The Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice

The Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ) was established in 1992 and continues to function as a commission that holds annual and intersessional meetings. The committee consists of 40 Member States elected by the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and serves as the governing body for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). CCPCJ is the primary organ in crime prevention and criminal justice, leading the activities of the United Nations on the topic. CCPCJ’s main focus is policy making on subjects regarding the aforementioned topics. The commission follows all of the 2030 Agenda consisting of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, primarily focusing on “Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions”. Moreover, the annual sessions allow for Member States to share expertise and information which is used to strategise and create international plans for combating crime.

Given the field of issues the CCPCJ handles, Africa  has been a focal point of their activities. Specifically, CCPCJ deals with issues such as human smuggling, organized crime and corruption; all of which are prominent issues throughout the region. CCPCJ has field offices in the region such as Chad, Mali, and Niger. The commission’s main goals in the region are to reduce the rates of corruption, combat all forms of organized crime and ensure equal justice. Thus, the commissions’ scope of topics shows the necessity of the commission’s actions to achieve long-term peace and prosperity in Africa.