practices or other interventions;
(g) Work to ensure, to the maximum extent feasible in the light of their
available resources and, where needed, within the framework of international
cooperation, that women subjected to violence and, where appropriate, their
__________________
10 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, article 23; and International Covenant on
Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, articles 6 and 7.

11 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, article 5; International Covenant on Civil and
Political Rights, article 7; and Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or
Degrading Treatment or Punishment.
children have specialized assistance, such as rehabilitation, assistance in child

care and maintenance, treatment, counselling, and health and social services,
facilities and programmes, as well as support structures, and should take all other
appropriate measures to promote their safety and physical and psychological
rehabilitation;
(h) Include in government budgets adequate resources for their activities
related to the elimination of violence against women;
(i) Take measures to ensure that law enforcement officers and public
officials responsible for implementing policies to prevent, investigate and punish
violence against women receive training to sensitize them to the needs of
women;
(j) Adopt all appropriate measures, especially in the field of education, to
modify the social and cultural patterns of conduct of men and women and to
eliminate prejudices, customary practices and all other practices based on the
idea of the inferiority or superiority of either of the sexes and on stereotyped
roles for men and women;
(k) Promote research, collect data and compile statistics, especially
concerning domestic violence, relating to the prevalence of different forms of
violence against women and encourage research on the causes, nature,
seriousness and consequences of violence against women and on the
effectiveness of measures implemented to prevent and redress violence against
women; those statistics and findings of the research will be made public;
(l) Adopt measures directed towards the elimination of violence against
women who are especially vulnerable to violence;
(m) Include, in submitting reports as required under relevant human rights
instruments of the United Nations, information pertaining to violence against
women and measures taken to implement the present Declaration;
(n) Encourage the development of appropriate guidelines to assist in the
implementation of the principles set forth in the present Declaration;
(o) Recognize the important role of the women’s movement and non-
governmental organizations worldwide in raising awareness and alleviating the
problem of violence against women;
(p) Facilitate and enhance the work of the women’s movement and non-
governmental organizations and cooperate with them at local, national and
regional levels;
(q) Encourage intergovernmental regional organizations of which they are
members to include the elimination of violence against women in their
programmes, as appropriate.
Article 5
The organs and specialized agencies of the United Nations system should,
within their respective fields of competence, contribute to the recognition and
realization of the rights and the principles set forth in the present Declaration
and, to this end, should, inter alia:
(a) Foster international and regional cooperation with a view to defining
regional strategies for combating violence, exchanging experiences and financing
programmes relating to the elimination of violence against women;
(b) Promote meetings and seminars with the aim of creating and raising
awareness among all persons of the issue of the elimination of violence against
women;
(c) Foster coordination and exchange within the United Nations system
between human rights treaty bodies to address the issue of violence against
women effectively;
(d) Include in analyses prepared by organizations and bodies of the United
Nations system of social trends and problems, such as the periodic reports on the
world social situation, examination of trends in violence against women;
(e) Encourage coordination between organizations and bodies of the
United Nations system to incorporate the issue of violence against women into
ongoing programmes, especially with reference to groups of women particularly
vulnerable to violence;
(f) Promote the formulation of guidelines or manuals relating to violence
against women, taking into account the measures referred to in the present
Declaration;
(g) Consider the issue of the elimination of violence against women, as
appropriate, in fulfilling their mandates with respect to the implementation of
human rights instruments;
(h) Cooperate with non-governmental organizations in addressing the issue
of violence against women.
Article 6
Nothing in the present Declaration shall affect any provision that is more
conducive to the elimination of violence against women that may be contained in
the legislation of a State or in any international convention, treaty or other
instrument in force in a State.
32. Updated Model Strategies and Practical Measures on the

Elimination of Violence against Women in the Field of Crime
Prevention and Criminal Justice*
1. The multifaceted nature of violence against women necessitates different

strategies to respond to the diverse manifestations of violence and the various
settings in which it occurs, both in private and in public life, whether committed
in the home, the workplace, educational and training institutions, the community
or society, in custody or in situations of armed conflict or natural disaster. In the
updated Model Strategies and Practical Measures on the Elimination of Violence
against Women in the Field of Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, the
importance of adopting a systematic, comprehensive, coordinated, multisectoral
and sustained approach to fighting violence against women is recognized. The
practical measures, strategies and activities described below can be introduced in
the field of crime prevention and criminal justice to address violence against
women. Except where otherwise specified, the term “women” encompasses “girl
children”.
2. Violence against women exists in every country in the world as a pervasive
violation of human rights and a major impediment to achieving gender equality,
development and peace. Violence against women is rooted in historically unequal
power relations between men and women. All forms of violence against women
seriously violate and impair or nullify the enjoyment by women of all human
rights and fundamental freedoms and have serious immediate and long term
implications for health, including sexual and reproductive health, for example
through increased vulnerability to HIV/AIDS, and public safety, and have a
negative impact on the psychological, social and economic development of
individuals, families, communities and States.
3. Violence against women is often embedded in and supported by social
values, cultural patterns and practices. The criminal justice system and legislators
are not immune to such values and thus have not always regarded violence
against women with the same seriousness as other types of violence. Therefore, it
is important that States strongly condemn all forms of violence against women
and refrain from invoking any custom, tradition or religious consideration to
avoid their obligation with respect to its elimination and that the criminal justice
system recognize violence against women as a gender-related problem and as an
expression of power and inequality.
4. Violence against women is defined in the Declaration on the Elimination of
Violence against Women1 and reiterated in the Platform for Action adopted by
the Fourth World Conference on Women2 to mean any act of gender-based
__________________
2 Report of the Fourth World Conference on Women, Beijing, 4-15 September 1995
(United Nations publication, Sales No. E.96.IV.13), chap. I, resolution 1, annex II.
violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological
harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary
deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life. The updated
Model Strategies and Practical Measures build on the measures adopted by
Governments in the Platform for Action, which was adopted in 1995 and
subsequently reaffirmed in 2000 and 2005, the Model Strategies and Practical
Measures on the Elimination of Violence against Women in the Field of Crime
Prevention and Criminal Justice adopted in 1997,3 and relevant General
Assembly resolutions, including resolutions 61/143 and 63/155, bearing in mind
that some groups of women are especially exposed and vulnerable to violence.
5. The updated Model Strategies and Practical Measures specifically
acknowledge the need for an active policy of mainstreaming a gender perspective
in all policies, programmes and practices to ensure gender equality and equal and
fair access to justice, as well as establishing the goal of gender balance in all
areas of decision-making, including those related to the elimination of violence
against women. The updated Model Strategies and Practical Measures should be
applied as guidelines in a manner consistent with relevant international
instruments, including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination against Women,4 the Convention on the Rights of the Child,5 the
Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of
children, child prostitution and child pornography,6 the International Covenant on
Civil and Political Rights,7 the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish
Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, supplementing the
United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime,8 the Rome
Statute of the International Criminal Court9 and the Guidelines for the Prevention
of Crime,10 with a view to furthering their fair and effective implementation. The
updated Model Strategies and Practical Measures reaffirm the commitment of
States to promote gender equality and empower women with a view to meeting
Goal 3 of the Millennium Development Goals.
6. The updated Model Strategies and Practical Measures should be endorsed by
national legislation and implemented by Member States and other entities in a
manner consistent with the right to equality before the law, while also
recognizing that gender equality may sometimes require the adoption of different
approaches that acknowledge the different ways in which violence affects women
as compared to men. Member States should ensure that women have equal
protection under the law and equal access to justice in order to facilitate efforts
by Governments to prevent and sanction acts of violence against women through
__________________
5 Ibid., vol. 1577, No. 27531.
6 Ibid., vol. 2171, No. 27531.
9 Ibid., vol. 2187, No. 38544.
comprehensive and coordinated policies and strategies, and to deal with all forms
of violence against women within the criminal justice system.
7. The updated Model Strategies and Practical Measures recognize that crime
prevention and criminal justice responses to violence against women must be
focused on the needs of victims and empower individual women who are victims
of violence. They aim to ensure that prevention and intervention efforts are made
to not only stop and appropriately sanction violence against women, but also
restore a sense of dignity and control to the victims of such violence.
8. The updated Model Strategies and Practical Measures aim to contribute to
de jure and de facto equality between women and men. They do not give
preferential treatment to women but aim to ensure that any inequalities or forms
of discrimination that women face in accessing justice, particularly in respect of
acts of violence, are redressed.
9. The updated Model Strategies and Practical Measures recognize that sexual
violence is an issue of international peace and security, as outlined in Security
Council resolutions 1325 (2000) of 31 October 2000 and 1820 (2008) of 19 June
2008 on women and peace and security, particularly the need for parties to armed
conflict to adopt prevention and protection measures in order to end sexual
violence.
10. The updated Model Strategies and Practical Measures recognize that some
special groups of women are particularly vulnerable to violence, either because
of their nationality, ethnicity, religion or language or because they belong to an
indigenous group, are migrants, are stateless, are refugees, live in
underdeveloped, rural or remote communities, are homeless, are in institutions or
in detention, have disabilities, are elderly, are widowed or live in conflict, post
conflict or disaster situations and, as such, require special attention, intervention
and protection in the development of crime prevention and criminal justice
responses to violence against women.
11. The updated Model Strategies and Practical Measures recognize advances in
crime prevention and criminal justice responses to violence against women and
the importance of investing in the prevention of violence against women.
12. The updated Model Strategies and Practical Measures recognize that States
have the obligation to promote and protect the human rights and fundamental
freedoms of all people, including women, and that they must exercise due
diligence and take relevant measures to prevent, investigate and punish the
perpetrators of violence against women, to eliminate impunity and to provide
protection to the victims, and that failure to do so violates and impairs or
nullifies the enjoyment of women’s human rights and fundamental freedoms.
I. Guiding principles
13. Member States are urged:
(a) To be guided by the overall principle that effective crime prevention
and criminal justice responses to violence against women are human rights
based, manage risk and promote victim safety and empowerment while ensuring
offender accountability;
(b) To develop mechanisms to ensure a comprehensive, coordinated,
systematic and sustained approach for the implementation of the updated Model
Strategies and Practical Measures at the national, regional and international
levels;
(c) To promote the involvement and participation of all relevant sectors of
government and civil society and other stakeholders in the implementation
process;
(d) To commit adequate and sustained resources and develop monitoring
mechanisms to ensure their effective implementation and oversight;
(e) To take into account in the implementation of the updated Model
Strategies and Practical Measures the varying needs of women subjected to
violence.
II. Criminal law

14. Member States are urged:
(a) To review, evaluate and update their national laws, policies, codes,
procedures, programmes and practices, especially their criminal laws, on an
ongoing basis to ensure and guarantee their value, comprehensiveness and
effectiveness in eliminating all forms of violence against women and to remove
provisions that allow for or condone violence against women or that increase the
vulnerability or revictimization of women who have been subject to violence;
(b) To review, evaluate and update their criminal and civil laws in order to
ensure that all forms of violence against women are criminalized and prohibited
and, if not, to adopt measures to do so, including measures aimed at preventing
violence against women, protecting, empowering and supporting survivors,
adequately punishing perpetrators and ensuring available remedies for victims;
(c) To review, evaluate and update their criminal laws in order to ensure
that:
(i) Persons who are brought before the courts on judicial matters in respect
of violent crimes or who are convicted of such crimes can be restricted in
their possession and use of firearms and other regulated weapons, within the
framework of their national legal systems;
(ii) Individuals can be prohibited or restrained, within the framework of

their national legal systems, from harassing, intimidating or threatening
women;
(iii) The laws on sexual violence adequately protect all persons against
sexual acts that are not based on the consent of both parties;
(iv) The law protects all children against sexual violence, sexual abuse,
commercial sexual exploitation and sexual harassment, including crimes
committed through the use of new information technologies, including the
Internet;
(v) Harmful traditional practices, including female genital mutilation, in all
their forms, are criminalized as serious offences under the law;
(vi) Trafficking in persons, especially women and girls, is criminalized;
(vii) Individuals who are serving in the armed forces or in United Nations
peacekeeping operations are investigated and punished for committing acts
of violence against women;
(d) To continually review, evaluate and update their national laws, policies,
practices and procedures, taking into account all relevant international legal
instruments, in order to effectively respond to violence against women, including
to ensure that such measures complement and are consistent with the criminal
justice system’s response to such violence and that civil law decisions reached in
marital dissolutions, child custody decisions and other family law proceedings
for cases involving domestic violence or child abuse adequately safeguard
victims and the best interests of children;
(e) To review and, where appropriate, revise, amend or abolish any laws,
regulations, policies, practices and customs that discriminate against women or
have a discriminatory impact on women, and to ensure that provisions of
multiple legal systems, where they exist, comply with international human
rights obligations, commitments and principles, in particular the principle of
non-discrimination.
III. Criminal procedure

15. Member States are urged to review, evaluate and update their criminal
procedures, as appropriate and taking into account all relevant international legal
instruments, in order to ensure that:
(a) The police and other law enforcement agencies have, with judicial
authorization where required by national law, adequate powers to enter premises
and conduct arrests in cases of violence against women and to take immediate
measures to ensure the safety of victims;
(b) The primary responsibility for initiating investigations and
prosecutions lies with the police and prosecution authorities and does not rest
with women subjected to violence, regardless of the level or form of violence;
(c) Women subjected to violence are enabled to testify in criminal

proceedings through adequate measures that facilitate such testimony by
protecting the privacy, identity and dignity of the women; ensure safety during
legal proceedings; and avoid “secondary victimization”.11 In jurisdictions where
the safety of the victim cannot be guaranteed, refusing to testify should not
constitute a criminal or other offence;
(d) Evidentiary rules are non-discriminatory; all relevant evidence can be
brought before the court; rules and principles of defence do not discriminate
against women; and “honour” or “provocation” cannot be invoked by
perpetrators of violence against women to escape criminal responsibility;
(e) The credibility of a complainant in a sexual violence case is understood
to be the same as that of a complainant in any other criminal proceeding; the
introduction of the complainant’s sexual history in both civil and criminal
proceedings is prohibited when it is unrelated to the case; and no adverse
inference is drawn solely from a delay of any length between the alleged
commission of a sexual offence and the reporting thereof;
(f) People who perpetrate acts of violence against women while
voluntarily under the influence of alcohol, drugs or other substances are not
exempted from criminal responsibility;
(g) Evidence of prior acts of violence, abuse, stalking and exploitation by
the perpetrator is considered during court proceedings, in accordance with the
principles of national criminal law;
(h) Police and courts have the authority to issue and enforce protection and
restraining or barring orders in cases of violence against women, including removal
of the perpetrator from the domicile, prohibiting further contact with the victim and
other affected parties, inside and outside the domicile; to issue and enforce child
support and custody orders; and to impose penalties for breaches of those orders. If
such powers cannot be granted to the police, measures must be taken to ensure
timely access to court decisions in order to ensure swift action by the court. Such
protective measures should not be dependent on the initiation of a criminal case;
(i) Comprehensive services are provided and protection measures are
taken when necessary to ensure the safety, privacy and dignity of victims and
their families at all stages of the criminal justice process, without prejudice to the
victim’s ability or willingness to participate in an investigation or prosecution,
and to protect them from intimidation and retaliation, including by establishing
comprehensive witness and victim protection programmes;
(j) Safety risks, including the vulnerability of victims, are taken into
account in decisions concerning non-custodial or quasi-custodial sentences, the
__________________
11 “Secondary victimization” is victimization that occurs not as a direct result of a criminal
act but through the inadequate response of institutions and individuals to the victim.
granting of bail, conditional release, parole or probation, especially when dealing

with repeat and dangerous offenders;
(k) Claims of self-defence by women who have been victims of violence,
particularly in cases of battered woman syndrome,12 are taken into account in
investigations, prosecutions and sentences against them;
(l) All procedures and complaint mechanisms are accessible to women
who are victims of violence without fear of reprisal or discrimination.
IV. Police, prosecutors and other criminal justice officials

16. Member States are urged, within the framework of their national legal systems,
as appropriate and taking into account all relevant international legal instruments:
(a) To ensure that the applicable provisions of laws, policies, procedures,
programmes and practices related to violence against women are consistently and
effectively implemented by the criminal justice system and supported by relevant
regulations as appropriate;
(b) To develop mechanisms to ensure a comprehensive, multidisciplinary,
coordinated, systematic and sustained response to violence against women in
order to increase the likelihood of successful apprehension, prosecution and
conviction of the offender, contribute to the well-being and safety of the victim
and prevent secondary victimization;
(c) To promote the use of specialized expertise in the police, among
prosecution authorities and in other criminal justice agencies, including through
the establishment, where possible, of specialized units or personnel and
specialized courts or dedicated court time, and to ensure that all police officers,
prosecutors and other criminal justice officials receive regular and
institutionalized training to sensitize them to gender and child-related issues and
to build their capacity with regard to violence against women;
(d) To promote the development and implementation of appropriate
policies among different criminal justice agencies to ensure coordinated,
consistent and effective responses to violence perpetrated against women by
personnel within such agencies and to ensure that attitudes of criminal justice
officials that foster, justify or tolerate violence against women are held up to
public scrutiny and sanction;
(e) To develop and implement policies and appropriate responses regarding
the investigation and collection of evidence that take into account the unique
needs and perspectives of victims of violence, respect their dignity and integrity
and minimize intrusion into their lives while abiding by standards for the
collection of evidence;
__________________
12 Battered woman syndrome is suffered by women who, because of repeated violent acts
by an intimate partner, may suffer depression and are unable to take any independent action
that would allow them to escape the abuse, including refusing to press charges or to accept
offers of support.
(f) To ensure that criminal justice officials and victims’ advocates conduct
risk assessments that indicate the level or extent of harm that victims may be
subjected to based on their vulnerability, the threats to which they are exposed,
the presence of weapons and other determining factors;
(g) To ensure that laws, policies, procedures and practices pertaining to
decisions on the arrest, detention and terms of any form of release of the
perpetrator take into account the need for the safety of the victim and others
related through family, socially or otherwise and that such procedures also
prevent further acts of violence;
(h) To establish a registration system for judicial protection, restraining or
barring orders, where such orders are permitted by national law, so that police or
criminal justice officials can quickly determine whether such an order is in force;
(i) To empower and equip police, prosecutors and other criminal justice
officials to respond promptly to incidents of violence against women, including
by drawing on a rapid court order, where appropriate, and by taking measures to
ensure the fast and efficient management of cases;
(j) To ensure that the exercise of powers by police, prosecutors and other
criminal justice officials is undertaken according to the rule of law and codes of
conduct and that such officials are held accountable for any infringement thereof
through appropriate oversight and accountability mechanisms;
(k) To ensure gender equitable representation in the police force and other
agencies of the justice system, particularly at the decision-making and
managerial levels;
(l) To provide victims of violence, where possible, with the right to speak
to a female officer, whether it be the police or any other criminal justice official;
(m) To develop new or improve existing model procedures and resource
material and disseminate such procedures and material, to help criminal justice
officials to identify, prevent and deal with violence against women, including by
assisting and supporting women subjected to violence in a manner that is
sensitive and responsive to their needs;
(n) To provide adequate psychological support to police, prosecutors and
other criminal justice officials to prevent their vicarious victimization.
V. Sentencing and corrections

17. Recognizing the serious nature of violence against women and the need for
crime prevention and criminal justice responses that are commensurate with that
severity, Member States are urged, as appropriate:
(a) To review, evaluate and update sentencing policies and procedures in
order to ensure that they:
(i) Hold offenders accountable for their acts related to violence against
women;
(ii) Denounce and deter violence against women;

(iii) Stop violent behaviour;
(iv) Promote victim and community safety, including by separating the
offender from the victim and, if necessary, from society;
(v) Take into account the impact on victims and their family members of
sentences imposed on perpetrators;
(vi) Provide sanctions that ensure that the perpetrators of violence against
women are sentenced in a manner commensurate with the severity of the
offence;
(vii) Provide reparations for harm caused as a result of the violence;
(viii) Promote the rehabilitation of the perpetrator, including by promoting a
sense of responsibility in offenders and, where appropriate, reintegrating
perpetrators into the community;
(b) To ensure that their national laws take into account specific
circumstances as aggravating factors for sentencing purposes, including, for
example, repeated violent acts, abuse of a position of trust or authority,
perpetration of violence against a spouse or a person in a close relationship with
the perpetrator and perpetration of violence against a person under 18 years of
age;
(c) To ensure the right of a victim of violence to be notified of the
offender’s release from detention or imprisonment;
(d) To take into account, in the sentencing process, the severity of the
physical and psychological harm and the impact of victimization, including
through victim impact statements;
(e) To make available to the courts, through legislation, a full range of
sentencing dispositions to protect the victim, other affected persons and society
from further violence, and to rehabilitate the perpetrator, as appropriate;
(f) To develop and evaluate treatment and reintegration/rehabilitation
programmes for perpetrators of different types of violence against women that
prioritize the safety of the victims;
(g) To ensure that judicial and correctional authorities, as appropriate,
monitor perpetrators’ compliance with any treatment ordered;
(h) To ensure that there are appropriate measures in place to eliminate
violence against women who are detained for any reason;
(i) To provide adequate protection to victims and witnesses of acts of
violence before, during and after criminal proceedings.
VI. Victim support and assistance

18. Member States are urged, as appropriate and taking into account all relevant
international legal instruments, in particular the Declaration of Basic Principles
of Justice for Victims of Crime and Abuse of Power:13
(a) To make available to women who have been subjected to violence
relevant information on rights, remedies and victim support services and on how
to obtain them, in addition to information about their role and opportunities for
participating in criminal proceedings and the scheduling, progress and ultimate
disposition of the proceedings, as well as any orders against the offender;
(b) To encourage and assist women subjected to violence in lodging and
following through on formal complaints by providing protection to the victims
and advising them that the responsibility for pursuing charges and prosecuting
offenders rests with the police and the prosecution;
(c) To take appropriate measures to prevent hardship during the detection,
investigation and prosecution process in order to ensure that victims are treated
with dignity and respect, whether they participate in the criminal proceedings or
not;
(d) To ensure that women subjected to violence have access to prompt and
fair redress for the harm that they have suffered as a result of violence, including
the right to seek restitution from the offender or compensation from the State;
(e) To provide court mechanisms and procedures that are accessible and
sensitive to the needs of women subjected to violence and that ensure the fair and
timely processing of cases;
(f) To provide efficient and easily accessible procedures for issuing
restraining or barring orders to protect women and other victims of violence and
for ensuring that victims are not held accountable for breaches of such orders;
(g) To recognize that children who have witnessed violence against their
parent or another person with whom they have a close relationship are victims of
violence and need protection, care and support;
(h) To ensure that women subjected to violence have full access to the civil
and criminal justice systems, including access to free legal aid, where
appropriate, court support and interpretation services;
(i) To ensure that women subjected to violence have access to qualified
personnel who can provide victim advocacy and support services throughout the
entire criminal justice process, as well as access to any other independent support
persons;
(j) To ensure that all services and legal remedies available to victims of
violence against women are also available to immigrant women, trafficked
__________________
women, refugee women, stateless women and all other women in need of such
assistance, and that specialized services for such women are established, where
appropriate;
(k) To refrain from penalizing victims who have been trafficked for having
entered the country illegally or for having been involved in unlawful activities
that they were forced or compelled to carry out.
VII. Health and social services

19. Member States, in cooperation with the private sector, relevant
non-governmental organizations and professional associations, are urged, as
appropriate:
(a) To establish, fund and coordinate a sustainable network of accessible
facilities and services for emergency and temporary residential accommodation,
health services, including counselling and psychological care, legal assistance
and other basic needs for women and their children who are victims of violence
or who are at risk of becoming victims of violence;
(b) To establish, fund and coordinate services such as toll free information
lines, professional multidisciplinary counselling and crisis intervention services
and support groups in order to benefit women who are victims of violence and
their children;
(c) To establish better linkages between health and social services, both public
and private, particularly in emergency situations, and criminal justice agencies for
the purposes of reporting, recording and responding appropriately to acts of violence
against women, while protecting the privacy of women subjected to violence;
(d) To design and sponsor sustainable programmes to prevent and treat
alcohol and other substance abuse, given the frequent presence of substance
abuse in incidents of violence against women;
(e) To ensure that violent acts and sexual crimes against children are
reported to the police and other law enforcement agencies when suspected by the
health and social services;
(f) To promote collaboration and coordination among relevant agencies
and services, including through the establishment, where possible, of specialized
units specifically trained to deal with the complexities and sensitivities of victims
involved in cases of violence against women where victims can receive
comprehensive assistance, protection and intervention services, including health
and social services, legal advice and police assistance;
(g) To ensure that adequate medical, legal and social services sensitive to
the needs of victims are in place to enhance the criminal justice management of
cases involving violence against women and to encourage the development of
specialized health services, including comprehensive, free and confidential
forensic examinations by trained health providers and appropriate treatment,
including HIV-specific treatment.
VIII. Training
20. Member States, in cooperation with relevant non-governmental
organizations and professional associations, are urged, as appropriate:
(a) To provide for or to encourage mandatory cross cultural gender and
child sensitivity training modules for police, criminal justice officials and
professionals involved in the criminal justice system on the unacceptability of all
forms of violence against women and on their harmful impact and consequences
on all those who experience such violence;
(b) To ensure that police, criminal justice officials and other professionals
involved in the criminal justice system receive adequate training and continued
education on all relevant national laws, policies and programmes, as well as
international legal instruments;
(c) To ensure that police, criminal justice officials and other relevant
authorities are adequately trained to identify and respond appropriately to the
specific needs of women victims of violence, including victims of trafficking; to
receive and treat all victims respectfully with a view to avoiding secondary
victimization; to handle complaints confidentially; to conduct safety assessments
and risk management; and to use and enforce protection orders;
(d) To encourage relevant professional associations to develop enforceable
standards of practice and behaviour and codes of conduct that promote justice
and gender equality.
IX. Research and evaluation

21. Member States, the institutes of the United Nations crime prevention and
criminal justice programme network, relevant entities of the United Nations
system, other relevant international organizations, research institutes,
non-governmental organizations and professional associations are urged, as
appropriate:
(a) To set up and strengthen mechanisms for systematic and coordinated
data collection on violence against women;
(b) To develop both modules and dedicated population based surveys,
including crime surveys, for assessing the nature and extent of violence against
women;
(c) To collect, analyse and publish data and information, including data
and information disaggregated by gender, for use in carrying out needs
assessments, taking decisions and developing policy in the field of crime
prevention and criminal justice, in particular concerning:
(i) The different forms of violence against women; the causes, risk factors
and levels of severity of such violence; and the consequences and impacts of
such violence, including on different population subgroups;
(ii) The extent to which economic deprivation and exploitation are linked
to violence against women;
(iii) The patterns, trends and indicators of violence against women,
women’s feelings of insecurity in the public and private spheres and factors
that can reduce such feelings of insecurity;
(iv) The relationship between the victim and the offender;
(v) The effect of various types of interventions on the individual offender
and on the reduction and elimination of violence against women as a whole;
(vi) The use of weapons and of drugs, alcohol and other substances in cases
of violence against women;
(vii) The relationship between victimization or exposure to violence and
subsequent violent activity;
(viii) The relationship between the violence experienced by women and
women’s vulnerability to other types of abuse;
(ix) The consequences of violence on those who witness it, particularly
within the family;
(d) To monitor, and publish annual reports on, the number of cases of
violence against women reported to the police as well as other criminal justice
agencies, including arrest and clearance rates, prosecution and case disposition of
the offenders and the prevalence of violence against women; in doing so, use
should be made of data derived from population based surveys. Such reports
should disaggregate data by type of violence and include, for example,
information on the sex of the perpetrator and his or her relationship to the victim;
(e) To evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of the criminal justice
system in meeting the needs of women subjected to violence, including with
regard to the way in which the criminal justice system treats victims and
witnesses of acts of violence, the use it makes of different intervention models
and the degree to which it cooperates with providers of services to victims and
witnesses, as well as to evaluate and assess the impact of current legislation,
rules and procedures relating to violence against women;
(f) To evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of offender treatment,
rehabilitation and reintegration programmes, in consultation with relevant
stakeholders, including victims and victim service providers;
(g) To be guided by existing ongoing efforts at the international level to
develop a set of indicators to measure violence against women and to ensure a
multisectoral, coordinated approach to the development, implementation,
monitoring and evaluation of data collection initiatives;
(h) To ensure that data on violence against women are collected in a way
that respects the confidentiality and human rights of women and does not
jeopardize their safety;
(i) To encourage and provide sufficient financial support for research on

violence against women.
X. Crime prevention measures

22. Member States and the private sector, relevant non-governmental
organizations and professional associations are urged, as appropriate:
(a) To develop and implement relevant and effective public awareness and
public education initiatives, as well as school programmes and curricula, that
prevent violence against women by promoting respect for human rights, equality,
cooperation, mutual respect and shared responsibilities between women and men;
(b) To develop codes of conduct for personnel in public and private entities
that prohibit violence against women, including sexual harassment, and include
safe complaint and referral procedures;
(c) To develop multidisciplinary and gender-sensitive approaches within
public and private entities that seek to prevent violence against women,
especially through partnerships between law enforcement officials and services
specialized in the protection of women victims of violence;
(d) To develop programmes to assess perceptions of public safety and to
develop safety planning, environmental design and management of public space
in order to reduce the risk of violence against women;
(e) To set up outreach programmes and provide relevant information to
women about gender roles, women’s human rights and the social, health, legal
and economic aspects of violence against women in order to empower women to
protect themselves and their children against all forms of violence;
(f) To set up outreach programmes for offenders or persons identified as
potential offenders in order to promote non-violent behaviour and attitudes and
respect for equality and the rights of women;
(g) To develop and disseminate, in a manner appropriate to the audience
concerned, including in educational institutions at all levels, information and
awareness-raising materials on the different forms of violence that are
perpetrated against women and the availability of relevant programmes that
include information on the relevant provisions of criminal law, the functions of
the criminal justice system, the victim support mechanisms that are available and
the existing programmes concerning non-violent behaviour and the peaceful
resolution of conflicts;
(h) To support all initiatives, including those of non-governmental
organizations and other relevant organizations seeking women’s equality, to raise
public awareness of the issue of violence against women and to contribute to the
elimination of such violence;
(i) To facilitate the work at lower levels of government, including among
city and local community authorities, to promote an integrated approach that
makes use of the range of local services provided by institutions and civil society
for the development of preventive strategies and programmes.
23. Member States and the media, media associations, media self-regulatory
bodies, schools and other relevant partners, while respecting the freedom of the
media, are urged, as appropriate, to develop public awareness campaigns and
appropriate measures and mechanisms, such as codes of ethics and self-regulatory
measures on media violence, aimed at enhancing respect for the rights and dignity
of women, while discouraging both discrimination and gender stereotyping.
24. Member States and the private sector, relevant non-governmental
organizations and professional associations are urged to develop and improve,
where appropriate, crime prevention and criminal justice responses to the
production, possession and dissemination of games, images and all other
materials that depict or glorify acts of violence against women and children, and
their impact on the general public’s attitude towards women and children, as well
as the mental and emotional development of children, particularly through new
information technologies, including the Internet.
XI. International cooperation

25. Member States, in cooperation with United Nations bodies and institutes and
other relevant organizations, are urged, as appropriate:
(a) To continue exchanging information concerning successful intervention
models and preventive programmes on eliminating all forms of violence against
women and to update the resource manual and the compendium on the Model
Strategies and Practical Measures, as well as to provide information for inclusion
in the Secretary-General’s database on violence against women;
(b) To cooperate and collaborate at the bilateral, regional and international
levels with relevant entities to prevent violence against women; to provide safety,
assistance and protection for the victims and witnesses of violence and their
family members, as appropriate; and to promote measures to effectively bring
perpetrators to justice, through strengthened mechanisms of international
cooperation and mutual legal assistance;
(c) To develop provisions providing for the safe and, to the extent possible,
voluntary repatriation and reintegration of women victims of violence who have
been trafficked or kidnapped across borders;
(d) To contribute and provide support to the United Nations system in its
efforts to eliminate all forms of violence against women;
(e) To take appropriate preventive action and to ensure full accountability
in cases of sexual exploitation and abuse involving troops and police in United
Nations peacekeeping operations.
26. Member States are also urged:
(a) To condemn all acts of violence against women in situations of armed
conflict, to recognize them as violations of international human rights,
humanitarian law and international criminal law, to call for a particularly

effective response to such violations, in particular when they involve murder,
systematic rape, sexual slavery and forced pregnancy, and to implement Security
Council resolutions 1325 (2000) and 1820 (2008) on women and peace and
security;
(b) To work actively towards universal ratification of or accession to all
relevant treaties and to promote their full implementation, including the
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women
and the Optional Protocol thereto,14 the Rome Statute of the International
Criminal Court, the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Optional
Protocol thereto on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography,
and the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons,
Especially Women and Children, supplementing the United Nations Convention
against Transnational Organized Crime;
(c) To formulate any reservations to the Convention on the Elimination of
All Forms of Discrimination against Women in a manner that is as precise and as
narrow as possible and to ensure that any such reservations are not incompatible
with the object and purpose of that Convention;
(d) To work actively towards the ratification of or accession to existing
regional instruments and agreements aimed at combating violence against
women, and to promote their implementation;
(e) To include in periodic reports to the Committee on the Elimination of
Discrimination against Women information on efforts made to implement the
updated Model Strategies and Practical Measures;
(f) To cooperate with the International Criminal Court, ad hoc
international criminal tribunals and other international criminal tribunals in the
investigation and prosecution of the perpetrators of genocide, crimes against
humanity and war crimes, particularly of those crimes involving gender based
violence, and to enable women who have been subjected to violence to give
testimony and participate in all stages of the proceedings while protecting the
safety, interests, identity and privacy of those women;
(g) To cooperate with and assist the Special Rapporteur on violence against
women, its causes and consequences and the Special Rapporteur on trafficking in
persons, especially in women and children, in performing their mandated tasks
and duties by supplying all information requested and responding to the Special
Rapporteurs’ visits and communications.
__________________
XII. Follow-up activities

27. Member States, United Nations bodies, the institutes of the United Nations
crime prevention and criminal justice programme network, other relevant
international and regional organizations, research institutes, non-governmental
organizations and professional organizations, including organizations seeking
women’s equality, are urged, as appropriate:
(a) To encourage the translation of the updated Model Strategies and
Practical Measures into local languages and to ensure their wide dissemination
and use in training and education programmes;
(b) To draw, as appropriate, on the updated Model Strategies and Practical
Measures in the development of legislation, procedures, policies and practices in
responding to violence against women;
(c) To assist States, upon request, in developing strategies and programmes
to prevent violence against women and in reviewing and evaluating their criminal
justice systems, including their criminal legislation, on the basis of the updated
Model Strategies and Practical Measures;
(d) To support the technical cooperation activities of the institutes of the
United Nations crime prevention and criminal justice programme network aimed
at eliminating all forms of violence against women;
(e) To develop coordinated national, subregional and regional plans and
programmes to implement the updated Model Strategies and Practical Measures;
(f) To design standard training programmes and manuals for police and
criminal justice officials based on the updated Model Strategies and Practical
Measures;
(g) To periodically monitor and review progress made at the national and
international levels in terms of plans, programmes and initiatives to eliminate all
forms of violence against women;
(h) To periodically review and update, if necessary, the updated Model
Strategies and Practical Measures.
III. Victims
33. Declaration of Basic Principles of Justice for
Victims of Crime and Abuse of Power*
A. Victims of crime
1. “Victims” means persons who, individually or collectively, have suffered
harm, including physical or mental injury, emotional suffering, economic loss or
substantial impairment of their fundamental rights, through acts or omissions that
are in violation of criminal laws operative within Member States, including those
laws proscribing criminal abuse of power.
2. A person may be considered a victim, under this Declaration, regardless of
whether the perpetrator is identified, apprehended, prosecuted or convicted and
regardless of the familial relationship between the perpetrator and the victim. The
term “victim” also includes, where appropriate, the immediate family or
dependants of the direct victim and persons who have suffered harm in
intervening to assist victims in distress or to prevent victimization.
3. The provisions contained herein shall be applicable to all, without
distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, age, language, religion,
nationality, political or other opinion, cultural beliefs or practices, property, birth
or family status, ethnic or social origin, and disability.
Access to justice and fair treatment

4. Victims should be treated with compassion and respect for their dignity.
They are entitled to access to the mechanisms of justice and to prompt redress, as
provided for by national legislation, for the harm that they have suffered.
5. Judicial and administrative mechanisms should be established and
strengthened where necessary to enable victims to obtain redress through formal
or informal procedures that are expeditious, fair, inexpensive and accessible.
Victims should be informed of their rights in seeking redress through such
mechanisms.
__________________
* General Assembly resolution 40/34, annex, adopted on 29 November 1985.
269
6. The responsiveness of judicial and administrative processes to the needs of

victims should be facilitated by:
(a) Informing victims of their role and the scope, timing and progress of
the proceedings and of the disposition of their cases, especially where serious
crimes are involved and where they have requested such information;
(b) Allowing the views and concerns of victims to be presented and
considered at appropriate stages of the proceedings where their personal interests
are affected, without prejudice to the accused and consistent with the relevant
national criminal justice system;
(c) Providing proper assistance to victims throughout the legal process;
(d) Taking measures to minimize inconvenience to victims, protect their
privacy, when necessary, and ensure their safety, as well as that of their families
and witnesses on their behalf, from intimidation and retaliation;
(e) Avoiding unnecessary delay in the disposition of cases and the
execution of orders or decrees granting awards to victims.
7. Informal mechanisms for the resolution of disputes, including mediation,
arbitration and customary justice or indigenous practices, should be utilized
where appropriate to facilitate conciliation and redress for victims.
Restitution
8. Offenders or third parties responsible for their behaviour should, where
appropriate, make fair restitution to victims, their families or dependants. Such
restitution should include the return of property or payment for the harm or loss
suffered, reimbursement of expenses incurred as a result of the victimization, the
provision of services and the restoration of rights.
9. Governments should review their practices, regulations and laws to consider
restitution as an available sentencing option in criminal cases, in addition to
other criminal sanctions.
10. In cases of substantial harm to the environment, restitution, if ordered,
should include, as far as possible, restoration of the environment, reconstruction
of the infrastructure, replacement of community facilities and reimbursement of
the expenses of relocation, whenever such harm results in the dislocation of a
community.
11. Where public officials or other agents acting in an official or quasi-official
capacity have violated national criminal laws, the victims should receive
restitution from the State whose officials or agents were responsible for the harm
inflicted. In cases where the Government under whose authority the victimizing
act or omission occurred is no longer in existence, the State or Government
successor in title should provide restitution to the victims.
Part three, chapter III. Victims 271
Compensation
12. When compensation is not fully available from the offender or other
sources, States should endeavour to provide financial compensation to:
(a) Victims who have sustained significant bodily injury or impairment of
physical or mental health as a result of serious crimes;
(b) The family, in particular dependants of persons who have died or
become physically or mentally incapacitated as a result of such victimization.
13. The establishment, strengthening and expansion of national funds for
compensation to victims should be encouraged. Where appropriate, other funds
may also be established for this purpose, including in those cases where the State
of which the victim is a national is not in a position to compensate the victim for
the harm.
Assistance
14. Victims should receive the necessary material, medical, psychological and
social assistance through governmental, voluntary, community-based and
indigenous means.
15. Victims should be informed of the availability of health and social services
and other relevant assistance and be readily afforded access to them.
16. Police, justice, health, social service and other personnel concerned should
receive training to sensitize them to the needs of victims, and guidelines to
ensure proper and prompt aid.
17. In providing services and assistance to victims, attention should be given to
those who have special needs because of the nature of the harm inflicted or
because of factors such as those mentioned in paragraph 3 above.
B. Victims of abuse of power

18. “Victims” means persons who, individually or collectively, have suffered
harm, including physical or mental injury, emotional suffering, economic loss or
substantial impairment of their fundamental rights, through acts or omissions that
do not yet constitute violations of national criminal laws but of internationally
recognized norms relating to human rights.
19. States should consider incorporating into the national law norms proscribing
abuses of power and providing remedies to victims of such abuses. In particular,
such remedies should include restitution and/or compensation, and necessary
material, medical, psychological and social assistance and support.
20. States should consider negotiating multilateral international treaties relating
to victims, as defined in paragraph 18.
21. States should periodically review existing legislation and practices to ensure
their responsiveness to changing circumstances, should enact and enforce, if
necessary, legislation proscribing acts that constitute serious abuses of political

or economic power, as well as promoting policies and mechanisms for the
prevention of such acts, and should develop and make readily available
appropriate rights and remedies for victims of such acts.
34. Implementation of the Declaration of Basic Principles of

Justice for Victims of Crime and Abuse of Power*

Bearing in mind that the General Assembly, in its resolution 40/34 of
29 November 1985, adopted the Declaration of Basic Principles of Justice for
Victims of Crime and Abuse of Power, set forth in the annex to the resolution,
which had been approved by the Seventh United Nations Congress on the
Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders,1
Recalling the request made to Member States to take the necessary steps to
give effect to the provisions of the Declaration so as to secure for victims of
crime and abuse of power the rights due to them,
Taking into account section III of its resolution 1986/10 of 21 May 1986, in
which it recommended that continued attention be given to the implementation of
the Declaration with a view to developing the cooperation of Governments,
intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations and the public in
securing justice for victims and in promoting integrated action on behalf of
victims at the national, regional and international levels,
Noting that the first report of the Secretary-General concerning measures
taken to implement the Declaration indicates a number of areas which require
further attention,2
Noting with satisfaction the adoption of the European Convention on the
Compensation of Victims of Violent Crimes by the Council of Europe on
24 November 1983 and of the recommendation on assistance to victims and the
prevention of victimization by the Council of Europe on 17 September 1987, as
well as the creation by some Member States of national funds for the
compensation of victims of intentional and non-intentional offences,
Recognizing that effective implementation of the provisions of the
Declaration in respect of victims of abuse of power is sometimes hampered by
problems of jurisdiction and by difficulties in identifying and halting such
abuses, owing, inter alia, to the transnational nature of the victimization,
__________________
* Economic and Social Council resolution 1989/57, adopted on 24 May 1989.
Nations publication, Sales No. E.86.IV.1), chap. I, sect. C.
2 E/AC.57/1988/3.
Noting with appreciation the significant efforts made since the

Seventh United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment
of Offenders to follow up and give effect to the Declaration, including the report
prepared by an ad hoc committee of experts at the International Institute of
Higher Studies in Criminal Sciences at Syracuse, Italy in May 1986, as revised at
a colloquium of leading non-governmental organizations active in crime
prevention, criminal justice and the treatment of offenders and victims, held at
Milan, Italy, in November and December 1987,
1. Recommends that the Secretary-General consider, subject to the
provision of extrabudgetary funds and consideration by the Committee on Crime
Prevention and Control, the preparation, publication and dissemination of a guide
for criminal justice practitioners and others engaged in similar activities, taking
into account the work already done on the subject;
2. Also recommends that Member States take the necessary steps to give
effect to the provisions contained in the Declaration of Basic Principles of Justice
for Victims of Crime and Abuse of Power, through:
(a) The adoption and implementation of the provisions contained in the
Declaration in their national justice systems in accordance with their
constitutional process and domestic practice;
(b) The introduction of legislation to simplify access by victims to the
justice system in order to obtain compensation and restitution;
(c) The examination of methods of assisting victims, including adequate
redress for the actual harm or damage inflicted, identifying limitations and
exploring ways by which these may be overcome, to ensure that they meet
effectively the needs of victims;
(d) The establishment of measures to protect victims from abuse, calumny
or intimidation in the course or as a result of any criminal or other proceedings
related to the crime, including effective remedies, should such abuses occur;
3. Further recommends that Member States, in collaboration with relevant
services, agencies and organizations, endeavour:
(a) To encourage the provision of assistance and support services to
victims of crime, with due regard to different social, cultural and legal systems,
taking into account the experience of different models and methods of service
delivery and the current state of knowledge concerning victimization, including
its emotional impact, and the consequent need for service organizations to extend
offers of assistance to victims;
(b) To develop suitable training for all who provide services to victims to
enable them to develop the skills and understanding needed to help victims cope
with the emotional impact of crime and overcome bias, where it may exist, and to
provide factual information;
(c) To establish effective channels of communication between all those

who are involved with victims, organize courses and meetings and disseminate
information to enable them to prevent further victimization as a result of the
workings of the system;
(d) To ensure that victims are kept informed of their rights and
opportunities with respect to redress from the offender, from third parties or from
the State, as well as of the progress of the relevant criminal proceedings and of
any opportunities that may be involved;
(e) Where informal mechanisms for the resolution of disputes exist, or
have been newly introduced, to ensure, if possible and with due consideration to
established legal principles, that the wishes and sensibilities of victims are fully
taken into consideration and that the outcome is at least as beneficial for the
victims as would have been the case if the formal system had been used;
(f) To establish a monitoring and research programme to keep the needs of
victims and the effectiveness of services provided to them under constant review;
such a programme might include the organization of regular meetings and
conferences of representatives of relevant sectors of the criminal justice system
and other bodies concerned with the needs of victims, in order to examine the
extent to which existing law, practice and victim services are responsive to the
needs of victims;
(g) To undertake studies to identify the needs of victims in cases of
unreported crime and make the appropriate services available to them;
4. Recommends that, at the national, regional and international levels, all
appropriate steps be taken to develop international cooperation in criminal
matters, inter alia, to ensure that those who suffer victimization in another State
receive effective help, both immediately following the crime and on their return
to their own country of residence or nationality, in protecting their interests and
obtaining adequate restitution or compensation and support services, as
necessary;
5. Recognizes the need to work out in greater detail part B of the
Declaration and to develop international means for preventing the abuse of power
and for providing redress for victims of such abuse where national channels may
be insufficient, and recommends that appropriate steps be taken to this effect;
6. Requests the Secretary-General to organize, subject to the availability
of extrabudgetary funds, a meeting of experts to formulate specific proposals for
the implementation of General Assembly resolution 40/34 and the Declaration of
Basic Principles of Justice for Victims of Crime and the Abuse of Power,
insofar as those documents apply to the abuse of power, in time for the proposals
to be submitted to the Committee on Crime Prevention and Control at its
eleventh session and for consideration by the Eighth United Nations Congress on
the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders.
35. Plan of action for the implementation of the

Declaration of Basic Principles of Justice for Victims of
Crime and Abuse of Power*
I. Capacity-building
1. The Secretary-General,1 Member States and intergovernmental and
non-governmental organizations active in victim assistance and redress are
requested2 further to incorporate victim assistance modules in technical
cooperation projects and to assist interested Member States in applying the Guide
for Policy Makers on the Implementation of the Declaration of Basic Principles
of Justice for Victims of Crime and Abuse of Power3 and the Handbook on
Justice for Victims on the use and application of the Declaration of Basic
Principles of Justice for Victims of Crime and Abuse of Power,4 through training
courses, seminars, study tours, fellowships and advisory services, in order to help
resolve problems in the implementation of the Declaration.
2. The Secretary-General is requested to develop, in collaboration with
relevant intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, criteria for the
selection of technical cooperation projects for the establishment or the further
development of victim services.
3. Member States, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations and
the institutes of the United Nations Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice
Programme network are invited to assist the Secretary-General in updating, with
an appropriate interval, the Guide and the Handbook, giving special attention to
practical national experiences, legislative information and case law concerning
special victim groups, such as victims and witnesses of organized crime,
terrorism, economic and environmental crime or bias or hate crimes and victims
of violence against women and children.
4. The Secretary-General, together with intergovernmental and
non-governmental organizations and the institutes of the United Nations Crime
Prevention and Criminal Justice Programme network, is requested to assist
interested Member States in the development of reparative and restorative
policies for victims of violations of human rights and humanitarian law, as part of
national reconstruction and reconciliation, and in the promotion of justice and the
rule of law.
__________________
1 In the present plan of action, references to the Secretary-General are understood as
signifying primarily the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the institutes of the
United Nations crime prevention and criminal justice programme network.
2 When the Secretary-General is requested to carry out activities, they should be
performed within existing resources or through extrabudgetary funding.

3 E/CN.15/1998/CRP.4.
4 E/CN.15/1998/CRP.4/Add.1.
II. Information-gathering,
information exchange and research
5. The Secretary-General, in cooperation with interested Member States and
non-governmental organizations, is requested to support the international
database on practical national and regional experiences in providing technical
assistance in this field and on bibliographic and legislative information, including
case law relevant to this field.
6. Member States and non-governmental organizations are invited to provide
information for the database on projects, new programmes, case law and
legislation and other relevant guidelines that have been found to be effective and
that could serve as models for such developments elsewhere and to help in
identifying experts who could assist Member States, upon request, in
implementing such projects, programmes and legislation.
7. Member States and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations
are invited to give consideration to the further development and use of methods
of gathering data on victimization, such as standardized victimization surveys,
including their extension to cover groups of victims such as victims and
witnesses of organized crime, terrorism, economic and environmental crime or
bias or hate crimes and victims of violence against women, children and
migrants.
8. Member States and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations
are invited to promote the evaluation of the efficacy of different forms of
providing assistance to victims, the evaluation of the extent to which the criminal
justice process takes into consideration the legitimate needs and concerns of
victims and the evaluation of different forms of ensuring compensation and
restitution to victims.
III. Prevention of victimization

9. The Secretary-General, together with cooperating institutes and
organizations, is invited to study ways in which to provide technical assistance to
Member States, upon request, in responding to cases of large-scale victimization,
terrorism and man-made catastrophes that are the result of criminal negligence,
ensuring that the necessary emergency assistance is provided, using, where
necessary, interdisciplinary and international crisis response teams to help in
dealing with the situation and in responding to the needs and rights of the
victims.
10. Member States are encouraged to consider the introduction, where
necessary, and the strengthening of the work of ombudsmen and civilian review
bodies or other complaint mechanisms and means of preventing and investigating
possible abuse of power.
11. Member States and non-governmental organizations are encouraged to
conduct public information and education campaigns designed to prevent and
curtail victimization and re-victimization. Such campaigns should include both

general campaigns directed at broad sectors of the population and special
campaigns targeting select groups known to be at high risk of such victimization
and re-victimization.
12. Member States, in close cooperation with representatives of the mass media,
are encouraged to elaborate and implement effectively guidelines for the media
aimed at protecting victims and curtailing re-victimization.
IV. Action at the regional and international levels

13. The Secretary-General, in cooperation with Member States and the regional
commissions, is requested to explore the possibility of developing regional
mechanisms for monitoring victimization and providing recourse and/or redress
for victims.
14. The Secretary-General, in cooperation with the international professional
and academic community, is requested to help Member States in identifying
lacunae in international criminal law and humanitarian and human rights law
concerning the protection and rights of victims and witnesses, with a view to
addressing those lacunae.
V. Coordination of relevant initiatives

15. The Secretary-General is requested to assist Member States in strengthening
coordination arrangements and procedures to foster joint planning and
implementation of victim-related activities.
16. The Secretary-General is requested to ensure concerted action, with an
appropriate division of responsibilities, among United Nations entities and other
entities concerned with promoting the implementation of the Declaration.
17. The Secretary-General is requested to assist Member States, upon request, in
the elaboration of joint strategies and the mobilization of support for providing
assistance to victims, including wider citizen participation and the promotion of
the principles of restorative justice.
Part four
Good governance, the independence of the
judiciary, the integrity of criminal justice
personnel and access to legal aid
I. Good governance, the independence of the
judiciary and the integrity of criminal
justice personnel
36. Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials*
Article 1
Law enforcement officials shall at all times fulfil the duty imposed upon
them by law, by serving the community and by protecting all persons against
illegal acts, consistent with the high degree of responsibility required by their
profession.
Commentary1
(a) The term “law enforcement officials”, includes all officers of the law,
whether appointed or elected, who exercise police powers, especially the powers
of arrest or detention.
(b) In countries where police powers are exercised by military authorities,
whether uniformed or not, or by state security forces, the definition of law
enforcement officials shall be regarded as including officers of such services.
(c) Service to the community is intended to include particularly the
rendition of services of assistance to those members of the community who by
reason of personal, economic, social or other emergencies are in need of
immediate aid.
(d) This provision is intended to cover not only all violent, predatory and
harmful acts, but extends to the full range of prohibitions under penal statutes. It
extends to conduct by persons not capable of incurring criminal liability.
__________________
1 The commentaries provide information to facilitate the use of the Code within the
framework of national legislation or practice. In addition, national or regional commentaries
could identify specific features of the legal systems and practices of different States or
regional intergovernmental organizations which would promote the application of the Code.
281
Article 2
In the performance of their duty, law enforcement officials shall respect and
protect human dignity and maintain and uphold the human rights of all persons.
Commentary
(a) The human rights in question are identified and protected by national
and international law. Among the relevant international instruments are the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights,2 the International Covenant on Civil and
Political Rights,3 the Declaration on the Protection of All Persons from Being
Subjected to Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or
Punishment,4 the United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of
Racial Discrimination,5 the International Convention on the Elimination of All
Forms of Racial Discrimination,6 the International Convention on the
Suppression and Punishment of the Crime of Apartheid,7 the Convention on the
Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide,8 the Standard Minimum
Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners9 and the Vienna Convention on Consular
Relations.10
(b) National commentaries to this provision should indicate regional or
national provisions identifying and protecting these rights.
Article 3
Law enforcement officials may use force only when strictly necessary and to
the extent required for the performance of their duty.
Commentary
(a) This provision emphasizes that the use of force by law enforcement
officials should be exceptional; while it implies that law enforcement officials
may be authorized to use force as is reasonably necessary under the
circumstances for the prevention of crime or in effecting or assisting in the
lawful arrest of offenders or suspected offenders, no force going beyond that may
be used.
__________________
4 General Assembly resolution 3452 (XXX), annex.
5 General Assembly resolution 1904 (XVIII).
7 Ibid., vol. 1015, No. 14861.
8 General Assembly resolution 260 A (III), annex.
sect. J, No. 34.
Part four, chapter I. Good governance 283
(b) National law ordinarily restricts the use of force by law enforcement
officials in accordance with a principle of proportionality. It is to be understood
that such national principles of proportionality are to be respected in the
interpretation of this provision. In no case should this provision be interpreted to
authorize the use of force which is disproportionate to the legitimate objective to
be achieved.
(c) The use of firearms is considered an extreme measure. Every effort
should be made to exclude the use of firearms, especially against children. In
general, firearms should not be used except when a suspected offender offers
armed resistance or otherwise jeopardizes the lives of others and less extreme
measures are not sufficient to restrain or apprehend the suspected offender. In
every instance in which a firearm is discharged, a report should be made
promptly to the competent authorities.
Article 4
Matters of a confidential nature in the possession of law enforcement
officials shall be kept confidential, unless the performance of duty or the needs
of justice strictly require otherwise.
Commentary
By the nature of their duties, law enforcement officials obtain information
which may relate to private lives or be potentially harmful to the interests, and
especially the reputation, of others. Great care should be exercised in
safeguarding and using such information, which should be disclosed only in the
performance of duty or to serve the needs of justice. Any disclosure of such
information for other purposes is wholly improper.
Article 5
No law enforcement official may inflict, instigate or tolerate any act of
torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, nor may
any law enforcement official invoke superior orders or exceptional circumstances
such as a state of war or a threat of war, a threat to national security, internal
political instability or any other public emergency as a justification of torture or
other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
Commentary
(a) This prohibition derives from the Declaration on the Protection of All
Persons from Being Subjected to Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading
Treatment or Punishment, adopted by the General Assembly, according to which:
“[Such an act is] an offence to human dignity and shall be condemned as a denial
of the purposes of the Charter of the United Nations and as a violation of the
human rights and fundamental freedoms proclaimed in the Universal Declaration
of Human Rights [and other international human rights instruments].”
(b) The Declaration defines torture as follows:

“... torture means any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether
physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted by or at the instigation of a
public official on a person for such purposes as obtaining from him or a
third person information or confession, punishing him for an act he has
committed or is suspected of having committed, or intimidating him or
other persons. It does not include pain or suffering arising only from,
inherent in or incidental to, lawful sanctions to the extent consistent
with the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners.”11
(c) The term “cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment” has
not been defined by the General Assembly but should be interpreted so as to
extend the widest possible protection against abuses, whether physical or mental.
Article 6
Law enforcement officials shall ensure the full protection of the health of
persons in their custody and, in particular, shall take immediate action to secure
medical attention whenever required.
Commentary
(a) “Medical attention”, which refers to services rendered by any medical
personnel, including certified medical practitioners and paramedics, shall be
secured when needed or requested.
(b) While the medical personnel are likely to be attached to the law
enforcement operation, law enforcement officials must take into account the
judgement of such personnel when they recommend providing the person in
custody with appropriate treatment through, or in consultation with, medical
personnel from outside the law enforcement operation.
(c) It is understood that law enforcement officials shall also secure medical
attention for victims of violations of law or of accidents occurring in the course
of violations of law.
Article 7
Law enforcement officials shall not commit any act of corruption. They
shall also rigorously oppose and combat all such acts.
Commentary
(a) Any act of corruption, in the same way as any other abuse of authority,
is incompatible with the profession of law enforcement officials. The law must
__________________
11 First United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of
Offenders: report prepared by the Secretariat (United Nations publication,

Sales No. 1956.IV.4), annex I.A.
be enforced fully with respect to any law enforcement official who commits an
act of corruption, as Governments cannot expect to enforce the law among their
citizens if they cannot, or will not, enforce the law against their own agents and
within their own agencies.
(b) While the definition of corruption must be subject to national law, it
should be understood to encompass the commission or omission of an act in the
performance of or in connection with one’s duties, in response to gifts, promises
or incentives demanded or accepted, or the wrongful receipt of these once the act
has been committed or omitted.
(c) The expression “act of corruption” referred to above should be
understood to encompass attempted corruption.
Article 8
Law enforcement officials shall respect the law and the present Code. They
shall also, to the best of their capability, prevent and rigorously oppose any
violations of them.
Law enforcement officials who have reason to believe that a violation of the
present Code has occurred or is about to occur shall report the matter to their
organs vested with reviewing or remedial power.
Commentary
(a) This Code shall be observed whenever it has been incorporated into
national legislation or practice. If legislation or practice contains stricter
provisions than those of the present Code, those stricter provisions shall be
observed.
(b) The article seeks to preserve the balance between the need for internal
discipline of the agency on which public safety is largely dependent, on the one
hand, and the need for dealing with violations of basic human rights, on the
other. Law enforcement officials shall report violations within the chain of
command and take other lawful action outside the chain of command only when
no other remedies are available or effective. It is understood that law
enforcement officials shall not suffer administrative or other penalties because
they have reported that a violation of this Code has occurred or is about to occur.
(c) The term “appropriate authorities or organs vested with reviewing or
remedial power” refers to any authority or organ existing under national law,
whether internal to the law enforcement agency or independent thereof, with
statutory, customary or other power to review grievances and complaints arising
out of violations within the purview of this Code.
(d) In some countries, the mass media may be regarded as performing
complaint review functions similar to those described in subparagraph (c) above.
Law enforcement officials may, therefore, be justified if, as a last resort and in
accordance with the laws and customs of their own countries and with the
provisions of article 4 of the present Code, they bring violations to the attention
of public opinion through the mass media.
(e) Law enforcement officials who comply with the provisions of this
Code deserve the respect, the full support and the cooperation of the community
and of the law enforcement agency in which they serve, as well as the law
enforcement profession.
37. Guidelines for the Effective Implementation of the

Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials*
I. Application of the Code

A. General principles
l. The principles embodied in the Code shall be reflected in national
legislation and practice.
2. In order to achieve the aims and objectives set out in article 1 of the Code
and its Commentary, the definition of “law enforcement officials” shall be given
the widest possible interpretation.
3. The Code shall be made applicable to all law enforcement officials,
regardless of their jurisdiction.
4. Governments shall adopt the necessary measures to instruct, in basic
training and all subsequent training and refresher courses, law enforcement
officials in the provisions of national legislation connected with the Code as well
as other basic texts on the issue of human rights.
B. Specific issues
l. Selection, education and training. The selection, education and training of
law enforcement officials shall be given prime importance. Governments shall
also promote education and training through a fruitful exchange of ideas at the
regional and interregional levels.
2. Salary and working conditions. All law enforcement officials shall be
adequately remunerated and shall be provided with appropriate working
conditions.
3. Discipline and supervision. Effective mechanisms shall be established to
ensure the internal discipline and external control as well as the supervision of
law enforcement officials.
4. Complaints by members of the public. Particular provisions shall be made,
within the mechanisms mentioned under paragraph 3 above, for the receipt and
__________________
processing of complaints against law enforcement officials made by members of

the public, and the existence of these provisions shall be made known to the
public.
II. Implementation of the Code

A. At the national level
1. The Code shall be made available to all law enforcement officials and
competent authorities in their own language.
2. Governments shall disseminate the Code and all domestic laws giving effect
to it so as to ensure that the principles and rights contained therein become
known to the public in general.
3. In considering measures to promote the application of the Code,
Governments shall organize symposiums on the role and functions of law
enforcement officials in the protection of human rights and the prevention of
crime.
B. At the international level

l. Governments shall inform the Secretary-General at appropriate intervals of
at least five years on the extent of the implementation of the Code.
2. The Secretary-General shall prepare periodic reports on progress made with
respect to the implementation of the Code, drawing also on observations and on
the cooperation of specialized agencies and relevant intergovernmental
organizations and non-governmental organizations in consultative status with the
Economic and Social Council.
3. As part of the reports mentioned above, Governments shall provide to the
Secretary-General copies of abstracts of laws, regulations and administrative
measures concerning the application of the Code, any other relevant information
on its implementation, as well as information on possible difficulties in its
application.
4. The Secretary-General shall submit the above-mentioned reports to the
Committee on Crime Prevention and Control for consideration and further action,
as appropriate.
5. The Secretary-General shall make available the Code and the present
guidelines to all States and intergovernmental and non-governmental
organizations concerned, in all official languages of the United Nations.
6. The United Nations, as part of its advisory services and technical
cooperation and development programmes, shall:
(a) Make available to Governments requesting them the services of experts
and regional and interregional advisers to assist in implementing the provisions
of the Code;
(b) Promote national and regional training seminars and other meetings on
the Code and on the role and functions of law enforcement officials in the
protection of human rights and the prevention of crime.
7. The United Nations regional institutes shall be encouraged to organize
seminars and training courses on the Code and to carry out research on the extent
to which the Code is implemented in the countries of the region as well as the
difficulties encountered.
38. Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by

Law Enforcement Officials*
Whereas the work of law enforcement officials1 is a social service of great

importance and there is, therefore, a need to maintain and, whenever necessary,
to improve the working conditions and status of these officials,
Whereas a threat to the life and safety of law enforcement officials must be
seen as a threat to the stability of society as a whole,
Whereas law enforcement officials have a vital role in the protection of the
right to life, liberty and security of the person, as guaranteed in the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights2 and reaffirmed in the International Covenant on
Civil and Political Rights,3
Whereas the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners4
provide for the circumstances in which prison officials may use force in the
course of their duties,
__________________
* Eighth United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of
Nations publication, Sales No. E.91.IV.2), chap. I, sect. B.2, annex. This instrument contains
references to specific provisions of the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of
Prisoners, which were subsequently updated and adopted by the General Assembly on
17 December 2015 in its resolution 70/175, entitled “United Nations Standard Minimum
Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (the Nelson Mandela Rules)”. For the purposes of this
publication, footnotes have been added to indicate the corresponding provisions of the
Nelson Mandela Rules.
1 In accordance with the commentary to article 1 of the Code of Conduct for Law
Enforcement Officials, the term “law enforcement officials” includes all officers of the law,
whether appointed or elected, who exercise police powers, especially the powers of arrest or
detention. In countries where police powers are exercised by military authorities, whether
uniformed or not, or by State security forces, the definition of law enforcement officials shall
be regarded as including officers of such services.
sect. J, No. 34.
Whereas article 3 of the Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials5

provides that law enforcement officials may use force only when strictly
necessary and to the extent required for the performance of their duty,
Whereas the preparatory meeting for the Seventh United Nations Congress
on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders, held at Varenna,
Italy, agreed on elements to be considered in the course of further work on
restraints on the use of force and firearms by law enforcement officials,6
Whereas the Seventh Congress, in its resolution 14,7 inter alia, emphasizes
that the use of force and firearms by law enforcement officials should be
commensurate with due respect for human rights,
Whereas the Economic and Social Council, in its resolution 1986/10,
section IX, of 21 May 1986, invited Member States to pay particular attention in
the implementation of the Code to the use of force and firearms by law
enforcement officials, and the General Assembly, in its resolution 41/149 of
4 December 1986, inter alia, welcomed this recommendation made by the
Council,
Whereas it is appropriate that, with due regard to their personal safety,
consideration be given to the role of law enforcement officials in relation to the
administration of justice, to the protection of the right to life, liberty and security
of the person, to their responsibility to maintain public safety and social peace
and to the importance of their qualifications, training and conduct,
The basic principles set forth below, which have been formulated to assist
Member States in their task of ensuring and promoting the proper role of law
enforcement officials, should be taken into account and respected by
Governments within the framework of their national legislation and practice, and
be brought to the attention of law enforcement officials as well as other persons,
such as judges, prosecutors, lawyers, members of the executive branch and the
legislature, and the public.
General provisions
1. Governments and law enforcement agencies shall adopt and implement rules
and regulations on the use of force and firearms against persons by law
enforcement officials. In developing such rules and regulations, Governments
and law enforcement agencies shall keep the ethical issues associated with the
use of force and firearms constantly under review.
2. Governments and law enforcement agencies should develop a range of
means as broad as possible and equip law enforcement officials with various
__________________
6 A/CONF.121/IPM.3, para. 34.
Nations publication, Sales No. E.86.IV.1), chap. I, sect. E.
types of weapons and ammunition that would allow for a differentiated use of
force and firearms. These should include the development of non-lethal
incapacitating weapons for use in appropriate situations, with a view to
increasingly restraining the application of means capable of causing death or
injury to persons. For the same purpose, it should also be possible for law
enforcement officials to be equipped with self-defensive equipment such as
shields, helmets, bullet-proof vests and bullet-proof means of transportation, in
order to decrease the need to use weapons of any kind.
3. The development and deployment of non-lethal incapacitating weapons
should be carefully evaluated in order to minimize the risk of endangering
uninvolved persons, and the use of such weapons should be carefully controlled.
4. Law enforcement officials, in carrying out their duty, shall, as far as
possible, apply non-violent means before resorting to the use of force and
firearms. They may use force and firearms only if other means remain ineffective
or without any promise of achieving the intended result.
5. Whenever the lawful use of force and firearms is unavoidable, law
enforcement officials shall:
(a) Exercise restraint in such use and act in proportion to the seriousness of
the offence and the legitimate objective to be achieved;
(b) Minimize damage and injury, and respect and preserve human life;
(c) Ensure that assistance and medical aid are rendered to any injured or
affected persons at the earliest possible moment;
(d) Ensure that relatives or close friends of the injured or affected person
are notified at the earliest possible moment.
6. Where injury or death is caused by the use of force and firearms by law
enforcement officials, they shall report the incident promptly to their superiors,
in accordance with principle 22.
7. Governments shall ensure that arbitrary or abusive use of force and firearms
by law enforcement officials is punished as a criminal offence under their law.
8. Exceptional circumstances such as internal political instability or any other
public emergency may not be invoked to justify any departure from these basic
principles.
Special provisions
9. Law enforcement officials shall not use firearms against persons except in
self-defence or defence of others against the imminent threat of death or serious
injury, to prevent the perpetration of a particularly serious crime involving grave
threat to life, to arrest a person presenting such a danger and resisting their
authority, or to prevent his or her escape, and only when less extreme means are
insufficient to achieve these objectives. In any event, intentional lethal use of

firearms may only be made when strictly unavoidable in order to protect life.
10. In the circumstances provided for under principle 9, law enforcement
officials shall identify themselves as such and give a clear warning of their intent
to use firearms, with sufficient time for the warning to be observed, unless to do
so would unduly place the law enforcement officials at risk or would create a risk
of death or serious harm to other persons, or would be clearly inappropriate or
pointless in the circumstances of the incident.
11. Rules and regulations on the use of firearms by law enforcement officials
should include guidelines that:
(a) Specify the circumstances under which law enforcement officials are
authorized to carry firearms and prescribe the types of firearms and ammunition
permitted;
(b) Ensure that firearms are used only in appropriate circumstances and in
a manner likely to decrease the risk of unnecessary harm;
(c) Prohibit the use of those firearms and ammunition that cause
unwarranted injury or present an unwarranted risk;
(d) Regulate the control, storage and issuing of firearms, including
procedures for ensuring that law enforcement officials are accountable for the
firearms and ammunition issued to them;
(e) Provide for warnings to be given, if appropriate, when firearms are to
be discharged;
(f) Provide for a system of reporting whenever law enforcement officials
use firearms in the performance of their duty.
Policing unlawful assemblies

12. As everyone is allowed to participate in lawful and peaceful assemblies, in
accordance with the principles embodied in the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,
Governments and law enforcement agencies and officials shall recognize that
force and firearms may be used only in accordance with principles 13 and 14.
13. In the dispersal of assemblies that are unlawful but non-violent, law
enforcement officials shall avoid the use of force or, where that is not
practicable, shall restrict such force to the minimum extent necessary.
14. In the dispersal of violent assemblies, law enforcement officials may use
firearms only when less dangerous means are not practicable and only to the
minimum extent necessary. Law enforcement officials shall not use firearms in
such cases, except under the conditions stipulated in principle 9.
Policing persons in custody or detention

15. Law enforcement officials, in their relations with persons in custody or
detention, shall not use force, except when strictly necessary for the maintenance
of security and order within the institution, or when personal safety is threatened.
16. Law enforcement officials, in their relations with persons in custody or
detention, shall not use firearms, except in self-defence or in the defence of
others against the immediate threat of death or serious injury, or when strictly
necessary to prevent the escape of a person in custody or detention presenting the
danger referred to in principle 9.
17. The preceding principles are without prejudice to the rights, duties and
responsibilities of prison officials, as set out in the Standard Minimum Rules for
the Treatment of Prisoners, particularly rules 33, 34 and 54.8
Qualifications, training and counselling

18. Governments and law enforcement agencies shall ensure that all law
enforcement officials are selected by proper screening procedures, have
appropriate moral, psychological and physical qualities for the effective exercise
of their functions and receive continuous and thorough professional training.
Their continued fitness to perform these functions should be subject to periodic
review.
19. Governments and law enforcement agencies shall ensure that all law
enforcement officials are provided with training and are tested in accordance
with appropriate proficiency standards in the use of force. Those law
enforcement officials who are required to carry firearms should be authorized to
do so only upon completion of special training in their use.
20. In the training of law enforcement officials, Governments and law
enforcement agencies shall give special attention to issues of police ethics and
human rights, especially in the investigative process, to alternatives to the use of
force and firearms, including the peaceful settlement of conflicts, the
understanding of crowd behaviour, and the methods of persuasion, negotiation
and mediation, as well as to technical means, with a view to limiting the use of
force and firearms. Law enforcement agencies should review their training
programmes and operational procedures in the light of particular incidents.
21. Governments and law enforcement agencies shall make stress counselling
available to law enforcement officials who are involved in situations where force
and firearms are used.
Reporting and review procedures

22. Governments and law enforcement agencies shall establish effective
reporting and review procedures for all incidents referred to in principles 6 and
__________________
8 Please refer to rules 47, 48, 49 and 82 of the Nelson Mandela Rules.
11 (f). For incidents reported pursuant to these principles, Governments and law
enforcement agencies shall ensure that an effective review process is available
and that independent administrative or prosecutorial authorities are in a position
to exercise jurisdiction in appropriate circumstances. In cases of death and
serious injury or other grave consequences, a detailed report shall be sent
promptly to the competent authorities responsible for administrative review and
judicial control.
23. Persons affected by the use of force and firearms or their legal
representatives shall have access to an independent process, including a judicial
process. In the event of the death of such persons, this provision shall apply to
their dependants accordingly.
24. Governments and law enforcement agencies shall ensure that superior
officers are held responsible if they know, or should have known, that law
enforcement officials under their command are resorting, or have resorted, to the
unlawful use of force and firearms, and they did not take all measures in their
power to prevent, suppress or report such use.
25. Governments and law enforcement agencies shall ensure that no criminal or
disciplinary sanction is imposed on law enforcement officials who, in compliance
with the Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials and these basic
principles, refuse to carry out an order to use force and firearms, or who report
such use by other officials.
26. Obedience to superior orders shall be no defence if law enforcement
officials knew that an order to use force and firearms resulting in the death or
serious injury of a person was manifestly unlawful and had a reasonable
opportunity to refuse to follow it. In any case, responsibility also rests on the
superiors who gave the unlawful orders.
39. Basic Principles on the Independence of the Judiciary*
Whereas in the Charter of the United Nations the peoples of the world
affirm, inter alia, their determination to establish conditions under which justice
can be maintained to achieve international cooperation in promoting and
encouraging respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms without any
discrimination,
Whereas the Universal Declaration of Human Rights enshrines in particular
the principles of equality before the law, of the presumption of innocence and of
the right to a fair and public hearing by a competent, independent and impartial
tribunal established by law,
__________________
* Seventh United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of
Nations publication, Sales No. E.86.IV.1), chap. I, sect. D.2, annex.
Whereas the International Covenants on Economic, Social and Cultural

Rights and on Civil and Political Rights both guarantee the exercise of those
rights, and in addition, the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights further
guarantees the right to be tried without undue delay,
Whereas frequently there still exists a gap between the vision underlying
those principles and the actual situation,
Whereas the organization and administration of justice in every country
should be inspired by those principles, and efforts should be undertaken to
translate them fully into reality,
Whereas rules concerning the exercise of judicial office should aim at
enabling judges to act in accordance with those principles,
Whereas judges are charged with the ultimate decision over life, freedoms,
rights, duties and property of citizens,
Whereas the Sixth United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and
the Treatment of Offenders, by its resolution 16, called upon the Committee on
Crime Prevention and Control to include among its priorities the elaboration of
guidelines relating to the independence of judges and the selection, professional
training and status of judges and prosecutors,
Whereas it is, therefore, appropriate that consideration be first given to the
role of judges in relation to the system of justice and to the importance of their
selection, training and conduct,
The following basic principles, formulated to assist Member States in their
task of securing and promoting the independence of the judiciary should be taken
into account and respected by Governments within the framework of their
national legislation and practice and be brought to the attention of judges,
lawyers, members of the executive and the legislature and the public in general.
The principles have been formulated principally with professional judges in
mind, but they apply equally, as appropriate, to lay judges, where they exist.
Independence of the judiciary

1. The independence of the judiciary shall be guaranteed by the State and
enshrined in the Constitution or the law of the country. It is the duty of all
governmental and other institutions to respect and observe the independence of
the judiciary.
2. The judiciary shall decide matters before them impartially, on the basis of
facts and in accordance with the law, without any restrictions, improper
influences, inducements, pressures, threats or interferences, direct or indirect,
from any quarter or for any reason.
3. The judiciary shall have jurisdiction over all issues of a judicial nature and
shall have exclusive authority to decide whether an issue submitted for its
decision is within its competence as defined by law.
4. There shall not be any inappropriate or unwarranted interference with the

judicial process, nor shall judicial decisions by the courts be subject to revision.
This principle is without prejudice to judicial review or to mitigation or
commutation by competent authorities of sentences imposed by the judiciary, in
accordance with the law.
5. Everyone shall have the right to be tried by ordinary courts or tribunals
using established legal procedures. Tribunals that do not use the duly established
procedures of the legal process shall not be created to displace the jurisdiction
belonging to the ordinary courts or judicial tribunals.
6. The principle of the independence of the judiciary entitles and requires the
judiciary to ensure that judicial proceedings are conducted fairly and that the
rights of the parties are respected.
7. It is the duty of each Member State to provide adequate resources to enable
the judiciary to properly perform its functions.
Freedom of expression and association

8. In accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, members of
the judiciary are like other citizens entitled to freedom of expression, belief,
association and assembly; provided, however, that in exercising such rights,
judges shall always conduct themselves in such a manner as to preserve the
dignity of their office and the impartiality and independence of the judiciary.
9. Judges shall be free to form and join associations of judges or other
organizations to represent their interests, to promote their professional training
and to protect their judicial independence.
Qualifications, selection and training

10. Persons selected for judicial office shall be individuals of integrity and
ability with appropriate training or qualifications in law. Any method of judicial
selection shall safeguard against judicial appointments for improper motives. In
the selection of judges, there shall be no discrimination against a person on the
grounds of race, colour, sex, religion, political or other opinion, national or social
origin, property, birth or status, except that a requirement, that a candidate for
judicial office must be a national of the country concerned, shall not be
considered discriminatory.
Conditions of service and tenure

11. The term of office of judges, their independence, security, adequate
remuneration, conditions of service, pensions and the age of retirement shall be
adequately secured by law.
12. Judges, whether appointed or elected, shall have guaranteed tenure until a
mandatory retirement age or the expiry of their term of office, where such exists.
13. Promotion of judges, wherever such a system exists, should be based on

objective factors, in particular ability, integrity and experience.
14. The assignment of cases to judges within the court to which they belong is
an internal matter of judicial administration.
Professional secrecy and immunity

15. The judiciary shall be bound by professional secrecy with regard to their
deliberations and to confidential information acquired in the course of their
duties other than in public proceedings, and shall not be compelled to testify on
such matters.
16. Without prejudice to any disciplinary procedure or to any right of appeal or
to compensation from the State, in accordance with national law, judges should
enjoy personal immunity from civil suits for monetary damages for improper acts
or omissions in the exercise of their judicial functions.
Discipline, suspension and removal

17. A charge or complaint made against a judge in his/her judicial and
professional capacity shall be processed expeditiously and fairly under an
appropriate procedure. The judge shall have the right to a fair hearing. The
examination of the matter at its initial stage shall be kept confidential, unless
otherwise requested by the judge.
18. Judges shall be subject to suspension or removal only for reasons of
incapacity or behaviour that renders them unfit to discharge their duties.
19. All disciplinary, suspension or removal proceedings shall be determined in
accordance with established standards of judicial conduct.
20. Decisions in disciplinary, suspension or removal proceedings should be
subject to an independent review. This principle may not apply to the decisions
of the highest court and those of the legislature in impeachment or similar
proceedings.
40. Procedures for the effective implementation of the

Basic Principles on the Independence of the Judiciary*
Procedure 1
All States shall adopt and implement in their justice systems the Basic
Principles on the Independence of the Judiciary in accordance with their
constitutional process and domestic practice.
__________________
Procedure 2
No judge shall be appointed or elected for purposes, or be required to
perform services, that are inconsistent with the Basic Principles. No judge shall
accept judicial office on the basis of an appointment or election, or perform
services, that are inconsistent with the Basic Principles.
Procedure 3
The Basic Principles shall apply to all judges, including, as appropriate, lay
judges, where they exist.
Procedure 4
States shall ensure that the Basic Principles are widely publicized in at least
the main or official language or languages of the respective State. Judges,
lawyers, members of the executive, the legislature, and the public in general,
shall be informed in the most appropriate manner of the content and the
importance of the Basic Principles so that they may promote their application
within the framework of the justice system. In particular, States shall make the
text of the Basic Principles available to all members of the judiciary.
Procedure 5
In implementing principles 8 and 12 of the Basic Principles, States shall pay
particular attention to the need for adequate resources for the functioning of the
judicial system, including appointing a sufficient number of judges in relation to
caseloads, providing the courts with necessary support staff and equipment, and
offering judges appropriate personal security, remuneration and emoluments.
Procedure 6
States shall promote or encourage seminars and courses at the national and
regional levels on the role of the judiciary in society and the necessity for its
independence.
Procedure 7
In accordance with Economic and Social Council resolution 1986/10,
section V, Member States shall inform the Secretary-General every five years,
beginning in 1988, of the progress achieved in the implementation of the Basic
Principles, including their dissemination, their incorporation into national
legislation, the problems faced and difficulties or obstacles encountered in their
implementation at the national level and the assistance that might be needed from
the international community.
Procedure 8
The Secretary-General shall prepare independent quinquennial reports to the
Committee on Crime Prevention and Control on progress made with respect to
the implementation of the Basic Principles, on the basis of the information
received from Governments under procedure 7, as well as other information
available within the United Nations system, including information on the
technical cooperation and training provided by institutes, experts and regional
and interregional advisers. In the preparation of those reports the Secretary-
General shall also enlist the cooperation of specialized agencies and the relevant
intergovernmental organizations and non-governmental organizations, in
particular professional associations of judges and lawyers, in consultative status
with the Economic and Social Council, and take into account the information
provided by such agencies and organizations.
Procedure 9
The Secretary-General shall disseminate the Basic Principles, the present
implementing procedures and the periodic reports on their implementation
referred to in procedures 7 and 8, in as many languages as possible, and make
them available to all States and intergovernmental and non-governmental
organizations concerned, in order to ensure the widest circulation of those
documents.
Procedure 10
The Secretary-General shall ensure the widest possible reference to and use
of the text of the Basic Principles and the present implementing procedures by
the United Nations in all its relevant programmes and the inclusion of the Basic
Principles as soon as possible in the United Nations publication entitled Human
Rights: a Compilation of International Instruments, in accordance with
Economic and Social Council resolution 1986/10, section V.
Procedure 11
As a part of its technical cooperation programme, the United Nations, in
particular the Department of Technical Cooperation for Development of the
Secretariat and the United Nations Development Programme, shall:
(a) Assist Governments, at their request, in setting up and strengthening
independent and effective judicial systems;
(b) Make available to Governments requesting them, the service of experts
and regional and interregional advisers on judicial matters to assist in
implementing the Basic Principles;
(c) Enhance research concerning effective measures for implementing the
Basic Principles, with emphasis on new developments in that area;
(d) Promote national and regional seminars, as well as other meetings at

the professional and non-professional levels, on the role of the judiciary in
society, the necessity for its independence, and the importance of implementing
the Basic Principles to further those goals;
(e) Strengthen substantive support for the United Nations regional and
interregional research and training institutes for crime prevention and criminal
justice, as well as other entities within the United Nations system concerned with
implementing the Basic Principles.
Procedure 12
The United Nations regional and interregional research and training institutes
for crime prevention and criminal justice as well as other concerned entities within
the United Nations system shall assist in the implementation process. They shall
pay special attention to ways and means of enhancing the application of the Basic
Principles in their research and training programmes, and to providing technical
assistance upon the request of Member States. For this purpose, the United Nations
institutes, in cooperation with national institutions and intergovernmental and
non-governmental organizations concerned, shall develop curricula and training
materials based on the Basic Principles and the present implementing procedures,
which are suitable for use in legal education programmes at all levels as well as
in specialized courses on human rights and related subjects.
Procedure 13
The regional commissions, the specialized agencies and other entities within
the United Nations system as well as other concerned intergovernmental
organizations shall become actively involved in the implementation process.
They shall inform the Secretary-General of the efforts made to disseminate the
Basic Principles, the measures taken to give effect to them and any obstacles and
shortcomings encountered. The Secretary-General shall also take steps to ensure
that non-governmental organizations in consultative status with the Economic
and Social Council become actively involved in the implementation process and
the related reporting procedures.
Procedure 14
Assembly and the Economic and Social Council in following up the present
implementing procedures, including periodic reporting under procedures 7 and 8
above. To this end, the Committee shall identify existing obstacles to, or shortcomings
in, the implementation of the Basic Principles and the reasons for them.
The Committee shall make specific recommendations, as appropriate, to the
Assembly and the Council and any other relevant United Nations human rights
bodies on further action required for the effective implementation of the Basic
Principles.
Procedure 15
Assembly, the Economic and Social Council and any other relevant United
Nations human rights bodies, as appropriate, with recommendations relating to
reports of ad hoc inquiry commissions or bodies, with respect to matters
pertaining to the application and implementation of the Basic Principles.
41. Bangalore Principles of Judicial Conduct*
Whereas the Universal Declaration of Human Rights1 recognizes as

fundamental the principle that everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and
public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination of
rights and obligations and of any criminal charge,
Whereas the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights2
guarantees that all persons shall be equal before the courts and that in the
determination of any criminal charge or of rights and obligations in a suit at law,
everyone shall be entitled, without undue delay, to a fair and public hearing by a
competent, independent and impartial tribunal established by law,
Whereas the foregoing fundamental principles and rights are also recognized
or reflected in regional human rights instruments, in domestic constitutional,
statutory and common law, and in judicial conventions and traditions,
Whereas the importance of a competent, independent and impartial judiciary
to the protection of human rights is given emphasis by the fact that the
implementation of all the other rights ultimately depends upon the proper
administration of justice,
Whereas a competent, independent and impartial judiciary is likewise
essential if the courts are to fulfil their role in upholding constitutionalism and
the rule of law,
Whereas public confidence in the judicial system and in the moral authority
and integrity of the judiciary is of the utmost importance in a modern democratic
society,
Whereas it is essential that judges, individually and collectively, respect and
honour judicial office as a public trust and strive to enhance and maintain
confidence in the judicial system,
Whereas the primary responsibility for the promotion and maintenance of
high standards of judicial conduct lies with the judiciary in each country,
__________________
* E/CN.4/2003/65, annex; see also Economic and Social Council resolution 2006/23,
annex, adopted on 27 July 2006.

And whereas the Basic Principles on the Independence of the Judiciary3 are
designed to secure and promote the independence of the judiciary and are
addressed primarily to States,
The following principles are intended to establish standards for ethical
conduct of judges. They are designed to provide guidance to judges and to afford
the judiciary a framework for regulating judicial conduct. They are also intended
to assist members of the executive and the legislature, and lawyers and the public
in general, to better understand and support the judiciary. These principles
presuppose that judges are accountable for their conduct to appropriate
institutions established to maintain judicial standards, which are themselves
independent and impartial, and are intended to supplement and not to derogate
from existing rules of law and conduct that bind the judge.
Value 1
Independence
Principle
Judicial independence is a prerequisite to the rule of law and a fundamental
guarantee of a fair trial. A judge shall therefore uphold and exemplify judicial
independence in both its individual and institutional aspects.
Application
1.1. A judge shall exercise the judicial function independently on the basis of the
judge’s assessment of the facts and in accordance with a conscientious
understanding of the law, free of any extraneous influences, inducements,
pressures, threats or interference, direct or indirect, from any quarter or for any
reason.
1.2. A judge shall be independent in relation to society in general and in relation
to the particular parties to a dispute that the judge has to adjudicate.
1.3. A judge shall not only be free from inappropriate connections with, and
influence by, the executive and legislative branches of government, but must also
appear to a reasonable observer to be free therefrom.
1.4. In performing judicial duties, a judge shall be independent of judicial
colleagues in respect of decisions that the judge is obliged to make
independently.
1.5. A judge shall encourage and uphold safeguards for the discharge of judicial
duties in order to maintain and enhance the institutional and operational
independence of the judiciary.
__________________
1.6. A judge shall exhibit and promote high standards of judicial conduct in
order to reinforce public confidence in the judiciary, which is fundamental to the
maintenance of judicial independence.
Value 2
Impartiality
Principle
Impartiality is essential to the proper discharge of the judicial office. It
applies not only to the decision itself but also to the process by which the
decision is made.
Application
2.1. A judge shall perform his or her judicial duties without favour, bias or
prejudice.
2.2. A judge shall ensure that his or her conduct, both in and out of court,
maintains and enhances the confidence of the public, the legal profession and
litigants in the impartiality of the judge and of the judiciary.
2.3. A judge shall, as far as is reasonable, so conduct himself or herself as to
minimize the occasions on which it will be necessary for the judge to be
disqualified from hearing or deciding cases.
2.4. A judge shall not knowingly, while a proceeding is before, or could come
before, the judge, make any comment that might reasonably be expected to affect
the outcome of such proceeding or impair the manifest fairness of the process,
nor shall the judge make any comment in public or otherwise that might affect
the fair trial of any person or issue.
2.5. A judge shall disqualify himself or herself from participating in any
proceedings in which the judge is unable to decide the matter impartially or in
which it may appear to a reasonable observer that the judge is unable to decide
the matter impartially. Such proceedings include, but are not limited to, instances
where:
(a) The judge has actual bias or prejudice concerning a party or personal
knowledge of disputed evidentiary facts concerning the proceedings;
(b) The judge previously served as a lawyer or was a material witness in
the matter in controversy; or
(c) The judge, or a member of the judge’s family, has an economic interest
in the outcome of the matter in controversy;
provided that disqualification of a judge shall not be required if no other tribunal
can be constituted to deal with the case or, because of urgent circumstances,
failure to act could lead to a serious miscarriage of justice.
Value 3
Integrity
Principle
Integrity is essential to the proper discharge of the judicial office.
Application
3.1. A judge shall ensure that his or her conduct is above reproach in the view of
a reasonable observer.
3.2. The behaviour and conduct of a judge must reaffirm the people’s faith in the
integrity of the judiciary. Justice must not merely be done but must also be seen
to be done.
Value 4
Propriety
Principle
Propriety, and the appearance of propriety, are essential to the performance
of all of the activities of a judge.
Application
4.1. A judge shall avoid impropriety and the appearance of impropriety in all of
the judge’s activities.
4.2. As a subject of constant public scrutiny, a judge must accept personal
restrictions that might be viewed as burdensome by the ordinary citizen and
should do so freely and willingly. In particular, a judge shall conduct himself or
herself in a way that is consistent with the dignity of the judicial office.
4.3. A judge shall, in his or her personal relations with individual members of
the legal profession who practise regularly in the judge’s court, avoid situations
that might reasonably give rise to the suspicion or appearance of favouritism or
partiality.
4.4. A judge shall not participate in the determination of a case in which any
member of the judge’s family represents a litigant or is associated in any manner
with the case.
4.5. A judge shall not allow the use of the judge’s residence by a member of the
legal profession to receive clients or other members of the legal profession.
4.6. A judge, like any other citizen, is entitled to freedom of expression, belief,
association and assembly, but, in exercising such rights, a judge shall always
conduct himself or herself in such a manner as to preserve the dignity of the
judicial office and the impartiality and independence of the judiciary.
4.7. A judge shall inform himself or herself about the judge’s personal and
fiduciary financial interests and shall make reasonable efforts to be informed
about the financial interests of members of the judge’s family.
4.8. A judge shall not allow the judge’s family, social or other relationships
improperly to influence the judge’s judicial conduct and judgement as a judge.
4.9. A judge shall not use or lend the prestige of the judicial office to advance
the private interests of the judge, a member of the judge’s family or of anyone
else, nor shall a judge convey or permit others to convey the impression that
anyone is in a special position improperly to influence the judge in the
performance of judicial duties.
4.10. Confidential information acquired by a judge in the judge’s judicial
capacity shall not be used or disclosed by the judge for any other purpose not
related to the judge’s judicial duties.
4.11. Subject to the proper performance of judicial duties, a judge may:
(a) Write, lecture, teach and participate in activities concerning the law, the
legal system, the administration of justice or related matters;
(b) Appear at a public hearing before an official body concerned with
matters relating to the law, the legal system, the administration of justice or
related matters;
(c) Serve as a member of an official body, or other government
commission, committee or advisory body, if such membership is not inconsistent
with the perceived impartiality and political neutrality of a judge; or
(d) Engage in other activities if such activities do not detract from the
dignity of the judicial office or otherwise interfere with the performance of
judicial duties.
4.12. A judge shall not practise law while the holder of judicial office.
4.13. A judge may form or join associations of judges or participate in other
organizations representing the interests of judges.
4.14. A judge and members of the judge’s family shall neither ask for, nor accept,
any gift, bequest, loan or favour in relation to anything done or to be done or
omitted to be done by the judge in connection with the performance of judicial
duties.
4.15. A judge shall not knowingly permit court staff or others subject to the
judge’s influence, direction or authority to ask for, or accept, any gift, bequest,
loan or favour in relation to anything done or to be done or omitted to be done in
connection with his or her duties or functions.
4.16. Subject to law and to any legal requirements of public disclosure, a judge
may receive a token gift, award or benefit as appropriate to the occasion on
which it is made provided that such gift, award or benefit might not reasonably
be perceived as intended to influence the judge in the performance of judicial

duties or otherwise give rise to an appearance of partiality.
Value 5
Equality
Principle
Ensuring equality of treatment to all before the courts is essential to the due
performance of the judicial office.
Application
5.1. A judge shall be aware of, and understand, diversity in society and
differences arising from various sources, including but not limited to race,
colour, sex, religion, national origin, caste, disability, age, marital status, sexual
orientation, social and economic status and other like causes (“irrelevant
grounds”).
5.2. A judge shall not, in the performance of judicial duties, by words or
conduct, manifest bias or prejudice towards any person or group on irrelevant
grounds.
5.3. A judge shall carry out judicial duties with appropriate consideration for all
persons, such as the parties, witnesses, lawyers, court staff and judicial
colleagues, without differentiation on any irrelevant ground, immaterial to the
proper performance of such duties.
5.4. A judge shall not knowingly permit court staff or others subject to the
judge’s influence, direction or control to differentiate between persons
concerned, in a matter before the judge, on any irrelevant ground.
5.5. A judge shall require lawyers in proceedings before the court to refrain from
manifesting, by words or conduct, bias or prejudice based on irrelevant grounds,
except such as are legally relevant to an issue in proceedings and may be the
subject of legitimate advocacy.
Value 6
Competence and diligence
Principle
Competence and diligence are prerequisites to the due performance of
judicial office.
Application
6.1. The judicial duties of a judge take precedence over all other activities.
6.2. A judge shall devote the judge’s professional activity to judicial duties,
which include not only the performance of judicial functions and responsibilities
in court and the making of decisions, but also other tasks relevant to the judicial
office or the court’s operations.
6.3. A judge shall take reasonable steps to maintain and enhance the judge’s
knowledge, skills and personal qualities necessary for the proper performance of
judicial duties, taking advantage for that purpose of the training and other
facilities that should be made available, under judicial control, to judges.
6.4. A judge shall keep himself or herself informed about relevant developments
of international law, including international conventions and other instruments
establishing human rights norms.
6.5. A judge shall perform all judicial duties, including the delivery of reserved
decisions, efficiently, fairly and with reasonable promptness.
6.6. A judge shall maintain order and decorum in all proceedings before the
court and be patient, dignified and courteous in relation to litigants, jurors,
witnesses, lawyers and others with whom the judge deals in an official capacity.
The judge shall require similar conduct of legal representatives, court staff and
others subject to the judge’s influence, direction or control.
6.7. A judge shall not engage in conduct incompatible with the diligent discharge
of judicial duties.
Implementation
By reason of the nature of judicial office, effective measures shall be
adopted by national judiciaries to provide mechanisms to implement these
principles if such mechanisms are not already in existence in their jurisdictions.
Definitions
In this statement of principles, unless the context otherwise permits or
requires, the following meanings shall be attributed to the words used:
“Court staff” includes the personal staff of the judge, including law clerks;
“Judge” means any person exercising judicial power, however designated;
“Judge’s family” includes a judge’s spouse, son, daughter, son-in-law,
daughter-in-law and any other close relative or person who is a companion or
employee of the judge and who lives in the judge’s household;
“Judge’s spouse” includes a domestic partner of the judge or any other
person of either sex in a close personal relationship with the judge.
42. Guidelines on the Role of Prosecutors*
can be maintained, and proclaim as one of their purposes the achievement of
international cooperation in promoting and encouraging respect for human rights
and fundamental freedoms without distinction as to race, sex, language or
religion,
Whereas the Universal Declaration of Human Rights1 enshrines the
principles of equality before the law, the presumption of innocence and the right
to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal,
Whereas frequently there still exists a gap between the vision underlying
those principles and the actual situation,
Whereas the organization and administration of justice in every country
should be inspired by those principles, and efforts undertaken to translate them
fully into reality,
Whereas prosecutors play a crucial role in the administration of justice, and
rules concerning the performance of their important responsibilities should
promote their respect for and compliance with the above-mentioned principles,
thus contributing to fair and equitable criminal justice and the effective
protection of citizens against crime,
Whereas it is essential to ensure that prosecutors possess the professional
qualifications required for the accomplishment of their functions, through
improved methods of recruitment and legal and professional training, and
through the provision of all necessary means for the proper performance of their
role in combating criminality, particularly in its new forms and dimensions,
Whereas the General Assembly, by its resolution 34/169 of 17 December
1979, adopted the Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials, on the
recommendation of the Fifth United Nations Congress on the Prevention of
Crime and the Treatment of Offenders,
Whereas in resolution 16 of the Sixth United Nations Congress on the
Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders,2 the Committee on Crime
Prevention and Control was called upon to include among its priorities the
elaboration of guidelines relating to the independence of judges and the
selection, professional training and status of judges and prosecutors,
__________________
Nations publication, Sales No. E.91.IV.2), chap. I, sect. C.26, annex.
Whereas the Seventh United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime

and the Treatment of Offenders adopted the Basic Principles on the Independence
of the Judiciary,3 subsequently endorsed by the General Assembly in its
resolutions 40/32 of 29 November 1985 and 40/146 of 13 December 1985,
Whereas the Declaration of Basic Principles of Justice for Victims of Crime
and Abuse of Power,4 recommends measures to be taken at the international and
national levels to improve access to justice and fair treatment, restitution,
compensation and assistance for victims of crime,
Whereas, in resolution 7 of the Seventh Congress,5 the Committee was
called upon to consider the need for guidelines relating, inter alia, to the
selection, professional training and status of prosecutors, their expected tasks and
conduct, means to enhance their contribution to the smooth functioning of the
criminal justice system and their cooperation with the police, the scope of their
discretionary powers, and their role in criminal proceedings, and to report
thereon to future United Nations congresses,
The Guidelines set forth below, which have been formulated to assist
Member States in their tasks of securing and promoting the effectiveness,
impartiality and fairness of prosecutors in criminal proceedings, should be
respected and taken into account by Governments within the framework of their
national legislation and practice, and should be brought to the attention of
prosecutors, as well as other persons, such as judges, lawyers, members of the
executive and the legislature and the public in general. The present Guidelines
have been formulated principally with public prosecutors in mind, but they apply
equally, as appropriate, to prosecutors appointed on an ad hoc basis.
Qualifications, selection and training

1. Persons selected as prosecutors shall be individuals of integrity and ability,
with appropriate training and qualifications.
2. States shall ensure that:
(a) Selection criteria for prosecutors embody safeguards against
appointments based on partiality or prejudice, excluding any discrimination
against a person on the grounds of race, colour, sex, language, religion, political
or other opinion, national, social or ethnic origin, property, birth, economic or
other status, except that it shall not be considered discriminatory to require a
candidate for prosecutorial office to be a national of the country concerned;
__________________
Seventh United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of
3
Offenders, Milan, 26 August-6 September 1985, chap. I, sect. E.

(b) Prosecutors have appropriate education and training and should be

made aware of the ideals and ethical duties of their office, of the constitutional
and statutory protections for the rights of the suspect and the victim, and of
human rights and fundamental freedoms recognized by national and international
law.
Status and conditions of service

3. Prosecutors, as essential agents of the administration of justice, shall at all
times maintain the honour and dignity of their profession.
4. States shall ensure that prosecutors are able to perform their professional
functions without intimidation, hindrance, harassment, improper interference or
unjustified exposure to civil, penal or other liability.
5. Prosecutors and their families shall be physically protected by the
authorities when their personal safety is threatened as a result of the discharge of
prosecutorial functions.
6. Reasonable conditions of service of prosecutors, adequate remuneration and,
where applicable, tenure, pension and age of retirement shall be set out by law or
published rules or regulations.
7. Promotion of prosecutors, wherever such a system exists, shall be based on
objective factors, in particular professional qualifications, ability, integrity and
experience, and decided upon in accordance with fair and impartial procedures.

8. Prosecutors like other citizens are entitled to freedom of expression, belief,
association and assembly. In particular, they shall have the right to take part in
public discussion of matters concerning the law, the administration of justice and
the promotion and protection of human rights and to join or form local, national
or international organizations and attend their meetings, without suffering
professional disadvantage by reason of their lawful action or their membership in
a lawful organization. In exercising these rights, prosecutors shall always
conduct themselves in accordance with the law and the recognized standards and
ethics of their profession.
9. Prosecutors shall be free to form and join professional associations or other
organizations to represent their interests, to promote their professional training
and to protect their status.
Role in criminal proceedings

10. The office of prosecutors shall be strictly separated from judicial functions.
11. Prosecutors shall perform an active role in criminal proceedings, including
institution of prosecution and, where authorized by law or consistent with local
practice, in the investigation of crime, supervision over the legality of these
investigations, supervision of the execution of court decisions and the exercise of

other functions as representatives of the public interest.
12. Prosecutors shall, in accordance with the law, perform their duties fairly,
consistently and expeditiously, and respect and protect human dignity and uphold
human rights, thus contributing to ensuring due process and the smooth
functioning of the criminal justice system.
13. In the performance of their duties, prosecutors shall:
(a) Carry out their functions impartially and avoid all political, social,
religious, racial, cultural, sexual or any other kind of discrimination;
(b) Protect the public interest, act with objectivity, take proper account of
the position of the suspect and the victim, and pay attention to all relevant
circumstances, irrespective of whether they are to the advantage or disadvantage
of the suspect;
(c) Keep matters in the possession confidential, unless the performance of
duty or the needs of justice require otherwise;
(d) Consider the views and concerns of victims when their personal
interests are affected and ensure that victims are informed of their rights in
accordance with the Declaration of Basic Principles of Justice for Victims of
Crime and Abuse of Power.
14. Prosecutors shall not initiate or continue prosecution, or shall make every
effort to stay proceedings, when an impartial investigation shows the charge to be
unfounded.
15. Prosecutors shall give due attention to the prosecution of crimes committed
by public officials, particularly corruption, abuse of power, grave violations of
human rights and other crimes recognized by international law and, where
authorized by law or consistent with local practice, the investigation of such
offences.
16. When prosecutors come into possession of evidence against suspects that
they know or believe on reasonable grounds was obtained through recourse to
unlawful methods, which constitute a grave violation of the suspect’s human
rights, especially involving torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or
punishment, or other abuses of human rights, they shall refuse to use such
evidence against anyone other than those who used such methods, or inform the
Court accordingly, and shall take all necessary steps to ensure that those
responsible for using such methods are brought to justice.
Discretionary functions
17. In countries where prosecutors are vested with discretionary functions, the
law or published rules or regulations shall provide guidelines to enhance fairness
and consistency of approach in taking decisions in the prosecution process,
including institution or waiver of prosecution.
Alternatives to prosecution
18. In accordance with national law, prosecutors shall give due consideration to
waiving prosecution, discontinuing proceedings conditionally or unconditionally,
or diverting criminal cases from the formal justice system, with full respect for
the rights of the suspect(s) and the victim(s). For this purpose, States should fully
explore the possibility of adopting diversion schemes not only to alleviate
excessive court loads, but also to avoid the stigmatization of pretrial detention,
indictment and conviction, as well as the possible adverse effects of
imprisonment.
19. In countries where prosecutors are vested with discretionary functions as to
the decision whether or not to prosecute a juvenile, special considerations shall
be given to the nature and gravity of the offence, protection of society and the
personality and background of the juvenile. In making that decision, prosecutors
shall particularly consider available alternatives to prosecution under the relevant
juvenile justice laws and procedures. Prosecutors shall use their best efforts to
take prosecutory action against juveniles only to the extent strictly necessary.
Relations with other government agencies or institutions

20. In order to ensure the fairness and effectiveness of prosecution, prosecutors
shall strive to cooperate with the police, the courts, the legal profession, public
defenders and other government agencies or institutions.
Disciplinary proceedings
21. Disciplinary offences of prosecutors shall be based on law or lawful
regulations. Complaints against prosecutors which allege that they acted in a
manner clearly out of the range of professional standards shall be processed
expeditiously and fairly under appropriate procedures. Prosecutors shall have the
right to a fair hearing. The decision shall be subject to independent review.
22. Disciplinary proceedings against prosecutors shall guarantee an objective
evaluation and decision. They shall be determined in accordance with the law, the
code of professional conduct and other established standards and ethics and in
the light of the present Guidelines.
Observance of the Guidelines

23. Prosecutors shall respect the present Guidelines. They shall also, to the best
of their capability, prevent and actively oppose any violations thereof.
24. Prosecutors who have reason to believe that a violation of the present
Guidelines has occurred or is about to occur shall report the matter to their
organs vested with reviewing or remedial power.
43. International Code of Conduct for Public Officials*
1. A public office, as defined by national law, is a position of trust, implying a
duty to act in the public interest. Therefore, the ultimate loyalty of public
officials shall be to the public interests of their country as expressed through the
democratic institutions of government.
2. Public officials shall ensure that they perform their duties and functions
efficiently, effectively and with integrity, in accordance with laws or
administrative policies. They shall at all times seek to ensure that public
resources for which they are responsible are administered in the most effective
and efficient manner.
3. Public officials shall be attentive, fair and impartial in the performance of
their functions and, in particular, in their relations with the public. They shall at
no time afford any undue preferential treatment to any group or individual or
improperly discriminate against any group or individual, or otherwise abuse the
power and authority vested in them.
II. Conflict of interest and disqualification

4. Public officials shall not use their official authority for the improper
advancement of their own or their family’s personal or financial interest. They
shall not engage in any transaction, acquire any position or function or have any
financial, commercial or other comparable interest that is incompatible with their
office, functions and duties or the discharge thereof.
5. Public officials, to the extent required by their position, shall, in accordance
with laws or administrative policies, declare business, commercial and financial
interests or activities undertaken for financial gain that may raise a possible
conflict of interest. In situations of possible or perceived conflict of interest
between the duties and private interests of public officials, they shall comply
with the measures established to reduce or eliminate such conflict of interest.
6. Public officials shall at no time improperly use public moneys, property,
services or information that is acquired in the performance of, or as a result of,
their official duties for activities not related to their official work.
7. Public officials shall comply with measures established by law or by
administrative policies in order that after leaving their official positions they will
not take improper advantage of their previous office.
III. Disclosure of assets

8. Public officials shall, in accord with their position and as permitted or
required by law and administrative policies, comply with requirements to declare
__________________
or to disclose personal assets and liabilities, as well as, if possible, those of their
spouses and/or dependants.
IV. Acceptance of gifts or other favours

9. Public officials shall not solicit or receive directly or indirectly any gift or
other favour that may influence the exercise of their functions, the performance
of their duties or their judgement.
V. Confidential information
10. Matters of a confidential nature in the possession of public officials shall be
kept confidential unless national legislation, the performance of duty or the needs
of justice strictly require otherwise. Such restrictions shall also apply after
separation from service.
VI. Political activity

11. The political or other activity of public officials outside the scope of their
office shall, in accordance with laws and administrative policies, not be such as
to impair public confidence in the impartial performance of their functions and
duties.
II. Access to legal aid and legal representation
44. Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers*
can be maintained, and proclaim as one of their purposes the achievement of
international cooperation in promoting and encouraging respect for human rights
and fundamental freedoms without distinction as to race, sex, language, or
religion,
Whereas the Universal Declaration of Human Rights1 enshrines the
principles of equality before the law, the presumption of innocence, the right to a
fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, and all the
guarantees necessary for the defence of everyone charged with a penal offence,
Whereas the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights2
proclaims, in addition, the right to be tried without undue delay and the right to a
fair and public hearing by a competent, independent and impartial tribunal
established by law,
Whereas the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural
Rights2 recalls the obligation of States under the Charter to promote universal
respect for, and observance of, human rights and freedoms,
Whereas the Body of Principles for the Protection of All Persons under Any
Form of Detention or Imprisonment3 provides that a detained person shall be
entitled to have the assistance of, and to communicate and consult with, legal
counsel,
__________________
315
Whereas the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners4

recommend, in particular, that legal assistance and confidential communication
with counsel should be ensured to untried prisoners,
Whereas the safeguards guaranteeing protection of the rights of those facing
the death penalty5 reaffirm the right of everyone suspected or charged with a
crime for which capital punishment may be imposed to adequate legal assistance
at all stages of the proceedings, in accordance with article 14 of the International
Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,
Whereas the Declaration of Basic Principles of Justice for Victims of Crime
and Abuse of Power6 recommends measures to be taken at the international and
national levels to improve access to justice and fair treatment, restitution,
compensation and assistance for victims of crime,
Whereas adequate protection of the human rights and fundamental freedoms
to which all persons are entitled, be they economic, social and cultural, or civil
and political, requires that all persons have effective access to legal services
provided by an independent legal profession,
Whereas professional associations of lawyers have a vital role to play in
upholding professional standards and ethics, protecting their members from
persecution and improper restrictions and infringements, providing legal services
to all in need of them, and cooperating with governmental and other institutions
in furthering the ends of justice and public interest.
The Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers, set forth below, which have
been formulated to assist Member States in their task of promoting and ensuring
the proper role of lawyers, should be respected and taken into account by
Governments within the framework of their national legislation and practice and
should be brought to the attention of lawyers as well as other persons, such as
judges, prosecutors, members of the executive and the legislature, and the public
in general. These principles shall also apply, as appropriate, to persons who
exercise the functions of lawyers without having the formal status of lawyers.
Access to lawyers and legal services

1. All persons are entitled to call upon the assistance of a lawyer of their
choice to protect and establish their rights and to defend them in all stages of
criminal proceedings.
2. Governments shall ensure that efficient procedures and responsive
mechanisms for effective and equal access to lawyers are provided for all persons
within their territory and subject to their jurisdiction, without distinction of any
__________________
sect. J, No. 34.
Part four, chapter II. Access to legal aid and legal representation 317
kind, such as discrimination based on race, colour, ethnic origin, sex, language,
religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth,
economic or other status.
3. Governments shall ensure the provision of sufficient funding and other
resources for legal services to the poor and, as necessary, to other disadvantaged
persons. Professional associations of lawyers shall cooperate in the organization
and provision of services, facilities and other resources.
4. Governments and professional associations of lawyers shall promote
programmes to inform the public about their rights and duties under the law and
the important role of lawyers in protecting their fundamental freedoms. Special
attention should be given to assisting the poor and other disadvantaged persons
so as to enable them to assert their rights and where necessary call upon the
assistance of lawyers.
Special safeguards in criminal justice matters

5. Governments shall ensure that all persons are immediately informed by the
competent authority of their right to be assisted by a lawyer of their own choice
upon arrest or detention or when charged with a criminal offence.
6. Any such persons who do not have a lawyer shall, in all cases in which the
interests of justice so require, be entitled to have a lawyer of experience and
competence commensurate with the nature of the offence assigned to them in
order to provide effective legal assistance, without payment by them if they lack
sufficient means to pay for such services.
7. Governments shall further ensure that all persons arrested or detained, with
or without criminal charge, shall have prompt access to a lawyer, and in any case
not later than forty-eight hours from the time of arrest or detention.
8. All arrested, detained or imprisoned persons shall be provided with adequate
opportunities, time and facilities to be visited by and to communicate and consult
with a lawyer, without delay, interception or censorship and in full
confidentiality. Such consultations may be within sight, but not within the
hearing, of law enforcement officials.
Qualifications and training

9. Governments, professional associations of lawyers and educational
institutions shall ensure that lawyers have appropriate education and training and
be made aware of the ideals and ethical duties of the lawyer and of human rights
and fundamental freedoms recognized by national and international law.
10. Governments, professional associations of lawyers and educational
institutions shall ensure that there is no discrimination against a person with
respect to entry into or continued practice within the legal profession on the
grounds of race, colour, sex, ethnic origin, religion, political or other opinion,
national or social origin, property, birth, economic or other status, except that a
requirement, that a lawyer must be a national of the country concerned, shall not
be considered discriminatory.
11. In countries where there exist groups, communities or regions whose needs
for legal services are not met, particularly where such groups have distinct
cultures, traditions or languages or have been the victims of past discrimination,
Governments, professional associations of lawyers and educational institutions
should take special measures to provide opportunities for candidates from these
groups to enter the legal profession and should ensure that they receive training
appropriate to the needs of their groups.
Duties and responsibilities

12. Lawyers shall at all times maintain the honour and dignity of their
profession as essential agents of the administration of justice.
13. The duties of lawyers towards their clients shall include:
(a) Advising clients as to their legal rights and obligations, and as to the
working of the legal system in so far as it is relevant to the legal rights and
obligations of the clients;
(b) Assisting clients in every appropriate way, and taking legal action to
protect their interests;
(c) Assisting clients before courts, tribunals or administrative authorities,
where appropriate.
14. Lawyers, in protecting the rights of their clients and in promoting the cause
of justice, shall seek to uphold human rights and fundamental freedoms
recognized by national and international law and shall at all times act freely and
diligently in accordance with the law and recognized standards and ethics of the
legal profession.
15. Lawyers shall always loyally respect the interests of their clients.
Guarantees for the functioning of lawyers

16. Governments shall ensure that lawyers (a) are able to perform all of their
professional functions without intimidation, hindrance, harassment or improper
interference; (b) are able to travel and to consult with their clients freely both
within their own country and abroad; and (c) shall not suffer, or be threatened
with, prosecution or administrative, economic or other sanctions for any action
taken in accordance with recognized professional duties, standards and ethics.
17. Where the security of lawyers is threatened as a result of discharging their
functions, they shall be adequately safeguarded by the authorities.
18. Lawyers shall not be identified with their clients or their clients’ causes as a
result of discharging their functions.
19. No court or administrative authority before whom the right to counsel is

recognized shall refuse to recognize the right of a lawyer to appear before it for
his or her client unless that lawyer has been disqualified in accordance with
national law and practice and in conformity with these principles.
20. Lawyers shall enjoy civil and penal immunity for relevant statements made
in good faith in written or oral pleadings or in their professional appearances
before a court, tribunal or other legal or administrative authority.
21. It is the duty of the competent authorities to ensure lawyers access to
appropriate information, files and documents in their possession or control in
sufficient time to enable lawyers to provide effective legal assistance to their
clients. Such access should be provided at the earliest appropriate time.
22. Governments shall recognize and respect that all communications and
consultations between lawyers and their clients within their professional
relationship are confidential.

23. Lawyers like other citizens are entitled to freedom of expression, belief,
association and assembly. In particular, they shall have the right to take part in
public discussion of matters concerning the law, the administration of justice and
the promotion and protection of human rights and to join or form local, national
or international organizations and attend their meetings, without suffering
professional restrictions by reason of their lawful action or their membership in a
lawful organization. In exercising these rights, lawyers shall always conduct
themselves in accordance with the law and the recognized standards and ethics of
the legal profession.
Professional associations of lawyers

24. Lawyers shall be entitled to form and join self-governing professional
associations to represent their interests, promote their continuing education and
training and protect their professional integrity. The executive body of the
professional associations shall be elected by its members and shall exercise its
functions without external interference.
25. Professional associations of lawyers shall cooperate with Governments to
ensure that everyone has effective and equal access to legal services and that
lawyers are able, without improper interference, to counsel and assist their clients
in accordance with the law and recognized professional standards and ethics.
Disciplinary proceedings
26. Codes of professional conduct for lawyers shall be established by the legal
profession through its appropriate organs, or by legislation, in accordance with
national law and custom and recognized international standards and norms.
27. Charges or complaints made against lawyers in their professional capacity

shall be processed expeditiously and fairly under appropriate procedures.
Lawyers shall have the right to a fair hearing, including the right to be assisted
by a lawyer of their choice.
28. Disciplinary proceedings against lawyers shall be brought before an
impartial disciplinary committee established by the legal profession, before an
independent statutory authority, or before a court, and shall be subject to an
independent judicial review.
29. All disciplinary proceedings shall be determined in accordance with the
code of professional conduct and other recognized standards and ethics of the
legal profession and in the light of these principles.
45. United Nations Principles and Guidelines on

Access to Legal Aid in Criminal Justice Systems*
A. Introduction
1. Legal aid is an essential element of a fair, humane and efficient criminal
justice system that is based on the rule of law. Legal aid is a foundation for the
enjoyment of other rights, including the right to a fair trial, as defined in
article 11, paragraph 1, of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,1 a
precondition to exercising such rights and an important safeguard that ensures
fundamental fairness and public trust in the criminal justice process.
2. Furthermore, article 14, paragraph 3 (d), of the International Covenant on
Civil and Political Rights2 states that everyone should be entitled, among other
rights, “to be tried in his presence, and to defend himself in person or through
legal assistance of his own choosing; to be informed, if he does not have legal
assistance, of this right; and to have legal assistance assigned to him in any case
where the interests of justice so require, and without payment by him in any such
case if he does not have sufficient means to pay for it”.
3. A functioning legal aid system, as part of a functioning criminal justice
system, may reduce the length of time suspects are held in police stations and
detention centres, in addition to reducing the prison population, wrongful
convictions, prison overcrowding and congestion in the courts, and reducing
reoffending and revictimization. It may also protect and safeguard the rights of
victims and witnesses in the criminal justice process. Legal aid can be utilized to
contribute to the prevention of crime by increasing awareness of the law.
4. Legal aid plays an important role in facilitating diversion and the use of
community-based sanctions and measures, including non-custodial measures;
__________________
promoting greater community involvement in the criminal justice system;

reducing the unnecessary use of detention and imprisonment; rationalizing
criminal justice policies; and ensuring efficient use of State resources.
5. Regrettably, many countries still lack the necessary resources and capacity
to provide legal aid for suspects, those charged with a criminal offence,
prisoners, victims and witnesses.
6. The United Nations Principles and Guidelines on Access to Legal Aid in
Criminal Justice Systems, which are drawn from international standards and
recognized good practices, aim to provide guidance to States on the fundamental
principles on which a legal aid system in criminal justice should be based and to
outline the specific elements required for an effective and sustainable national
legal aid system, in order to strengthen access to legal aid pursuant to Economic
and Social Council resolution 2007/24 of 26 July 2007, entitled “International
cooperation for the improvement of access to legal aid in criminal justice
systems, particularly in Africa”.
7. In line with the Lilongwe Declaration on Accessing Legal Aid in the
Criminal Justice System in Africa and the Lilongwe Plan of Action for the
implementation of the Declaration, the Principles and Guidelines follow a broad
concept of legal aid.
8. For the purposes of the Principles and Guidelines, the term “legal aid”
includes legal advice, assistance and representation for persons detained, arrested
or imprisoned, suspected or accused of, or charged with a criminal offence and
for victims and witnesses in the criminal justice process that is provided at no
cost for those without sufficient means or when the interests of justice so require.
Furthermore, “legal aid” is intended to include the concepts of legal education,
access to legal information and other services provided for persons through
alternative dispute resolution mechanisms and restorative justice processes.
9. For the purposes of the Principles and Guidelines, the individual who
provides legal aid is herein referred to as the “legal aid provider”, and the
organizations that provide legal aid are referred to as the “legal aid service
providers”. The first providers of legal aid are lawyers, but the Principles and
Guidelines also suggest that States involve a wide range of stakeholders as
legal aid service providers in the form of non-governmental organizations,
community-based organizations, religious and non-religious charitable
organizations, professional bodies and associations and academia. Provision of
legal aid to foreign nationals should conform to the requirements of the Vienna
Convention on Consular Relations3 and other applicable bilateral treaties.
10. It should be noted that States employ different models for the provision of
legal aid. These may involve public defenders, private lawyers, contract lawyers,
pro bono schemes, bar associations, paralegals and others. The Principles and
Guidelines do not endorse any specific model but encourage States to guarantee
__________________
the basic right to legal aid of persons detained, arrested or imprisoned,4

suspected5 or accused of, or charged with a criminal offence, while expanding
legal aid to include others who come into contact with the criminal justice system
and diversifying legal aid delivery schemes.
11. The Principles and Guidelines are based on the recognition that States
should, where appropriate, undertake a series of measures that, even if not
strictly related to legal aid, can maximize the positive impact that the
establishment and/or reinforcement of a properly working legal aid system may
have on a properly functioning criminal justice system and on access to justice.
12. Recognizing that certain groups are entitled to additional protection or are
more vulnerable when involved with the criminal justice system, the Principles
and Guidelines also provide specific provisions for women, children and groups
with special needs.
13. The Principles and Guidelines are primarily concerned with the right to
legal aid, as distinct from the right to legal assistance as recognized in
international law. Nothing in these Principles and Guidelines should be
interpreted as providing a lesser degree of protection than that provided under
existing national laws and regulations and international and regional human
rights conventions or covenants applicable to the administration of justice,
including, but not limited to, the International Covenant on Civil and Political
Rights, the Convention on the Rights of the Child,6 the Convention on the
Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women7 and the International
Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members
of Their Families.8 However, this should not be interpreted as meaning that
States are bound by international and regional instruments that they have not
ratified or acceded to.
B. Principles
Principle 1
Right to legal aid
14. Recognizing that legal aid is an essential element of a functioning criminal
justice system that is based on the rule of law, a foundation for the enjoyment of
other rights, including the right to a fair trial, and an important safeguard that
__________________
4 The terms “arrest”, “detained person” and “imprisoned person” are understood as
defined in the Body of Principles for the Protection of All Persons under Any Form of
Detention or Imprisonment (General Assembly resolution 43/173, annex).
5 The right to legal aid of suspects arises before questioning, when they become aware
that they are the subject of investigation, and when they are under threat of abuse and
intimidation, e.g., in custodial settings.
7 Ibid., vol. 1249, No. 20378.
8 Ibid., vol. 2220, No. 39481.
ensures fundamental fairness and public trust in the criminal justice process,9
States should guarantee the right to legal aid in their national legal systems at the
highest possible level, including, where applicable, in the constitution.
Principle 2
Responsibilities of the State
15. States should consider the provision of legal aid their duty and
responsibility. To that end, they should consider, where appropriate, enacting
specific legislation and regulations and ensure that a comprehensive legal aid
system is in place that is accessible, effective, sustainable and credible. States
should allocate the necessary human and financial resources to the legal aid
system.
16. The State should not interfere with the organization of the defence of the
beneficiary of legal aid or with the independence of his or her legal aid provider.
17. States should enhance the knowledge of the people about their rights and
obligations under the law through appropriate means, in order to prevent criminal
conduct and victimization.
18. States should endeavour to enhance the knowledge of their communities
about their justice system and its functions, the ways to file complaints before the
courts and alternative dispute resolution mechanisms.
19. States should consider adopting appropriate measures for informing their
communities about acts criminalized under the law. The provision of such
information for those travelling to other jurisdictions, where crimes are
categorized and prosecuted differently, is essential for crime prevention.
Principle 3
Legal aid for persons suspected of or charged with a criminal offence
20. States should ensure that anyone who is detained, arrested, suspected of, or
charged with a criminal offence punishable by a term of imprisonment or the
death penalty is entitled to legal aid at all stages of the criminal justice process.
21. Legal aid should also be provided, regardless of the person’s means, if the
interests of justice so require, for example, given the urgency or complexity of
the case or the severity of the potential penalty.
22. Children should have access to legal aid under the same conditions as or
more lenient conditions than adults.
__________________
9 The term “justice process” is understood as defined in the Guidelines on Justice in
Matters involving Child Victims and Witnesses of Crime (Economic and Social Council
resolution 2005/20, annex). For the purpose of the Principles and Guidelines, the term shall
also encompass extradition, transfer of prisoners and mutual legal assistance proceedings.
23. It is the responsibility of police, prosecutors and judges to ensure that those
who appear before them who cannot afford a lawyer and/or who are vulnerable
are provided access to legal aid.
Principle 4
Legal aid for victims of crime
24. Without prejudice to or inconsistency with the rights of the accused, States
should, where appropriate, provide legal aid to victims of crime.
Principle 5
Legal aid for witnesses
25. Without prejudice to or inconsistency with the rights of the accused, States
should, where appropriate, provide legal aid to witnesses of crime.
Principle 6
Non-discrimination
26. States should ensure the provision of legal aid to all persons regardless of
age, race, colour, gender, language, religion or belief, political or other opinion,
national or social origin or property, citizenship or domicile, birth, education or
social status or other status.
Principle 7
Prompt and effective provision of legal aid
27. States should ensure that effective legal aid is provided promptly at all
stages of the criminal justice process.
28. Effective legal aid includes, but is not limited to, unhindered access to legal
aid providers for detained persons, confidentiality of communications, access to
case files and adequate time and facilities to prepare their defence.
Principle 8
Right to be informed
29. States should ensure that, prior to any questioning and at the time of
deprivation of liberty, persons are informed of their right to legal aid and other
procedural safeguards as well as of the potential consequences of voluntarily
waiving those rights.
30. States should ensure that information on rights during the criminal justice
process and on legal aid services is made freely available and is accessible to the
public.
Principle 9
Remedies and safeguards
31. States should establish effective remedies and safeguards that apply if
access to legal aid is undermined, delayed or denied or if persons have not been
adequately informed of their right to legal aid.
Principle 10
Equity in access to legal aid
32. Special measures should be taken to ensure meaningful access to legal aid
for women, children and groups with special needs, including, but not limited to,
the elderly, minorities, persons with disabilities, persons with mental illnesses,
persons living with HIV and other serious contagious diseases, drug users,
indigenous and aboriginal people, stateless persons, asylum seekers, foreign
citizens, migrants and migrant workers, refugees and internally displaced
persons. Such measures should address the special needs of those groups,
including gender-sensitive and age-appropriate measures.
33. States should also ensure that legal aid is provided to persons living in rural,
remote and economically and socially disadvantaged areas and to persons who
are members of economically and socially disadvantaged groups.
Principle 11
Legal aid in the best interests of the child
34. In all legal aid decisions affecting children,10 the best interests of the child
should be the primary consideration.
35. Legal aid provided to children should be prioritized, in the best interests of
the child, and be accessible, age appropriate, multidisciplinary, effective and
responsive to the specific legal and social needs of children.
Principle 12
Independence and protection of legal aid providers
36. States should ensure that legal aid providers are able to carry out their work
effectively, freely and independently. In particular, States should ensure that legal
aid providers are able to perform all of their professional functions without
intimidation, hindrance, harassment or improper interference; are able to travel,
to consult and meet with their clients freely and in full confidentiality both
within their own country and abroad, and to freely access prosecution and other
relevant files; and do not suffer, and are not threatened with, prosecution or
__________________
10 “Child” shall mean any person under 18 years of age, in line with the Convention on the
Rights of the Child.

administrative, economic or other sanctions for any action taken in accordance

with recognized professional duties, standards and ethics.
Principle 13
Competence and accountability of legal aid providers
37. States should put in place mechanisms to ensure that all legal aid providers
possess education, training, skills and experience that are commensurate with the
nature of their work, including the gravity of the offences dealt with, and the
rights and needs of women, children and groups with special needs.
38. Disciplinary complaints against legal aid providers should be promptly
investigated and adjudicated in accordance with professional codes of ethics
before an impartial body and subject to judicial review.
Principle 14
Partnerships
39. States should recognize and encourage the contribution of lawyers’
associations, universities, civil society and other groups and institutions in
providing legal aid.
40. Where appropriate, public-private and other forms of partnership should be
established to extend the reach of legal aid.
C. Guidelines
Guideline 1
Provision of legal aid
41. Whenever States apply a means test to determine eligibility for legal aid,
they should ensure that:
(a) Persons whose means exceed the limits of the means test but who
cannot afford, or do not have access to, a lawyer in situations where legal aid
would have otherwise been granted and where it is in the interests of justice to
provide such aid, are not excluded from receiving assistance;
(b) The criteria for applying the means test are widely publicized;
(c) Persons urgently requiring legal aid at police stations, detention centres
or courts should be provided preliminary legal aid while their eligibility is being
determined. Children are always exempted from the means test;
(d) Persons who are denied legal aid on the basis of the means test have the
right to appeal that decision;
(e) A court may, having regard to the particular circumstances of a person
and after considering the reasons for denial of legal aid, direct that that person be
provided with legal aid, with or without his or her contribution, when the
interests of justice so require;
(f) If the means test is calculated on the basis of the household income of a
family, but individual family members are in conflict with each other or do not
have equal access to the family income, only the income of the person applying
for legal aid is used for the purpose of the means test.
Guideline 2
Right to be informed on legal aid
42. In order to guarantee the right of persons to be informed of their right to
legal aid, States should ensure that:
(a) Information on the right to legal aid and what such aid consists of,
including the availability of legal aid services and how to access such services
and other relevant information, is made available to the community and to the
general public in local government offices and educational and religious
institutions and through the media, including the Internet, or other appropriate
means;
(b) Information is made available to isolated groups and marginalized
groups. Use should be made of radio and television programmes, regional and
local newspapers, the Internet and other means, in particular, following changes
to the law or specific issues affecting a community, targeted community
meetings;
(c) Police officers, prosecutors, judicial officers and officials in any
facility where persons are imprisoned or detained inform unrepresented persons
of their right to legal aid and of other procedural safeguards;
(d) Information on the rights of a person suspected of or charged with a
criminal offence in a criminal justice process and on the availability of legal aid
services is provided in police stations, detention centres, courts and prisons, for
example, through the provision of a letter of rights or in any other official form
submitted to the accused. Such information should be provided in a manner that
corresponds to the needs of illiterate persons, minorities, persons with disabilities
and children; and such information should be in a language that those persons
understand. Information provided to children must be provided in a manner
appropriate to their age and maturity;
(e) Effective remedies are available to persons who have not been
adequately informed of their right to legal aid. Such remedies may include a
prohibition on conducting procedural actions, release from detention, exclusion
of evidence, judicial review and compensation;
(f) Means of verification that a person has actually been informed are put
in place.
Guideline 3
Other rights of persons detained, arrested, suspected or
accused of, or charged with a criminal offence
43. States should introduce measures:
(a) To promptly inform every person detained, arrested, suspected or
accused of, or charged with a criminal offence of his or her right to remain silent;
his or her right to consult with counsel or, if eligible, with a legal aid provider at
any stage of the proceedings, especially before being interviewed by the
authorities; and his or her right to be assisted by an independent counsel or legal
aid provider while being interviewed and during other procedural actions;
(b) To prohibit, in the absence of any compelling circumstances, any
interviewing of a person by the police in the absence of a lawyer, unless the
person gives his or her informed and voluntary consent to waive the lawyer’s
presence, and to establish mechanisms for verifying the voluntary nature of the
person’s consent. An interview should not start until the legal aid provider
arrives;
(c) To inform all foreign detainees and prisoners in a language they
understand of their right to request contact with their consular authorities without
delay;
(d) To ensure that persons meet with a lawyer or a legal aid provider
promptly after their arrest in full confidentiality; and that the confidentiality of
further communications is guaranteed;
(e) To enable every person who has been detained for any reason to
promptly notify a member of his or her family, or any other appropriate person of
his or her choosing, of his or her detention and location and of any imminent
change of location; the competent authority may, however, delay a notification if
absolutely necessary, if provided for by law and if the transmission of the
information would hinder a criminal investigation;
(f) To provide the services of an independent interpreter, whenever
necessary, and the translation of documents where appropriate;
(g) To assign a guardian, whenever necessary;
(h) To make available in police stations and places of detention the means
to contact legal aid providers;
(i) To ensure that persons detained, arrested, suspected or accused of, or
charged with a criminal offence are advised of their rights and the implications of
waiving them in a clear and plain manner; and should endeavour to ensure that
the person understands both;
(j) To ensure that persons are informed of any mechanism available for
filing complaints of torture or ill treatment;
(k) To ensure that the exercise of these rights by a person is not prejudicial
to his or her case.
Guideline 4
Legal aid at the pretrial stage
44. To ensure that detained persons have prompt access to legal aid in
conformity with the law, States should take measures:
(a) To ensure that police and judicial authorities do not arbitrarily restrict
the right or access to legal aid for persons detained, arrested, suspected or
accused of, or charged with a criminal offence, in particular in police stations;
(b) To facilitate access for legal aid providers assigned to provide
assistance to detained persons in police stations and other places of detention for
the purpose of providing that assistance;
(c) To ensure legal representation at all pretrial proceedings and hearings;
(d) To monitor and enforce custody time limits in police holding cells or
other detention centres, for example, by instructing judicial authorities to screen
the remand caseload in detention centres on a regular basis to make sure that
people are remanded lawfully, that their cases are dealt with in a timely manner
and that the conditions in which they are held meet the relevant legal standards,
including international ones;
(e) To provide every person, on admission to a place of detention, with
information on his or her rights in law, the rules of the place of detention and the
initial stages of the pretrial process. Such information should be provided in a
manner that corresponds to the needs of illiterate persons, minorities, persons
with disabilities and children and be in a language that the person in need of legal
aid understands. Information provided to children should be provided in a
manner appropriate for their age and maturity. The information material should
be supported by visual aids prominently located in each detention centre;
(f) To request bar or legal associations and other partnership institutions to
establish a roster of lawyers and paralegals to support a comprehensive legal
system for persons detained, arrested, suspected or accused of, or charged with a
criminal offence, in particular at police stations;
(g) To ensure that every person charged with a criminal offence has
adequate time, facilities and technical and financial support, in case he or she
does not have sufficient means, to prepare his or her defence and is able to
consult with his or her lawyer in full confidentiality.
Guideline 5
Legal aid during court proceedings
45. To guarantee that every person charged with a criminal offence for which a
term of imprisonment or capital punishment may be imposed by a court of law
has access to legal aid in all proceedings at court, including on appeal and other
related proceedings, States should introduce measures:
(a) To ensure that the accused understands the case against him or her and
the possible consequences of the trial;
(b) To ensure that every person charged with a criminal offence has
adequate time, facilities and technical and financial support, in case he or she
does not have sufficient means, to prepare his or her defence and is able to
consult with his or her lawyer in full confidentiality;
(c) To provide representation in any court proceedings by a lawyer of
choice, where appropriate, or by a competent lawyer assigned by the court or
other legal aid authority at no cost when the person does not have sufficient
means to pay and/or where the interests of justice so require;
(d) To ensure that the counsel of the accused is present at all critical stages
of the proceedings. Critical stages are all stages of a criminal proceeding at
which the advice of a lawyer is necessary to ensure the right of the accused to a
fair trial or at which the absence of counsel might impair the preparation or
presentation of a defence;
(e) To request bar or legal associations and other partnership institutions to
establish a roster of lawyers and paralegals to support a comprehensive legal
system for persons detained, arrested, suspected or accused of, or charged with a
criminal offence; such support could include, for example, appearing before the
courts on fixed days;
(f) To enable, in accordance with national law, paralegals and law students
to provide appropriate types of assistance to the accused in court, provided that
they are under the supervision of qualified lawyers;
(g) To ensure that unrepresented suspects and the accused understand their
rights. This may include, but is not limited to, requiring judges and prosecutors
to explain their rights to them in clear and plain language.
Guideline 6
Legal aid at the post-trial stage
46. States should ensure that imprisoned persons and children deprived of their
liberty have access to legal aid. Where legal aid is not available, States shall
ensure that such persons are held in prison in conformity with the law.
47. For this purpose, States should introduce measures:

(a) To provide all persons, on admission to the place of imprisonment and
during their detention, with information on the rules of the place of imprisonment
and their rights under the law, including the right to confidential legal aid, advice
and assistance; the possibilities for further review of their case; their rights
during disciplinary proceedings; and procedures for complaint, appeal, early
release, pardon or clemency. Such information should be provided in a manner
that corresponds to the needs of illiterate persons, minorities, persons with
disabilities and children and should be in a language that the person in need of
legal aid understands. Information provided to children should be provided in a
manner appropriate for their age and maturity. The information material should
be supported by visual aids prominently located in those parts of the facilities to
which prisoners have regular access;
(b) To encourage bar and legal associations and other legal aid providers to
draw up rosters of lawyers, and paralegals, where appropriate, to visit prisons to
provide legal advice and assistance at no cost to prisoners;
(c) To ensure that prisoners have access to legal aid for the purpose of
submitting appeals and filing requests related to their treatment and the
conditions of their imprisonment, including when facing serious disciplinary
charges, and for requests for pardon, in particular for those prisoners facing the
death penalty, as well as for applications for parole and representation at parole
hearings;
(d) To inform foreign prisoners of the possibility, where available, of
seeking transfer to serve their sentence in their country of nationality, subject to
the consent of the States involved.
Guideline 7
Legal aid for victims
48. Without prejudice to or inconsistency with the rights of the accused and
consistent with the relevant national legislation, States should take adequate
measures, where appropriate, to ensure that:
(a) Appropriate advice, assistance, care, facilities and support are provided
to victims of crime, throughout the criminal justice process, in a manner that
prevents repeat victimization and secondary victimization;11
(b) Child victims receive legal assistance as required, in line with the
Guidelines on Justice in Matters involving Child Victims and Witnesses of
Crime;12
__________________
11 “Repeat victimization” and “secondary victimization” are understood as defined in
paragraphs 1.2 and 1.3 of the appendix to Recommendation Rec(2006)8 of the Committee of
Ministers of the Council of Europe to member States on assistance to crime victims.
(c) Victims receive legal advice on any aspect of their involvement in the
criminal justice process, including the possibility of taking civil action or making
a claim for compensation in separate legal proceedings, whichever is consistent
with the relevant national legislation;
(d) Victims are promptly informed by the police and other front line
responders (i.e., health, social and child welfare providers) of their right to
information and their entitlement to legal aid, assistance and protection and of
how to access such rights;
(e) The views and concerns of victims are presented and considered at
appropriate stages of the criminal justice process where their personal interests
are affected or where the interests of justice so require;
(f) Victim services agencies and non-governmental organizations can
provide legal aid to victims;
(g) Mechanisms and procedures are established to ensure close cooperation
and appropriate referral systems between legal aid providers and other
professionals (i.e., health, social and child welfare providers) to obtain a
comprehensive understanding of the victim, as well as an assessment of his or
her legal, psychological, social, emotional, physical and cognitive situation and
needs.
Guideline 8
Legal aid for witnesses
49. States should take adequate measures, where appropriate, to ensure that:
(a) Witnesses are promptly informed by the relevant authority of their right
to information, their entitlement to assistance and protection and how to access
such rights;
(b) Appropriate advice, assistance, care facilities and support are provided
to witnesses of crime throughout the criminal justice process;
(c) Child witnesses receive legal assistance as required, in line with the
Guidelines on Justice in Matters involving Child Victims and Witnesses of
Crime;
(d) All statements or testimony given by the witness at all stages of the
criminal justice process are accurately interpreted and translated.
50. States should, where appropriate, provide legal aid to witnesses.
51. The circumstances in which it may be appropriate to provide legal aid to
witnesses include, but are not limited to, situations in which:
(a) The witness is at risk of incriminating himself or herself;
(b) There is a risk to the safety and well-being of the witness resulting
from his or her status as such;
(c) The witness is particularly vulnerable, including as a result of having

special needs.
Guideline 9
Implementation of the right of women to access legal aid
52. States should take applicable and appropriate measures to ensure the right of
women to access legal aid, including:
(a) Introducing an active policy of incorporating a gender perspective into
all policies, laws, procedures, programmes and practices relating to legal aid to
ensure gender equality and equal and fair access to justice;
(b) Taking active steps to ensure that, where possible, female lawyers are
available to represent female defendants, accused and victims;
(c) Providing legal aid, advice and court support services in all legal
proceedings to female victims of violence in order to ensure access to justice and
avoid secondary victimization and other such services, which may include the
translation of legal documents where requested or required.
Guideline 10
Special measures for children
53. States should ensure special measures for children to promote children’s
effective access to justice and to prevent stigmatization and other adverse effects
as a result of their being involved in the criminal justice system, including:
(a) Ensuring the right of the child to have counsel assigned to represent the
child in his or her own name in proceedings where there is or could be a conflict
of interest between the child and his or her parents or other parties involved;
(b) Enabling children who are detained, arrested, suspected or accused of,
or charged with a criminal offence to contact their parents or guardians at once
and prohibiting any interviewing of a child in the absence of his or her lawyer or
other legal aid provider, and parent or guardian when available, in the best
interests of the child;
(c) Ensuring the right of the child to have the matter determined in the
presence of the child’s parents or legal guardian, unless it is not considered to be
in the best interests of the child;
(d) Ensuring that children may consult freely and in full confidentiality
with parents and/or guardians and legal representatives;
(e) Providing information on legal rights in a manner appropriate for the
child’s age and maturity, in a language that the child can understand and in a
manner that is gender and culture sensitive. Provision of information to parents,
guardians or caregivers should be in addition, and not an alternative, to
communicating information to the child;
(f) Promoting, where appropriate, diversion from the formal criminal

justice system and ensuring that children have the right to legal aid at every stage
of the process where diversion is applied;
(g) Encouraging, where appropriate, the use of alternative measures and
sanctions to deprivation of liberty and ensuring that children have the right to
legal aid so that deprivation of liberty is a measure of last resort and for the
shortest appropriate period of time;
(h) Establishing measures to ensure that judicial and administrative
proceedings are conducted in an atmosphere and manner that allow children to be
heard either directly or through a representative or an appropriate body in a
manner consistent with the procedural rules of national law. Taking into account
the child’s age and maturity may also require modified judicial and
administrative procedures and practices.
54. The privacy and personal data of a child who is or who has been involved in
judicial or non-judicial proceedings and other interventions should be protected
at all stages, and such protection should be guaranteed by law. This generally
implies that no information or personal data may be made available or published,
particularly in the media, that could reveal or indirectly enable the disclosure of
the child’s identity, including images of the child, detailed descriptions of the
child or the child’s family, names or addresses of the child’s family members and
audio and video records.
Guideline 11
Nationwide legal aid system
55. In order to encourage the functioning of a nationwide legal aid system,
States should, where it is appropriate, undertake measures:
(a) To ensure and promote the provision of effective legal aid at all stages
of the criminal justice process for persons detained, arrested or imprisoned,
suspected or accused of, or charged with a criminal offence, and for victims of
crime;
(b) To provide legal aid to persons who have been unlawfully arrested or
detained or who have received a final judgement of the court as a result of a
miscarriage of justice, in order to enforce their right to retrial, reparation,
including compensation, rehabilitation and guarantees of non-repetition;
(c) To promote coordination between justice agencies and other
professionals such as health, social services and victim support workers in order
to maximize the effectiveness of the legal aid system, without prejudice to the
rights of the accused;
(d) To establish partnerships with bar or legal associations to ensure the
provision of legal aid at all stages of the criminal justice process;
(e) To enable paralegals to provide those forms of legal aid allowed by

national law or practice to persons detained, arrested, suspected of, or charged
with a criminal offence, in particular in police stations or other detention centres;
(f) To promote the provision of appropriate legal aid for the purpose of
crime prevention.
56. States should also take measures:
(a) To encourage legal and bar associations to support the provision of
legal aid by offering a range of services, including those that are free (pro bono),
in line with their professional calling and ethical duty;
(b) To identify incentives for lawyers to work in economically and socially
disadvantaged areas (e.g., tax exemption, fellowships and travel and subsistence
allowances);
(c) To encourage lawyers to organize regular circuits of lawyers around the
country to provide legal aid to those in need.
57. In the design of their nationwide legal aid schemes, States should take into
account the needs of specific groups, including but not limited to the elderly,
minorities, persons with disabilities, the mentally ill, persons living with HIV
and other severe contagious diseases, drug users, indigenous and aboriginal
people, stateless persons, asylum seekers, foreign citizens, refugees and
internally displaced persons, in line with guidelines 9 and 10.
58. States should take appropriate measures to establish child-friendly13 and
child-sensitive legal aid systems, taking into account children’s evolving
capacities and the need to strike an appropriate balance between the best interests
of the child and children’s right to be heard in judicial proceedings, including:
(a) Establishing, where possible, dedicated mechanisms to support
specialized legal aid for children and support the integration of child-friendly
legal aid into general and non-specialized mechanisms;
(b) Adopting legal aid legislation, policies and regulations that explicitly
take into account the child’s rights and special developmental needs, including
the right to have legal or other appropriate assistance in the preparation and
presentation of his or her defence; the right to be heard in all judicial proceedings
affecting him or her; standard procedures for determining best interest; privacy
and protection of personal data; and the right to be considered for diversion;
__________________
13 “Child friendly legal aid” is the provision of legal assistance to children in criminal,
civil and administrative proceedings that is accessible, age appropriate, multidisciplinary and
effective, and that is responsive to the range of legal and social needs faced by children and
youth. Child-friendly legal aid is delivered by lawyers and non-lawyers who are trained in
children’s law and child and adolescent development and who are able to communicate
effectively with children and their caretakers.
(c) Establishing child-friendly legal aid service standards and professional

codes of conduct. Legal aid providers working with and for children should,
where necessary, be subject to regular vetting to ensure their suitability for
working with children;
(d) Promoting standard legal aid training programmes. Legal aid providers
representing children should be trained in and be knowledgeable about children’s
rights and related issues, receive ongoing and in-depth training and be capable of
communicating with children at their level of understanding. All legal aid
providers working with and for children should receive basic interdisciplinary
training on the rights and needs of children of different age groups and on
proceedings that are adapted to them, and training on psychological and other
aspects of the development of children, with special attention to girls and
children who are members of minority or indigenous groups, and on available
measures for promoting the defence of children who are in conflict with the law;
(e) Establishing mechanisms and procedures to ensure close cooperation
and appropriate referral systems between legal aid providers and different
professionals to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the child, as well as an
assessment of his or her legal, psychological, social, emotional, physical and
cognitive situation and needs.
59. To ensure the effective implementation of nationwide legal aid schemes,
States should consider establishing a legal aid body or authority to provide,
administer, coordinate and monitor legal aid services. Such a body should:
(a) Be free from undue political or judicial interference, be independent of
the Government in decision-making related to legal aid and not be subject to the
direction, control or financial intimidation of any person or authority in the
performance of its functions, regardless of its administrative structure;
(b) Have the necessary powers to provide legal aid, including but not
limited to the appointment of personnel; the designation of legal aid services to
individuals; the setting of criteria and accreditation of legal aid providers,
including training requirements; the oversight of legal aid providers and the
establishment of independent bodies to handle complaints against them; the
assessment of legal aid needs nationwide; and the power to develop its own
budget;
(c) Develop, in consultation with key justice sector stakeholders and civil
society organizations, a long-term strategy guiding the evolution and
sustainability of legal aid;
(d) Report periodically to the responsible authority.
Guideline 12
Funding the nationwide legal aid system
60. Recognizing that the benefits of legal aid services include financial benefits
and cost savings throughout the criminal justice process, States should, where
appropriate, make adequate and specific budget provisions for legal aid services
that are commensurate with their needs, including by providing dedicated and
sustainable funding mechanisms for the national legal aid system.
61. To this end, States could take measures:
(a) To establish a legal aid fund to finance legal aid schemes, including
public defender schemes, to support legal aid provision by legal or bar
associations; to support university law clinics; and to sponsor non-governmental
organizations and other organizations, including paralegal organizations, in
providing legal aid services throughout the country, especially in rural and
economically and socially disadvantaged areas;
(b) To identify fiscal mechanisms for channelling funds to legal aid, such
as:
(i) Allocating a percentage of the State’s criminal justice budget to legal
aid services that are commensurate with the needs of effective legal aid
provision;
(ii) Using funds recovered from criminal activities through seizures or
fines to cover legal aid for victims;
(c) To identify and put in place incentives for lawyers to work in rural
areas and economically and socially disadvantaged areas (e.g., tax exemptions or
reductions, student loan payment reductions);
(d) To ensure fair and proportional distribution of funds between
prosecution and legal aid agencies.
62. The budget for legal aid should cover the full range of services to be
provided to persons detained, arrested or imprisoned, suspected or accused of, or
charged with a criminal offence, and to victims. Adequate special funding should
be dedicated to defence expenses such as expenses for copying relevant files and
documents and collection of evidence, expenses related to expert witnesses,
forensic experts and social workers, and travel expenses. Payments should be
timely.
Guideline 13
Human resources
63. States should, where appropriate, make adequate and specific provisions for
staffing the nationwide legal aid system that are commensurate with their needs.
64. States should ensure that professionals working for the national legal aid
system possess qualifications and training appropriate for the services they
provide.
65. Where there is a shortage of qualified lawyers, the provision of legal aid
services may also include non-lawyers or paralegals. At the same time, States
should promote the growth of the legal profession and remove financial barriers
to legal education.
66. States should also encourage wide access to the legal profession, including
affirmative action measures to ensure access for women, minorities and
economically disadvantaged groups.
Guideline 14
Paralegals
67. States should, in accordance with their national law and where appropriate,
recognize the role played by paralegals or similar service providers in providing
legal aid services where access to lawyers is limited.
68. For this purpose, States should, in consultation with civil society and justice
agencies and professional associations, introduce measures:
(a) To develop, where appropriate, a nationwide scheme of paralegal
services with standardized training curricula and accreditation schemes,
including appropriate screening and vetting;
(b) To ensure that quality standards for paralegal services are set and that
paralegals receive adequate training and operate under the supervision of
qualified lawyers;
(c) To ensure the availability of monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to
guarantee the quality of the services provided by paralegals;
(d) To promote, in consultation with civil society and justice agencies, the
development of a code of conduct that is binding for all paralegals working in the
criminal justice system;
(e) To specify the types of legal services that can be provided by paralegals
and the types of services that must be provided exclusively by lawyers, unless
such determination is within the competence of the courts or bar associations;
(f) To ensure access for accredited paralegals who are assigned to provide
legal aid to police stations and prisons, facilities of detention or pretrial detention
centres, and so forth;
(g) To allow, in accordance with national law and regulations, court-
accredited and duly trained paralegals to participate in court proceedings and
advise the accused when there are no lawyers available to do so.
Guideline 15
Regulation and oversight of legal aid providers
69. In adherence to principle 12, and subject to existing national legislation
ensuring transparency and accountability, States, in cooperation with professional
associations, should:
(a) Ensure that criteria are set for the accreditation of legal aid providers;
(b) Ensure that legal aid providers are subject to applicable professional
codes of conduct, with appropriate sanctions for infractions;
(c) Establish rules to ensure that legal aid providers are not allowed to
request any payment from the beneficiaries of legal aid, except when authorized
to do so;
(d) Ensure that disciplinary complaints against legal aid providers are
reviewed by impartial bodies;
(e) Establish appropriate oversight mechanisms for legal aid providers, in
particular with a view to preventing corruption.
Guideline 16
Partnerships with non-State legal aid service providers and universities
70. States should, where appropriate, engage in partnerships with non-State
legal aid service providers, including non-governmental organizations and other
service providers.
71. To this end, States should take measures, in consultation with civil society
and justice agencies and professional associations:
(a) To recognize in their legal systems the role to be played by non-State
actors in providing legal aid services to meet the needs of the population;
(b) To set quality standards for legal aid services and support the
development of standardized training programmes for non-State legal aid service
providers;
(c) To establish monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to ensure the
quality of legal aid services, in particular those provided at no cost;
(d) To work with all legal aid service providers to increase outreach,
quality and impact and facilitate access to legal aid in all parts of the country and
in all communities, especially in rural and economically and socially
disadvantaged areas and among minority groups;
(e) To diversify legal aid service providers by adopting a comprehensive
approach, for example, by encouraging the establishment of centres to provide
legal aid services that are staffed by lawyers and paralegals and by entering into
agreements with law societies and bar associations, university law clinics and
non-governmental and other organizations to provide legal aid services.
72. States should, where appropriate, also take measures:
(a) To encourage and support the establishment of legal aid clinics in law
departments within universities to promote clinical and public interest law
programmes among faculty members and the student body, including in the
accredited curriculum of universities;
(b) To encourage and provide incentives to law students to participate,
under proper supervision and in accordance with national law or practice, in a
legal aid clinic or other legal aid community scheme, as part of their academic
curriculum or professional development;
(c) To develop, where they do not already exist, student practice rules that
allow students to practise in the courts under the supervision of qualified lawyers
or faculty staff, provided that such rules are developed in consultation with and
accepted by the competent courts or bodies that regulate the practice of law
before the courts;
(d) To develop, in jurisdictions requiring law students to undertake legal
internships, rules for them to be allowed to practise in the courts under the
supervision of qualified lawyers.
Guideline 17
Research and data
73. States should ensure that mechanisms to track, monitor and evaluate legal
aid are established and should continually strive to improve the provision of legal
aid.
74. For this purpose, States could introduce measures:
(a) To conduct regular research and collection of data disaggregated by the
gender, age, socioeconomic status and geographical distribution of legal aid
recipients and to publish the findings of such research;
(b) To share good practices in the provision of legal aid;
(c) To monitor the efficient and effective delivery of legal aid in
accordance with international human rights standards;
(d) To provide cross cultural, culturally appropriate, gender-sensitive and
age-appropriate training to legal aid providers;
(e) To improve communication, coordination and cooperation between all
justice agencies, especially at the local level, to identify local problems and to
agree on solutions to improve the provision of legal aid.
Guideline 18
Technical assistance
75. Technical assistance based on needs and priorities identified by requesting
States should be provided by relevant intergovernmental organizations, such as
the United Nations, bilateral donors and competent non-governmental
organizations, as well as by States in the framework of bilateral and multilateral
cooperation, with a view to building and enhancing the national capacities and
institutions for the development and implementation of legal aid systems and
criminal justice reforms, where appropriate.
Part five
Legal, institutional and practical
arrangements for international
cooperation
I. Model treaties
46. Model Agreement on the Transfer of Foreign Prisoners* and
recommendations on the treatment of foreign prisoners**
The Seventh United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the
Treatment of Offenders,
Recalling resolution 13 adopted by the Sixth United Nations Congress on
the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders,1 in which States
Members of the United Nations were urged to consider the establishment of
procedures whereby transfers of offenders might be effected,
Recognizing the difficulties of foreigners detained in prison establishments
abroad owing to such factors as differences in language, culture, customs and
religion,
Considering that the aim of social resettlement of offenders could best be
achieved by giving foreign prisoners the opportunity to serve their sentence
within their country of nationality or residence,
Convinced that the establishment of procedures for the transfer of prisoners,
on either a bilateral or a multilateral basis, would be highly desirable,
Taking note of the existing multilateral and bilateral international
agreements on the transfer of foreign prisoners,
1. Adopts the Model Agreement on the Transfer of Foreign Prisoners
contained in annex I to the present resolution;
2. Approves the recommendations on the treatment of foreign prisoners
contained in annex II below;
__________________
* Seventh United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of
Nations publication, Sales No. E.86.IV.1), chap. I, sect. D.1, annex I.
** Ibid., annex II.
345
3. Invites Member States, if they have not yet established treaty relations
with other Member States in the matter of the transfer of foreign prisoners to
their own countries, or if they wish to revise existing treaty relations, to take into
account, whenever doing so, the Model Agreement on the Transfer of Foreign
Prisoners annexed hereto;
4. Requests the Secretary-General to assist Member States, at their
request, in the development of agreements on the transfer of foreign prisoners
and to report regularly thereon to the Committee on Crime Prevention and
Control.
Annex I
Model Agreement on the Transfer of Foreign Prisoners
Preamble
The __________________________ and the _________________________
Desirous of further developing mutual cooperation in the field of criminal
justice,
Believing that such cooperation should further the ends of justice and the
social resettlement of sentenced persons,
Considering that those objectives require that foreigners who are deprived
of their liberty as the result of a criminal offence should be given the opportunity
to serve their sentences within their own society,
Convinced that this aim can best be achieved by transferring foreign
prisoners to their own countries,
Bearing in mind that the full respect for human rights, as laid down in
universally recognized principles, should be ensured,
Have agreed on the following:
1. The social resettlement of offenders should be promoted by facilitating
the return of persons convicted of crime abroad to their country of nationality or
of residence to serve their sentence at the earliest possible stage. In accordance
with the above, States should afford each other the widest measure of
cooperation.
2. A transfer of prisoners should be effected on the basis of mutual respect
for national sovereignty and jurisdiction.
3. A transfer of prisoners should be effected in cases where the offence
giving rise to conviction is punishable by deprivation of liberty by the judicial
authorities of both the sending (sentencing) State and the State to which the
transfer is to be effected (administering State) according to their national laws.
Part five, chapter I. Model treaties 347
4. A transfer may be requested by either the sentencing or the

administering State. The prisoner, as well as close relatives, may express to either
State their interest in the transfer. To that end, the contracting State shall inform
the prisoner of their competent authorities.
5. A transfer shall be dependent on the agreement of both the sentencing
and the administering State, and should also be based on the consent of the
prisoner.
6. The prisoner shall be fully informed of the possibility and of the legal
consequences of a transfer, in particular whether or not he might be prosecuted
because of other offences committed before his transfer.
7. The administering State should be given the opportunity to verify the
free consent of the prisoner.
8. Any regulation concerning the transfer of prisoners shall be applicable
to sentences of imprisonment as well as to sentences imposing measures
involving deprivation of liberty because of the commission of a criminal act.
9. In cases of the person’s incapability of freely determining his will, his
legal representative shall be competent to consent to the transfer.
II. Other requirements

10. A transfer shall be made only on the basis of a final and definitive
sentence having executive force.
11. At the time of the request for a transfer, the prisoner shall, as a general
rule, still have to serve at least six months of the sentence; a transfer should,
however, be granted also in cases of indeterminate sentences.
12. The decision whether to transfer a prisoner shall be taken without any
delay.
13. The person transferred for the enforcement of a sentence passed in the
sentencing State may not be tried again in the administering State for the same
act upon which the sentence to be executed is based.
III. Procedural regulations

14. The competent authorities of the administering State shall: (a) continue
the enforcement of the sentence immediately or through a court or administrative
order; or (b) convert the sentence, thereby substituting for the sanction imposed
in the sentencing State a sanction prescribed by the law of the administering State
for a corresponding offence.
15. In the case of continued enforcement, the administering State shall be
bound by the legal nature and duration of the sentence as determined by the
sentencing State. If, however, this sentence is by its nature or duration
incompatible with the law of the administering State, this State may adapt the
sanction to the punishment or measure prescribed by its own law for a

corresponding offence.
16. In the case of conversion of sentence, the administering State shall be
entitled to adapt the sanction as to its nature or duration according to its national
law, taking into due consideration the sentence passed in the sentencing State. A
sanction involving deprivation of liberty shall, however, not be converted to a
pecuniary sanction.
17. The administering State shall be bound by the findings as to the facts
insofar as they appear from the judgement imposed in the sentencing State. Thus
the sentencing State has the sole competence for a review of the sentence.
18. The period of deprivation of liberty already served by the sentenced
person in either State shall be fully deducted from the final sentence.
19. A transfer shall in no case lead to an aggravation of the situation of the
prisoner.
20. Any costs incurred because of a transfer and related to transportation
should be borne by the administering State, unless otherwise decided by both the
sentencing and administering States.
IV. Enforcement and pardon

21. The enforcement of the sentence shall be governed by the law of the
administering State.
22. Both the sentencing and the administering State shall be competent to
grant pardon and amnesty.
V. Final clauses
23. This agreement shall be applicable to the enforcement of sentences
imposed either before or after its entry into force.
24. This agreement is subject to ratification. The instruments of ratification
shall be deposited as soon as possible in ________________________________.
25. This agreement shall enter into force on the thirtieth day after the day
on which the instruments of ratification are exchanged.
26. Either Contracting Party may denounce this agreement in writing to the
_________________________________. Denunciation shall take effect
six months following the date on which the notification is received by the
__________________________________.
In witness whereof the undersigned, being duly authorized thereto by the
respective Governments, have signed this treaty.
Annex II
Recommendations on the treatment of foreign prisoners
1. The allocation of a foreign prisoner to a prison establishment should
not be effected on the grounds of his nationality alone.
2. Foreign prisoners should have the same access as national prisoners to
education, work and vocational training.
3. Foreign prisoners should in principle be eligible for measures
alternative to imprisonment, as well as for prison leave and other authorized exits
from prison according to the same principles as nationals.
4. Foreign prisoners should be informed promptly after reception into a
prison, in a language which they understand and generally in writing, of the main
features of the prison regime, including relevant rules and regulations.
5. The religious precepts and customs of foreign prisoners should be
respected.
6. Foreign prisoners should be informed without delay of their right to
request contacts with their consular authorities, as well as of any other relevant
information regarding their status. If a foreign prisoner wishes to receive
assistance from a diplomatic or consular authority, the latter should be contacted
promptly.
7. Foreign prisoners should be given proper assistance, in a language they
can understand, when dealing with medical or programme staff and in such
matters as complaints, special accommodation, special diets and religious
representation and counselling.
8. Contacts of foreign prisoners with families and community agencies
should be facilitated, by providing all necessary opportunities for visits and
correspondence, with the consent of the prisoner. Humanitarian international
organizations, such as the International Committee of the Red Cross, should be
given the opportunity to assist foreign prisoners.
9. The conclusion of bilateral and multilateral agreements on supervision
of and assistance to offenders given suspended sentences or granted parole could
further contribute to the solution of the problems faced by foreign offenders.
47. Model Treaty on Extradition*,**
The ___________________________________________________ and the

_________________________________________________________________
Desirous of making more effective the cooperation of the two countries in
the control of crime by concluding a treaty on extradition,
Have agreed as follows:
Article 1
Obligation to extradite
Each Party agrees to extradite to the other, upon request and subject to the
provisions of the present Treaty, any person who is wanted in the requesting State
for prosecution for an extraditable offence or for the imposition or enforcement
of a sentence in respect of such an offence.1
Article 2
Extraditable offences
1. For the purposes of the present Treaty, extraditable offences are offences
that are punishable under the laws of both Parties by imprisonment or other
deprivation of liberty for a maximum period of at least [one/two] year(s), or by a
more severe penalty. Where the request for extradition relates to a person who is
wanted for the enforcement of a sentence of imprisonment or other deprivation of
liberty imposed for such an offence, extradition shall be granted only if a period
of at least [four/six] months of such sentence remains to be served.
2. In determining whether an offence is an offence punishable under the laws
of both Parties, it shall not matter whether:
(a) The laws of the Parties place the acts or omissions constituting the
offence within the same category of offence or denominate the offence by the
same terminology;
(b) Under the laws of the Parties the constituent elements of the offence
differ, it being understood that the totality of the acts or omissions as presented
by the requesting State shall be taken into account.
__________________
* General Assembly resolution 45/116, annex, adopted on 14 December 1990, and
amended by resolution 52/88, annex, adopted on 12 December 1997.

** The version of the Model Treaty on Extradition contained in this edition of the
Compendium is the result of the merging of the model treaty adopted in 1990 by the General
Assembly in its resolution 45/116 and the amendments introduced in 1997 in resolution 52/88.
The latter have been identified in bold type.
1 Reference to the imposition of a sentence may not be necessary for all countries.
3. Where extradition of a person is sought for an offence against a law relating

to taxation, customs duties, exchange control or other revenue matters,
extradition may not be refused on the ground that the law of the requested State
does not impose the same kind of tax or duty or does not contain a tax, customs
duty or exchange regulation of the same kind as the law of the requesting State.2
4. If the request for extradition includes several separate offences each of
which is punishable under the laws of both Parties, but some of which do not
fulfil the other conditions set out in paragraph 1 of the present article, the
requested Party may grant extradition for the latter offences provided that the
person is to be extradited for at least one extraditable offence.
Article 3
Mandatory grounds for refusal
Extradition shall not be granted in any of the following circumstances:
(a) If the offence for which extradition is requested is regarded by the
requested State as an offence of a political nature. Reference to an offence of a
political nature shall not include any offence in respect of which the Parties
have assumed an obligation, pursuant to any multilateral convention, to take
prosecutorial action where they do not extradite, or any other offence that
the Parties have agreed is not an offence of a political character for the
purposes of extradition;3
(b) If the requested State has substantial grounds for believing that the
request for extradition has been made for the purpose of prosecuting or punishing
a person on account of that person’s race, religion, nationality, ethnic origin,
political opinions, sex or status, or that that person’s position may be prejudiced
for any of those reasons;
(c) If the offence for which extradition is requested is an offence under
military law, which is not also an offence under ordinary criminal law;
(d) If there has been a final judgement rendered against the person in the
requested State in respect of the offence for which the person’s extradition is
requested;
(e) If the person whose extradition is requested has, under the law of either
Party, become immune from prosecution or punishment for any reason, including
lapse of time or amnesty;4
__________________
2 Some countries may wish to omit this paragraph or provide an optional ground for
refusal under article 4.

3 Countries may wish to exclude certain conduct, e.g., acts of violence, such as
serious offences involving an act of violence against the life, physical integrity or liberty
of a person, from the concept of political offence.
4 Some countries may wish to make this an optional ground for refusal under article 4.
Countries may also wish to restrict consideration of the issue of lapse of time to the law
(f) If the person whose extradition is requested has been or would be

subjected in the requesting State to torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading
treatment or punishment or if that person has not received or would not receive
the minimum guarantees in criminal proceedings, as contained in the
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, article 14;5
(g) If the judgement of the requesting State has been rendered in absentia,
the convicted person has not had sufficient notice of the trial or the opportunity
to arrange for his or her defence and he has not had or will not have the
opportunity to have the case retried in his or her presence.6
Article 4
Optional grounds for refusal
Extradition may be refused in any of the following circumstances:
(a) If the person whose extradition is requested is a national of the
requested State. Where extradition is refused on this ground, the requested State
shall, if the other State so requests, submit the case to its competent authorities
with a view to taking appropriate action against the person in respect of the
offence for which extradition had been requested;7
(b) If the competent authorities of the requested State have decided either
not to institute or to terminate proceedings against the person for the offence in
respect of which extradition is requested;
(c) If a prosecution in respect of the offence for which extradition is
requested is pending in the requested State against the person whose extradition
is requested;
(d) If the offence for which extradition is requested carries the death
penalty under the law of the requesting State, unless that State gives such
assurance as the requested State considers sufficient that the death penalty will
not be imposed or, if imposed, will not be carried out. Where extradition is
refused on this ground, the requested State shall, if the other State so
requests, submit the case to its competent authorities with a view to taking
__________________
of the requesting State only or to provide that acts of interruption in the requesting
State should be recognized in the requested State.
6 Some countries may wish to add to article 3 the following ground for refusal: “If there is
insufficient proof, according to the evidentiary standards of the requested State, that the
person whose extradition is requested is a party to the offence.” (See also footnote 12.)
7 Some countries may also wish to consider, within the framework of national legal
systems, other means to ensure that those responsible for crimes do not escape
punishment on the basis of nationality, such as, inter alia, provisions that would permit
surrender for serious offences or permit temporary transfer of the person for trial and
return of the person to the requested State for service of sentence.
appropriate action against the person for the offence for which extradition
had been requested;8
(e) If the offence for which extradition is requested has been committed
outside the territory of either Party and the law of the requested State does not
provide for jurisdiction over such an offence committed outside its territory in
comparable circumstances;
(f) If the offence for which extradition is requested is regarded under the
law of the requested State as having been committed in whole or in part within
that State.9 Where extradition is refused on this ground, the requested State shall,
if the other State so requests, submit the case to its competent authorities with a
view to taking appropriate action against the person for the offence for which
extradition had been requested;
(g) If the person whose extradition is requested has been sentenced or
would be liable to be tried or sentenced in the requesting State by an
extraordinary or ad hoc court or tribunal;
(h) If the requested State, while also taking into account the nature of the
offence and the interests of the requesting State, considers that, in the
circumstances of the case, the extradition of that person would be incompatible
with humanitarian considerations in view of age, health or other personal
circumstances of that person.
Article 5
Channels of communication and required documents10
1. A request for extradition shall be made in writing. The request, supporting
documents and subsequent communications shall be transmitted through the
diplomatic channel, directly between the ministries of justice or any other
authorities designated by the Parties.
2. A request for extradition shall be accompanied by the following:
(a) In all cases:
(i) As accurate a description as possible of the person sought, together
with any other information that may help to establish that person’s identity,
nationality and location;
__________________
8 Some countries may wish to apply the same restriction to the imposition of a life, or
indeterminate, sentence.
9 Some countries may wish to make specific reference to a vessel under its flag or an
aircraft registered under its laws at the time of the commission of the offence.
10 Countries may wish to consider including the most advanced techniques for the
communication of requests and means which could establish the authenticity of the
documents as emanating from the requesting State.
(ii) The text of the relevant provision of the law creating the offence or,
where necessary, a statement of the law relevant to the offence and a
statement of the penalty that can be imposed for the offence;
(b) If the person is accused of an offence, by a warrant issued by a court or
other competent judicial authority for the arrest of the person or a certified copy
of that warrant, a statement of the offence for which extradition is requested and
a description of the acts or omissions constituting the alleged offence, including
an indication of the time and place of its commission;11
(c) If the person has been convicted of an offence, by a statement of the
offence for which extradition is requested and a description of the acts or
omissions constituting the offence and by the original or certified copy of the
judgement or any other document setting out the conviction and the sentence
imposed, the fact that the sentence is enforceable, and the extent to which the
sentence remains to be served;
(d) If the person has been convicted of an offence in his or her absence, in
addition to the documents set out in paragraph 2 (c) of the present article, by a
statement as to the legal means available to the person to prepare his or her
defence or to have the case retried in his or her presence;
(e) If the person has been convicted of an offence but no sentence has been
imposed, by a statement of the offence for which extradition is requested and a
description of the acts or omissions constituting the offence and by a document
setting out the conviction and a statement affirming that there is an intention to
impose a sentence.
3. The documents submitted in support of a request for extradition shall be
accompanied by a translation into the language of the requested State or in
another language acceptable to that State.
Article 6
Simplified extradition procedure12
The requested State, if not precluded by its law, may grant extradition after
receipt of a request for provisional arrest, provided that the person sought
explicitly consents before a competent authority.
__________________
11 Countries requiring evidence in support of a request for extradition may wish to
define the evidentiary requirements necessary to satisfy the test for extradition and in
doing so should take into account the need to facilitate effective international
cooperation.
12 Countries may wish to provide for the waiver of speciality in the case of simplified
extradition.
Article 7
Certification and authentication
Except as provided by the present Treaty, a request for extradition and the
documents in support thereof, as well as documents or other material supplied in
response to such a request, shall not require certification or authentication.13
Article 8
Additional information
If the requested State considers that the information provided in support of a
request for extradition is not sufficient, it may request that additional information
be furnished within such reasonable time as it specifies.
Article 9
Provisional arrest
1. In case of urgency the requesting State may apply for the provisional arrest
of the person sought pending the presentation of the request for extradition. The
application shall be transmitted by means of the facilities of the International
Criminal Police Organization, by post or telegraph or by any other means
affording a record in writing.
2. The application shall contain a description of the person sought, a statement that
extradition is to be requested, a statement of the existence of one of the documents
mentioned in paragraph 2 of article 5 of the present Treaty, authorizing the
apprehension of the person, a statement of the punishment that can be or has been
imposed for the offence, including the time left to be served and a concise statement
of the facts of the case, and a statement of the location, where known, of the person.
3. The requested State shall decide on the application in accordance with its
law and communicate its decision to the requesting State without delay.
4. The person arrested upon such an application shall be set at liberty upon the
expiration of [40] days from the date of arrest if a request for extradition, supported
by the relevant documents specified in paragraph 2 of article 5 of the present Treaty,
has not been received. The present paragraph does not preclude the possibility of
conditional release of the person prior to the expiration of the [40] days.
5. The release of the person pursuant to paragraph 4 of the present article shall
not prevent rearrest and institution of proceedings with a view to extraditing the
person sought if the request and supporting documents are subsequently received.
__________________
13 The laws of some countries require authentication before documents transmitted from
other countries can be admitted in their courts and, therefore, would require a clause setting
out the authentication required.
Article 10
Decision on the request
1. The requested State shall deal with the request for extradition pursuant to
procedures provided by its own law, and shall promptly communicate its decision
to the requesting State.
2. Reasons shall be given for any complete or partial refusal of the request.
Article 11
Surrender of the person
1. Upon being informed that extradition has been granted, the Parties shall,
without undue delay, arrange for the surrender of the person sought and the
requested State shall inform the requesting State of the length of time for which
the person sought was detained with a view to surrender.
2. The person shall be removed from the territory of the requested State within
such reasonable period as the requested State specifies and, if the person is not
removed within that period, the requested State may release the person and may
refuse to extradite that person for the same offence.
3. If circumstances beyond its control prevent a Party from surrendering or
removing the person to be extradited, it shall notify the other Party. The two
Parties shall mutually decide upon a new date of surrender, and the provisions of
paragraph 2 of the present article shall apply.
Article 12
Postponed or conditional surrender
1. The requested State may, after making its decision on the request for
extradition, postpone the surrender of a person sought, in order to proceed
against that person, or, if that person has already been convicted, in order to
enforce a sentence imposed for an offence other than that for which extradition is
sought. In such a case the requested State shall advise the requesting State
accordingly.
2. The requested State may, instead of postponing surrender, temporarily
surrender the person sought to the requesting State in accordance with conditions
to be determined between the Parties.
Article 13
Surrender of property
1. To the extent permitted under the law of the requested State and subject to
the rights of third parties, which shall be duly respected, all property found in the
requested State that has been acquired as a result of the offence or that may be
required as evidence shall, if the requesting State so requests, be surrendered if

extradition is granted.
2. The said property may, if the requesting State so requests, be surrendered to
the requesting State even if the extradition agreed to cannot be carried out.
3. When the said property is liable to seizure or confiscation in the requested
State, it may retain it or temporarily hand it over.
4. Where the law of the requested State or the protection of the rights of third
parties so require, any property so surrendered shall be returned to the requested
State free of charge after the completion of the proceedings, if that State so requests.
Article 14
Rule of specialty
1. A person extradited under the present Treaty shall not be proceeded against,
sentenced, detained, re-extradited to a third State, or subjected to any other
restriction of personal liberty in the territory of the requesting State for any
offence committed before surrender other than:
(a) An offence for which extradition was granted;14
(b) Any other offence in respect of which the requested State consents.
Consent shall be given if the offence for which it is requested is itself subject to
extradition in accordance with the present Treaty.15
2. A request for the consent of the requested State under the present article
shall be accompanied by the documents mentioned in paragraph 2 of article 5 of
the present Treaty and a legal record of any statement made by the extradited
person with respect to the offence.16
3. Paragraph 1 of the present article shall not apply if the person has had an
opportunity to leave the requesting State and has not done so within [30/45] days of
final discharge in respect of the offence for which that person was extradited or if the
person has voluntarily returned to the territory of the requesting State after leaving it.
Article 15
Transit
1. Where a person is to be extradited to a Party from a third State through the
territory of the other Party, the Party to which the person is to be extradited shall
__________________
14 Countries may also wish to provide that the rule of speciality is not applicable to
extraditable offences provable on the same facts and carrying the same or a lesser
penalty as the original offence for which extradition was requested.
15 Some countries may not wish to assume that obligation and may wish to include other
grounds in determining whether or not to grant consent.

16 Countries may wish to waive the requirement for the provision of some or all of
these documents.
request the other Party to permit the transit of that person through its territory.
This does not apply where air transport is used and no landing in the territory of
the other Party is scheduled.
2. Upon receipt of such a request, which shall contain relevant information, the
requested State shall deal with this request pursuant to procedures provided by its
own law. The requested State shall grant the request expeditiously unless its
essential interests would be prejudiced thereby.17
3. The State of transit shall ensure that legal provisions exist that would enable
detaining the person in custody during transit.
4. In the event of an unscheduled landing, the Party to be requested to permit
transit may, at the request of the escorting officer, hold the person in custody for
[48] hours, pending receipt of the transit request to be made in accordance with
paragraph 1 of the present article.
Article 16
Concurrent requests
If a Party receives requests for extradition for the same person from both the
other Party and a third State it shall, at its discretion, determine to which of those
States the person is to be extradited.
Article 17
Costs
1. The requested State shall meet the cost of any proceedings in its jurisdiction
arising out of a request for extradition.
2. The requested State shall also bear the costs incurred in its territory in
connection with the seizure and handing over of property, or the arrest and
detention of the person whose extradition is sought.18
3. The requesting State shall bear the costs incurred in conveying the person
from the territory of the requested State, including transit costs.
__________________
17 Some countries may wish to agree on other grounds for refusal, which may also warrant
refusal for extradition, such as those related to the nature of the offence (e.g. political, fiscal,
military) or to the status of the person (e.g. their own nationals). However, countries may
wish to provide that transit should not be denied on the basis of nationality.
18 Some countries may wish to consider reimbursement of costs incurred as a result of
withdrawal of a request for extradition or provisional arrest. There may also be cases for
consultation between the requesting and requested States for the payment by the
requesting State of extraordinary costs, particularly in complex cases where there is a
significant disparity in the resources available to the two States.
Article 18
Final provisions
1. The present Treaty is subject to [ratification, acceptance or approval]. The
instruments of [ratification, acceptance or approval] shall be exchanged as soon
as possible.
2. The present Treaty shall enter into force on the thirtieth day after the day on
which the instruments of [ratification, acceptance or approval] are exchanged.
3. The present Treaty shall apply to requests made after its entry into force,
even if the relevant acts or omissions occurred prior to that date.
4. Either Contracting Party may denounce the present Treaty by giving notice
in writing to the other Party. Such denunciation shall take effect six months
following the date on which such notice is received by the other Party.
In witness whereof the undersigned, being duly authorized thereto by their
respective Governments, have signed the present Treaty.
________________________________ ______________________________
Done at ___________________________ on ___________________________
in the __________________ and _____________________ languages, [both/all]
texts being equally authentic.
48. Model Treaty on Mutual Assistance in

Criminal Matters*,**
The ______________________________ and the _____________________

Desirous of extending to each other the widest measure of cooperation to
combat crime,
Article 1
Scope of application1
1. The Parties shall, in accordance with the present Treaty, afford to each other
the widest possible measure of mutual assistance in investigations or court
__________________
* General Assembly resolution 45/117, annex, adopted on 14 December 1990, and
amended by resolution 53/112, adopted on 9 December 1998.

** The version of the Model Treaty on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters contained in
this edition of the Compendium is the result of the merging of the Model Treaty adopted in
1990 by the General Assembly in its resolution 45/117 and the amendments introduced in
1998 in resolution 53/112. The latter have been identified in bold type.
1 Additions to the scope of assistance to be provided, such as provisions covering
information on sentences passed on nationals of the parties, can be considered bilaterally.

Obviously, such assistance must be compatible with the law of the requested State.
proceedings in respect of offences the punishment of which, at the time of the

request for assistance, falls within the jurisdiction of the judicial authorities of
the requesting State.
2. Mutual assistance to be afforded in accordance with the present Treaty may
include:
(a) Taking evidence or statements from persons;
(b) Assisting in the availability of detained persons or others to give
evidence or assist in investigations;
(c) Effecting service of judicial documents;
(d) Executing searches and seizures;
(e) Examining objects and sites;
(f) Providing information and evidentiary items;
(g) Providing originals or certified copies of relevant documents and
records, including bank, financial, corporate or business records.
3. The present Treaty does not apply to:
(a) The arrest or detention of any person with a view to the extradition of
that person;
(b) The enforcement in the requested State of criminal judgements imposed
in the requesting State except to the extent permitted by the law of the requested
State and article 18 of the present Treaty;
(c) The transfer of persons in custody to serve sentences;
(d) The transfer of proceedings in criminal matters.
Article 22
Other arrangements
Unless the Parties decide otherwise, the present Treaty shall not affect
obligations subsisting between them whether pursuant to other treaties or
arrangements or otherwise.
Article 3
Designation of central authorities
Each Party shall designate and indicate to the other Party a central authority
or authorities by or through which requests for the purpose of the present Treaty
should be made or received.3
__________________
2 Article 2 recognizes the continuing role of informal assistance between law enforcement
agencies and associated agencies in different countries.

3 Countries may wish to consider providing for direct communications between
central authorities and for the central authorities to play an active role in ensuring the
Article 44
Refusal of assistance
1. Assistance may be refused if:5
(a) The requested State is of the opinion that the request, if granted, would
prejudice its sovereignty, security, public order (ordre public) or other essential
public interest;
(b) The offence is regarded by the requested State as being of a political
nature;
(c) There are substantial grounds for believing that the request for
assistance has been made for the purpose of prosecuting a person on account of
that person’s race, sex, religion, nationality, ethnic origin or political opinions or
that that person’s position may be prejudiced for any of those reasons;
(d) The request relates to an offence the prosecution of which in the
requesting State would be incompatible with the requested State’s law on double
jeopardy (ne bis in idem);
(e) The assistance requested requires the requested State to carry out
compulsory measures that would be inconsistent with its law and practice had the
offence been the subject of investigation or prosecution under its own
jurisdiction;
(f) The act is an offence under military law, which is not also an offence
under ordinary criminal law.
2. Assistance shall not be refused solely on the ground of secrecy of banks and
similar financial institutions.
3. The requested State may postpone the execution of the request if its
immediate execution would interfere with an ongoing investigation or
prosecution in the requested State.
__________________
speedy execution of requests, controlling quality and setting priorities. Countries may
also wish to agree that the central authorities are not the exclusive channel for
assistance between the Parties and that the direct exchange of information should be
encouraged to the extent permitted by domestic law or arrangements.
4 Article 4 provides an illustrative list of the grounds for refusal.
5 Some countries may wish to delete or modify some of the provisions or include other
grounds for refusal, such as those related to the nature of the offence (e.g. fiscal), the nature
of the applicable penalty (e.g. capital punishment), requirements of shared concepts
(e.g. double jurisdiction, no lapse of time) or specific kinds of assistance (e.g. interception of
telecommunications, performing deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) tests). Countries may wish,
where feasible, to render assistance, even if the act on which the request is based is not
an offence in the requested State (absence of dual criminality). Countries may also
consider restricting the requirement of dual criminality to certain types of assistance,
such as search and seizure.
4. Before refusing a request or postponing its execution, the requested State

shall consider whether assistance may be granted subject to certain conditions. If
the requesting State accepts assistance subject to these conditions, it shall comply
with them.6
5. Reasons shall be given for any refusal or postponement of mutual
assistance.
Article 5
Contents of requests
1. Requests for assistance shall include:7
(a) The name of the requesting office and the competent authority
conducting the investigation or court proceedings to which the request relates;
(b) The purpose of the request and a brief description of the assistance
sought;
(c) A description of the facts alleged to constitute the offence and a
statement or text of the relevant laws, except in cases of a request for service of
documents;
(d) The name and address of the person to be served, where necessary;
(e) The reasons for and details of any particular procedure or requirement
that the requesting State wishes to be followed, including a statement as to
whether sworn or affirmed evidence or statements are required;
(f) Specification of any time limit within which compliance with the
request is desired;
(g) Such other information as is necessary for the proper execution of the
request.
2. Requests, supporting documents and other communications made pursuant
to the present Treaty shall be accompanied by a translation into the language of
the requested State or another language acceptable to that State.8
3. If the requested State considers that the information contained in the request
is not sufficient to enable the request to be dealt with, it may request additional
information.
__________________
States should consult, in accordance with article 21, before assistance is refused or
6
postponed.
7 This list can be reduced or expanded in bilateral negotiations.
8 Countries may wish to provide that the request may be made by modern means of
communication, including, in particularly urgent cases, verbal requests that are

confirmed in writing forthwith.
Article 69
Execution of requests
Subject to article 20 of the present Treaty, requests for assistance shall be
carried out promptly, in the manner provided for by the law and practice of the
requested State. To the extent consistent with its law and practice, the requested
State shall carry out the request in the manner specified by the requesting State.10
Article 7
Return of material to the requested State
Any property, as well as original records or documents, handed over to the
requesting State under the present Treaty shall be returned to the requested State
as soon as possible unless the latter waives its right of return thereof.
Article 811
Limitation on use
Unless otherwise agreed, the requesting State shall not, without the consent
of the requested State, use or transfer information or evidence provided by the
requested State for investigations or proceedings other than those stated in the
request. However, in cases where the charge is altered, the material provided may
be used in so far as the offence, as charged, is an offence in respect of which
mutual assistance could be provided under the present Treaty.
Article 9
Protection of confidentiality12
Upon request:
(a) The requested State shall use its best endeavours to keep confidential
the request for assistance, its contents and its supporting documents as well as
the fact of granting of such assistance. If the request cannot be executed without
__________________
9 More detailed provisions may be included concerning the provision of information on
the time and place of execution of the request and requiring the requested State to inform
promptly the requesting State in cases where significant delay is likely to occur or where a
decision is made not to comply with the request and the reasons for refusal.
10 The requested State should secure such orders, including judicial orders, as may be
necessary for the execution of the request. Countries may also wish to agree, in
accordance with national legislation, to represent or act on behalf or for the benefit of
the requesting State in legal proceedings necessary to secure such orders.
11 Some countries may wish to omit article 8 or modify it, e.g. restrict it to fiscal offences,
or restrict use of evidence only where the requested State makes an express request to
that effect.
12 Provisions relating to confidentiality will be important for many countries but may
present problems to others. The nature of the provisions in individual treaties can be
determined in bilateral negotiations.
breaching confidentiality, the requested State shall so inform the requesting State,
which shall then determine whether the request should nevertheless be executed;
(b) The requesting State shall keep confidential evidence and information
provided by the requested State, except to the extent that the evidence and
information is needed for the investigation and proceedings described in the
request.
Article 10
Service of documents13
1. The requested State shall effect service of documents that are transmitted to
it for this purpose by the requesting State.
2. A request to effect service of summonses shall be made to a requested State
not less than [...]14 days before the date on which the appearance of a person is
required. In urgent cases, the requested State may waive the time requirement.
Article 1115
Obtaining of evidence
1. The requested State shall, in conformity with its law and upon request, take
the sworn or affirmed testimony, or otherwise obtain statements of persons or
require them to produce items of evidence for transmission to the requesting
State.
2. Upon the request of the requesting State, the parties to the relevant
proceedings in the requesting State, their legal representatives and
representatives of the requesting State may, subject to the laws and procedures of
the requested State, be present at the proceedings.16
__________________
13 More detailed provisions relating to the service of documents, such as writs and judicial
verdicts, can be determined bilaterally. Provisions may be desired for the service of
documents by mail or other manner and for the forwarding of proof of service of the
documents. For example, proof of service could be given by means of a receipt dated and
signed by the person served or by means of a declaration made by the requested State that
service has been effected, with an indication of the form and date of such service. One or
other of these documents could be sent promptly to the requesting State. The requested State
could, if the requesting State so requests, state whether service has been effected in
accordance with the law of the requested State. If service could not be effected, the reasons
could be communicated promptly by the requested State to the requesting State.
14 Depending on travel distance and related arrangements.
15 Article 11 is concerned with the obtaining of evidence in judicial proceedings, the taking
of a person’s statement by a less formal process and the production of items of evidence.
16 Wherever possible and consistent with the fundamental principles of domestic law,
the Parties should permit testimony, statements or other forms of assistance to be given
via video link or other modern means of communication and should ensure that perjury
committed under such circumstances is a criminal offence.
Article 12
Right or obligation to decline to give evidence
1. A person who is called upon to give evidence in the requested or requesting
State may decline to give evidence where either:
(a) The law of the requested State permits or requires that person to
decline to give evidence in similar circumstances in proceedings originating in
the requested State; or
(b) The law of the requesting State permits or requires that person to
decline to give evidence in similar circumstances in proceedings originating in
the requesting State.
2. If a person claims that there is a right or obligation to decline to give
evidence under the law of the other State, the State where that person is present
shall, with respect thereto, rely on a certificate of the competent authority of the
other State as evidence of the existence or non-existence of that right or
obligation.17
Article 13
Availability of persons in custody to give
evidence or to assist in investigations18
1. Upon the request of the requesting State, and if the requested State agrees
and its law so permits, a person in custody in the latter State may, subject to his
or her consent, be temporarily transferred to the requesting State to give evidence
or to assist in the investigations.
2. While the person transferred is required to be held in custody under the law
of the requested State, the requesting State shall hold that person in custody and
shall return that person in custody to the requested State at the conclusion of the
matter in relation to which transfer was sought or at such earlier time as the
person’s presence is no longer required.
3. Where the requested State advises the requesting State that the transferred
person is no longer required to be held in custody, that person shall be set at
liberty and be treated as a person referred to in article 14 of the present Treaty.
__________________
17 Some countries may wish to provide that a witness who is testifying in the
requesting State may not refuse to testify on the basis of a privilege applicable in the
requested State.
18 In bilateral negotiations, provisions may also be introduced to deal with such matters as
the modalities and time of restitution of evidence and the setting of a time limit for the
presence of the person in custody in the requesting State.
Article 14
Availability of other persons to give evidence
or assist in investigations19
1. The requesting State may request the assistance of the requested State in
inviting a person:
(a) To appear in proceedings in relation to a criminal matter in the
requesting State unless that person is the person charged; or
(b) To assist in the investigations in relation to a criminal matter in the
requesting State.
2. The requested State shall invite the person to appear as a witness or expert
in proceedings or to assist in the investigations. Where appropriate, the requested
State shall satisfy itself that satisfactory arrangements have been made for the
person’s safety.
3. The request or the summons shall indicate the approximate allowances and
the travel and subsistence expenses payable by the requesting State.
4. Upon request, the requested State may grant the person an advance, which
shall be refunded by the requesting State.
Article 1520
Safe conduct
1. Subject to paragraph 2 of the present article, where a person is in the
requesting State pursuant to a request made under article 13 or 14 of the present
Treaty:
(a) That person shall not be detained, prosecuted, punished or subjected to
any other restrictions of personal liberty in the requesting State in respect of any
acts or omissions or convictions that preceded the person’s departure from the
requested State;
(b) That person shall not, without that person’s consent, be required to give
evidence in any proceeding or to assist in any investigation other than the
proceeding or investigation to which the request relates.
2. Paragraph 1 of the present article shall cease to apply if that person, being
free to leave, has not left the requesting State within a period of [15] consecutive
days, or any longer period otherwise agreed on by the Parties, after that person
__________________
19 Provisions relating to the payment of the expenses of the person providing assistance are
contained in paragraph 3 of article 14. Additional details, such as provision for the payment
of costs in advance, can be the subject of bilateral negotiations.
20 The provisions in article 15 may be required as the only way of securing important
evidence in proceedings involving serious national and transnational crime. However, as they
may raise difficulties for some countries, the precise content of the article, including any
additions or modifications, can be determined in bilateral negotiations.
has been officially told or notified that his or her presence is no longer required
or, having left, has voluntarily returned.
3. A person who does not consent to a request pursuant to article 13 or accept
an invitation pursuant to article 14 shall not, by reason thereof, be liable to any
penalty or be subjected to any coercive measure, notwithstanding any contrary
statement in the request or summons.
Article 16
Provision of publicly available documents and other records21
1. The requested State shall provide copies of documents and records in so far
as they are open to public access as part of a public register or otherwise, or in so
far as they are available for purchase or inspection by the public.
2. The requested State may provide copies of any other document or record
under the same conditions as such document or record may be provided to its
own law enforcement and judicial authorities.
Article 17
Search and seizure22
The requested State shall, in so far as its law permits, carry out requests for
search and seizure and delivery of any material to the requesting State for
evidentiary purposes, provided that the rights of bona fide third parties are
protected.
Article 1823
Proceeds of crime24
1. In the present article “proceeds of crime” means any property suspected, or
found by a court, to be property directly or indirectly derived or realized as a
__________________
21 The question may arise as to whether this should be discretionary. This provision can be
the subject of bilateral negotiations.

22 Bilateral arrangements may cover the provision of information on the results of search
and seizure and the observance of conditions imposed in relation to the delivery of seized
property.
23 The footnotes attached to this article in its original form as the Optional Protocol to
the Model Treaty on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters concerning the proceeds of
crime were deleted in accordance with resolution 53/112, annex I, para. 15.
24 Assistance in forfeiting the proceeds of crime has emerged as an important
instrument in international cooperation. Provisions similar to those outlined in the

present article appear in many bilateral assistance treaties. Further details can be
provided in bilateral arrangements. One matter that could be considered is the need for
other provisions dealing with issues related to bank secrecy. Provision could be made for
the equitable sharing of the proceeds of crime between the contracting States or for
consideration of the disposal of the proceeds on a case-by-case basis.
result of the commission of an offence or to represent the value of property and

other benefits derived from the commission of an offence.
2. The requested State shall, upon request, endeavour to ascertain whether any
proceeds of the alleged crime are located within its jurisdiction and shall notify
the requesting State of the results of its inquiries. In making the request, the
requesting State shall notify the requested State of the basis of its belief that such
proceeds may be located within its jurisdiction.
3. In pursuance of a request made under paragraph 2 of the present article, the
requested State shall endeavour to trace assets, investigate financial dealings, and
obtain other information or evidence that may help to secure the recovery of
proceeds of crime.
4. Where, pursuant to paragraph 2 of the present article, suspected proceeds of
crime are found, the requested State shall upon request take such measures as are
permitted by its law to prevent any dealing in, transfer or disposal of, those
suspected proceeds of crime, pending a final determination in respect of those
proceeds by a court of the requesting State.
5. The requested State shall, to the extent permitted by its law, give effect to or
permit enforcement of a final order forfeiting or confiscating the proceeds of
crime made by a court of the requesting State or take other appropriate action to
secure the proceeds following a request by the requesting State.25
6. The Parties shall ensure that the rights of bona fide third parties shall be
respected in the application of the present article.
Article 19
Certification and authentication26
A request for assistance and the documents in support thereof, as well as
documents or other material supplied in response to such a request, shall not
require certification or authentication.
__________________
25 The parties might consider widening the scope of the present article by the
inclusion of references to victims’ restitution and the recovery of fines imposed as a
sentence in a criminal prosecution.
other countries can be admitted in their courts, and, therefore, would require a clause setting
Article 20
Costs27
The ordinary costs of executing a request shall be borne by the requested
State, unless otherwise determined by the Parties. If expenses of a substantial or
extraordinary nature are or will be required to execute the request, the Parties
shall consult in advance to determine the terms and conditions under which the
request shall be executed as well as the manner in which the costs shall be borne.
Article 21
Consultation
The Parties shall consult promptly, at the request of either, concerning the
interpretation, the application or the carrying out of the present Treaty either
generally or in relation to a particular case.
Article 22
Final provisions
as possible.
following the date on which it is received by the other Party.
____________________________ ___________________________________
Done at ________________________ on ______________________________
in the _______________________ and ________________________ languages,
[both/all] texts being equally authentic.
__________________
27 More detailed provisions may be included. For example, the requested State would meet
the ordinary costs of fulfilling the request for assistance except that the requesting State
would bear (a) the exceptional or extraordinary expenses required to fulfil the request, where
required by the requested State and subject to previous consultations; (b) the expenses
associated with conveying any person to or from the territory of the requested State, and any
fees, allowances or expenses payable to that person while in the requesting State pursuant to
a request under articles 11, 13 or 14; (c) the expenses associated with conveying custodial or
escorting officers; and (d) the expenses involved in obtaining reports of experts.
49. Model Treaty on the Transfer of Proceedings in

Criminal Matters*
The _________________________ and the __________________________

Desirous of further strengthening international cooperation and mutual
assistance in criminal justice, on the basis of the principles of respect for national
sovereignty and jurisdiction and of non-interference in the internal affairs of
States,
Believing that such cooperation should further the ends of justice, the social
resettlement of offenders and the interests of the victims of crime,
Bearing in mind that the transfer of proceedings in criminal matters
contributes to effective administration of justice and to reducing conflicts of
competence,
Aware that the transfer of proceedings in criminal matters can help to avoid
pretrial detention and thus reduce the prison population,
Convinced, therefore, that the transfer of proceedings in criminal matters
should be promoted,
Article 1
Scope of application
1. When a person is suspected of having committed an offence under the law
of a State which is a Contracting Party, that State may, if the interests of the
proper administration of justice so require, request another State which is a
Contracting Party to take proceedings in respect of this offence.
2. For the purpose of applying the present Treaty, the Contracting Parties shall
take the necessary legislative measures to ensure that a request of the requesting
State to take proceedings shall allow the requested State to exercise the necessary
jurisdiction.
Article 2
Channels of communications
A request to take proceedings shall be made in writing. The request,
supporting documents and subsequent communication shall be transmitted
through diplomatic channels, directly between the Ministries of Justice or any
other authorities designated by the Parties.
__________________
Article 3
Required documents
1. The request to take proceedings shall contain or be accompanied by the
following information:
(a) The authority presenting the request;
(b) A description of the act for which transfer of proceedings is being
requested, including the specific time and place of the offence;
(c) A statement on the results of investigations which substantiate the
suspicion of an offence;
(d) The legal provisions of the requesting State on the basis of which the
act is considered to be an offence;
(e) A reasonably exact statement on the identity, nationality and residence
of the suspected person.
2. The documents submitted in support of a request to take proceedings shall
be accompanied by a translation into the language of the requested State or into
another language acceptable to that State.
Article 4
Subject to national law and unless the Parties decide otherwise, a request to
take proceedings and the documents in support thereof, as well as the documents
and other material supplied in response to such a request, shall not require
certification or authentication.1
Article 5
The competent authorities of the requested State shall examine what action
to take on the request to take proceedings in order to comply, as fully as possible,
with the request under their own law, and shall promptly communicate their
decision to the requesting State.
__________________
Article 6
Dual criminality
A request to take proceedings can be complied with only if the act on which
the request is based would be an offence if committed in the territory of the
requested State.
Article 7
Grounds for refusal
If the requested State refuses acceptance of a request for transfer of
proceedings, it shall communicate the reasons for refusal to the requesting State.
Acceptance may be refused if:2
(a) The suspected person is not a national of or ordinary resident in the
requested State;
(b) The act is an offence under military law, which is not also an offence
under ordinary criminal law;
(c) The offence is in connection with taxes, duties, customs or exchange;
(d) The offence is regarded by the requested State as being of a political
nature.
Article 8
The position of the suspected person
1. The suspected person may express to either State his or her interest in the
transfer of the proceedings. Similarly, such interest may be expressed by the legal
representative or close relatives of the suspected person.
2. Before a request for transfer of proceedings is made, the requesting State
shall, if practicable, allow the suspected person to present his or her views on the
alleged offence and the intended transfer, unless that person has absconded or
otherwise obstructed the course of justice.
Article 9
The rights of the victim
The requesting and requested States shall ensure in the transfer of
proceedings that the rights of the victim of the offence, in particular his or her
right to restitution or compensation, shall not be affected as a result of the
transfer. If a settlement of the claim of the victim has not been reached before the
__________________
2 When negotiating on the basis of the present Model Treaty, States may wish to add other
grounds for refusal or conditions to this list, relating, for example, to the nature or gravity of
the offence, to the protection of fundamental human rights, or to considerations of public
order.
transfer, the requested State shall permit the representation of the claim in the
transferred proceedings, if its law provides for such a possibility. In the event of
the death of the victim, these provisions shall apply to his or her dependants
accordingly.
Article 10
Effects of the transfer of proceedings on the
requesting State (ne bis in idem)
Upon acceptance by the requested State of the request to take proceedings
against the suspected person, the requesting State shall provisionally discontinue
prosecution, except necessary investigation, including judicial assistance to the
requested State, until the requested State informs the requesting State that the
case has been finally disposed of. From that date on, the requesting State shall
definitely refrain from further prosecution of the same offence.
Article 11
Effects of the transfer of proceedings
on the requested State
1. The proceedings transferred upon agreement shall be governed by the law of
the requested State. When charging the suspected person under its law, the
requested State shall make the necessary adjustment with respect to particular
elements in the legal description of the offence. Where the competence of the
requested State is based on the provision set forth in paragraph 2 of article 1 of
the present Treaty, the sanction pronounced in that State shall not be more severe
than that provided by the law of the requesting State.
2. As far as compatible with the law of the requested State, any act with a view
to proceedings or procedural requirements performed in the requesting State in
accordance with its law shall have the same validity in the requested State as if
the act had been performed in or by the authorities of that State.
3. The requested State shall inform the requesting State of the decision taken
as a result of the proceedings. To this end a copy of any final decision shall be
transmitted to the requesting State upon request.
Article 12
Provisional measures
When the requesting State announces its intention to transmit a request for
transfer of proceedings, the requested State may, upon a specific request made
for this purpose by the requesting State, apply all such provisional measures,
including provisional detention and seizure, as could be applied under its own
law if the offence in respect of which transfer of proceedings is requested had
been committed in its territory.
Article 13
The plurality of criminal proceedings
When criminal proceedings are pending in two or more States against the
same suspected person in respect of the same offence, the States concerned shall
conduct consultations to decide which of them alone should continue the
proceedings. An agreement reached thereupon shall have the consequences of a
request for transfer of proceedings.
Article 14
Costs
Any costs incurred by a Contracting Party because of a transfer of
proceedings shall not be refunded, unless otherwise agreed by both the
requesting and requested States.
Article 15
Final provisions
as possible.
_______________________________ _______________________________
Done at __________________________ on ___________________________
in the ____________________________ and ___________________ languages,
50. Model Treaty on the Transfer of

Supervision of Offenders Conditionally
Sentenced or Conditionally Released*
The ___________________________ and the _____________________

Desirous of further strengthening international cooperation and mutual
assistance in criminal justice, on the basis of the principles of respect for national
sovereignty and jurisdiction and of non-interference in the internal affairs of
States,
Believing that such cooperation should further the ends of justice, the social
resettlement of sentenced persons and the interests of the victims of crime,
Bearing in mind that the transfer of supervision of offenders conditionally
sentenced or conditionally released can contribute to an increase in the use of
alternatives to imprisonment,
Aware that supervision in the home country of the offender rather than
enforcement of the sentence in a country where the offender has no roots also
contributes to an earlier and more effective reintegration into society,
Convinced, therefore, that the social rehabilitation of offenders and the
increased application of alternatives to imprisonment would be promoted by
facilitating the supervision of conditionally sentenced or conditionally released
offenders in their State of ordinary residence,
Article 1
1. The present Treaty shall be applicable, if, according to a final court
decision, a person has been found guilty of an offence and has been:
(a) Placed on probation without sentence having been pronounced;
(b) Given a suspended sentence involving deprivation of liberty;
(c) Given a sentence, the enforcement of which has been modified (parole)
or conditionally suspended, in whole or in part, either at the time of the sentence
or subsequently.
2. The State where the decision was taken (sentencing State) may request
another State (administering State) to take responsibility for applying the terms
of the decision (transfer of supervision).
__________________
Article 2
Channels of communications
A request for the transfer of supervision shall be made in writing. The
request, supporting documents and subsequent communication shall be
transmitted through diplomatic channels, directly between the Ministries of
Justice or any other authorities designated by the Parties.
Article 3
Required documents
1. A request for the transfer of supervision shall contain all necessary
information on the identity, nationality and residence of the sentenced person.
The request shall be accompanied by the original or a copy of any court decision
referred to in article 1 of the present Treaty and a certificate that this decision is
final.
2. The documents submitted in support of a request for transfer of supervision
shall be accompanied by a translation into the language of the requested State or
into another language acceptable to that State.
Article 4
Subject to national law and unless the Parties decide otherwise, a request for
transfer of supervision and the documents in support thereof, as well as the
documents and other material supplied in response to such a request, shall not
require certification or authentication.1
Article 5
The competent authorities of the administering State shall examine what
action to take on the request for supervision in order to comply, as fully as
possible, with the request under their own law, and shall promptly communicate
their decision to the sentencing State.
__________________
Article 6
Dual criminality2
A request for transfer of supervision can be complied with only if the act on
which the request is based would constitute an offence if committed in the
territory of the administering State.
Article 7
Grounds for refusal3
If the administering State refuses acceptance of a request for transfer of
supervision, it shall communicate the reasons for refusal to the sentencing State.
Acceptance may be refused where:
(a) The sentenced person is not ordinarily resident in the administering
State;
(b) The act is an offence under military law, which is not also an offence
under ordinary criminal law;
(c) The offence is in connection with taxes, duties, customs or exchange;
(d) The offence is regarded by the administering State as being of a
political nature;
(e) The administering State, under its own law, can no longer carry out the
supervision or enforce the sanction in the event of revocation because of lapse of
time.
Article 8
The position of the sentenced person
Whether sentenced or standing trial, a person may express to the sentencing
State his or her interest in a transfer of supervision and his or her willingness to
fulfil any conditions to be imposed. Similarly, such interest may be expressed by
his or her legal representative or close relatives. Where appropriate, the
Contracting States shall inform the offender or his or her close relatives of the
possibilities under the present Treaty.
__________________
2 When negotiating on the basis of the present Model Treaty, States may wish to waive the
requirement of dual criminality.
3 When negotiating on the basis of the present Model Treaty, States may wish to add other
grounds for refusal or conditions to this list, relating, for example, to the nature or gravity of
the offence, to the protection of fundamental human rights, or to considerations of public
order.
Article 9
The rights of the victim
The sentencing State and the administering State shall ensure in the transfer
of supervision that the rights of the victims of the offence, in particular his or her
rights to restitution or compensation, shall not be affected as a result of the
transfer. In the event of the death of the victim, this provision shall apply to his
or her dependants accordingly.
Article 10
The effects of the transfer of supervision
on the sentencing State
The acceptance by the administering State of the responsibility for applying
the terms of the decision rendered in the sentencing State shall extinguish the
competence of the latter State to enforce the sentence.
Article 11
The effects of the transfer of supervision
on the administering State
1. The supervision transferred upon agreement and the subsequent procedure
shall be carried out in accordance with the law of the administering State. That
State alone shall have the right of revocation. That State may, to the extent
necessary, adapt to its own law the conditions or measures prescribed, provided
that such conditions or measures are, in terms of their nature or duration, not
more severe than those pronounced in the sentencing State.
2. If the administering State revokes the conditional sentence or conditional
release, it shall enforce the sentence in accordance with its own law without,
however, going beyond the limits imposed by the sentencing State.
Article 12
Review, pardon and amnesty
1. The sentencing State alone shall have the right to decide on any application
to reopen the case.
2. Each Party may grant pardon, amnesty or commutation of the sentence in
accordance with the provisions of its Constitution or other laws.
Article 13
Information
1. The Contracting Parties shall keep each other informed, in so far as it is
necessary, of all circumstances likely to affect measures of supervision or
enforcement in the administering State. To this end they shall transmit to each
other copies of any relevant decisions in this respect.
2. After expiration of the period of supervision, the administering State shall
provide to the sentencing State, at its request, a final report concerning the
supervised person’s conduct and compliance with the measures imposed.
Article 14
Costs
Supervision and enforcement costs incurred in the administering State shall
not be refunded, unless otherwise agreed by both the sentencing State and the
administering State.
Article 15
Final provisions
as possible.
__________________________ ___________________________________
Done at ________________________ on _____________________________
in the ______________________ and _________________________ languages,
51. Model treaty for the prevention of crimes that infringe on

the cultural heritage of peoples in the form of movable
property*,**
The ___________________________ and the _______________________

Conscious of the need to cooperate in the field of criminal justice,
Wishing to add to the effectiveness of the cooperation between their two
countries in combating criminal activities which involve movable cultural
property through the introduction of measures for impeding illicit transnational
trafficking in movable cultural property whether or not it has been stolen, the
imposition of appropriate and effective administrative and penal sanctions and
the provision of a means for restitution,
Article 1
Scope of application and definition1
1. For the purposes of this treaty, movable cultural property2 shall be
understood as referring to property which, on religious or secular grounds, is
specifically designated by a State Party as being subject to export control by
reason of its importance for archaeology, prehistory, history, literature, art or
science, and as belonging to one or more of the following categories:
(a) Rare collections and specimens of fauna, flora, minerals and anatomy,
and objects of paleontological interest;
(b) Property relating to history, including the history of science and
technology, military history, and the history of societies and religions, as well as
to the lives of leaders, thinkers, scientists and artists and other national figures,
and to events of national importance;
__________________
** An alternative title could be “Model treaty concerning crimes relating to the restitution
of movable cultural property”.

1 Suggested alternatives to article 1, paragraph 1, are: (i) “This treaty covers all items of
movable cultural property specifically designated as such by a State Party, and subject to
export control by that State Party.”; or (ii) “This treaty covers those items of movable
cultural property specifically agreed to between the States Parties as being subject to export
control.”
2 The categories follow closely the list contained in article 1 of the Convention on the
Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of
Cultural Property, of 1970. However, this list may not be exhaustive, and States Parties may
wish to add other categories.
(c) Products of archaeological excavations or discoveries, including

clandestine excavations or discoveries, whether on land or under water;
(d) Elements of artistic or historical monuments or archaeological sites
which have been dismantled;
(e) Antiquities, including tools, ceramics, ornaments, musical instruments,
pottery, inscriptions of all kinds, coins, engraved seals, jewels, weapons and
funerary remains of any description;
(f) Materials of anthropological, historical or ethnological interest;
(g) Property of artistic interest, such as:
(i) Pictures, paintings and drawings produced entirely by hand on any
support and in any material (excluding industrial designs and manufactured
articles decorated by hand);
(ii) Original works of statuary art and sculpture in any material;
(iii) Original engravings, prints, lithographs and art photographs;
(iv) Original artistic assemblages and montages in any material;
(h) Rare manuscripts and incunabula, old books, documents and
publications of special historical, artistic, scientific, literary or other interest,
singly or in collections;
(i) Postage, revenue and similar stamps, either singly or in collections;
(j) Archives, including phonographic, photographic and cinematographic
archives;
(k) Articles of furniture, furnishings and musical instruments of more than
100 years of age.
2. This treaty applies to movable cultural property stolen in or illicitly
exported from the other State Party after the coming into force of the treaty.3
Article 2
General principles
1. Each State Party undertakes:
(a) To take the necessary measures to prohibit the import and export of
movable cultural property (i) which has been stolen in the other State Party or
(ii) which has been illicitly exported from the other State Party;
(b) To take the necessary measures to prohibit the acquisition of, and
dealing within its territory with, movable cultural property which has been
__________________
3 States Parties may wish to consider providing for a period of limitation after which the
right to request recovery of stolen or illicitly exported movable cultural property will be
extinguished.
imported contrary to the prohibitions resulting from the implementation of

subparagraph (a) above;
(c) To legislate in order to prevent persons and institutions within its
territory from entering into international conspiracies with respect to movable
cultural property;
(d) To provide information concerning its stolen movable cultural property
to an international database agreed upon between the States Parties;4
(e) To take the measures necessary to ensure that the purchaser of stolen
movable cultural property which is listed on the international database is not
considered to be a purchaser who has acquired such property in good faith;5
(f) To introduce a system whereby the export of movable cultural property
is authorized by the issue of an export certificate;6
(g) To take the measures necessary to ensure that a purchaser of imported
movable cultural property which is not accompanied by an export certificate
issued by the other State Party and who did not acquire the movable cultural
property prior to the entry into force of this treaty shall not be considered to be a
person who has acquired the movable cultural property in good faith;7
(h) To use all the means at its disposal, including the fostering of public
awareness, to combat the illicit import and export, theft, illicit excavation and
illicit dealing in movable cultural property.
2. Each State Party undertakes to take the necessary measures to recover and
return, at the request of the other State Party, any movable cultural property
which is covered by subparagraph (a) above.
__________________
4 Further developments in this field will provide the international community, particularly
potential States Parties, with an opportunity to implement this method of crime prevention.
(See Eighth United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of
Nations publication, Sales No. E.91.IV.2), chap. I, sect. C.6.) The United Nations congresses
on the prevention of crime and the treatment of offenders may wish to develop initiatives in
this direction.
5 This provision is intended to supplement, and not be in substitution for, the normal rules
relating to good faith acquisition.

6 This procedure is consistent with the validation procedure described in article 6 of the
Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and
Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property.
7 States Parties may wish to consider adding certain types of offences against movable
cultural property to the list of extraditable offences covered by an extradition treaty. (See
also General Assembly resolution 45/166, annex.)
Article 3
Sanctions7
Each State Party undertakes to impose sanctions8 upon:
(a) Persons or institutions responsible for the illicit import or export of
movable cultural property;
(b) Persons or institutions that knowingly acquire or deal in stolen or
illicitly imported movable cultural property;
(c) Persons or institutions that enter into international conspiracies to
obtain, export or import movable cultural property by illicit means.
Article 4
Procedures
1. Requests for recovery and return shall be made through diplomatic channels.
The requesting State Party shall furnish, at its expense, the documentation and
other evidence, including the date of export, necessary to establish its claim for
recovery and return.
2. All expenses incidental to the return and delivery of the movable cultural
property shall be borne by the requesting State Party,9 and no person or
institution shall be entitled to claim any form of compensation from the State
Party returning the property claimed. Neither shall the requesting State Party be
required to compensate in any way such persons or institutions as may have
participated in illegally sending abroad the property in question, although it must
pay fair compensation9 to any person or institution that in good faith acquired or
was in legal possession of the property.10
3. Both parties agree not to levy any customs or other duties on such movable
property as may be discovered and returned in accordance with the present treaty.
4. The States Parties agree to make available to each other such information as
will assist in combating crimes against movable cultural property.11
__________________
8 States Parties may wish to consider establishing minimum penalties for certain offences.
9 States Parties may wish to consider whether the expenses and/or the expense of
providing compensation should be shared between them.
10 States Parties may wish to consider the position of a blameless possessor who has
inherited or otherwise gratuitously acquired a cultural object which had been previously dealt
with in bad faith.
11 Some States Parties may wish to preface article 4, paragraph 3, by the following:
“Subject to domestic laws, particularly those concerning access to information and the
protection of privacy,”.
5. Each State Party shall provide information concerning laws which protect its
movable cultural property to an international database agreed upon between the
States Parties.12
Article 5
Final provisions13
1. This treaty is subject to [ratification, acceptance or approval]. The
as possible, through diplomatic channels.
2. This treaty shall come into force on the thirtieth day after the day on which
the instruments of [ratification, acceptance or approval] are exchanged.
3. Either State Party may denounce this treaty by giving notice in writing to
the other State Party. Such denunciation shall take effect six months after the date
on which such notice is received by the other State Party.
4. This treaty is intended to be complementary to, and does not in any way
exclude, participation in other international arrangements.
respective Governments, have signed this treaty.
______________________________ ______________________________
Done at ________________________ on ______________________________
in the ________________ and ______________________________ languages,
__________________
12 It should be noted that General Assembly resolution 44/18 of 6 November 1989 and
quite a number of resolutions of the General Conference of the United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) have invited member States to establish,
with the assistance of UNESCO, national inventories of cultural property. At the date of the
drafting the present treaty, national legislative texts on the protection of cultural movable
property from 76 countries had been collected, published and disseminated by UNESCO.
13 States Parties may wish to consider providing for a process for the resolution of disputes
concerning the treaty.

52. Model Bilateral Treaty for the Return of Stolen or

Embezzled Vehicles*
(The Government of [country name] and the Government of [country

name],)1
or
(The States Parties to the present Treaty,)2
Recognizing the growing problem of theft of and illicit trafficking in motor
vehicles,
Considering the difficulties faced by innocent owners in securing the return
of motor vehicles stolen or embezzled in the territory of one Party that are
recovered in the territory of another Party,
Desiring to eliminate such difficulties and to regularize procedures for the
expeditious return of such vehicles,
Article 1
For the purposes of the present Treaty:
(a) A “vehicle” shall mean any automobile, truck, bus, motorcycle,
motorhome, or trailer;
(b) A vehicle shall be considered “stolen” when possession thereof has
been obtained without the consent of the owner or other person legally
authorized to use such motor vehicle;
(c) A vehicle shall be considered “embezzled” when:
(i) It is unlawfully converted by the person who had rented it from an
enterprise legally authorized for that purpose and in the normal course of
business; or
(ii) It is unlawfully converted by a person with whom it has been deposited
by official or judicial action;
(d) All references to “days” shall mean calendar days.
Article 2
Each Party agrees to return, in accordance with the terms of the present
Treaty, vehicles that are:
(a) Registered, titled or otherwise documented in the territory of a Party;
__________________
* Economic and Social Council resolution 1997/29, annex II, adopted on 21 July 1997.
1 Applicable to bilateral agreements.
2 Applicable to subregional or regional agreements.
(b) Stolen or embezzled in the territory of a Party; and

(c) Found in the territory of a Party.
Article 3
1. Whenever police, customs or other authorities of a Party impound or seize a
vehicle that they have reason to believe is registered, titled or otherwise
documented in the territory of another Party, the first Party shall, within [thirty]
days of such impoundment or seizure, notify, in writing, [the Embassy] of the
other Party that its authorities have custody of the motor vehicle.
2. Such notification shall include all available identifying data about the
vehicle of the type listed in annex I, a description of the condition of the motor
vehicle, the current location of the vehicle, the identity of the authority with
physical custody of the vehicle and [any] information that indicates whether it
was being used in connection with the commission of a crime.
Article 4
Authorities of the Party who have impounded or seized a vehicle that they
have reason to believe is registered, titled or otherwise documented in the
territory of another Party shall promptly take it to a storage area and shall take
reasonable steps regarding the safekeeping of the vehicle. Thereafter, the said
authorities shall not operate, auction, dismantle or otherwise alter or dispose of
the vehicle. However, the present Treaty shall not preclude the said authorities
from operating, auctioning, dismantling or otherwise altering or disposing of the
vehicle if:
(a) No request for the return of the vehicle is filed within [sixty] days of
the notification made pursuant to article 3 above;
(b) A determination is made in accordance with article 7, paragraph 1,
below that a request for the return of the vehicle does not meet the requirements
of the present Treaty and notification of such determination has been made in
accordance with article 7, paragraph 3, below;
(c) The vehicle has not been retrieved within the time period stated in
article 7, paragraph 2, below by the person identified in the request for return as
the owner or the authorized representative of the owner after the vehicle has been
made available as provided in article 7, paragraph 2, below; or
(d) There is no obligation under the present Treaty pursuant to article 8,
paragraphs 2 or 3, below to return the vehicle.
Article 5
1. After receiving a notification made pursuant to article 3 above, a Party may
submit a request for the return of the vehicle.
2. The request for return [shall be transmitted under seal of a consular officer
of the Requesting Party and] shall follow the form shown in annex II. A copy of
the request shall be transmitted under cover of a note to the [Ministry of Foreign
Affairs] of the Requested Party. A request shall be made only after receipt by the
consular officer of properly notarized certified copies of the following
documents:
(a) (i) The title of ownership to the vehicle, if the vehicle is subject to
titling, but, if a title is not available, a certified statement from the titling
authority affirming that the motor vehicle is titled and specifying the person or
entity to whom it is titled;
(ii) The certificate of registration of the vehicle, if the vehicle is subject to
registration, but, if the registration document is not available, a certified
statement from the registering authority affirming that the vehicle is
registered and specifying the person or entity to whom it is registered;
(iii) The bill of sale or other documentation that establishes ownership of
the vehicle, in the event the vehicle is not titled or registered;
(b) The document of transfer, if, subsequent to the theft or embezzlement
of the vehicle, the owner at the time of the theft or embezzlement has transferred
ownership to a third party;
(c) The theft report, made within a reasonable time to a competent
authority in the Requesting Party, and a translation thereof. In the event that the
theft report is made after the vehicle is seized or otherwise comes into possession
of the Requested Party, the person seeking its return shall furnish a document
justifying the reasons for the delay in reporting the theft and may provide any
supporting documentation therefor; and
(d) In cases in which the person requesting the return of a vehicle is not the
owner, a power of attorney, granted in the presence of a notary public by the
owner or his or her legal representative, authorizing that person to recover the
vehicle.
3. Except as noted in paragraph 2 (c) above, translations of documents need
not be provided. The requirement for translation of a theft report may be waived
by authorities of the Requested Party. No further legalization or authentication of
documents will be required by the Requested Party.
Article 6
If a Party learns, through means other than a notification made pursuant to
article 3 above, that the authorities of another Party may have impounded, seized
or otherwise taken possession of a vehicle that may be registered or otherwise
documented in the territory of the first Party, that Party:
(a) May, through a note to the [Ministry of Foreign Affairs] of the other
Party, seek official confirmation of this and may request the other Party to
provide the notification described in article 3, in which case the other Party shall
either provide the notification or explain, in writing, why notification is not
required; and
(b) May also, in appropriate cases, submit a request for the return of the
vehicle as described in article 5 above.
Article 7
1. Except as provided for in article 8 below, the Requested Party shall, within
[thirty] days of receiving a request for the return of a stolen or embezzled
vehicle, determine whether the request for return meets the requirements of the
present Treaty and shall notify [the Embassy] of the Requesting Party of its
determination.
2. If the Requested Party determines that the request for the return of a stolen
or embezzled vehicle meets the requirements of the present Treaty, the Requested
Party shall within [fifteen] days of such determination make the vehicle available
to the person identified in the request for return as the owner or the authorized
representative of the owner. The vehicle shall remain available for the person
identified in the request for return as the owner or the authorized representative
of the owner to take delivery for at least [ninety] days. The Requested Party shall
take the necessary measures to permit the owner or the authorized representative
of the owner to take delivery of the vehicle and return it to the territory of the
Requesting Party.
3. If the Requested Party determines that the request for return does not meet
the requirements of the present Treaty, it shall provide written notification to [the
Embassy] of the Requesting Party.
Article 8
1. If a vehicle whose return is being requested is being held in connection with
a criminal investigation or prosecution, its return pursuant to the present Treaty
shall be effected when its presence is no longer required for purposes of that
investigation or prosecution. The Requested Party shall, however, take all
practicable measures to assure that substitute pictorial or other evidence is used
wherever possible in such investigation or prosecution so that the vehicle may be
returned as soon as possible.
2. If the ownership or custody of a vehicle whose return is requested is the
subject of a pending judicial action in the Requested Party, its return pursuant to
the present Treaty shall be effected at the conclusion of that judicial action.
However, a Party shall have no obligation under the Treaty to return the vehicle
if such judicial action results in the award of the vehicle to a person other than
the person identified in the request for return as the owner of the vehicle or the
authorized representative of the owner.
3. A Party shall have no obligation under the present Treaty to return a vehicle
whose return is requested if the vehicle is subject to forfeiture under its laws
because it was used in its territory for the commission of a crime. The Requested
Party shall not forfeit the vehicle without giving the owner or the authorized
representative of the owner reasonable notice and an opportunity to contest such
forfeiture in accordance with its laws.
4. A Party shall have no obligation under the present Treaty to return a stolen
or embezzled vehicle if no request for return is made within [sixty] days of a
notification made pursuant to article 3 above.
5. If the return of a stolen or embezzled vehicle whose return is requested is
postponed, pursuant to paragraphs 1 or 2 of the present article, the Requested
Party shall so notify [the Embassy] of the Requesting Party in writing within
[thirty] days of receiving a request for the return of the vehicle.
Article 9
1. The Requested Party shall not impose any import or export duties, taxes,
fines or other monetary penalties or charges on vehicles returned in accordance
with the present Treaty, or on their owners or authorized representatives, as a
condition for the return of such vehicles.
2. Actual expenses incurred in the return of the vehicle, including towing,
storage, maintenance, and transportation costs, as well as the costs of translation
of documents required under the present Treaty, shall be borne by the person or
entity seeking its return and shall be paid prior to the return of the vehicle. The
Requested Party shall use its best efforts to keep such expenses at reasonable
levels.
3. In particular cases, the expenses of return may include the costs of any
repairs or reconditioning of a vehicle which may have been necessary to permit
the vehicle to be moved to a storage area or to maintain it in the condition in
which it was found. The person or entity seeking the return of a vehicle shall not
be responsible for the costs of any other work performed on the vehicle while it
was in the custody of the authorities of the Requested Party.
Article 10
The mechanisms for the recovery and return of stolen or embezzled vehicles
under the present Treaty shall be in addition to those available under the laws of
the Requested Party. Nothing in the Treaty shall impair any rights for the
recovery of stolen or embezzled vehicles under applicable law.
Article 11
1. Any differences regarding the interpretation or application of the present
Treaty shall be resolved through consultations between the Parties.
2. The present Treaty shall be subject to ratification. It shall enter into force on
the date of exchange of instruments of ratification.
3. The present Treaty may be terminated by either Party upon a minimum of
[ninety] days’ written notification.3
Done at [site], this ________ day of ____________, __________, in duplicate, in
the __________ and ______________ languages, both texts being equally
authentic.
Annex I. Identifying information to be provided in a notification made

pursuant to article 3 of the present Treaty
1. Vehicle identification number.
2. Name of manufacturer of vehicle.
3. Vehicle model and year of manufacture, if known.
4. Colour of vehicle.
5. Licence plate number of vehicle and jurisdiction of issuance, if available.
6. City/other jurisdiction tag or sticker number and name of city/other
jurisdiction, if available.
7. A description of the condition of the vehicle, including mobility of vehicle,
if known, and repairs that appear necessary.
8. The current location of the vehicle.
9. The identity of the authority having physical custody of the vehicle and a
contact point, including the name, address and telephone number of the
official having recovery information.
10. Any information which indicates whether the vehicle was being used in
connection with the commission of a crime.
11. Any indication that the vehicle may be subject to forfeiture under the laws
of the notifying State.
Annex II. Request for the return of a stolen or embezzled vehicle

(The Embassy of [country name]) respectfully requests that (the appropriate
authority of [country name]) return the vehicle described below to (its owner/the
authorized representative of its owner) in accordance with the Treaty for the
Return of Stolen or Embezzled Vehicles:
Make:
Model (year):
__________________
3 Applicable to bilateral agreements. Other suitable provisions, in accordance with
international law and standard practice, would need to be inserted for subregional or regional
agreements.
Type:
Vehicle identification number:
Licence plates:
Registered owner:
(The Embassy of [country name]) certifies that it has examined the
following documents, which have been presented by (identity of person
submitting documents) as evidence of (his or her ownership of the
vehicle/ownership of the vehicle by the person for whom he or she is acting as
authorized representative) and found them to be properly certified under the laws
of (appropriate jurisdiction):
(a) (Document description);
(b) (Document description);
(c) (Document description);
(d) (Document description).
Complimentary close.
Place and date.
Attachments.
53. Model Bilateral Agreement on the Sharing of Confiscated

Proceeds of Crime or Property*,**
Agreement between the Government of __________________ and the

Government of __________________regarding the sharing of confiscated
proceeds of crime or property
The Government of __________________________ and the Government of
________________________ (hereinafter referred to as “the Parties”),
Recalling the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized
Crime,1 in particular its article 12, paragraph 1, and articles 13 and 14,
__________________
** The present model agreement may be useful for the implementation of other relevant
instruments developed in multilateral forums to which the parties to the agreement may also
be parties, such as the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of
Terrorism (General Assembly resolution 54/109, annex) and the International Standards on
Combating Money Laundering and the Financing of Terrorism and Proliferation of the
Financial Action Task Force.
Recalling also the United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in

Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of 1988,2 in particular article 5,
paragraphs 1, 4 and 5,
Recognizing that this Agreement should not prejudice the principles set forth
in the United Nations Convention against Corruption3 or the development, at a
later stage, of any appropriate mechanism to facilitate the implementation of that
Convention,
Reaffirming that nothing in the provisions of this Agreement should
prejudice in any way the provisions and the principles on international
cooperation set forth in the United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in
Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of 1988 and the United Nations
Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, and that this Agreement is
intended to enhance the effectiveness of international cooperation envisioned in
those Conventions,
Considering [reference to a treaty on mutual legal assistance if one exists
between the Parties],
Desiring to create an appropriate framework for sharing confiscated
proceeds of crime or property,
Article 1
Definitions
For the purposes of this Agreement:
(a) The terms “proceeds of crime”, “confiscation” and “property” shall be
understood as defined in article 2 of the United Nations Convention against
Transnational Organized Crime and article 1 of the United Nations Convention
against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of 1988;
(b) “Cooperation” shall mean any assistance described in articles 13, 16,
18-20, 26 and 27 of the United Nations Convention against Transnational
Organized Crime or article 5, paragraph 4, and articles 6, 7, 9-11 and 17 of the
United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and
Psychotropic Substances of 1988, as well as cooperation between entities
foreseen in article 7 of the United Nations Convention against Transnational
Organized Crime, which has been given by one Party and which has contributed
to, or facilitated, confiscation of proceeds of crime or property.
__________________
2 Ibid., vol. 1582, No. 27627.
3 Ibid., vol. 2349, No. 42146.
Article 2
This Agreement is intended solely for the purposes of mutual assistance
between the Parties.
Article 3
Circumstances in which confiscated proceeds of
crime or property [may] [shall] be shared
Where a Party is in possession of confiscated proceeds of crime or property
and has cooperated with, or received cooperation from, the other Party, it [may]
[shall] share such proceeds of crime or property with the other Party, in
accordance with this Agreement, without prejudice to the principles enumerated
in article 14, paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 (a), of the United Nations Convention against
Transnational Organized Crime and article 5, paragraph 5 (b) (i), of the United
Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic
Substances of 1988.4
Article 4
Requests for sharing confiscated proceeds of crime or property
1. A request for sharing confiscated proceeds of crime or property shall be
made within a time limit to be agreed between the Parties, shall set out the
circumstances of the cooperation to which it relates and shall include sufficient
details to identify the case, the confiscated proceeds of crime or property and the
agency or agencies involved or such other information as may be agreed between
the Parties.
Option 1
[2. On receipt of a request for sharing confiscated proceeds of crime or property
made in accordance with the provisions of this article, the Party where
confiscated proceeds of crime or property are located shall consider, in
consultation with the other Party, whether to share such proceeds of crime or
property, as set out in article 3 of this Agreement.]
Option 2
[2. On receipt of a request for sharing confiscated proceeds of crime or property
made in accordance with the provisions of this article, the Party where
confiscated proceeds of crime or property are located shall share with the other
__________________
4 It may be necessary to insert a specific provision in the agreement regarding the return
of works of art or archaeological objects that have been purchased or exported illegally from
their country of origin.
Party such proceeds of crime or property, as set out in article 3 of this

Agreement.]
Article 5
Sharing of confiscated proceeds of crime or property
Option 1
[1. Where a Party proposes to share confiscated proceeds of crime or property
with the other Party, it shall:
(a) Determine, at its discretion and in accordance with its domestic law
and policies, the proportion of the confiscated proceeds of crime or property to
be shared, which, in its view, corresponds to the extent of the cooperation
afforded by the other Party; and
(b) Transfer a sum equivalent to that proportion set forth in
subparagraph (a) above to the other Party in accordance with article 6 of this
Agreement.
2. In determining the amount to transfer, the Party holding the confiscated
proceeds of crime or property may include any interest and appreciation that has
accrued on the confiscated proceeds of crime or property and may deduct
reasonable expenses incurred in investigations, prosecution or judicial
proceedings leading to the confiscation of the proceeds of crime or property.]
Option 2
[1. In sharing confiscated proceeds of crime or property in accordance with this
Agreement:
(a) The proportion of the confiscated proceeds of crime or property to be
shared shall be determined by the Parties on a quantum meruit basis or on any
other reasonable basis agreed upon by the Parties;
(b) The Party holding the confiscated proceeds of crime or property shall
transfer a sum equivalent to that proportion set forth in subparagraph (a) above to
the other Party in accordance with article 6 of this Agreement.
2. In determining the amount to transfer, the Parties shall agree on any issues
related to interest and appreciation that has accrued on the confiscated proceeds
of crime or property and the deduction of reasonable expenses incurred in
investigations, prosecution or judicial proceedings leading to the confiscation of
the proceeds of crime or property.]
3. The Parties agree that it may not be appropriate to share where the value of
the confiscated proceeds of crime or property is de minimis, subject to previous
consultations between them.
Article 6
Payment of shared proceeds of crime or property
1. Unless the Parties agree otherwise, any sum transferred pursuant to article 5,
paragraph 1 (b), of this Agreement shall be paid:
(a) In the currency of the Party where the proceeds of crime or property
are located; and
(b) By means of an electronic transfer of funds or by cheque.
2. Payment of any such sum shall be made:
(a) In any case in which the Government of [country name] is receiving
payment, to [identify the pertinent office or designated account as specified in
the request];
(b) In any case in which the Government of [country name] is receiving
payment, to [identify the pertinent office or designated account as specified in
the request]; or
(c) To such other recipient or recipients as the Party receiving payment
may from time to time specify by notification for the purposes of this article.
Article 7
Terms of transfer
1. In making the transfer, the Parties recognize that all right or title to and
interest in the transferred proceeds of crime or property have already been
adjudicated and that no further judicial proceedings are necessary to complete the
confiscation. The Party transferring the proceeds of crime or property assumes no
liability or responsibility for the proceeds of crime or property once they have
been transferred and relinquishes all right or title to and interest in the transferred
proceeds of crime or property.6
2. Unless otherwise agreed, where a Party transfers confiscated proceeds of
crime or property pursuant to article 5, paragraph 1 (b), of this Agreement, the
other Party shall use the proceeds of crime or property for any lawful purpose at
its discretion.
Article 8
Channels of communication
All communications between the Parties pursuant to the provisions of this
Agreement shall be conducted through [the central authorities designated
__________________
6 Where the domestic law of a State requires it to sell confiscated proceeds of crime or
property and only permits it to share funds, this provision may be unnecessary.
pursuant to article [...] of the treaty on mutual legal assistance referred to in the
preamble to the agreement] or by the following:
(a) For the Government of ________________________, by the Office of
______________________;
(b) For the Government of _________________________, by the Office of
______________________; or
(c) By such other nominees as the Parties, for their own part, may from
time to time specify by notification for the purposes of this article.
Article 9
Territorial application
This Agreement shall apply [if applicable, designate any territories to which
the agreement should be extended for each Government].
Article 10
Amendments
This Agreement may be amended when both Parties have agreed in writing
to such amendment.
Article 11
Consultations
The Parties shall consult promptly, at the request of either Party, concerning
the interpretation, application or implementation of this Agreement, either
generally or in relation to a particular case.
Article 12
Entry into force
This Agreement shall enter into force upon signature by both Parties or upon
notification by the Parties that the necessary internal procedures have been
completed.7
Article 13
Termination of the Agreement
Either Party may terminate this Agreement, at any time, by giving written
notice to the other Party. Termination shall become effective [...] months after
__________________
7 This may be upon signature, ratification, publication in a legal gazette or by other means.
receipt of the notice. The provisions shall, however, continue to apply in relation
to confiscated proceeds of crime or property to be shared under this Agreement.
In witness whereof, the undersigned, being duly authorized by their respective
Governments, have signed this Agreement.
Done in duplicate at [location], this ______ day of ____________, __________
For the Government of For the Government of
__________________________: ______________________________:
[Signature] _________________ [Signature] _____________________
II. Declarations of United Nations Congresses on Crime
54. Vienna Declaration on Crime and Justice:
Meeting the Challenges of the Twenty-first Century*
We the States Members of the United Nations,

Concerned about the impact on our societies of the commission of serious
crimes of a global nature, and convinced of the need for bilateral, regional and
international cooperation in crime prevention and criminal justice,
Concerned in particular about transnational organized crime and the
relationships between its various forms,
Convinced that adequate prevention and rehabilitation programmes are
fundamental to an effective crime control strategy and that such programmes
should take into account social and economic factors that may make people more
vulnerable to and likely to engage in criminal behaviour,
Stressing that a fair, responsible, ethical and efficient criminal justice system
is an important factor in the promotion of economic and social development and
of human security,
Aware of the promise of restorative approaches to justice that aim to reduce
crime and promote the healing of victims, offenders and communities,
Having assembled at the Tenth United Nations Congress on the Prevention
of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders in Vienna from 10 to 17 April 2000 to
decide to take more effective concerted action, in a spirit of cooperation, to
combat the world crime problem,
Declare as follows:
1. We note with appreciation the results of the regional preparatory
meetings for the Tenth United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and
the Treatment of Offenders.1
__________________
1 See A/CONF.187/RPM.1/1 and Corr.1, A/CONF.187/RPM.2/1, A/CONF.187/RPM.3/1
and A/CONF.187/RPM.4/1.
399
2. We reaffirm the goals of the United Nations in the field of crime

prevention and criminal justice, specifically the reduction of criminality, more
efficient and effective law enforcement and administration of justice, respect for
human rights and fundamental freedoms, and promotion of the highest standards
of fairness, humanity and professional conduct.
3. We emphasize the responsibility of each State to establish and maintain
a fair, responsible, ethical and efficient criminal justice system.
4. We recognize the necessity of closer coordination and cooperation
among States in combating the world crime problem, bearing in mind that action
against it is a common and shared responsibility. In this regard, we acknowledge
the need to develop and promote technical cooperation activities to assist States
in their efforts to strengthen their domestic criminal justice systems and their
capacity for international cooperation.
5. We shall accord high priority to the completion of the negotiation of
the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and the
protocols thereto, taking into account the concerns of all States.
6. We support efforts to assist States in capacity-building, including in
obtaining training and technical assistance and in developing legislation,
regulations and expertise, with a view to facilitating the implementation of the
Convention and the protocols thereto.
7. Consistent with the goals of the Convention and the protocols thereto,
we shall endeavour:
(a) To incorporate a crime prevention component into national and
international development strategies;
(b) To intensify bilateral and multilateral cooperation, including technical
cooperation, in the areas to be covered by the Convention and the protocols
thereto;
(c) To enhance donor cooperation in areas with crime prevention aspects;
(d) To strengthen the capability of the United Nations Centre for
International Crime Prevention, as well as the United Nations Crime Prevention
and Criminal Justice Programme network, to assist States, at their request, in
building capacity in areas to be covered by the Convention and the protocols
thereto.
8. We welcome the efforts being made by the United Nations Centre for
International Crime Prevention to develop, in cooperation with the United
Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute, a comprehensive
global overview of organized crime as a reference tool and to assist Governments
in policy and programme development.
9. We reaffirm our continued support for and commitment to the United
Nations and to the United Nations Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice
Part five, chapter II. Declarations 401
Programme, especially the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal

Justice and the United Nations Centre for International Crime Prevention, the
United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute and the
institutes of the Programme network, and resolve to strengthen the Programme
further through sustained funding, as appropriate.
10. We undertake to strengthen international cooperation in order to create
a conducive environment for the fight against organized crime, promoting growth
and sustainable development and eradicating poverty and unemployment.
11. We commit ourselves to taking into account and addressing, within the
United Nations Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Programme, as well as
within national crime prevention and criminal justice strategies, any disparate
impact of programmes and policies on women and men.
12. We also commit ourselves to the development of action-oriented policy
recommendations based on the special needs of women as criminal justice
practitioners, victims, prisoners and offenders.
13. We emphasize that effective action for crime prevention and criminal
justice requires the involvement, as partners and actors, of Governments,
national, regional, interregional and international institutions, intergovernmental
and non-governmental organizations and various segments of civil society,
including the mass media and the private sector, as well as the recognition of
their respective roles and contributions.
14. We commit ourselves to the development of more effective ways of
collaborating with one another with a view to eradicating the scourge of
trafficking in persons, especially women and children, and the smuggling of
migrants. We shall also consider supporting the global programme against
trafficking in persons developed by the United Nations Centre for International
Crime Prevention and the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice
Research Institute, which is subject to close consultation with States and review
by the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, and we establish
2005 as the target year for achieving a significant decrease in the incidence of
those crimes worldwide and, where that is not attained, for assessing the actual
implementation of the measures advocated.
15. We also commit ourselves to the enhancement of international
cooperation and mutual legal assistance to curb illicit manufacturing of and
trafficking in firearms, their parts and components and ammunition, and we
establish 2005 as the target year for achieving a significant decrease in their
incidence worldwide.
16. We further commit ourselves to taking enhanced international action
against corruption, building on the United Nations Declaration against
Corruption and Bribery in International Commercial Transactions,2 the
__________________
International Code of Conduct for Public Officials,3 relevant regional

conventions and regional and global forums. We stress the urgent need to develop
an effective international legal instrument against corruption, independent of the
United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, and we
invite the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice to request the
Secretary-General to submit to it at its tenth session, in consultation with States,
a thorough review and analysis of all relevant international instruments and
recommendations as part of the preparatory work for the development of such an
instrument. We shall consider supporting the global programme against
corruption developed by the United Nations Centre for International Crime
Prevention and the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research
Institute, which is subject to close consultation with States and review by the
Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice.
17. We reaffirm that combating money-laundering and the criminal
economy constitutes a major element of the strategies against organized crime,
established as a principle in the Naples Political Declaration and Global Action
Plan against Organized Transnational Crime, adopted by the World Ministerial
Conference on Organized Transnational Crime, held at Naples, Italy, from 21 to
23 November 1994.4 We are convinced that the success of this action rests upon
setting up broad regimes and coordinating appropriate mechanisms to combat the
laundering of the proceeds of crime, including the provision of support to
initiatives focusing on States and territories offering offshore financial services
that allow the laundering of the proceeds of crime.
18. We decide to develop action-oriented policy recommendations on the
prevention and control of computer-related crime, and we invite the Commission
on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice to undertake work in this regard,
taking into account the ongoing work in other forums. We also commit ourselves
to working towards enhancing our ability to prevent, investigate and prosecute
high-technology and computer-related crime.
19. We note that acts of violence and terrorism continue to be of grave
concern. In conformity with the Charter of the United Nations and taking into
account all the relevant General Assembly resolutions, we shall together, in
conjunction with our other efforts to prevent and to combat terrorism, take
effective, resolute and speedy measures with respect to preventing and combating
criminal activities carried out for the purpose of furthering terrorism in all its
forms and manifestations. With this in view, we undertake to do our utmost to
foster universal adherence to the international instruments concerned with the
fight against terrorism.
20. We also note that racial discrimination, xenophobia and related forms
of intolerance continue, and we recognize the importance of taking steps to
incorporate into international crime prevention strategies and norms measures to
__________________
4 A/49/748, annex, sect. I.A.
prevent and combat crime associated with racism, racial discrimination,

xenophobia and related forms of intolerance.
21. We affirm our determination to combat violence stemming from
intolerance on the basis of ethnicity, and we resolve to make a strong
contribution, in the area of crime prevention and criminal justice, to the planned
World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and
Related Intolerance.
22. We recognize that the United Nations standards and norms in crime
prevention and criminal justice contribute to efforts to deal with crime
effectively. We also recognize the importance of prison reform, the independence
of the judiciary and the prosecution authorities, and the International Code of
Conduct for Public Officials. We shall endeavour, as appropriate, to use and
apply the United Nations standards and norms in crime prevention and criminal
justice in national law and practice. We undertake to review relevant legislation
and administrative procedures, as appropriate, with a view to providing the
necessary education and training to the officials concerned and ensuring the
necessary strengthening of institutions entrusted with the administration of
criminal justice.
23. We also recognize the value of the model treaties on international
cooperation in criminal matters as important tools for the development of
international cooperation, and we invite the Commission on Crime Prevention
and Criminal Justice to call upon the United Nations Centre for International
Crime Prevention to update the Compendium of United Nations Standards and
Norms in Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice5 in order to provide the most
up-to-date versions of the model treaties to States seeking to utilize them.
24. We further recognize with great concern that juveniles in difficult
circumstances are often at risk of becoming delinquent or easy candidates for
recruitment by criminal groups, including groups involved in transnational
organized crime, and we commit ourselves to undertaking countermeasures to
prevent this growing phenomenon and to including, where necessary, provisions
for juvenile justice in national development plans and international development
strategies and to including the administration of juvenile justice in our funding
policies for development cooperation.
25. We recognize that comprehensive crime prevention strategies at the
international, national, regional and local levels must address the root causes and
risk factors related to crime and victimization through social, economic, health,
educational and justice policies. We urge the development of such strategies,
aware of the proven success of prevention initiatives in numerous States and
confident that crime can be reduced by applying and sharing our collective
expertise.
__________________
5 United Nations publication, Sales No. E.92.IV.1 and corrigendum.
26. We commit ourselves to according priority to containing the growth

and overcrowding of pretrial and detention prison populations, as appropriate, by
promoting safe and effective alternatives to incarceration.
27. We decide to introduce, where appropriate, national, regional and
international action plans in support of victims of crime, such as mechanisms for
mediation and restorative justice, and we establish 2002 as a target date for States
to review their relevant practices, to develop further victim support services and
awareness campaigns on the rights of victims and to consider the establishment
of funds for victims, in addition to developing and implementing witness
protection policies.
28. We encourage the development of restorative justice policies,
procedures and programmes that are respectful of the rights, needs and interests
of victims, offenders, communities and all other parties.
29. We invite the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice to
design specific measures for the implementation of and follow-up to the
commitments that we have undertaken in the present Declaration.
55. Plans of action for the implementation of the Vienna

Declaration on Crime and Justice: Meeting the Challenges of
the Twenty-first Century*
I. Action against transnational organized crime

1. In order to implement and follow up on the commitments undertaken in
paragraphs 5, 6, 7 and 10 of the Vienna Declaration on Crime and Justice:
Meeting the Challenges of the Twenty-first Century1 and to facilitate the
signature, ratification, entry into force and progressive implementation of the
United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and the
protocols thereto,2 the specific measures below are recommended.
A. National actions
2. States that have not signed the Convention and the protocols thereto should do
so as soon as possible, and States that have signed those legal instruments should
make every effort to ratify them as soon as possible. Each State will set priorities for
the effective implementation of the Convention and the protocols thereto and will
proceed as appropriate and as expeditiously as possible until all provisions of all of
those legal instruments are in full force and operation. Individually and collectively,
States will endeavour, as appropriate, to support the following actions:
(a) The development of legislation creating or strengthening sanctions,
investigative powers, criminal procedures and other matters;
__________________
* General Assembly resolution 56/261, annex, adopted on 31 January 2002.
2 United Nations, Treaty Series, vols. 2225, 2237, 2241 and 2326, No. 39574.
(b) Capacity-building, including for the purpose of cooperation, through

the strengthening of crime prevention and criminal justice systems, and the
establishment or expansion of agencies responsible for the prevention, detection
and control of transnational organized crime;
(c) The establishment or improvement of training programmes for judges,
prosecutors, law enforcement personnel and other individuals or agencies
responsible for the prevention, detection and control of transnational organized
crime;
(d) The development and sharing of information and analytical expertise
on methods and activities and general trends in organized crime and on the
identities, whereabouts and activities of specific individuals or groups suspected
of involvement in organized crime, to the extent consistent with national laws
and international agreements and arrangements;
(e) The general promotion of effective crime control strategies.
3. States will also endeavour, as appropriate:
(a) To support the efforts of the Centre for International Crime Prevention
of the Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention of the Secretariat to
promote ratification of the Convention and the protocols thereto through regional
seminars and provide pre- and post-ratification assistance to signatory States by
providing financial contributions, expertise and/or other forms of assistance;
(b) To increase in a sustained manner their overall level of extrabudgetary
contributions and strengthen and broaden the donor base of the Centre in order to
ensure the availability of adequate material and technical resources for projects
in support of the Convention and the protocols thereto, as well as other projects
and programmes;
(c) To strengthen international cooperation in order to create a conducive
environment for the fight against organized crime, for promoting growth and
sustainable development and eradicating poverty and unemployment.
B. International actions
4. The Centre for International Crime Prevention will, in cooperation with
other relevant international and regional organizations, as appropriate, and in
accordance with the present resolution:
(a) Organize high-level seminars to increase awareness of the Convention
and the protocols thereto on the part of States, intergovernmental and
non-governmental organizations and other key groups or individuals;
(b) Assist States in the development of legislation and regulations and
provide other expertise or technical cooperation to facilitate the ratification and
implementation of the legal instruments, on request;
(c) Assist States in the establishment or intensification of bilateral and

multilateral cooperation in the areas covered by the Convention, in particular
those involving the use of modern communication technologies, on request;
(d) Carry out the regular collection and analysis of data on transnational
organized crime, in consultation with interested States;
(e) Maintain a database to permit a more comprehensive in-depth analysis
of patterns and trends and geographical mapping of the strategies and activities
carried out by organized criminal groups, and of best practices to combat
transnational organized crime, in consultation with interested States;
(f) Maintain a database of relevant national legislation;
(g) Support the Ad Hoc Committee on the Elaboration of a Convention
against Transnational Organized Crime in the development of rules and
procedures for the Conference of the Parties to the Convention;
(h) Provide secretariat and general support to the Conference of the Parties
to the Convention.
II. Action against corruption

paragraph 16 of the Vienna Declaration to develop an effective international legal
instrument against corruption and to develop and implement other measures and
programmes to prevent and combat corruption, the specific measures below are
recommended.
A. National actions
6. Individually and collectively, States will endeavour, as appropriate, to
support the following actions:
(a) Full participation in sessions of the Ad Hoc Committee for the
Negotiation of a Convention against Corruption established pursuant to General
Assembly resolution 55/61 of 4 December 2000;
(b) Promoting the full and effective participation of developing countries,
in particular least developed countries, in the deliberations of the Ad Hoc
Committee; this may be done through the provision of extrabudgetary resources
to the Centre for International Crime Prevention;
(c) Making efforts to finalize the future United Nations convention against
corruption by the end of 2003, taking into consideration existing legal
instruments against corruption and, whenever relevant, the United Nations
Convention against Transnational Organized Crime;
(d) Commencing, when appropriate, the development of domestic
legislative, administrative and other measures to facilitate the ratification and
effective implementation of the future United Nations convention against
corruption, including both domestic measures against corruption and measures to

support effective cooperation with other States.
7. States will endeavour, as appropriate, to address domestic corruption with
the following measures:
(a) The assessment of domestic types, causes, effects and costs of
corruption;
(b) The development of national strategies and action plans against
corruption, based on the broad participation of stakeholders from Government
and civil society;
(c) The maintenance or establishment of adequate domestic offences,
investigative powers and criminal procedures to deal with corruption and related
problems;
(d) The strengthening of national governance systems and institutions, in
particular criminal justice institutions, to create and/or ensure greater
independence from and resistance to corrupt influences;
(e) The maintenance or establishment of institutions and structures to
achieve transparency and public accountability in government, business and other
key social and economic sectors;
(f) The development of expertise in anti-corruption measures and the
education and training of officials about the nature and consequences of
corruption and how to combat it effectively.
8. States will endeavour, as appropriate, to address transnational corruption
with the following measures:
(a) The signature, ratification and implementation of existing international
instruments against corruption, as appropriate;
(b) Proper follow-up to international anti-corruption measures and
recommendations at the national level, in conformity with national law;
(c) The development and enhancement of domestic capacity to provide
international cooperation in anti-corruption matters, including addressing the
question of the repatriation of proceeds of corruption;
(d) Awareness-raising on the part of relevant government departments or
ministries such as ministries of justice, the interior, foreign affairs and
development cooperation as to the seriousness of the problems posed by
transnational corruption and the need to support effective measures against it;
(e) The provision of material, technical or other support to other States in
anti-corruption programmes, both directly and through financial support to the
global programme against corruption;
(f) The reduction of opportunities for the transfer and concealment of
proceeds of corruption, and measures to address the question of returning such
proceeds to their countries of origin; actions may include ensuring the

implementation of measures against money-laundering, pursuant to the United
Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and other
international legal instruments, and the development and implementation of new
measures.
(a) Provide substantive expertise and full secretariat services to the Ad Hoc
Committee for the Negotiation of a Convention against Corruption in the course
of its work;
(b) Ensure, with the assistance of Member States, the full and effective
participation of developing countries, in particular least developed countries, in
the work of the Ad Hoc Committee, including by covering travel and local
expenses;
(c) Provide to States, on request, technical cooperation to facilitate the
ratification and implementation of the future United Nations convention against
corruption;
(d) Assist States in the establishment or intensification of bilateral and
multilateral cooperation in the areas to be covered by the future United Nations
convention against corruption;
(e) Maintain a database of existing national assessments of corruption in a
standardized format and a kit of best practices against corruption;
(f) Facilitate the sharing of experience and expertise among States;
(g) Revise and update the manual on practical measures against
corruption;3
(h) Develop technical cooperation projects to prevent and combat
corruption in order to assist States, upon request, in implementing such projects
under the global programme against corruption.
III. Action against trafficking in persons

paragraph 14 of the Vienna Declaration to take immediate and effective measures
to prevent and combat trafficking in persons, especially women and children, and
to promote cooperation between States in this respect, the specific measures
below are recommended.
__________________
3 International Review of Criminal Policy, Nos. 41 and 42 (United Nations publication,
Sales No. E.93.IV.4).

A. National actions
(a) Developing and sharing information and analytical expertise on the
nature and extent of domestic and regional trafficking activities and on the
identities, means and methods of known traffickers or trafficking organizations,
to the extent consistent with national laws and international agreements and
arrangements;
(b) Adopting or strengthening, as necessary, effective laws and procedures
for the prevention and punishment of trafficking in persons and effective
measures for the support and protection of victims of and witnesses to such
trafficking;
(c) Considering implementing measures to provide for the protection and
physical, psychological and social recovery of victims of trafficking in persons;
(d) Supporting and cooperating with national and international
non-governmental and other organizations and elements of civil society, as
appropriate, in matters relating to trafficking in persons;
(e) Reviewing and assessing the effectiveness of domestic measures
against trafficking in persons, and considering making that information available
for comparison and research into the development of more effective measures
against such trafficking;
(f) Developing and disseminating public information about trafficking in
persons, to educate potential victims of such trafficking;
(g) Strengthening capacity for international cooperation to develop and
implement measures against trafficking in persons;
(h) Considering providing voluntary contributions to support the
implementation of the global programme against trafficking in human beings;
(i) Providing increased resources to support the development and
implementation of national and regional strategies against trafficking in persons.
(a) Develop technical cooperation projects to prevent and combat
trafficking in persons and to protect the victims of and witnesses to such
trafficking, in order to assist States, upon request, in implementing such projects
under the global programme against trafficking in human beings;
(b) Maintain a global database containing information about the nature and
extent of trafficking in persons and best practices for preventing and controlling
it, in cooperation with the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice
Research Institute;
(c) Develop tools to assess the effectiveness of measures against
trafficking in persons.
IV. Action against the

smuggling of migrants
paragraph 14 of the Vienna Declaration and to take immediate and effective
measures to prevent and combat the smuggling of migrants, and to promote
cooperation between States in this respect, the specific measures below are
recommended.
A. National actions
(a) Developing and sharing information and analytical expertise on the
nature and extent of domestic and regional activities relating to the smuggling of
migrants and on the identities, means and methods of known smugglers or
smuggling organizations, to the extent consistent with national laws and
international agreements and arrangements;
(b) Enacting and strengthening, as necessary, effective laws for the
prevention and punishment of the smuggling of migrants, and measures for the
support and protection of the rights of smuggled migrants and of witnesses in
smuggling cases, in conformity with the Protocol against the Smuggling of
Migrants by Land, Sea and Air, supplementing the United Nations Convention
against Transnational Organized Crime;4
(c) Implementing measures to protect the basic rights of smuggled
migrants and, within their means, of witnesses in smuggling cases, to protect
them from violence and take appropriate measures in cases where, in the course
of being smuggled, the lives, safety or human dignity of migrants are placed in
jeopardy;
(d) Supporting and cooperating with national and international
non-governmental and other organizations and elements of civil society, as
appropriate, in matters relating to the smuggling of migrants;
(e) Reviewing and assessing the effectiveness of domestic measures
against the smuggling of migrants, and considering making that information
__________________
available for comparison and research into the development of more effective
measures;
(f) Developing and disseminating public information about the smuggling
of migrants, to educate officials, the general public and potential migrants about
the true nature of such smuggling, including the involvement of organized
criminal groups and the risks posed to smuggled migrants;
(g) Strengthening capacity for international cooperation to develop and
implement measures against the smuggling of migrants.
accordance with the present resolution, develop technical cooperation projects to
prevent and combat the smuggling of migrants, while protecting the rights of
smuggled migrants, in order to assist States, upon request, in implementing such
projects.
V. Action against the illicit manufacturing

of and trafficking in firearms, their parts
and components and ammunition
paragraph 15 of the Vienna Declaration and to take such immediate and effective
measures as are appropriate to reduce the incidence of the illicit manufacturing of
and trafficking in firearms, their parts and components and ammunition and
related criminal activities, in accordance with the terms of the Protocol against
the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Their Parts and
Components and Ammunition, supplementing the United Nations Convention
against Transnational Organized Crime,5 the specific measures below are
recommended.
A. National actions
(a) Adopting and strengthening, as necessary, national legislation and
procedures, and in particular procedures regarding criminal offences and
procedures for the confiscation, seizure, forfeiture and disposal of firearms, their
parts and components and ammunition;
(b) Implementing requirements to keep records regarding firearms, the
marking of firearms and the deactivation of firearms;
__________________
5 Ibid., vol. 2326, No. 39574.
(c) Establishing or maintaining effective systems for the licensing or

authorization of the import, export and transit of firearms, their parts and
components and ammunition;
(d) Establishing appropriate legal and administrative measures with a view
to preventing the loss, theft or diversion of firearms, for the exchange of relevant
information relating to firearms and for bilateral, regional and international
cooperation, including by means of information exchange and technical
assistance;
(e) Considering the establishment of an effective regulatory framework for
the activities of those engaged in the brokering of transactions involving the
import, export or transit of firearms.
(a) Develop technical cooperation projects to prevent, combat and
eradicate the illicit trafficking in firearms, their parts and components and
ammunition and related activities, in order to assist requesting States, in
particular developing countries and countries with economies in transition, in
implementing such projects;
(b) Establish and maintain a global database of existing national and
regional firearms regulations and related law enforcement practices, as well as
best practices relating to firearms control measures.
VI. Action against money-laundering

paragraph 17 of the Vienna Declaration and to develop, adopt and implement
effective domestic legislation, regulations and administrative measures to
prevent, detect and combat, in cooperation with other States, domestic and
transnational money-laundering, in accordance with the relevant international
instruments, in particular the United Nations Convention against Transnational
Organized Crime, and using as a guideline the relevant initiatives of regional,
interregional and multilateral organizations against money-laundering, the
specific measures below are recommended.
A. National actions
(a) Adopting comprehensive measures to deal effectively with the problem
of money-laundering in all its aspects, with the participation of all relevant
ministries, departments and agencies and in consultation with representatives of

the financial sector;
(b) Making efforts to ensure that domestic legislation adequately
criminalizes activities and methods used to conceal, convert or transfer the
proceeds of crime in order to disguise the nature or origin of the proceeds, in
accordance with article 6 of the United Nations Convention against Transnational
Organized Crime;
(c) Making efforts to ensure that adequate regulatory, inspection and
investigative powers exist to detect and identify money-laundering activities;
(d) Making efforts to ensure that adequate investigative and judicial
powers exist to permit the identification, tracing, seizure, confiscation and
disposal of proceeds of crime;
(e) Making efforts to ensure that adequate legal powers exist and
administrative resources are available to permit timely and effective responses to
be made to requests from other States in cases involving money-laundering;
(f) Supporting and participating in domestic and international research
efforts to monitor and analyse trends in money-laundering and international
policy responses;
(g) Consistent with existing multilateral arrangements, developing projects
or programmes to assist other States in developing, drafting or upgrading
legislation, regulations and administrative procedures against money-laundering,
including the Global Programme against Money-Laundering and other activities
or projects that support the implementation of the United Nations Convention
against Transnational Organized Crime;
(h) Activities or programmes to train officials or share expertise in
combating money-laundering, such as training workshops and seminars.
21. The Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention will, in cooperation with
accordance with the present resolution, develop technical cooperation activities
to prevent and combat money-laundering and assist requesting States in
implementing those activities.
VII. Action against terrorism

paragraph 19 of the Vienna Declaration and to take effective, resolute and speedy
measures to prevent and combat criminal activities carried out for the purpose of
furthering terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, the specific measures
A. National actions
(a) Signing and ratifying the international instruments dealing with
terrorism;
(b) Conducting research and gathering information about criminal
activities carried out for the purpose of furthering terrorism in all its forms and
manifestations, including the identities, whereabouts and activities of specific
individuals or groups involved in such activities, and supporting similar work at
the international level, to the extent consistent with national laws and
international agreements and arrangements;
(c) Reviewing their relevant domestic laws and procedures with a view to
achieving effective domestic measures against terrorism and related crime, an
enhanced ability to cooperate in appropriate cases with other States and the
effective implementation of relevant international instruments;
(d) Fostering cooperation between anti-terrorism agencies and agencies
fighting crime; this may include the establishment of liaison offices or other
channels of communication between anti-terrorism agencies and agencies
fighting crime in order to enhance information exchange;
(e) Considering voluntary contributions to support the implementation of
the terrorism-prevention activities of the Centre for International Crime
Prevention.
other relevant international and regional organizations, in coordination with the
Office of Legal Affairs of the Secretariat, as appropriate, and in accordance with
the present resolution:
(a) Take steps to raise awareness of the relevant international instruments,
encourage States to sign and ratify such instruments and, where feasible, provide
assistance in implementing such instruments to States, upon request;
(b) In cooperation with Member States, take measures to raise public
awareness of the nature and scope of international terrorism and its relationship
to crime, including organized crime, where appropriate;
(c) Continue to maintain existing databases on terrorism;
(d) Offer analytical support to Member States by collecting and
disseminating information on the relationship between terrorism and related
criminal activities;
(e) If further developments so require, draw up concrete proposals for
consideration by Member States to strengthen the capacity of the Centre to
develop, within its mandate, and administer the terrorism prevention component
of its activities.
VIII. Action on crime prevention

25. In order to implement and follow up on the commitment undertaken in
paragraph 25 of the Vienna Declaration to develop comprehensive international,
regional, national and local crime prevention strategies, the specific measures
A. National actions
(a) Promotion of close cooperation between the various sectors of society,
including justice, health, education, social services and housing, which are
necessary to support effective community-based crime prevention;
(b) Close cooperation with and assistance to elements of civil society in
the development, adoption and promotion of crime prevention initiatives, taking
into account the importance of proceeding on the basis of proven practices
wherever possible and of selecting the appropriate balance between various
approaches to community-based crime prevention;
(c) Encouragement of assessment of the effectiveness of crime prevention
programmes;
(d) Development of practices that seek to prevent crime victims from being
victimized once again;
(e) Development and implementation of situational and other crime
prevention programmes, bearing in mind the need to avoid any infringement of
civil liberties;
(f) Collaboration with other Governments and non-governmental
organizations in the development and dissemination of successful and innovative
crime prevention initiatives and specialized knowledge and expertise in crime
prevention practices, including public awareness and education campaigns about
effective crime prevention and the contributions that individuals, families,
communities and all levels of government may make to contribute to safer and
more peaceful communities;
(g) Consideration of how to contribute to the collective efforts of countries
to develop a comprehensive international strategy to advance community-based
crime prevention;
(h) Taking steps to incorporate into their national crime prevention
strategies measures to prevent and combat crime associated with racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related forms of intolerance.
(a) Develop and promote crime prevention expertise that has been
carefully adapted from proven practices to the conditions in the countries where
those practices are to be implemented, using seminars, training programmes and
other means;
(b) Where requested to do so by the State or States involved, conduct
public awareness and education campaigns about effective crime prevention and
the respective contributions that individuals, families, communities and all levels
of government may make towards safer and more peaceful communities;
(c) Endeavour to contribute to the exchange of information and experience
in crime prevention, for the purpose of encouraging new forms of collaboration
between countries involving government, the community and non-governmental
organizations;
(d) Assess the evolution and globalization of crime and prepare responses
to it through innovative and effective crime prevention initiatives that take
account of the impact of new technologies on crime and crime prevention;
(e) Continue to coordinate studies on crime in urban areas and measures
for its effective prevention, including on the possible cultural and institutional
differences in effective crime prevention;
(f) Encourage Member States to incorporate into international crime
prevention strategies and norms measures to prevent and combat crime
associated with racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related forms of
intolerance, taking into account measures already taken by Member States;
(g) Develop technical cooperation projects in the area of crime prevention
for requesting States and assist in their implementation;
(h) Develop a guide for policymakers and a handbook on proven practices
in the area of crime prevention.
IX. Action on witnesses and

victims of crime
paragraph 27 of the Vienna Declaration to review relevant practices by 2002
where possible, to develop action plans, support services and awareness
campaigns for victims, to consider the establishment of funds for victims and to
develop and implement witness protection policies, the specific measures below
are recommended.
A. National actions
(a) Conducting national and regional studies on victims of crime in
national justice systems;
(b) The use and application of the Declaration of Basic Principles of
Justice for Victims of Crime and Abuse of Power,6 subject to the domestic legal
systems of each State, taking into account the Handbook on Justice for Victims
on the use and application of the Declaration7 and the Guide for Policy Makers
on the Implementation of the Declaration.8
(a) In its projects and programmes, take into account measures for the
assistance and support of victims and witnesses, including those who are women,
children or victims of trafficking in persons;
(b) Promote the establishment of funds for victims of crime;
(c) Promote proven practices in providing support and services for victims
and witnesses using, for example, the International Victimology website;9
(d) Translate into the official languages of the United Nations and widely
disseminate the Guide for Policy Makers and the Handbook on Justice for
Victims, and assist requesting States in using those documents;
(e) Upon request, assist States in the development of new legislation on
victims, using, inter alia, the international database established by the
Government of the Netherlands;
(f) Where necessary, promote demonstration or pilot projects for the
development, further development or establishment of victim services and other
related operational activities.
X. Action on prison overcrowding and alternatives to incarceration

paragraph 26 of the Vienna Declaration to promote safe and effective alternatives
to incarceration, the specific measures below are recommended.
__________________
7 E/CN.15/1998/CRP.4/Add.1.
8 E/CN.15/1998/CRP.4.
9 www.victimology.nl.
A. National actions
(a) The development of specific actions and time-bound targets to address
prison overcrowding, recognizing that conditions in overcrowded prisons may
affect the human rights of prisoners, including such actions as adopting effective
measures to reduce pretrial detention as far as possible; introducing appropriate
alternatives to imprisonment; preferring non-custodial measures to imprisonment
where possible; dealing with minor offences using options such as customary
practice, mediation between concerned parties or the payment of civil reparations
or compensation; and conducting public awareness and education campaigns on
alternatives to imprisonment and how they work;
(b) Encouraging international and regional institutions, including financial
institutions, to incorporate in their relevant technical cooperation programmes
measures to reduce prison overcrowding, in accordance with national laws;
(c) Promoting and implementing good prison practice, taking into account
international standards;
(d) Ensuring that national and international actions on prison overcrowding
and alternatives to incarceration take into account and address any disparate
impact that such actions may have on women and men.
(a) Encourage international and regional institutions, including financial
institutions, to incorporate into their relevant technical cooperation programmes
measures to reduce prison overcrowding, in accordance with national laws;
(b) Promote national and international actions on prison overcrowding and
alternatives to incarceration that take into account any disparate impact on
women and men, as well as any special needs;
(c) Upon request, provide assistance in the form of advisory services,
needs assessment, capacity-building, training or other assistance to States to
enable them to improve prison conditions.
XI. Action against high-technology

and computer-related crime
paragraph 18 of the Vienna Declaration to develop action-oriented policy
recommendations for the prevention and control of high-technology and
computer-related crime, taking into account the ongoing work in other forums
and to enhance abilities to detect, prevent, investigate and prosecute such crimes,
the specific measures below are recommended.
A. National actions
(a) Criminalization of the misuse of information technologies, as
appropriate and in accordance with national law, including, if necessary,
reviewing crimes such as fraud, in order to ensure that they apply to offences in
which computer and telecommunications media and networks are used;
(b) The development and implementation of rules and procedures,
including on the exercise of jurisdiction, that would ensure that computer- and
telecommunications-related crimes can be effectively detected and investigated at
the national level and that effective cooperation can be obtained in multinational
cases, taking into account national sovereignty, the need for effective law
enforcement and the need to maintain effective protections for privacy and other
related basic rights;
(c) Ensuring that law enforcement personnel are trained and equipped to be
able to respond effectively and expeditiously to requests for assistance in the
tracing of communications and other measures necessary for the detection and
investigation of transnational high-technology and computer-related crimes;
(d) Engaging in domestic and international discussions on actions against
high-technology and computer-related crime and the effects of technological
change with industries involved in the development and deployment of
computers, telecommunications equipment, network software and hardware and
other relevant products and services. These discussions could include key areas
such as:
(i) Issues relating to domestic and international regulation of the
technologies and networks;
(ii) Issues relating to the incorporation of elements into new technologies,
which are intended to prevent crime or facilitate the detection, investigation
or prosecution of crime;
(e) Making voluntary contributions, both bilaterally and through
international and regional organizations, as appropriate, including in cooperation
with the private sector, inter alia, in the form of technical expertise to assist other
States in developing and implementing effective measures against
high-technology and computer-related crime, including the measures referred to
in subparagraphs (c) and (d) above.
(a) Support national and international research activities to identify new
forms of computer-related criminality and to assess the effects of such
criminality in key areas such as sustainable development, the protection of
privacy and electronic commerce, and the measures taken in response;
(b) Disseminate internationally agreed materials such as guidelines, legal
and technical manuals, minimum standards, proven practices and model
legislation to assist legislators and law enforcement and other authorities in the
development, adoption and application of effective measures against
high-technology and computer-related crime and offenders both in general and in
specific cases;
(c) Promote, support and implement, as appropriate, technical cooperation
and assistance projects. Such projects would bring together experts in crime
prevention, computer security, criminal legislation and procedures, prosecution,
investigative techniques and related matters and States seeking information or
assistance in those areas.
XII. Action on juvenile justice

paragraph 24 of the Vienna Declaration, the specific measures below are
recommended.
A. National actions
(a) Giving timely assistance to juveniles in difficult circumstances in order
to prevent them from resorting to crime;
(b) Supporting the development of crime prevention practices that are
focused on juveniles who are at risk of becoming delinquent or who are easy
candidates for recruitment by criminal groups, bearing in mind the rights of such
juveniles;
(c) Strengthening juvenile justice systems;
(d) Incorporating an integrated strategy for the prevention of youth crime
and for juvenile justice in national development plans;
(e) Promoting the re-education and rehabilitation of juvenile offenders;
(f) Encouraging, and where necessary, supporting the participation of civil
society in the implementation of practices for the prevention of juvenile crime.
(a) Upon request, develop technical cooperation projects to prevent youth
crime, to strengthen juvenile justice systems and to improve the rehabilitation
and treatment of juvenile offenders and assist States in implementing those
projects;
(b) Ensure effective cooperation among the relevant United Nations
entities and the other organizations mentioned in the Guidelines for Action on
Children in the Criminal Justice System.10
XIII. Action on the special needs of

women in the criminal justice system
paragraphs 11 and 12 of the Vienna Declaration, and to review crime prevention
and criminal justice strategies in order to identify and address any disparate
impact of programmes and policies on women and men, the specific measures
A. National actions
(a) Reviewing, evaluating and, if necessary, modifying their legislation,
policies, procedures and practices relating to criminal matters, in a manner
consistent with their legal systems, in order to ensure that women are treated
fairly by the criminal justice system;
(b) Developing national and international crime prevention and criminal
justice strategies that take into account the special needs of women as criminal
justice practitioners, victims, witnesses, prisoners and offenders;
(c) Considering sharing with other States, via websites or other media or
forums, any proven practices concerning women as criminal justice practitioners,
victims, witnesses, prisoners and offenders that take into account the special
needs of women.
__________________
(a) Collect and disseminate information and materials on violence against
women in all its forms and manifestations, as referred to in the Declaration on
the Elimination of Violence against Women,11 for the purpose of implementing
its crime prevention and criminal justice programme, including technical
assistance at the request of States;
(b) Work on issues relating to violence against women and to the removal
of gender bias in the administration of criminal justice;
(c) Cooperate with all other relevant entities of the United Nations system
regarding activities on issues relating to violence against women and to the
removal of gender bias in the administration of criminal justice, and coordinate
work on such issues;
(d) Consolidate and disseminate information on successful intervention
models and preventive programmes at the national level;
(e) Continue to improve training concerning criminal justice and crime-
prevention aspects of the human rights of women and issues of gender bias and
violence against women for relevant United Nations staff members;
(f) Assist Member States, upon request, in utilizing the Model Strategies
and Practical Measures on the Elimination of Violence against Women in the
Field of Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice.12
XIV. Action on standards and norms

paragraph 22 of the Vienna Declaration and to promote the use and application,
as appropriate, of the United Nations standards and norms in crime prevention
and criminal justice in national law and practice, the specific measures below are
recommended.
A. National actions
44. Individually and collectively, States will endeavour, as appropriate, to use
and apply in national law and practice the United Nations standards and norms in
crime prevention and criminal justice and to publish the Compendium of United
Nations Standards and Norms in Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice13 in the
languages of their countries.
__________________
13 United Nations publication, Sales No. E.92.IV.1 and corrigendum.
(a) Update the Compendium of United Nations Standards and Norms in
Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice;
(b) Promote the use and application of United Nations standards and norms
in crime prevention and criminal justice, inter alia, by providing advisory
services and technical cooperation to Member States upon request, including
assistance to Member States in criminal justice and law reform, organization of
training for law enforcement and criminal justice personnel and support to the
administration and management of penal and penitentiary systems, thus
contributing to the upgrading of their efficiency and capabilities;
(c) Coordinate activities relating to the use and application of United
Nations standards and norms in crime prevention and criminal justice between
the Centre for International Crime Prevention and other relevant United Nations
entities, taking into account bilateral and regional assistance programmes.
XV. Action on restorative justice

paragraph 28 of the Vienna Declaration and to encourage the development of
restorative justice policies, procedures and programmes, the specific measures
A. National actions
(a) Taking into account Economic and Social Council resolution 2000/14
of 27 July 2000, entitled “Basic principles on the use of restorative justice
programmes in criminal matters”, when considering the desirability and the
means of establishing common principles;
(b) Dealing with offences, especially minor offences, according to
customary practice in respect of restorative justice, where available and
appropriate, provided that this meets human rights requirements and that those
involved so agree;
(c) Using amicable means as provided by national law to deal with
offences, especially minor offences, for example by using mediation, reparation
or agreements whereby the offender compensates the victim;
(d) Promoting a culture favourable to mediation and restorative justice
among law enforcement, judicial and social authorities and local communities;
(e) Providing appropriate training for those involved in the development

and implementation of restorative justice policies and programmes;
(f) Promoting the re-education and rehabilitation of juvenile offenders by
encouraging, where appropriate, the use of mediation, conflict resolution,
conciliation and other methods of restorative justice as alternatives to judicial
proceedings and custodial-based sanctions;
(g) Developing and implementing restorative justice policies and
programmes, taking into account existing international commitments with respect
to victims, in particular the Declaration of Basic Principles of Justice for Victims
of Crime and Abuse of Power;
(h) Promoting cooperation between government and civil society,
including relevant non-governmental organizations, to implement restorative
justice programmes and to ensure public support for the use of restorative justice
principles.
(a) Exchange information on experiences and proven practices in the
implementation and evaluation of programmes for restorative justice;
(b) Assist the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice in
considering the desirability and the means of establishing common principles on
the use of restorative justice programmes in criminal matters;
(c) Convene a meeting of experts to examine proposals for further action
in relation to restorative justice, including mediation.
56. Bangkok Declaration on Synergies and Responses:

Strategic Alliances in Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice*
We, the States Members of the United Nations,

Having assembled at the Eleventh United Nations Congress on Crime
Prevention and Criminal Justice, held in Bangkok from 18 to 25 April 2005, to
decide to take more effective concerted action, in a spirit of cooperation, to
combat crime and seek justice,
Convinced that the United Nations congresses on crime prevention and
criminal justice, which constitute a major intergovernmental forum, have
contributed to national policies and practices by facilitating the exchange of
views and experience, mobilizing public opinion and recommending policy
__________________
options at the national, regional and international levels, thus making a

significant contribution to progress and the promotion of international
cooperation in crime prevention and criminal justice,
Recalling the work of the ten previous United Nations congresses,
Reaffirming the responsibility vested in the United Nations Crime
Prevention and Criminal Justice Programme to work, together with Member
States and regional and international organizations, in the fields of crime
prevention and criminal justice,
Greatly concerned by the expansion and dimensions of transnational
organized crime, including illicit drug trafficking, money-laundering, trafficking
in persons, smuggling of migrants, illegal arms trafficking and terrorism, and any
existing links among them, and by the increasing sophistication and
diversification of the activities of organized criminal groups,
Emphasizing that enhancing dialogue among civilizations, promoting
tolerance, preventing the indiscriminate targeting of different religions and
cultures and addressing development issues and unresolved conflicts will
contribute to international cooperation, which is among the most important
elements to combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, and reaffirming
that no terrorist act can be justified in any circumstance,
Reaffirming that States must ensure that any measures taken to combat
terrorism comply with all their obligations under international law and that they
should adopt such measures in conformity with the Charter of the United Nations
and international law, in particular international human rights, refugee and
humanitarian law,
Alarmed by the rapid growth, geographical extent and effects of new
economic and financial crimes, which have emerged as significant threats to
national economies and the international financial system,
Highlighting the need for an integrated and systemic approach to combating
corruption and money-laundering, within existing frameworks and instruments,
in particular those under the aegis of the United Nations, since those crimes can
be conducive to the perpetration of other criminal activities,
Noting with appreciation the work of the regional preparatory meetings for
the Eleventh United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal
Justice,1
Declare as follows:
1. We proclaim our political will and commitment to achieve the
aspirations and objectives as set out in the present Declaration.
__________________
1 A/CONF.203/RPM.1/1, A/CONF.203/RPM.2/1, A/CONF.203/RPM.3/1 and Corr.1 and
A/CONF.203/RPM.4/1.
2. We reaffirm our continued support for and commitment to the United

Nations and to the United Nations crime prevention and criminal justice
programme, especially the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal
Justice and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the United Nations
Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute and the institutes of the
programme network, and resolve to strengthen the Programme further through
sustained funding, as appropriate.
3. In a spirit of common and shared responsibility, we reaffirm our
readiness to seek to improve international cooperation in the fight against crime
and terrorism, at the multilateral, regional and bilateral levels, in areas including,
among others, extradition and mutual legal assistance. We seek to ensure our
national capacity and, where appropriate, the coherence of our international
capacity, through the United Nations and other relevant global and regional
organizations, to engage in international cooperation, in particular in the
prevention, investigation, prosecution and adjudication of transnational organized
crime and terrorism and in the discovery of any existing links among them.
4. We welcome the entry into force of the United Nations Convention
against Transnational Organized Crime and two of its Protocols.2 We call upon
all States that have not yet done so to seek to ratify or accede to and implement
the provisions of that Convention and its Protocols, as well as the provisions of
the United Nations Convention against Corruption3 and the international
instruments against terrorism. In implementing the provisions of those
instruments, we commit ourselves to full compliance with our obligations under
international law, in particular international human rights, refugee and
humanitarian law. We support every effort to facilitate the implementation of
those instruments.
5. We call upon donor States and financial institutions to continue to make
adequate voluntary contributions on a regular basis for the provision of technical
assistance to developing countries and to countries with economies in transition, in
order to help build their capacity to prevent and tackle crime in all its forms and
apply the United Nations standards and norms in crime prevention and criminal
justice and, in particular, to facilitate their becoming parties to and implementing
the international instruments against terrorism and the relevant international
instruments against crime, such as the United Nations Convention against
Transnational Organized Crime and the Protocols thereto, the United Nations
Convention against Corruption and the international drug control conventions.
6. We support a more integrated approach within the United Nations in
relation to the provision of assistance for building capacity in crime prevention
and criminal justice, and in cooperation in criminal matters of a transnational
character, as a contribution to the establishment and strengthening of the rule of
law.
__________________
2 United Nations, Treaty Series, vols. 2225, 2237 and 2241, No. 39574.
3 Ibid., vol. 2349, No. 42146.
7. We seek to improve our responses to crime and terrorism nationally and

internationally, inter alia, by collecting and sharing information on crime and
terrorism and on effective countermeasures, in accordance with national
legislation. We welcome the important work done by the United Nations Office
on Drugs and Crime and the United Nations crime prevention and criminal
justice programme network in the area of trends in crime and justice.
8. We are convinced that upholding the rule of law and good governance
and proper management of public affairs and public property at the local,
national and international levels are prerequisites for creating and sustaining an
environment for successfully preventing and combating crime. We are committed
to the development and maintenance of fair and efficient criminal justice
institutions, including the humane treatment of all those in pretrial and
correctional facilities, in accordance with applicable international standards.
9. We recognize the role of individuals and groups outside the public
sector, such as civil society, non-governmental organizations and community-
based organizations, in contributing to the prevention of and the fight against
crime and terrorism. We encourage the adoption of measures to strengthen this
role within the rule of law.
10. We recognize that comprehensive and effective crime prevention
strategies can significantly reduce crime and victimization. We urge that such
strategies address the root causes and risk factors of crime and victimization and
that they be further developed and implemented at the local, national and
international levels, taking into account, inter alia, the Guidelines for the
Prevention of Crime.4
11. We note that countries emerging from conflicts are particularly
vulnerable to crime, in particular organized crime and corruption, and therefore
recommend that Member States, regional organizations and international entities
such as the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, in coordination with the
Department of Peacekeeping Operations of the Secretariat and other
relevant entities, provide more effective responses to these problems, in order to
re-establish, strengthen or sustain the rule of law and deliver justice in
post-conflict situations.
12. With regard to the increased involvement of organized criminal groups
in the theft of and trafficking in cultural property and illicit trafficking in
protected species of wild flora and fauna, we recognize the importance of
combating these forms of crime and, bearing in mind the relevant international
legal instruments, such as the Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and
Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural
Property,5 the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild
__________________
Fauna and Flora6 and the Convention on Biological Diversity,7 we call upon
Member States to take effective measures to strengthen international cooperation.
13. We note with concern the rise of kidnapping and trafficking in persons,
which constitute serious, profitable and inhumane forms of organized crime,
often committed with the objective of funding criminal organizations and, in
some cases, terrorist activities, and hence recommend that measures be devised
to combat these crimes and that attention be given to the creation of practical
mechanisms for countering them. We recognize the need to implement measures
intended to provide adequate assistance and protection to victims of kidnapping
and trafficking in persons and their families.
14. Mindful of General Assembly resolution 59/156 of 20 December 2004
on preventing, combating and punishing trafficking in human organs, we note the
serious concerns raised about the illicit removal of and trafficking in human
organs and will examine with interest the report of the Secretary-General
requested in that resolution.
15. We reaffirm the fundamental importance of the implementation of
existing instruments and the further development of national measures and
international cooperation in relation to criminal matters, such as consideration of
strengthening and augmenting measures, in particular against cybercrime,
money-laundering and trafficking in cultural property, as well as extradition,
mutual legal assistance and the confiscation, recovery and return of proceeds of
crime.
16. We note that, in the current period of globalization, information
technology and the rapid development of new telecommunications and computer
network systems have been accompanied by the abuse of those technologies for
criminal purposes. We therefore welcome efforts to enhance and supplement
existing cooperation to prevent, investigate and prosecute high-technology and
computer-related crime, including through the development of partnerships with
the private sector. We recognize the important contribution of the United Nations
to regional and other international forums in the fight against cybercrime and
invite the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, taking into
account that experience, to examine the feasibility of providing further assistance
in that area under the aegis of the United Nations in partnership with other
similarly focused organizations.
17. We recognize the importance of giving special attention to the need to
protect witnesses and victims of crime and terrorism, and we commit ourselves to
strengthening, where needed, the legal and financial framework for providing
support to such victims, taking into account, inter alia, the Declaration of Basic
Principles of Justice for Victims of Crime and Abuse of Power.8
__________________
6 Ibid., vol. 993, No. 14537.
7 Ibid., vol. 1760, No. 30619.
18. We call upon Member States to take steps, in accordance with their
domestic laws, to promote access to justice, to consider the provision of legal aid
to those who need it and to enable the effective assertion of their rights in the
19. We note with concern the problem of trafficking in illicit drugs and the
serious socioeconomic consequences it entails, and therefore call for the
strengthening of international cooperation in combating that form of organized
crime.
20. We will strengthen international cooperation in order to create an
environment that is conducive to the fight against crime, including by promoting
growth and sustainable development and eradicating poverty and unemployment
by means of effective and balanced development strategies and crime prevention
policies.
21. We call upon States that have not yet done so to become parties to and
implement the universal instruments against terrorism. In order to enhance the
capacity of States to become parties to and implement those instruments and to
comply with the relevant Security Council resolutions against terrorism, we
express our support for the continuing efforts of the United Nations Office on
Drugs and Crime, within its mandate and in coordination with the Counter-
Terrorism Committee and the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive
Directorate of the Security Council, to assist States in their efforts to ratify and
implement those instruments, through the provision of technical assistance upon
request. This might include assistance to criminal justice systems to facilitate the
effective implementation of those instruments.
22. We express the hope that the ongoing negotiation of the draft
comprehensive convention on international terrorism will be concluded as soon
as possible. In this context, we recognize that arriving at a possible definition of
terrorism is one of the key issues to be resolved. We call upon Member States to
consider signing and ratifying the International Convention for the Suppression
of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism.9
23. We are convinced that the expeditious entry into force and subsequent
implementation of the United Nations Convention against Corruption3 are central
to the efforts made at the international level to fight corruption and therefore
accord high priority to supporting efforts to that end and call upon all States that
have not yet done so to seek to sign, ratify or accede to the Convention.
24. We are also convinced that the proper management of public affairs and
public property and the rule of law are essential to the prevention and control of
corruption, including, inter alia, through effective measures for its investigation
and prosecution. Furthermore, we recognize that, in order to curb corruption, it is
necessary to promote a culture of integrity and accountability in both the public
and the private sector.
__________________
25. We are convinced that asset recovery is one of the essential

components of the United Nations Convention against Corruption and, for that
reason, we emphasize the need to adopt measures to facilitate asset recovery that
are consistent with the principles of that Convention.
26. We are conscious of the challenge of investigating and prosecuting
complex cases involving economic and financial crimes, including money-
laundering. We call upon Member States to strengthen policies, measures and
institutions for national action and international cooperation in the prevention,
investigation and prosecution of economic and financial crimes, including
money-laundering, and such crimes conducted by means of, or facilitated by,
information technologies, in particular in connection with the financing of
terrorism and trafficking in illicit drugs.
27. We are conscious of the crucial importance of tackling document and
identity fraud in order to curb organized crime and terrorism. We seek to improve
international cooperation, including through technical assistance, to combat
document and identity fraud, in particular the fraudulent use of travel documents,
through improved security measures, and encourage the adoption of appropriate
national legislation.
28. We recommend that voluntary contributions and appropriate technical
assistance be made available to developing countries, to strengthen their capacity
in order to support their efforts to fight effectively economic and financial
crimes.
29. As appropriate, we endeavour to use and apply the United Nations
standards and norms in our national programmes for crime prevention and
criminal justice reform and to undertake, as needed, efforts to ensure their wider
dissemination. We endeavour to facilitate appropriate training for law
enforcement officials, including prison officials, prosecutors, the judiciary and
other relevant professional groups, taking into account those norms and standards
and best practices at the international level.
30. We recommend that the Commission on Crime Prevention and
Criminal Justice give consideration to reviewing the adequacy of standards and
norms in relation to prison management and prisoners.
31. We note with concern that the physical and social conditions associated
with imprisonment may facilitate the spread of HIV/AIDS in pretrial and
correctional facilities and thus in society, thereby presenting a critical prison
management problem; we call upon States to develop and adopt measures and
guidelines, where appropriate and in accordance with national legislation, to
ensure that the particular problems of HIV/AIDS are adequately addressed in
such facilities.
32. To promote the interests of victims and the rehabilitation of offenders,
we recognize the importance of further developing restorative justice policies,
procedures and programmes that include alternatives to prosecution, thereby
avoiding possible adverse effects of imprisonment, helping to decrease the

caseload of criminal courts and promoting the incorporation of restorative justice
approaches into criminal justice systems, as appropriate.
33. We affirm our determination to pay particular attention to juvenile
justice. We will consider ways to ensure the provision of services to children who
are victims of crime and children in conflict with the law, in particular those
deprived of their liberty, and to ensure that those services take into account their
gender, social circumstances and developmental needs and the relevant United
Nations standards and norms, as appropriate.
34. We stress the need to consider measures to prevent the expansion of
urban crime, including by improving international cooperation and capacity-
building for law enforcement and the judiciary in that area and by promoting the
involvement of local authorities and civil society.
35. We express our profound gratitude to the people and the Government of
Thailand for their warm and generous hospitality towards the participants and for
the excellent facilities provided for the Eleventh Congress.
57. Salvador Declaration on Comprehensive Strategies for

Global Challenges: Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice
Systems and Their Development in a Changing World*
We, the States Members of the United Nations,

Having assembled at the Twelfth United Nations Congress on Crime
Prevention and Criminal Justice in Salvador, Brazil, from 12 to 19 April 2010,1
to take more effective concerted action, in a spirit of cooperation, to prevent,
prosecute and punish crime and seek justice,
Recalling the work of the eleven previous United Nations congresses on
crime prevention and criminal justice, the conclusions and recommendations of
the regional preparatory meetings for the Twelfth Congress2 and the documents
prepared by the relevant working groups established by the Commission on
Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice,3
__________________
1 In line with General Assembly resolutions 46/152, 56/119, 62/173, 63/193 and 64/180.
2 See A/CONF.213/RPM.1/1, A/CONF.213/RPM.2/1, A/CONF.213/RPM.3/1 and
A/CONF.213/RPM.4/1.
3 Intergovernmental Group of Experts on Lessons Learned from United Nations
Congresses on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (Bangkok, 15-18 August 2006)
(E/CN.15/2007/6); intergovernmental expert group to review and update the Model Strategies
and Practical Measures on the Elimination of Violence against Women in the Field of Crime
Prevention and Criminal Justice (Bangkok, 23-25 March 2009) (E/CN.15/2010/2); expert
group to develop supplementary rules specific to the treatment of women in detention and in
custodial and non-custodial settings (Bangkok, 23-26 November 2009) (A/CONF.213/17);
Reaffirming the necessity of respecting and protecting human rights and

fundamental freedoms in the prevention of crime and the administration of, and
access to, justice, including criminal justice,
Recognizing the centrality of crime prevention and the criminal justice
system to the rule of law and that long term sustainable economic and social
development and the establishment of a functioning, efficient, effective and
humane criminal justice system have a positive influence on each other,
Noting with concern the rise of new and emerging forms of transnational
crime,
Greatly concerned by the negative impact of organized crime on human
rights, the rule of law, security and development, as well as by the sophistication,
diversity and transnational aspects of organized crime and its links with other
criminal and, in some cases, terrorist activities,
Stressing the need to strengthen international, regional and subregional
cooperation to effectively prevent, prosecute and punish crime, in particular by
enhancing the national capacity of States through the provision of technical
assistance,
Greatly concerned by criminal acts against migrants, migrant workers and
their families and other groups in vulnerable situations, particularly those acts
motivated by discrimination and other forms of intolerance,
Declare as follows:
1. We recognize that an effective, fair and humane criminal justice system
is based on the commitment to uphold the protection of human rights in the
administration of justice and the prevention and control of crime.
2. We also recognize that it is the responsibility of each Member State to
update, where appropriate, and maintain an effective, fair, accountable and
humane crime prevention and criminal justice system.
3. We acknowledge the value and impact of the United Nations standards
and norms in crime prevention and criminal justice and endeavour to use those
standards and norms as guiding principles in designing and implementing our
national crime prevention and criminal justice policies, laws, procedures and
programmes.
4. Bearing in mind the universal character of the United Nations standards
and norms in crime prevention and criminal justice, we invite the Commission on
Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice to consider reviewing and, if necessary,
updating and supplementing them. In order to render them effective, we
recommend that appropriate efforts be made to promote the widest application of
__________________
expert group on protection against trafficking in cultural property (Vienna, 24-26 November
2009) (see E/CN.15/2010/5); expert group on improving the collection, reporting and
analysis of crime data (Buenos Aires, 8-10 February 2010) (see E/CN.15/2010/14).
those standards and norms and to raise awareness of them among authorities and
entities responsible for their application at the national level.
5. We acknowledge the need for Member States to ensure effective gender
equality in crime prevention, access to justice and the protection offered by the
6. We express deep concern about the pervasiveness of violence against
women in all its different forms and manifestations worldwide, and urge States to
enhance efforts to prevent, prosecute and punish violence against women. In this
regard, we note with appreciation the draft updated Model Strategies and
Practical Measures on the Elimination of Violence against Women in the Field of
Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, as finalized by the intergovernmental
expert group at its meeting held in Bangkok from 23 to 25 March 2009,4 and
look forward to their consideration by the Commission on Crime Prevention and
Criminal Justice.
7. We recognize the importance of adopting appropriate legislation and
policies to prevent victimization, including revictimization, and to provide
protection and assistance to victims.
8. We consider that international cooperation and technical assistance can
play an important role in achieving sustainable and long lasting results in the
prevention, prosecution and punishment of crime, in particular by building,
modernizing and strengthening our criminal justice systems and promoting the
rule of law. Specific technical assistance programmes should thus be designed to
achieve these aims, for all the components of the criminal justice system, in an
integrated way and with a long term perspective, enabling the capacity of
requesting States to prevent and suppress the various types of crime affecting
their societies, including organized crime. In that regard, the experience and
expertise accumulated over the years by the United Nations Office on Drugs and
Crime constitute a valuable asset.
9. We strongly recommend the allocation of sufficient human and
financial resources to develop and implement effective policies, programmes and
training dealing with crime prevention, criminal justice and the prevention of
terrorism. In this regard, we stress the serious need to provide the United Nations
Office on Drugs and Crime with a level of resources commensurate with its
mandate. We call upon Member States and other international donors to support,
and coordinate with, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, including its
regional and country offices, the institutes of the United Nations crime
prevention and criminal justice programme network and requesting States in the
provision of technical assistance to strengthen their capacity to prevent crime.
10. We acknowledge the leading role of the United Nations Office on
Drugs and Crime in providing technical assistance to facilitate the ratification
__________________
and implementation of the international instruments related to the prevention and

suppression of terrorism.
consider strengthening the capacity of the United Nations Office on Drugs and
Crime to collect, analyse and disseminate accurate, reliable and comparable data
on world crime and victimization trends and patterns, and we call upon Member
States to support the gathering and analysis of information and to consider
designating focal points and provide information when requested to do so by the
Commission.
12. We welcome the decision of the Commission on Crime Prevention and
Criminal Justice to engage in a thematic debate on protection against trafficking
in cultural property and the recommendations made by the open-ended
intergovernmental expert group on protection against trafficking in cultural
property at its meeting, held in Vienna from 24 to 26 November 2009,5 and invite
the Commission to conduct appropriate follow-up, including exploring the need
for guidelines for crime prevention with respect to trafficking in cultural
property. Furthermore, we urge States that have not yet done so to develop
effective legislation to prevent, prosecute and punish this crime in any of its
forms and to strengthen international cooperation and technical assistance in this
area, including the recovery and return of cultural property, bearing in mind the
existing relevant international instruments, including the United Nations
Convention against Transnational Organized Crime,6 where appropriate.
13. We recognize the increasing risk of the convergence of transnational
organized crime and illicit networks, many of which are new or evolving. We call
upon Member States to cooperate, including through information-sharing, in an
effort to address these evolving transnational criminal threats.
14. We acknowledge the challenge posed by emerging forms of crime that
have a significant impact on the environment. We encourage Member States to
strengthen their national crime prevention and criminal justice legislation,
policies and practices in this area. We invite Member States to enhance
international cooperation, technical assistance and the sharing of best practices in
this area. We invite the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice,
in coordination with the relevant United Nations bodies, to study the nature of
the challenge and ways to deal with it effectively.
15. We express our serious concerns about the challenge posed by
economic fraud and identity-related crime and their links to other criminal and,
in some cases, terrorist activities. We therefore invite Member States to take
appropriate legal measures to prevent, prosecute and punish economic fraud and
identity-related crime and to continue to support the work of the United Nations
Office on Drugs and Crime in this area. Furthermore, Member States are
__________________
5 See E/CN.15/2010/5.
encouraged to enhance international cooperation in this area, including through

the exchange of relevant information and best practices, as well as through
technical and legal assistance.
16. We recognize that international cooperation in criminal matters in
accordance with international obligations and national laws is a cornerstone of
the efforts of States to prevent, prosecute and punish crime, in particular in its
transnational forms, and we encourage the continuation and reinforcement of
such activities at all levels.
17. We call upon those States that have not yet done so to consider
ratifying or acceding to the United Nations Convention against Corruption,7
welcome the establishment of its mechanism for the review of implementation,
look forward to its effective implementation and acknowledge the work of the
intergovernmental working groups on asset recovery and technical assistance.
18. We also call upon those States that have not yet done so to consider
ratifying or acceding to the United Nations Convention against Transnational
Organized Crime and the Protocols thereto,8 and note with appreciation the
decision of the General Assembly, in its resolution 64/179 of 18 December 2009,
to hold in 2010 high-level meetings and a special treaty event. We also take note
of ongoing initiatives aimed at exploring options regarding an appropriate and
effective mechanism to assist the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations
Convention against Transnational Organized Crime in the review of the
implementation of the Convention.
19. We call upon Member States that have not yet done so to consider
ratifying or acceding to the international instruments against terrorism, including
its financing. We also call upon all States parties to use those instruments and the
relevant United Nations resolutions to enhance international cooperation in
countering terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and its financing,
including evolving features of the latter.
20. We call upon Member States, consistent with their international
obligations, to establish or strengthen, as appropriate, central authorities fully
empowered and equipped to deal with requests for international cooperation in
criminal matters. In this perspective, regional legal cooperation networks could
be supported.
21. Aware that gaps may exist in relation to international cooperation in
criminal matters, we invite the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal
Justice to consider reviewing this issue and explore the need for various means of
addressing gaps that are identified.
22. We emphasize the need for the adoption of effective measures
to implement the provisions on preventing, prosecuting and punishing
__________________
7 Ibid., vol. 2349, No. 42146.
8 Ibid., vols. 2225, 2237, 2241 and 2326, No. 39574.
money-laundering contained in the United Nations Convention against

Transnational Organized Crime and the United Nations Convention against
Corruption. We encourage Member States to develop strategies to combat
money-laundering based on the provisions of these two Conventions.
23. We encourage Member States to consider developing strategies or
policies to combat illicit capital flows and to curb the harmful effects of
jurisdictions and territories uncooperative in tax matters.
24. We recognize the need to deny criminals and criminal organizations the
proceeds of their crimes. We call upon all Member States, within their national
legal systems, to adopt effective mechanisms for the seizure, restraint and
confiscation of proceeds of crime and to strengthen international cooperation to
ensure effective and prompt asset recovery. We also call upon States to preserve
the value of seized and confiscated assets, including through disposal, where
appropriate and possible, where there is a risk of their value diminishing.
25. Bearing in mind the need to reinforce criminal justice systems of
developing countries and countries with economies in transition, we urge States
parties to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime
and the United Nations Convention against Corruption to fully implement the
technical assistance provisions of each Convention, including by giving special
consideration to contributing, in accordance with their national law and the
provisions of those Conventions, a percentage of the proceeds of crime
confiscated under each Convention to fund technical assistance through the
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.
26. We are convinced of the importance of preventing youth crime,
supporting the rehabilitation of young offenders and their reintegration into
society, protecting child victims and witnesses, including efforts to prevent their
revictimization, and addressing the needs of children of prisoners. We stress that
such responses should take into account the human rights and best interests of
children and youth, as called for in the Convention on the Rights of the Child and
the Optional Protocols thereto,9 where applicable, and in other relevant United
Nations standards and norms in juvenile justice,10 where appropriate.
27. We support the principle that the deprivation of liberty of children
should be used only as a measure of last resort and for the shortest appropriate
__________________
9 Ibid., vols. 1577, 2171 and 2173, No. 27531.
10 The United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Administration of Juvenile Justice
(the Beijing Rules) (General Assembly resolution 40/33, annex); the United Nations Standard
Minimum Rules for Non-custodial Measures (the Tokyo Rules) (General Assembly
resolution 45/110, annex); the United Nations Guidelines for the Prevention of Juvenile
Delinquency (the Riyadh Guidelines) (General Assembly resolution 45/112, annex); the
United Nations Rules for the Protection of Juveniles Deprived of Their Liberty (General
Assembly resolution 45/113, annex); the Guidelines on Justice in Matters involving Child
Victims and Witnesses of Crime (Economic and Social Council resolution 2005/20, annex);
and the basic principles on the use of restorative justice programmes in criminal matters
(Economic and Social Council resolution 2002/12, annex).
period of time. We recommend the broader application, as appropriate, of

alternatives to imprisonment, restorative justice and other relevant measures that
foster the diversion of young offenders from the criminal justice system.
28. We call upon States to develop and strengthen, where appropriate,
legislation, policies and practices to punish all forms of crime that target children
and youth, as well as for the protection of child victims and witnesses.
29. We encourage States to provide tailored training in an interdisciplinary
approach to those involved in the administration of juvenile justice.
consider requesting the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime to design and
provide to States specific technical assistance programmes to achieve these aims.
31. We call upon civil society, including the media, to support the efforts to
protect children and youth from exposure to content that may exacerbate violence
and crime, particularly content depicting and glorifying acts of violence against
women and children.
32. We are convinced of the need to accelerate efforts to fully implement
the United Nations guidelines on crime prevention and the prevention
components of existing conventions and other relevant international standards
and norms.
33. We recognize that the development and adoption of crime prevention
policies and their monitoring and evaluation are the responsibility of States. We
believe that such efforts should be based on a participatory, collaborative and
integrated approach that includes all relevant stakeholders, including those from
civil society.
34. We recognize the importance of strengthening public-private
partnerships in preventing and countering crime in all its forms and
manifestations. We are convinced that, through the mutual and effective sharing
of information, knowledge and experience and through joint and coordinated
actions, Governments and businesses can develop, improve and implement
measures to prevent, prosecute and punish crime, including emerging and
changing challenges.
35. We stress the need for all States to have national and local action plans
for crime prevention that take into account, inter alia, factors that place certain
populations and places at higher risk of victimization and/or offending in a
comprehensive, integrated and participatory manner, and for such plans to be
based on the best available evidence and good practices. We stress that crime
prevention should be considered an integral element of strategies to foster social
and economic development in all States.
36. We urge Member States to consider adopting legislation, strategies and
policies for the prevention of trafficking in persons, the prosecution of offenders
and the protection of victims of trafficking, consistent with the Protocol to
Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and

Children, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational
Organized Crime.11 We call upon Member States, where applicable, in
cooperation with civil society and non-governmental organizations, to follow a
victim-centred approach with full respect for the human rights of the victims of
trafficking, and to make better use of the tools developed by the United Nations
Office on Drugs and Crime.
37. We urge Member States to consider adopting and implementing
effective measures to prevent, prosecute and punish the smuggling of migrants
and to ensure the rights of smuggled migrants, consistent with the Protocol against
the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air, supplementing the United
Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime.12 In this context,
we recommend that Member States, inter alia, undertake awareness-raising
campaigns, in cooperation with civil society and non-governmental
organizations.
38. We affirm our determination to eliminate violence against migrants,
migrant workers and their families, and we call upon Member States to adopt
measures for preventing and addressing effectively cases of such violence and to
ensure that those individuals receive humane and respectful treatment from
States, regardless of their status. We also invite Member States to take immediate
steps to incorporate into international crime prevention strategies and norms
measures to prevent, prosecute and punish crimes involving violence against
migrants, as well as violence associated with racism, xenophobia and related
forms of intolerance. We invite the Commission on Crime Prevention and
Criminal Justice to consider this issue further in a comprehensive manner.
39. We note that the development of information and communications
technologies and the increasing use of the Internet create new opportunities for
offenders and facilitate the growth of crime.
40. We realize the vulnerability of children, and we call upon the private
sector to promote and support efforts to prevent child sexual abuse and
exploitation through the Internet.
41. We recommend that the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime,
upon request, provide, in cooperation with Member States, relevant international
organizations and the private sector, technical assistance and training to States to
improve national legislation and build the capacity of national authorities in
order to deal with cybercrime, including the prevention, detection, investigation
and prosecution of such crime in all its forms, and to enhance the security of
computer networks.
consider convening an open-ended intergovernmental expert group to conduct a
__________________
12 Ibid., vol. 2241, No. 39574.
comprehensive study of the problem of cybercrime and responses to it by

Member States, the international community and the private sector, including the
exchange of information on national legislation, best practices, technical
assistance and international cooperation, with a view to examining options to
strengthen existing and to propose new national and international legal or other
responses to cybercrime.
43. We endeavour to take measures to promote wider education and
awareness of the United Nations standards and norms in crime prevention and
criminal justice to ensure a culture of respect for the rule of law. In this regard,
we recognize the role of civil society and the media in cooperating with States in
these efforts. We invite the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime to
continue to play a key role in the development and implementation of measures
to promote and develop such a culture, in close coordination with other relevant
United Nations entities.
44. We undertake to promote appropriate training of officials entrusted
with upholding the rule of law, including correctional facility officers, law
enforcement officials and the judiciary, as well as prosecutors and defence
lawyers, in the use and application of those standards and norms.
45. We are concerned by urban crime and its impact on specific
populations and places. We therefore recommend stronger coordination between
security and social policies, with a view to addressing some of the root causes of
urban violence.
46. We recognize that specific groups are particularly vulnerable to
situations of urban crime, and we therefore recommend the adoption and
implementation of civic intercultural programmes, where appropriate, aimed at
combating racism and xenophobia, reducing the exclusion of minorities and
migrants and thus promoting community cohesion.
47. We acknowledge the increasing links between transnational organized
crime and drug trafficking in the context of the world drug problem. In this
regard, we stress the urgent need for all States to enhance bilateral, regional and
international cooperation to effectively counter the challenges posed by these
links.
48. We recognize that the penitentiary system is one of the key components
of the criminal justice system. We endeavour to use the United Nations standards
and norms for the treatment of prisoners as a source of guidance in the
development or updating of our national codes of penitentiary administration.
consider convening an open-ended intergovernmental expert group to exchange
information on best practices, as well as national legislation and existing
international law, and on the revision of existing United Nations standard
minimum rules for the treatment of prisoners so that they reflect recent advances
in correctional science and best practices, with a view to making

recommendations to the Commission on possible next steps.
50. We welcome the draft United Nations Rules for the Treatment of
Women Prisoners and Non-custodial Measures for Women Offenders.13 Taking
note of the outcome and the recommendations of the meeting of the expert group
to develop supplementary rules specific to the treatment of women in detention
and in custodial and non-custodial settings,14 we recommend that the
Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice consider them as a matter
of priority for appropriate action.
51. We stress the need to reinforce alternatives to imprisonment, which
may include community service, restorative justice and electronic monitoring,
and support rehabilitation and reintegration programmes, including those to
correct offending behaviour, and educational and vocational programmes for
prisoners.
52. We recommend that Member States endeavour to reduce pretrial
detention, where appropriate, and promote increased access to justice and legal
defence mechanisms.
53. We support effective and efficient follow-up of the outcomes of the
United Nations congresses on crime prevention and criminal justice. We
welcome the inclusion of a standing item on the agenda of the Commission on
Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice at its annual sessions on this matter and
on preparations for future congresses on crime prevention and criminal justice.
54. We welcome with appreciation the offer of the Government of Qatar to
act as host to the Thirteenth United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and
Criminal Justice, in 2015.
55. We express our profound gratitude to the people and Government of
Brazil for their warm and generous hospitality and for the excellent facilities
provided for the Twelfth Congress.
__________________
14 See A/CONF.213/17.
58. Doha Declaration on Integrating Crime Prevention and

Criminal Justice into the Wider United Nations Agenda to
Address Social and Economic Challenges and to Promote the
Rule of Law at the National and International Levels, and
Public Participation*
We, Heads of State and Government, Ministers and Representatives of

Member States,
Having assembled at the Thirteenth United Nations Congress on Crime
Prevention and Criminal Justice in Doha, from 12 to 19 April 2015, to reaffirm
our shared commitment to uphold the rule of law and to prevent and counter
crime in all its forms and manifestations, at the domestic and international levels,
to ensure that our criminal justice systems are effective, fair, humane and
accountable, to provide access to justice for all, to build effective, accountable,
impartial and inclusive institutions at all levels, and to uphold the principle of
human dignity and the universal observance and respect of all human rights and
fundamental freedoms,
To that end, declare the following:
1. We acknowledge the 60-year legacy and continuing significant role of
the United Nations congresses on crime prevention and criminal justice as one of
the largest and most diverse international forums for the exchange of views and
experiences in research, law and policy and programme development between
States, intergovernmental organizations and individual experts representing
various professions and disciplines in order to identify emerging trends and
issues in the field of crime prevention and criminal justice. We recognize the
unique and important contributions of the congresses to law and policy
development, as well as to the identification of emerging trends and issues in
crime prevention and criminal justice.
2. We reaffirm the cross-cutting nature of crime prevention and criminal
justice issues and the consequent need to integrate those issues into the wider
agenda of the United Nations in order to enhance system-wide coordination. We
look forward to the future contributions of the Commission on Crime Prevention
and Criminal Justice with regard to designing and implementing national and
international crime prevention and criminal justice policies and programmes,
taking into account and building upon the recommendations of the congresses.
3. We recognize the importance of effective, fair, humane and accountable
crime prevention and criminal justice systems and the institutions comprising
them as a central component of the rule of law. We commit ourselves to holistic
and comprehensive approaches to countering crime, violence, corruption and
terrorism in all their forms and manifestations, and to ensuring that those
responses are implemented in a coordinated and coherent way, along with
__________________
broader programmes or measures for social and economic development, poverty

eradication, respect for cultural diversity, social peace and social inclusion.
4. We acknowledge that sustainable development and the rule of law are
strongly interrelated and mutually reinforcing. We therefore welcome the
inclusive and transparent intergovernmental process for the post-2015
development agenda, which is aimed at developing global sustainable
development goals to be agreed by the General Assembly, and acknowledge the
proposals of the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals of the
Assembly as the main basis for integrating sustainable development goals into
the post-2015 development agenda, while recognizing that other inputs will also
be considered. In this context, we reiterate the importance of promoting peaceful,
corruption-free and inclusive societies for sustainable development, with a focus
on a people-centred approach that provides access to justice for all and builds
effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.
5. We reaffirm our commitment and strong political will in support of
effective, fair, humane and accountable criminal justice systems and the
institutions comprising them, and encourage the effective participation and
inclusion of all sectors of society, thus creating the conditions needed to advance
the wider United Nations agenda, while respecting fully the principles of
sovereignty and territorial integrity of States and recognizing the responsibility
of Member States to uphold human dignity, all human rights and fundamental
freedoms for all, in particular for those affected by crime and those who may be
in contact with the criminal justice system, including vulnerable members of
society, regardless of their status, who may be subject to multiple and aggravated
forms of discrimination, and to prevent and counter crime motivated by
intolerance or discrimination of any kind. To that end, we endeavour:
(a) To adopt comprehensive and inclusive national crime prevention and
criminal justice policies and programmes that fully take into account evidence
and other relevant factors, including the root causes of crime, as well as the
conditions conducive to its occurrence, and, in accordance with our obligations
under international law and taking into consideration relevant United Nations
standards and norms in crime prevention and criminal justice, to ensure
appropriate training of officials entrusted with upholding the rule of law and the
protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms;
(b) To ensure the right of everyone to a fair trial without undue delay by a
competent, independent and impartial tribunal established by law, to equal access
to justice with due process safeguards and, if needed, to access to an attorney and
to an interpreter, and to ensure relevant rights under the Vienna Convention on
Consular Relations;1 to exercise due diligence to prevent and counter acts of
violence; and to take effective legislative, administrative and judicial measures to
prevent, prosecute and punish all forms of torture and other cruel, inhuman or
degrading treatment or punishment and eliminate impunity;
__________________
(c) To review and reform legal aid policies for expansion of access to
effective legal aid in criminal proceedings for those without sufficient means or
when the interests of justice so require, including, when necessary, through the
development of national plans in this field, and to build capacities to provide and
ensure access to effective legal aid in all matters and in all its forms, taking into
account the United Nations Principles and Guidelines on Access to Legal Aid in
Criminal Justice Systems;2
(d) To make every effort to prevent and counter corruption, and to
implement measures aimed at enhancing transparency in public administration
and promoting the integrity and accountability of our criminal justice systems, in
accordance with the United Nations Convention against Corruption;3
(e) To integrate child- and youth-related issues into our criminal justice
reform efforts, recognizing the importance of protecting children from all forms
of violence, exploitation and abuse, consistent with the obligations of parties
under relevant international instruments, including the Convention on the Rights
of the Child4 and the Optional Protocols thereto,5 and taking into consideration
the relevant provisions of the United Nations Model Strategies and Practical
Measures on the Elimination of Violence against Children in the Field of Crime
Prevention and Criminal Justice,6 as well as to develop and apply comprehensive
child-sensitive justice policies focused on the best interests of the child,
consistent with the principle that the deprivation of liberty of children should be
used only as a measure of last resort and for the shortest appropriate period of
time, so as to protect children who are in contact with the criminal justice
system, as well as children who are in any other situation requiring legal
proceedings, particularly in relation to their treatment and social reintegration.
We look forward to the results of the global study on children deprived of their
liberty in this regard;
(f) To mainstream a gender perspective into our criminal justice systems
by developing and implementing national strategies and plans to promote the full
protection of women and girls from all acts of violence, including gender-related
killing of women and girls, in accordance with the obligations of parties under
the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against
Women7 and the Optional Protocol thereto,8 and taking into account the updated
Model Strategies and Practical Measures on the Elimination of Violence against
Women in the Field of Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice9 and General
Assembly resolutions on the gender-related killing of women and girls;
__________________
4 Ibid., vol. 1577, No. 27531.
5 Ibid., vols. 2171 and 2173, No. 27531; and General Assembly resolution 66/138, annex.
8 Ibid., vol. 2131, No. 20378.
(g) To promote gender-specific measures as an integral part of our policies

on crime prevention, criminal justice and the treatment of offenders, including
the rehabilitation and reintegration of women offenders into society, taking into
consideration the United Nations Rules for the Treatment of Women Prisoners
and Non-custodial Measures for Women Offenders (the Bangkok Rules);10
(h) To develop and implement appropriate and effective national strategies
and plans for the advancement of women in criminal justice systems and
institutions at the leadership, managerial and other levels;
(i) To enhance equality for all persons before the law, including gender
equality, for individuals belonging to minority groups and for indigenous people,
through, inter alia, a comprehensive approach with other sectors of government,
relevant members of civil society and the media and the promotion of the
recruitment by criminal justice institutions of individuals belonging to these
groups;
(j) To implement and enhance policies for prison inmates that focus on
education, work, medical care, rehabilitation, social reintegration and the
prevention of recidivism, and to consider the development and strengthening of
policies to support the families of inmates, as well as to promote and encourage
the use of alternatives to imprisonment, where appropriate, and to review or
reform our restorative justice and other processes in support of successful
reintegration;
(k) To intensify our efforts to address the challenge of prison overcrowding
through appropriate criminal justice reforms, which should include, where
appropriate, a review of penal policies and practical measures to reduce pretrial
detention, to enhance the use of non-custodial sanctions and to improve access to
legal aid to the extent possible;
(l) To adopt effective measures for the recognition, protection and
provision of support for and assistance to victims and witnesses in the framework
of criminal justice responses to all crimes, including corruption and terrorism, in
accordance with relevant international instruments and taking into consideration
the United Nations standards and norms in crime prevention and criminal justice;
(m) To implement a victim-oriented approach to prevent and counter all
forms of trafficking in persons for the purpose of exploitation, including the
exploitation of the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation,
forced labour or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude or the
removal of organs, where appropriate, in accordance with the relevant provisions
of the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons,
Especially Women and Children, supplementing the United Nations Convention
against Transnational Organized Crime,11 and taking into account the United
__________________
Nations Global Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons,12 and to work,

as necessary, with regional, international and civil society organizations to
overcome the obstacles that may impede the delivery of social and legal
assistance to victims of trafficking;
(n) To implement effective measures to protect the human rights of
smuggled migrants, particularly women and children, and unaccompanied
migrant children, in accordance with the obligations of parties under the United
Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime13 and its Protocol
against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air,14 which include the
obligation that migrants shall not become liable to criminal prosecution under the
Protocol only for the fact of having been the object of smuggling, and other
relevant international instruments, and to make every possible effort to prevent
the further loss of lives and bring the perpetrators to justice;
(o) To implement effective measures to eliminate violence against all
migrants, migrant workers and their families, and to take all necessary legal and
administrative steps to prevent and counter crimes involving violence against
those groups;
(p) To conduct further research and gather data on crime victimization
motivated by discrimination of any kind and to exchange experiences in and
information on effective laws and policies that can prevent such crimes, bring
perpetrators to justice and provide support to victims;
(q) To consider providing specialized training to criminal justice
professionals to enhance capacities for recognizing, understanding, suppressing
and investigating hate crimes motivated by discrimination of any kind, to help
engage effectively with victim communities and to build public confidence and
cooperation with criminal justice agencies;
(r) To intensify our national and international efforts to eliminate all forms
of discrimination, including racism, religious intolerance, xenophobia and
gender-related discrimination by, inter alia, raising awareness, developing
educational materials and programmes and considering, where appropriate,
drafting and enforcing legislation against discrimination;
(s) To prevent and counter, through appropriate domestic procedures for
the timely identification and processing of cases, acts of violence falling within
our jurisdiction against journalists and media professionals, whose professional
duties often put them at specific risk of intimidation, harassment and violence, in
particular from organized criminal groups and terrorists, and in conflict and
post-conflict situations, and to ensure accountability through the conduct of
impartial, speedy and effective investigations, in accordance with national
legislation and applicable international law;
__________________
14 Ibid., vol. 2241, No. 39574.
(t) To strengthen the development and use of tools and methods aimed at
increasing the availability and quality of statistical information and analytical
studies on crime and criminal justice at the international level, in order to better
measure and evaluate the impact of responses to crime and to enhance the
effectiveness of crime prevention and criminal justice programmes at the
national, regional and international levels.
6. We welcome the work of the Expert Group on the Standard Minimum
Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners and take note of the draft updated Standard
Minimum Rules, as finalized by the Expert Group at its meeting held in Cape
Town, South Africa, from 2 to 5 March 2015, and look forward to the
consideration of this revised draft, and action thereon, by the Commission on
Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice.
7. We emphasize that education for all children and youth, including the
eradication of illiteracy, is fundamental to the prevention of crime and corruption
and to the promotion of a culture of lawfulness that supports the rule of law and
human rights while respecting cultural identities. In this regard, we also stress the
fundamental role of youth participation in crime prevention efforts. Therefore,
we will endeavour:
(a) To create a safe, positive and secure learning environment in schools,
supported by the community, including by protecting children from all forms of
violence, harassment, bullying, sexual abuse and drug abuse, in accordance with
domestic laws;
(b) To integrate crime prevention, criminal justice and other rule-of-law
aspects into our domestic educational systems;
(c) To integrate crime prevention and criminal justice strategies into all
relevant social and economic policies and programmes, in particular those
affecting youth, with a special emphasis on programmes focused on increasing
educational and employment opportunities for youth and young adults;
(d) To provide access to education for all, including technical and
professional skills, as well as to promote lifelong learning skills for all.
8. We endeavour to strengthen international cooperation as a cornerstone
of our efforts to enhance crime prevention and ensure that our criminal justice
systems are effective, fair, humane and accountable, and ultimately to prevent
and counter all crimes. We encourage States parties to implement and make more
effective use of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized
Crime and the Protocols thereto, the United Nations Convention against
Corruption, the three international drug control conventions and the international
conventions and protocols related to countering terrorism, and urge all Member
States that have not yet done so to consider ratifying or acceding to those
instruments. We underscore that any measures taken to counter terrorism must
comply with all our obligations under international law. We endeavour to
enhance further international cooperation to stop the systematic exploitation of
large numbers of individuals who are forced and coerced into a life of abuse and
degradation. We therefore strive:
(a) To promote and strengthen international and regional cooperation to
further develop the capacity of national criminal justice systems, including
through efforts to modernize and strengthen national legislation, as appropriate,
as well as joint training and upgrading of the skills of our criminal justice
officials, in particular to foster the development of strong and effective central
authorities for international cooperation in criminal matters, inter alia, in the
areas of extradition, mutual legal assistance, transfer of criminal proceedings and
transfer of sentenced persons, and to conclude, where appropriate, bilateral and
regional cooperation agreements, and to continue the development of specialized
networks of law enforcement authorities, central authorities, prosecutors, judges,
defence lawyers and legal aid providers to exchange information and share good
practices and expertise, including, where appropriate, by promoting a global
virtual network to advance, where possible, direct contact among competent
authorities to enhance information-sharing and mutual legal assistance, making
the best possible use of information and communication platforms;
(b) To continue to support the implementation of capacity-building
programmes and training for criminal justice officials aimed at preventing and
countering terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, in line with human rights
and fundamental freedoms, including with regard to international cooperation in
criminal matters, the financing of terrorism, the use of the Internet for terrorist
purposes, the destruction of cultural heritage by terrorists and kidnapping for
ransom or for the purpose of extortion, and at addressing the conditions
conducive to the spread of terrorism, and to cooperate, as well as address, further
analyse and identify appropriate areas for joint action, through, inter alia,
effective exchange of information and sharing of experiences and best practices,
to counter any existing, growing or potential links, in some cases, between
transnational organized crime, illicit drug-related activities, money-laundering
and the financing of terrorism, in order to enhance criminal justice responses to
those crimes;
(c) To adopt effective measures at the national and international levels
aimed at preventing terrorist groups from benefiting from ransom payments;
(d) To strengthen cooperation at the international, regional, subregional
and bilateral levels to counter the threat posed by foreign terrorist fighters,
including through enhanced operational and timely information-sharing,
logistical support, as appropriate, and capacity-building activities, such as those
provided by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, to share and adopt
best practices to identify foreign terrorist fighters, to prevent the travel of foreign
terrorist fighters from, into or through Member States, to prevent the financing,
mobilization, recruitment and organization of foreign terrorist fighters, to counter
violent extremism and radicalization to violence, which can be conducive to
terrorism, to enhance our efforts to implement deradicalization programmes, and
to ensure that any person who participates in the financing, planning, preparation
or perpetration of terrorist acts or in the supporting of terrorist acts is brought to

justice, in compliance with obligations under international law, as well as
applicable domestic law;
(e) To implement effective measures to detect, prevent and counter
corruption, as well as the transfer abroad and laundering of assets derived from
corruption, and to strengthen international cooperation and assistance to Member
States to assist in the identification, freezing or seizure of such assets, as well as
in their recovery and return, in accordance with the United Nations Convention
against Corruption, in particular chapter V thereof, and in this regard to continue
discussing innovative modalities to improve mutual legal assistance in order to
speed up asset recovery proceedings and render them more successful, while also
drawing on the experience and knowledge built through the implementation of
the Stolen Asset Recovery Initiative of the United Nations Office on Drugs and
Crime;
(f) To develop strategies to prevent and combat all illicit financial flows
and emphasize the urgent need to adopt more effective measures to fight against
economic and financial crimes, including fraud, as well as tax and corporate
crimes, especially in their relevant transnational dimensions;
(g) To strengthen or, as appropriate, adopt procedures to more effectively
prevent and counter money-laundering and enhance measures for the
identification, tracing, freezing, seizure and recovery of the proceeds of crime,
including money and other assets that have not been accounted for and that are
found in safe havens, for the purpose of their eventual confiscation, including,
where appropriate and in accordance with domestic law, non-conviction-based
confiscation, and for the transparent disposition of confiscated proceeds;
(h) To develop and implement adequate mechanisms to manage and
preserve the value and condition of frozen, seized or confiscated assets that are
the proceeds of crime, as well as to strengthen international cooperation in
criminal matters and to explore ways of affording one another similar
cooperation in civil and administrative proceedings for confiscation purposes;
(i) To take appropriate measures to prevent and counter trafficking in
persons and the smuggling of migrants, while protecting the victims and those
who have been the object of such crimes, through all necessary legal and
administrative steps, in accordance with the respective protocols, as appropriate,
and strengthening inter-agency cooperation and coordination at the national
level, as well as closer bilateral, regional and multilateral cooperation;
(j) To consider, when investigating and prosecuting offences related to
trafficking in persons and the smuggling of migrants, the concurrent undertaking
of financial investigations, with a view to tracing, freezing and confiscating
proceeds acquired through those crimes, and the establishment of such crimes as
predicate offences for money-laundering, as well as to enhance coordination and
information-sharing among relevant agencies;
(k) To develop and adopt, as appropriate, effective measures to prevent and

combat the illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in firearms, their parts and
components and ammunition, as well as explosives, including through
awareness-raising campaigns designed to eliminate the illicit use of firearms and
the illicit manufacture of explosives, to encourage States parties to the Protocol
against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Their Parts and
Components and Ammunition, supplementing the United Nations Convention
against Transnational Organized Crime,15 to strengthen implementation of the
Protocol by, inter alia, considering the use of available tools, including marking
and record-keeping technologies, to facilitate the tracing of firearms and, where
possible, their parts and components and ammunition, in order to enhance
criminal investigations of illicit trafficking in firearms, to support the
implementation of the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate
the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects,16 and to
note the contributions of existing instruments on this issue and on related matters
at the regional and international levels;
(l) To intensify our efforts to address the world drug problem, based upon
the principle of common and shared responsibility and through a comprehensive
and balanced approach, including through more effective bilateral, regional and
international cooperation among judicial and law enforcement authorities, to
counter the involvement of organized criminal groups in illicit drug production
and trafficking and related criminal activities, and to take steps to reduce the
violence that accompanies drug trafficking;
(m) To continue to explore all options regarding an appropriate and
effective mechanism or mechanisms to assist the Conference of the Parties to the
United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime in the review
of the implementation of the Convention and the Protocols thereto in an effective
and efficient manner;
(n) To invite Member States to draw on the United Nations model treaties
on international cooperation in criminal matters when considering developing
agreements with other States, bearing in mind their value as important tools for
the development of international cooperation, and to invite the Commission on
Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice to continue its initiative to identify United
Nations model treaties that may need to be updated, based on inputs received
from Member States.
9. We endeavour to ensure that the benefits of economic, social and
technological advancements become a positive force to enhance our efforts in
preventing and countering new and emerging forms of crime. We recognize our
responsibility to adequately respond to emerging and evolving threats posed by
such crimes. Therefore, we strive:
__________________
15Ibid., vol. 2326, No. 39574.
16Report of the United Nations Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light
Weapons in All Its Aspects, New York, 9-20 July 2001 (A/CONF.192/15), chap. IV, para. 24.
(a) To develop and implement comprehensive crime prevention and

criminal justice responses, including strengthening of the capacities of our
judiciary and law enforcement institutions, and to adopt, when necessary,
legislative and administrative measures to effectively prevent and counter new,
emerging and evolving forms of crime at the national, regional and international
levels, taking into account the scope of application of the United Nations
Convention against Transnational Organized Crime with regard to “serious
crimes”, in accordance with national legislation;
(b) To explore specific measures designed to create a secure and resilient
cyberenvironment, to prevent and counter criminal activities carried out over the
Internet, paying particular attention to identity theft, recruitment for the purpose
of trafficking in persons and protecting children from online exploitation and
abuse, to strengthen law enforcement cooperation at the national and
international levels, including with the aim of identifying and protecting victims
by, inter alia, removing child pornography, in particular child sexual abuse
imagery, from the Internet, to enhance the security of computer networks and
protect the integrity of relevant infrastructure, and to endeavour to provide
long-term technical assistance and capacity-building to strengthen the ability of
national authorities to deal with cybercrime, including the prevention, detection,
investigation and prosecution of such crime in all its forms. In addition, we note
the activities of the open-ended intergovernmental expert group to conduct a
comprehensive study of the problem of cybercrime and responses to it by
Member States, the international community and the private sector, and invite the
Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice to consider
recommending that the expert group continue, based on its work, to exchange
information on national legislation, best practices, technical assistance and
international cooperation, with a view to examining options to strengthen
existing responses and to propose new national and international legal or other
responses to cybercrime;
(c) To strengthen and implement comprehensive crime prevention and
criminal justice responses to illicit trafficking in cultural property, for the
purpose of providing the widest possible international cooperation to address
such crime, to review and strengthen domestic legislation to counter trafficking
in cultural property, where appropriate, in accordance with our commitments
under international instruments, including, as appropriate, the Convention on the
Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of
Ownership of Cultural Property of 1970,17 and taking into consideration the
International Guidelines for Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Responses
with Respect to Trafficking in Cultural Property and Other Related Offences,18 to
continue to gather and share information and statistical data on trafficking in
cultural property, in particular on trafficking that involves organized criminal
groups and terrorist organizations, and to further consider the potential utility of
__________________
and improvements to the model treaty for the prevention of crimes that infringe
on the cultural heritage of peoples in the form of movable property,19 and
international standards and norms in this field, in close cooperation with the
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the
International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) and other competent
international organizations, with a view to ensuring coordination of efforts in
fulfilment of their respective mandates;
(d) To conduct further research on the links between urban crime and other
manifestations of organized crime in some countries and regions, including
crimes committed by gangs, as well as to exchange experiences in and
information on effective crime prevention and criminal justice programmes and
policies among Member States and with relevant international and regional
organizations, in order to address through innovative approaches the impact of
urban crime and gang-related violence on specific populations and places,
fostering social inclusion and employment opportunities and aiming at
facilitating social reintegration of adolescents and young adults;
(e) To adopt effective measures to prevent and counter the serious problem
of crimes that have an impact on the environment, such as trafficking in wildlife,
including flora and fauna as protected by the Convention on International Trade
in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora,20 timber and timber products
and hazardous waste, as well as poaching, by strengthening legislation,
international cooperation, capacity-building, criminal justice responses and law
enforcement efforts aimed at, inter alia, dealing with transnational organized
crime, corruption and money-laundering linked to such crimes;
(f) To ensure that our law enforcement and criminal justice institutions
have the expertise and technical capacities to adequately address these new and
emerging forms of crime, in close cooperation and coordination with one another,
and to provide those institutions with the necessary financial and structural
support;
(g) To continue the analysis and exchange of information and practices
relating to other evolving forms of transnational organized crime with varying
impacts at the regional and global levels, with a view to more effectively
preventing and countering crime and strengthening the rule of law. These may
include, as appropriate, smuggling of petroleum and its derivatives, trafficking in
precious metals and stones, illegal mining, counterfeiting of trademarked goods,
__________________
trafficking in human organs, blood and tissue, and piracy and transnational
organized crime committed at sea.21
10. We support the development and implementation of consultative and
participatory processes in crime prevention and criminal justice in order to
engage all members of society, including those at risk of crime and victimization,
to make our prevention efforts more effective and to galvanize public trust and
confidence in criminal justice systems. We recognize our leading role and
responsibility at all levels in developing and implementing crime prevention
strategies and criminal justice policies at the national and subnational levels. We
also recognize that, to enhance the effectiveness and fairness of such strategies,
we should take measures to ensure the contribution of civil society, the private
sector and academia, including the network of institutes of the United Nations
crime prevention and criminal justice programme, as well as the media and all
other relevant stakeholders, in the development and implementation of crime
prevention policies. Therefore, we endeavour:
(a) To plan and implement comprehensive policies and programmes that
foster socioeconomic development, with a focus on the prevention of crime,
including urban crime, and violence, and to support other Member States in such
endeavours, in particular through the exchange of experience and relevant
information on policies and programmes that have been successful in reducing
crime and violence through social policies;
(b) To develop awareness-raising programmes to convey key values based
on the rule of law and supported by educational programmes, to be accompanied
by economic and social policies promoting equality, solidarity and justice, and to
reach out to young people, drawing on them as agents of positive change;
(c) To promote a culture of lawfulness based on the protection of human
rights and the rule of law while respecting cultural identity, with particular
emphasis on children and youth, seeking the support of civil society and
intensifying our prevention efforts and measures targeting and using the full
potential of families, schools, religious and cultural institutions, community
organizations and the private sector in order to address the social and economic
root causes of crime;
(d) To promote the management and resolution of social conflict through
dialogue and mechanisms of community participation, including by raising
public awareness, preventing victimization, increasing cooperation between the
public, competent authorities and civil society, and promoting restorative justice;
(e) To raise public confidence in criminal justice by preventing corruption
and promoting respect for human rights, as well as enhancing professional
competence and oversight in all sectors of the criminal justice system, thus
__________________
21 As defined by the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice in its
resolution 22/6 (see Official Records of the Economic and Social Council, 2013, Supplement
No. 10 and corrigendum (E/2013/30 and Corr.1), chap. I, sect. D).
ensuring that it is accessible and responsive to the needs and rights of all
individuals;
(f) To explore the potential for the use of traditional and new information
and communications technologies in the development of policies and
programmes to strengthen crime prevention and criminal justice, including for
identifying public safety issues and fostering public participation;
(g) To promote the improvement of e-government systems in the area of
crime prevention and criminal justice, with a view to enhancing public
participation, and to promote the use of new technologies to facilitate
cooperation and partnerships between the police and the communities they serve,
as well as to share good practices and exchange information on community
policing;
(h) To strengthen public-private partnerships in preventing and countering
crime in all its forms and manifestations;
(i) To ensure that the content of the law is accessible to the public, and to
promote, as appropriate, the transparency of criminal trials;
(j) To establish or build upon existing practices and measures to encourage
the public, especially victims, to report and follow up on incidents of crime and
corruption, and to develop and implement measures for the protection of
whistle-blowers and witnesses;
(k) To consider partnering and supporting community initiatives and
fostering the active participation of citizens in ensuring access to justice for all,
including awareness of their rights, as well as their involvement in the prevention
of crime and the treatment of offenders, including by creating opportunities for
community service and supporting the social reintegration and rehabilitation of
offenders, and in that regard to encourage the sharing of best practices and the
exchange of information on relevant social reintegration policies and
programmes and on relevant public-private partnerships;
(l) To encourage the active participation of the private sector in crime
prevention, as well as in social inclusion programmes and employability schemes
for vulnerable members of society, including victims and those released from
prison;
(m) To build and maintain capacities for the study of criminology, as well
as forensic and correctional sciences, and to draw on contemporary scientific
expertise in the design and implementation of relevant policies, programmes and
projects.
11. As we continue our efforts to achieve the objectives set forth in the
present Declaration, to enhance international cooperation, to uphold the rule of
law and to ensure that our crime prevention and criminal justice systems are
effective, fair, humane and accountable, we reaffirm the importance of adequate,
long-term, sustainable and effective technical assistance and capacity-building

policies and programmes. We therefore strive:
(a) To continue to provide sufficient, stable and predictable funding in
support of the design and implementation of effective programmes to prevent and
counter crime in all its forms and manifestations, upon the request of Member
States and based on an assessment of their specific needs and priorities, in close
collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime;
(b) To invite the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the network
of institutes of the United Nations crime prevention and criminal justice
programme, and all relevant United Nations entities and international and
regional organizations, in fulfilment of their mandates, to continue to coordinate
and cooperate with Member States to provide effective responses to the
challenges faced at the national, regional and global levels, as well as to
strengthen the effectiveness of public participation in crime prevention and
criminal justice, including through the preparation of studies and the
development and implementation of programmes.
12. We reaffirm that the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
remains an essential partner for the achievement of our aspirations in the field of
crime prevention and criminal justice and for the implementation of the
provisions of the present Declaration.
13. We welcome with appreciation the offer of the Government of Japan to
act as host to the Fourteenth United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and
Criminal Justice in 2020.
14. We express our profound gratitude to the people and Government of
Qatar for their warm and generous hospitality and for the excellent facilities
provided for the Thirteenth Congress.
1,620
*1600685*
Vienna International Centre, P.O. Box 500, 1400 Vienna, Austria
Tel.: (+43-1) 26060-0, Fax: (+43-1) 26060-5866, www.unodc.org
V.16-00685

Compendium of UN Standards and Norms in Crime Prevention

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Compendium of UN Standards and Norms in Crime Prevention

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Compendium

of United Nations standards

Compendium of United Nations

Part one. Persons in custody, non-custodial sanctions

Part two. Justice for children

Part four. Good governance,

Part five. Legal, institutional and practical

on Drugs and Crime (www.unodc.org).

I. Rules of general application

Prisoner file management

(d) Any visible injuries and complaints about prior ill-treatment;

Clothing and bedding

Exercise and sport

(b) Child-specific health-care services, including health screenings upon

(c) The confidentiality of medical information, unless maintaining such

Restrictions, discipline and sanctions

2. Prison administrations shall ensure proportionality between a disciplinary

Searches of prisoners and cells

Information to and complaints by prisoners

administration and to the judicial or other competent authorities, including those

Contact with the outside world

Retention of prisoners’ property

appropriate funeral if there is no other responsible party willing or able to do so

3. The prison administration shall ensure the continuous provision of

Internal and external inspections

II. Rules applicable to special categories

3. It is desirable that the number of prisoners in closed prisons should not be so

Classification and individualization

Education and recreation

Social relations and aftercare

B. Prisoners with mental disabilities and/or health conditions

C. Prisoners under arrest or awaiting trial

E. Persons arrested or detained without charge

2. Procedures for the effective implementation of the

charge of correctional matters. The dissemination of procedures is discussed in

shall submit the above-mentioned reports to the Committee on Crime Prevention

governmental, intergovernmental and non-governmental bodies and the general

3. Body of Principles for the Protection of All Persons under

Scope of the Body of Principles

2. Information required to be recorded under these principles shall be available

4. Basic Principles for the Treatment of Prisoners*

5. Kampala Declaration on Prison Conditions in Africa*

7. That prisoners should be given access to education and skills training

3. That the State should provide sufficient material and financial

African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights

6. Status of foreign citizens in criminal proceedings*

The Economic and Social Council,

7. Arusha Declaration on Good Prison Practice*

Economic and Social Council resolution 1997/36, annex.

Universal Instruments (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.02.XIV.4

The participants in the Fourth Conference of the Central, Eastern and

8. United Nations Rules for the Treatment of Women Prisoners

Universal Instruments (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.02.XIV.4

criminal justice agencies (including policymakers, legislators, the prosecution

Offenders, Caracas, 25 August-5 September 1980: report prepared by the Secretariat

Offenders, Milan, 26 August-6 September 1985: report prepared by the Secretariat

Offenders, Havana, 27 August-7 September 1990: report prepared by the Secretariat

of action-oriented policy recommendations based on the special needs of women

in accordance with applicable international standards (para. 8); and they