United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime

The UNODC

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) is responsible for numerous projects and initiatives aimed to address the world drug problem, organised crime, and corruption, to name a few. Established in 1997, its mission remains centred on maintaining and enhancing global peace and security, human rights, and development. The 2021 iteration of the UNODC's five-year strategy takes into account the heightened need for improved humanitarian systems amidst a destabilized and fragile world. Its solutions emphasise the need for a collaborative, global approach to facilitate the sharing of knowledge in addressing these challenges.

Prison Rehabilitation and Prosecutorial Reform

Prison Rehabilitation Today, imprisonment is used as the most common punishment meted out to individuals suspected of violating the social code through a criminal offense. As a result, prisons worldwide threaten to overflow with prisoners stuck in abject conditions, without the appropriate resources or facilities to provide the social reintegration needs of offenders. The Doha Declaration adopted in 2001 highlighted the importance of such measures to support the reintegration of prisoners into society, and has since laid the groundwork for UNODC’s subsequent efforts in championing just, humane and effective global criminal justice systems.

The issue of prosecutorial reform is one that must be handled with great finesse, considering the reality that the role and status of prosecutors varies greatly among the various states. The UNODC is mandated to ensure some key principles are upheld across the board, namely, independence, integrity, and impartiality in enacting the rule of the law. Corruption within prosecutorial systems lead to mass incarcerations with grave and far-reaching effects, that which the delegates of the council are duty-bound to prevent.