International Crime

International Crime Treaties

The United Nations has been responsible for hosting conventions with the purpose of signing treaties to deter and stop all forms of international crime. Topics for these conventions have included drug trafficking, terrorism and organized crime. One of the major goals of these conventions is to discuss methods of suppressing these crimes via agreements between countries to work together towards that goal.

The Transnational Organized Crime Convention

This took place in 2000, and was organized with the ultimate goal of countries working together to fight against organized crime. There were three primary areas, or protocols, in which this goal was to be achieved. They were officially known as:

• The Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children.
• The Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air.
• The Protocol against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, their Parts and Components and Ammunition.

The treaty was passed and the protocols were put into place in September of 2003.

The Corruption Convention

The purpose of this convention was also to deal with the problem of international organized crime. The treaty that resulted from this convention was passed, and included several articles. Three of the primary resolutions included:

1. Among the best ways to fight crime is to prevent it from happening in the first place. This article was primarily related to elected officials and public servants. It called for a high level of accountability, strict codes of conduct and full disclosure of all financial transactions.

2. Every form of corruption that public officials may participate in was to be criminalized. This includes bribery, embezzlement, insider trading and money laundering. The treaty called for these deeds to be harshly punishable.

3. Another point of the convention was to have each country work closely together to battle all forms of corruption, track and confiscate any assets that were illegally gained and extradite and prosecute criminals who were found to be guilty of these crimes.

The Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Convention

The treaty that resulted from this convention encompassed many resolutions, but the basic agenda involved countries working together to put a stop to international drug trafficking. This involves the extradition of criminals who were responsible for the drug trafficking, plans to stop the process of money laundering by drug lords and intensified attempts to track down and confiscate drug shipments.

The Counter Terrorism Convention

Suppressing terrorism has been an important goal to the United Nations. In 2005, a new treaty was passed which defined four protocols to this end.

The first is to actively define violent acts of terrorism and any type of activity that could lead to violence or threats of violence. Next, each nation involved should create strict penalties for terrorist acts, as a part of their domestic law. Third, an established jurisdiction over these acts, including nationality and registration, must be set. The final protocol is that no person or group that is suspected be allowed extradition to a country that will not prosecute them. This was more commonly known as the "no safe haven for terrorists" principle.

The United Nations and other organizations will continue to be dedicated to the fight against international crimes. The conventions and treaties that are put together for this goal are an important part of this ongoing mission.