24 May 1990

13th Plenary Meeting

1990/24. Education, training and public awareness in the field of crime prevention

The Economic and Social Council,

Recalling that in the Milan Plan of Action, adopted by the Seventh United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders, the Secretary-General was requested to review, in consultation with the Committee on Crime Prevention and Control, the functioning and programme of work of the United Nations regional and interregional institutes for crime prevention and criminal justice, in order to establish priorities and to ensure the continuing relevance and responsiveness of the United Nations to emerging needs,

Convinced that the continuous review and establishment of these priorities should be, first of all, related to the ongoing training of criminal justice staff, sensitizing them to contemporary priorities and providing relevant in-service instruction,

Convinced also that, in order to be fully effective, standard-setting activities should include measures for their practical application for professionals in the field,

Recognizing the need for priority to be accorded to more effective crime prevention,

Reaffirming the leadership role of the United Nations in the field of crime prevention and criminal justice,

1. Recommends the establishment of a comprehensive programme of work so that the United Nations may deal in a practical and operational way, in the context of its policy, standard-setting and clearing-house functions and central co-ordination role, with the contemporary problems of the international community in the field of crime prevention and criminal justice;

the programme should include:

(a) Design of programmes for curriculum development and preparation of training material and manuals;

(b) Promotion of collaborative academic work and publications;

(c) Provision of technical advisory services to Member States and organizations, at their request;

(d) Development of data bases on different aspects of education, training and public awareness;

(e) Production of audio-visual material and other training aids;

(f) Promotion of international co-operation in respect of training and educational programmes, including the provision of scholarships, fellowships and study tours;

(g) Close collaboration with research centres and academic institutions, as well as with the private sector;

2. Requests the Secretary-General to take the necessary steps to put these recommendations into effect.