Publications

Cultural Heritage Smuggling and the Nexus with Terrorism - July 2024

    The report "Cultural Heritage Smuggling and the Nexus with Terrorism" delves into the intricate and pervasive issue of cultural heritage smuggling, with a specific focus on antiquities. This report highlights the significant connection between this illegal trade and terrorism, showcasing how terrorist and insurgent groups leverage profitable illegal markets to finance their activities and further their agendas. Cultural heritage smuggling is not a new phenomenon. It spans millennia, dating back to ancient empires and the colonial era, when the looting of treasures was rampant. Throughout history, various actors, not just insurgent groups, have posed a persistent threat by engaging in the illicit trade of cultural properties. The motivation behind smuggling an...

Good Practices in Accelerating the Capture of Illicitly-Acquired Assets - June 2024

 This report was produced within the framework of an EU-funded project. This project focuses on advancing the capabilities of Member States in combating organized crime and promoting development through effective asset recovery. This is done by presenting, through a number of case studies, the usefulness of adopting accelerated mechanisms for asset recovery. Such modalities may include, for example, civil confiscation, enhanced powers of the tax authorities or social welfare institutions, as well as plea bargaining and administrative confiscation.The report addresses the critical challenge of fighting organized crime and corruption by dismantling their financial bases. The goal is to strengthen law enforcement's ability to – through proven effective and efficient modalities – trace, s...

Beneath the Surface: Terrorist and Violent Extremist Use of the Dark Web and Cybercrime-as-a-Service - June 2024

  The convergence of terrorism and violent extremism conducive to terrorism with cybercrime presents a formidable challenge. The United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy (A/RES/77/298), and its successive reviews, have expressed concern over the misuse of the Internet and other information and communications technologies by terrorist groups and individuals, yet the intricacies of the relationship between terrorism and violent extremism on the one hand and cybercriminality on the other remain nebulous – particularly in the darker corners of the Internet. This report – a collaboration between the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre (UNCCT) at the Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) and the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI) – inv...

The Nexus between Transnational Organized Crime and Terrorism in Latin America - June 2024

  This report explores the intricate relationships between organized crime and terrorism across Latin America. It presents case studies to illustrate the diverse ways in which these connections manifest among various terror and criminal groups throughout the continent. The United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI) has conducted ongoing studies which highlight critical issues and cross-regional links, necessitating deeper analysis in other areas such as Africa, the Middle East, and Europe. The analysis focuses on two main dynamics: terrorist groups engaging in criminal activities to fund their ideological pursuits, and criminal groups employing terrorist tactics for financial gain. Primary criminal activities include drug trafficking, migrant smug...

A Prosecutor’s Guide to Radiological and Nuclear Crimes

 Organised crime groups, terrorists and non-state actors seek maximum visibility for their raison d'être and intend to cause extreme levels of panic among the population. They are known to be attracted to RN materials to achieve these goals. Radioactive and nuclear materials can facilitate many schemes, ranging from targeted exposure operations causing radiation sickness in one or more victims to the creation of devices designed to kill or cause serious injury. Ultimately, these activities can induce fear, panic and mass disruption.Despite the multitude of stringent regulatory control regimes enforced by States, the access to RN materials for malicious purposes remains a significant risk. This persistent threat is due to the widespread presence of RN materials in society and is exacer...

UNSCR 1540 Compass - April 2024

  "This year marks the 20th anniversary of the adoption of United Nations Security Council resolution 1540 (2004) (UNSCR 1540), a key pillar of the international security landscape and non-proliferation architecture. When it was adopted in 2004, the resolution formed part of the collective, international response in the face of Abdul Qadeer Khan’s nuclear proliferation network and a growing number of terrorist attacks. It aimed to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) and their means of delivery by non-State actors.Today, with rising political instability and global insecurities, the threat of violent non-State actors – especially terrorists and organized criminal syndicates –, acquiring and using nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons, as well as the...

NEW! Digital Rehabilitation in Prisons - March 2024

This report examines the potential benefits and risks of introducing new technologies in prisons to facilitate prisoner rehabilitation. It aims to assist policymakers, practitioners, and those responsible for the design and delivery of rehabilitative programmes to understand how to leverage technologies to support prisoner rehabilitation effectively and ethically."Around the world, criminal justice systems are facing the challenge of rehabilitating prisoners effectively to reduce reoffending rates and create safer societies. Innovative digital technologies show promise in providing access to rehabilitation programmes and flexible, effective prison based interventions. However, the integration of technology requires a balance between digital and in-person modalities and a commitment to huma...

UNICRI Programmes Gender Strategy

The UN Interregional Crime and Justice Institute (UNICRI), as a valuable component of the UN system, is well-placed to be a key contributor to the 2030 SDG’s gender equality goals. Its mandate in crime prevention, justice, and security is grounded in the fundamental UN principles of human rights and the rule of law. This situates the principles of gender equality and women’s rights as an important part of UNICRI’s work. This Gender Strategy complements UNICRI’s Strategic Programme Framework 2023-2026. It articulates how UNICRI will meet its commitment to gender as a cross-cutting theme set forth therein, and where it will focus its gender equality and women empowerment efforts and action. UNICRI’s unique comparative advantage as a research and training institute that complements its wor...

Voix de Résilience Une Analyse Genrée des Besoins pour la Prévention de l’Extrémisme Violent au Sahel

  Le Sahel est l’une des régions les plus instables d’Afrique subsaharienne. La violence généralisée et l’accès limité aux ressources, aux services essentiels et aux moyens de subsistance contribuent à une fragilité accrue et affectent la vie quotidienne des femmes, des filles, des hommes et des garçons. La pauvreté endémique, les inégalités — en particulier les inégalités de genre — et les violations des droits humains comptent parmi les multiples facteurs qui ont une forte incidence sur la sécurité de la región. Depuis 2015, l’Institut interrégional de recherche des Nations Unies sur la criminalité et la justice (UNICRI) met en œuvre des projets de prévention de l’extrémisme violent (PEV) dans cette région. Au cours de la mise en œuvre de ces projets, il est apparu évident que...