About ICCLR
I - CCLR | i -kleer |
noun: Short title for the “International Centre for Criminal Law Reform”, an international institute located in Vancouver, Canada.
The International Centre for Criminal Law Reform and Criminal Justice Policy (ICCLR) is an international institute based in Vancouver, Canada.
ICCLR promotes the rule of law, democracy, human rights, and good governance in criminal law and the administration of criminal justice — domestically, regionally and globally. As a registered charity, it undertakes the development and delivery of technical assistance programs, develops tools and manuals, conducts research and policy analysis, and actively supports international cooperation to fight against serious crimes.
Founded in 1991, ICCLR is a joint initiative of the Government of Canada, the University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University, the International Society for the Reform of Criminal Law, and the Province of British Columbia and is one of eighteen institutes comprising the United Nations Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Programme Network of Institutes. ICCLR’s research and project work assists the Canadian government and the United Nations with its international commitments, interests and priorities in criminal law reform and criminal justice policy.
ICCLR was founded in 1991 as a joint initiative of the Government of Canada, the University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University, the International Society for the Reform of Criminal Law, and the Ministry of the Attorney General of British Columbia.
In 1995 ICCLR began its ongoing official affiliation with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime as a member of the United Nations Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Programme Network.
Over the years ICCLR has engaged in thousands of criminal law reform projects and initiatives around the world. Although we talk about our recent projects in the ‘impact’ section of our site, we also want to share a few of the successes from our earlier years. Here are a few of our favorites:
Supporting the Formation of the International Criminal Court
(1992 – 2008)
In 1992 ICCLR met with the International Law Commission and other Organizations and Governments to further development of an International Criminal Court over the next 16 years ICCLR Associates:
- Completed the Manual for the Ratification and Implementation of the Rome Statute (The International Treaty that Created the ICC)
- Developed multiple regional workshops to support countries in their ratification and implementation of the Rome Statute
- Developed an Operational Guideline for the Treatment of Victim Witnesses at the ICC
- Conducted workshops, seminars and technical assistance projects for policy makers in China, Gabon, Jamaica and Samoa to encourage ratification of the Rome Statute
Supporting Criminal Procedure Reform in China
(1995 – 2012)
Starting in 1995 ICCLR began a long and productive relationship assisting the Government of China to modernize its criminal procedure policies. Over the next 17 years ICCLR engaged in dozens of capacity building and technical assistance projects. Among the results of these collaborations were:
- Development of China’s first Legal Aid Programs
- 15 Sets of criminal law legislative and policy reform recommendations created by ICCLR, helping to inform 34 reform measures over the course of the project
- Produced 20 volumes (50,000 copies) of research-based legal reform recommendations and legal training materials
- Organized and delivered over 200 seminars, lectures, workshops, conferences, and study tours
- Increased capacity of China’s criminal justice system to prosecute embezzlement and bribery cases
- These activities reached over 10,000 Chinese officials, judges, prosecutors, police and correction officers, lawyers, legal aid workers, professors and students
UNODC Handbooks
(2005 – 2017)
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime commissions and published handbooks for the assistance of the Member States of the United Nations. Over the past 14 years ICCLR Associates have supported the UNODC in this work authoring and contributing to:
- UNODC Handbook for Prison Leaders (V. Chin, R.E. Brown, Y. Dandurand, and E. McAskill, 2010)
- UNODC Handbook on Criminal Justice Reform in Post-Conflict States (Y. Dandurand)
- UNODC handbook on Criminal Justice Responses to Terrorism (Y. Dandurand, 2009)
- UNODC Handbook on Effective Responses to Violence Against Women and Girls (E. Skinnider, 2013)
- UNODC Handbook on Restorative Justice (Y. Dandurand and C.T. Griffiths, 2006)
- UNODC Handbook on the Prevention of Recidivism and the Social Reintegration of Offenders (V. Chin, and Y. Dandurand, 2012, and 2018 Update)
- UNODC Handbook on the Use of Force and Firearms in Policing (R. Montgomery, 2017)
Supporting the UN Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC)
(2001 – 2018)
The UN General Assembly adopted the UNTOC in 2000. Its purpose is to promote cooperation and prevent and combat transnational organized crime more effectively. ICCLR has engaged in many projects to support UNTOC in the past 18 years.
- ICCLR assisted in the development of the “Legislative Guide for the Implementation of the United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime” which has been published by the UNODC and translated into 6 languages
- ICCLR Associates developed a set of draft reporting guidelines for the UNTOC
- ICCLR developed an Omnibus survey to facilitate reporting by the States Parties to the convention
- ICCLR developed a report outlining the options for creating a review mechanism for the UNTOC, and a review mechanism was adopted by the States Parties in 2018
Partners
Department of Justice Canada | Website
Global Affairs Canada | Website
Public Safety Canada | Website
International Society for the Reform of Criminal Law | Website
Ministry of the Attorney General of British Columbia | Website
Simon Fraser University | Website
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime | Website
University of British Columbia | Website
Through its affiliation with the United Nations, ICCLR is one of 19 institutes in the United Nations Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Programme, which are often called upon by Member states in various Resolutions to carry out its work. As a body with vast collective expertise and strength, the institutes meet regularly to coordinate their efforts and often undertake or support joint programme activities.
