Every five years policy-makers and practitioners working in crime prevention and criminal justice gather for the United Nations Crime Congress to help shape the agenda and standards of the UN on crime prevention and criminal justice.
The United Nations Crime Congress is the world's largest and most diverse gathering of governments, civil society, academia and experts in crime prevention and criminal justice. For 70 years the congresses have had an impact on criminal justice policies and strengthened international cooperation against the global threat of transnational organized crime.
The practice of holding international conferences on crime control matters at five-year intervals dates back to 1872 when conferences were held under the auspices of the International Prison Commission which later became the International Penal and Penitentiary Commission (IPPC).
The First United Nations Congress was held in Geneva in 1955.
Seventy years later, this tradition continues with the Government of the United Arab Emirates hosting the Fifteenth United Nations Congress in Abu Dhabi. The theme of the Fifteenth Congress is accelerating prevention, criminal justice and the rule of law: protecting people and planet and achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in the digital age.
