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Applying technology to reinforce security and promote development

Palais des Nations, Geneva -

Applying technology to reinforce security and promote development

Palais des Nations, 8-14 avenue de la Paix (Pregny gate), Room 24

Geneva, Switzerland 13 June 2018

The meeting Applying technology to reinforce security and promote development, organized by UNICRI at Palais des Nations in Geneva, will debate cutting-edge issues in the field of crime prevention with a focus on specific tools that aim at enhancing the work of the law enforcement and the judiciary.

Rapid technological advances are providing new opportunities to counter and prevent criminal phenomena. However, the adoption of innovative technological functionalities poses many challenges in term of understanding their potential, benefits and costs, tailoring them to specific needs and guaranteeing that they fully comply with ethical and legal standards. The meeting organized by UNICRI aims at enhancing knowledge on how different key drivers/risk factors may interact in the future and raise new security challenges, and how technology solutions can support the development and implementation of sustainable strategies to address these challenges.

The perspective offered is a rigorous method based on the validation of risk case scenarios on the possible dual application of technologies as a facilitating factor for the perpetration of the crime or as a risk mitigation tool. Risk case scenarios are complemented by the mapping of technology solutions and good practices.

The constantly evolving scenarios increasingly require adequate rapid response capacities from the law enforcement agencies and judiciary personnel with the potential to produce positive and sustainable impacts in the short and long term. UNICRI has recently a Rapid Response Programme to enable the Member States to predict and prevent crime waves before they gather momentum with a highly skilled team of responders and trainers that will provide rapid response and long-term support in all areas of the criminal justice system, from prevention to intervention.

The development of this new operational model aligned with the UN 2030 Goal 16 will allow UNICRI to offer immediate assistance to governments, regional and international organisations. During the meeting concrete examples on the use of technology to enhance the understanding of crime infiltration in the legal economy by identifying patterns and trends; and the use of virtual reality to train the law enforcement will be presented. The meeting will conclude with a virtual reality training session.

UNICRI believes that the current acceleration of technological changes requires a policy-oriented discussion in the field of security and crime prevention as well as the prompt development of adaptation capacity to control the impact of advances on societies. The Institute is supporting Member States through the designing of technical assistance projects on high-tech crimes and emerging technologies, including the development of relevant national strategies and security policies. With this purpose in mind, UNICRI is establishing an international network on exponential technological changes and security.

The initiative has been made possible thanks to the contribution of Compagnia di San Paolo.

For more information: francesco.marelli[at]un.org