Fighting crime in the twenty-first century: five regional meetings prepare for 1990 congress.Fighting crime in the twenty-first century Five regional meetings prepare for 1990 Congress International co-operation in crime prevention and criminal justice in the twenty-first century was the focus of five regional meetings held between April and June in preparation for the 1990 Eighth UN Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders. The Congress, tentatively scheduled for August-September 1990 in Havana, Cuba, is expected to recommend a number of draft model treaties and standards for adoption by UN Member States. At the preparatory meetings held in Thailand, Finland, Costa Rica Costa Rica (kŏs`tə rē`kə), officially Republic of Costa Rica, republic (2005 est. pop. 4,016,000), 19,575 sq mi (50,700 sq km), Central America. , Egypt and Ethiopia, leading government officials and representatives of the UN and non-governmental organizations also discussed issues relating to relating to relate prep → concernant relating to relate prep → bezüglich +gen, mit Bezug auf +acc crime and development, alternatives to imprisonment Alternatives to imprisonment might be understood on several levels: One way to sketch the range of alternatives people have developed for responding to violence is to divide it by shorter-term and longer-term strategies. , organized crime and terrorism, juvenile delinquency juvenile delinquency, legal term for behavior of children and adolescents that in adults would be judged criminal under law. In the United States, definitions and age limits of juveniles vary, the maximum age being set at 14 years in some states and as high as 21 and criminal justice guidelines. All regional recommendations will be considered by the Congress. Bangkok In Bangkok (10-14 April), representatives of 48 countries in the Asian and Pacific region endorsed the elaboration of a manual to help combat corruption, proposed measures to ease prison-overcrowding, and discussed ways to fight terrorism and organized crime activities, ranging from "white slavery white slavery n. Forced prostitution. " rings in Thailand to arms smuggling smuggling, illegal transport across state or national boundaries of goods or persons liable to customs or to prohibition. Smuggling has been carried on in nearly all nations and has occasionally been adopted as an instrument of national policy, as by Great Britain gangs in India and illegal human organ and child adoption rackets rackets Game for two or four players with ball and racket on a four-walled court. Rackets is played with a hard ball in a relatively large court (approximately 9 × 18 m), unlike the related games of squash and racquetball. in Bangladesh. Particular attention was given to hazardous waste Hazardous waste Any solid, liquid, or gaseous waste materials that, if improperly managed or disposed of, may pose substantial hazards to human health and the environment. Every industrial country in the world has had problems with managing hazardous wastes. dumping, investigation and conviction of corrupt officials, extradition of offenders, role of lawyers and use of force and firearms by law enforcement officials. Helsinki Representatives from 29 European and North American North American named after North America. North American blastomycosis see North American blastomycosis. North American cattle tick see boophilusannulatus. Governments agreed in Helsinki (24-28 April) that all acts of terrorist violence, irrespective of reasons, goals and motivations, were of a criminal nature because of their lethal consequences, and should be universally condemned and prosecuted. National criminal law should be modified in order to protect nature and the environment. The Eighth Congress was asked to identify specific measures against political corruption. Widespread use of extradition and mutual assistance treaties to fight organized crime were recommended, as was action to counter the spread of acquired immune deficiency syndrome Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) A viral disease of humans caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which attacks and compromises the body's immune system. (AIDS) in prisons. San Jose At the Latin American and Caribbean meeting in the Costa Rican capital of San Jose (8-12 May), Governments were asked to reduce the excessive length of criminal proceedings, establish community-service alternatives to imprisonment and reduce prison overcrowding overcrowding overcrowding of animal accommodation. Many countries now publish codes of practice which define what the appropriate volumetric allowances should be for each species of animal when they are housed indoors. Breaches of these codes is overcrowding. . Recommendations were also aprroved on treatment of prisoners and improvement of international and regional co-operation in crime prevention and criminal justice. Cairo Calls for greater attention to the rights of crime victims were heard at the Western Asia regional meeting in Cairo (27-31 May). States were asked to make their legislation comply with the Declaration of Basic Principles of Justice for the Victims of Crime and Abuse of Power, which provides for special judicial and administrative mechanisms and victim's compensation. The Eighth Crime Congress was to be asked to identify the main elements for a new convention on co-operation in crime prevention and criminal justice. Specific measures against corruption and the abuse of power and organized crime and drug trafficking were recommended. Addis Ababa Rampant crime and growing delinquency often accompany the social tensions created by the serious economic crisis affecting many developing countries. These were among concerns addressed in Addis Ababa (5-9 June). The destructive social impact of external debt and depressed economies was a main concern. Weak currencies and low pay were conducive to governmental corruption and social disintegration, many participants said. Economic crimes, such as smuggling capital out of developing conntries, were perceived by many as a grave threat. The growing phenomenon of domestic violence in Africa was discussed, and calls were heard for a reform of divorce laws to protect women and children. |
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