Approach to Crime and Corrections in Developing Countries (From UNAFEI (United Nations Asia and Far East Institute for the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders) Report for 1978 and Resource Material, P 41-50, 1979 - See NCJ-70911)

• NCJ Number: 70912
• Author(s): V N Pillai
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 10 pages
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: Japan

Annotation

Guidance is given for addressing criminal justice issues that are particularly problemmatic for developing countries.

Abstract

In developing countries, the police are required to perform a multitude of functions, only one of which is to detect crime and apprehend offenders. They must also deal with all kinds of community conflicts ranging from family quarrels to large-scale riots. The manner in which police deal with citizens in the context of maintaining social control has a direct bearing on crime prevention and offender treatment. The importance of promoting and maintaining human rights as delineated in the United Nations Universal Declaration cannot be overemphasized in the training of police in developing countries. The courts in developing countries often ignore principles such as the equality of all before the law and the presumption of innocence until guilt is proved, even though such principles are publicly proclaimed. Courts should give particular attention to ensuring that forms and procedures are as simple and inexpensive as possible, making available legal assistance to indigents and ensuring that an accused person has the fullest opportunity for a defense. The courts should also aim at developing sentences that offer the best chance for reintegrating offenders into society. Two major corrections problems in developing countries are the high percentage of unconvicted persons detained in jail before trial and the large proportion of short-term imprisonments that do not include significant rehabilitation programs. Alternatives to imprisonment for ensuring a convicted person's presence at trial and the development of community-based rehabilitation programs for minor offenders are two approaches that could relieve these problems. Selected articles are presented from the International Covenant on Civil and Poltical Rights; alternatives to pretrial detention are suggested; and a series of reform suggestions for penal administrators is presented. No references are cited.