ASIL Electronic Resource Guide

International Criminal Law

GUIDE HOME

 Gail A. Partin



I. Introduction

Most legal scholars agree that a recognizable body of international criminal law does exist. However, the precise parameters of this body of law are often unclear, perhaps due to the rapid and complex developments of our global society. In its widest context, the source of international criminal law might be derived from the general principles of international law recognized by civilized nations; and therefore, found in the customary law accepted by states, the general criminal law recognized by nations, and the treaties which govern particular conduct. 

International criminal law can also be categorized according to whether the conduct in question is international, constituting an offense against the world community, or whether the act is transnational, affecting the interests of more than one state. For example, international crime would encompass acts that threaten world order and security, crimes against humanity and fundamental human rights, war crimes, and genocide; whereas the transnational crime category would include drug trafficking, transborder organized criminal activity, counterfeiting, money laundering, financial crimes, terrorism, and willful damage to the environment. 

This chapter provides information on the major electronic sources for researching international and transnational crime, as well as current issues common to both categories, such as efforts to codify international crimes, activities aimed at crime prevention, cooperation in law enforcement, jurisdictional questions, international judicial cooperation, and the effects of bilateral and multilateral treaties. 

 

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II. Research Guides and Information Networks

This section features a selective list of Internet websites that focus primarily on international criminal law and criminal justice topics. Most of these sites continuously add pertinent information and update their links to other related sources. Some act as clearinghouses for a wide variety of information. These features make them excellent places to familiarize yourself with the range of resources available on the Web, to jump start your research, or to keep current within the international criminal law discipline. 

World Justice Information Network (WJIN) (http://www.wjin.net/) 

WJIN is designed to be an independent global research forum for information on crime, justice and the rule of law. The system, which is supported and administered by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) (http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/), builds upon its predecessor, the United Nations Online Crime and Justice Clearinghouse (UNOJUST), and works in close cooperation with the United Nations Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Programme Network (UNCJIN). It serves as a central point of access to a global virtual library containing thousands of professional publications and is a worldwide criminal justice news monitoring tool. 

Justice Information Center, National Criminal Justice Reference Service (http://www.ncjrs.gov) 

This information clearinghouse, an information service of the NCJRS (http://www.ncjrs.gov/), "is one of the most extensive sources of information on criminal and juvenile justice in the world." It is divided into sections covering corrections, courts, crime prevention, criminal justice statistics, drugs, international information, juvenile justice, law enforcement, research and evaluation, victims, and current highlights. 

Electronic Information System for International Law (EISIL) (http://www.eisil.org/) 

In June 2003, the American Society of International Law (ASIL) opened for preview a selection of prototype sections of EISIL: on human rights, economic, environmental and criminal law, as well as some general international law resources. EISIL links to primary documents, such as treaties and other international instruments. Additional information is provided on each instrument, including print citations and relevant dates. EISIL also guides users to the "best sites" for certain topical areas or kinds of research and provides links to recommended research guides that assist researchers in exploring their topics of interest more widely. The database is browseable through a broad framework of subject areas as well as searchable using a targeted search engine.  

International Criminal Justice Sources
(http://www.criminology.fsu.edu/p/cjl-world.php) 

Created and maintained by Dr. Cecil E. Greek at the School of Criminology & Criminal Justice, Florida State University. This well-known, comprehensive list links to websites for criminal law, law enforcement, crime prevention & peacemaking, and includes regional source lists for the United Kingdom, Europe, Canada, Australia, Africa, Asia, and South America. A list, focusing primarily on American resources, entitled Criminal Justice Links (http://www.criminology.fsu.edu/p/cjl-main.php) is also maintained by Dr. Greek. 

Research Guide to International Law on the Internet, International Criminal Law
(http://sun1.spfo.unibo.it/spolfo/CRIMLAW.htm) 

The University of Bologna, Faculty of Political Science created a series of research guides on topics such as the United Nations, the European Union, International Organizations, Peace & Security, Human Rights, International Criminal Law, Environmental Law, Law of the Sea, Air & Space Law and International Trade Law (http://www2.spfo.unibo.it/spolfo/ILMAIN.htm). 

 

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III. Treaties, Conventions, and Agreements

There are a wide range of issues encompassed within the discipline of international criminal law. Most of these areas are governed by some type of agreement or convention, often drafted and then overseen by an intergovernmental organization. The home pages for locating the treaties of several international organizations are listed below. For a complete treatment of treaty research sources and methodology, see the Treaties (http://www.asil.org/resource/treaty1.htm) chapter of the ASIL Guide to Electronic Resources for International Law (http://www.asil.org/resource/home.htm). 

A. United Nations

United Nations Treaty Collection (http://untreaty.un.org) 

The United Nations has been the forerunner in undertaking actions to combat international crime in all of its forms. Major UN treaties and conventions include the UN Charter and conventions on apartheid, genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, torture, narcotic drugs, slavery, the taking of hostages, aircraft hijacking, and terrorism. Researchers can search for the text of a treaty in the United Nations Treaty Series (UNTS) (http://untreaty.un.org/English/access.asp) or for unpublished treaties in Recently Deposited Multilateral Treaties (http://untreaty.un.org/English/access.asp) or for the status of a treaty in Status of Multilateral Treaties deposited with the Secretary-General (http://untreaty.un.org/English/access.asp).  Sample portions of the database are available free, however, as of March 1, 2000, access to the complete UN treaty database is by subscription only. 

B. Council of Europe

Council of Europe: European Treaties (http://conventions.coe.int) 

Provides the text of the Statute of the Council of Europe, as well as signatures and ratifications. A Complete list of the Council of Europe's Treaties (http://conventions.coe.int/Treaty/Commun/ListeTraites.asp?CM=8&CL=ENG) is arranged chronologically by ETS number. Selected treaties covering Human Rights and Penal Law are highlighted below: 

Human Rights 

Penal Law 

Conventions not yet entered into force:

C. European Union

European Union Website (http://europa.eu) 

This is an umbrella site for all of the Union's institutions and organizations. It includes the text of EU founding treaties, policies, institutional documents, press releases and gateways to CELEX and SCAD, which index EU documents, reports and articles. 

D. Organization of American States

Organization of American States (OAS) (http://www.oas.org) 

The Inter-American Treaties database is an extensive collection of OAS treaties and agreements, including ratification and status information. Treaties can be searched by subject or year. The database can be reached via the OAS home page by clicking on Documents, then Treaties and Conventions. 

E. Other Treaty Resources

The Multilaterals Project at the Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy (http://fletcher.tufts.edu/multilaterals.html) 

This is an ongoing project to make the full text of international conventions and other instruments available electronically. The selective list of treaties dates back to 1899 and can be searched by subject or chronologically. It also provides an array of links to other collections of international law (http://fletcher.tufts.edu/multi/secretariatslinks.html) that might yield relevant treaties. 

Refer to the chapter on Treaties in this Guide for a thorough treatment of research methods in this area (http://www.asil.org/resource/treaty1.htm). 

 

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IV. Courts, Tribunals, and Other Adjudicatory Bodies

A. International Court of Justice

International Court of Justice (ICJ) (http://www.icj-cij.org) 

All ICJ judgments delivered since its inception in 1946 are listed, along with information on the background of the Court, its current docket, procedures, jurisdiction, and rules. Recent cases pertaining to international criminal law include the Aerial Incident at Lockerbie and the Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (Croatia v. Yugoslavia).  The Cornell Law Libray site provides a link to Germain's International Court of Justice Research Guide  (http://library.lawschool.cornell.edu/WhatWeDo/ResearchGuides/ICJ.cfm) for complete information on conducting  Court-related research.  A complete set of ICJ decisions is available electronically in the INT-ICJ database on WESTLAW, which is a fee-based service. 

B. International Criminal Court

After 50 years of discussion and documentation on the need for an international criminal court, the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (http://www.icc-cpi.int/library/about/officialjournal/Rome_Statute_120704-EN.pdf) was adopted on 17 July 1998 and entered into force on 1 July 2002, establishing "an independent permanent International Criminal Court in relationship with the United Nations system, with jurisdiction over the most serious crimes of concern to the international community as a whole."

International Criminal Court (ICC) (http://www.icc-cpi.int/) 

This is the Court's official web site, available in English or French. It includes pages for the four organs of the Court: the Presidency, the Chambers, the Office of the Prosecutor, and the Registry, as well as information on victims issues, witness protection, the Defense, and the State Parties. The Official Journal section (http://www.icc-cpi.int/officialjournal/legalinstruments.html) provides the text of the Rome Statute, Rules of Procedure and Evidence, Elements of Crimes, and other legal instruments of the Court.  The Official Records of the Assembly of States Parties (http://www.icc-cpi.int/asp/asprecords.html) are available on the official Assembly of State Parties (http://www.icc-cpi.int/asp.html) web page. 

Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ASP) (http://www.icc-cpi.int/asp.html)

The Assembly of States Parties (ASP), created by the Rome Statute, continues the work of the Rome Conference in establishing the Court. This web site tracks activities and proceedings of the ASP and provides links to documentation and reports. The site is available in English or French and includes webcasts of some activities. 

The following sites will provide a full picture of the issues and debates surrounding the creation of the International Criminal Court. 

Website of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (http://untreaty.un.org/cod/icc/index.html) 

At this UN web site, historical documentation (covering the period ending on 31 December 2003) is available covering the adoption of the Rome Statue of the International Criminal Court, and the establishment of the Court .  Proceedings are available for the Ad Hoc Committee for the Establishment of an International Criminal Court; the Preparatory Commission for the International Criminal Court; and the United Nations Diplomatic Conference of Plenipotentiaries on the Establishment of an International Criminal Court.  Maintained by the Codification Division of the UN Office of Legal Affairs, this site provides links to most of the official documents relating to the formation of the ICC, including the: 

Rome Statute (http://untreaty.un.org/cod/icc/statute/romefra.htm)

Ratification Status of the Rome Statute (http://untreaty.un.org/ENGLISH/bible/englishinternetbible/partI/chapterXVIII/treaty11.asp)

Final Act (http://untreaty.un.org/cod/icc/statute/finalfra.htm)

Rome Conference (http://www.un.org/icc/index.htm)

Preparatory Commission (http://http://untreaty.un.org/cod/icc/prepcomm/prepfra.htm)

General Assembly Resolutions (http://untreaty.un.org/cod/icc/prepcomm/prepfra.htm)

Preparatory Commission for the International Criminal Court (http://untreaty.un.org/cod/icc/prepcomm/prepfra.htm) 

The Preparatory Commission for the Establishment of an International Criminal Court was established by Resolution F of the Final Act of the United Nations Diplomatic Conference of Plenipotentiaries on the Establishment of an International Criminal Court, which adopted the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court on 17 July 1998. This site, maintained by the UN Office of Legal Affairs, contains selected documents issued since the first session of the Preparatory Commission. In particular, the Proceedings of the Preparatory Commission at its First Session and the Report of the Second Session of the Preparatory Commission for the International Criminal Court discuss proposed Rules of Procedure and Evidence, rules governing appeals, procedures governing Investigation and Prosecution, rules relating to Organization and Composition of the Court, and Elements of Crimes. Documents and work plans are available for every session, including sessions currently in progress.

United Nations Conference of Plenipotentiaries on the Establishment of an ICC (http://www.un.org/icc/index.htm) 

This official UN website for the International Criminal Court provides links to related Bodies. The link for the Diplomatic (Rome) Conference displays coverage of the daily conference proceedings as they unfolded. A daily photo gallery, audio coverage, and transcripts of speeches and statements combine to provide a recreation of the Rome Conference proceedings. The site also contains the ICC Statute (http://www.un.org/icc/romestat.htm) and other conference documents (http://www.un.org/icc/docs.htm). Among other things, the Final Act of the Conference (A/CONF.183/10) (http://www.un.org/icc/iccfnact.htm) established the Preparatory Commission for the International Criminal Court to "prepare proposals for practical arrangements for the establishment and coming into operation of the Court." 

International Law Commission (http://www.un.org/law/ilc/index.htm) 

As early as 1947 the General Assembly requested the International Law Commission to formulate a Draft Code of Crimes Against the Peace and Security of Mankind. (http://untreaty.un.org/ilc/texts/7_3.htm) Included here is the text of the 1996 Draft Code with commentary, an abstract, an analytical guide, and the 1954 Draft Code. The full text of the original 1996 Report of the Law Commission is also available (http://untreaty.un.org/ilc/texts/7_4.htm) The final text was adopted by the Commission on 5 July 1996, and forwarded to the General Assembly for consideration.

Coalition for an International Criminal Court (CICC) (http://www.iccnow.org/) 

This is the primary NGO provider of online information about the permanent International Criminal Court. It includes several levels of information, some of which are:

  • Country Information (http://www.iccnow.org/?mod=world): an overview of progress toward ratification and implementation in countries around the world, including the Rome Statute Signature and Ratification Chart (http://www.iccnow.org/?mod=romesignatures)
  • Conferences and Meetings (http://www.iccnow.org/?mod=currentevents): includes a calendar of events and reports & declarations from recent events.
  • Resources & Tools (http://www.iccnow.org/?mod=tools): books and statements from organizations and governments involved in the ratification process, and a Bibliography section (http://www.iccnow.org/?mod=bibliography ) of academic articles and other basic information about the International Criminal Court and the Rome Statute.
  •  Publications (http://www.iccnow.org/?mod=publications) Some titles include:      
    •  ICC Monitor  (http://www.iccnow.org/index.php?mod=monitor), the Coalition's quarterly newspaper since 1996, reproduced in PDF format.
    • ICC Update (http://www.iccnow.org/index.php?mod=iccupdate), a monthly bulletin of ICC news worldwide, distributed http://www.iccnow.org/index.php?mod=euronewsletterelectronically, by fax and in printed editions.
    •  Insight on the ICC, (http://www.iccnow.org/index.php?mod=insight) a quarterly newsletter focused on developments in The Hague.
    • European Newsletter (http://www.iccnow.org/index.php?mod=euronewsletter), a regional edition of the Update, providing in depth coverage of the latest developments in Europe.
    • Agenda CPI (http://www.iccnow.org/index.php?mod=agendacpi), a regional edition of the Update, providing up-to-date coverage of issues concerning the ICC in Ibero-America.
    •  ICC-Africa, (http://www.iccnow.org/index.php?mod=iccafrica) a quarterly (previously bi-monthly) newsletter focused on ICC developments in relation to Africa.
  • Press Room (http://www.iccnow.org/index.php?mod=pressroom): CICC media statements, member statements, and fact sheets.
  • Documents (http://www.iccnow.org/?mod=documents): provides all of the documents, articles, reports, statements, and press releases that concern the ICC. Specific sections include: CICC Publications, Core Texts, Official Documents, an Archive of All Dcouments, and ICC, NGO, and UN papers, reports, and statements. 
US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. Committee Hearings, 105th Congress
(http://www.access.gpo.gov/congress/senate/senate11sh105.html) 

On July 23, 1998 the United States Senate Foreign Relations Committee conducted hearings on the establishment of the International Criminal Court and the U.S. role in the process. Senate Hearing 105-724, entitled Is a U.N. International Criminal Court in the U.S. National Interest?, included testimony from David J. Scheffer, Ambassador-At-Large for War Crimes Issues, John R. Bolton, Former Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs, attorney Lee A. Casey, Professor Michael P. Scharf, along with statements submitted by The Lawyers Committee for Human Rights and Human Rights Watch. 

American Society of International Law (ASIL) (http://www.asil.org) 

ASIL actively pursues and publishes information pertaining to the International Criminal Court. The ASIL Newsletter (http://www.asil.org/resources/asilnewsletter.html) routinely includes pieces relating to the Court. Selected articles from the American Journal of International Law can be retrieved via a site search. A bibliography (http://www.asil.org/resources/bios.html) of journal articles on the ICC is also available. ASIL Insights (http://www.asil.org/insights.htm) are brief essays on current topics by international law experts. Insights are not designed to argue a position, but rather to inform decision-makers and the public of the relevance of international law to current events. Some notable pieces are: 

Results of the Rome Conference for an International Criminal Court, by Michael P. Scharf. August 1998. (http://www.asil.org/insights/insigh23.htm) 
Rome Diplomatic Conference for an International Criminal Court, by Michael P. Scharf. June 1998. (http://www.asil.org/insights/insigh20.htm) 

International Criminal Court: Resources in Print and Electronic Format (http://www.lib.uchicago.edu/~llou/icc.html) 

This exhaustive list of Internet and print resources, created by Lyonette Louis-Jacques, offers direct links to official documents, scholarly commentaries and articles, NGO statements and papers, and individual statements and speeches pertaining to the ICC. The bibliography of Books, Journal Articles, and Other Resources supplies nearly 300 additional print resources for further research. Information is also available on electronic discussion lists that relate to international criminal law. 

Human Rights First  (http://www.humanrightsfirst.org/international_justice/icc/icc.htm) 

Human Rights First is the new name of Lawyers Committee for Human Rights (LCHR).  The site's International Criminal Court web page (http://www.humanrightsfirst.org/international_justice/icc/icc_01.htm) monitors activities at the ICC and provides position statements, analyses, and reports relating to the creation and operation of the Court.  

Human Rights Watch Campaign to Establish an International Criminal Court (http://www.hrw.org/campaigns/icc/) 

This site features Human Rights Watch Action Alerts, press releases, documents, and news concerning the Rome Conference and the establishment of a new international criminal court. 

United Nations Association of the United States of America - International Criminal Court (http://www.unausa.org/site/pp.asp?c=fvKRI8MPJpF&b=363313) 

The UNA-USA has actively called for a permanent International Criminal Court and provides issue statements and update bulletins regarding the subject. 

The American Non-Governmental Organizations Coalition for the International Criminal Court (AMICC) (http://www.amicc.org) 

AMICC is a coalition of U.S. non-governmental organizations that are committed to achieving full U.S. ratification and support for the ICC. This site is a comprehensive repository of documents and information about the U.S. and the ICC, including news, background and policy analysis. 

Amnesty International Campaign for a Permanent International Criminal Court
(http://www.amnesty.org/en/international-justice/issues/international-criminal-court) 

This particular page maintains links to Amnesty International reports and fact sheets concerning the ICC. 

 

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C. Criminal Tribunals

1. Special Court for Sierra Leone

The Special Court for Sierra Leone was established jointly by the Government of Sierra Leone and the United Nations to handle serious violations of international humanitarian law and Sierra Leonean law committed in Sierra Leone since 30 November 1996.  On August 14, 2000, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 1315 requesting the UN Secretary General to start negotiations to create a Special Court.

Official Web Site for the Special Court for Sierra Leone  (http://www.sc-sl.org/index.html)

This official web site includes  Court calendars, audio and video summaries of the trials,  indictments, decisions, and transcripts of caes. The Documents page (http://www.sc-sl.org/documents.html) includes links to the basic founding documents, practice directions, and directives of the Court.

Agreement between the United Nations and the Government of Sierra Leone on the Establishment of the Special Court for Sierra Leone  (http://www.sc-sl.org/Documents/scsl-agreement.html)

On 16 January 2002, an agreement establishing the Special Court was signed between the Government of Sierra Leone and the United Nations. The Statute of the Special Court for Sierra Leone  (http://www.sc-sl.org/Documents/scsl-statute.html) was annexed to this Agreement.

Berkeley War Crimes Studies Center: Sierra Leone Field Reports (http://ist-socrates.berkeley.edu/~warcrime/index2.htm)

In June 2004, the Berkeley War Crimes Studies Center established a permanent monitoring program in Freetown to report on and evaluate the work of the Special Court.  This site includes several reports regarding the establishment and operation of the Court.

2. International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY)

In 1993, Security Council Resolution 827 (http://www1.umn.edu/humanrts/icty/resolution28.html) established an international tribunal for "prosecuting persons responsible for serious violations of international humanitarian law in ...Yugoslavia." The updated Statute of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (http://www.un.org/icty/legaldoc-e/index.htm) can be found at the Tribunal's official website (http://www.un.org/icty/). The General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina, known as the Dayton Peace Accords, and related documents are available from the Office of the High Representative (http://www.ohr.int/dpa/) or the University of Minnesota Human Rights Library (http://www1.umn.edu/humanrts/icty/dayton/daytonaccord.html). 

International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) (http://www.un.org/icty/index.html) 

This is the official UN website for the ICTY and includes a database of  Cases & Judgments (http://www.un.org/icty/cases-e/index-e.htm) including the full text of indictments, decisions, orders, and proceedings searchable by name, case number, and region.  The Basic Documents section (http://www.un.org/icty/legaldoc-e/index.htm) includes the updated statute, related resolutions, rules of procedure and evidence, documents establishing the Tribunal, background information, regulations, and other miscellaneous documents.  Also included are sections for  Publications (http://www.un.org/icty/publications-e/index.htm), and Latest Developments (http://www.un.org/icty/latest-e/index.htm) which provide annual reports, practical information, video & audio feeds to each of the three court rooms, and press releases. 

The WESTLAW database, INT-ICTY (International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia), includes documents (judgments, decisions, orders, and indictments) issued by the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia. This is a fee-based database, not available to all subscribers. 

ASIL Insights (http://www.asil.org/insights.htm) 

ASIL Insights are brief essays on current topics by international law experts. Insights are not designed to argue a position, but rather to inform decision-makers and the public of the relevance of international law to current events. 

The Yugoslav Tribunal and Deferral of National Prosecutions of War Criminals, by Dorothea Beane. September 1996. (http://www.asil.org/insights/insight4.htm) 
The Former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic To Be Tried in The Hague for Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Allegedly Committed in Kosovo, by Ruth Wedgwood. July 2001. (http://www.asil.org/insights/insigh76.htm) 

International Criminal Tribunals (University of Minnesota) (http://www1.umn.edu/humanrts/links/intrib.html) 

An extensive collection of links to basic documents, media outlets, and other sources relating to all aspects of the Yugoslavian and Rwandan crises. 

3. International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR)

International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (United Nations) (http://www.ictr.org/) or their mirror site at (http://www.un.org/ictr/) 

Recognizing that serious violations of humanitarian law were committed in Rwanda, UN Security Council Resolution 955 established the ICTR to prosecute serious violations of international humanitarian law committed between 1 January 1994 and 31 December 1994. This is the official UN website for the ICTR. The link to Cases includes daily case minutes, the text of indictments, trial chamber decisions, tribunal judgments, and appeal chamber decisions. Case summaries (http://www.un.org/ictr/casesum.htm), the ICTR statute (http://www.un.org/ictr/english/Resolutions/955e.htm), Rules of Procedure and Evidence (http://www.un.org/ictr/rules.html), Security Council resolutions, press releases, listings of indictments, and hearing transcripts are also included. The Public Judicial Records Database holds all the public (non-confidential) judicial records of the Tribunal, such as indictments, motions, responses, decisions, transcripts and judgments. The ICTR Library publishes the ICTR Quarterly Bibliography which contains references to books, official documents, and periodical articles recently acquired by the library. 

The WESTLAW database, INT-ICTR (International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda), includes all documents (judgments, decisions, orders, and indictments) issued by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda.  

UN Research Guide: Special Topics: International Law
(http://www.un.org/Depts/dhl/resguide/specil.htm#itr) 

Provides quick access to the statute and list of reports on the Rwanda Tribunal. 

ASIL Insights (http://www.asil.org/insights.htm) 

ASIL Insights are brief essays on current topics by international law experts. Insights are not designed to argue a position, but rather to inform decision-makers and the public of the relevance of international law to current events. 

Belgian Jury to Decide Case Concerning Rwandan Genocide by Linda Keller. May 2001. (http://www.asil.org/insights/insigh72.htm) 

International Criminal Tribunals (University of Minnesota) (http://www1.umn.edu/humanrts/links/intrib.html) 

An extensive collection of links to basic documents, media outlets, and other sources relating to all aspects of the Yugoslavian and Rwandan crises. 

4. Nuremberg & Tokyo War Crimes Trials

Nuremberg War Crimes Trials (http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/imt/imt.htm) 

The Avalon Project at the Yale Law School electronically published the Trial of the Major War Criminals before the International Military Tribunal: Proceedings Volumes and Nazi Conspiracy and Aggression as well as key documents relating to the trials. 

Nuremberg Trials Project (http://nuremberg.law.harvard.edu/) 

The Harvard Law School Library has approximately one million pages of documents relating to the trial of military and political leaders of Nazi Germany before the International Military Tribunal (IMT) and to the twelve trials of other accused war criminals before the United States Nuremberg Military Tribunals (NMT). The documents include trial transcripts, briefs, document books, evidence files, and other papers which have been digitized and made available, along with analytical information and search capabilities. 

Web Genocide Documentation Centre (http://www.ess.uwe.ac.uk/genocide/war_criminals.htm) 

Reproduces the original texts of United Nations War Crimes Commission documents, predominantly taken from the Law-Reports of Trials of War Criminals and History of the United Nations War Crimes Commission and the Development of the Laws of War. 

 

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D. Regional Courts

European Court of Human Rights (http://www.echr.coe.int/ECHR/) 

European Commission of Human Rights (http://cmiskp.echr.coe.int/tkp197/default.htm) 

Due to an increasing caseload, a full-time European Court of Human Rights was restructured and began operations in November 1998. This restructuring eliminated the Commission of Human Rights. Reports and decisions prior to the cessation of Commission activities in October 1999 can be located on the HUDOC database.  The HUDOC Manual (http://cmiskp.echr.coe.int/tkp197/hudoc-en/Help/ECHR_Portal_User_Manual.pdf) provides details regarding the content of this database.

European Court of Justice (http://europe.eu.int/cj/en/index.htm) 

Inter-American Court of Human Rights (http://www1.umn.edu/humanrts/iachr/iachr.html) 

Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (http://www1.umn.edu/humanrts/cases/commissn.htm) 

Both Inter-American sites are maintained by the University of Minnesota Human Rights Library. 

E. National Courts

Many international criminal law issues fall within the jurisdiction of national courts, so researchers will find relevant information by searching for cases within the individual judicial systems of specific countries. Several websites offer thorough coverage of the countries of the world. Note, however, that all countries do not provide electronic access to their judicial documents. 

Lexadin World Law Guide (http://www.lexadin.nl/wlg/courts/nofr/courts.htm) 

Provides direct links to courts and judicial decisions in over 40 countries. 

The following sites provide an eclectic array of links to all countries in the world. 

Findlaw (http://www.findlaw.com/12international/countries/index.html)

Hieros Gamos (http://www.hg.org/index.html)

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V. Crime Prevention, Prosecution and Criminal Justice

The very nature of international and transnational crime makes the prevention and prosecution of these crimes multi-dimensional and quite complex. Once a suspected criminal is apprehended questions immediately arise regarding jurisdiction, prisoner transfer, extradition, and various procedural issues requiring mutual assistance among nations. Precise mechanisms governing these issues are not always in place. When there are mechanisms, they can take the form of multilateral conventions, bilateral treaties, or letters of agreement negotiated on a case by case basis. 
 

UN Office on Drugs and Crime (http://www.unodc.org) 

The UNODC is the office responsible for activities related to crime prevention, criminal justice and criminal law reform. It focuses on combating transnational organised crime, corruption, and illicit trafficking in human beings. The Office's primary efforts are on formulating and monitoring internationally accepted standards and norms. The Criminal Justice Standards and Norms (http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/justice-and-prison-reform/compendium.html) brings together all existing United Nations standards and norms on this subject. The website also contains United Nations Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice documents (http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/commissions/CCPCJ/index.html) and the materials related to the UN Congresses on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders (http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/commissions/crime-congresses.html), including extensive documentation for the 11th Congress in Bangkok, April 18-25, 2005. Data sets for the UN Surveys of Crime Trends and Operations of Criminal Justice Systems (http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/data-and-analysis/United-Nations-Surveys-on-Crime-Trends-and-the-Operations-of-Criminal-Justice-Systems.html) as well as other studies on new and emerging forms of crime are also available. 

International Centre for Criminal Law Reform and Criminal Justice Policy (ICCLRCJP) (http://www.icclr.law.ubc.ca/) 

The Centre, located at the University of British Columbia, is a component of the UN Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Programme Network (http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/crime_cicp_uncjin_institutes.html). It includes the Centre's papers and reports on aboriginal justice, the common curriculum, domestic violence, economic and organized crime, environment, the ICC, juvenile justice, peacekeeping, and sentencing. 

 

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A. Extradition and Mutual Assistance

Model Treaty on Extradition (http://www.uncjin.org/Standards/Rules/r17/r17.html) 

This model treaty was adopted by the Eighth UN Crime Congress, August 27-September 7, 1990. Extradition treaties are usually bilateral agreements between specific countries. Searching the official government websites of the parties to the extradition treaty may provide links to these documents. 

Cooperation in criminal matters throughout Europe is facilitated by treaties and agreements negotiated under the auspices of the Council of Europe and the European Union. 

Council of Europe Treaties (http://conventions.coe.int) 

European Convention on Extradition (ETS No. 24) signed on 13 December 1957, entered into force on 18 April 1960. 

European Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters (ETS No. 30) signed on 20 April 1959, entered into force on 12 June 1962. 

European Convention on the International Validity of Criminal Judgments (ETS No. 70) signed on 28 May 1970, entered into force on 26 July 1974. 

European Convention on the Transfer of Proceedings in Criminal Matters (ETS No. 73) signed on 15 May 1972, entered into force on 30 March 1978. 

Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons (ETS No. 112) signed on 21 March 1983, entered into force on 1 July 1985. 

Convention on Laundering, Search, Seizure and Confiscation of the Proceeds from Crime (ETS No. 141) signed on 8 November 1990, entered into force on 1 September 1993. 

Organization of American States (OAS) (http://www.oas.org) 

The Inter-American Treaties database is an extensive collection of OAS treaties and agreements, including ratification and status information. The database can be reached via the OAS home page by clicking on Documents, then Treaties and Conventions. The text of treaties dealing with extradition and mutual assistance can be found under the subject Judicial Cooperation. Some relevant agreements include: 

  • Inter-American Convention on Extradition (B-47)
  • Inter-American Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters (A-55), and Optional Protocol (A-59)
  • Inter-American Convention on Extraterritorial Validity of Foreign Judgments and Arbitral Awards (B-41)
  • Inter-American Convention on the Taking of Evidence Abroad (B-37), and Additional Protocol (B-51)

 

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B. Law Enforcement

International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL) (http://www.interpol.int) 

The idea of forming an international police organization had its roots in discussions held as early as 1914. In 1923, the International Criminal Police Organization was created, and later, in 1956, evolved into the modern organization known as INTERPOL. This website offers detailed explanations of Interpol's administrative structure and basic principles, including the activities of Interpol's General Assembly. The Legal Materials section includes Interpol's constitution, regulations, reports, resolutions, and cooperative agreements. Other sections contain information and legislation concerning crimes against children, stolen works of art, drugs, payment (debit) cards, forensic identification, vehicle crime, and terrorism. The site also features descriptive lists and pictures of wanted criminals, missing children, and stolen and recovered works of art. 

INTERPOL United States National Central Bureau (USNCB) (http://www.usdoj.gov/usncb) 

In addition to the critical role it plays in facilitating international police cooperation, the USNCB is also a point of contact for the Cultural Property Program and the State & Local Police Liaison Program. The Cultural Property Program (http://www.usdoj.gov/usncb/cultprop/cultureabout.htm) page links to Interpol's Works of Art site which includes descriptions and photos of a wide range of stolen cultural property, pictures of "Recently Stolen Works of Art", and details on how to report the loss or theft of cultural property. The State & Local Police Liaison Division (http://www.usdoj.gov/usncb/StateLiaison/statehome.html) facilitates the exchange of information and requests between foreign and domestic police. It maintains a network roster of liaison coordinators and instructions for filing a Request for International Assistance. It also links to the Department of State publication concerning Consular Notification and Access (http://travel.state.gov/law/consular/consular_753.html), which describes U.S. policy regarding foreign nationals in the United States and the rights of consular officials to assist them. 

Europol (European Police Office) (http://www.europol.eu) 

The Europol Convention (http://www.europol.europa.eu/index.asp?page=legal) was ratified by all Member States and came into force on 1 October 1998. Europol's mission is to "improve the effectiveness and cooperation between the competent authorities of the Member States in preventing and combating serious international organised crime."  The Publications page (http://www.europol.europa.eu/index.asp?page=publications&language=) includes Europol publications such asorganised crime reports, serious crime overviews, threat assessment reports and annual reports.

International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) (http://www.theiacp.org) 

 Founded in 1893, the IACP provides assistance and direction to police professionals from over 80 nations. Its Private Sector Liaison Committee (PSLC) (http://www.theiacp.org/div_sec_com/committees/pslc.htm) sponsors publications on topics such as drugs and violence in the workplace, product tampering, and a model substance abuse policy. 

Police Officer's Internet Directory (http://www.officer.com) 

This "Directory" is a user-friendly list of links of interest to the law enforcement community world wide. It is organized into subjects covering, for example, US and international agencies, police associations, hate groups, law libraries, investigations, listservs, and "most wanted" lists from around the world. 

 

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VI. Specific Crimes
A. Human Rights and War Crimes

Many international crimes, such as genocide, crimes against humanity, slavery, torture, and war crimes are considered violations of the norms of human rights and, as such, are usually covered extensively in traditional human rights research sources. Refer to the chapter on Human Rights  (http://www.asil.org/resource/humrts1.htm) in this Guide for a thorough treatment of research methods in this area. 

University of Minnesota Human Rights Library, War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity, Including Genocide (http://www1.umn.edu/humanrts/instree/auox.htm) 

This page features links to specific documents and publications such as the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, the Nuremberg Rules, the Convention on the Non-Applicability of Statutory Limitations to War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity, and the Principles of International Co-Operation in the Detection, Arrest, Extradition and Punishment of Persons Guilty of War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity. 

War Crimes Studies Center (http://ist-socrates.berkeley.edu/%7Ewarcrime/index.htm)

The U.C. Berkeley War Crimes Studies Center was founded in 2000 to further the understanding of war crimes. Their activities include training judges, monitoring tribunals, and locating & collecting documentation.   The web site includes regular reports from Sierra Leone, East Timor, and Indonesia, as well as other historical preservation projects. 

The Cambodian Genocide Program (http://www.yale.edu/cgp) 

The Cambodian Genocide Program is studying the events of the Pol Pot era, to learn as much as possible about the tragedy, and to help determine who was responsible for the crimes of this regime. Major sections of the website include the Documentation Center of Cambodia (http://www.yale.edu/cgp/dccam.html) and the Cambodian Genocide Data Bases (CGDB) (http://www.yale.edu/cgp/databases.html) There are "four different types of information in CGDB: bibliographic, biographic, photographic and geographic. The bibliographic database contains records on some 2,000 primary and secondary documents dealing with atrocities in the Khmer Rouge regime. The biographic database is an index of more than 6,000 Khmer Rouge military and political leaders, and many victims of the Khmer Rouge regime. The photographic database is a display of more than 5,000 prisoner mug shots taken at the Tuol Sleng Prison. The geographic database is a collection of maps showing the precise locations of more than 5,000 mass grave pits, as well as dozens of Khmer Rouge prisons and memorials to their victims." 

European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) (http://www.cpt.coe.int/en/about.htm) 

In 1987 the Council of Europe drafted the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (http://www.cpt.coe.int/en/documents/ecpt.htm) to prevent torture or inhuman or degrading treatment of prisoners. Since the Convention provides for non-judicial mechanisms to protect detainees, enforcement is based on a system of visits by members of the CPT. Reports of these visits and CPT statements are available in the CPT Database (http://www.cpt.coe.int/en/database.htm). The text and background information on the Convention, summary reports, text of additional Protocols, status of signatures & ratifications, and Rules of Procedure can be found on the CPT: Reference Documents page (http://www.cpt.coe.int/en/docsref.htm). Documents State by State (http://www.cpt.coe.int/en/states.htm) provides press releases, site visit information, and selected CPT reports for each of the 41 member states.

 

 

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B. Organized Crime and Narcotics

Organized crime encompasses a wide range of illegal activities such as drug trafficking, money laundering, counterfeiting, credit card fraud, traffic in persons, illegal arms and weapons trading, criminal offenses against the environment, and even car theft. Generally speaking, organized crime can be any illegal activity that has evolved to the level of a business enterprise. 

International Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (http://www.uncjin.org/Documents/Conventions/conventions.html) or (http://www.uncjin.org/Documents/documents.html) 

The signing of the Convention in Palermo, Italy during the week of 12-15 December 2000 marked "a significant step forward in international cooperation on the rule of law and global crime." Special conferences, forums, press releases, conference events and celebrations are chronicled at the Convention website. Texts of the convention, signatures, and proceedings of the meetings of the Ad Hoc Committee are available at the UNCJIN Documents (http://www.uncjin.org/Documents/documents.html) website. Three Protocols to the Convention address the illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in firearms, the illegal trafficking in and transport of migrants, and the international trafficking in women and children.

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime(UNODC) (http://www.unodc.org/unodc/index.html) 

Formerly known as the UN Office on Drug Control and Crime Prevention (UNDCCP), this agency is responsible for coordinating activities relating to international control of corruption, human trafficking, illicit drugs, money laundering, organized crime, and terrorism. In keeping with its mission, the UNODC website brings together information on the activities of the UNODC, the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ), (http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/commissions/CCPCJ/index.html) the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) (http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/commissions/CND/index.html), and the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB). It also includes a summary of the World Drug Report (http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/data-and-analysis/WDR.html) and drug-related resolutions and decisions made by the UN General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) (http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/commissions/CND/09-resolutions.html). 

Transnational Crime and Corruption Center (TraCCC) (http://policy-traccc.gmu.edu//) 

TraCCC is a a research center within the School of Public Policy at George Mason University , dedicated to the research of trends in organized crime and corruption. With eight overseas organized crime and corruption research centers, they are able to assess crime and corruption both regionally and nationally. The Center provides Web access to the publications of their center directors and research scholars. The Resources page includes a searchable database of in-house publications, bibliographies, and external links to information on arms, corruption, cybercrime, drugs, environmental crime, money laundering, terrorism, and white collar crime, to name a few.

International Centre for Criminal Law Reform and Criminal Justice Policy (ICCLRCJP) (http://www.icclr.law.ubc.ca) 

The Centre monitors activities concerning economic and organized crime and provides programs and publications in areas such as criminal law reform in China, international money laundering, and problems of investigation and prosecution, such as Model Guidelines for the Effective Prosecution of Crimes Against Children (http://www.icclr.law.ubc.ca/Publications/Reports/modelguidelines-2001.pdf). A resource manual on Model Strategies and Practical Measures on the Elimination of Violence Against Women in the Field of Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (http://www.icclr.law.ubc.ca/Publications/Reports/Compendium.pdf) is available in full text. 

Drugtext Legal Pages (http://www.drugtext.org/library/legal/) 

Serves as a springboard to UN drug control bodies, treaties on drugs, European Union documents, international reports, articles & papers, legislation & legal proposals, and jurisprudence. It is a section within the larger website, Drug Text: the Internet's Center for Substance Abuse Related Risk Reduction (http://www.drugtext.org) 

International Money Laundering Information Network (IMoLIN) (http://www.imolin.org/) 

IMoLIN was developed in 1996, under the auspices of the United Nations and other governmental agencies, with the goal of assisting governments, organizations and individuals in the fight against money laundering. Most pages at this site are available in at least English, French, and Spanish.  Key features are:

  • Country Pages (https://www.imolin.org/amlid/browse_regions.jsp?lf=1070&lang=en): provide full text of national legislation relating to money laundering.
  • International Norms and Standards (http://www.imolin.org/imolin/en/int_statndards.html): includes a comprehensive list of  relevant UN instruments , model laws, and a listing of regional money laundering standards.
  • Reference section (http://www.imolin.org/imolin/en/reference.html):  includes a money laundering bibliography of books and articles and research papers relating to these issues.
  • Anti-Money Laundering International Database (AMLID): a passworded, secure database of contact information and legal documents used as a tool by law enforcement.

Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FINCEN) (http://www.fincen.gov/) 

FINCEN, a U.S. Treasury Department agency, was created to establish, oversee and implement policies to prevent and detect money laundering. The site includes a list of countries with transaction advisories, bank secrecy regulatory information, surveys and reports on money laundering and cybercrime, publications, and news releases. 

Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering (FATF) (http://www1.oecd.org/fatf) 

FATF is one of the key organizations that addresses the global problem of money laundering. Formed by the G-7 Economic Summit in 1989, the FATF is comprised of 26 countries, the European Commission and the Gulf Cooperation Council. It is dedicated to promoting the development of effective anti-money laundering controls and enhanced cooperation in counter-money laundering efforts around the world. The site includes FATF reports and documents such as: 

  • FATF Standards
  • Identifying Non-Cooperative Countries and Territories
  • Money Laundering Trends and Techniques 
  • Annual Reports

ASIL Insights (http://www.asil.org/insights.htm) 

ASIL Insights are brief essays on current topics by international law experts. Insights are not designed to argue a position, but rather to inform decision-makers and the public of the relevance of international law to current events. 

The OECD Convention on Bribery, by Geoffrey R. Watson. March 1998. (http://www.asil.org/insights/insigh14.htm) 

 

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C. Cyber Crime

CyberCrime (http://www.cybercrime.gov) 

This site is maintained by the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) of the Criminal Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. It is primarily a clearinghouse for information on legal and policy issues relating to cybercrime, including cases, legislation, and related documents. 

Council of Europe (http://conventions.coe.int/) 

The Council of Europe has negotiated several agreements concerning cybercrime: 

The Council also maintains a cyber crime web page promoting the provisions of the International Convention on Cybercrime.

OAS Cyber Crime Legal Agenda (http://www.oas.org/juridico/english/cyber.htm) 

This website is part of the OAS Inter-American Legal Agenda. The Cyber Crime section reports on activities in which the OAS participates in its effort to combat cybercrime. The site includes reports and documents from meetings of the Government Experts on Cyber Crime, along with other relevant conference reports. 

Privacy International (http://www.privacyinternational.org) 

Privacy International is an independent, non-government organization with the primary role of advocacy and support to raise awareness about the development of national surveillance systems. Their Cyber-Crime page includes a summary of G7/G8 activities concerning cybercrime and discussions of other European efforts at controlling cybercrime. The Legal Library Web page provides the texts of agreements on data protection and privacy from a variety of countries and regions. 

 

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D. Environmental Crime

Cooperation in criminal matters throughout Europe is facilitated by treaties and agreements negotiated under the auspices of the Council of Europe and the European Union. 

Council of Europe Treaties (http://conventions.coe.int/treaty/EN/v3MenuTraites.asp)   

Convention on the Protection of the Environment through Criminal Law (ETS No. 172), opened for signature on 4 November 1998, not yet entered into force.

International Centre for Criminal Law Reform and Criminal Justice Policy (ICCLRCJP) (http://www.icclr.law.ubc.ca) 

In addition to its monitoring activities in organized crime described earlier in this section, the Centre also gathers information on issues concerning Environmental Crime. Access is provided to the report from the International Meeting of Experts, held in Portland, Oregon in 1994, entitled Use of Criminal Sanctions in the Protection of the Environment: Internationally, Domestically and Regionally
(http://www.icclr.law.ubc.ca/Site%20Map/Publications%20Page/Environmental_Protection.htm). 

Refer to the chapter on International Environmental Law in this Guide for a thorough treatment of research methods in this area (http://www.asil.org/resource/env1.htm). 

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E. Terrorism

1. United Nations Conventions & Related Documents

UN Action To Counter Terrorism (http://www.un.org/terrorism/). 

This is the U.N.'s official website for collecting and reporting on U.N. actions against terrorism. It provides up-to-the-minute coverage of the latest developments, including press releases and web cast statements.  The U.N. "opened a new phase in their counter-terrorism efforts by agreeing on a global strategy to counter terrorism . The strategy, adopted on 8 September 2006 and formally launched on 19 September 2006 marks the first time that countries around the world agree to a common strategic approach to fight terrorism."

Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force (http://www.un.org/terrorism/cttaskforce.shtml)  is the UN system-wide  strategy to combat terrorism.

U.N Conventions on Terrorism (http://untreaty.un.org/English/Terrorism.asp).

Charter of the United Nations, Chapter 7, Action with Respect to Threats to the Peace, Breaches of the Peace, and Acts of Aggression (Articles 39-51) (http://www.un.org/aboutun/charter/chapter7.htm).

UN Action to Counter Terrorism: International Instruments to Counter Terrorism  (http://www.un.org/terrorism/instruments.shtml).  Since 1963, the international community has elaborated 13 universal legal instruments to prevent terrorist acts.  This web page links to the major terrorism treaties currently in force and monitors the work of the UN in drafting new terrorism treaties.  Treaty texts and current status information can be found at the UN Treaty Collections: Terrorism page (http://untreaty.un.org/English/Terrorism.asp)

General Assembly Resolutions condemning terrorism (http://www.un.org/terrorism/resolutions.shtml). 

This page gathers General Assembly resolutions on terrorism back to the 30th Session,  Reports of the Sixth Committee since the 40th Session, and documentation from the Ad Hoc Committee formed to elaborate a convention on measures to eliminate international terrorism.  

Security Council Resolutions condemning terrorism (http://www.un.org/terrorism/sc-res.shtml). 

This page includes the text of Resolutions, Presidential Statements and Verbatim Records of Security Council anti-terrorism actions.

Security Council Committee on Counter-Terrorism (CTC) (http://www.un.org/sc/ctc/), which was established by SC Resolution 1373 of 28 September 2001.

United Nations Global Programme against Terrorism (http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/terrorism/index.html) 

In 1999, the U.N. General Assembly established the Terrorism Prevention Branch (TPB) to research terrorism and assist countries in preventing terroristic acts. In 2002 it evolved into the Global Programme against Terrorism, a framework for the operational activities of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime. The site provides background information on terrorism and links to all relevant U.N. anti-terrorism conventions (http://www.unodc.org/unodc/terrorism_conventions.html). The Programme drafted the UN Legislative Guide to the Universal Anti-Terrorism Conventions and Protocols (http://www.unodc.org/unodc/terrorism_convention_overview.html) to serve as a guide for implementing the terrorism instruments.  

Ad Hoc Committee established by General Assembly resolution 51/210 of 17 Dec.1996 (http://www.un.org/law/terrorism/index.html) 

2. Other International Governmental Organizations

Regional Conventions on Terrorism (http://untreaty.un.org/English/Terrorism.asp) 

This page provides the text and status of conventions deposited with the U.N. Secretary General and the anti-terrorism conventions of the League of Arab States, the Organization of the Islamic Conference, the Council of Europe, the OAS, the OAU, the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).  

European Union (http://europa.eu) 

Terrorism - the EU on the Move (http://europa.eu.int/comm/justice_home/news/terrorism/index_en.htm), by the office of Justice and Home Affairs, provides documentation of EU Commission actions in response to terrorism, including links to COM documents, adoptions, proposals, programmes, press releases, and speeches. 

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) (http://www.nato.int/) 

As terrorism against members of the alliance escalates and the focus turns to counter-terrorism, basic NATO agreements and policy documents gain significance. The official NATO website provides timely and complete coverage of institutional activities, including information on NATO structures and policies, official documents, current agenda and the latest developments relating to them.  

NATO and the Scourge of Terrorism (http://www.nato.int/terrorism/index.htm) provides basic NATO documents relating to terrorism including official statements, speeches, audio tapes of press conferences, and photos of meetings.
Article 51 of the U.N. Charter (http://www.nato.int/docu/basictxt/bt-un51.htm)
North Atlantic Treaty (The Washington Treaty) (http://www.nato.int/docu/basictxt/treaty.htm)
Informal Defence Ministers Meeting, September 26, 2001 (http://www.nato.int/docu/comm/2001/0109-hq/0109-hq.htm)
NATO Online Library (http://www.nato.int/docu/home.htm)

3. Other Terrorism Resources

American Society of International Law Resources on Terrorism (http://www.asil.org/terrorind.htm) 

This website gathers all of the ASIL terrorism resources together in a single arrangement. It includes relevant treaty and convention documents, a Bibliography on Terrorism from the ASIL library (http://www.asil.org/resources/bios.html), and links to ASIL Insights and excerpts from the American Journal of International Law on terrorism. 

Memorial Institute for the Prevention of Terrorism (MIPT)  (http://www.mipt.org/)

Originally incorporated in Oklahoma Citiy on September 23, 1999 as a non-profit corporation, the National Memorial Institute for the Prevention of Terrorism grew out of the desire of the survivors and families of the Murrah Federal Building bombing of April 19, 1995 to have a "living memorial" dedicated to preventing terrorism or mitigating its effects.  The Institute sponsors conferences, educational programs, research and scholarship into all aspects of terrorism.  The Institute's Terrorism Knowledge Base  (http://www.tkb.org/) is a comprehensive resource for the analysis and research of domestic and international terrorism. The database contains over 20,000 global terrorist incidents (1968 to present), organizations, and legal data related to terrorism.  It features interactive maps, profiles of terrorist groups and their leaders, and insights into terrorist ideology and individual personalities, and incident analysis tools. The Information Resources section contains thousands of articles, brochures, reports, video and audio recordings, and books.

The MIPT is also home to several databases designed to provide comprehensive information to emergency responders and law enforcement.  The Responder Knowledge Base is a national knowledge base of equipment-related information serving the emergency responder, and Lessons Learned Information Sharing system is a national knowledge base of lessons learned and best practices serving the emergency responder community.

JURIST: The Legal Education Network: Terrorism Law & Policy (http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/terrorism.htm) 

Located at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, this page is part of a larger network of legal educational websites. In addition to continuously updated news sources, the Terrorism page includes listings of counterterrorism agencies and initiatives, anti-terrorism laws, statutes and treaties, terrorism studies, bibliographies, and academic commentary.  

Terrorism Research Center (http://www.terrorism.com/) 

The Center is "an independent institute dedicated to the research of terrorism, information warfare, and other issues related to low-intensity political violence and gray-area phenomena." The site is divided into several sections, Analysis, References, Profiles, Documents, and Infowar (Information Warfare Research Center). It features monthly essays on current issues, internally created research, news, and links to other terrorism websites. 

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (http://www.carnegieendowment.org/) 

Founded in 1910, the Carnegie Endowment is a private nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing cooperation among nations and promoting active international engagement by the United States. Proliferation News and Resources (http://www.carnegieendowment.org/npp/) include current news, analysis, reports, Resources on Terrorism, and Proliferation Briefs. It also includes country resource pages, information on various weapons of mass destruction, nuclear numbers and tracking, and threat assessments. The Non-Proliferation Project  is an internationally recognized source of information and analysis on weapons of mass destruction. In Washington and Moscow, Carnegie experts conduct an ongoing program of research, analysis, conferences, and comment. 

FATF Terrorist Financing (http://www1.oecd.org/fatf/TerFinance_en.htm)

At an October 2001 plenary meeting of the Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering (FATF), the FATF expanded its mission beyond money laundering to focus on combating terrorist financing. The plenary session drafted eight Special Recommendations on Terrorist Financing . This website includes the special recommendations, a self-assessment questionnaire, and guidance notes for the recommendations.  

Lockerbie Trial (http://www.scotcourts.gov.uk/library/lockerbie/index.asp) 

 The judgment of the Lockerbie trial  is available for downloading in .pdf format or in Microsoft Word. 

BBC News Online (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/1766508.stm)

This site is intended to offer guidance and information to those with an interest in the Lockerbie trial. It contains live video and audio coverage of  the verdict, public reactions, and background reports. Also included are news articles, a chronology of events, and documentation pertaining to indictment, procedure, and evidence.

 

ASIL Insight: The Lockerbie Trial Verdict (http://www.asil.org/insights/insigh61.htm) by Michael P. Scharf. February 2001. 

 

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VII. Statistical Sources

UN Crime and Justice Information Network (UNCJIN): Statistics and Research Sources (http://www.uncjin.org/Statistics/statistics.html) 

Includes the UN Surveys of Crime Trends and Operations of Criminal Justice Systems (http://www.uncjin.org/Statistics/WCTS/wcts.html), the UN International Study on Firearm Regulation (http://www.uncjin.org/Statistics/firearms/index.htm), and an impressive array of links to collections of crime statistics worldwide. 

Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), International Justice Statistics
(http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/ijs.htm) 

This site serves as a complete resource for international criminal statistics. It provides explanations and references to the full range of United Nations statistical sources, International Websites, and National Archive of Criminal Justice Data. International datasets from the National Archive of Criminal Justice Data (http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/ijs.htm#IRNACJD) include crime surveys and studies from individual countries and regions. U.N. data collections include the Global Report on Crime and Justice (http://www.uncjin.org/Special/GlobalReport.html), the International Crime Victim Survey (http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/NACJD/SERIES/00175.xml), and the United Nations International Study on Firearm Regulation (http://www.uncjin.org/Statistics/firearms/index.htm). The World Factbook of Criminal Justice Systems (http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/abstract/wfcj.htm), developed under a BJS grant, provides narrative descriptions of the criminal justice systems of countries around the world. In addition, the Bureau of Justice Statistics compiles the Sourcebook of Criminal Justice Statistics with an emphasis on U.S crime statistics and other data on criminal justice issues. An electronic version of the Sourcebook (http://www.albany.edu/sourcebook) is also available. 

British Home Office Research and Statistics Directorate
(http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/) 

British and international criminal justice statistics. 

University of Michigan Documents Center: Statistical Resources on the Web (http://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/stats.html) 

This is a well organized center for statistical sources on all subjects. Most relevant to criminal law issues are the sections for Foreign Governments and Sociology (which includes crime statistics) 

 

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VIII. Information Clearinghouses and Other Related Sources

National Criminal Justice Reference Service (http://www.ncjrs.gov) 

NCJRS "maintains a database of abstracts for more than 150,000 criminal justice books, journal articles, and reports published by the U.S. Department of Justice, other local, state, and federal government agencies, international organizations, and the private sector." The database is available electronically in several ways: on the Web (http://www.ncjrs.gov/search.html) or on CD-ROM, available by ordering directly from NCJRS. The database can also be searched via DIALOG, a fee-based service for which the user must have an established account. The service also responds directly to over 5,000 specific inquiries per month from around the world. 

National Institute of Justice (NIJ) (http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/) 

The National Institute of Justice (NIJ)is the research agency of the U.S. Department of Justice. NIJ's links with the international community include participation in the network of criminological institutes affiliated with the United Nations; financial and administrative support of the World Justice Information Network (http://www.wjin.net/), a global forum for the exchange of information and ideas concerning international criminal justice; participation in the development of the United Nations Criminal Justice Information Network (UNCJIN); and establishment of an International Center within NIJ.  Articles discussing international crime, in NIJ publications  such as National Institute of Justice Journal,  are available in full-text (http://nij.ncjrs.org/publications/pubs_db.asp). The International Center (http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/international/welcome.htm), which focuses on law and justice across national borders, contains information, reports, and documents on global crime. The Center's International Library provides the ability to search their extensive specialized collection of documents, articles, speeches and news items about transnational and comparative crime. 

State University of NY at Albany, School of Criminal Justice, Links to Criminal Justice Sites (http://library.albany.edu/subject/criminal.htm) 

This comprehensive clearinghouse for U.S. and international criminal law and justice resources features links to national and state laws, court sites, international, federal and state governments, national and international organizations, policing & crime prevention, statistics, prisons and sentencing, drugs, victims of crime, and more. 

 

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This page was last updated on April 8, 2008.