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europe

Results for europe

4674 total results found

1031 non-duplicate results found.

Author: Englund, Cecilia

Title: The Organisation of Human Trafficking: A Study of Criminal Involvement in Sexual Exploitation in Sweden, Finland and Estonia

Summary: Trafficking in human beings for sexual purposes has attracted great attention in recent years. Many activities have been initiated to combat such global trafficking. However, some areas may have been neglected, in particular the situation with regard to criminal activity. This report sheds light on this aspect, as its aim is to describe trafficking in human beings for a sexual purpose with a focus on the organisation of the criminal networks involved. The study in Sweden, Finland and Estonia This report is based on a study carried out in 2007-2008 in three countries on the Baltic Sea: Sweden, Finland and Estonia. The aim of the study was to examine the organisation and structures of criminal networks involved in human trafficking for sexual purposes and the conditions and factors of the market and the trade in Sweden, Finland and Estonia. Further, the process of trafficking was studied, from recruitment in the country of origin, to the transporting of women and girls to the country of destination, where procuring has taken place. This study has been carried out by the Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention together with the European Institute for Crime Prevention and Control (HEUNI) and the Institute of Law at Tartu University in Estonia.

Details: Stockholm: Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention, 2008. 192p.

Source: Report 2008:21: Accessed Dec. 10, 2018 at: https://www.bra.se/download/18.cba82f7130f475a2f1800023448/1371914733517/2008_21_human_trafficking.pdf

Year: 2008

Country: Europe

Keywords: Criminal Networks

Shelf Number: 113237


Author: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime

Title: Crime and Its Impact on the Balkans and Affected Countries

Summary: This report concludes that the Balkans have become a low-crime region after the turmoil of conflict and violence that resulted from the process of post-communist transition and break-up of Yugoslavia. However, the report warns that the region remains vulnerable to instability caused by enduring links between business, politics and organized crime.

Details: Vienna: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 2008. 126p.

Source:

Year: 2008

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Trafficking (Balkan Penninsula)

Shelf Number: 110824


Author: Kecse-Nagy, Katalin

Title: Wildlife Trade in Central and Eastern Europe: A Review of CITES Implementation in 15 Countries

Summary: This report presents an overview of wildlife trade-related issues in Central and Eastern Europe, including an analysis of the region's role in global trade in wild animals and plants, examining trade trends and volumes, with a particular focus on species groups that are native to the region and listed in the Appendices of CITES.

Details: Budapest: TRAFFIC Europe, 2006. 126p.

Source:

Year: 2006

Country: Europe

Keywords: Wild Animal Trade

Shelf Number: 117301


Author: Kilmer, Beau

Title: Understanding Illicit Drug Markets, Supply-Reduction Efforts, and Drug-Related Crime in the European Union

Summary: Efforts to provide insight into the different aspects of Europe's illicit drug problems have largely focused on indicators development to assess demand-side strategies. The development of measures capturing dimensions of the supply of different illicit substances is an emerging field in the European Union. To advance these effects, the European Commission commissioned a study to recommend indicators for improving the understanding of illicit drug markets, supply reduction efforts, and drug-related crime in the European Union. This study presents a review of the literature and RAND's previous work in this area, as well as insights from European experts and policymakers.

Details: Cambridge, UK: RAND, 2010. 210p.

Source: Internet Resource; RAND Corporation Technical Report Series; TR755

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Control (Europe)

Shelf Number: 117144


Author: Kvinnoforum

Title: Honour Related Violence: European Resource Book and Good Practise: Based on the European Project 'Prevention of Violence Against Women and Girls in Patriarchal Families'

Summary: This resource book is an outcome of a European project regarding honour related violence. It is meant to increase and improve the support to those who suffer from honour related violence, and to prevent the future occurrence of this violence.

Details: Stockholm: Kvinnoforum, 2005. 262p.

Source:

Year: 2005

Country: Europe

Keywords: Honor Related Violence (Europe)

Shelf Number: 116262


Author: Brady, Hugo

Title: The EU and the Fight Against Organised Crime

Summary: This report calls for closer EU co-operation to fight organized crime. It points out that while criminals can move easily between EU countries, national policemen cannot. The report examines what the EU's role is in helping member-states to tackle the threat of organized crime, and whether police forces are working together closely enough to break up organized criminal networks.

Details: London: Centre for European Reform, 2007. 40p.

Source: Working Paper (Centre for European Reform)

Year: 2007

Country: Europe

Keywords: Criminal Networks

Shelf Number: 113795


Author: Laniel, Laurent

Title: Cocaine: A European Union Perspective in the Global Context

Summary: This report provides an overview of what is known about how cocaine is produced and trafficked into the European Union. It aims to provide a better understanding of the actors involved, the routes taken, and the scale of the problem in Europe. It also reviews some of the supply reduction responses already developed at the European level.

Details: Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2010. 42p.

Source: EMCDDA-Europol Joint Publication No. 2

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Cocaine

Shelf Number: 118249


Author: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction

Title: Drug Offences: Sentencing and Other Outcomes

Summary: The sentences that offenders receive for drug law violations across the European Union are examined. By analysing the most recent year's statistics, this report attempts to answer the question: What is the most likely outcome for an offender after being stopped by police for a drug law offense of use or personal possession, or supply or trafficking.

Details: Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2009. 23p.

Source: Selected Issue 2009

Year: 2009

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Offences

Shelf Number: 118250


Author: Olszewski, Deborah

Title: Sexual Assaults Facilitated by Drugs or Alcohol

Summary: Over the past 10 years, there has been a rise in the number of reports of drugs and alcohol being used to immobilize victims for the purpose of sexual assault. Population surveys carried out in six European Union countries suggest that up to 20% of women expeerience some form of sexual assault in their adult lifetime. A lack of appropriate monitoring system means that the full scale of drug-facilitated sexual assault remains unknown. Better monitoring of the phenomenon is an essential first step in addressing the problem.

Details: Lisbon: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, 2008. 17p.

Source: Technical Data Sheet

Year: 2008

Country: Europe

Keywords: Acquaintance Rape

Shelf Number: 118251


Author: Hartwig, Christina

Title: Report on Tobacco Smoking in Prison

Summary: Ths use of tobacco displays a great burden of disease, with 4.9 million tobacco-attributed deaths worldwide each year. To tackle the tobacco epidemic and the associated health problems, the European Cmomission, the Member States and the World Health Organization have been running campaigns against tobacco for many years. This report presents the results of an inquiry on smoking bans in European prisons and reveals that 22 (79%) out of 28 respondents (EU-Member States plus Switzerland and Monaco) have introduced smoking bans in all of their prisons. The report ends with recommendations on tobacco control policies in prisons, on implementation of smoke-free environments, on smoking prevention and quitting support, as well as priority research.

Details: Brussels, Belgium: European Commission, Directorate General for Health and Consumers, 2008. 36p.

Source: Final Report Work Package 7

Year: 2008

Country: Europe

Keywords: Health

Shelf Number: 113900


Author: United Nations Children's Fund - UNICEF

Title: Trafficking in Children in Kosovo: A Study on Protection and Assistance Provided to Children Victims of Trafficking

Summary: The aims of this study are twofold: the first relates to statistics and data of identified cases of trafficking in Kosovo, with focus on children, and the second relates to the services provided to victims of trafficking including procedures followed when the victim is a child.

Details: Pristina, Kosovo: UNICEF, 2004. 78p.

Source:

Year: 2004

Country: Europe

Keywords: Child Prostitution (Kosovo)

Shelf Number: 111742


Author: European Network and Information Security Agency

Title: ATM Crime: Overview of the European Situation and Golden Rules on How to Avoid It

Summary: This white paper provides a set of recommendations to raise user awareness about the different types of risks faced when using an ATM, along with advice on how to identify and counter them.

Details: Heraklion, Greece: ENISA, 2009. 36p.

Source:

Year: 2009

Country: Europe

Keywords: ATM Machines (Security)

Shelf Number: 117370


Author: Levi, Michael

Title: Money Laundering Risks and E-Gaming: A European Overview and Assessment: Final Report

Summary: This report reviews the threat that money laundering through the e-gaming industry presents and could plausibly present to society, and the ways in which the regulated e-gaming industry discharges its duty to reduce money laundering in the EU.

Details: Cardiff: Cardiff University, 2009. 30p.

Source: Internet Resource

Year: 2009

Country: Europe

Keywords: Internet Gambling

Shelf Number: 117769


Author: Jonge, Boudewijn de

Title: Eurojust and Human Trafficking: The State of Affairs

Summary: This report assesses the current role of Eurojust in the fight against human trafficking and offers suggestions to further strengthen the support by Eurojust to Member States. First, the report presents an overview of the fight against human trafficking in the European Union, and then describes the current role of Eurojust in resolving the indicated problems.

Details: The Hague: Eurojust, 2005. 77p.

Source:

Year: 2005

Country: Europe

Keywords: Human Trafficking

Shelf Number: 118342


Author: Crago, Anna-Louise

Title: Arrest the Violence: Human Rights Abuses Against Sex Workers in Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia

Summary: This report examines police abuse of sex workers in Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The report is based on interviews with more than 200 male, female and transgender sex workers between 2007 and 2009 and documents widespread violence and discrimination against them, particularly by state actors. It calls for governments throughout the region to hold police accountable for crimes such as extortion, rape, beatings and other abuse.

Details: Budapest: Sex Workers' Rights Advocacy Network, 2009. 74p.

Source:

Year: 2009

Country: Europe

Keywords: Prostitutes

Shelf Number: 118301


Author: Wetton, Charlotte

Title: Women in Prison: A Review of the Conditions in Member States of the Council of Europe

Summary: This report presents data on the conditions of women in prison in the members states of the Council of Europe. The report gives the results and makes recommendations to the European institutions and their members on ways in which conditions for women in prison can be improved. A second part of this report comprises country reports which look in detail at the situation for women in thirteen Council of Europe member states: Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Norway, Romania, Russia, Scotland, Sweden, and the United Kingdom (England and Wales).

Details: Brussels, Belgium: Quaker Council for European Affairs, 2007. 112p., app.

Source:

Year: 2007

Country: Europe

Keywords: Female Inmates (Europe)

Shelf Number: 116726


Author: Mediterranean Institute of Gender Studies

Title: Date Rape Cases Among Young Women: Strategies for Support and Prevention

Summary: This report investigates the incidence of data rape among young women in five European countries including Cyprus, Greece, Latvia, Malta and Lithuania. The study investigates the incidence of data rape among female students in each participating country; explores the attitudes and experiences of female students regarding date rape; and develops recommendations, policies and strategies for victim support and the prevention of sexual violence and date rape.

Details: Nicosia, Cyprus: University of Nicosia Press, 2008. 55p.

Source:

Year: 2008

Country: Europe

Keywords: Date Rape

Shelf Number: 118535


Author: Hamilton, Carolyn

Title: Justice for Children: Juvenile Crime and Juvenile Justice Practice in Kosovo

Summary: This report presents research findings from a study of the juvenile justice system in Kosovo. The aims of the study were to collect baseline data in order to analyze the rate and nature of juvenile offending in Kosovo; to undertake a thorough analysis of the implementation of the juvenile justice system in Kosovo, and in particular, the implementation of the Juvenile Justice Code 2004; and to provide recommendations on how the juvenile justice system could be strengthened.

Details: Pristina, Kosovo: UNICEF, 2008. 81p.

Source:

Year: 2008

Country: Europe

Keywords: Juvenile Delinquency (Kosovo)

Shelf Number: 114340


Author: Savona, Ernesto U.

Title: MON-EU-TRAF: A Pilot Study on Three European Union Key Immigration Points for Monitoring the Trafficking of Human Beings for the Purpose of Sexual Exploitation Across the European Union

Summary: This project aimed to: monitor and analyse investigative and legal activities on human trafficking for sexual exploitation in three member-states of the European Union (Spain, Italy, Finland), the purpose being to gain a better understanding of the phenomenon, its extent, and its trends, in order to identify common indicators at the European level. The project collected data on the following aspects: the provenance of victims and criminals; organizational structure of criminal groups, trafficking routes and modus operandi; monitoring and analysing the responses (penal and preventative) by the three member-states considered; and to furnish the member-states and the European institutions with a survey grid for data collection and analysis.

Details: Trento, Italy: TRANSCRIME, 2002. 258p.

Source: Internet Resource

Year: 2002

Country: Europe

Keywords: Human Trafficking (Europe)

Shelf Number: 117703


Author: Knapp, Amelie

Title: A Briefing Paper on Marking Techniques Used in the Control of Wildlife in the European Union

Summary: The European Union (EU) is one of the largest and most diverse markets for wildlife and wildlife products in the world. Due to the absence of systematic border controls between EU Member States, the monitoring and control of wildlife trade in the EU is important, especially with regard to detecting illegal activities. Tools and techniques are needed to allow for the adequate identification of species in trade, their source (e.g. wild, captive bred or artificially propagated) and to identify individual specimens. This briefing paper presents a compilation and analysis of marking techniques currently in use in the 25 EU Member States, as well as a short description of identificaion and labelling techniques applicable to wildlife specimens. The aim of this paper is to facilitate the exchange of information and expertise between EU Member States, strengthen the cooperation of the different agencies involved in monitoring and control of trade in wildlife in the EU and thereby increase their efficiency, particularly in Member States where little information on these topics is currently available.

Details: Cambridge, UK: TRAFFIC, 2007. 35p.

Source: Internet Resource; A TRAFFIC European Report for the European Commission, Brussels, Belgium

Year: 2007

Country: Europe

Keywords: Wild Animal Trade

Shelf Number: 118607


Author: Surtees, Rebecca

Title: Anti-Trafficking Data Collection and Information Management in the European Union - a Handbook. The Situation in the Czech Republic, Poland, Portugal and the Slovak Republic

Summary: This handbook aims to present, discuss and test a model for two types of data collection: data about victims of trafficking and data about alleged/convicted perpetrators of trafficking. The handbook is intended as a practical tool and, thus, outlines not only how data can be collected from a methodological and legal perspective but, equally, what type of victims and trafficker/criminal justice information can be important to collect and analyse in efforts to combat human trafficking.

Details: Vienna: International Centre for Migration Policy Development, 2009. 164p.

Source: Internet Resource

Year: 2009

Country: Europe

Keywords: Human Trafficking

Shelf Number: 118729


Author: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)

Title: Implementaion of Police-Related Programmes: Lessons Learned in South-Eastern Europe

Summary: OSCE's police-related activities in South-Eastern Europe have taken place in a challenging environment. In post-conflict societies, police forces had often been discredited by participating in fighting and engaging in serious violations of human rights against their people, or at least against certain segments of society. These police forces had to be reformed in order to gain public confidence in the police. The OSCE was forced to plan and implement its police training and reform projects in this challenging environment, often on short notice and without any templates or an organizational memory to rely upon. This lessons learned report describes and compares the challenges the Law Enforcement Departments (LEDs) of the OSCE field operations faced when they implemented their mandates. Furthermore, the report compiles and compares the strategies and practices the LEDs applied to cope with the challenges.

Details: Vienna: OSCE, 2008. 72p.

Source: Internet Resource; SPMU Publication Series Vol. 7

Year: 2008

Country: Europe

Keywords: Police Reform

Shelf Number: 118668


Author: Madge, Chris

Title: Report on Attacked Transport Drivers 2000-2003

Summary: This study presents information on the extent and nature of assaults on truck drivers, primarily in the U.K. and secondly in Europe. It is based upon face-to-face interviews with truck drivers and more in-depth conversations with senior representatives from trucking industry organizations.

Details: Oxford, UK: European School of Management (ESCP-EAP), 2004. 24p.

Source: Internet Resource; R.O.A.D. (Research on Attacked Drivers)

Year: 2004

Country: Europe

Keywords: Theft of Goods

Shelf Number: 118336


Author: Lovett, Jo

Title: Different Systems, Similar Outcomes? Tracking Attrition in Reported Rape Cases Across Europe

Summary: Attrition, the process by which rape cases fall out of the justice system before reaching trial, has been highlighted as a critical issue in several English-speaking countries with common-law systems, and there is emerging research in some European coutnries. In virtually all countries where major studies have been published, the number of reported rape offenses have increased over the last two decades, yet the number of prosecutions has failed to increase proportionately, resulting in a falling conviction rate. This study, uniquely, sets out to research attrition both in the European context, which has not been widely addressed, and across countries with varying judicial systems and cultures. In this, the first in-depth trans-European attrition study, original primary data have been collected in Austria, Belgium, England & Wales, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Portugal, Scotland and Sweden.

Details: London: Child and Woman Abuse Studies Unit, London Metropolitan University, 2009. 139p.

Source: Internet Resource

Year: 2009

Country: Europe

Keywords: Rape

Shelf Number: 118763


Author: Prison Reform International

Title: Life Imprisonment and Conditions of Serving the Sentence in the South Caucasus Countries

Summary: This report examines the situation of lifetime prisoners in South Caucasus countries. In South Caucasus countries where the criminal justice institutions are in continuous development and the resources are far from comparable with European countries, the difficulties associated with lifetime prisoner's prison conditions and rights are serious ones. It has been reported by different international organizations that the prison conditions in the region are below international standards. The observations state that the lifetime prisoners are threateneed by the lack of possibilities to exercise their rights and possibilities for rehabilitative and other activities during imprisonment are missing as well. The main concerns are about the poor prison conditions in general, but lack of rehabilitation and lack of possibilities for contacts with the outside world are common as well.

Details: Tbilisi, Georgia: PRI South Caucasus Office, 2009. 122p.

Source: Internet Resource; Project Global action to Abolish the Death Penalty

Year: 2009

Country: Europe

Keywords: Life Sentence

Shelf Number: 118672


Author: Loffman, Matt

Title: Investigating Alternatives to Imprisonment Within Council of Europe Member States

Summary: Most people leaving prison re-enter society with a drug addction, few qualifications, and no money and return to the lives within which their crime(s) took place in the first instance. Others will have lost local connections to their family, their job, and their home. In situations such as these the likelihood of repeat offending is high. Acknowledging this, and the fact that the practice of sending individuals to prison frequently leaves the needs of the victims, the offenders themselves, and their respective communities unmet, the Quaker Council for European ffairs has undertaken research into the use of alternatives to imprisonment sentences in Council of Europe members states. This report is the result of this research. Information has been compiled on how frequently different alternatives are used, what their costs are, and how they impact on the offender. The study also analyzed the available information regarding recidivism for imprisonment and the alternatives. This information has been gathered systematically from the criminal justice systems of the members states. The report concludes with reommendations for improvements to the use and management of alternatives to imprisonment sentences.

Details: Brussels: Quaker Council for European Affairs, 2010. 112p.

Source: Internet Resource

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Alternative to Incarceration

Shelf Number: 118700


Author: Council of Europe. Criminal Justice Platform

Title: Responding to Drug Markets and Drug Related Public Nuisance

Summary: This report provides an overview of the hearings of the Pompidou Group Expert Forum on Criminal Justice between 2004 and 2006. During this period five platforms meetings were convened on the subject of open drug scenes, drug-related crime and the types of responses developed in various countries throughout the European Union and beyond. Presentations were heard covering the experience in over thirty cities. The scale and nature of the problem associated with open drug scenes varies from place to place. However, most countries have acknowledged that the complexity of the problem requires a multi-faceted response developed and implemented in partnership between relevant agencies and stakeholders. The report concludes by identifying some common principles underlying the various partnerships schemes and based on the evidence presented at the meetings, outlines a number of good practice guidelines for partnership working.

Details: Strasbourg: Council of Europe, 2006. v.p.

Source: Internet Resource

Year: 2006

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addition

Shelf Number: 118674


Author: Kego, Walter

Title: Countering Narcotics Smuggling in Europe's Eastern Neighborhood

Summary: This report presents the findings from a seminar held in Kiev, Ukraine on November 27-28, 2008. The aim of the seminar was to develop an understanding of criminal trends and activities in the entire region, but also to inquire into what possibilities there are to enhance collaboration in crime prevention in general, and fighting organized trade in narcotics in particular.

Details: Stockholm, Sweden: Institute for Security and Development Policy, 2009. 32p.

Source: Internet Resource; Policy Paper

Year: 2009

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Control

Shelf Number: 116248


Author: Adang, Otto

Title: Policing Football in Europe: Experiences from Peer Review Evaluation Teams

Summary: Large scale public order police operations are a regular occurrence in almost every country, both in the context of sporting events and protest demonstrations. A model developed by Adang in 2000 for the evaluation of large scale police operations in general was developed and applied in practice during the Euro 2000 and 2004 football championships. This report presents the results from this evaluation.

Details: Apeldoorn, The Netherlands: Politie - Police Academy of the Netherlands, 2008. 244p.

Source: Internet Resource

Year: 2008

Country: Europe

Keywords: Crisis Management

Shelf Number: 116476


Author: Hedjam, Sofia

Title: Disappearing, Departing, Running Away. A Surfeit of Children in Europe?

Summary: This report describes the phenomenon of foreign unaccompanied minors disappearing from institutions where they had been placed by authorites in the countries of Belgium, Spain, France and Switzerland. It includes information collected in detail and recommendations to governments, legislative authorities, the judiciary and social services.

Details: Lausanne, Switzerland: Terre des hommes, 2010. 85p.

Source: Internet Resource

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Immigrant Children

Shelf Number: 118594


Author: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction

Title: EMCDDA 2010 Selected Issues - Trends in Injecting Drug Use in Europe

Summary: This report brings together data from a wide variety of sources as it describes Europe's current drug injecting problem and plots its trends in recent years. Responses to drug injecting and measures to reduce the harm caused by this form of drug use are also reviewed. The report finds that the available data point to a stable or declining trend of injecting in most European countries, with effective treatment and harm-reduction measures now reaching many users.

Details: Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2010. 22p.

Source: Internet Resource

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction

Shelf Number: 119140


Author: Hancilova, Blanka

Title: Legislation and the Situation Concerning Trafficking in Human Beings for the Purpose of Sexual Exploitation in EU Member States

Summary: This report explores how EU Member States' legislation and policies on trafficking in human beings for the purpose of sexual exploitation and other relevant areas such as prostitution, immigration and labor influence the situation concerning trafficking in human beings for the purpose of sexual exploitation. It provides the European Commission and the EU Member States with information on how to improve their future legal and programmatic actions in this area.

Details: Vienna: International Centre for Migration Policy Development, 2009. 286p.

Source: Internet Resource

Year: 2009

Country: Europe

Keywords: Human Trafficking

Shelf Number: 117790


Author: Mahmoud, Toman Omar

Title: The Economic Drivers of Human Trafficking: Micro-Evidence from Five Eastern European Countires

Summary: Human trafficking is a humanitarian problem of global scale, but quantitative research on the issue barely exists. This paper is a first attempt to explore the economic drivers of human trafficking and migrant exploitation using micro data. The paper argues that migration pressure combined with informal migration patterns and incomplete information are the key determinants of human trafficking. To test this argument, the study uses a unique new dataset of 5513 households from Belarus, Bulgaria, Moldova, Romania and Ukraine. The main result is in line with expectations: migrant families in high migration areas and with larger migrant networks are much more likely to have a trafficked victim among their members. The results also indicate that illegal migration increases trafficking risks and that awareness campaigns and a reduction of information asymmetries might be an effective strategy to reduce the crime.

Details: Kiel, Germany: Kiel Institute for the World Economy, 2009. 24p.

Source: Internet Resource; Kiel Working Papers No. 1480

Year: 2009

Country: Europe

Keywords: Human Trafficking

Shelf Number: 118686


Author: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction

Title: Montenegro: Country Overview 2009

Summary: This country overview provides a structured synopsis of the trends and characteristics of national drug problems in Montenegro for 2009. It consists of a summary of the national drug situation presenting brief information in key areas - drug prevalence, prevention, harm reduction, drug laws, etc.

Details: Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2009. 22p.

Source: Internet Resource

Year: 2009

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction

Shelf Number: 119127


Author: Gaber, Milica Antic, ed.

Title: Violence in the EU Examined: Policies on Violence Against Women, Children and Youth in 2004 EU Accession Countries

Summary: This report presents the results of a 2-year project conducted by a research team of 10 partner organizations from 10 countries that accessed the EU in 2004. Papers in the report all address the issue of violence against women, children and youth from different theoretical perspectives and analyzed using different methodological approaches. Some of the issues discussed include : sexual harassment; trafficking in persons; sexual exploitation in prostitution and pornography; children as victims of violence in the family; mail-order brides; and labor exploitation.

Details: Ljubljana: University of Ljuljana, Faculty of Arts, 2009. 199p.

Source: Internet Resource

Year: 2009

Country: Europe

Keywords: Forced Labor

Shelf Number: 118683


Author: Council of Europe. Directorate General of Human Rights, Gender Equality and Anti-Trafficking Division

Title: Final Activity Report: Council of Europe Task Force to Combat Violence Against Women, Including Domestic Violence (EG-TFV)

Summary: The aim of the Task Force was to identify measures that had proved effective at national and international level in preventing and combating violence against women, including domestic violence, and to make recommendations on their use in the Council of Europe member states at large. To this end, it has reviewed new policies and practices in this field and has identified measures taken in several member states in terms of legislation, support services and data collection, in order to discern general trends in preventing and combating violence against women. It makes recommendations in all these fields and identifies priority areas for future action by all member states as well as the Council of Europe. Furthermore, it has taken into account the Council of Europe’s previous work in addressing men’s involvement in combating violence against women and has addressed the issue of men’s multiple roles in this field.

Details: Strasbourg: Council of Europe, 2008. 99p.

Source: Internet Resource

Year: 2008

Country: Europe

Keywords: Domestic Violence

Shelf Number: 119229


Author: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe

Title: A Summary of Challenges on Addressing Human Trafficking for Labour Exploitation in the Agricultural Sector in the OSCE Region

Summary: This report provides an analysis of the current challenges within the agricultural sector, aiming to assist to identify the structural issues and deficits of this sector that case or exacerbates a worker's vulnerability. The research found that agricultural workers are especially vulnerable to abuse, exploitation, and trafficking. This overview analyses the international legal framework, the anti-trafficking standards of labour and in particular of migrant workers.

Details: Vienna: OSCE, 2009. 62p.

Source: Internet Resource

Year: 2009

Country: Europe

Keywords: Forced Labor

Shelf Number: 119252


Author: International Association of Public Transport

Title: Fare Evasion in Light Rail Systems

Summary: With the increasing cost pressure in public transport systems, productivity gains must be accompanied by efficient measures to combat fare evasions. This report summarizes the results of a survey conducted in 18 cities, as well as discussions held during meetings of a smaller group of operators exchanging views and experiences, and during face-to-face inerviews on the topic of fare evasion, and offers suggestions for the most efficient strategies for combating the problem.

Details: Brussels: International Association of Public Transport, 2006. 20p.

Source:

Year: 2006

Country: Europe

Keywords: Fare Evasion

Shelf Number: 119169


Author: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction

Title: Cocaine and Crack Cocaine: A Growing Public Health Issue

Summary: This report shows that, in some European countries, there has been a marked increase in recent years in the use of cocaine, in treatment demands for cocaine problems and in seizures of the drug. The potential for cocaine use to have a major impact on public health is examined and special attention given to the health consequences of cocaine use, which are often not well recognised in existing reporting systems. Also examined are the challenges to providing effective treatment for cocaine and crack cocaine dependence.

Details: Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, 2007. 30p.

Source: Internet Resource' EMCDDA 2007 Selected Issue

Year: 2007

Country: Europe

Keywords: Cocaine

Shelf Number: 118622


Author: Cape, Ed

Title: Effective Criminal Defence in Europe: Executive Summary and Recommendations

Summary: This executive summary provides an overview of the results of the research project entitled "Effective defence rights in the EU and access to justice: investigating and promoting best practice', which was conducted over a three year period commencing in September 2007. The aim of the project was to explore and compare access to effective defense in criminal proceedings across nine European jurisdiction.

Details: Antwerp; Intersentia, 2010. 31p.

Source: Internet Resource

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Courts

Shelf Number: 119373


Author: Brombacher, Daniel

Title: The Transatlantic Cocaine Business: Europe's Options as it Confronts New Drug Trafficking Routes (WP)

Summary: For traffickers, the risk of getting caught increases with the amount of levels of control they must dodge. This increase in risk is reflected in the price of the drug. At the international level, there tends to be intervention at each point in the chain of production, using both penal and legal tools as well as political ones and others based on development: control of chemical precursors, forced eradication of coca crops, alternative development measures and transit control. This Working Paper aims to analyse the intervention measures recently reaffirmed by the CND. Using drug prices as a starting point, we analyse the problem of drug trafficking and assess the efficiency of policies to control supply. But no drug control policy can be based solely on limiting supply. It must also feature measures to reduce demand. However, the goal of this study is to review European foreign policy tools involved in controlling supply, leaving aside domestic policy measures designed to cut demand, the efficiency of which is widely recognised in most countries of the EU.

Details: Madrid: Elcano Royal Institute, 2009. 40p.

Source: Internet Resource; Working Paper 45/2009

Year: 2009

Country: Europe

Keywords: Cocaine

Shelf Number: 117635


Author: United Nations Children's Fund

Title: Good Practices and Promising Initiatives in Juvenile Justice in the CEE/CIS Region

Summary: The UNICEF Regional Office for CEE/CIS has developed a concept of Critical Mass (CM), whereby a group of countries that has developed experience and/or momentum in a particular field is encouraged to work with a common set of objectives and priorities; strengthen its approaches; actively document and share its experience and lessons learned, drawing upon expertise as well as networks; and use evaluation as a tool for course correction, for the benefit of all countries in the region. Through a consultative process started in 20081, the following set of priorities was identified to respond to programming gaps or needs in juvenile justice reform in the CEE/CIS region; Children in conflict with the law who are under minimum age for prosecution as a juvenile; diversion; and alternatives to custodial sentences. This report presents a catalogue of practices documented through the Juvenile Justice Crimitial Mass initiative. The objective of this document is to share knowledge amongst all states in order to implement a meaningful and more effective juvenile justice reform.

Details: Geneva: UNICEF, 2010. 72p.

Source: Internet Resource

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Alternatives to Incarceration, Juvenile Offenders

Shelf Number: 119431


Author: Brombacher, Daniel

Title: Cocaine Trafficking to Europe: Options of Supply Control

Summary: In 2008, approximately 850 tons of pure cocaine were produced from the coca leaves harvested in the Andean region. About 250 tons of cocaine were imported into Europe in 2008, with an estimated 20 tons reaching the Federal Republic of Germany. This report examines the supply control measures in the Andean drug producing countries and concludes that they have no effect on cocaine consumption in Europe.

Details: Berlin: Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik/German Institute for International and Security Affairs, 2009. 37p.

Source: Internet Resource; SWP Research Paper, RP10; Accessed August 10, 2010 at http://www.swp-berlin.org/common/get_document.php?asset_id=6361

Year: 2009

Country: Europe

Keywords: Cocaine

Shelf Number: 116301


Author: ECPAT International

Title: Regional Overview on Child Sexual Abuse Images through the Use of Information and Communication Technologies in Belarus, Moldova, Russia and Ukraine

Summary: "In the framework of consolidating knowledge on commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC) in the CIS region, and in order to guide ECPAT’s strategies and priority actions for the protection of children, ECPAT International collaborated with its affiliate members in Belarus, Moldova, Russia and Ukraine to document evidence on the sexual exploitation of children through the use of ICTs in the region, especially the production and distribution of child sexual abuse images. This regional report, based on literature reviews and detailed case analyses, explores the risks for children to be increasingly sexually exploited in relation to the development of ICTs in the region."

Details: Bangkok, Thailand: ECPAT International, 2008. 100p.

Source: Internet Resource; Accessed August 13, 2010 at http://lastradainternational.org/lsidocs/Regional_Overview.pdf

Year: 2008

Country: Europe

Keywords: Child Pornography

Shelf Number: 119590


Author: Petkova, Dobriana

Title: Research Into Violence Against Children in Schools in Kosovo

Summary: The purpose of this research was to investigate the nature and scope of violence against children in schools in Kosovo and to gain a better understanding of the problem for effective prevention and response. This study identified corporal punishment and peer violence as key behaviours to investigate, although other violent behaviours are explored as well. The study included a desk survey, research questionnaires with children and teachers, and interviews and focus group discussions with children, teachers and parents. Specifically the research looked at how respondents defined violent behaviour, what their experiences of violent behaviour had been, how widespread such behaviour is, what the causes of violent behaviour might be, who the victims and perpetrators are and where victims can go for help.

Details: Pristina, Kosova: UNICEF Kosovo, 2005. 64p.

Source: Internet Resource; Accessed August 13, 2010 at: www.unicef.org/kosovo/kosovo_media_prot_011.08.pdf

Year: 2005

Country: Europe

Keywords: School Crime (Kosovo)

Shelf Number: 117669


Author: Eckman, Anne

Title: Exploring Dimensions of Masculinity and Violence

Summary: During the Yugoslavian wars that took place between 1991 and 2001, numerous cases of gender-based violence were reported, including mass rapes of women and sexual abuses like castration of men and boys imprisoned in war camps. Currently in the NW Balkans, an emerging culture of violence is visible. In the context of conflict and reconstruction, multiple masculine identities are shaped and formed according to the intersection of masculinity with religion, nationality and ethnicity. Youth represent a key opportunity to construct alternative definitions of masculinities and reduce gender-based violence. Working toward the reduction and elimination of gender-based violence, CARE International NW Balkans and CARE International is implementing a groundbreaking program working directly with young men between the ages of 13 and 19 to deconstruct masculinity in their cultures and determine how gender norms and male socialization lead to inequitable attitudes and behaviors toward women and girls.

Details: Atlanta, GA: Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere (CARE); Washington, DC: International Center for Research on Women (ICRW), 2007. 76p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 19, 2010 at: http://www.careinternational.org.uk/download.php?id=916

Year: 2007

Country: Europe

Keywords: Gender-Based Violence

Shelf Number: 118736


Author: Gounev, Philip

Title: Examining the Links Between Organised Crime and Corruption

Summary: This report presents an analysis of the links between organised crime and corruption. The main objectives of the study were to identify: 1) causes and factors that engender corruption by organised crime (including white-collar criminals) within the public and private sectors; 2) the scope and the impact of that corruption on society and institutions; 3) organised crime’s main corruption schemes, the areas or risks they create, and the related differences amongst European Union (EU) Member States (MS); 4) best practices in prevention and countering corruption linked to organised crime; and 5) framework for a future assessment of trends in the link between organised crime and corruption, as well as corresponding counter measures.

Details: Sofia, Bulgaria: Center for the Study of Democracy, 2010. 335p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 24, 2010 at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/meetdocs/2009_2014/documents/libe/dv/report_csd_/report_csd_en.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Corruption

Shelf Number: 119676


Author: Livingstone, Sonia

Title: EU Kids Online: Final Report

Summary: With 75% of European children using the internet, some observers celebrate children’s youthful expertise while others worry that they are vulnerable to new forms of harm. Policies to balance the goals of maximising opportunities and minimising risks require an evidence-based approach. Children’s use of the internet continues to grow. Striking recent rises are evident among younger children, in countries which have recently entered the EU, and among parents. This last reverses the previous trend for teenagers especially to outstrip adults in internet use. Long-standing gender inequalities may be disappearing, though socio-economic inequalities persist in most countries. Across Europe, despite some cross-national variation, available findings suggest that for online teenagers, the rank ordering of risks experienced is fairly similar. Giving out personal information is the most common risky behaviour, followed by encountering pornography online, then by seeing violent or hateful content. Being bullied online comes fourth, followed by receiving unwanted sexual comments. Meeting an online contact offline appears the least common though arguably the most dangerous risk. Even though higher status parents are more likely than those of lower socio-economic status to provide their children with access to the internet, it seems that the children from lower status homes are more exposed to risk online. There are also gender differences in risk, with boys more likely to encounter (or create) conduct risks and with girls more affected by content and contact risks. Countries were classified by degree of children’s internet use and degree of risk online. The classification of countries as ‘high risk’ (ie, above the European average), ‘medium risk’ (ie, around the European average) or ‘low risk’ (ie, below the European average) is a relative judgement based on findings in the available studies reviewed. This suggests a positive correlation between use and risk: Northern European countries tend to be ‘high use, high risk’; Southern European countries tend to be ‘low use, low risk’; and Eastern European countries tend to be ‘new use, new risk’.

Details: London: London School of Economics and Political Science, 2009. 52p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 1, 2010 at: http://www2.lse.ac.uk/media@lse/research/EUKidsOnline/EU%20Kids%20I/Reports/EUKidsOnlineFinalReport.pdf

Year: 2009

Country: Europe

Keywords: Bullying

Shelf Number: 119718


Author: Sjolinder, Henrik

Title: Fighting Organized Crime in the EU: A New Era with the Lisbon Treaty and the Stockholm Programme

Summary: The EU´s actions to counter transnational organized crime have paved the way for a process aimed at harmonizing and unifying national structures on legal matters in order to combat transnational crime. This brief will outline novelties relevant for the prevention and fight against organized crime as presented in the recently ratified Lisbon Treaty and the Stockholm Programme.

Details: Stockholm: Institute for Security & Development Policy, 2010. 3p.

Source: Internet Resource: ISDP Policy Brief, No. 23: Accessed September 2, 2010 at: http://www.isdp.eu/images/stories/isdp-main-pdf/2010_sjolinder_fighting-organized-crime.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Organized Crime

Shelf Number: 119726


Author: Gillmore, Edward

Title: The Expansion in the EU of Baltic Organized Criminal Groups

Summary: Two recent reports have highlighted the expansion into the EU of organized criminal groups trafficking drugs, human beings and arms. The reports analyze the structural and functional features of these groups as well as the economic mechanisms supporting their activities.

Details: Stockholm: Institute for Security & Development Policy, 2010. 3p.

Source: Internet Resource: ISDP Policy Brief, No. 24: Accessed September 2, 2010 at: http://www.isdp.eu/images/stories/isdp-main-pdf/2010_gillmore_the-expansion-in-the-eu.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Trafficking

Shelf Number: 119727


Author: Schrottle, Monika

Title: Comparative Reanalysis of Prevalence of Violence Against Women and Health Impact Data in Europe - Obstacles and Possible Solutions. Testing a Comparative Approach on Selected Studies

Summary: The issue of data comparison between regions, countries and over time has emerged as an important question, especially since differences in prevalence rates have become more visible through quantitative research. Data comparison between locations and over time can help us understand whether the data reflect a common and persistent social problem, which explanations may account for differences in findings, and which political and societal circumstances may be responsible for variations and continuities. Comparative data can advance theory and suggest improvements to cultural, political and societal response to violence and human rights violations. However, accurate data comparison is more difficult than it seems. Ignoring or misjudging the scientific and methodological framework of specific data sets and studies easily leads to wrong conclusions and unwarranted interpretations. Sometimes even small differences in the details of data collection, time-frames, recorded acts and contexts seriously limit comparability. Recently there have been several attempts to compare prevalence data and health impact data post hoc, but these approaches faced many political, scientific and methodological problems and data comparison was sometimes not conducted in an adequate manner. Addressing these problems has been one of the goals of the “Coordination Action on Human Rights Violations” (CAHRV), a European research network that includes experts in the field of prevalence and health impact research. In a first step researchers reviewed European surveys on the prevalence and health impact of violence against women and compiled an overview of the methodologies used, and the findings reported in each study. Results showed that the studies are constructed quite differently from one country to the next, and that in its present published form neither prevalence nor health impact data are comparable on a European level. The present report documents the second step towards making existing prevalence data more comparable. This involved post-hoc, inter-country comparisons through secondary analysis of original datasets and is presented here as an exemplary case for the comparative study of published survey data. Included in the analysis were surveys that were fairly comparable with regard to methodology and the questions asked about violence. The datasets are from the national violence against women surveys in Finland, France, Germany, Lithuania and Sweden, and were available because members of the CAHRV research group had been involved in the original data collection in their countries and were familiar with the datasets and their methodology. The central aim of the secondary analysis was to test whether it is possible to compare prevalence data post hoc through a harmonization of definitions and samples (as will be explained in the next chapter). This procedure highlighted possibilities and limitations for post-hoc data comparison of studies that are not identical in methodology, data collection and sampling. The results suggest that the procedure is useful not only for further post-hoc research in the field but also as a way to ground policy recommendations more reliably in an emerging comparative knowledge base. The secondary analysis shows the difficulties and challenges for comparison and comparability of prevalence and health impact data in Europe. This approach can contribute to the development of data collection standards, a high priority in the development of the field that will be the focus of the third year of the CAHRV research network.

Details: Osnabrueck, Germany: CAHRV (Co-ordination against Human Rights Violation), 2006. 70p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 6, 2010 at: http://www.cahrv.uni-osnabrueck.de/reddot/D_20_Comparative_reanalysis_of_prevalence_of_violence_pub.pdf

Year: 2006

Country: Europe

Keywords: Battered Women

Shelf Number: 111274


Author: Hagemann-White, Carol

Title: Gendering Human Rights Violations: The Case of Interpersonal Violence- Coordination Action on Human Rights Violations (CAHRV)

Summary: Human dignity, fundamental rights and human security set standards by which individuals, communities and societies can develop their potential and learn to resolve or transform conflict constructively without violence. Yet these standards are frequently disregarded, not only in times of war, but also in everyday life – in homes, in schools, at work and in public places. Painful acts of violation occur in close personal relationships or within social environments such as neighbourhoods. The research network “Coordination Action on Human Rights Violations” was founded to look at the structural patterns underlying these everyday injuries, many of which have only recently become an object of public concern, and to develop a comprehensive and integrated perspective towards understanding and addressing them. There is a need for such a systematic view, for both research and policy have tended to look at interpersonal violence piecemeal. A national prevalence study will set off a discussion on violence in the family against women. An outbreak of violence in schools will be followed by a spurt of public statements about youth, unemployment and cultural conflict. A case of abuse or fatal neglect of a child mobilizes concern about social services and child protection. Each wave of concern seems to call attention to a new and different problem, while in fact research has the tools and theoretical resources to describe their interconnections, and to suggest approaches to broader-based strategies of overcoming them. The time is ripe for an integrated approach, and the great interest and enthusiasm raised by the CAHRV project is a sign that the European research community was more than ready to study, describe and present to policy-makers the linkages between the problem areas. Unchecked interpersonal violence represents a threat to democracy and social cohesion, but to understand how and why it is still present in our midst requires in-depth understanding of how violence is shaped by gender for both women and men, both boys and girls; how stressors and power imbalances between the generations lead to violence, and how these interconnect. The CAHRV philosophy of linking the gender and generational dimensions that appear in interpersonal violence proved highly successful. 22 partner institutions took responsibility for the work program comprising literature reviews across numerous countries, thematic and crosscutting workshops, large conferences with high public impact, and internet communication activities such as a newsletter, an internet mapping of literature, a publication site with carefully edited papers of professional quality, and analytical reviews on central issues. In all, over 100 researchers from 20 countries1 in the enlarged Europe contributed actively (and often without compensation) to the work. Part one of the report offers an overview of the aims and the achievements of the CAHRV project and presents some of its over-arching themes. The following chapter 2 presents the project objectives and explains the rationale behind them. In chapter 3, the working methods and specific achievements in coordinating research are outlined, showing how this broadbased enterprise became meaningful and useful. Chapter 4 reviews and assesses the contribution of the work completed towards the overall objectives as set out in the original project proposal. In chapter 5, advances in developing a shared theoretical framework for understanding interpersonal violence in a human rights context are discussed. This includes weighing of the benefits and limitations of human rights frameworks for research on interpersonal violence. Chapter 6 discusses “fruits of collaboration”: insights that emerged across the different thematic focal areas. Part two looks more closely at the specific content areas of the work program and at the progress of knowledge within each area. In a summarizing form, the main results of the collaboration are presented.

Details: Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, 2008. 78p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 6, 2010 at: http://www.cahrv.uni-osnabrueck.de/reddot/CAHRV_final_report_-_complete_version_for_WEB.pdf

Year: 2008

Country: Europe

Keywords: Battered Women

Shelf Number: 119749


Author: Zimic, Simona Zavratnik, ed.

Title: Women and Trafficking

Summary: The book gathers proceedings of an international seminar titled Women in Migration and Vulnerability for Trafficking in Human Beings, organized by the East East Cooperation Center at the Peace Institute, Ljubljana, taking place 11–12 June 2004 in Piran, Slovenia. The fifteen papers presented and carefully debated at the seminar cover a variety interdisciplinary encounters and experiences with trafficking in women, among them an historical overview, debates over human rights approaches, an analysis of media reporting, and innovative recommendations for recasting the issue. The book includes a series of case studies covering experiences in field work, legislation in different countries.

Details: Ljubljana, Slovenia: Peace Institute, 2004. 180p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 7, 2010 at: http://www2.arnes.si/~ljmiri1s/eng_html/publications/pdf/MI_politike_symposion_women_and.pdf

Year: 2004

Country: Europe

Keywords: Human Rights

Shelf Number: 119242


Author: Guild, Elspeth

Title: Criminalisation of Migration in Europe: Human Rights Implications

Summary: On 29 September 2008, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights (the Commissioner) issued a Viewpoint expressing his concern regarding the trend to criminalize the irregular entry and presence of migrants in Europe presented as part of a policy of migration management. He stated that ‘such a method of controlling international movement corrodes established international law principles; it also causes many human tragedies without achieving its purpose of genuine control.’ This Issue Paper builds on the concern of the Commissioner by examining, systematically, the human rights issues which arise from the phenomenon in Council of Europe member states of criminalisation of border crossing by people and of their presence on the territory of a state.

Details: Strasbourg: Council of Europe, Commissioner for Human Rights, 2010. 53p.

Source: Internet Resource: Issue Paper: Accessed September 7, 2010 at: http://www.statewatch.org/news/2010/feb/coe-hamm-criminalisation-of-migration.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Human Rights

Shelf Number: 119761


Author: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe

Title: Hate Crimes in the OSCE Region - Incidents and Responses. Annual Report for 2008

Summary: The report highlights the fact that that although hate crimes remain a serious problem in the OSCE Region, there is a lack of adequate and reliable data. Nevertheless, it does provide an overview of developments in national legislation and projects launched to combat hate crimes in 2008. This publication includes separate sections on certain types of hate crimes and victim groups that are specifically mentioned in OSCE commitments. These include racist and xenophobic crimes, anti-Semitic crimes and crimes against Roma, Muslims, Christians and members of other religions. Crimes against other groups such as persons with disabilities and crimes against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons are also addressed.

Details: Warsaw, Poland: OSCE, 2009. 136p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 9, 2010 at: http://www.osce.org/publications/odihr/2009/11/41314_1424_en.pdf

Year: 2009

Country: Europe

Keywords: Hate Crimes

Shelf Number: 118252


Author: EU Research on Social Sciences and Humanities, European Commission

Title: Insecurities in European Cities: Crime-Related Fear Within the Context of New Anxieties and Community-Based Crime Prevention

Summary: The report submitted here concludes a European research project titled: "Insecurities in European Cities. Crime-Related Fears Within the Context of New Anxieties and Community-Based Crime Prevention" (INSEC). The project was supported by the European Commission within its 5th Framework Programme (1998-2002) "Key Action: Improving the Socio-economic Knowledge base". Among the seven "Research Tasks" as they were called, the following were relevant for our own plans: Task 2: "Individual and collective strategies in a changing society", Task 4: "Towards social cohesion in Europe"; and Task 6: "Governance, citizenship and the dynamics of European integration". The scientific positioning of the study is in criminology and urban sociology and it has an applied side by involving community crime prevention and community safety, as well as an orientation to comparing cultural patterns of insecurity, anxiety and fear by the parallel study of five large European cities: Amsterdam, Budapest, Hamburg, Kraków and Vienna. Put in a sentence the research project is about insecurity of cities from the perspective of their inhabitants and what can be done about it. To obtain information both in the individual cities and for comparing them to each other, the formulation of the methods and instruments applied were standardised as far as possible. The Final Report is divided into the following sections. It begins with some initial theoretical considerations guiding and accompanying the project. They lead over into the criminological main emphasis of the study identified by the terms insecurity, anxiety and fear (II). This is followed on by expositions of the urban sociological part of the work regarding the research field „big city" (II 3.), as well as on the area of crime prevention in the cities' security policy (II 4.). There is a short presentation of the research plan and research methods in a further section (III.). There follow the compressed result summaries from all five cities, being the sole responsibility of the respective partners (IV.). A selected few of the results from the five cities were then compared in rough outline using the population surveys, the in-depth interviews with selected inhabitants of the cities (IV 7.). The Final Report ends with some considerations of the overall results and an outlook (IV 7.4. and IV 4.5.).

Details: Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, 2008. 152p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 17, 2010 at: http://cordis.europa.eu/documents/documentlibrary/100124091EN6.pdf

Year: 2008

Country: Europe

Keywords: Crime Prevention

Shelf Number: 119830


Author: Aebi, Marcelo F.

Title: Council of Europe Annual Penal Statistics: Space 1. Survey 2007

Summary: The SPACE I data presented here were obtained by means of the revised version of the questionnaire (Document PC-CP (2008) 07) introduced in the 2004 survey and supplemented with new items for this year’s survey. The main goal of the revision was to include some questions in order to clarify precisely what is being counted in the statistics of each country. The answers to these questions are presented in Tables 1.5 and 15.2 and suggest that cross-national comparisons of prison population rates must be conducted cautiously as the categories included in the total number of prisoners vary from country to country. The same is true for cross-national comparisons of deaths and suicides in penal institutions as well as of staff working in penal institutions. In former SPACE questionnaires there was a slight difference between the French and the English definition of assault. This problem has now been solved and both questionnaires refer to assault and battery (coups et blessures volontaires). Some clarifications were also introduced for other items (i.e. counting units, reference dates etc.). Finally, four detail questions were added on the structure of the requested data (distinction between juveniles and young adults, between criminally liable and noncriminally liable mentally ill offenders, and between aliens on administrative detention held in prisons and those held in special units for administrative detention). All these new add-ins will allow more accurate comparisons between Council of Europe Member States. Prison population figures (stock) as well as the staff working in penal institutions relate to the situation on 1st September 2007, while flow of entries, total number of days spent in penal institutions, and incidents (escapes, deaths and suicides) relate to the whole 2006 year. The forty-seven Member States of the Council of Europe at the end of 2007 include fifty prison administrations that are under their control and thirty-nine answered the 2007 SPACE I Survey. The following countries did not answer the survey: Albania, Andorra, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina (State level), Croatia, Greece, Malta, Montenegro, Russia, Ukraine, and Northern Ireland. For administrative reasons, data were not available for the following countries or areas: Northern Cyprus, Kosovo, Transdniestria, Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Nagorno-Karabakh. Montenegro became the 47th Member State of the Council of Europe on May, 11, 2007; therefore data for this country were not included in this year’s edition of the Survey.

Details: Strasbourg; Council of Europe, 2009. 99p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 6, 2010 at: http://www.coe.int/t/f/affaires_juridiques/coop%E9ration_juridique/emprisonnement_et_alternatives/statistiques_space_i/PC-CP_2009_%2001Rapport%20SPACE%20I_2007_090505_final_rev.pdf

Year: 2009

Country: Europe

Keywords: Correctional Institutions

Shelf Number: 118330


Author: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction

Title: Polydrug Use: Patterns and Responses

Summary: In this report, individual data from the surveys carried out in 2003 by the European school survey project on alcohol and other drugs (ESPAD) are used to examine the characteristics of polydrug use among over 70,000 15- to 16-year-old students from 22 European countries.

Details: Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, 2009. 29p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 7, 2010 at: http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/attachements.cfm/att_93217_EN_EMCDDA_SI09_polydrug%20use.pdf

Year: 2009

Country: Europe

Keywords: Alcohol Abuse

Shelf Number: 119886


Author: Weger, Michiel de

Title: The Potential of the European Gendarmerie Force

Summary: The European Gendarmerie Force (EGF) is a relatively young international organisation. In October 2007 the governments of France, Italy, Spain, Portugal and the Netherlands signed a treaty to formally establish it. At present in the EGF the following gendarmerie forces cooperate: the Dutch Koninklijke Marechaussee (KM), the French Gendarmerie Nationale (GN), the Italian Arma dei Carabinieri (AdC), the Portuguese Guarda Nacional Republicana (GNR), the Spanish Guardia Civil (GC) and the Romanian Jandarmeria Româna (JR). Although they have different names, all have a dual police-military character. The EGF is intended for international policing operations. Its creation has received considerable attention, but no major study seems to have been made thereon. Within the EGF and in the national capitals it is also the case that no long-term vision seems to have been developed. While being relatively insignificant at present, the EGF has the potential to become (far) more important in international security and a valuable asset for a far larger group of states, as will be argued in this paper. The basic question it intends to answer is the following: How can the potential of the EGF be used in the next 10-20 years to best serve the interests of its Member States? To find an answer to this question the EGF and its background will be described in chapter two. In the third chapter it is argued that the EGF could become a success in the kind of operations it is currently aimed at. Chapter four’s focus is on the interests of the present EGF Member States in further developing the organisation – this study analyses the options from the interests of the states involved, which are not necessarily the same as those of the participating gendarmerie forces. In chapter five the potential to expand gendarmerie cooperation in the EGF is described. Chapter six analyses the implications of long-term trends to the the EGF’s potential. This study ends with final conclusions and policy recommendations for the Dutch and other EGF Member States.

Details: The Hague: Netherlands Institute of International Relations Clingendael, 2009. 92p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 8, 2010 at: http://www.clingendael.nl/publications/2009/20090400_cscp_gendarmerie_weger.pdf

Year: 2009

Country: Europe

Keywords: Military

Shelf Number: 119895


Author: SEESAC (South Eastern and Eastern Europe Clearinghouse for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons)

Title: 'The Rifle Has the Devil Inside': Gun Culture in South Eastern Europe

Summary: SALW (Small Arms and Light Weapons)control stakeholders and practitioners within South Eastern Europe (SEE) are often told that weapon registration and collection programmes are ineffective because guns are an intrinsic part of ‘cultures’ in the region. In addition, international and local observers often explain high levels of gun ownership and use in SEE by stating there is a strong ‘gun culture’. In contrast, survey results on the public’s perception of guns, suggest that ‘culture’ and ‘tradition’ are not principal reasons for gun ownership in the region. Thus, it is a matter of continued debate to what extent and which types of gun ownership and use are rendered acceptable and legitimate by certain cultural beliefs and practices. This report examines how cultural beliefs and practices influence gun ownership and use in SEE, and how these might affect SALW control interventions. An anthropological approach was taken to better understand the reasons for civilian gun ownership and use, and the ways in which society represents these behaviours, in Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Moldova, Serbia and Montenegro (including the UN Administered Territory of Kosovo). A wide variety of research tools were used including household surveys (HHS) conducted by SEESAC and UNDP, focus group transcripts, secondary literature searches, statistical data, anthropological field studies, the Internet, print and electronic media. The report concludes that the motivations and reasons for gun ownership and use in SEE are complex and suggests that cultural practices and beliefs do not play a central role in justifying gun ownership and use in SEE. There are pockets of culturally motivated gun related behaviours, in very localised areas, which have historical roots, such as celebratory gunfire in the mountainous areas of the peninsula (parts of Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Northern Albania). However, more important are the ways that ‘traditional’ customs and values have interplayed with other factors such as the political or socio-economic situation, or the 1990s conflicts in the former Yugoslavia. People’s behaviours involving guns, and their perceptions of guns, are more to do with the relatively widespread availability of weapons, weak and ineffective law enforcement and the reinvention of history and folklore for political means. Over the years guns have been associated with masculinity and have been a means of defining male attributes but they are not so significant now for ideas of masculinity although gun related activities remain male-oriented. The way guns are represented today, and how society perceives them is largely influenced by the media and how it portrays gun owners and gun use, especially the actions of high profile organizations or individuals who are associated with guns, such as the police, politicians and prominent business people. In general, ‘traditional’ and ‘cultural’ motivations for gun ownership and use in SEE are unlikely to be the principal barriers to SALW control interventions. Security considerations are much more likely to play a significant role with many people unwilling to give up their weapons, which they perceive as providers of security and protection, until they are satisfied that the state can be trusted to provide for their needs. Whilst there are still relatively high crime levels, the unresolved status of territory i.e. the UN Administered Territory of Kosovo, uncertain futures and interethnic distrust (Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Southern Serbia and to some extent in Montenegro and Moldova) there will be people who feel that they are justified in keeping their guns.

Details: Belgrade: SEESAC, 2006. 60p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 13, 2010 at: http://www.smallarmssurvey.org/files/portal/spotlight/country/eu_pdf/europe-regional-2006-b.pdf

Year: 2006

Country: Europe

Keywords: Gun Control

Shelf Number: 119948


Author: Rosenberg, Ruth

Title: Trafficking of Adult Men in the Europe and Eurasia Region: Final Report

Summary: There is an increasing recognition throughout the world that it is not only women and children who fall victim to traffickers. Men migrate in large numbers and more and more studies indicate that many of these men are being exploited to a degree which was heretofore unrecognized. USAID commissioned this paper to shed light on the nature and extent of trafficking of men in the Europe and Eurasia region. It is expected that the paper will stimulate dialogue and provide guidance which can help to develop strong programs that address the needs of men who are vulnerable to trafficking or who have been trafficked and to measurably improve their lives.

Details: Washington, DC: United States Agency for International Development, 2010. 44p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 20, 2010 at:

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Forced Labor

Shelf Number: 120024


Author: Livingstone, Sonia

Title: Risks and Safety on the Internet: The Perspective of European Children. Initial Findings from the EU Kinds Online Survey of 9-16 Year Olds and Their Parents

Summary: The study provides important new evidence regarding European children’s and parents’ experiences and practices regarding risky and safer use of the internet and new online technologies. It will inform the promotion of a safer online environment across Europe, and be of broad interest to parents, policy makers, teachers, and all others involved in the care and support of children. Key themes covered by the initial report include: Children’s online usage and activities; Children’s exposure to online risks, including cyberbullying, pornography, sending or receiving sexual messages, and going to offline meetings with people first met online; Children’s perceptions of harm caused by online experiences; and Children’s coping skills.

Details: London: London School of Economics and Political Science, 2010. 125p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 26, 2010 at: http://www2.lse.ac.uk/media@lse/research/EUKidsOnline/Initial_findings_report.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Cyberbullying

Shelf Number: 120092


Author: Surtees, Rebecca

Title: Handbook on Anti-Trafficking Data Collection in South-Eastern Europe: Developing Regional Criteria

Summary: The Handbook contains a list of indicators for the collection of data on trafficking in human beings – both on the victim side and on the criminal justice side. These indicators have been developed in close cooperation with governmental partners and in consultation with international experts and representatives of international and non-governmental organisations. Without sufficiently accurate data it is not possible to either gauge the extent or recognise the true nature of the trafficking problem and understand the complexity of the issues involved. Thus the Handbook aims to be a tool to support governmental agencies in the collection of concrete, reliable data on human trafficking as such data is an essential prerequisite for all effective programmes, interventions, policies and legislation. While in the context of this project the Handbook targets governments in South-Eastern Europe, its appeal is likely to be broader and may prove a helpful resource for anti-trafficking actors working with data collection and information management beyond the SEE region.

Details: Vienna, Austria: International Centre for Migration Policy Development, 2010. 204p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 26, 2010 at: http://www.ungift.org/doc/knowledgehub/resource-centre/ICMPD_Handbook_on_Anti-Trafficking_Data_Collection_in_SEE.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Human Trafficking

Shelf Number: 120095


Author: Kuhnrich, Bernd

Title: Attitudes Towards Punishment in the European Union: Results from the 2005 European Crime Survey (ECSS) with Focus on Germany

Summary: This report examines the attitudes of Europeans regarding punishment for certain crimes. The aim of the report is to present an analysis of the significant mean differences between Germany and all other European countries.

Details: Freiburg, Germany: Max Planck Institute for Foreign and International Criminal Law, 2005. 71p.

Source: Internet Resource: ECSS Project: Research Report MPI (30/12/2005): Accessed October 29, 2010 at: http://www.europeansafetyobservatory.eu/doc/Punitiveness.pdf

Year: 2005

Country: Europe

Keywords: Prisons

Shelf Number: 120125


Author: TNS Opinion & Social

Title: Domestic Violence Against Women

Summary: The aim of this survey is to measure the evolution of European public opinion concerning domestic violence against women since 1999, which can be seen as the starting point for collecting information about the public’s view on this important problem. Evolutions are particularly interesting to study considering the changing legal context over the past ten years. The first important message that comes out of the study is the rising awareness of Europeans. The survey also shows broad support for EU action in this area. - 98% of people are now aware of domestic violence across the EU compared to 94% in the previous survey. - Awareness of domestic violence against women is very high across the EU, thanks to media such as television (92%), newspapers and magazines (59%) informing the vast majority of EU citizens about the problem. - Domestic violence remains very common: one respondent in four across the EU knows a woman among friends or in the family circle who is a victim of domestic violence. Since the previous survey, the proportion of Europeans (on a comparable EU15 basis) that say they know a victim of domestic violence in their circle of friends or family has increased from 19% to 25%. - One person in five knows of someone who commits domestic violence in their circle of friends and family (21%). - Women are more likely than men to know a woman who has suffered from domestic violence. They are also more likely than men to be aware of people who commit this crime, and more likely to view the problem seriously and to advocate tougher penalties for those responsible. - 78% of Europeans recognise that domestic violence is a common problem. - Attitudes to domestic violence have generally become much tougher, with far more people (86%, up from 63% for the EU15) now saying that domestic violence is unacceptable and should always be punishable by law. In the European Union as a whole, 84% consider that domestic violence is unacceptable and should always be punishable by law. - Sexual and physical violence are seen as the most serious forms of violence suffered by women with 85% of respondents in both cases considering that these are “very serious”. - There is strong support for EU involvement in eradicating domestic violence against women (87% of respondents feel that the EU should probably or definitely be involved). - However, while most people believe that laws are in place to prevent domestic violence, very few (14%) are familiar with specific EU measures to tackle the problem.

Details: Brussels: European Commission, 2010. 222p.

Source: Internet Resource: Special Eurobarometer 344: Accessed October 29, 2010 at: http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_344_en.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Domestic Violence

Shelf Number: 120132


Author: Kego, Walter

Title: The Fight Against Money Laundering in Latvia and Sweden

Summary: The common denominator in all transnational criminal activities is money laundering, the process by which the proceeds of illegal activities are converted into means for legal investments. The fight against money laundering means combating large scale crime. The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimate that shadow transactions amounted to between US$6.5 trillion and US$9 trillion, equaling 20-25% of total global GDP. On the other hand, the United Nations International Drug Control Program (UNDCP) assesses the annual turnover from the entire criminal market to be around US$1500 billion. This Policy Brief summarizes the proceedings of the Workshop on Money Laundering organized by the Institute for Security and Development Policy, and the Riga Stradins University, Latvia, held May 28, 2010.

Details: Stockholm: Institute for Security & Development Policy, 2010. 4p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 1, 2010 at: http://www.isdp.eu/images/stories/isdp-main-pdf/2010_kego_the-fight-against-money-laundering.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Financial Crimes

Shelf Number: 120149


Author: Raczkowski, Konrad

Title: Transnational Organized Crime: An Economic Security Threat in the Baltic Sea Region

Summary: At the beginning of the 21st century the world encountered a new type of threat, extraordinary both in scale and effect. Terrorist actions were unprecedented in their scale and have altered perceptions of global terrorism. An expansion of organized crime further fuelled by the worldwide economic crisis in 2007–08, triggered by the high risk U.S. mortgage loan market, were all factors in raising awareness of an uncertain and unpredictable future. The addition of catastrophic natural disasters in India, Thailand, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Pakistan , China1 as well as natural disasters on a more localized scale such as fires, flooding, technical breakdowns or effects of the ash cloud from the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajökull which in 2010 disrupted European and transcontinental air travel, may lead us to the assumption that our world is no longer a safe place. Meanwhile, pressure is mounting from related discussions for a redefinition of organized crime and penalizing actions on the fringes of legality which have a destructive impact on individuals or society as a whole. At this time of crisis it is particularly worthwhile to reflect over whether pushing many companies to the verge of bankruptcy while tightening criteria for loans affords new opportunities for embezzlement, money laundering and consequently legalizing capital coming from undisclosed sources of income. As set forth by the Italian President Giorgio Napolitano, there is a risk that mafia organizations will avail themselves of opportunities afforded by the current crisis, resulting in their taking control of companies under threat of bankruptcy, which will lead to their presence in all regions of the country. It seems necessary now, more than ever before, to reconstruct the financial system in the public sphere and also within individual households while supervising all the incoming assets, at both domestic and international levels. In most cases the impersonal nature of the financial market appear to have brought about irretrievable changes that significantly influenced the daily life and operations of many people, companies, institutions and states. If we add the fact that in Greece, among other countries, the data concerning the budget deficit presented to Brussels and potential purchasers of Greek debt were incorrect, the whole sequence of events following the disclosure of the scale of financial irregularities seen under the government ofKostas Karamanlis are hardly surprising. It is therefore key to address the threats to economic safety where moral and ethical standards fell apart and an undefined speculative capital from supranational capital groups ravaged investors on a large scale. For this reason it is relevant to consider the understanding of traditional criminal groups as well as attempting to answer whether consent to organized operations of financial groups in an incompletely specified system of international law may have features of organized crime and therefore may be seen as criminal. This report is an attempt to outline certain economic conditions which may determine speculative or criminal activity in this field. This factor seems to be crucial as most citizens of developed countries even do not entirely comprehend this mechanism and the reasons behind its efficiency. In this respect a significant part of this report is devoted to elucidate the foundation for contemporary economic conditions in the global system. The analysis is intended to make the reader aware of how far these conditions may determine organized criminal activity or contribute to forming organized activity of a culpable nature, constituting social harm of a scope permitted by law but nevertheless not negligible.

Details: Stockholm: Institute for Security and Development Policy, 2010. 71p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 2, 2010 at: http://www.isdp.eu/images/stories/isdp-main-pdf/2010_raczkowski_transnational-organized-crime.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Economics and Crime

Shelf Number: 120154


Author: TRANSCRIME

Title: Study on Extortion Racketeering - The Need for an Instrument to Combat Activities of Organised Crime

Summary: This final report covers all the activities concerning the Study on “Extortion Racketeering – The need for an instrument to combat activities of Organised Crime” awarded to Transcrime by the European Commission. In continuity with the conclusions of the “Seminar on Counteraction of Extortion Racketeering” held in Frascati (Italy) on 8-10 March 2007 organised by the Italian Ministries of Justice and the Interior, within the framework of the AGIS programme, this study intends to assess the magnitude of the problem of extortion racketeering in the EU MS and if and how it should be tackled. There are two different types of extortion racketeering (systemic and casual) linked to three main variables: the organisational structure of the criminal crime group that engages in extortion racketeering; its strong presence at local territorial level; and the victim-offender relationship. These three variables are reciprocally related: the more the organised crime group focuses its activity on the local territory, being facilitated by its monopolistic position and hierarchical structure, the more it conducts criminal transactions with politicians and administrators, the more it infiltrates legitimate business, the more extortion becomes systemic (spreads and continues), and in becoming systemic provides more resources and closer control over the territory, the more criminals establish symbiotic relationship with the victims and the more the legitimate economy is infiltrated. Generally speaking, the more OC groups act at transnational level, and the more they develop network organisational structures the less they will be able to control systematically a territory, the less extortion they use and, when they do so, it is casual. This explains why EU MS have substantive differences in the presence of extortion. After pointing out similarities and differences in extortion racketeering among the EU MS (in the phenomenon and in the legislation and other practices), this study identifies the common elements that may help to increase the effectiveness of existing instruments, and it suggests recommendations that could be adopted at EU level and addressed to MS. To this end, this study: 1) frames the problem of extortion racketeering in the EU Agenda (Chapter 1); 2) outlines how extortion racketeering has developed in EU MS, the main forms of regulation of the phenomenon and the countermeasures (Chapter 2 and 3); 3) analyses the differing magnitude of the phenomenon across EU MS in light of the similarities and differences previously outlined, pointing out where the gaps are and where further action is needed (Chapter 4 and 5); 4) develops the index of relevance in the media in order to explain the social construction of the phenomeno in the EU Ms (Chapter 6); 5) summarizes the main findings (Chapter 7); and 6) identifies reccommendations (legislative and practices) which may be adopted at European and national level (Chapter 8).

Details: Trento, Italy: TRANSCRIME, 2010. 297p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 2, 2010 at: http://www.securitytransformation.org/images/documentos/420_Study_on_extortion_racketeering_Final_Report.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Extortion

Shelf Number: 120162


Author: Porobic, Jasmin

Title: Arms Availability and its Impact on Drug Trafficking: A Balkan Perspective

Summary: Large scale weapons stockpiling during contemporary Balkan wars left behind massive quantities of arms and other military equipment. The reaction of the international community to the outbreak of the wars was to establish an arms embargo, which had little effect, as the republics turned to the international black marketers and in a world-wide arms trading within organized crime groups from all over the world. Moreover, after the conflicts, disarmament processes were not efficient, leaving most of the arms beyond effective government control. Arms trafficking was closely tied with organized crime activities for their great profitability and existed in areas of armed conflict and where organized groups needed arms for own protection or violent activities. This environment led to the development of smuggling channels and reinforced the organized crime groups. Initially, channels were used to smuggle arms but also other scarce goods which led to strengthening of organized crime groups’ cooperation in fostering the black market. The conflicts (1991-1999) in the Former Yugoslavia provided ample opportunities for arms and drugs trafficking in unprecedented proportions. Unlike opposing legal structures, organized crime groups in the Balkans are multiethnic, transnational and well-integrated within its corresponding European criminal counterparts. Albanian, Bosnian, Croatian, Kosovar, Montenegrin and Serbian criminal groups work not only together but also with drug manufacturers from Asia and South America and European distributors. Today, Albania is among the leading countries in the world in processing opium, with widespread organized criminal groups in all former Yugoslav republics and throughout the world. During the conflicts, more often than not, proceeds from drug trafficking and distribution were used to buy the weaponry to arm certain belligerent groups. Recent police actions to combat organized criminal groups in virtually all cases indicate that arms smuggling is consistently linked to drugs trafficking. The police reports show that every police operation stepping up the fight against organized crime seizes large quantities of both drugs and arms as it goes ‘hand in hand’. Attempts of illegal cross-border trafficking of drugs and arms have been a common occurrence. Despite permanent police operations aimed at suppressing organized criminal activity this phenomenon is on the rise. For example, among numerous actions – within the scope of the region-wide police operation dubbed Network 2010, large quantities of narcotics and arms were seized at the Klobuk border crossing near Trebinje between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro. Some 155 kilograms of a potent strain of cannabis, ‘skunk’, and 276 rifles were found in a hidden compartment of a truck after a months-long, carefully planned operation. However, the fight against these types of organized crime activities is difficult in this region given the high rate of corruption and links between organized crime groups and high state officials. This policy paper therefore provides a general overview of trends and circumstances surrounding the most resilient sectors of organized crime – illicit drugs and arms – and comparatively assesses the efforts of governments in the Western Balkans in containing them. It further offers possible remedial solutions to the problem. An analysis of domestic and international academic literature, appropriate legislation and security agency materials, as well as deductive, comparative and descriptive were utilized in preparation of the policy paper. Data were gathered by using interrogative method and individual interviews of narrowed-down population of officials from various police agencies, judicial and customs institutions involved in small arms control and organized-crime investigative matters.

Details: Santiago, Chile: Global Consortium on Security Transformation, 2010.

Source: Internet Resource: Policy Brief Series, No. 13: Accessed November 2, 2010 at: http://www.securitytransformation.org/images/publicaciones/179_Policy_Brief_13_-_Arms_availability_and_its_impact_on_drug_trafficking._A_Balkan_perspective.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Trafficking

Shelf Number: 120163


Author: Jaramillo, Ana Lucia

Title: Stemming Illegal Logging and Timber Trade: An Overview of the European Union FLEGT Action Plan

Summary: Over the last four decades, there has been a global recognition of the damage to world forests caused by illegal logging and the related trade in illegally produced timber products. The European Community (hereinafter “EC”), as a major timber-consuming market, understands that the EC’s demand for timber, and the subsequent money flow there from, perpetuates the negative effects of illegal logging. The EC recognises that illegal logging poses a threat to wild fauna and flora, to the indigenous people living in the forests of timber-producing countries, the depressing effect on the economies of timber-producing countries, and the fact that profits of illegal logging often flow back to corrupt regimes and conflict zones. The purpose of this report is to give an overview of the EC’s effort to tackle illegal logging and trade in illegally produced timber.

Details: Brussels: Institute for Environmental Security, 2008.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 8, 2010 at: http://www.envirosecurity.org/pathfinder/FLEGT_web.pdf

Year: 2008

Country: Europe

Keywords: Illegal Logging

Shelf Number: 120203


Author: O'Donnell, Daniel

Title: The Development of Juvenile Justice Systems in Eastern European Neighbourhood Policy Countries: Reform Achievements and Challenges in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine.

Summary: The document entitled “The Development of Juvenile Justice Systems in Eastern European Neighbourhood Policy Countries: Reform Achievements and Challenges in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine” notes that during the 1990s, juvenile justice was not a priority for countries in the region, but most are now engaged in the process of developing juvenile justice systems compatible with international standards. It summarizes the results of assessments carried out in these five countries in 2008–2009 in order to inform future strategies and decision-making at country level, and share experiences with European and international agencies, which cooperate in supporting the development of juvenile justice. It concludes with the most urgent reforms needed in these countries.

Details: Geneva: United Children's Fund, 2010. 80p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 29, 2010 at: UNICEFJJSynthesisCeeNPC10_EN

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Juvenile Justice Reform

Shelf Number: 120310


Author: Centre for Strategy and Evaluation Services

Title: Evaluation of the European Crime Prevention Network: Final Report

Summary: The evaluation of the European Crime Prevention Network (EUCPN) was carried out in 2008/09 for the European Commission’s DG Justice, Freedom and Security (DG JLS) by the Centre for Strategy & Evaluation Services (CSES). The purpose of the evaluation was defined as being to assess the extent to which the aims of the EUCPN have been met with regard to: Identifying good practices in crime prevention and sharing knowledge and experience gained between member countries; Accumulating and evaluating information on crime prevention activities; Improving the exchange of ideas and information within the Network; Developing contacts and facilitating cooperation between Member States; Contributing to the development of local and national strategies on crime prevention; and Promoting crime prevention activities by organising meetings, seminars and conferences. The study concludes that, since 2001, the EUCPN has played a positive role in raising the profile of crime prevention at a European level and facilitating networking between Member States. Given the challenges the EUCPN has faced – in terms of both organisational issues and the environment it has been operating in – the EUCPN’s achievements should not be understated. Over a relatively short period of time, an EU-wide network has been set up that brings together crime prevention policy-makers and practioners to share experience and information in a way that would almost certainly not have occurred if the EUCPN had not been established. The rationale for cooperation at a European level in the crime prevention field, and the EUCPN’s role in this respect, is strongly endorsed by key stakeholders covered by our research. It has not been possible as part of this study to consult widely in Member States beyond those who are involved in the EUCPN’s activities. However, it is reasonable to assume that National Representatives and others representing the authorities that we spoke to articulate views that reflect the attitude of Member States towards EU-level cooperation on crime prevention. As far as the EUCPN’s role is concerned, there is generally positive feedback on what is has done so far to collect and disseminate information on crime prevention, promote networking, etc. The main criticism is that the EUCPN has not been active enough in tackling these and other aspects of its remit. Overall, the EUCPN’s impacts have so far been very limited and there is little awareness of its activities. In short, the Network’s potential is far from being realised. The performance of the EUCPN in relation to the specific goals set out in the 2001 Council Decision has been mixed. Several factors have influenced what the EUCPN has so far been able to achieve. Firstly, the EUCPN’s development has been held back by a lack of political will to develop crime prevention at a European level and the absence of a strong EU legal basis. At an EU level, various Communications have emphasised that preventing crime is important to the well-being and security of Europe’s citizens. But in the absence of the Lisbon Treaty’s ratification, the EU has only very limited competence in the crime prevention field. Secondly, the diversity of approaches to crime prevention at a national level, accentuated by EU enlargement, has also been a complication in the EUCPN’s development. Whilst some EU Member States have deeply-embedded strategies, in other countries the concept of crime prevention has only recently taken root. While the differences in national approaches do not in themselves preclude cooperation – indeed it is one of the justifications for it - this situation makes it more difficult to create a cohesive network at a European level with a clear and shared sense of purpose. Whilst these and other factors have been complications, the main explanation for under-performance lies with the EUCPN itself and in what can be described as an organisation failure. There are two theoretical possibilities that could explain underperformance – the EUCPN has functioned efficiently but its remit is unachievable, or conversely, the goals are appropriate but there have been shortcomings in the organisation required to pursue them. The report suggests that the latter case applies. Overall, the report argues that the EUCPN should continue to be developed as an EU network covering the 27 Member States. This is seen as being in the best long term interests of Member States and the EU as a whole.

Details: Sevenoaks, UK: Centre for Strategy and Evaluation Services, 2009. 115p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 1, 2010 at: http://ec.europa.eu/home-affairs/doc_centre/crime/docs/evaluation_eucpn_en.pdf

Year: 2009

Country: Europe

Keywords: Crime Prevention (Europe)

Shelf Number: 120322


Author: European Forum for Urban Security: Squires, P.

Title: Citizens, Cities and Video Surveillance: Towards a Democratic and Responsible Use of CCTV

Summary: Cities are becoming more crowded, offeringever more opportunities for mobility, culture and education, which in turn require a vast range of increasingly complex and costly facilities. Traffic flows overlap. A relentless commercial show-off excites the public’s desires. Round-the-clock human surveillance is no longer possible due to the high costs, but the development of electronics in the capitalisation of information and their crossover, with the provision of tools that can be either preventive or dissuasive, is leading to a general increase of the number of cameras watching over spaces dedicated to transport, public gatherings, and shopping centres. The prevention of technical incidents is the predominant reason for the installation of cameras, the images from which are both looked at directly and also, increasingly often, analysed using software. Preserving the integrity of these facilities is the second priority of these installations; misuse and intentional damage require rapid interventions for certain equipment, the functioning of which might affect thousands of people. The third motivation behind these installations is compensating for the reduction in the human workforce responsible for operating the equipment. It is for all of these reasons that our cities have become consumers of video surveillance images. The users of these images belong to both the private and public spheres. But a fourth motive has become apparent, and it brings a political twist to the debate. Thanks to CCTV cameras we can stop criminals from operating in the streets, in public spaces. This motive is borne out of a negative acknowledgement concerning the efficiency of the police services. Thus, increasing the number of cases solved would deter would-be criminals to commit a crime. This maxim for a liberalleaning criminology asserts the principle that if criminals feel certain they will be caught, then they will abstain from commiting a crime. Hence, the twofold argument used in official texts: video cameras contribute to prevention and help to arrest criminals. Perhaps, perhaps… But is it worth it? Studies do not show a clear reduction in crime: they show arrests in some criminal cases, justifying in-depth studies, but the desired mass effect has not materialised. And this is a worry. To achieve at least the second objective, and perhaps even the first, cameras need to be placed throughout the entire city because crimes are evenly spread out in urban areas. If we cross this threshold by saturating public space with cameras, we are on a slippery road towards a society of mistrust, of restrictions of liberties. These questions are being debated throughout Europe.What price do we want to pay for a society that holds security as a fundamental value? A French parliamentary report has recently been published following a series of natural disasters. Its main conclusion is that perhaps we should think about re-introducing a “culture of risk” among citizens. The triumphalism of technology has eliminated the notion of risk from the consciences of citizens. What about letting them know that despite the wonders of technology, they must continue to live in a situation of risk? Is this not the same question that could be asked with regard to crime? There is no such thing as a safe, crimeless society, and any methods that purport to eliminate all risk should be rejected by responsible citizens. The increasing number of cameras watching over public spaces infringes on our individual right to anonymity. Public authorities have a duty to justify this infringement. The European Convention on Human Rights invites us to demand such a justification. It is essential in our opinion that the methods of use of cameras and images should be clarified. Such is the aim of the work carried out by practitioners and experts with the support of the Forum.

Details: Paris: European Forum for Urban Security, 2010. 222p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 1, 2010 at: http://www.statewatch.org/news/2010/sep/cctv-publication.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Closed-Circuit Television

Shelf Number: 120327


Author: Crime Victim Conmensation and Support Authority, Sweden

Title: Child Victims in the Union - Rights and Empowerment CURE. A report of the CURE Project 2009-2010

Summary: Child victims in the Union – Rights and Empowerment, CURE, has been a project on the situation of victimised children in the criminal justice system. It has had the ultimate aim to provide recommendations for an improved position of child victims in the European Union. The CURE project was initiated and run by the Crime Victim Compensation and Support Authority in Sweden during 2009-2010. Child victims are identified as a vulnerable group of victims in the legislation of many Member States. Over the last couple of years, the legislative activity on issues related to certain groups of child victims and witnesses has been high. This has led to the establishment of a number of procedural safeguards aimed to protect the child victim from hardship in the criminal justice process. These are primarily concerned with how the child victim is interviewed and with ways to avoid that the child victim is confronted with the suspect. The CURE project concludes that criminal justice policies do not provide sufficient holistic support for child victims as called for in the UN Guidelines on Justice in Matters involving Child Victims and Witnesses of Crime. Improving the circumstances of child victims in the justice system requires binding legislation and mechanisms which cater to the specific needs of children.

Details: Umea, Sweden: Crime Victim Compensation and Support Authority, 2010. 184p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 1, 2010 at: http://s3.amazonaws.com/rcpp/assets/attachments/1151_Cure_report_for_web__original.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Child Witnesses

Shelf Number: 120331


Author: Livingstone, Sonia

Title: Risks and Safety on the Internet: The Perspective of European Children. Initial Findings from the EU Kids Online Survey of 9-16 Year Olds and Their Parents.

Summary: This report presents the initial findings from a new and unique survey designed and conducted according to rigorous standards by the EU Kids Online network. It was funded by the EC's Safer Internet Programme in order to strengthen the evidence base for policies regarding online safety. A random stratified sample of 23,420 children aged 9-16 who use the internet, plus one of their parents, was interviewed during Spring/Summer 2010 in 25 European countries. Findings reported here are based on 23 of these countries. The survey asked about these online risks: pornography, bullying, receiving sexual messages, contact with people not known face to face, offline meetings with online contacts, potentially harmful user-generated content and personal data misuse.

Details: London: EU Kids Online, 2010. 127p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 2, 2010 at: http://www2.lse.ac.uk/media@lse/research/EUKidsOnline/Initial_findings_report.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Bullying

Shelf Number: 120357


Author: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe

Title: Police and Roma and Sinti: Good Practices in Building Trust and Understanding

Summary: The relation between the police and Roma and Sinti communities is crucial in many ways. Roma and Sinti are often targets of racially motivated discrimination and violence. They need to be able to fully rely on the police for protection against – and the full investigation of – hate-motivated crimes. At the same time, the police face the challenge of effectively policing Roma and Sinti communities that often view such efforts with suspicion and mistrust, fed by a long history of abuse and discrimination at the hands of various state authorities. In the 2003 OSCE Action Plan on Improving the Situation of Roma and Sinti within the OSCE Area, participating States recognized the importance of good relations between the police and Roma and Sinti communities for the overall goal of combating discrimination and racial violence, and for ensuring that Roma and Sinti people are able to play a full and equal part in society. Participating States committed themselves to a number of measures aimed at closing the gap between international standards on police and existing national practices. Seven years after the adoption of the Action Plan, a number of initiatives of good practice have been developed regarding policing and Roma and Sinti. At the same time, much remains to be done to fully implement the commitments contained in the Action Plan. Sadly, cases of police misconduct and tensions between law enforcement agencies and Roma and Sinti communities continue to be widely reported from many participating States. This publication aims to assist participating States in implementing their commitments under the Action Plan by identifying principles and good practices that can be used in efforts to improve relations between the police and Roma and Sinti communities. Better co-operation and increased trust in relations with the police can lead to more effective policing and in turn improved security for Roma and Sinti communities. In addition, the police are also poised to benefit from better relations.

Details: Vienna: OSCE, 2010. 143p.

Source: Internet Resource: SPMU Publication Series Vol. 9: Accessed December 3, 2010 at: http://www.osce.org/publications/odihr/2010/04/43671_1452_en.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Ethnic Groups

Shelf Number: 120381


Author: Casenave, Pierre

Title: Regional Report on the Implementation of the "UNICEF Guidelines for the Protection of the Rights of Child Victims of Trafficking in South Eastern Europe": Assessment of the Situation in Albania, Kosovo and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedon

Summary: Trafficking in Human Beings still remains a major human rights violation affecting South Eastern Europe. Although many efforts have been made and progress achieved in combating this human tragedy throughout Europe in general, and South-Eastern Europe in particular, human beings are still victims of trafficking and children, as a particularly vulnerable group, are not an exception and represent an important proportion of the persons being trafficked. While governments devoted important means, commitments and efforts to combating trafficking in human beings especially within the wider framework of the combat against organized crime, an emphasis on victims’ protection still need to be put. Even though efforts were made to protect victims and therefore prevent them of being re-trafficked, as it is often the case, proper protection measures and rehabilitation alternatives need to be created, enhanced and/or implemented. In 2003, UNICEF released its “Guidelines on the protection of child victims of trafficking for South Eastern Europe”1 thus creating a set of standards favourable to the recognition of the status and rights of child victims of trafficking. These guidelines were also adopted for other countries when UNICEF in 2006 launched the guidelines without particular geographical coverage. 6 years after the launch of the UNICEF guidelines, the EIDHR project on “Enhancing capacity to address child trafficking from a Human Rights perspective in South East Europe” started to contribute to the development of effective policies and practices against trafficking in especially children, safeguarding and promoting the rights of boys and girls. One of its aim was to enhance the intervention of national authorities in their combat against child trafficking and protection of child victims. The research on the implementation of UNICEF guidelines was logically a component of this activity. Within this framework, it was necessary to determine whether or not UNICEF guidelines led to legislative changes and positive policy developments, but also to assess the level of their implementation by all stakeholders, at every stage of the child victims’ protection process. As a consequence, the consideration given to practice was paramount. Even though reports, studies and analyses available offer a global panorama of the situation of victims of trafficking in the three countries subject to this study, the added value of this thorough study lies in the regional approach as well as the focus on child victims of trafficking. This report voluntarily left aside considerations regarding prevention of child trafficking, since the purpose of this study was to identify the measures taken by governments to ensure the protection of children already considered as victims of trafficking. However, the part on identification of child victims analyzes whether the situation of a child not yet granted the status of victim was properly evaluated, since wrong assessment can leave children that truly are victims of trafficking without any kind of assistance and deny them the rights attached to their victim status.

Details: Budapest: Terres des hommes - Child Relief, 2010. 110p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 8, 2010 at: http://www.crin.org/docs/Tdh_South_Eastern_Europe.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Child Trafficking

Shelf Number: 120418


Author: Hughes, Karen

Title: Reducing Harm in Drinking Environment: Evidence and Practice in Europe

Summary: Preventing alcohol-related harm in drinking environments is critical in meeting the key priorities of the European Union’s Alcohol Strategy (see Box). Much risky alcohol consumption and related-harm, particularly in young people, occurs in and around drinking venues, including pubs, bars and nightclubs. In addition to damage to individual health and communities, alcohol-related harm places large burdens on business and public services, for example through absenteeism, medical treatment, criminal justice sanctions and street cleaning after a night’s entertainment. Drinking environments are also workplaces for millions of individuals across Europe, who can be the victims of other people’s drinking through, for example, violence. Thus drinking environments are critical locations for addressing harmful and hazardous alcohol consumption and the harm it causes to society. However, to date there has been very little information available across Europe on the effectiveness of interventions to reduce harm in these settings. To address this gap in knowledge, the FASE (Focus on Alcohol Safe Environments) project was co-funded by the European Commission to develop a better understanding of measures that can be effective in reducing alcohol-related harm in drinking environments. The project has focused on interventions that can be implemented at local level, and has involved a systematic literature review to identify studies that have measured the effectiveness of interventions to reduce harm in drinking environment, and the collation of examples of practice in Europe. It focused on five key areas: Responsible server/staff training interventions; Interventions to reduce underage access to alcohol; Policing and enforcement approaches; Interventions delivered in drinking establishments' and Multi-component community interventions. This report combines the findings from both sections of the FASE project. For each intervention type, it summarises the findings of the literature review and provides examples of practice in Europe. It then provides recommendations for the development of policy to reduce harm in European drinking environments.

Details: Liverpool: Centre for Public Health, Liverpool John Moores University, 2010. 44p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 9, 2010 at: http://www.cph.org.uk/showPublication.aspx?pubid=692

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Alcohol Law Enforcement

Shelf Number: 119131


Author: Sarrica, Fabrizio

Title: Trafficking in Persons; Analysis on Europe

Summary: The Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children (the “UN Trafficking Protocol”) was opened up for signatures in the year 2000 and came into effect in December 2003. This paper presents an overview of the situation in Europe and its evolution during the last nine years. The paper is based on information collected by UNODC in the framework of the United Nations Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking (UN.GIFT), published in the Global Report on Trafficking in Persons in February 2009. Data on the trafficking situation in Europe was gathered from national authorities by UNODC and the UN-affiliated European Institute for Crime Prevention and Control (HEUNI). The researchers contacted the relevant national governments to collect available data in three subject areas: Legislative and administrative frameworks; Criminal justice data, and the profile of the offenders; and the Numbers of victims identified and their profiles. The information presented pertains to the 2003-2008 period.

Details: Vienna: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 2009. 25p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 9, 2010 at: http://www.unodc.org/documents/human-trafficking/Trafficking_in_Persons_in_Europe_09.pdf

Year: 2009

Country: Europe

Keywords: Human Trafficking

Shelf Number: 120430


Author: Cortese, Valter

Title: SPOT: Private Security and Work Organisation: Transversal and Thematic Approach

Summary: For some 20 years there has been a considerable rise in activity in the private security sector on a European level. The market in this sector is enjoying a period of strong growth and this is helping to heighten the profile of the private security sector as an economic asset. There are several reasons for this remarkable growth in private security. Firstly, concerns about safety have led to and stimulated increases in the demand for security services, which has resulted in a rise in the volume of service supply. The increase in these kinds activities, then, is part of a vast movement of security needs on the part of companies, public institutions and private individuals. The development of new public spaces, which are private in nature, such as hypermarkets, clearly shows this demand for security services and other places where people congregate, such as airports, stations, hospitals, metro stations and even schools, can also be included. Next, due to restrictions on budget spending and the shrinking of public finances, public security services have concentrated their operations on key priorities and have gradually delegated tasks from the public domain to the private sphere. This has further contributed to the expansion and wider deployment of private security services. Finally, the use of subcontracting and the tendency to externalise security operations by a large number of both private and public firms, which previously had their own security services, have led to a growth in staffing levels in private security firms. Given the perspective of budget control, cost reduction and refocusing on key activities within companies, there has, for about the last ten years, been a shift in security operations towards the private sector. The growth in this sector has been accompanied by a rapid process of increases in professionalism and improvements in the job’s image, which is of crucial importance in laying the basis for developments in the sector. These increases, in addition to the modernisation of work organisation, represent focal points for changes in labour conditions, the issue of working time, the link between vocational training and qualifications, wage levels and recruitment difficulties. Logically enough, the increase in professionalism and labour organisation are subjects which lie within the framework of social dialogue, for both the sector as a whole and for individual companies. Given that those involved in social dialogue have common interests and there is convergence in terms of sector and business development, the growth and expansion of employment and the creation and improving of training programmes, there has been considerable progress made in the areas of regulations and collective agreements. The European social dialogue of the private security sector quickly became concerned with the need for European harmonisation. A first study, carried out by Tina Weber (ECOTEC) focused on describing and analysing the different legislative frameworks of the 15 member states. This study highlighted the huge diversity and marked inequalities in the different legislation, particularly in areas such as entry requirements for companies and staff, the area of operations and the definition of the sector, training, carrying weapons and uniform. This research is a continuation of this first study and looks at the situation of modernising work organisation in 6 member states through legislation, but especially through collective agreements and their subsequent development. The six countries are Belgium, Denmark, Spain, France, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

Details: s.l.: COESS (Confederation of European Security Services, 2003. 49p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 14, 2010 at: http://www.coess.org/documents/report_spot_en.pdf

Year: 2003

Country: Europe

Keywords: Private Security (Europe)

Shelf Number: 119950


Author: Krkeljic, Ljiljana

Title: Small Arms and Gender-Based Violence in Montenegro

Summary: Data shows that the family context, otherwise a synonym for protection and safety, in some situations becomes a source of violence and violation of fundamental human rights. It is known that domestic violence usually occurs when there is a need to gain and maintain dominance and control over another human being. All the data obtained in the course of this research show that women are the primary victims of family violence, and also suffer other forms of violence outside the home. The United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women describes violence against women as a “manifestation of historically unequal power relations between men and women”. At the same time, violence is one of the “crucial social mechanisms by which women are forced into a subordinate position compared with men.” Although domestic violence in Montenegro, just like anywhere else in the world, violates many rights protected by international human rights conventions and also constitutes a violation of domestic laws, one of the biggest obstacles in recognising family violence as a violation of human rights is the belief that “personal” bodily injuries and emotional distress suffered within one’s family are not subject to any law, be it domestic or international. This is also one of the biggest obstacles to victims seeking help and protection. Considering the fact that in such a social environment we see a willingness on the part of women to seek and receive help, the results obtained are highly relevant for understanding gender-based violence. As for domestic violence in Montenegro, defined as a pattern of abuse and use of force including threats, isolation and intimidation, the use of firearms deepens the issue of violence considerably, posing a direct threat to the life of the victim, and to her physical and mental integrity. Since it is men who mostly own arms, and judging by the statements of battered women that it is their husbands, partners, brothers and sons who threaten them with weapons, women are paying a high price for the presence of firearms in the home. Violence against women involving the use of firearms is not an inevitable phenomenon, but a result of tolerance of, and leniency and towards the issue, which is part of Montenegrinhistoric and cultural patterns. No matter what the social context of domestic violence and violence against women may be like, the presence of weapons always has the same effect – the more weapons there are, the more danger to women they pose. Montenegrin society has some serious issues to tackle in order to prevent the abuse of small arms and to curb the culture of armed violence, which is, considering the current situation (vis-a vis the presence of arms in Montenegrin homes) a highly complex task. The reasons for this lie in the immediate destructive effect of the use of firearms in violent behaviour, as well as in the socialisation effects of such patterns, which may have a trans-generational character as role models for behaviour. Awareness of the fact that armed violence poses a risk to life and health, and that the family context in which it happens does not reduce this risk, should be a high priority issue when considering strategies for the reduction of civilian possession of small arms. The pattern of keeping armed violence within the boundaries of family secrets and the traditional role of women as their guardians means that responses to violence necessitate help both for the victim and for the perpetrator. In order to develop such awareness in Montenegrin society there needs to be proper victim protection mechanisms in order to develop a sense of safety and trust in society’s response to domestic violence. Protection mechanisms would function most effectively if they operate within a multi-sectoral approach and involve various forms of protection from the police, the judiciary, and social and health care sectors at the same time as activities aimed at changing public attitudes and prejudices upon which many patterns of behaviour concerning the possession, carrying and use of arms are based.

Details: Porgorica, Montenegro: United Nations Development Programme, Montenegro, 2007. 50p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 14, 2010 at: http://www.seesac.org/uploads/Small_Arms_and_Gender-Based_Violence_in_Montenegro.pdf

Year: 2007

Country: Europe

Keywords: Battered Women

Shelf Number: 120501


Author: Matei, Florina Cristiana

Title: Combating Terrorism and Organized Crime: South Eastern Europe Collective Approaches

Summary: The end of the Cold War triggered an inexorable bloom of democracy and freedom in a multifarious and perilous security environment. Post-Cold War security challenges and threats no longer come from organized, hierarchical state actors, but rather from non-state, easily adaptable, network-centric groups and organizations (such as terrorist, organized crime (OC), money laundering and human trafficking groups), which have progressively succeeded in altering the traditional geographic borders between countries, as well as between domestic and foreign threats. The breakup of Yugoslavia in the early 1990s and the terrorist attacks in the US (2001), Turkey (2003), Spain (2004) and London (2005), etc. have clearly illustrated how instability and war involving failing states, on the one hand, or specific ideologies and religious convictions of small groups of people (yet very well prepared and organized), on the other hand, can impact the peace and security of an entire region or continent. These developments have prompted governments and nations to investigate the dynamics of networked decision-making and adopt a more network-like behavior in order to better understand and tackle terrorism and organized crime networks. In addition, nations have deepened cooperation with countries with common and shared security goals by establishing “interagency cooperation” tools and mechanisms, developing and consolidating “partnerships”, and joining various “collective/cooperative security” organizations and alliances. South Eastern Europe (SEE) is no stranger to terrorism and organized crime. These menaces, along with poverty, political instability, corruption, isolation of minorities, pandemic disease, natural disasters and others, shape the spectrum of security threats to the South Eastern European region. In their search for effective responses, nations have gradually developed an array of bilateral, subregional and regional cooperation mechanisms and/or joined existing international cooperative organizations and alliances. One question remains: with all these instruments in place, has SEE shifted from the “Powder Keg of Europe” to a stable, terrorism- and organized crime-free region? This paper investigates South Eastern Europe’s developments with regard to combating terrorism and organized crime cooperation.

Details: Athens, Greece: Research Institute for European and American Studies (RIEAS), 2009. 21p.

Source: Internet Resource: Research Paper No. 133: Accessed December 17, 2010 at: http://www.rieas.gr/images/rieas133.pdf

Year: 2009

Country: Europe

Keywords: Organized Crime

Shelf Number: 120540


Author: Stover, Heino

Title: Towards a Continuum of Care in the EU Criminal Justice System: A Survey of Prisoners Needs in Four Countries (Estonia, Hungary, Lithuania, Poland)

Summary: Most of the ‘new’ Member States of the EU have, to varying degrees, implemented effective treatment programs and harm reduction projects outside of the prison system. However, effective drug treatment and BBV prevention programs within the prison walls and follow up services for released inmates with problematic drug use still have, in most new Member States, to be developed. Overall, prison policies and practices, in particular in dealing with drug users and related (infectious) diseases, remain an important EU concern. In few of the new Member States the public health imperative of a healthy prison system receives the political attention it deserves. The objectives of the study are operationalised into concrete questions on (i) prevalence, (ii) nature and severity, (iii) characteristics and correlates of problematic drug use, including risk behaviours for HIV and other infectious diseases, (iv) need for care and treatment services and available support systems. The study also assesses differences in prevalence, nature, characteristics and need for services associated with gender and ethnicity.

Details: Oldenberg: BIS-Verlag, der Carl von Ossietzky Universitat Oldenburg, 2011. 285p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 22, 2010 at: http://www.connectionsproject.eu/the-project

Year: 2011

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Abuse Treatment

Shelf Number: 120587


Author: Adams, Neville

Title: Race and the European Criminal Justice System: The Position of Visible Minority Drug Users in the European Criminal Justice System

Summary: This is the multi-country report for Europe outlining some of the key issues pertaining to visible minorities and drug use in the criminal justice system. The report is structured so as to ensure that the findings of the primary source research, involving interviews with staff and service users, can be situated within the relevant European wide and national overlapping anti-discriminatory, drug policy and criminal justice contexts. The report structure is as follows: Race and racism, a contextual framework; European anti-discriminatory legislative context; Overview of the normative potential of the EC anti-discriminatory legislation; Visible minorities in Europe and their treatment; European drug policies and legislation; Survey findings; and Conclusion.

Details: Brussels: European Commission, Executive Agency for Health and Consumers, 2010. 57p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 22, 2010 at: http://www.connectionsproject.eu/the-project

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Discrimination

Shelf Number: 120589


Author: Europol

Title: Cargo Theft Report: Applying the Brakes to Road Cargo Crime in Europe

Summary: This report has been produced by a Europol working group, established to look at the issues related to cargo/freight crime on a European level. It consisted of police representatives from several EU Member States and also members of TAPA. This police/industry partnership acknowledged the need to work collaboratively in this area, share information and intelligence, in order to combat an area of crime of mutual concern. The aims and objectives of the report are as follows: To agree on a common definition of cargo crime and standard terminology; To promote awareness of the issues across EU Member States law enforcement agencies; To give an insight into current modi operandi (MOs); To give an insight into the different approaches adopted by MS; and To develop guidelines for both prevention and investigation for this type of crime.

Details: The Hague: EUROPOL, 2009. 34p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 23, 2010 at: http://www.europol.europa.eu/publications/Serious_Crime_Overviews/Cargo_Theft_Report.pdf

Year: 2009

Country: Europe

Keywords: Cargo Theft

Shelf Number: 120629


Author: Hallam, Christopher

Title: Drug Policies and Harm Reduction in South East Europe

Summary: The political change that took place in the 1990s and the war in Former Yugoslavia have largely shaped the current socio-economic and political situation in most countries in South East Europe (SEE), especially those that were involved in the conflict. Since SEE is part of the European area, the integration of SEE countries into the European Union is of great importance. Four countries of the region are already full members of the European Union (Greece, Slovenia, Bulgaria and Romania) while others are preparing for accession. Between 2009 and 2011, the International Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC) and the Andreas Papandreou Foundation (APF) have given priority to this region in order to contribute to the need of the SEE candidate countries to develop drug policies and programmes that are in accordance with the EU drug strategy. This briefing paper is the first of a series focusing on drug-related issues in SEE. It provides an overview of the current situation regarding harm reduction services and national drug policies in the region. The paper analyses the difficulties and challenges NGOs are facing in their harm reduction work, along with gaps and shortcomings in this field, and provides recommendations for the further development of appropriate harm reduction programmes in the region. The paper is based on the inputs of the members of the Network provided at the meeting in Ohrid in September 2010,6 and papers and reports on the drug situation and drug policy in South East Europe.

Details: London: International Drug Policy Consortium, 2011. 9p.

Source: Internet Resource: IDPC Briefing Paper: Accessed February 3, 2011 at: http://www.idpc.net/sites/default/files/library/IDPC-briefing-paper-harm-reduction-south-east-europe.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Abuse Policy (Europe)

Shelf Number: 120684


Author: Surtees, Rebecca

Title: Listening to Victims: Experiences of Identification, Return and Assistance in South-Eastern Europe

Summary: In recent years combating trafficking in human beings has consistently been on the agenda of national administrations and international actors. A number of studies have attempted to map out the dimensions of the problem as an aspect of organized crime or irregular migration and a number of programmes have been designed to address the needs of the victims of this crime. Yet, most implemented policies and practices as well as the more theoretical studies merely discuss the current status of national and international legislation, address the need for capacity building of a specific target group or concentrate on preventive measures such as awareness raising. The study “Listening to Victims: Experiences of identification, return and assistance in South-Eastern Europe” offers a different take on the issue of trafficking. By listening to the victims themselves, by acknowledging and putting forward their “self-articulated needs,” the study attempts to show the different dilemmas facing trafficking victims. It demonstrates that one general solution is not possible and selective and targeted interventions on different levels are necessary instead. The study reflects the dynamic situation in the anti-trafficking field in South-Eastern Europe. It attempts to outline the ambiguity and complexity that surround the issue of trafficking in human beings, in order to preempt one-track solutions and policy measures. The study does not contain a catalogue of recommendations but provides food for thought for all actors involved. By describing the involvement of different governmental and non-governmental institutions and organisations in the process of identification, assistance and referral of victims of trafficking, the study hints at possible adjustments and improvements in the role of each anti-trafficking actor. It is through the voices of the victims themselves that helpful suggestions for state and non-state actors are articulated. This is particularly the case in the area of rehabilitation and reintegration after an eventual return to the country of origin, which opens a broad spectrum of possibilities for bilateral and multilateral cooperation.

Details: Vienna: International Centre for Migration Policy Development, 2007. 246p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 11, 2011 at: http://www.childtrafficking.com/Docs/listening_to_victims_1007.pdf

Year: 2007

Country: Europe

Keywords: Human Trafficking

Shelf Number: 112353


Author: Marenin, Otwin

Title: Challenges for Integrated Border Management in the European Union

Summary: The expansion of the European Union has required a rethinking of how the external borders of the EU can best be protected against transnational crime, illegal immigration, trafficking in goods and people, non-legitimate asylum seekers and terrorist-related threats. The history, strategic logic, issues faced and current policies for securing the expanding external borders of the EU through the integrated border management (IBM) vision and strategy will be described and critically analysed. The paper is based on information in publicly available documents from EU institutions, scholarly writings on borders and the management of border controls, my own prior writings on border controls and police reforms, and a few interviews with participants involved in creating a new EU integrated border management system.

Details: Geneva: Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces, 2010. 161p.

Source: Internet Resource: DCAF Occasional Paper - No. 17: Accessed February 14, 2011 at: http://www.dcaf.ch/Publications/Publication-Detail?lng=en&id=114407

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Border Security

Shelf Number: 120756


Author: FRA - European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights

Title: Experience of Discrimination, Social Marginalisation and Violence: A Comparative Study of Muslim and Non-Muslim Youth in Three EU Member States

Summary: Social marginalisation has drastic negative consequences for any society. Marginalisation of children has even more dire effects – both for the present and in the future. Stereotypical presumptions about people, coupled with prejudiced views concerning specific religions and their followers, are dangerous with respect to the impact that these negative stereotypes can have on progress towards community cohesion and social integration. While many people in the EU have concerns about certain religions and their followers’ possible support for, or engagement in, violence, it is essential that these stereotypes are confronted with evidence looking at the attitudes and experiences of these groups through the lens of social marginalisation and negative stereotyping. This report is about young people – those from the majority population and those who have identified themselves as Muslims. It sets out to establish facts as to their attitudes on a range of issues and experiences of everyday life in three Member States. The data reported here can be read as proxy indicators that are useful in the development of specific policies relating to non-discrimination and social integration of young people in general – both Muslims and non-Muslims. By researching and analysing experiences of discrimination, social marginalisation and violence in three European Union Member States – France, Spain and the United Kingdom – the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights has been able to show that children between the ages of 12 and 18 (young people) who have experienced social marginalisation and discrimination are highly likely to be more disposed to physical or emotional violence in comparison with those not experiencing marginalisation. Moreover, when aspects other than social marginalisation and discrimination have been accounted for, there are no indications that Muslim youth are either more or less likely to resort to violence than non-Muslims. This strongly suggests that social marginalisation and discrimination needs to be addressed, as a priority, with respect to its impact on young people’s support for violence. The research – even though limited in scope – shows that the overwhelming majority of Muslim youth have a very similar world view to that of their non-Muslim peers: that is, their concerns include the state of the world and major social issues. At the same time, given their exposure to discrimination, Muslim youth are more sensitive to issues of religious (in)tolerance and cultural identity, which resonate more with their personal experiences. Successful integration between people of different ethnicity or religions hinges upon a clear understanding and application of fundamental rights; such as the right to non-discrimination. Such an approach is crucial in, for example, school policies, through to local and national educational and social strategies.

Details: Vienna: FRA, 2010. 108p.

Source: Internet Resource: accessed February 22, 2011 at: http://www.fra.europa.eu/fraWebsite/attachments/Pub-racism-marginalisation_en.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Discrimination (Europe)

Shelf Number: 120846


Author: European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA)

Title: Understanding and Preventing Discriminatory Ethnic Profiling: A Guide

Summary: ‘Ethnic profiling’ is not a new practice in the Member States of the European Union, but it appears to have become more prominent in reaction to the terrorist bombings in the United States of America (USA, 2001), Madrid (2004) and London (2005), as well as increased concerns over illegal immigration. In turn, concerns have been raised by intergovernmental organisations such as the United Nations (UN), the Council of Europe and the European Union (EU), as well as non-governmental organisations working in the area of human rights protection. In particular, it has been argued that ethnic profi ling not only conflicts with law relating to discrimination, but also has damaging social effects. Nevertheless, the practice of ‘ethnic profiling’ in Europe is generally under-reported and little understood outside of the United Kingdom (UK). The UK has been addressing discriminatory ethnic profiling since the 1980s and, as a result, has built up a strong research basis as well as numerous policy responses to the issue. However, the recognition of discriminatory ethnic profi ling practices has not been aff orded as much attention in other EU Member States. As a reflection of this, the European literature overwhelmingly originates from the UK, entailing that a large number of examples used throughout this Guide have been extracted from the UK context. It must, however, be noted that the EU and the European Parliament in particular have identified the problem of profiling as a pressing issue in the areas of counter-terrorism, law enforcement, immigration, customs and border control.(1) With this in mind, this Guide sets out to introduce the enquiring reader to the subject of ‘ethnic profiling’ as a concept and a practice, and one which can be challenged with respect to its potential to discriminate and undermine fundamental rights. This publication is primarily designed for officers at management level in law enforcement agencies. It is intended to improve understanding of the theory and practice of ‘ethnic profiling’ and place it within a legal and social context. It does so by explaining how ‘profiling’ is used in general contexts outside of law enforcement, such as in the area of market research. It then looks at profiling as a practice in the context of law enforcement. In particular, the Guide explains when profiling that uses race, ethnicity or religion will be considered to be discriminatory and therefore unlawful, and under which circumstances reference to these characteristics may be permissible. The Guide then goes on to look at the harmful effects of discriminatory ethnic profiling, its effectiveness as a law enforcement tool, as well as alternative policing methods and safeguards against the misuse of profiling.

Details: Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2010. 80p.

Source: Internet Resource: accessed February 22, 2011 at: http://www.fra.europa.eu/fraWebsite/attachments/Guide_ethnic_profiling.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Discrimination

Shelf Number: 120864


Author: European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA)

Title: Data in Focus Report: Police Stops and Minorities

Summary: EU-MIDIS, the first EU-wide survey to ask immigrant and ethnic minority groups about their experiences of discrimination and criminal victimisation in everyday life shows that: •Minorities were stopped by the police more often than the majority groups living in the same neighbourhoods in Belgium, Germany, Greece, Spain, France and Hungary. This was not the case in the Slovak Republic, Bulgaria, Italy or Romania. Some minority groups are particularly heavily policed – for example Roma respondents in Greece who were stopped by the police experienced on average nearly 6 stops in a 12 month period. •Majority respondents tend to think that the police are respectful towards them, whereas more minority respondents indicate that the police are disrespectful. For example, in Belgium, 85% of majority population respondents considered that the police were respectful towards them during their last police stop, compared to 42% of North African respondents and 55% of Turkish respondents. •Minority groups who perceive they were stopped by the police on the basis of their ethnic or immigrant background have a lower level of trust in the police than minorities who were stopped and considered it to be unrelated to their minority background. Every second minority victim of assault, threat or serious harassment said they did not report these incidents to the police because they were not confident the police would do anything about them.

Details: Vienna: FRA, 2010. 20p.

Source: Internet Resource: Data in Focus Report 04: Accessed February 24, 2011 at: http://fra.europa.eu/fraWebsite/attachments/EU-MIDIS-police.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Discrimination

Shelf Number: 120863


Author: European Forum for Urban Security

Title: Citizens, Cities and Video Surveillance: Towards a Democratic and Responsible Use of CCTV

Summary: Cities are becoming more crowded, offering ever more opportunities for mobility, culture and education, which in turn require a vast range of increasingly complex and costly facilities. Traffic flows overlap. A relentless commercial show-off excites the public’s desires. Round-the-clock human surveillance is no longer possible due to the high costs, but the development of electronics in the capitalisation of information and their crossover, with the provision of tools that can be either preventive or dissuasive, is leading to a general increase of the number of cameras watching over spaces dedicated to transport, public gatherings, and shopping centres. The prevention of technical incidents is the predominant reason for the installation of cameras, the images from which are both looked at directly and also, increasingly often, analysed using software. Preserving the integrity of these facilities is the second priority of these installations; misuse and intentional damage require rapid interventions for certain equipment, the functioning of which might affect thousands of people. The third motivation behind these installations is compensating for the reduction in the human workforce responsible for operating the equipment. It is for all of these reasons that our cities have become consumers of video surveillance images. The users of these images belong to both the private and public spheres. But a fourth motive has become apparent, and it brings a political twist to the debate. Thanks to CCTV cameras we can stop criminals from operating in the streets, in public spaces. This motive is borne out of a negative acknowledgement concerning the efficiency of the police services. Thus, increasing the number of cases solved would deter would-be criminals to commit a crime. This maxim for a liberal-leaning criminology asserts the principle that if criminals feel certain they will be caught, then they will abstain from commiting a crime. Hence, the twofold argument used in official texts: video cameras contribute to prevention and help to arrest criminals. Perhaps, perhaps... But is it worth it? Studies do not show a clear reduction in crime: they show arrests in some criminal cases, justifying in-depth studies, but the desired mass effect has not materialised. And this is a worry. To achieve at least the second objective, and perhaps even the first, cameras need to be placed throughout the entire city because crimes are evenly spread out in urban areas. If we cross this threshold by saturating public space with cameras, we are on a slippery road towards a society of mistrust, of restrictions of liberties. These questions are being debated throughout Europe. What price do we want to pay for a society that holds security as a fundamental value? A French parliamentary report has recently been published following a series of natural disasters. Its main conclusion is that perhaps we should think about re-introducing a “culture of risk” among citizens. The triumphalism of technology has eliminated the notion of risk from the consciences of citizens. What about letting them know that despite the wonders of technology, they must continue to live in a situation of risk? Is this not the same question that could be asked with regard to crime? There is no such thing as a safe, crimeless society, and any methods that purport to eliminate all risk should be rejected by responsible citizens. The increasing number of cameras watching over public spaces infringes on our individual right to anonymity. Public authorities have a duty to justify this infringement. The European Convention on Human Rights invites us to demand such a justification. It is essential in our opinion that the methods of use of cameras and images should be clarified. Such is the aim of the work carried out by practitioners and experts with the support of the Forum.

Details: Paris: European Forum for Urban Security, 2010. 113p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 8, 2011 at: http://www.statewatch.org/news/2010/sep/cctv-publication.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: CCTV

Shelf Number: 120887


Author: Organization for Security and Co-operation Europe, Office of the Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings

Title: Unprotected Work, Invisible Exploitation: Trafficking for the Purpose of Domestic Servitude

Summary: Trafficking for the purpose of labour exploitation is commonly perceived as less invasive and damaging than trafficking for sexual exploitation. While in some cases this might be true, trafficking for domestic servitude is often just as devastating an experience, with long-term and serious consequences. This invisible exploitation must become a concern for all of us. It could be taking place next door, in our own social environment. This Occasional Paper is the result of the Alliance High-level Conference on “Unprotected Work, Invisible Exploitation: Trafficking for the Purpose of Domestic Servitude” hosted by the Special Representative in Vienna on 17 and 18 June 2010 and the Background Paper which informed the dialogue and exchange at the Conference. The Paper is meant to provide a policy tool for decision makers and practitioners dealing with trafficking in human beings on the ground. It is based on desk research, field work and case study analyses in order to shed light on one of the most invisible forms of modern-day slavery. The Paper also benefits from the comments, inputs and expertise of specialized NGOs. Furthermore, it is enriched by the valuable contributions and direct experience of policymakers and public officials (including law enforcement, prosecutors, judges, diplomats), as well as trade unions, international organizations and academics who participated in the Alliance Conference. The Alliance Conference, which aimed at advancing the implementation of OSCE anti-trafficking commitments and mobilizing greater political will, highlighted the specific features of this form of trafficking in human beings, as well as the experiences and challenges that participating States, civil society and international organizations encounter in prevention of trafficking for domestic servitude. It provided an excellent forum to gather expertise, exchange good practices and develop recommendations on what more can be done to eradicate trafficking in human beings for domestic servitude.

Details: Vienna: OSCE, 2010. 72p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 8, 2011 at: http://ftsblog.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Unprotected-Work-Invisible-Exploitation.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Forced Labor

Shelf Number: 120904


Author: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, Office of the Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings

Title: Combating Trafficking as Modern-Day Slavery: A Matter of Rights, Freedoms and Security: 2010 Annual Report

Summary: The Special Representative (SR) is tasked by the 2005 Ministerial Council Decision to report annually to the Permanent Council on the progress achieved over the preceding year’s anti-trafficking work carried out throughout the OSCE region. This report covers the period from January to November 2010. The report is divided in four parts and deals with different aspects of the phenomenon, policies, actions, and challenges deriving from trafficking in women, men, and children for many different exploitative purposes. Part I “Trafficking in Human Beings as Modern-Day Slavery” explores the multiple forms of trafficking and addresses them as severe human rights violations, serious transnational organized crime, and threats to the individual and State security. Recent research and case studies from a variety of OSCE participating States help illustrate the phenomenon. Nowadays, trafficking in human beings is a serious crime that is widespread and ever-increasing throughout the OSCE region and beyond. Every day, thousands of people – among them a significant proportion of children – are deceived, abused, threatened and coerced into situations of exploitation that amount to slavery. The variety of forms of exploitation is endless and includes trafficking for sexual and labour exploitation, for domestic servitude, forced begging, petty crime, pickpocketing, and trafficking for the purpose of organ removal. Part II “Joining Efforts to Tackle Trafficking in Human Beings” provides an overview of the work and internal co-ordination and co-operation further developed in 2010 by the OSCE institutions, structures and field operations. It presents the work carried out by the SR and her Office in strengthening the ongoing dialogue and action with the 2010 Kazakh OSCE Chairmanship and the participating States and, more specifically, with a wide range of Parliamentarians, government authorities, and judiciary representatives met during conferences, seminars, workshops, bilateral meetings held in different OSCE countries. Furthermore, this part of the report describes the external partnerships reinforced or newly established with many international, intergovernmental and civil society organizations to jointly combat human trafficking and fully promote comprehensive measures aimed at the protection of the rights of all trafficked persons. Part III “Stepping Forward: Challenges and Future Perspectives” concludes the report as a stand alone chapter by addressing four crucial areas that the OSR decided to focus on to advance the anti-trafficking action: prosecution and criminal justice response; protection of victims’ rights; prevention; and strengthening partnership. Furthermore, in line with the priorities of the Kazakh OSCE Chairmanship, the SR dedicated special attention to trafficking in children. Part IV of the report lists the references and an Annex recording the conferences and events attended by the SR and her Office in 2010.

Details: Vienna: OSCE, 2010. 64p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 9, 2011 at: http://www.osce.org/cthb/74730

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Child Trafficking

Shelf Number: 120932


Author: Council of the Baltic Sea States. Expert Group for Cooperation on Children at Risk

Title: Baltic Sea Region – Information Management to Prevent Trafficking BSR IMPT

Summary: This report is one of the results of a project implemented by the Expert Group for Cooperation on Children at Risk, EGCC, within the Council of the Baltic Sea States. Unaccompanied and trafficked children is one of the priority areas for the EGCC. The “Baltic Sea Region – Information Management to Prevent Trafficking” project, BSR IMPT, explores information structures on child trafficking with the ambition of mapping existing information and intelligence structures aiming to picture information streams. Trafficking in children may appear a relatively minor problem. The official numbers – cases brought to trial – are very low. However, there may or may not be a hidden number. In any event, as trafficking constitutes a phenomenon closely associated with exploitation, prevention and protection measures need to address the ‘wider pool’ of children at risk of exploitation and, possibly therefore, trafficking. This is emphasised in the report. The report is grounded on information obtained mainly from three expert seminars and around 60 interviews in nine countries within the Council of the Baltic Sea States. Information management, IM, is a complex area, where a number of factors in the end determine how information is managed in terms of stream and channels. This report starts from sectors or groups of professionals involved and the complexity was stressed by many of the professionals, who may not be in a position to see the full picture and therefore are often uncertain where to address suspicions and intelligence which may be vital for other professionals. Professionals retrieve information from various sources. They may read reports or participate in conferences and seminars, which along with a number of training sessions provide professionals with the opportunity to share information. A number of professionals also engage in networks with colleagues or at a multi-sector level. Information is categorised. One category is anecdotes and myths; single stories or incidents that may or may not be cases of trafficking of children. There are huge challenges associated with exploring, verifying and making such information available across sectors, i.e. to police, social authorities, NGOs and others. The same is true of the flow of information between national, regional and local levels or across borders. In many countries reporting mechanisms between the local and national levels seem weak. The report concludes that information flows are facilitated if there is a centralised national organ to manage and orchestrate compilation and dissemination, along with a number of networks feeding it information. Here Denmark, Norway and, to some extent, Finland are well positioned. Equally CBSS and the EGCC pursue a role of centralised structure, functioning at the regional level as a convenor and amplifier by facilitating information flows across borders between the countries in the Baltic Sea region. National Contact Points, NCPs, have a central position in assuring links with the national level.

Details: Stockholm, Sweden: Council of the Baltic Sea States, The Children's Unit, 2010. 80p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 23, 2011 at: http://www.childcentre.info/public/CBSS_IMPT_report_new.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Border Security

Shelf Number: 121111


Author: Nagele, Barbara

Title: Intimate Partner Violence Against Older Women -- Summary Report

Summary: Supported by the European Commission in the Daphne III programme and coordinated by German Police University (Deutsche Hochschule der Polizei), researchers at the universities of Białystok (Poland) and Sheffield (UK), the research institutes Cesis - Centro de Estudos para a Intervenção Social (Portugal), Zoom – Gesellschaft für prospektive Entwicklungen e.V. (Germany), the Institut für Konfliktforschung (Austria) and the Hungarian Academy of Sciences simultaneously explored the topic of violence against women 60 and over at the hands of current and former intimate partners in the six countries. Research tools were developed jointly and the methodological approach coordinated internationally. The research programme comprised the following steps: 1 . Compiling and evaluating data from (domestic) violence support services as well as existing statistics (e.g. from the police) to determine the age structure of registered cases of intimate partner violence; reviewing existing research on the issue 2 . Conducting a survey amongst institutions with probable or at least possible knowledge of cases of intimate partner violence against older women 3 . Interviewing experts having knowledge of cases identified by means of the institutional survey 4 . Interviewing older women currently affected by intimate partner violence or having been victims of IPV in the past 5 . Developing recommendations for national and international contexts involving relevant actors with the aim of improving long-term support for older female victims of intimate partner violence. Institutional knowledge was surveyed and evaluated in research steps 1-3 and 5, while female victims themselves were interviewed in step 4. In addition to information on the problem, its dimensions as reflected in institutional statistics, characteristics of female victims of IPV, male perpetrators and the partnership, attention was especially focused on women’s help-seeking behaviour, how the help system dealt with these cases and on needs and options for service improvement. This report sums up the results of the surveys in all six participating countries. In the country reports, country specific information is given relating to the domestic violence support system and the situation of older women. This information helps to explain many differences we observed in our study. We explicitly encourage readers to make use of the national reports in this respect (see www.ipvow.org). In the national reports all relevant instruments can be found. In the foreword some definitional issues are tackled. Following the executive summary in chapter I in Chapter II the study and the questions posed are presented and conceptual and methodological considerations explained. The research team and the individual steps of the survey are described in detail. In chapter III the results of our review of existing research and data are presented. Although only one Scottish study with an exclusive focus on IPV against older women could be identified, a considerable body of research exists on several issues closely connected to the topic of this study. Some of the studies on elder abuse and neglect as well as on violence against and abuse of older women include information on IPV; the same is true for some (prevalence) studies on domestic violence and victimization surveys. Studies clearly show an age related decline in victimization, but point out that relevant numbers are affected and victims face specific problems. This justifies a special consideration of the phenomenon. In most countries, an overall lack of data on IPV against older women can be observed. Data are usually not sufficiently disaggregated by gender, age, relationship between victim and perpetrator, and type of offence. But still some (mostly regional) data from (domestic) violence and crisis intervention services, police and public prosecutors shed some light on the institutional knowledge of cases. They show that the proportion of older women amongst all female clients is generally low, but higher in non-residential services than in shelters and refuges. Case knowledge of law enforcement agencies is overall low. Significant differences between countries can be observed and should be explored. Chapter IV presents the results of the comparative analysis of data of the institutional survey. This survey examines institutional case knowledge and experts’ perceptions of the issue. A fully standardized questionnaire was sent to a broad range of institutions and professions with possible case knowledge including medical and nursing professions, counselling services and psychosocial institutions, clergy, legal professions and institutions of law enforcement. Sample sizes and compositions differ largely between countries. The overall response rate was 28,6%. Two thirds of the 922 responding institutions reported to have had contact with older female victims of IPV in the years 2006 to 2009. Only one third of public health institutions and institutions dealing with care of older people reported about having encountered such victims, but a high rate of (domestic) violence institutions did. In a 3-year period (2006 to 2008), 10.262 victims got into contact with the participating institutions in the six countries. For 2009 – the year in which the survey was conducted – contacts to 6.073 victims were reported. A major part of the victims have suffered multiple types of violence. According to the experts, violence was overwhelmingly frequent, unilateral, long lasting, and it had started before the age of 60. The perpetrator was the cohabiting partner in 81,2% and a former partner - partly co-habiting (especially in Hungary because of shortage in housing) and partly not co-habiting - in 18,8% of the cases. Institutions were informed about the violence most frequently by the police (47,8% of the cases) or by the victim herself (36,2% of the cases). Other institutions – e.g. health service institutions – play a minor role in case referral. More important are other persons close to the victim. More than half of the organisations with case experience provided psycho-social support, legal advice, and crisis intervention for the victims or information for other institutions in the case. The majority of experts perceive older female victims to be especially reluctant to separation and to face peculiar difficulties when trying to leave the abusive relationship. In chapter V, findings of the interviews with older female victims and with experts are provided. As regards victim interviews, most research teams experienced big difficulties accessing interviewees and thus used multiple and different ways to gain access. A total of 195 interviews with specialists and 58 interviews with older female victims of IPV were carried out. According to experts’ and victims’ reports, women and men involved in violent intimate relationships come from all social and educational backgrounds and violence is predominantly performed by cohabiting partners within long-standing relationship. Often reported is a traditional gender role distribution with high degrees of economic dependency of the women. All interviewed women disclosed some form of partner abuse within their relationship though many were reluctant to use terms such as ‘domestic violence’ or ‘partner violence’ and often appeared to minimise the severity and significance of the abuse they had been subjected to. Most of the women experienced violence already in the beginning of their relationship and throughout the complete course of the marriage. Unequal power relations, gender specific roles and patriarchal societal structures are mentioned as causes of IPV against older women. Alcohol consumption/ alcoholism, abuse of medication and jealousy are seen as triggers. Nevertheless, in a couple of cases violence starts or worsens in older age and the following factors may lead to a late onset or aggravation of violence: increasing dependency (care, household matters), matters relating to property, mental disorders such as dementia and substance abuse, retirement of partner (loss of self-esteem and increase in time spent together), alcohol abuse and sexual disturbances. Older women usually experience a combination of several forms of violence like psychological and physical violence as well as (social) control and financial exploitation and dependency, sexual violence as well as (in fewer cases) intentional neglect. In most cases, unidirectional violence by the male partner against the older women is reported. The cases are marked by pronounced shame of the women, social isolation, psychological disorders, low self esteem and reduced options for change. Health problems play a major role in cases of IPV against older women, they increase vulnerability, reduce coping opportunities and options for help seeking. In our study, it became apparent that often also other persons in the social proximity of older women have to be considered as perpetrators such as sons (in high numbers), neighbours, acquaintances, children of new partners, tenants, staff members of care services were mentioned as perpetrators. For many older women victims of IPV, experiences of (male) violence appear to be a biographical constant. Many of them experienced rigid upbringing by their parents and had experiences of violence in their childhood and as young adults. They were brought up to accept traditional gender roles and were taught to perceive marriage as a life-time commitment. There are many reasons for them for not leaving their violent partners, but the wish to change the situation and live free from violence is very strong. The study shows that age on the intersection with gender and generation specific factors plays a role on different levels. Among the after-effects of long-term abuse are severe health and psychological problems as well as low self-esteem and financial dependency in higher age. This may make it more difficult for older women to end the relationship than for younger women who have been in the relationship only for a shorter time. The historical and current societal contexts in the participating countries shape women’s experiences of IPV. Examples for country specific differences are the different importance of religion, of alcohol abuse, specific experiences of dictatorship and war, specific values and gender roles, the current economic situation and country specific urban – rural gaps. For all countries it became clear that in most cases IPV against older women is deeply rooted in inequality and power issues in the relation of men and women. In addition age related vulnerability, marginality and dependency worsen the situation for many women. But it also became apparent that IPV against older women may also be caused in mental illness of the partner. It is highly important to differentiate cases. For experts, working with older women victims of IPV often means facing bigger challenges than working with younger women in a similar situation. Older women victims of IPV, when they seek support, foremost seek information about their rights and someone with whom they can build a trustworthy relationship and share their feelings. Older women less often separate from their violent partners or press charges against them and they less often know about and make use of services. Specialists often see a special demand for support of older women which, according to them, is not yet met appropriately. Nevertheless, older women seek help - with relatives, neighbours, institutions against domestic violence, the police and other law enforcement agencies, doctors, and social services. Older women’s greatest needs if they are exposed to violence by their partners are health, finance and housing-related. Housing stands as one of the main problems older women have to deal with and as one of the strongest limitations to the intervention that support institutions can engage in. Most institutions deplore a lack of resources for being able to give appropriate support to older women as well as in some cases a lack of close cooperation with other institutions. In chapter VI we present recommendations in an overview and refer to the European dimension. Recommendations were derived from national recommendations and discussed at an international expert workshop.

Details: Gottingen: Zoom – Gesellschaf t für prospekt ive Entw icklungen e.V.; Munster: Deutsche Hochschule der Polizei, 2010. 116p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 4, 2011 at: http://www.ipvow.org/images/stories/ipvow/reports/summary_report_final.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Domestic Violence

Shelf Number: 121235


Author: Pearce, Hannah

Title: Off the Radar: Protecting Children from British Sex Offenders Who Travel

Summary: ECPAT UK has been working to end the sexual exploitation of children overseas by British nationals for almost 20 years and we have documented over 120 cases of Britons accused of such crimes during this period. In 2010, ECPAT UK was made aware of over a dozen cases committed in countries including India, Cambodia and Romania. This report provides details of five of these cases which are used to illustrate success stories and the existing gaps and challenges. We are deeply concerned that despite improvements to legislation and some notable efforts on the part of individual police forces, British nationals continue to travel abroad to abuse children. Despite their ongoing risk to children and the fact that many of these individuals are known to authorities both in the UK and in the country in which the abuse took place, these individuals often fall off the radar. In particular, we are concerned about the vulnerability of children in international schools and orphanages because of the lack of information sharing between jurisdictions, and the fact that international organisations are unable to access the criminal records checking procedures that would be expected as standard procedure by UK institutions. There is evidence to suggest that serious sex offenders who are known to authorities in the UK seek out teaching or volunteer jobs abroad where they feel they can abuse freely without detection. Conversely, perpetrators who have been convicted abroad for child sex offences can easily slip back into the UK undetected. This creates an unacceptable risk to British children because there is no legal mandate that compels perpetrators to disclose these offences immediately upon their return to the UK and seemingly little management of international data when it comes to light.

Details: London: ECPAT UK, 2011. 25p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 7, 2011 at: http://www.ecpat.org.uk/sites/default/files/off_the_radar_-_protecting_children_from_british_sex_offenders_who_travel.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: Europe

Keywords: Child Sexual Abuse

Shelf Number: 121261


Author: Heikkila, Elli

Title: Working Together for Better Integration -- Immigrants, Police and Social Work

Summary: This book contains 25 examples of good collaborative practices between the police, social work and immigrants in five European countries. The collection of these good practices has been completed as part of a European project called IPS. IPS stands for Immigrants, Police and Social Work; the project has been conducted in Finland, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and the UK between December 2009 and June 2011. The European Fund for the Integration of Third Country Nationals funds the IPS project to identify how police officers and social workers could work more eff ectively together to promote the integration of third-country nationals (persons coming from outside the European Union member states) into their new nation state. In addition to the research on good and promising practices, there are two other objectives in the IPS project: an overview of the existing education materials concerning intercultural competences in further education, and the model for the joint educational program for police officers and social workers in each partner country. The publication of this book aims to address several objectives, including: – contributing to the effective education of European police officers and social workers – promoting education within a multicultural context where these examples of the good and most promising practices can be used as case studies. Diff erent countries face different problems concerning police and social work cooperation and this publication adds to mutual learning and understanding of integration issues in European societies. The aim is to open up new perspectives, describe different ways of working in diff erent countries and to inspire others to develop their own work practices. Finally, coming to the main purpose of the IPS project, we hope that this book can help to improve the intercultural competences of police officers and social workers working with immigrant communities, so that in the end “old” and “new” neighbours can be better supported in the two-way integration process in the different member states and that the diff erent states can fully maximise the potential immigrant contribution.

Details: Turku, Finland: Institute of Migration, 2011. 195p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 11, 2011 at: http://www.migrationinstitute.fi/pdf/IPS-C18.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: Europe

Keywords: Immigrant Communities

Shelf Number: 121311


Author: Dunkel, Frieder

Title: International Study on Women’s Imprisonment: Current Situation, Demand Analysis and "Best Practice"

Summary: Since women in Europe only constitute an average of roughly 4.5% to 5.0% of the total prison population (from 2.9% in Poland to 7.8 % in Spain), women in European prisons experience specific problems and structural disadvantages. Prisons are geared towards male prisoners and therefore excessive security measures are implemented, women‘s educational and work opportunities are (even) more restricted, and the inmate structure reveals that female prisoners show a high incidence of substance abuse, as well as psychological and psychosomatic complaints. In addition to these problems that occur in all the countries surveyed, some countries experience their own unique problems: ranging from the structure of the criminal offence (e.g. drug couriers in Spain) to the historic-political background of the countries that have joined the EU. There is thus an urgent need to evaluate the current situation of female prisoners and their needs. Under the preconditions of a resource-oriented approach, the ‚healthy prison’ concept as well as theories of work- and organisational psychology, the aim is to examine women‘s prisons from a number of different angles in order to promote designs that meet the women’s needs and thus promote tertiary prevention. The analysis of the specific situation and actual conditions of imprisonment of female prisoners allows, firstly, the identification of what constitutes ‚best practice’ and, secondly, – also in terms of gender mainstreaming – the derivation of measures that can be taken to ensure that imprisonment takes place in accordance with the needs of female prisoners. The current lack of knowledge and cross-border transfer of experiences with regard to female prisoners brings a number of difficulties with it. It is thus more difficult to ensure that penal institutions are properly designed and organised and that the prison officers receive adequate specialised vocational training, which in turn negatively affects the prisoners’ rehabilitation. To counter this difficiency, the following project measures will be taken whereby the sanctioning practices of the participating countries will be taken into account: a) Examination of female prisons at the organisational level (structural conditions): regard of human rights, accommodation (number of occupants, proximity to home, mother-child facilities), educational and work situation of the imprisoned women, treatment (opportunities for substance abusers, opportunities and facilities specifically geared towards women, etc.) qualification of staff, etc. b) Differential analysis of the perceived living conditons and conditions of imprisonment in the participating countries as well as - and with special reference to - the specific needs of imprisoned women: assessment of the quality of life and the climate in each institution, needs, and experience of stress. c) Differential analysis of the subjective concepts of the prison staff regarding imprisoned women, the prison system and in particular their vocational role.

Details: Greifswald, Germany: University of Greifswald, Department of Criminology, 2005. 40p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 14, 2011 at: http://www.rsf.uni-greifswald.de/fileadmin/mediapool/lehrstuehle/duenkel/Reader_womeninprison.pdf

Year: 2005

Country: Europe

Keywords: Correctional Institutions

Shelf Number: 121338


Author: Kego, Walter

Title: Russian Speaking Organized Crime Groups in the EU

Summary: The transnational character of Russian speaking organized crime, when coupled with its high degree of sophistication and ruthlessness, has attracted the world’s attention and concern to what has become known as a global “Russian Mafia.” Along with this concern, however, has come a fair amount of misunderstanding and stereotyping with respect to this problem. The paper presents a multilateral analysis of Russian speaking organized crime groups in EU, providing a general overview of its origins, development and impact on the European society. The authors tried to explore the full magnitude of the problem, presenting the possible ways of counteracting.

Details: Stockholm: Institute for Security & Development Policy, 2011. 66p.

Source: Internet Resource: Stokholm Paper: Accessed April 14, 2011 at: http://www.isdp.eu/images/stories/isdp-main-pdf/2011_kego-molcean_russian-speaking-organized-crime.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: Europe

Keywords: Organized Crime (Europe)

Shelf Number: 121340


Author: Lefebvre, Mathieu

Title: Tax Evasion, Welfare Fraud, and "The Broken Windows" Effect: An Experiment in Belgium, France and the Netherlands

Summary: In a series of experiments conducted in Belgium (Wallonia and Flanders), France and the Netherlands, we compare behavior regarding tax evasion and welfare dodging, with and without information about others' behavior. Subjects have to decide between a 'registered' income, the realization of which will be known to the tax authority for sure, and an 'unregistered' income that will only be known with some probability. This unregistered income comes from self-employment in the Tax treatment and from black labor supplementing some unemployment compensation in the Welfare treatment. Subjects have then to decide on whether reporting their income or not, knowing the risk of detection. The results show that (i) individuals evade more in the Welfare treatment than in the Tax treatment; (ii) many subjects choose an option that allows for tax evasion or welfare fraud but report their income honestly anyway; (iii) examples of low compliance tend to increase tax evasion while examples of high compliance exert no influence; (iv) tax evasion is more frequent in France and the Netherlands; Walloons evade taxes less than the Flemish. There is no cross-country difference in welfare dodging.

Details: Munich: CESifo Group, 2011. 49p.

Source: Internet Resource: CESIFO WORKING PAPER NO. 3408: Accessed April 14, 2011 at: http://www.cesifo-group.de/portal/pls/portal/docs/1/1200211.PDF

Year: 2011

Country: Europe

Keywords: Tax Evasion

Shelf Number: 121354


Author: Cortese, Valter

Title: The Modernisation of Work Organisation in the European Private Security Industry

Summary: The objectives of this project were twofold: 1. To collect and analyse comparative data describing how work is organised, employment managed and operations regulated in all 27 countries of the European Union. A series of indicators, relating to socio-economic data, have been defined on working hours, job security, training, conditions of access to employment and collective relations. 2. To define and study, on the basis of case studies, innovatory aspects relating to the sector’s professionalisation and regulation, within the framework of the development of social dialogue. In this respect, particular attention has been paid to vocational training, as well as, in one case, the role played by technology in improving working conditions and the security of cash handling services.

Details: Brussels:he Centre of Sociology of Work, Employment and Training of the Université Libre de Bruxelles METICES - TEF – ULB, 2009. 44p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 15, 2011 at: http://www.coess.org/pdf/VS2007-0235_MOWO_Final_Research_Report_EN.pdf

Year: 2009

Country: Europe

Keywords: Private Security (Europe)

Shelf Number: 121356


Author: Weber, Tina

Title: A Comparative Overview of Legislation Governing the Private Security Industry in the European Union

Summary: This document represents the draft final report of a project commissioned by the social partners in the European private security, CoESS and UNI Europa and funded by the European Commission. This report was drawn up in the context of the third European Conference on Private Security, which was held in Brussels on 12 and 13 December 2001. The key theme for the conference was the “harmonisation of the legal framework governing the private security industry”. Private security companies are increasingly operating in a multi-national environment, with ever-greater scope for cross-border activity. At the same time as operations are becoming more transnational, the legal framework governing the industry remains nationally based and displays significant differences from country to country. This raises problems in relation to the achievement of fair competition, freedom of movement and legal certainty in the performance of private security tasks. On the occasion of the Brussels conference, the social partners signed a Joint Declaration on the European harmonisation of legislation governing the private security sector. The aim of this study was to inform the conference and drafting of this joint declaration. Its objective was to provide the social partners with concise and yet comprehensive information on the legislation governing the operation of the private security industry in relation to: • Entrance requirements for firms • Restrictions on the background of owners and managers of private security companies • Restrictions on the background of operational staff • Performance requirements for companies • Minimum requirements for training and education • Regulations governing the wearing of uniforms • Legislation governing the use of fire arms • Provisions regarding the use of dogs on duty • Provisions relating to governing control and sanctions in the industry In addition, the study sought to gather information on the basic legislation or framework collective agreements governing working conditions in the sector relating to: • Working time (including working hours and breaks) • Minimum wage • Holiday entitlements and rights to time off • Employment protection • Part-time work • Temporary work • Bogus self-employment • Equal opportunities.

Details: Birmingham, UK: ECOTEC Research and Consulting Ltd., 2002. 78p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 19, 2011 at: http://www.coess.org/pdf/final-study.PDF

Year: 2002

Country: Europe

Keywords: Private Security (Europe)

Shelf Number: 121399


Author: Rosemann, Ute

Title: Protect - Identifying and Protecting High Risk Victims of Gender Base Violence - An Overview

Summary: The project PROTECT aims at contributing to the prevention and reduction of the most serious forms of gender-based violence against girls, young women and their children, such as grievous bodily harm, homicide and attempted homicide, including so-called honour crimes and killings. Gender-based intimate partner violence against women and girls can take very severe forms such as grievous bodily harm, deprivation of liberty by locking victims up, often over days or even years, attempted murder or murder. These crimes seem to be motivated by different factors and concepts – extreme jealousy, possessiveness, accusation of ‘dishonouring‘ the family and other reasons – however, all of these crimes seem to have the similar goal of exercising power over women and girls and controlling their lives. Any move that is seen as a challenge to such concepts of power and control, e.g., if a woman or girl tries to leave her violent partner or father, can endanger her life, health and liberty. Ultimately, the beneficiaries of this project are women, young women, and girls, who are at high risk of severe violations of their fundamental human rights: the right to life, health and liberty. Research shows that violence can be reduced by systematically identifying and comprehensively protecting victims at high risk. Such coordinated interventions are still missing in most EU countries and regions; therefore the project aims at improving the protection of high risk victims. The project’s target groups are professionals from core agencies responsible for the protection and support of victims and the prevention of violence, organisations and institutions working in the area of violence prevention, policy makers and – last but not least – victims of gender-based violence. the report is structured in three main chapters: II. A Summary of intimate partner violence and intimate partner femicide risk assessment studies, II. B. Report on research results related to mapping of eight countries concerning the protection and safety of high risk victims of gender based intimate partner violence, including a description of the functioning of the MARACs in England and Wales, and II. C. Availability of reliable, systematically collected and analysed data on gender-based intimate partner homicide / femicide in Europe. The last section of the PROTECT final research report provides conclusions based on the outcomes of the project.

Details: Vienna: WAVE - Women Against Violence Europe, 2010. 92p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 22, 2011 at: http://www.wave-network.org/start.asp?ID=23494

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Femicide

Shelf Number: 121480


Author: European Roma Rights Centre

Title: Imperfect Justice: Anti-Roma Violence and Impunity

Summary: In the present study the ERRC monitored the State response in 44 of the most violent anti-Roma attacks reported to police in the Czech Republic (14 cases), Hungary (22 cases) and Slovakia (8 cases). The individual cases presented in this study were defined on the basis of initial reporting on an incident by media and NGO sources. During ERRC follow-up with police, prosecutors and courts, information indicating multiple perpetrators or in some cases even possibly multiple incidents came to light. This information is included in the description of individual case follow-up to the extent possible. In the first phase available information about cases was collected, mostly from media and NGO partners. In the second phase, the ERRC sent a series of requests for information to responsible police departments, prosecutors and courts. The ERRC sought anonymised information related to the status and results of the police investigation, charges brought, sanction of perpetrators and the treatment of racial motive in the investigation and prosecution of the acts. The ERRC attempted to update all cases as this report was being finalised but there may be recent developments not reported in some. The information presented in this study represents the results of the investigation and prosecution of crimes against Roma: it does not aim to assess the quality of these actions as such. A number of shortcomings in the State response to violence against Roma are apparent.

Details: Budapest, Hungary: European Roma Rights Centre, 2011. 34p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 26, 2011 at: http://www.errc.org/cms/upload/file/czech-hungary-slovakia-imperfect-justice-06-march-2011.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: Europe

Keywords: Bias-Motivated Crimes

Shelf Number: 121503


Author: European Banking Federation

Title: EBF Anti Money Laundering Report: 2009

Summary: This report has been drafted by the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Fraud Committee of the European Banking Federation (EBF) based on contributions submitted by national banking associations. This extensive document offers an inventory of national regulations on money laundering in more than 25 countries in Europe with a focus on the implementation of Directive 2005/60/EC1 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 October 2005 on the Prevention of the use of the Financial System (the” Third EU Anti-Money Laundering Directive”). National legislation are detailed and listed with identical headings (type of legislation, business covered, reporting procedures, identification requirements, etc.) which introduce some valuable elements of comparison among countries. Please note that the Report is based on information collected from August 2008 to March 2009.

Details: Brussels: European Banking Federation, 2009. 225p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 4, 2011 at: http://www.sff.is/media/ebf/EBF_Anti_Money_Laundering_Report_2009.pdf

Year: 2009

Country: Europe

Keywords: Financial Crimes

Shelf Number: 121609


Author: Europol

Title: Organised Crime & Energy Supply. Scenarios to 2020.

Summary: Energy security is now front page news. Increasing concerns about global warming and other environmental threats have brought increased public attention to energy issues in general, while occasional energy shortages in recent winters in certain countries have provided a reminder of just how reliant on identified energy supplies we are. Around the world and more specifically in the EU, concerns have been raised regarding future energy availability, particularly levels of dependence on hydrocarbon imports (oil and gas). At the same time, strategic intelligence analysis indicates that organised crime groups are involved in energy supply to the EU and within EU Member States (MS). In the Strategy for Europol 2010-2014, the Organisation has committed itself to “scan the environment for new developments in internal security threats”. With this in mind, Europol has carried out a scenario management exercise to examine the possible future involvement of organised crime in energy supply. Scenarios are descriptions of possible worlds which facilitate reflection on the future. Different scenarios highlight risks and opportunities which enable organisations, including law enforcement agencies, to prepare appropriate responses in the event of identified phenomena becoming a reality. Scenario building is an approach which is increasingly being used by the public and private sector alike. The scenarios presented in this document will be used to inform strategic decision–making at Europol, supporting the overall approach of forward planning through foresight. It is also anticipated that this document will be of use to the competent authorities in EU Member States. This report is the result of a joint exercise, which has drawn on expertise from Europol, national law enforcement, the private sector, academia and the European Commission.

Details: The Hague: EUROPOL, 2010. 26p.

Source: Internet Resource: Knowledge Product: Accessed May 9, 2011 at: http://www.europol.europa.eu/publications/Scenarios/Organised_crime_in_energy_supply.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Energy Infrastructure

Shelf Number: 121660


Author: Martin, Esmond

Title: Ivory Markets of Europe: A Survey in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK

Summary: The European Union (EU) in 1989 and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in 1990 prohibited commercial imports of raw and worked ivory. The EU allows the import of ivory antiques, defined as items manufactured prior to 1 June 1947, and raw and worked ivory can be exported from EU countries subject to the destination country issuing CITES certificates authorizing the import. The domestic trade in raw and worked ivory is legal, subject to strict EU and national regulations based primarily on European Council Regulation 338/97. This monograph reports on a survey of the ivory trade in five European countries chosen for their assumed large ivory markets: Germany, United Kingdom, France, Spain and Italy. The purpose of the survey was to establish a set of baseline indicators in the selected countries, such as the prices of raw tusks, numbers of ivory craftsmen and workshops, numbers of shops selling ivory items, and the retail prices of ivory items. The age of ivory items and the nationalities of the customers were also looked into to add qualitative information. Using these data, conservationists will be able to monitor and evaluate future changes in the ivory trade. The target users of this report are national government officers, non-government organizations (NGOs) involved in wildlife conservation, CITES officials, the media, and researchers. The information in this monograph assesses the effectiveness of policies, laws, and enforcement activities related to ivory trading, both nationally and internationally. The investigators, Martin and Stiles, carried out fieldwork in Europe in April, May, September and November 2004. This survey was sponsored by Save the Elephants and Care for the Wild International. The principal findings were: • Over 27,000 ivory items were seen for retail sale in 1,143 shops in 14 cities and towns. Germany and the UK had the largest numbers of ivory items, with 16,444 and 8,325 respectively, followed by France with 1,303, Spain with 621 and Italy with 461. • The retail ivory markets of Germany and the UK were larger in scale than expected, and exceeded those found in countries such as China, Japan, Cameroon and Nigeria, all of which are viewed as active ivory market countries. In addition, the UK alone had more outlets selling ivory than any of the entire regions previously surveyed by the investigators (Africa, South and South East Asia, East Asia), and the number of outlets in Germany was second only to Thailand. • The average number of worked ivory items per town/city in Europe was approximately one-third the number of those seen in Africa and Asia. • The great majority of worked ivory seen for sale in Europe was either manufactured prior to 1989 or was made more recently from raw ivory imported prior to 1989, making it in principle legal, though much of the worked ivory lacks proper documentation. • Small amounts of raw and worked ivory are smuggled from Africa into Europe, and it is probable that some of the fairly abundant East Asian worked ivory seen is also imported illegally. • Official seizures of ivory have decreased sharply from the early 1990s for France and the UK, but they have remained stable in Germany and Spain. Data for Italy are lacking. • There are few controls on the sale of worked ivory. Ivory items are commonly sold as antiques or as legal, recently-made pieces with only occasional verification by the authorities. • Germany and France were the only countries with raw ivory stockpiles. These are held mainly by craftsmen and museums, and the ivory is registered with the governments. Additional unregistered ivory is held by individuals as a legacy of the colonial period. The total raw ivory stockpile is not known for either country. • Raw tusks sold wholesale in Germany and France for USD 92/kg and USD 108/kg respectively for 5-10 kg tusks, and for USD 244/kg and USD 132/kg respectively for 15-20 kg tusks. These prices are lower than for comparable tusks in most of Asia. • In France, the only country with past and present wholesale price data, the price of tusks decreased significantly from 1989 to 2004, strongly suggesting that demand for tusks declined over this time. In the UK, the 1988 wholesale price for 5-10 kg tusks was in inflation-adjusted terms the same as the retail price in 2004, also suggesting a decline in value of wholesale raw ivory, thus a drop in demand. • France and Germany were the only countries with active ivory craftsmen. France had 46 to 51 artisans (not counting antique restorers) using ivory, and Germany had 8 to 10 ivory carvers. • In France the number of ivory craftsmen more than halved from 1974 to 2004, while the number in Germany decreased by over three-quarters from 1981 to 2004. Italy had a small number of ivory craftsmen prior to 1989, but there are none nowadays. The UK and Spain have no legal ivory craftsmen working today. • Germany consumes more than 300 kg and France 350-400 kg of raw ivory a year. The UK, Spain and Italy use virtually no raw ivory. This signals a vast decline from the several tonnes a year used in the 1970s and 1980s. • In France most ivory is used to make figurines, knife handles and jewellery; in Germany, figurines and jewellery predominate. • Presently, controls on the domestic ivory carving business, especially on stocks of tusks, satisfy CITES’ requirements in Germany and France. • The main buyers of retail ivory items in the countries surveyed were nationals of those countries, except in the UK where Americans were the most numerous and Britons were second. The second most numerous customers in each country, other than the UK, were Americans. East Asians also purchased worked ivory in Europe in small quantities. • The main elephant ivory substitute in shops in Germany and France was mammoth ivory, which was mostly imported from Russia. The carvers in Germany were the only craftsmen to work mammoth ivory, and paid middlemen USD 122-427/kg for it. In France, worked mammoth ivory was imported from China. Mammoth ivory items were rare or absent in the UK, Spain and Italy. In the European Latin countries semi-precious stones, plastic, resins and plaster were common ivory substitutes. • Vendors in Europe did not believe that the 1999 CITES ivory auctions in southern Africa for Japanese buyers had any influence on ivory market activity. Nor did they believe that the CITES approval in 2002 for a future such sale would have any market effect. • The ivory artisans and sellers in Germany believed that the demand for new ivory items will continue to decline and that there is no long-term future for ivory carving. Those in France thought that the craft could continue into the foreseeable future at a low scale, and they were actively promoting it. Vendors in the UK, Spain and Italy thought that the antique ivory market would continue, but that there was no future for new ivory. • European ivory dealers believed that the bans in their countries of imports of raw ivory would not be lifted in the near future.

Details: Kingsfold, UK: Care for the Wild International; London: Save the Elephants, 2005. 106p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 9, 2011 at: http://www.savetheelephants.org/files/pdf/publications/2005%20Martin%20&%20Stiles%20Ivory%20Markets%20of%20Europe.pdf

Year: 2005

Country: Europe

Keywords: Illegal Trade (Europe)

Shelf Number: 121689


Author: Engel, A.W. van den

Title: Organised Theft of Commercial Vehicles and Their Loads in the European Union

Summary: Road freight transport is the dominating transport mode in freight transport in the European Union. With a market share of approximately 72.2% in the total land-based transport of goods, the significance of road freight transport for the economy of the EU is obvious. This dominance implies that each day, measured in terms of money, many billions of Euros are moved on the Trans European Road Network (TEN-R) which constitutes the backbone of the EU economy. This fact has not escaped the criminal mind and with the increase of transport volumes security concerns with regard to road freight transport have also increased. Union. With a market share of approximately 72.2% in the total land-based transport of goods, the significance of road freight transport for the economy of the EU is obvious. This dominance implies that each day, measured in terms of money, many billions of Euros are moved on the Trans European Road Network (TEN-R) which constitutes the backbone of the EU economy. In this study we see organised theft as all vehicle and/or freight theft of which ‘the circumstances of the crime suggest that the theft was well-planned and that the robbers knew exactly what the target goods of the theft were’. The report starts by discussing the remarks the ECMT made in 200212 in their report on crimes in road freight transport, cumulated in the presentation of the main objectives of this study. In chapter one, also grouping of countries is applied in order to be able to present results for all Member States without too much of duplication. Chapter two presents the statistical background bearing in mind that obtaining relevant data has not been easy. Regular crime rate statistics are virtually unavailable and sometimes they seem only to rely on anecdotal information. Data on, for instance, the type of organisation virtually does not exist. Notwithstanding these facts, an attempt has been made to estimate the total costs of organised theft of cargo and/or freight vehicle in the European Union. In chapter three, the current actions of the main stakeholder groups are mentioned. In the last chapter, the recommendations per main stakeholder group and per country group are presented in a condensed form. This means that the recommendations are defined in a clear and summarised way but without oversimplification of the actions and impact.

Details: Brussels: Policy Department Structural and Cohesion Policies, European Parliament, 2007. 108p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 11, 2011 at: http://www.setpos.eu/docs/organised%20theft%20of%20commercial%20vehicles%20and%20their%20loads%20in%20the%20EU%20july%202007%20EN.pdf

Year: 2007

Country: Europe

Keywords: Organized Theft

Shelf Number: 121711


Author: Ozberk, Bahattin Can

Title: Mapping the Flow of Theft Endangered Goods in EU

Summary: Every country in world has opportunities for different type of productions and this leads compensation. According to this, International Trade has become very important in all countries worldwide for ages; it helps the developing of the country and contributes more convenient area for the citizens. It is because nations have to live with trading. In this manner, many agreements are signed to get efficient merchandising because international trade contains many risks like intervention, political, non-acceptance, credit, war and also uncontrollable events. European Union can be considered as an agreement since its fundamental principal is free movement of people and goods. Increasing of movement of these goods around the European Union is seen as “easy pickings” by crime groups and nowadays society is facing with this criminal behavior. That motivation causes many problems for supply chain and logistics. Transportation systems are being tried to adjust as more secured while opportunity to thefts attacks to goods are rising. The complexity of this problem is tried to be solved by good reporting of incidents, pointing out the hot spots or the hot products which are related to EU. It is obvious that there is lack of good reporting or coordinating. According to this thesis a lot of work can be done in order to get brief look for the theft endangered goods which are on road and dangerous zones for theft attacks at EU. This thesis will map out specific countries, cities and positions that are particularly exposed to theft attacks. (For example, Schiphol Airport is chosen as the hottest spot and its hottest products are electronic and music devices while many reports and statistical works are being observed.)

Details: Boras, Sweden: University of Boras, School of Engineering, 2010. 35p.

Source: Internet Resource: Master's Essay: Accessed May 11, 2011 at: http://bada.hb.se/bitstream/2320/6566/1/Can%20%C3%96zberk.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Cargo Theft

Shelf Number: 121591


Author: Briscoe, Ivan

Title: Kosovo's New Map of Power: Governance and Crime in the Wake of Independence

Summary: The nationalist euphoria that greeted Kosovo’s declaration of independence in 2008 has given way to acute international concern over the character of this new Balkan state. Alleged corruption, abuses of power, murky ties between politicians and business, authoritarian reactions to the media and the continuing existence of inter-ethnic tensions in the flashpoint of north Mitrovica point to serious weaknesses in the country’s capacity for responsible and accountable governance. Recent reports of senior politicians’ involvement in wartime atrocities have only served to deepen the gloom. But this portrait of the country obscures other crucial developments. This report highlights the fundamental obstacles in the way of reform as well as the signs of change in the attitudes of Kosovo’s citizenry towards malfunctioning institutions, exemplified in the elections of December 2010. It concludes by offering some recommendations for donors that would strengthen mechanisms for domestic accountability in Kosovo on the basis of a realistic assessment of the way power is handled and distributed.

Details: The Hague: Netherlands Institute of International Relations (Clingendael), 2011. 62p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 16, 2011 at: http://www.clingendael.nl/publications/2011/20110503_cru_publication_ibriscoe.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: Europe

Keywords: Criminal Networks

Shelf Number: 121727


Author: European Police Office - EUROPOL

Title: TE-SAT 2011: EU Terrorism Situation and Trend Report

Summary: Terrorism continues to pose a high threat to the security of the EU and its citizens and has become more diverse in its methods and impact. That is the conclusion of Europol's annual review of terrorism, presented today in the European Parliament by the agency's Director, Rob Wainwright. Europol's EU Terrorism Situation and Trend Report (TE-SAT) records a total of 249 terrorist attacks in the EU in 2010, in which seven people died and scores of others were injured. Most of these were related to violent separatist, nationalist, or anarchist activities. Three attacks were attributed to Islamist terrorist groups, of which two were aimed at causing mass casualties. In addition an attempted attack, claimed by Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) in November 2010 had the capacity to cause serious damage and possible loss of life for a large number of EU citizens. A package containing explosive devices was sent by airfreight from Yemen to the US and was intercepted in the UK. Another one was intercepted in Dubai. In overall terms the number of attacks in the EU represents a decrease on the figure for 2009, due largely to a significant decrease in the number of attacks attributed to ETA.

Details: The Hague: EUROPOL, 2011. 43p.

Source: Internet Resource: accessed May 17, 2011 at:https://www.europol.europa.eu/activities-services/main-reports/te-sat-2011-eu-terrorism-situation-and-trend-reportt

Year: 2011

Country: Europe

Keywords:

Shelf Number: 121731


Author: Delicato, Vincenzo

Title: Maritime Security and the Fight Against Drug Trafficking in the Mediterranean and Atlantic Approaches

Summary: The Mediterranean Sea is particularly affected by illicit trafficking in drugs. Italy’s Public Security Department of the Ministry of the Interior is responsible for all initiatives aimed at preventing and combating illicit drug trafficking in Italy and is also entrusted with planning and coordinating sea activities. In the last few years, a set of international rules has been drawn up to facilitate intervention at sea and standardize control procedures. In the field of drug trafficking, ad hoc European regulations have been developed and two centers for analysis and coordination in operations against drug trafficking at sea set up. However, Italy — while participating in the most recent operational cooperation initiatives — has not yet ratified the Council of Europe agreement implementing article 17 of the 1988 UN Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances. It would be desirable to adopt more comprehensive legislative measures and establish intervention criteria for all law enforcement actors involved.

Details: Washington, DC: Th e German Marshall Fund of the United States, 2010. 14p.

Source: Internet Resource: Mediterranean Paper Series 2010: Accessed May 19, 2011 at: http://www.gmfus.org/galleries/ct_publication_attachments/Delicato_drugs_final_Sept10.pdf;jsessionid=aJAqWaBkuOX8Pfhoia

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Trafficking

Shelf Number: 121761


Author: Europol - European Police Office

Title: EU Organised Crime Threat Assessment (OCTA) 2011

Summary: This report’s key finding is that organised crime is changing, having become more diverse in its activities and impact on society over the last two years. Notable features of this development include greater levels of collaboration between criminal groups, greater mobility in and around the EU, a diversification of illicit activity, and a growing dependence on a dynamic infrastructure, anchored in key locations and facilitated by widespread use of the Internet, in particular. Building on the findings of the 2009 OCTA, this year’s report includes findings from three perspectives: criminal commodities, criminal groups, and their geographical areas of operation. It confirms the prevalence of five criminal hubs in the EU, highlighting the particular impact of the South-East hub and the Western Balkans region. In the drugs trade, cocaine poses an increasing threat across the EU, with new supply routes emerging, while in other criminal sectors also, especially in regard to fraud, illegal immigration, and the rapidly growing emergence of the Internet as a key facilitator for criminal activity, the changing face of organised crime carries a big impact on society. Already a key component of the European Criminal Intelligence Model (ECIM), the OCTA takes on added significance since the adoption of Council Conclusions on the creation and implementation of an EU policy cycle for organised and serious international crime. This policy cycle identifies the OCTA as the basis for the identification of EU crime priorities and, thereafter, a coherent EU response to address those priorities. Targeted law enforcement action is needed to tackle the most dangerous criminal groups operating in Europe.

Details: The Hague: Europol, 2011. 38p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 19, 2011 at: http://www.europol.europa.eu/publications/European_Organised_Crime_Threat_Assessment_(OCTA)/OCTA_2011.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Trafficking

Shelf Number: 121765


Author: Gemmell, Colin

Title: Literature Review on the Relation between Drug Use, Impaired Driving and Traffic Accidents

Summary: The health consequences of drug use are a priority area for the EMCDDA and impaired driving and road traffic accidents linked to drugs constitute an important topic on which comprehensive information is lacking. The literature review addressed inter alia the relationship between different patterns of drug consumption, impaired driving and traffic accidents. In addition drug testing procedures and associated legislation regarding drug-impaired driving in the different EU Member States were described and the issues raised by such testing reviewed. The outcomes of the study included a scientific literature review and annotated bibliography on the relation between drug use, impaired driving and traffic accidents.

Details: Lisbon: EMCDDA, 1999. 96p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 24, 2011 at: http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/html.cfm/index58070EN.html

Year: 1999

Country: Europe

Keywords: Driving Under the Influence of Drugs

Shelf Number: 121787


Author: Martynowicz, Agnieszka

Title: Children of Imprisoned Parents

Summary: This report is a summary of a study funded by the EU and the Egmont Foundation from October 2009-May 2011 led by the Danish Institute of Human Rights in collaboration with the University of Ulster, and EUROCHIPS, Bambinisenzasbarre and Polish partner organisations. Its focus was to examine the rights of children of imprisoned parents and to consider the following questions: Are children’s rights considered and respected when their parents are imprisoned? Do the police, prison services, courts take note of the situation of children at each stage of the criminal justice process? This report is based on the findings of research conducted in Denmark, Italy, Poland and Northern Ireland in the course of the project. It looks at the various stages of the criminal justice process – from arrest to release – through the eyes of the children affected, their parents, police officers, prison officers and social workers. It concludes that while some positive initiatives are in place in individual prisons, those are not mainstreamed throughout penal institutions, police services and beyond. Indeed, in most cases, they remain marginal in the context of the overall criminal justice system. Change in this area is therefore urgently needed so the rights of children with imprisoned parents are fully respected across Europe.

Details: Copenhagen, Denmark: Danish Institute for Human Rights, 2011. 47p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 29, 2011 at: http://www.humanrights.dk/files/pdf/IFM%20Chilldren%20lav.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: Europe

Keywords: Children of Inmates (Europe)

Shelf Number: 121887


Author: European Roma Rights Centre and People in Need

Title: Breaking the Silence: Trafficking in Romani Communities

Summary: Estimates provided during research by the ERRC and PiN about the perceived representation of Roma among trafficked persons in Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia are several times higher than the proportion of Roma among the general population, indicating a disproportionate impact of this practice on Romani communities. Romani women and children were found to be particularly vulnerable to trafficking, which brings Roma to other countries and to other locations within their home countries. Roma are trafficked for various purposes, including sexual exploitation, labour exploitation, domestic servitude, organ trafficking, illegal adoption and forced begging. The vulnerability factors identified in this study are closely linked to those commonly associated with non-Romani trafficked persons and include structural forms of ethnic and gender discrimination, poverty and social exclusion which result in low educational achievement, high levels of unemployment, usury, growing up in State care, domestic violence and substance abuse. Gaps in law, policy and practice in the field of anti-trafficking constitute barriers to the fight against trafficking in Romani communities. Few Roma are identified by police as trafficked persons and many are reluctant to report themselves to law enforcement agencies for fear of reprisal from their traffickers or of prosecution for the conduct of criminal acts as a trafficked person. Similarly low numbers of Romani trafficked persons access victim prevention and protection services and general social protection systems are failing to reduce the extreme vulnerability of Roma to trafficking. The overwhelming lack of support available to Romani trafficked persons negatively impacts the ability of many to re-integrate, leaving them highly vulnerable to re-trafficking.

Details: Budapest: European Roma Rights Centre, 2011. 92p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 1, 2011 at: http://www.errc.org/cms/upload/file/breaking-the-silence-19-march-2011.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: Europe

Keywords: Begging

Shelf Number: 121936


Author: Aebi, Marcelo F.

Title: SPACE II: Non-Custodial Sanctions and Measures Served in 2009

Summary: SPACE II collects information on persons serving non-custodial and semi-custodial sanctions and measures. Such sanctions and measures are frequently referred to as alternatives to imprisonment. The survey is not designed to cover all the existing non-custodial and semi-custodial sanctions and measures. The ones included are basically those suggested by the Council of Europe in Rule 15 of Recommendation No R (99)22 on prison overcrowding and prison population inflation, in Recommendation No R (2000)22 on improving the implementation of the European rules on community sanctions and measures, and in Recommendation CM/Rec (2010)1 on the Council of Europe Probation Rules. Most –but not all– of them are community sanctions and measures (CSM) as defined by the Council of Europe. According to Recommendation No R (92)16 and Recommendation CM/Rec (2010)1, CSM are to be understood as "sanctions and measures which maintain offenders in the community and involve some restrictions on their liberty through the imposition of conditions and/or obligations. The term designates any sanction imposed by a judicial or administrative authority, and any measure taken before or instead of a decision on a sanction, as well as ways of enforcing a sentence of imprisonment outside a prison establishment". Persons serving a CSM are usually referred to as persons on probation, and are normally placed under the supervision of a probation agency. In accordance with Recommendation CM/Rec (2010)1, the term probation “relates to the implementation in the community of sanctions and measures, defined by law and imposed on an offender. It includes a range of activities and interventions, which involve supervision, guidance and assistance aiming at the social inclusion of an offender, as well as at contributing to community safety”. Also according to the same Recommendation, probation agency “means any body designated by law to implement the above tasks and responsibilities. Depending on the national system, the work of a probation agency may also include providing information and advice to judicial and other deciding authorities to help them reach informed and just decisions; providing guidance and support to offenders while in custody in order to prepare their release and resettlement; monitoring and assistance to persons subject to early release; restorative justice interventions; and offering assistance to victims of crime.” SPACE II covers the number of persons who have been under a community sanction or measure. This information is divided in two sections: figures of stock (the number of persons under CSM on 31 December 2009), and figures of flow (the number of persons having started the execution of CSM during 2009). SPACE II does not cover post-prison supervisory or probation measures applied to offenders after they have served their sentence. SPACE II does not cover sanctions and measures imposed by the juvenile criminal law or applicable only to juveniles. The goal of the survey is to gather and compare, in a reliable way, the information provided by Member States of the Council of Europe. In order to allow comparisons at the European level, States were asked to adapt their national categories to the categories proposed by SPACE II. Moreover, in order to improve the validity of such comparisons, the questionnaire used for the survey included questions on the particularities of the sanctions and measures used in each country and had enough room for comments.

Details: Strasbourg: Council of Europe, 2011. 67p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 2, 2011 at: http://www3.unil.ch/wpmu/space/files/2011/02/Council-of-Europe_SPACE-II-2009-E.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: Europe

Keywords: Alternatives to Incarceration

Shelf Number: 121959


Author: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction

Title: Khat Use in Europe: Implications for European Policy

Summary: Khat leaves are cultivated in the highlands of the Horn of Africa, Southern Arabia and along the East African coast. In many countries, chewing khat is an age-old tradition. More recently, the mass migration of people from the Horn of Africa has been associated with the spread of khat usage to neighbouring countries, Europe and the rest of the world. Exact numbers of regular khat users on a worldwide scale do not exist, however estimates range up to 20 million. This paper presents the challenges associated with the spread of khat consumption.

Details: Lisbon: EMCDDA, 2011. 4p.

Source: Internet Resource: Drugs in Focus No. 21: Accessed July 5, 2011 at: http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/attachements.cfm/att_137392_EN_TDAD11001ENC_WEB.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction

Shelf Number: 121963


Author: von Lampe, Klaus

Title: Provisional Situation Report on Trafficking in Contraband Cigarettes

Summary: This report provides an assessment of the cigarette black market in Northwest Europe, based on a review of open source data. It also serves to tentatively explore the possibilities for a comprehensive and meanting assessment of the organized crime situation in this particular sector.

Details: Brussels: European Commission, 2005. 53p.

Source: Internet Resource: Assessing Organised Crime Research Project: Accessed July 8, 2011 at: http://www.organized-crime.de/AOC-DLV18-vR3.pdf

Year: 2005

Country: Europe

Keywords: Black Markets

Shelf Number: 122013


Author: Eisenbach-Stangl, Irmgard

Title: Two Worlds of Drug Consumption in Late Modern Societies

Summary: Europeans belong to the largest consumers of illicit drugs, absorbing about one fifth of the global heroin, cocaine and cannabis supply, as well as one third of ecstasy production (UNODC World Drug Report, 2008). However, the vast majority of Europeans have never tried any illicit substance. In popular perception, illicit drugs still represent alien cultures challenging traditional European patterns, including consumption of our favourite drugs – alcoholic beverages. Illicit drug-taking, no matter what type of drug and its amount, is considered an evil in itself; it is regarded as a serious transgression of social norms. This perception is perpetuated and reinforced by legal norms which – in most European countries – penalize a wide range of behaviours associated with illicit drugs. As a rule, this includes the possession and consumption of illegal drugs. Parallel to that, most European countries have established extended drug services dealing with drug-related problems in a more assimilative way. A crucial issue has been how many people transgress social and legal norms. Therefore, the general public, policy-makers, politicians and drug professionals alike demand, first of all, information on the prevalence of drug consumption. The question of what and how much they consume seems to be almost irrelevant. Only a few years ago the Global Workshop on Drug Information Systems (2002) identified the need for improved methods of estimating the quantities of illicit drugs consumed by users to complement the increasing sophistication and reliability of data on drug production and on drug seizure. Another important gap in the literature is the absence of reliable information on the costs of drug consumption at individual level. This knowledge is crucial to understanding the economic (and criminal) behaviour of individual consumers which includes not only drug purchasing but also continuous efforts to generate money to buy drugs. To fill these knowledge gaps, a project was carried out by the European Centre in collaboration with UNODC and financed by the Austrian federal ministry of European and international affairs. The European monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug addiction acted as observer. The overall goal of the project was to contribute to the development of useful and appropriate models of estimating drug consumption. The objectives were to assess consumption patterns of five main drugs – heroin, cocaine, amphetamines, ecstasy, cannabis – including the amounts consumed, and to assess consumption costs for each of the drugs. The study was based on data gathered from two different samples of drug users in six cities in six European union countries.

Details: Vienna: European Centre for Social Welfare Policy and Research, 2011. 17p.

Source: Internet Resource: Policiy Brief: Accessed July 8, 2011 at: http://www.euro.centre.org/data/1263572258_23948.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction (Europe)

Shelf Number: 122014


Author: Engel, A.W. van den

Title: Organised Theft of Commercial Vehicles and their Loads in the European Union

Summary: This study analyses the problems, developments and implications of organised theft of commercial vehicles and their loads in the EU. It gives an overview of the volume, nature and yearly damage of this form of organised theft. Furthermore, it analyses how the problem is tackled in the Member States and on the EU level. The final chapter contains recommendations on how European and national policy should deal with organised theft in the road transport sector in the future.

Details: Brussels: European Parliament, Directorate-General for Internal Policies of the Union, Policy Department Structural and Cohension Policies, 2007. 89p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 11, 2011 at: http://www.setpos.eu/docs/organised%20theft%20of%20commercial%20vehicles%20and%20their%20loads%20in%20the%20EU%20july%202007%20EN.pdf

Year: 2007

Country: Europe

Keywords: Cargo Theft

Shelf Number: 122017


Author: de Haas, Hein

Title: The Myth of Invasion: Irregular Migration from West Africa to the Maghreb and the European Union

Summary: Media and dominant policy discourses convey an apocalyptic image of an increasingly massive exodus of desperate Africans fleeing poverty and war at home trying to enter the elusive European ‘El Dorado’ crammed in long-worn ships barely staying afloat. The migrants themselves are commonly depicted as victims recruited by “merciless” and “unscrupulous” traffickers and smugglers. Hence, the perceived policy solutions – which invariably boil down to curbing migration – focus on “fighting” or “combating” illegal migration through intensifying border controls and cracking down on trafficking and smuggling related crime. Although there has been an incontestable increase in regular and irregular West African migration to Europe over the past decade, available empirical evidence dispels most of these assumptions. First, trans-Saharan migration of West Africans to North Africa is not as new, massive and Europe - focused as is commonly suggested. While having much deeper historical roots in the trans-Saharan trade, migration of (former) nomads, traders and refugees to Mauritania, Algeria and Libya since the 1970s set the stage for contemporary trans-Saharan migration. Against the background of economic decline and warfare in West and Central Africa, Libya’s new ‘pan-African’ immigration policies are essential in understanding the major increase in trans-Saharan labour migration over the 1990s. Since 2000, a major anti-immigrant backlash in Libya probably contributed to a diversification of trans-Saharan migration routes and the increasing presence of migrants in other Maghreb countries. Confronted with a persistent demand for irregular migrant labour in Europe, more and more sub-Saharan, mostly West Africans started to cross the Mediterranean. However, the public perception that irregular migration from Africa is massive and growing at an alarming rate is deceptive. Illegal crossings of the Mediterranean by North Africans have been a persistent phenomenon since Italy and Spain introduced visa requirements in the early 1990s. The major change has been that, in particular since 2000, sub-Saharan Africans have started to join and have now overtaken North Africans as the largest category of irregular boat migrants. Recent West African migrants are increasingly settling in Spain and Italy, where they enter flourishing underground economies. Even when apprehended, many migrants are eventually released. Many have acquired residency through recurrent regularisations. It is a misconception that all or most migrants crossing the Sahara are “in transit” to Europe. In particular, Libya is an important destination country in its own right. There are probably more sub-Saharan Africans living in North Africa than in Europe. An estimated 65,000 to 120,000 sub-Saharan Africans enter the Maghreb yearly overland, of which only 20 to 38 percent are estimated to enter Europe. The total number of successful irregular crossings by sub-Saharan Africans should be counted in the order of several tens of thousands, according to our estimates 25,000 to 35,000 per year. The majority of migrants enter Europe legally and subsequently overstay their visas. The total annual increase since 2000 of the registered West African population in the EU has been around 100,000. This is still relatively modest compared to a total EU immigration of 2.6 million in 2004. There are an estimated 800,000 registered West African migrants in the main receiving countries compared to 2,600,000 North Africans. Common push-pull models viewing poverty as the main cause of African mass migration are inconsistent with evidence that the migrants are not among the poorest and that West African countries still have comparatively low inter-continental emigration rates. Analyses focusing on ‘African misery’ pushing migrants out of the continent tend to obscure migrants’ agency and the vital demand side of this migration. Rather than a desperate response to destitution, migration is generally a conscious choice by relatively well-off individuals and households to enhance their livelihoods. Likewise, the common portrayal of irregular African migrants as victims of traffickers and smugglers is inconsistent with evidence that the vast majority of migrants move on their own initiative. Trafficking is relatively rare, and smugglers are usually not part of international organised crime, but locally based passeurs operating alone or in small networks. Migrants typically travel in stages. Migrants often work in migration hubs to save enough money for their onward journey. Several end up settling along the way in Saharan boomtowns or major North African cities. Since the 1990s, European states intensified border controls and have attempted to ‘externalise’ these policies by pressuring North African countries to clamp down on irregular migration and to sign readmission agreements in exchange for aid, financial support and work permits. While failing to curb immigration, these policies have had a series of unintended side effects in the form of increasing violations of migrants’ and refugees’ rights in North Africa and a diversification of trans-Saharan migration routes and attempted sea crossing points, which now cover large stretches of the African coastline from the Guinea to Libya. In practice, it seems almost impossible to seal off the long Saharan borders and coastlines, even if governments are genuinely willing to do so. What remains largely unspoken behind official discourses is that both European and African states have little genuine interest in stopping migration, because their economies have become dependent on migrant labour and remittances, respectively. Several structural factors explain why it is likely that sub-Saharan migration to the EU and Libya will continue. First, trans-Saharan migration is less unwanted than it seems. The demand for cheap immigrant labour in Europe and Libya is likely to persist. Second, the firm establishment of migration routes and migrant networks, as well as improvements in communication and trans-Saharan transportation infrastructure are likely to facilitate future migration. Apart from Libya, other North African countries may also evolve into transit and destination countries. Migrants failing or not venturing to enter Europe often prefer to settle in North Africa as a ‘second best option’ than to return to their substantially poorer or unsafe origin countries. These trends might be reinforced by demographic change and the parallel segmentation of North African labour markets, which may increase the demand for immigrant labour. For all these reasons, it is likely that migration from West Africa to North Africa and Europe will continue. There is a growing discrepancy between restrictive migration policies and the demand for cheap migrant labour in Libya and Europe. This explains why, rather than a decline in migration, increasing border controls have led to the swift diversion of migration routes, increasing “illegality” and reliance on smuggling as well as an increase in the risks, costs, and suffering of the migrants involved. As long as no more legal channels for immigration are created to match the real demand for labour, and as long as large informal economies will exist, it is likely that a substantial proportion of this migration will remain irregular.

Details: Oxford, UK: International Migration Institute, University of Oxford, 2007. 83p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 13, 2011 at: http://www.imi.ox.ac.uk/pdfs/Irregular%20migration%20from%20West%20Africa%20-%20Hein%20de%20Haas.pdf

Year: 2007

Country: Europe

Keywords: Border Security

Shelf Number: 122046


Author: Vidino, Lorenzo

Title: Radicalization, Linkage, and Diversity: Current Trends in Terrorism in Europe

Summary: Although it has not suffered a successful attack since the July 7, 2005, bombings in London, Europe perceives itself to be under a constant threat from jihadist-inspired terrorism. Indeed, European authorities arrest some 200 individuals and thwart a handful of plots of jihadist inspiration every year. Based on a survey of legal documents, intelligence reports, academic literature, and media sources, and on conversations with experts and government officials, this paper provides an overview of current trends in jihadism in Europe from an operational perspective. Its main finding is that, although most European plots appear to have been independent, the most serious ones tended to involve extensive operational connections to groups operating outside of Europe. Moreover, contrary to common characterizations, there is little evidence indicating that al Qaeda and affiliated organizations operating outside of Europe conduct direct efforts to recruit European Muslims. Rather, connections between individuals or clusters in Europe on one hand and al Qaeda and affiliated movements on the other are forged through a process of linkage, often facilitated through personal connections and "jihad entrepreneurs," that typically occurs after radicalization and is initiated by European militants. The presence of this linkage characterizes the fourth and current phase of jihadism in Europe

Details: Santa Monica, CA: RAND, National Defense Research Institute, 2011. 49p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 18, 2011 at: http://www.rand.org/pubs/occasional_papers/OP333.html

Year: 2011

Country: Europe

Keywords: Jihadism

Shelf Number: 122089


Author: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime

Title: Corruption in the Balkans: Bribery as Experienced by the Population

Summary: Corruption is a notoriously difficult phenomenon to quantify, yet in one form or another it plays a role in every country on our planet. Like the wind, corruption remains invisible though its destructive capacity is plain to see. But in contrast to our knowledge of the elements, we still lack systematic evidence on the nature and patterns of corruption. For the countries of the western Balkans, corruption is an issue of particular concern because of its detrimental impact on their social and economic development. Moreover, as this report demonstrates, corruption is a major concern of ordinary citizens in the region. Even so, that does not make it any easier to address the problem, or even broach the subject. The countries of the western Balkans are to be commended for acknowledging the need to conduct this evidence-based survey as part of their ongoing efforts to curb corruption. On the basis of a bilateral agreement between the European Commission and the relevant national authorities of the western Balkan region, UNODC supported each country or area in conducting large-scale surveys on corruption in 2010. In most cases, national statistical authorities were directly or indirectly involved in implementing the survey, while other stakeholders contributed to the development of its methodology. As a result of this collaborative study, which is based on a large-scale sample survey of more than 28,000 interviewees across the western Balkans, we now have greater understanding of the nature of corruption and its impact on the everyday lives of people in the region. It captures the actual experience — not the perception — of ordinary citizens and how bribery affects their dealings with the public administration. The report analyzes the sectors most affected, the role of public officials and bribepayers, forms of bribery and other relevant issues. This information will aid in the development of effective anti-corruption policies. It also provides a benchmark to assess future progress. Although this report provides a comparative analysis, it is not an attempt to rank the participating countries or areas on a corruption scale. On the contrary, the aim is to learn from their different experiences — which can help to develop good practices — and to increase awareness that the battle against corruption is a common one that is best waged with help from neighbouring countries. Detailed individual reports have also been published for each country or area of the western Balkans that was surveyed. This wealth of information will shed needed light on the nature and local patterns of corruption and can assist policymakers in developing anti-corruption measures and plans that are more precisely tailored to national conditions. Combating corruption effectively requires the implementation of specific, well-targeted measures. The United Nations Convention against Corruption provides States with the essential elements to develop the legislative and institutional framework and a number of preventive measures to fight corruption. In this context, the findings in this report can help identify priority areas for action.

Details: Vienna: UNODC, 2011. 71p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 22, 2011 at: http://www.unodc.org/documents/data-and-analysis/statistics/corruption/Western_balkans_corruption_report_2011_web.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: Europe

Keywords: Bribery

Shelf Number: 122150


Author: Sethi, Dinesh

Title: European Report on Preventing Elder Maltreatment

Summary: Elder maltreatment is pervasive in all countries in the WHO European Region, and estimates suggest that at least 4 million people in the Region experience elder maltreatment in any one year. Most countries in the Region have an ageing population, and one third of the population is forecast to be 60 years and older in 2050, putting more people at risk of elder maltreatment. Elder maltreatment has far-reaching consequences for the mental and physical well-being of tens of millions of older people, and if left unchecked will result in their premature death. Estimates suggest that about 2500 older people may lose their lives annually from elder maltreatment. The report highlights the numerous biological, social, cultural, economic and environmental factors that interact to influence the risk and protective factors of being a victim or perpetrator of elder maltreatment. There is some evidence of effectiveness, and examples include psychological programmes for perpetrators and programmes designed to change attitudes towards older people, improve the mental health of caregivers and, in earlier life, to promote nurturing relationships and social skills learning. The evidence base needs to be strengthened, but much can be done by implementing interventions using an evaluative framework. Prevention and social justice for older people can only be achieved by mainstreaming this response into health and social policy. Surveys show that the public and policy-makers are increasingly concerned about the problem, and the policy response needs to be strengthened to meet this demand.

Details: Copenhagen: World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe, 2011. 100p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 26, 2011 at: http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/144676/e95110.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: Europe

Keywords: Elder Abuse (Europe)

Shelf Number: 122167


Author: Osterhaus, Anja

Title: Alternative to Silence: Whistleblower Protection in 10 European Countries

Summary: Whistleblowers play a vital role in exposing corruption, fraud and mismanagement and in preventing disasters that arise from negligence or wrongdoing. Prominent whistleblowers revealed the cover-up of SARS and other dangerous diseases that threatened millions of people in China; they disclosed corruption and nepotism in the European Commission and helped to avoid environmental hazards in the US. In most known cases, whistleblowers expose themselves to high personal risks in order to protect the public good. When speaking out against their bosses, colleagues, business partners or clients, they risk their jobs, their income and security. Nevertheless, rather than being heard and praised for their courage, most whistleblowers face indifference or mistrust and their reports are not properly investigated. They often end up in years of legal litigation, fighting for their own rights or for the case they have disclosed to be adequately investigated. The result can be health problems, depression and early retirement. At the same time, the value and importance of whistleblowing in the fight against corruption is increasingly recognised. International conventions commit the signatory countries to implementing appropriate legislation, and an increasing number of governments is willing to put related regulations in place. Ever more companies, public bodies and non-profit organisations put whistleblowing mechanisms in place for effective risk management and to ensure safe and accountable workplaces. Legal frameworks can be essential in supporting this practice, provided they ensure full protection of the whistleblower as well as adequate and independent follow-up to the disclosure. Given that whistleblowers are in most cases insiders who are the first to detect wrongdoing, functioning internal whistleblowing systems are excellent tools for effective risk management in organisations. With the aim of contributing to more effective whistleblowing frameworks and protection mechanisms in the European Union, this report assesses whistleblowing legislation, policies and practice in 10 European countries. In this report, the concept of whistleblowing is defined as ‘the disclosure by organisation members (former or current) of illegal, immoral or illegitimate practices under the control of their employers, to persons or organisations that may be able to effect action’. The report builds on in-depth research carried out in Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania and Slovakia. In addition, it takes existing whistleblowing legislation and best practice into account. The report identifies weaknesses, opportunities and entry points to introduce stronger and more effective whistleblowing mechanisms in these countries.

Details: Berlin: Transparency International, 2009. 48p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 12, 2011 at: http://www.transparency.lt/new/images/alternative_to_silence_whistleblower_protection.pdf

Year: 2009

Country: Europe

Keywords: Corruption

Shelf Number: 122378


Author: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction

Title: Problem Amphetamine and Methamphetamine Use in Europe

Summary: Amphetamine and methamphetamine are two closely related synthetic substances that act as stimulants of the central nervous system. They can be ingested, snorted or injected, and methamphetamine, particularly in its crystalline form, can be smoked. The two substances can be so similar in their effects and appearance that often the user cannot tell them apart. Their effects include elevated mood; a sense of well-being; increased energy, wakefulness, concentration, alertness, and motor and speech activities; improved performance in physical and mental tasks; and reduced fatigue. Among other effects viewed by users as positive and rewarding are decreased social or sexual inhibitions, and the desire to lengthen social interactions or to socialise with others using the drug. This broad range of effects might explain why the use of amphetamines has been reported among many different population groups including soldiers, workers (e.g. truck or taxi drivers, hospital staff), students, sex workers, clubbers or problem heroin users. Of the main illicit drugs, the patterns and geography of amphetamines (1) use in Europe are among the most difficult to describe. There are several reasons for this. First, the prevalence of amphetamines use varies greatly between countries. The diversity of user groups is possibly one of the largest of all illicit substances found in Europe. In addition, a small number of countries have problem amphetamines use at the heart of their drug problem and, when this is the case, it has very specific socio-historical and epidemiological characteristics. The stimulant market in Europe also appears to be changing frequently, particularly in nightlife settings, with shifts in popularity between substances such as amphetamines, cocaine, ecstasy, piperazines or new stimulant drugs such as mephedrone. Finally, Europe is an important producer of amphetamines with several countries reporting illicit production facilities on their territory. The provision of care for those with amphetamines problems is another area in which differences exist between countries. In general, treatment services are more attuned to the needs of amphetamines users in the countries where problematic use of these substances is longer established, while elsewhere services are targeted to the needs of the largest group of problem drug users, mostly opioid users. Organised in two parts, this Selected issue aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the history, health effects, supply and use of amphetamines in Europe, as well as describing their problematic use and the responses to them in the European countries that are most heavily affected. The first part begins with a short history of the use of these drugs and a presentation of the laws that are used to control them. This is followed by an analysis of drug supply information, mainly from police and customs services. The next section gives an overview of the prevalence of amphetamines use in the Europe population. The last section of Part I covers the mental and physical health effects of amphetamines use, including a review of the information on infectious diseases and deaths related to these drugs. In Part 2, countries are grouped in four geographical regions and sub-regions according to their amphetamines problems, with particular attention given to those with significant levels of problem amphetamines use. Treatment responses to amphetamines problems are also described for the different countries or groups of countries.

Details: Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2010. 40p.

Source: Internet Resource: Selected Issue 2010: Accessed August 16, 2011 at: http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/attachements.cfm/att_120112_EN_EMCDDA_SI10_Amphetamines.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Amphetamines

Shelf Number: 122402


Author: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction

Title: Treatment and Care for Older Drug Users

Summary: The world is passing through a demographic transition, one of the results of which will be an increasing number of older people in the population. With one in five Europeans above the age of 60 — a proportion that is expected to increase — Europe is the continent with the oldest population. By 2050, it is estimated that every fourth person in Europe will be older than 60. As with the general population, there is evidence to suggest that the drug using population, including those who are in treatment, is also ageing. This would bring with it specific challenges for drug treatment services and increase the burden on wider health, support and care services. The objective of the present publication is to document the ageing phenomenon linked to drug use that is now being witnessed in Europe, and particularly the ageing of problem drug users. The current publication also aims to describe the drug use, health and social characteristics of older drug users and to identify their health and social needs. Current policies, practices and the availability of health and social responses for older drug users in Europe are also presented and discussed. This Selected issue begins with a wider discussion on ageing and drug use in Europe, setting the context for the main focus of the report which is an examination of the situation and responses regarding older problem drug users in the European Union.

Details: Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2010. 36p.

Source: Internet Resource: Selected Issues 2010: Accessed August 16, 2011 at: http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/attachements.cfm/att_120120_EN_EMCDDA_SI10_Ageing.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction

Shelf Number: 122403


Author: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction

Title: 2010 Annual Report on the State of the Drugs Problem in Europe

Summary: This report on the state of the drugs problem in Europe presents the EMCDDA's yearly overview of the drug phenomenon. This is an essential reference book for policymakers, specialists and practitioners in the drugs field or indeed anyone seeking the latest findings on drugs in Europe. Published every autumn, the report contains non-confidential data supported by an extensive range of figures.

Details: Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2010. 108p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 16, 2011 at: http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/attachements.cfm/att_120104_EN_EMCDDA_AR2010_EN.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction (Europe)

Shelf Number: 122401


Author: Schneider, Friedrich , Bruck, Tilman, Meierrieks, Daniel

Title: The Economics of Terrorism and Counter-Terrorism: A Survey (Part I)

Summary: This survey provides an in-depth analysis of existing research on the economic analysis of terrorism and counter-terrorist measures. First the existing evidence on the causes of terrorism is analyzed, then we consider the evidence of the consequences of terrorism and we demonstrate why it is important to regarding of the issue of counter-terrorism policy. Moreover the survey presents the existing knowledge on the interrelation between the economy and the issue of security and it incorporates analysis the level of knowledge about the causal chains between security and the economy. Also it focuses on perspective and methodologies from the discipline of economics but also refers to research from related disciplines (sociology, political science). It also assembles the knowledge on the impact of terrorism on the economy as reflected in macro-economic variables and its impact on specific sectors. Furthermore it assesses how potential an actual terrorist event determine consumer and producer behaviour, public policy, as well as terrorist responses to these policies. Finally a European perspective on the terrorism security annexes is discussed and here we analyze the causes of terrorism in Europe.

Details: Munich, Germany: Institute for Economic Research, 2010. 92p.

Source: Internet Resource: CESifo Working Paper No. 3011: Accessed August 16, 2011 at: http://www.cesifo-group.de/portal/pls/portal/docs/1/1185552.PDF

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Counter-Terrorism

Shelf Number: 122412


Author: Greenpeace

Title: The Cod Fishery in the Baltic Sea: Unsustainable and Illegal

Summary: The United Nations (UN) states that the main factors determining biodiversity loss in our oceans are overfishing and climate change. Cod is a case in point. Once so dense that fish could literally be scooped out of the sea, the majority of the cod stocks worldwide are now commercially extinct, or very close to it. This is true in the Baltic Sea, particularly for the eastern stock. The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES: the scientific advisory body for the northeastern Atlantic region) is calling for a drastic reduction of quotas, or even for a cessation of cod fishing in waters of the eastern Baltic Sea. However, the dire warnings from ICES have been ignored in the past, and there is no reason to be more optimistic this time. For instance, the Council of Fisheries Ministers of the EU has set the 2006 total allowable catch for Eastern Baltic cod at a level more than three times that advised by ICES. In addition to the official quota of 49,000 tonnes, a huge amount of illegally caught cod is landed in harbours around the Baltic Sea for consumption within the EU market. ICES estimates that in 2005, the amount of illegally caught cod reached close to 15,000 tonnes, which is 38 % above the official landings. The Polish fleet, in particular, is fishing above its allocated quota. This report summarises the disastrous situation, gives an overview of the Baltic cod fleet and markets, and describes the EU’s political approach to managing Baltic cod fisheries, which may be viewed as a failure to this point in time.

Details: Amsterdam: Greenpeace, 2006. 16p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 17, 2011 at: http://www.imcsnet.org/imcs/docs/the_cod_fishery_in_the_Baltic_sea_unsustainable_illegal.pdf

Year: 2006

Country: Europe

Keywords: Illegal Fishing (Baltic Sea)

Shelf Number: 122363


Author: Savona, Ernesto U.

Title: Cost Benefit Analysis of Transparency Requirements in the Company/Corporate Field and Banking Sector Relevant for the Fight Against Money Laundering and Other Financial Crime

Summary: The aims of the study were: 1. To analyse the cost-benefits from the introduction at the EU level of an up-front and ongoing disclosure system in the company/corporate field (from now on, MODEL 1) made up of the following five transparency requirements relevant for the fight against money laundering and other financial crime: •a statutory duty on the registered owner of a shareholding of 10% or more of the issued capital of a private or public unlisted company to confirm to the company their beneficial ownership of such shares or, if not, details of whom they believe the beneficial owner (BO) to be; •a statutory duty on beneficial but not registered owners of a shareholding of 10% or more to notify the company of such beneficial ownership and, for registered and beneficial owners of 10% or more, any changes in details as and when they occur; •a statutory duty on the company to file such data with a central registry within a short period; •the making such information available on-line to LEAs along with actual and historic data on company shareholders and their managers/directors; •making such data available to the public. 2. To highlight: •what EU measures may be appropriate to address those who aid and abet/facilitate corporate money laundering/terrorist financing arrangements, especially professional service providers, to contribute to more effective deterrence or (if not) suitable punishment, and •any issues and approaches revealed in the study likely to help improve the regulation of charities, trusts, associations and foundations with regard to AML and CFT.

Details: Milano, Italy: Transcrime - Joint Research Centre on Transnational Crime, 2007. 691p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 23, 2011 at: http://transcrime.cs.unitn.it/tc/fso/pubblicazioni/AP/CBA-Study_Final_Report_revised_version.pdf

Year: 2007

Country: Europe

Keywords: Banking

Shelf Number: 122427


Author: Europol

Title: Child Sexual Exploitation: Fact Sheet 2011

Summary: In 2010, the European Commission adopted a proposal for a new Directive on combating sexual abuse, the sexual exploitation of children and child pornography, following up on a previous proposal tabled in 2009, with the aim of replacing the Framework Decision 2004/68/JHA. The new Directive, if approved, will follow the Lanzarote (Spain), October 20071 Council of Europe “Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse” and is going to cover actions on the following different aspects: •Criminal law: criminalisation of serious forms of child sexual abuse and exploitation currently not covered by EU legislation, with Articles 3 and 4 aiming at punishing the intentional conduct of recruiting or coercing a child into prostitution or into pornographic performances or profiting from or otherwise exploiting a child for such purposes, and establishing provisions that punish all the offences related to child pornography which already fall under the Europol mandate as listed in the Council Decision establishing the Europol Police Office, applicable from 1 January 2010. •Developments in the IT environment: new forms of sexual abuse and exploitation facilitated by the use of the Internet would be criminalised (e.g. grooming or viewing child abusive material (CAM) without downloading the files). •Criminal investigation and initiation of proceedings: a number of provisions would be introduced to assist with investigating offences and the bringing about of charges, in the absence of reporting by the child victim. •Offences committed abroad: rules on jurisdiction would be amended to ensure that child sexual abusers or exploiters from the EU face prosecution, including if they commit their crimes in a non-EU country. •Protection of victims: new provisions would ensure that abused children have easy access to legal remedies and do not suffer as a result of participating in criminal proceedings. •Prevention of offences: special programmes should be accessible for offenders to prevent them from committing new offences. National mechanisms to block access to websites with child pornography, which are most often located outside the EU, should be put in place under the supervision of judicial services or the police.

Details: The Hague: Europol, 2011. 13p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 24, 2011 at: http://polis.osce.org/library/f/3902/3234/EU-EU-RPT-3902-EN-Child%20Sexual%20Exploitation%202011%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: Europe

Keywords: Child Pornography

Shelf Number: 122477


Author: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe

Title: Trafficking in Human Beings: Identification of Potential and Presumed Victims: A Community Policing Approach

Summary: The timely and proper identification of presumed victims of human trafficking is of paramount importance to ensuring that victims receive the assistance to which they are entitled. It is also crucial to the effective prosecution of the crime. The identification of potential victims can disrupt the trafficking process before it even starts and thus prevent the exploitation of vulnerable individuals. Authorities, including police officers, are usually familiar with the basic characteristics of victims of transborder trafficking in human beings for the purpose of sexual exploitation. However, they tend to have limited experience with the identification of trafficking victims who have been exposed to other forms of exploitation, such as domestic servitude or forced labour in the construction, agriculture or garment industries. As a rule, identifying a trafficked person is a complex and timeconsuming process. Sometimes it takes weeks or months for a trafficked person to overcome post-traumatic stress disorder and develop enough trust in the authorities to be able to speak out. However, because identifying trafficked persons grants them access to necessary assistance, it should be carried out quickly and accurately, irrespective of the criminal prosecution process. Various manuals, lists of indicators and checklists27 for victim identification have been prepared by State institutions and international and non-governmental organizations for use by professionals in different spheres. Nevertheless, practical experience shows that the mere existence of indicators and checklists does not lead to effective victim identification. The relevant authorities often need additional guidance on how to apply these tools. And in many cases, policy documents containing such indicators are not distributed beyond the central offices that have the unique mandate to identify victims while local law enforcement agencies, whose officers are on the front lines, are not familiar with them. There are pros and cons with respect to the use of checklists and indicators. Indicators can provide greatly sought-after guidance, but if they are applied rigidly, they can be rather limiting. To fulfil their role— to provide guidance that is relevant but not too rigid—indicators need to be reassessed and revised on a regular basis to take into account new information and trends. Profiling potential and presumed victims should not lead to unsubstantiated generalizations and discriminatory policing approaches and attitudes. It can be challenging to avoid discrimination and maintain the integrity of guidelines and other measures for victim identification used by law enforcement authorities. Even guidelines that are designed with the best of intentions may eventually be implemented without due consideration for integrity when they are interpreted and used by police officers in their daily work. It is possible to improve identification of victims of human trafficking by introducing common indicators acceptable to all relevant actors, including the police. Police officers are confronted every day with a variety of offences, but they must be able to detect suspected cases of human trafficking among all other crimes. Even though they do not specialize in human trafficking, they must be able to recognize the most important indicators of the crime, identify victims and refer them to relevant authorities. When a front-line officer has doubts about a trafficking case, he or she should immediately contact specialized police units, specialized public prosecution offices or specialized NGOs. The challenge for all actors involved in identification of presumed victims of human trafficking is where to set the threshold. When performing initial identification, the threshold must be lower than that set out in the criminal code. The police in various OSCE participating States have been criticized for interpreting the definition of presumed victims too narrowly and not treating persons in situations where there were slight indications of trafficking as presumed victims.28 The community policing tools provided in this guidebook should help to address the challenges of preliminary identification of presumed and potential trafficking victims. The guidebook is divided into eight chapters. Chapter One underlines the necessity of developing a common list of indicators to provide a basis for multi-agency co-operation in victim identification. Chapter Two establishes a link between victim identification and the legal definition of human trafficking and focuses on the main principles that have to be taken into consideration when approaching the problem. Chapter Three addresses different aspects of the community policing approach to victim identification. Chapter Four focuses on characteristics of victims and difficulties faced by those who deal with identification of potential and presumed victims. Chapters Five and Six divide the trafficking process into pre-exploitation and exploitation phases and provide lists of certain indicators that refer to victims in these respective phases. These two chapters also provide guidance for community police officers on how to identify signs of trafficking situations and how to respond to these situations. Chapter Seven provides recommendations for law enforcement capacity development in the area of victim identification. Chapter Eight emphasizes that community policing can provide a more nuanced and comprehensive approach to victim identification than those used separately by the police and their partners. As a result, they will be able to identify, reach out to and assist more victims and potential victims of trafficking in persons.

Details: Vienna: OSCE, 2011. 107p.

Source: Internet Resource: SPMU Publication Series Vol. 10, 2011: Accessed August 24, 2011 at: http://www.osce.org/node/78849

Year: 2011

Country: Europe

Keywords: Community Policing

Shelf Number: 122478


Author: Baumuller, Heike

Title: Keeping Illegal Fish and Timber off the Market: A Comparison of EU Regulations

Summary: . Illegal fishing and logging, and the international trade in illegally sourced fish and wood products cause enormous environmental and economic damage. Consumer countries contribute to the problem by importing fish and timber without ensuring legality – a problem the EU tries to address with two new regulations. In this briefing paper, Duncan Brack, Heike Baumüller and Katharina Umpfenbach compare the recently adopted EU regulations on illegal fish and timber products. The authors contrast the very different approaches and highlight areas that might need further strengthening. •In response to the global problem of illegal logging and fishing, and the failure of the international community effectively to address the problem, the European Union has moved to tighten its own regulations. •The EU regulation to combat illegal fishing introduces comprehensive certification and traceability requirements for anyone wishing to import fish products into the EU, and provides for extensive enforcement measures that can be used by European authorities to ensure compliance with the regulation. •The EU regulation on illegal logging establishes a licensing system with countries that have entered into voluntary partnership agreements (VPA) with the EU. An additional regulation is currently being developed to try to ensure that illegal timber from all countries is excluded from the EU market. •The broad scope of the illegal fishing regulation, in terms of its geographical reach and its emphasis on enforcement is, at least in part, motivated by the ‘common property’ nature of global fisheries resources, which makes it difficult to address the impacts of illegal fishing at the national level. •The bilateral VPA process recognizes the national character of forest governance. While slow in their implementation, the VPAs – with their emphasis on capacity-building and stakeholder engagement – have the potential to trigger long-lasting governance reforms.

Details: London: Chatham House, 2009. 12p.

Source: Internet Resource: Briefing Paper: Accessed September 3, 2011 at: http://www.chathamhouse.org/sites/default/files/public/Research/Energy%2C%20Environment%20and%20Development/bp1009_fishandtimber.pdf

Year: 2009

Country: Europe

Keywords: Illegal Fishing (Europe)

Shelf Number: 122342


Author: Savona, Ernesto, U.

Title: IKOC - Improving Knowledge on Organised Crime to Develop a Common European approach

Summary: The intention of the IKOC Project was to elaborate a methodology to measure the probability and impact of organised criminal activities. Accordingly, the goal of this Project was twofold: to update knowledge on organised crime with specific regard to 1) the organised criminal groups operating in EU Member STates (types of groups, their organisational structure, and the socio-economic and cultural framework in which they operate)., and 2) the activities they carry out in both legal and illegal markets and their related modi operandi; and to elaborate a methodology to develop a common knowledge-based European approach to organised crime and to examine its feasibility.

Details: Milan, Italy: Transcrime, 2007. 545p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 6, 2011 at: http://transcrime.cs.unitn.it/tc/fso/pubblicazioni/AP/Publishable_final_activity_report-IKOC.pdf

Year: 2007

Country: Europe

Keywords: Organized Crime (Europe)

Shelf Number: 122667


Author: Confederation of European Security Industries (CoESS)

Title: Panoramic Overview of the Private Security Industry in the 25 Member States of the European Union

Summary: With a view to the 4th European Conference on Private Security Services, organised by CoESS and UNI-Europa in Madrid on 14th and 15th October 2004, and with the recent enlargement of the European Union on 1st May 2004 in mind, the European representative social partners, CoESS and UNI-Europa, decided to produce a ‘Panoramic Overview’ of the private security industry in all 25 EU Member States. This panoramic overview aims to provide a general outline of the current situation of the private security industry in the individual Member States. It can thus be considered to be a short guide. The information presented must be concise and easy to consult both during and after the 4th European Conference. CoESS and UNI-Europa have therefore opted for a filing card system consisting of tagged information. This overview is the product of the above mentioned assignment and was completed with the ongoing commitment of CoESS and UNI-Europa and their national member organisations, and with the financial support of the European Commission (DG Employment and Social Affairs). This study aims to provide a general picture of the private security industry in each EU Member State concentrating on : the legal situation (both national and regional), the social situation (a.o. collective agreements), and the economic reality in the European Union since 1st May 2004. Its main concern is to look for similarities and differences in the above mentioned areas which may serve as focal points in the future development of a European model for the private security industry.

Details: CoESS: 2004. 3 pts.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 15, 2011 at: http://www.coess.org/studies.htm

Year: 2004

Country: Europe

Keywords: Private Security (Europe)

Shelf Number: 122736


Author: Goodwin, Matthew

Title: Right Response: Understanding and Countering Populist Extremism in Europe

Summary: Populist extremist parties (PEPs) present one of the most pressing challenges to European democracies, but their appeal and the profile of their supporters remain poorly understood. This report examines what is causing citizens across Europe to shift support behind populist extremists and recommends how mainstream political parties can respond to the challenge. PEPs have spent much of the past two decades exchanging strategies, ideas and best practice. This has enabled them to respond to new issues and events more innovatively and effectively than the established parties. Until the mainstream parties similarly begin to exchange lessons, root their responses in the evidence and address the actual anxieties of PEP voters, populist extremists will continue to rally support among a new generation of citizens. If politicians and policymakers are to meet this challenge, they need to radically rethink their current approach to populist extremism.

Details: London: Chatham House, 2011. 46p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 27, 2011 at:

Year: 2011

Country: Europe

Keywords: Radical Groups (Europe)

Shelf Number: 122924


Author: European Roma Rights Centre, Bulgaria Helsinki Committee, Milan Šimečka Foundation and osservAzione,

Title: Life Sentence: Romani Children in Institutional Care

Summary: Romani children are overrepresented in institutional care compared to their proportion of the population as a whole in Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Romania and Slovakia. All six countries have adopted specific laws which govern child protection matters, with the best interests of the child as the prevailing legal principle. Detailed descriptions of child endangerment and clear methodological guidelines for its assessment are lacking in all countries, which provides significant opportunity for the mis-application or subjective interpretation of relevant provisions by child protection and social workers. Many factors contribute to the overrepresentation of Romani children in institutional care, including discrimination, poverty and material conditions (such as unemployment, indebtedness and inadequate housing), school absenteeism, single parenthood and unwanted pregnancies and migration. Child abuse was considered a very small factor in the placement of Romani children in State care. Preventative measures are often inadequate, there are an insufficient number of skilled social workers and an absence of community level prevention services in isolated Romani neighbourhoods due to insufficient funding. Romani children experience physical abuse, ill-treatment and ethnic discrimination in and out of the homes. Most homes do not offer programmes to support the development of Roma ethnic identity. Given that a disproportionate number of Romani children are in institutional care, that they are unlikely to return to their biological families, and that many are passed up for adoption, a great proportion of Romani children spend their whole childhood in an institutional setting. Romani children are disadvantaged on multiple grounds when it comes to child protection placement, in-care treatment and leaving, including on the basis of their ethnicity, poverty, disability, and institutionalised child status. The existing system creates a cycle from which it is hard if not impossible to escape.

Details: Budapest: European Roma Rights Centre, 2011. 83p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 30, 2011 at: http://www.errc.org/cms/upload/file/life-sentence-20-june-2011.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: Europe

Keywords: Child Protection

Shelf Number: 122956


Author: European Commission

Title: Feasibility Study to Assess the Possibilities, Opportunities and Needs to Standardise National Legislation on Violence Against Women, Violence Against Children and Sexual Orientation Violence

Summary: Over the last three decades the connections between interpersonal violence, inequalities and human rights have received increasing attention in law, research and practice in the three fields of violence that are subject of this study: violence against women (VAW), violence against children (VAC) and sexual orientation violence (SOV). Human rights thinking has expanded beyond the use of violence by states in recognising that violence targeted at individuals as members of social groups and/or experienced disproportionately by members of disadvantaged groups is a state responsibility. Th is places the three forms of violence squarely in the arena of fundamental rights. The failure of states and state agencies to adequately protect the public against, and support them in the aftermath of discriminatory violence and violence resulting in harm to a child’s development not only means that victims experience violations of basic human rights, but that they are also deprived of equal access to basic needs as well as to justice, employment, leisure, community and political participation, freedom of movement — the latter all core elements of European concepts of citizenship. Whether in public or private, unchecked violence places fundamental rights in jeopardy. Definitions of violence vary widely, making the topic challenging and contested: moreover, international treaties and conventions frequently fail to provide specific definitions of the types of actions that should be prohibited or require protection. One outcome of this project is a set of proposed definitions of the forms of violence it addresses. The central task was to provide a coherent analysis of the need for, possibilities of, and potential hurdles to standardised national legislation across three fields of violence for EU Member States. To this end the Commission set five research tasks: Š the mapping of relevant legislation on VAW, VAC and SOV and its implementation; Š comparative analysis; Š a set of minimum standards; Š a model of factors affecting perpetration and how these are, or could be, addressed in legislation; Š a set of recommendations.

Details: Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2010. 216p., app.

Source: Internet Resource: accessed October 6, 2011 at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/eplive/expert/multimedia/20110405MLT17038/media_20110405MLT17038.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Child Abuse and Neglect

Shelf Number: 122993


Author: Ganpat, Soenita

Title: Homicide in Finland, the Netherlands and Sweden: A First Study on the European Homicide Monitor Data

Summary: In Finland and Sweden a large proportion of homicides take place between intoxicated, male acquaintances, while in the Netherlands, they take place in a criminal milieu to a greater extent. These are some results of a unique study comparing lethal violence in the three countries. – The results also show a pattern where Finland and the Netherlands show the largest differences, with Sweden most often placed in between regarding many homicide characteristics. One important exception is the homicide rate, where Sweden has the lowest homicide rate per 100,000 population and Finland has the highest, says Johanna Hagstedt, researcher at Brå. When it comes to homicide structure, there are important differences between the three countries. Generally however, the two Nordic countries are more similar to one another than they are to the Netherlands. Although all the identified homicide types exist in all three countries, homicides committed in Finland and Sweden are often characterized by acquainted men killing each other in situations where alcohol is an important factor. In the Netherlands a larger proportion of homicides are associated with a criminal milieu, resulting in slightly younger perpetrators, a higher proportion of homicides committed outdoors with firearms and a lower clearance rate. In other words, homicides in Finland and Sweden more often have expressive motives, while instrumental motives were the most common in the Netherlands. But there are also important similarities between the three countries. For example, most homicides take place during evenings or nights and weekends are more lethal than weekdays. Also, the characteristics of victims and perpetrators are alike. In all three countries the victims and perpetrators are largely characterized by being males born in the same country the crime took place in, a large proportion of these being between the ages of 25 and 64. The study is based on four years of homicide data collected in each country. The project is important because it has shown that building a homicide database on a European level is feasible.

Details: Stockholm: Brottsförebyggande rådet/The Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention, 2011. 149p.

Source: Internet Resource: Research Report 259/Finland; Research Report 2011:15/Sweden: Accessed October 6, 2011 at: http://www.bra.se/extra/measurepoint/?module_instance=4&name=2011_15_Homicide_webb.pdf&url=/dynamaster/file_archive/110927/24663534fd502e98349e56f853deb99a/2011%255f15%255fHomicide%255fwebb.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: Europe

Keywords: Crime Statistics

Shelf Number: 122995


Author: Polacek, Richard

Title: Joining Forces to Combat Homophobic and Transphobic Hate Crime: Cooperation Between Police Forces and LGBT Organisations in Europe

Summary: In the past years, we have witnessed some positive developments of the legal environment to combat discrimination based on sexual orientation in the European Union Member States, although a lot still remains to be done. The social situation of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people, however, continues to be worrying. Homophobic and transphobic hate speech and hate crime are a common phenomenon in the European Union today. Derogatory or offensive remarks, as well as verbal and physical assaults testify to the widespread persistence of homophobia in our societies. We have to take a stand against such crimes. They do not only cause harm to the lives of the individuals concerned but to society as a whole. This handbook shows that there are a number of ways in which different actors can work together to make Europe’s cities and communities safer for LGBT people. Little by little, steps can and should be taken by NGOs and state authorities alike, regardless of whether or not they are explicitly obliged to combat homophobic crime by relevant laws. This inspiring publication shows the important role of fostering prevention, assistance in reporting and adequate recording of homophobic and transphobic incidents, as well as raising awareness among law enforcement authorities and their proper training. These are key elements in ensuring that homophobic and transphobic crime is investigated to the same high standard as other forms of crime. Finally, the handbook highlights how, through the involvement and support of LGBT organisations, it is possible to achieve significant change. It is therefore particularly important that serious and professional organisations such as ILGA-Europe and the many more throughout Europe are acknowledged by public authorities as key partners in their work.

Details: Brussels: European Region of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans & Intersex Association (IGLA), 2010. 74p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 22, 2011 at: http://www.dayagainsthomophobia.org/IMG/pdf/ILGA_Europe_Homophobic_Hate_Crime.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Discrimination

Shelf Number: 123090


Author: Altindag, Duha T.

Title: Crime and Unemployment: Evidence from Europe

Summary: This paper investigates the impact of unemployment on crime using a country-level panel data set from Europe that contains consistently-measured crime statistics. Unemployment has a positive influence on property crimes. Using earthquakes, industrial accidents and exchange rate movements as instruments for the unemployment rate, it finds that 2SLS point estimates are not significantly larger than OLS estimates. The unemployment rate is decomposed into various components according to gender, education and duration of unemployment. The influence of the overall unemployment rate on crime is mainly driven by the unemployment of males, the poorly-educated and the long-term unemployed.

Details: Auburn, AL: Auburn University, Department of Economics, 46p.

Source: Internet Resource: Auburn University
Department of Economics
Working Paper Series; http://cla.auburn.edu/econwp/Archives/2011/2011-13.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: Europe

Keywords: Crime and Unemployment (Europe)

Shelf Number: 123091


Author: Rubin, Jennifer

Title: Development of a European Crime Report: Improving safety and justice with existing crime and criminal justice data

Summary: Understanding crime in the European Union (EU) is a complex endeavour. National differences in how crime data are collected and reported are important, albeit partial, explanations for the complexity. To improve cross-national comparisons and benchmarking in crime and criminal justice policy, the European Commission Directorate-General for Home Affairs commissioned RAND Europe to create a framework for developing a European Crime Report (ECR). In particular, RAND Europe scoped data availability issues and current projects and information that could feed into an ECR. Furthermore, a variety of stakeholders were interviewed to provide a more comprehensive, reliable assessment of opportunities and challenges to developing an ECR. Research uncovered it is not necessary to collect new data to begin developing an ECR. What is essential, however, is to use available data through "Smart Aggregation", a term we introduce referring to the provision of contextual information highlighting definitional differences in a more intelligent way. Smart Aggregation brings together existing CCJ data and reporting in a manner that facilitates informed comparisons and discourages less useful comparisons and analysis. Three decision areas identified as noteworthy for enhancing sustainability of an ECR are: funding streams, model of implementation, and dissemination and communication strategy. The report develops recommendations on how to address each of these key decisions areas with a possible timeline for implementation over the course of three years. The report also provides an indicative table of contents for a report, a website snapshot to disseminate the report and a method for generating bespoke reports for users.

Details: Santa Monica, CA: RAND, 2011. 164p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 25, 2011 at: http://www.rand.org/pubs/technical_reports/TR936.html

Year: 2011

Country: Europe

Keywords: Crime Measurement

Shelf Number: 123121


Author: Orfano, I.

Title: Headway – Improving Social Intervention Systems for Victims of Trafficking

Summary: Even though in the last decade many anti-trafficking initiatives have mushroomed throughout Europe, a lot still needs to be done. Human trafficking has a complex, multidimensional and ever-changing nature and often public and private service providers do not possess the proper instruments or approaches to respond to the needs of trafficked. Furthermore, the existing knowledge mainly concerns trafficking of women and girls into the sex industry (mostly street prostitution, more rarely behind-closed-doors prostitution). Very little is known about other forms of trafficking (i.e. for forced labour, begging, illegal activities, organ transplants, illegal adoption or forced marriage) and about other victims (minors, men or transgender people). Interventions frequently remain experimental, disjointed and not implemented as part of a structured, consistent and integrated model. This situation undermines the operators’ opportunities to acquire comprehensive knowledge of the phenomenon and of the practices of intervention and co-operation that already exist within the anti-trafficking sector and, consequently, it reduces their ability to provide proper support to trafficked persons. Given this scenario, within the framework of the EQUAL Community Initiative of the European Union), the Development Partnerships (DPs) of Headway – Improving Social Intervention Systems for Victims of Trafficking), developed and implemented a transnational multi-activity project. This was based on the rationale that exchanges co-operation between agencies concerned with victim assistance in the countries of origin, transit and destination – and represented within the transnational partnership – are crucial for the development and improvement of the standards and tools needed to monitor the phenomenon. Collaboration is equally essential for strengthening the social interventions intended to protect and assist trafficked persons and to improve their prospects of social inclusion and access to the labour market. The national DPs, which represent very different regional and national contexts (Estonia, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Poland and Portugal) and multidisciplinary compositions of public and private agencies, worked together for more than two years in order to achieve the following goals: – to broaden and share the level of knowledge as regards the phenomena of human trafficking (Activity 1) and the legislative systems (Activity 2) that protect victims of trafficking and prosecute the crime; – to collect examples of good practice interventions supporting the social and labour market inclusion of trafficked persons in their countries of destination and origin, seeing if innovative approaches can be applied elsewhere (Activity 3); – to analyse and compare current monitoring systems and jointly to develop common tools and mechanisms aimed at effectively and regularly monitoring different forms of human trafficking (Activity 4). Through the implementation of a monitoring mechanism and the mapping of available services it is possible, on the one hand, to improve the quality of the existing services and, on the other, to plan innovative ad hoc interventions capable of addressing the needs of trafficked persons in particular; – to map out existing interventions (Activity 5) and to link up various anti-trafficking activities through the establishment of an online transnational database (Activity 6). This database can then contribute to the prompt referral of trafficked persons to the appropriate service provider/s (locally, nationally or internationally) and can supply the necessary information about services available in a given place to the agencies engaged in the field. This publication thus contains the main results achieved by the Headway DPs over more than two years of co-operation in developing common methodologies and understandings of rather complex issues. Following this brief introduction, the publication offers an executive summary in seven different languages: English (the working language used) and the six national languages of the DPs: Estonian, German, Italian, Lithuanian, Polish and Portuguese. In Chapter One there is an analysis of the literature on trafficking as regards Estonia, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Poland and Portugal, and a brief overview of the phenomenon, as described in the seventy-one selected publications. Chapter Two brings together the national legal frameworks covering human trafficking and related areas in the partner countries. It also presents a brief analysis of the identified strengths and shortcomings of the national frameworks that support trafficked persons and fight trafficking. Chapter Three presents thirty-one selected examples of good practice in the field of protection of trafficked persons and prevention of trafficking in human beings in the six European partner countries, in order to promote a transnational exchange of practical experiences, working methods and results achieved. Chapter Four contains the main findings of the analysis and comparison of existing systems for monitoring human trafficking and the services available for trafficked persons in the partner countries and some other selected countries. It also describes what a monitoring system should look like, as well as putting forward a proposal to draft and implement a European model of monitoring trafficking phenomena. The main characteristics and the functioning of the Headway database are described in Chapter Five. The Headway database is a transnational database of organisations and institutions working on trafficking and is intended to be a tool that facilitates contacts between them and any other interested bodies. Given the lack of exposure usually suffered by the outcomes of external evaluation of projects, the Headway partners decided to include a specific chapter devoted to this in the publication, so contributing to the future work of the partners and of other agencies in the field. Thus, Chapter Six includes the observations of the external evaluator as to the project’s relevance, effectiveness, and sustainability. Finally, in the Annexes section, descriptions of the national DPs are provided, as well as their contact details.

Details: Warsaw: Headway. Improving Social Intervention Systems for Victims of Trafficking Project, 2007. 243p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 26, 2011 at: http://lastradainternational.org/lsidocs/319%20Headway%20Project.pdf

Year: 2007

Country: Europe

Keywords: Human Trafficking

Shelf Number: 112350


Author: Turner, Jackie

Title: Nordic Baltic Pilot Project for the Support, Protection, Safe Return and Rehabilitation of Women Victims of Trafficking for Sexual Exploitation: Evaluation Report

Summary: The Nordic Baltic Pilot Project for the Support, Protection, Safe Return and Rehabilitation of Women Victims of Trafficking for Sexual Exploitation ran from Oct 2005 to Dec 2008 with two key objectives; 1. to develop a regional programme for the provision of support services to women victims of trafficking for sexual exploitation, and 2. to strengthen the gender equality perspective in policies, programmes and anti-trafficking initiatives, especially in victim support services. This report comprises an 'after the fact' evaluation of this project, conducted towards the end of the pilot project, and combines process and outcome discussions, provides an overview of the project's achievements, discusses some of the remaining challenges and concludes with guidance for future priorities.

Details: London: London Metropolitan University, Chld and Woman Abuse Studies Unit, 2008. 40p

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 26, 2011 at: www.cwasu.org/filedown.asp?file=nordic_baltic.pdf

Year: 2008

Country: Europe

Keywords: Human Trafficking (Baltic Region)

Shelf Number: 123155


Author: Martinsohn, Jann Th.

Title: Deterring Illegal Activities in the Fisheries Sector: Genetics, Genomics, Chemistry and Forensics to Fight IUU Fishing and in Support of Fish Product Traceability

Summary: Marine fish are a precious natural resource and their exploitation for nutrition and income is deeply embedded in human culture. However, massive fishing activity, both legal and illegal, has had dramatic impacts, and poses a threat to the future of the fisheries sector. Virtually 70% of the world’s fish stocks are fully exploited, overexploited or in a state of collapse. European waters are not exempt, with almost 90% of fish stocks being overexploited. IUU fishing (Illegal, Unregulated and Unreported fishing) is vastly contributing to this situation. In 2010, the value of IUU fi shing amounted to 10-20 billion Euros annually, with at least 1.1 billion Euros worth of illegal fish being imported into the European Union every year. Furthermore, fraud along the supply chain with fish products sold under false labels, such as low-cost catfish as valuable sole or cod fillets, poses additional challenges. These illegal activities have severe adverse effects, as they undermine sustainable fisheries, cause destruction of marine ecosystems, obstruct socioeconomic development, and impede consumer information and protection. A number of nations have developed strategies to deter and fight illegal fishing activities, and numerous countries have adopted the International Plan of Action to prevent, deter and eliminate IUU Fishing (IPOAIUU), that has been developed in 2001 within the framework of the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries by the FAO. The European Union has recently taken further initiatives and developped two major and complementing legal instruments: in January 2010, Council regulation (EC) No 1005/2008 (1), - the ‘IUU regulation’, entered into force, and in November 2009, Council regulation (EC) No 1224/2009[1] (2) - the new Control regulation- establishing a Community control system was adopted and is in the process of being implemented. Both regulations place emphasis on detailed catch documentation and traceability for fishery products ‘from ocean to fork’, that is, covering all stages of the supply chain from catch, to landing, transport, processing, and the markets. Traceability is generally acknowledged as being a highly powerful tool in support of monitoring, control and enforcement in the fisheries sector. However, currently it is mainly based on certificates accompanying goods, and labelling of products, both measures which are vulnerable to falsification. So how can inspectors and control and enforcement authorities validate and authenticate the information provided by documentation? How can the industry assure that the fish it is processing and selling is what it is supposed to be, e.g. the correct species and fi shed legally? And finally how can the consumer be certain that the information provided for fish products is correct? A system is needed to effectively trace fish products throughout the food supply chain that is supported by independent control measures. Likewise control and enforcement authorities need efficient analytical tools for generating evidence in court trials. Molecular techniques based on genetics, genomics and chemistry, and embedded in a forensic framework, have great potential in this respect. This JRC report describes available molecular techniques and technologies and discusses how these can be used for traceability and in support of fisheries control and enforcement. The report provides examples of cases where molecular techniques were employed to reveal fisheries fraud and to generate evidence in court cases. These examples clearly demonstrate the feasibility and operational potential of the techniques in real-world contexts. Furthermore, the report explores possibilities for translating forensic genetics and chemistry into a European fisheries control and enforcement framework, within the context of the current EU policies and legislation.

Details: Brussels: Publications Office of the European Union, 2011. 76p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 28, 2011 at:http://ec.europa.eu

Year: 2011

Country: Europe

Keywords: Consumer Fraud

Shelf Number: 123164


Author: Save the Children (Spain)

Title: Children Witnesses of Gender Violence in the Domestic Context

Summary: This study evaluates the change in the institutional response to the situation of children of gender-based domestic violence victims, considering these children as victims of this type of violence. The results of this research show that, despite political and social awareness regarding the circumstances of the children of women victims of gender-based domestic violence, much remains to be done in practice to give an appropriate response and protection to these children.

Details: Madrid, Spain: Save the Children, 2011. 52p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 2, 2011 at: http://images.savethechildren.it/f/download/Advocacy/re/report-europeo.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: Europe

Keywords: Child Witnesses

Shelf Number: 123214


Author: Bilger, Veronika

Title: Study on the Assessment of the Extent of Different Types of Trafficking in Human Beings in EU Countries

Summary: Action against trafficking in human beings has become an important issue on the political agenda of the European Union and its Member States during the last decade. The design of effective measures (those that aim to foster prevention, protect victims and prosecute traffickers) has been commonly agreed to be built on appropriate legal and regulatory framework, research, data collection and information management. The lack of systematically collected and managed statistical data relevant to trafficking in human beings is one of the main obstacles to the successful and effective implementation of anti-trafficking policies and efforts. Objectives • To elaborate appropriate background information and on to assess the extent of different forms of trafficking in human beings in 17 EU Member States (Austria, Bulgaria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Germany, Denmark, Spain, France, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, United Kingdom). Outcomes • Comprehensive overview of national data on THB in the 17 EU countries covered • Comprehensive overview of national legislation on THB and related areas in the 17 EU countries covered • Comparative Analysis of assessed extent of different types of THB in the 17 EU countries covered • 17 Country Reports on national legislation, national statistics, and assessments of national developments in regard to the extent of THB in 17 countries covered. • Minimum and maximum scenarios on the total (17 countries) extent of different types of THB following the legal and administrative distinctions between victims and perpetrators but also between cases and persons on.

Details: Vienna: International Centre for Migration Policy Development, 2010. 448p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 10, 2011 at: http://research.icmpd.org/fileadmin/Research-Website/Publications/THB_extent/Study_extent_of_THB_final_26Nov2010.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Begging

Shelf Number: 123304


Author: International Centre for Migration Policy Development

Title: Yearbook on Illegal Migration, Human Smuggling and Trafficking in Central and Eastern Europe: A Survey and Analysis of Border Management and Border Apprehension Data from 2008: Including: Special Survey on the 2007 Enlargement of the Schengen Area

Summary: Based on the contributions of the border services of 22 Central and Eastern European states, this Yearbook again provides a unique compilation and overview of irregular migration trends in the region. This year’s edition comprehensively covers the region and features major improvements in the quality and analysis of the compiled data. Like its predecessors, this book will be an indispensable source for all scholars and practitioners interested in irregular migration.

Details: Vienna: International Centre for Migration Policy Development, 2010. 250p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 10, 2011 at: http://research.icmpd.org/fileadmin/Research-Website/Publications/reports_and_studies/ICMPD-Yearbook-of-Illegal-Migration-in-2008-with_cover.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Human Smuggling

Shelf Number: 123305


Author: Bastick, Megan

Title: Security Sector Responses to Trafficking in Human Beings

Summary: In recent years trafficking in human beings has become an issue of increasing concern to European states. Trafficking in human beings is understood as ahuman rights issue, a violation of labour and migration laws, and as undermining national and international security through its links to organised crime and corruption. United Nations agencies, the European Union, the Council of Europe and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, amongst others, make important contributions to coordinating the fight against human trafficking. However, there remain significant deficits in concrete information sharing and cooperation between the security agencies of different states necessary to achieve success. In many countries, cooperation among local security sector actors, other state agencies and non governmental organisations has improved. However, ensuring that the human rights of trafficking victims are protected requires more substantial training and specialised operational procedures within the security sector. This paper brings a governance analysis to security sector responses to human trafficking. It focuses on security governance approaches concerning criminalisation and harmonisation of laws, prosecution of traffickers, protection of trafficked persons, prevention in countries of origin and prevention in countries of destination. The authors identify key shortcomings in current security responses to human trafficking, and make recommendations to states with aparticular focus on national and international coordination and the prevention of human trafficking.

Details: Geneva: Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF), 2007. 44p.

Source: Internet Resource: DCAF Policy Papers (21):
Accessed November 15, 2011 at: http://www.dcaf.ch/DCAF-Migration/KMS/Publications/Security-Sector-Responses-to-Trafficking-in-Human-Beings

Year: 2007

Country: Europe

Keywords: Human Rights

Shelf Number: 123353


Author: Keese-Nagy, Katalin

Title: Trade in Sturgeon Caviar in Bulgaria and Romania: Overview of Reported Trade in Caviar, 1998-2008

Summary: The aim of this briefing is to provide an overview of legal trade patterns of caviar of Acipenseriformes from Bulgaria and Romania (hereafter referred to as the ‘two target countries’) for the period 1998 to 2008 and to gather information of detected cases of illegal trade in sturgeon caviar where these two countries were implicated. In response to reported declines in sturgeon populations and with the aim of ensuring that trade in sturgeon products, such as caviar, is sustainable and not threatening the species’ survival, all species of sturgeon and paddlefish have been listed in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) since April 1998. Accordingly, in April 1998, the order was also listed in Annex B of the EU Wildlife Trade Regulations (EU Regulations) implementing CITES in the European Union (EU). The Annex B/Appendix II listing regulates trade in all parts and derivatives, including caviar, meat, etc. Fishing and export of sturgeon and sturgeon products of wild origin was banned in Romania in 2006 for 10 years. In an overview of global caviar trade for the period 1998 to 2006, TRAFFIC reported that legal international trade amounted to 1313 t; with Romania ranking as the world’s fifth largest caviar exporter, exporting 26 tonnes (t) over the period, after Iran (438 t), the Russian Federation (138 t), Kazakhstan (95 t), Azerbaijan (35 t) and China (29 t) (TRAFFIC, 2009). The EU was reported to be the world’s largest importer of caviar for the period 1998-2006, importing 619 t, followed by the USA (292 t), Switzerland (149 t) and Japan (132 t) (TRAFFIC, 2009). During the same period, the volumes of caviar reported in international trade per year plummeted from a peak at 263 tonnes (t) in 1999 to 44 t in 2006. Regarding illegal trade in caviar, it is difficult to quantify its levels, as this is by nature a hidden activity. However, large seizures of illegal caviar in Europe indicate that there is a thriving black market in the luxury roe. They also demonstrate that caviar smugglers are well-organized and use sophisticated methods and the illegal caviar trade is considered to have strong links with organized crime groups. According to data reported to EU-TWIX, over 7 t of illegal caviar were seized by European authorities from 2000 to 2007 (TRAFFIC, 2009). However, the real size of the illegal trade is likely to be considerably higher, given that much of it is undetected and information is incomplete for some importing countries.

Details: Budapest, Hungary: TRAFFIC Europe, 2011. 20p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 26, 2011 at: http://www.wwf.de/fileadmin/fm-wwf/pdf_neu/Trade%20in%20Sturgeon%20Caviar%20in%20Bulgaria%20and%20Romania.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: Europe

Keywords: Caviar

Shelf Number: 123401


Author: Huglo Lepage & Partners

Title: Study on Environmental Crime in the 27 Member States

Summary: On 27 January 2003, on the initiative of the Kingdom of Denmark, the Council of the European Union adopted the framework Decision. Based on Title VI of the Treaty on European Union, the framework decision constitutes, as is clear from the first three recitals in its preamble, the instrument by which the European Union intends to respond with concerted action to the disturbing increase in offences posing a threat to the environment. The framework decision lays down a number of environmental offences, in respect of which the Member States are required to prescribe criminal penalties. The framework decision distinguished environmental offences committed intentionally from negligent offences. The requested study does not explicitly mention this distinction. We understand that it should cover both intentional and negligent offences. With regard to the environmental offences, the framework decision stated in its articles 2 to 7 that : 􀀹 Member States shall adopt necessary measures to qualify these infringement as criminal offences; 􀀹 Member States shall ensure that, under national legislation, participating or instigating the offences is punishable 􀀹 The criminal penalties laid down in each Member State shall be “effective, proportionate and dissuasive” and shall include, at least in serious cases, penalties involving deprivation of liberty which can give rise to extradition. Criminal penalties may be accompanied by other penalties or measures. 􀀹 Legal persons shall be liable as the result of an act or omission and the sanctions to which they are to be subject under national legislation shall include criminal and non-criminal fines and may include other sanctions. The other provisions of the framework decision were dealing with jurisdiction , extradition and prosecutions of persons who have committed environmental offences. In case C-176/03 the Commission, supported by the European Parliament, requested the Court to annul the framework decision in its entirety, claiming that article 2 to 7 of the act were falling within the Community’s competence. In its judgment given on 13 September 2005, the Court held that, although the Community legislature has no general competence in criminal matters, it is competent, under Article 175 EC, to require the Member States to prescribe penalties for infringements of Community environment-protection legislation if it takes the view that that is a necessary means of ensuring that the EC environmental legislation is effective. In other word the Court considered that the (partial) harmonisation of national criminal laws, in particular of the constituent elements of environmental offences and of the criminal penalties attached to these offences, is designed to support the EC environmental policy. It stems from the Judgment of the Court that the EC legislature can adopt a Directive based on article 175 EC if : 􀀹 The main purpose of this act is the protection of the environment; 􀀹 Member States national legislation differ as regards the constituent elements of various criminal offences committed to the detriment of the environment; 􀀹 The criminal penalties applicable to the various criminal offences differ greatly from one Member State to another and are not effective, proportionate and dissuasive • Aim and scope of the study The European Commission plans to submit to the European Parliament and the Council a proposal for a directive on environmental crime. In order to justify its proposal with regards to the above mentioned Court judgement, the Commission needs to demonstrate that a harmonisation of criminal laws of the Member States, in particular of the constituent elements of environmental offences and of the criminal penalties attached to these offences, is necessary to ensure the proper implementation of EC environmental legislation. Therefore, it is necessary for the Commission to be able to provide the Council and the Parliament with an overview of the current legislation in the Member states regarding criminal offences that differ from those covered in the Framework decision, in order to justify the harmonisation of these measures. A first step in a harmonisation effort is that the Commission should know how the non-respect of national rules implementing specific provisions of 4 Directives and 1 Regulation are sanctioned in the various member states today. The relevant environmental offences are: 􀀹 the unlawful discharge of hazardous substances into water; 􀀹 the unlawful dumping of waste; 􀀹 the illegal shipment of waste as defined in Article 2(35) of the Waste Shipment Regulations; 􀀹 the unlawful significant deterioration of a protected habitat; 􀀹 the unlawful trade in or use of ozone-depleting substances Three studies have already been carried out on this issue on behalf of the Commission in 2002 and 2003. However, theses studies did not cover the exact same offences and did not cover the now 27 Members States. Besides, the information contained in these previous studies had to be updated. The study covers the five listed offences and aims at conveying a clear overview of the national legislation in force and the levels of sanctions. Although the case law and the judicial practice may influence the effectiveness of penalties, this study covers only legislation and not case law or judicial practice.

Details: Brussels: Huglo Lepage & Partners, 2007. 16p.; appendices

Source: Internet Resource: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/legal/crime/pdf/report_environmental_crime.pdf

Year: 2007

Country: Europe

Keywords: Hazardous Wastes

Shelf Number: 123676


Author: Council of Europe. Parliamentary Assembly. Committee on Economic Affairs and Development

Title: The Underground Economy: A Threat to Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law

Summary: The underground economy represents a large and growing share of the overall economic activity in Europe and beyond. It accounts for from about 10% to over 60% of gross domestic product in different European countries. The “new democracies” of central and eastern Europe – where the rule of law is more fragile and where vested interest groups are firmly rooted – are particularly affected. The evolving structure of the world economy, the geopolitical changes following the fall of the Berlin Wall and the global economic crisis have all fuelled the growth of the informal economy. The report stresses that the underground economy and its extreme form – economic crime – significantly erode state authority and the capacity for good governance which are essential for fostering democracy, development and the rule of law. These phenomena also deprive state budgets of much tax revenue, distort competition, flout citizens' socio-economic rights, slow down economic progress, abuse public welfare systems and propagate lawlessness. The reports considers that the Council of Europe should pay more attention to addressing the problem of undeclared work, study more closely the activities of offshore centres as financial intermediaries and review the situation of organised crime in its member states. It proposes a series of directions for action, ranging from evaluation measures, regulatory adjustments, electronic surveillance of money flows, use of economic intelligence to information exchange, whistle-blowing and witness protection.

Details: Strasbourg Cedex: Council of Europe, 2011. 14p.

Source: Internet Resource: Doc. 12700: Accessed January 23, 2012 at: http://assembly.coe.int/Documents/WorkingDocs/Doc11/EDOC12700.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: Europe

Keywords: Counterfeit Goods

Shelf Number: 123735


Author: Jackson, Jonathan

Title: Trust in Justice: Topline Results from Round 5 of the European Social Survey

Summary: Breakdown in trust appears to be at the heart of problems with our political institutions, with sectarian and religious conflict, and with the series of financial crises that are facing Europe. The causes of this breakdown in trust are central to current political and social debate. It is not surprising, therefore, that criminologists have also become interested in questions about trust in justice, the legitimacy of justice institutions, and people’s commitment to the rule of law. The fifth round of the ESS – which includes 45 questions on Trust in Justice – was conducted at the end of 2010 in 28 European countries. In this report we present key findings from the 20 countries for which comparative data were available in November 2011. Around 39,000 interviews were completed across the 20 countries, with each country organising its own translation and fieldwork, to standards specified by the ESS Core Scientific Team. Face-to-face interviews were conducted in people’s homes.

Details: London: European Social Survey, 2011. 12p.

Source: ESS Topline Results Series, Issue 1: Internet Resource: Accessed on January 27, 2012 at http://www.europeansocialsurvey.org/index.php?option=com_docman&task=doc_download&gid=903&Itemid=80

Year: 2011

Country: Europe

Keywords: Demographic Trends (Europe)

Shelf Number: 123837


Author: Schuster, Martina

Title: Discourse on prostitution and human trafficking in the context of UEFA EURO 2012: Academic study of discourse and campaigns in the run-up to the 2012 European Football Championship finals as the basis for advising decision-makers

Summary: This study focuses on the themes of sex work, sex tourism and human trafficking in the UEFA EURO 2012 host countries, Poland and Ukraine. It is designed to provide UEFA and local stakeholders with an academic basis for their preparations for the event and to serve as a starting point for networking, media work, activities and campaigns linked to these themes. The study expressly aims to help prevent sensationalist media reporting that might lead to a deterioration of the working and living conditions of sex workers. It also opposes the portrayal of UEFA EURO 2012 as a cause of violations of women’s rights, such as abduction, trafficking and rape. Analysis of previous international sports events, such as the 2006 World Cup in Germany1 and the 2010 World Cup in South Africa does not suggest that major football events lead to a rise in human rights violations of this nature. Nor is there any evidence that demand for sexual services increases as a result of such events. An international academic study of discourse in the run-up to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and of what actually transpired during the tournament, for example, showed that the predicted sharp increase in the offer of sexual services failed to materialise, as did the feared rise in human trafficking (see Delva et al. 2010).

Details: Amsterdam, The Netherlands: La Strada International, European Network Against Trafficking in Human Beings, 2010.

Source: First Report: Internet Resource: Accessed on February 3, 2012 at

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Football

Shelf Number: 123931


Author: Wisler, Dominique

Title: Police Governance: European Union Best Practices

Summary: This publication focuses on best practice within the European Union in the areas of: community policing, auditing internally the police, assessing performance, complaint mechanism against the police, and independent control authority in data protection.

Details: Geneva, Switzerland: DCAF - Democratic Control of Armed Forces, COGNITA, 2011. 39p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed on February 3, 2012 at http://www.dcaf.ch/content/download/55498/838039/file/ProconEU_Best_Practices_PoliceGovernance.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: Europe

Keywords: Community Policing (Europe)

Shelf Number: 123932


Author: ILGA-Europe

Title: Research on the legal ground and the political arguments for inclusive EU legislation against bias violence and hatred

Summary: The following analysis examines the question of whether the European Union (‘EU’) has competence to adopt legislation on crimes motivated by hatred (‘hate crimes’) against the specifi ed groups listed in Article 19 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (‘TFEU’), which is the legal base for adopting legislation to combat discrimination on grounds of race, sex, sexual orientation, disability, age and religion. To place this issue in context, the analysis first of all examines the overall legal framework for criminal law in the European Union (section 1), and then also examines the legal framework relating to human rights protection in the EU (section 2), in particular examining the rights to equality and non-discrimination. After an assessment of the issue of competence (section 3), the analysis then examines the prospects for adoption of EU legislation with a limited number of Member States (section 4), and then examines the possibility of adopting legislation outside of the EU legal framework entirely, in particular within the Council of Europe legal framework (section 5). The Annex to this report sets out a simplified flow-chart of the EU’s decision-making procedures, both to adopt legislation and to authorise ‘enhanced cooperation’ (ie adoption of the legislation among only a limited number of Member States). It is assumed throughout this analysis that legislation on homophobic hate crimes could or should also be drawn up in conjunction with criminal law legislation related to other forms of discrimination not yet addressed by EU law (as regards criminal law), for example as regards off ences deriving from sexism or religious bigotry. Addressing all of these forms of discrimination together would avoid perpetuating the ‘hierarchy of discrimination’ which exists in EU law (in that some of the groups listed in Article 19 TFEU enjoy more protection than others as regards EU law). However, the analysis does not address the possibility of the EU adopting measures to address hate crimes which are committed on grounds which are not listed in Article 19 TFEU.

Details: Brussels, Belgium: ILGA-Europe, 2011. 50p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 10, 2012 at http://www.msmgf.org/files/msmgf//Advocacy/ResearchonlegalgroundsforEUhatelegislationoct11jnt.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: Europe

Keywords: Bias Crime

Shelf Number: 124069


Author: Engler, Maylynn

Title: Opportunity or Threat: The Role of the European Union in Global Wildlife Trade

Summary: The European Union (EU) ranks as the top global importer by value of many wild animal and plant commodities, including tropical timber, caviar, reptile skins and live reptiles. In 2005, the legal trade in wildlife products in the EU had an estimated declared import value of EUR93 billion, and EUR2.5 billion excluding timber and fisheries. As EU membership has expanded, the magnitude of the EU market for wildlife and wildlife products has also increased. The links between biodiversity conservation and sustainable development are now universally acknowledged, for example in the Millennium Development Goals and the conclusions of the World Summit on Sustainable Development. A sustainable trade in wild species can contribute significantly to rural incomes, and the effect upon local economies in developing countries can be substantial. The high value of wildlife and wildlife products can also provide a positive incentive for local communities to conserve wild species and their habitats. Consequently, sustainable wildlife trade is potentially beneficial to species and habitat conservation, as well as contributing towards sustainable livelihoods and development. However, unsustainable and illegal trade is a major factor driving biodiversity loss and poses a serious threat to the long-term survival of species including Big-leaf Mahogany Swietenia macrophylla, Vicuña Vicugna vicugna, and sturgeon species. Illegal wildlife trade also affects the economies of developing countries: illegal logging costs developing country governments an estimated EUR10–15 billion every year in lost revenue. There is a huge and escalating demand in Member States for exotic pets, tropical timber, and other wildlife products. While the majority of this wildlife trade into and within the EU is conducted legally, continued demand for some rare and protected species means that illegal wildlife trade still occurs. From 2003 to 2004, enforcement authorities in the EU made over 7000 seizures involving over 3.5 million CITES-listed specimens; from 2000–2005, almost 12 t of caviar were seized. The effect on wild populations of rare and endangered species can be devastating: in the last four years seizures in the EU of the Critically Endangered Egyptian Tortoise Testudo kleinmanni represented around 13% of the total estimated population remaining in the wild. The demand for rare specimens and products means that black market values can be very high: certain species of tortoise can fetch EUR30 000 per specimen. Low political awareness is also an exacerbating factor behind unsustainable and illegal trade, as are high prices for wildlife and low penalties. Low penalties may also influence trade routes: countries with low penalties become the gateway for illegal trade. It is little wonder that organized crime syndicates are engaged in wildlife crime. TheEUhas accomplished many significant achievements in wildlife law enforcement. These could be enhanced considerably through greater national, regional and interregional co-ordination. A co-ordinated EU wildlife trade enforcement action plan with identified priorities, and building on growing political will would considerably strengthen the EU’s response to illegal trade. The sustainability of the trade in wildlife is another key issue to address. Four case studies in this report (tropical timber, reptiles, caviar, and Vicuña products) highlight the role the EU plays in the global wildlife trade, and how the EU could co-ordinate its external assistance actions to maximise effectiveness. The European Commission and EUMember States have made a number of laudable interventions to ensure that trade is sustainable. However, EU external interventions are ad hoc and there are no means of ensuring co-ordination or complementarity of actions from the Member States or the European Commission. A strategic approach, based on priorities identified in collaboration with range States, would enable synergies to be developed, coordination between programmes and monitoring of the effectiveness of assistance interventions. The EU has made a number of policy commitments relevant to wildlife trade. The EU’s Sustainable Development Strategy provides the broad framework for the responsible management of natural resources and requires environmental sustainability to be part of all EU external policies. The Thematic Programme for Environment and Sustainable Management of Natural Resources (ENRTP), under the Thematic Strategy, identifies broad objectives which align strongly with the objectives of the CITES Strategic Vision and with priorities identified in this report for EU external assistance. Furthermore, the EU Biodiversity Action Plan specifically calls for a co-ordinated EU response to unsustainable trade and constructive follow up to EU import suspensions. These political commitments set a positive course for the EU in taking responsibility to ensure wildlife trade is sustainable. But they are vague in terms of priorities, concrete targets and timelines required to achieve these goals, and lack specific guidance on meeting these obligations. Wildlife trade is implicitly recognized in all EU commitments to biodiversity conservation and its interface with sustainable development. Explicit acknowledgement of the steps required to achieve legal and sustainable wildlife trade came in December 2006 when the EU Council of Ministers adopted Council Conclusions calling upon the European Commission and the Member States: • To build capacity to strengthen implementation of CITES and policies for the conservation and sustain able use of wildlife in developing countries, ensuring complementarity of assistance provided, and • To reinforce efforts to combat illegal trade through a strengthened and co-ordinated response and actions for the enforcement of CITES.

Details: Brussels, Belgium: Traffic Europe, 2007. 56p.

Source: Internet Resource: Traffic Europe Report: Accessed February 13, 2012 at: www.traffic.org/general-reports/traffic_pub_trade15.pdf

Year: 2007

Country: Europe

Keywords: Illegal Logging

Shelf Number: 124113


Author: European Forum for Restorative Justice

Title: Restorative Justice and Crime Prevention: Presenting a Theoretical Exploration, An Empirical Analysis and the Policy Perspective

Summary: The report opens with a wide theoretical reflection on restorative justice and crime prevention. In this first chapter the points of connection (and departure) between restorative justice theory and crime prevention models are explored. An elaborate, detailed and well-explained conceptual framework is presented; and thereby attention is paid to social and ethical issues raised by the relationship between both concepts. Reference is also made to community justice. Overall the chapter explicitly raises more questions for reflection and future empirical research than it provides concrete answers. The challenge to build, in an empirical way, upon the concepts, theories and connection points with regard to restorative justice and crime prevention is taken up in the second chapter. The way restorative justice fits as an object of criminological research together with some other background information is explained; but only serves as an introduction to the core of the chapter. For the most part, methodological considerations (that seem relevant when combining restorative justice and crime prevention in differing aspects) and empirical findings (with regard to offenders, victims and community/society) are presented and discussed. In the third chapter, the focus lies on the legal and policy level, and more specific, on the extent to which restorative justice is inscribed in crime prevention or other policies. Attention is also given to the presence of (crime) prevention goals within restorative justice related (legal) documents. For well-considered reasons the chapter contains extensive accounts of countries (Belgium, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy and UK), short country examples and an international overview based on the three main international institutions (Council of Europe, United Nations and European Union). Whereas the theoretical, empirical and policy oriented chapters are based on available literature and documents, the fourth chapter is of different nature. The results of a European survey – formally administered to gather information about practices, perceptions, and dominant beliefs and cultures across Europe in regards to current practice and the potential that restorative justice programmes and practices may play in crime prevention efforts - are presented. In addition challenges and recommendations for action complete the chapter. In chapter five, final conclusions and recommendations can be found.

Details: Brussels, Belgium: European Forum for Restorative Justice, 2010. 196p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 14, 2012 at: http://www.euforumrj.org/Projects/Restorative%20Justice%20and%20Crime%20Prevention%20Final%20report.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Restorative Justice

Shelf Number: 124126


Author: Vettori, Barbara, ed.

Title: Child Pornography on the Internet - Evaluating Preventive Measures in order to Improve their Effectiveness in the EU Member States - Final Report

Summary: This Final Report presents the results of the Study Child Pornography on the Internet - Evaluating Preventive Measures in order to Improve their Effectiveness in the EU Member States, funded by the EU Commission under the DAPHNE Programme 2000-2003 (Contract 01/097/c) and carried out by Transcrime, Joint Research Centre on Transnational Crime, Universita degli Studi Trento- Universita Cattolica del Sacro Cuore di Milano, in cooperation with Unicf - Innocenti Research Centre, Firenze and Unisys Belgium. The aim of the Study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the preventive measures in place of EU Member States, in the field of child pornography on the Internet in order to contribute to their improvement. To achieve this aim, the Study set itself the following objectives: 1. to map the preventive measures in place in EU Member States against child pornography on the Internet; 2. to assess (where possible) the level of adherence to EU guidelines of the preventive measures against child pornography in place in EU Member States; 3. to assess the effectiveness of the preventive measures against the child pornography on the Internet in place of EU Member States; 4. to identify good practices in the field of preventive measures against child pornography on the Internet in place in EU Member States and to disseminate them; to identify ways and forms to improve the effectiveness of such measures.

Details: Milan, Italy: Transcrime, 2007. 608p.

Source: Transcrime Reports No. 15. Internet Resource: Accessed February 17, 2012 at http://transcrime.cs.unitn.it/tc/fso/pubblicazioni/TR/15_Child_Pornography_on_the_Internet.pdf

Year: 2007

Country: Europe

Keywords: Child Pornography (Europe)

Shelf Number: 124152


Author: European Network and Information Security Agency (ENISA)

Title: Cyber-Bullying and online Grooming: helping to protect against the risks - A scenario on data mining/profiling of data available on the Internet

Summary: Children are the most valuable part of every society, regardless of culture, religion and national origin. Given the rapidly increasing digitalisation of their lives, it seemed important to assess risks related to internet usage and, in particular, the risk of become a victim of online grooming and cyber bullying activities. A recent survey on the technology skills of children reveals that digital devices and the internet play a significant role in their lives. Today’s kids are living in an environment that is radically different from that of their parents; virtual environments are increasingly prevalent in private and education environments. This development is detrimental to their physical activities, social skills and the behavioural model that prevailed in previous generations. ENISA has formed a Working Group consisting of international experts in various disciplines related to the area of children’s online protection. Interdisciplinary knowledge and relevant experience in the area were the criteria of their engagement. During the selection phase of the scenario to be assessed, the expert group has identified cyber bullying and online grooming as an area that requires further elaboration. With this assessment we aim to demonstrate how attacks based on misuse of data (i.e. data mining and profiling) can affect minors. Although the issue of children’s exposure to internet risks has been addressed in great depth by many organisations (also during the generation of this report), we have performed this risk assessment in order to point out emerging risks and issue non-technical recommendations for their mitigation. Thus, we believe that the findings of this assessment will help in triggering further activities at various levels of society, while contributing to the necessary awareness of the online protection of minors. To this extent, this document should not be considered as overlapping with existing national and international initiatives in the area of child online protection. Rather, it complements them by pointing out additional elements that might be interesting to look at in the future. On the other hand, although non-technical, the assessed risks are based on very detailed analysis down to technological elements. Security experts might find this analysis interesting and even worth reusing in their own work/considerations.

Details: Heraklion, Greece: ENISA (European Network and Information Security Agency), 2011.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 18, 2012 at http://www.enisa.europa.eu/act/rm/emerging-and-future-risk/deliverables/Cyber-Bullying%20and%20Online%20Grooming/at_download/fullReport

Year: 2011

Country: Europe

Keywords: Cyberbullying

Shelf Number: 124168


Author: Nortern Ireland. Criminal Justice Inspection

Title: An announced inspection of Woodlands Juvenile Justice Centre

Summary: The last Criminal Justice Inspection Northern Ireland (CJI) report on Woodlands Juvenile Justice Centre (the JJC) was published in May 2008. It made 38 recommendations of which the Youth Justice Agency (YJA) fully accepted 33, partially accepted five, and published an action plan to implement accordingly. The JJC had only recently opened when CJI last inspected and in the intervening period it has consolidated its practice. This inspection found that the JJC has continued to provide high levels of care and control to children sent into its custody. It was delivering a good service in close consultation with children and their adult carers. Appropriate governance arrangements had been maintained and management practices were strengthened. There had been no escapes since the last inspection and considerable effort was being invested in addressing children’s offending behaviour. There had been some positive developments in the child custody system since 2008 and Inspectors found: the JJC had become the default location for all girls aged under 18-years-old; the age profile of its population had changed. Some 25% of the children admitted were 17-years-old at the time of our inspection; and collaboration with Social Services had also improved and this appears to have reduced inappropriate admissions. However, a better response is required from some Social Services Trusts to support the work of the JJC. There were several examples of progress within internal JJC management and practice. These included: a significant reduction in the use of force; continued investment in staff training and development, and high numbers of staff had qualified in relevant disciplines; the appointment of a Deputy Director of SocialWork and part-time Forensic Psychiatrist; improved performance management - overtime and sick leave were reduced and there was closer managerial control over annual leave and night staff deployment; better management information systems; new JJC rules had been published and were more fit-for-purpose; children’s file recording had improved; and monthly monitoring visits by the Office of Social Services and bi-annual unannounced CJI inspections had been initiated. Standards of healthcare and education were high though Inspectors were concerned about professional isolation of healthcare and education personnel. Feedback from partner agencies and community providers about the JJC was positive and it was recognised as a model of good practice. Senior personnel were invited to advise on the design of new Secure Children’s Homes (SCH) in England and the Republic of Ireland, and were also represented on the England and Wales Restraint Management Board. The JJC buildings were well-maintained and security had been enhanced by the extension of closed-circuit television (CCTV) to all communal areas. Inspectors were therefore satisfied the JJC was fulfilling its legislative remit to ‘Protect the public by accommodating children ordered to be detained therein in a safe, secure and caring environment; and work to reintegrate children into the community ….’ Despite this the inspection also raises major issues. These are outwith the JJC and the YJA, and are not to do with its operational management or care and control of children held there. Rather they are systemic matters around the high numbers of children being sent to the JJC for very short periods on foot of Police and Criminal Evidence (PACE) proceedings, the impact of delay and the location of 17-year-old boys who require custody. These issues are not new. They are already being addressed to varying degrees, but there is scope for further progress and we make recommendations only accordingly. Things are better in some respects than the child custody arrangements in England and Wales, but it should be possible to further improve the position in the small Northern Ireland jurisdiction. The JJC service comes at a very high financial cost, but it is impossible to accurately relate costs to re-offending levels since there have been so few sentenced children and re-offending data is limited. For the majority of children who are sent there yet never receive a sentence, we can only conclude that the JJC represents a very expensive way to detain them, usually for short periods from which they are unlikely to gain much benefit. It is also anomalous that while there is surplus bed space in the JJC, many 17-year-old boys are held in HydebankWood Young Offenders Centre (the YOC) which is ill-equipped to deal with them. This situation begs early implementation of the obvious remedy-transfer of 17-year-old boys from the YOC to the JJC - on grounds of both good practice and value for money. There will be challenges in the future including budget pressures and changes in the population profile. Measurement of outcomes for children, including their reconviction rates needs to be improved. However, the main challenge is for the wider criminal justice and child care systems to build on the positive collaboration that has begun and ensure the JJC is only used for children who really need to be held in custody.

Details: Belfast: Criminal Justice Inspection Northern Ireland, 2011. 60p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 19, 2012 at http://www.cjini.org/CJNI/files/c1/c1f1690b-190f-4788-90b8-5d1b48578f57.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: Europe

Keywords: Costs of Criminal Justice

Shelf Number: 124199


Author: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction

Title: Amphetamine: A European Union perspective in the global context

Summary: This report is the third in a series of European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA)–Europol joint publications dedicated to prevalent illicit drugs. It focuses on amphetamine, a substance belonging to the family often referred to as amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS), which covers two main groups of substances: the ‘amphetamines’, which includes amphetamine, methamphetamine and related substances, and the ‘ecstasy-type’ drugs, which includes methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and its close relatives methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA) and methylenedioxyethylamphetamine (MDEA).This study focuses on amphetamine production and markets in Europe, set in a global context. The first two EMCDDA–Europol joint publications were dedicated to methamphetamine and cocaine, while ecstasy-type substances, heroin and cannabis will be addressed in future publications. The current patterns of amphetamine use in Europe are influenced by both historical and more recent factors. The use of amphetamine has evolved over the years since it was first synthesised, in 1887. Originally an experimental substance used as a medicine to treat narcolepsy, amphetamine was used as a stimulant and performance enhancer by soldiers in the Second World War. In the late 1940s, it became a product of mass consumption, and it remained a widely prescribed medication well into the 1960s. Since the early 1970s, amphetamine has been an illicitly used and produced drug, and since the 1990s it has experienced renewed popularity in many parts of Europe, especially northern Europe. Although, worldwide, methamphetamine is probably the most widely used synthetic stimulant, in Europe it is amphetamine, mostly in the form of the sulphate salt, that has historically been, and remains, the most produced, trafficked and used synthetic stimulant. Amphetamine, therefore, may be neatly viewed as a ‘European drug’. Paradoxically, amphetamine has attracted much less attention in the European and global media, in policy circles and in academia than other drugs such as cannabis, cocaine or heroin. Even the closely related methamphetamine often seems to get more attention, although, compared with amphetamine, its production and use are much less prevalent in Europe. As a result, comparatively less information and analysis is available on amphetamine than on many other substances. Even so, EMCDDA and Europol data and analysis, as well as the literature reviewed for this report, strongly suggest that the demand and supply of amphetamine in Europe are not secondary issues but warrant careful attention. Overall, amphetamine has stabilised as the second most widely used stimulant drug in Europe today, after cocaine. And in many countries, especially in the north and east of Europe, it is the most consumed stimulant, far ahead of cocaine. In fact, in many of those countries, amphetamine is the second most widely used illicit drug after cannabis. Broadly speaking, the European amphetamine market can be characterised by two main patterns of use. The biggest group of users are generally episodic or occasional users of the drug, most of whom will be relatively well integrated socially, especially in terms of housing and employment status. Patterns of use among this group will vary from occasional experimental use (only once or twice) to regular episodic but intensive periods of use. The typical mode of administration will be nasal insufflation (snorting) or oral ingestion (swallowing). A second, more chronic, pattern of use can also be found in some countries, notably Norway, Latvia, Sweden and the United Kingdom. This pattern of use is characterised by the chronic (i.e. long-term) injection of often high-dose amphetamine. Users tend to be more socially marginalised and have more chronic health problems. In some countries, amphetamine therefore makes up a significant part of the national drug problem, with the concomitant health and social consequences, and the attendant costs to European societies, that this entails. Other consequences derive from the fact that the European amphetamine markets — 2 million Europeans are estimated to have used the drug in the last year — represent highly profitable ‘business opportunities’ for organised crime. Although some amphetamine is produced in ‘kitchen-type’ laboratories set up by chemistry students to supply a group of local friends, it is likely that the vast majority is manufactured in middling to large, sometimes ‘industrial size’, facilities. And, in this case, production and wholesale trafficking are in the hands of criminal organisations, some of which are able to operate throughout Europe, and even beyond, and which reap the corresponding profits. The decrease in the number of amphetamine production facilities dismantled in Europe in recent years does not necessarily make for comforting news, as forensic intelligence suggests that there is an increase in the production capacity of the facilities seized in key producer countries. The information available suggests that Europe is the world’s number one producer of amphetamine, with much of the production consumed within European borders. However, Europe also produces amphetamine that is usually exported to the Middle East and the Arabian Peninsula, where it is sold under the name ‘captagon’ (see p. 12). For conceptual clarity, the production and use of amphetamine in Europe needs to be distinguished from the production and export of amphetamine sold as captagon outside the European Union (EU). Patterns of use, including dose and route of administration, also are likely to differ considerably between these products. All this emphasises the need for careful monitoring of the production, trafficking and use of amphetamine in Europe today and is one of the reasons why the EMCDDA and Europol have joined efforts to publish the present report. Based on the latest statistical data, intelligence reports and original analysis, this joint publication hopes to enhance the understanding of amphetamine, an often overlooked but nevertheless key component on the European scene for stimulant drugs. -- See earlier report in DMG Gray Literature Database at #115669 --

Details: Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, 2011. 50p.

Source: EMCDDA-Europol Joint Publications No. 3: Internet Resource: Accessed February 21, 2012 at https://www.europol.europa.eu/sites/default/files/publications/emcdda-europol_joint_publications._amphetamine_a_european_union_perspective_in_the_global_context.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: Europe

Keywords: Amphetamines

Shelf Number: 123592


Author: Morehouse, Christal

Title: Irregular Migration in Europe

Summary: Irregular migration frequently makes headlines, and in Europe, policymakers are under increasing public and political pressure to address both the flows and stocks of unauthorized migrants in each country. Within European Union (EU) Member States, national governments define, identify, and respond to irregular migration in very different ways. However, with the removal of internal borders within the Schengen area, European governments are collaborating intensively on the management of their external borders. They are doing this with the support of EU institutions, particularly the European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders of the Member States of the European Union, which coordinates Member States' joint border enforcement and return operations. This agency, better known as Frontex, has also led increased data collection and analysis on patterns of irregular migration to the European Union. The detected annual flow of irregular migration into Europe decreased from 2007 to 2012, although there was a notable quarterly surge in the summer of 2008. The estimated stock of irregular migrants in the EU-15 countries has declined on average for almost a decade since 2002. Yet due to increased entry at certain points along the EU external border, this trend has often been masked by localized surges. While detections along the EU's eastern border have remained traditionally low, the focus on unauthorized entry has shifted from the Southern Mediterranean (Spain and Italy), toward the Southeastern land border between Greece and Turkey. EU joint operations to combat illegal border crossing may merely displace, rather than reduce, the volume of unauthorized crossings, while the reduction in numbers may have more to do with reduced economic demand for foreign workers within the European Union itself. The total number of detected illegal entries to the European Union in 2010 remained stable with those in 2009. However, data for the third and fourth quarters showed a significant increase in detections compared to the same quarters the previous year. This was driven by a marked increase in the number detected illegal crossing of the European Union's external land borders, which was isolated to a single "hotspot" along the Greece-Turkey land border. The first quarter of 2011 saw a reversal of this trend. The data shows that during that period there were fewer detected illegal crossing of the European Union's external land borders than for any other quarter during the previous three years. This was attributed to a combination of poorer weather for migrants seeking to make the crossing along the Greece-Turkey border and an increase in operations to combat illegal crossings in the area. However, the first quarter of 2011 also witnessed a significant increase in the number of detected illegal crossings of the European Union's external sea borders, which had been in decline over the previous two years. This increase was almost exclusively due to higher rates of irregular migration from North Africa during the "Arab Spring," which led to the largest number of detected illegal border crossings into European Union of any first quarter in recent years. The deteced and estimated scope of irregular migration in the European Union has remained below the peak levels of summer 2008 in recent years. Yet combating irregular migration is likely to remain challenging as European economies recover from the recession and migratory flows begin to increase again. In comparison, irregular migration to the European Union is on a far smaller scale than that evidenced in the United States, despite the EU population being significantly larger than that of the United States (approximately 500 million and 300 million respectively). It is estimated that 1.9 million to 3.8 million unauthorized immigrants resided in the European Union in 2008, compared to over 11 million in the United States during that time. The reactive nature of EU irregular migration to border management operations and return policies suggest that continued and large-scale investments in border enforcement are likely to be needed alongside related policies that combat the root causes of such migration.

Details: Washington, DC: Migration Policy Institute, 2011. 22p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 22, 2012 at http://www.migrationpolicy.org/pubs/TCMirregularmigration.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: Europe

Keywords: Border Security

Shelf Number: 124232


Author: Hayes, Ben

Title: Counter-Terrorism, 'Policy Laundering' and the FATF: Legalising Surveillance, Regulating Civil Society

Summary: This new report published by the Transnational Institute and Statewatch examines the global framework for countering-terrorist financing developed by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and other international law enforcement bodies. The report includes a thorough examination of the impact of FATF’s ‘Special Recommendation VIII’ on countering the threat of terrorist financing said to be posed by non-profit organisations (NPOs). Developed out of a G7 initiative in 1990, the FATF’s ‘40+9’ Recommendations on combating money laundering (AML) and countering the financing of terrorism (CFT) are now an integral part of the global ‘good governance’ agenda. More than 180 states have now signed up to what is in practice, if not in law, a global convention. The FATF is headquartered at the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development in Paris; a further eight regional FATF formations replicate its work around the world. The report argues that a lack of democratic control, oversight and accountability of the FATF has allowed for regulations that circumvent concerns about human rights, proportionality and effectiveness. Countries subject to the FATF’s Anti Money Laundering (AML)/Counter Terrorism Financing (CFT) requirements must introduce specific criminal laws, law enforcement powers, surveillance and data retention systems, financial services industry regulations and international police co-operation arrangements in accordance with FATF guidance. Participating countries must also undergo a rigorous evaluation of their national police and judicial systems in a peer-review-style assessment of their compliance with the Recommendations. Developed out of World Bank and IMF financial sector assessment programmes, this process significantly extends the scope of the Recommendations by imposing extraordinarily detailed guidance – over 250 criteria – on the measures states must take to comply with the 40+9 Recommendations. The rewards for FATF compliance are being seen as a safe place to do business; the sanctions for non-cooperation are designation as a ‘non-cooperating territory’ and international finance capital steering clear.

Details: Amsterdam: Transnational Institute; London: Statewatch, 2012. 68p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 2, 2012 at: http://www.tni.org/sites/www.tni.org/files/download/fatf_report.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Counter-Terrorism

Shelf Number: 124338


Author: Fröhlich, Tanja

Title: Organised environmental crime in a few Candidate Countries

Summary: The study at issue investigates organized environmental crime in the five Accession Countries: Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Lithuania and Poland. The study encompasses: a numerical evaluation of cases of organised environmental crime in the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Lithuania and Poland; an analysis of the legal environment concerning organised environmental crime in the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Lithuania and Poland; a review of the enforcement structures concerning organised environmental crime in the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Lithuania and Poland. The following sectors are covered: illegal commercial trade in endangered species and their products; illegal pollution, dumping and storage of waste, including transfrontier shipment of hazardous waste; illegal commercial trade in ozone depleting substances; illegal dumping and shipment of radioactive waste and potentially radioactive material; illegal logging and illegal trade in wood; and illegal fishing.

Details: Kassel, Germany: BfU, 2003. 625p.

Source: Final Report: Internet Resource: Accessed March 2, 2012 at http://ec.europa.eu/environment/legal/crime/pdf/organised_candidate_countries.pdf

Year: 2003

Country: Europe

Keywords: Endangered Species

Shelf Number: 124362


Author: Barrett, Alan

Title: Childhood Sexual Abuse and Later-Life Economic Consequences

Summary: The impact of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) on later-life health outcomes has been studied extensively and links with depression, anxiety and self-harm have been established. However, there has been relatively little research undertaken on the possible impact of CSA on later-life economic outcomes. Here, we explore whether older men who report having experienced CSA have weaker labour force attachment and lower incomes compared to other men. We use data from the first wave of the new Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA) which is a nationally-representative survey of people aged 50 and over. We find that male victims of CSA are almost four times more likely to be out of the labour force due to sickness and disability. They also spent a higher proportion of their potential working lives out of the labour force for these reasons and have lower incomes. These effects remain even when we control for mental health difficulties and negative health behaviors. Among the policy implications are the need to be more aware of the complex effects of CSA when designing labour market activation strategies such as training for the unemployed. The results are also relevant in the legal context where compensation awards are determined.

Details: Bonn, Germany: IZA (The Institute for the Study of Labor), 2012.

Source: IZA Discussion Paper No. 6332: Internet Resource: Accessed March 2, 2012 at http://ftp.iza.org/dp6332.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Child Sexual Abuse

Shelf Number: 124365


Author: Thomas, Nerea Bilbatua

Title: More 'Trafficking' Less 'Trafficking' - Trafficking for Exploitation Outside the Sex Sector in Europe

Summary: GAATW has always proactively lobbied for a broad definition of human trafficking and has consequently critiqued a ‘traditional’ near exclusive focus on the sex industry as the primary, if not the only, site of trafficking. We have noted with interest the recent focus on what is termed as ‘trafficking for labour exploitation.’ While we are not sure that creating two separate and distinct categories such as ‘trafficking for labour exploitation’ and ‘trafficking for sexual exploitation’ is helpful, we welcome the broadening of focus. Further, we wanted to take a closer look at this new scenario, especially in Europe, and analyse the practical and conceptual implications of the expansion of initiatives to trafficking outside the sex sector, especially for service providers and for those seeking assistance. We wanted to understand the emerging issues linked to this expansion (especially as they relate to identification and assistance). Finally, we also wanted to hear the views of service providers on looking at trafficking for sexual and labour exploitation as two distinct forms of trafficking. A working paper, as the name implies, is a work in progress, rather than a ‘final say’. Thus we look forward to discussion and dialogues with colleagues on the issues raised in this paper. Identification as trafficked, or presumably trafficked, is the first step towards providing assistance and protection to those whose rights have been violated. Identification rates for trafficking for exploitation outside the sex sector are low. This is due to several reasons, including a narrow understanding of trafficking, gender and moral biases, conflicting provisions in migration and labour legislation, and other practical obstacles. The general observation is that assistance and protection services have focused on women trafficked into the sex sector. Direct assistance providers explain that lack of identification is one of the main reasons for people trafficked into other sectors not receiving available assistance under the anti-trafficking legislation. More often than not national legislations have proved to be deterrents for identification. Regarding assistance needs, the service providers we spoke to did not think that two distinctly different categories of assistance; one for men and another for women or one for people trafficked into the sex industry and another for those trafficked into other sectors, are needed. Instead they felt that assistance needs differ depending on the type or degree of exploitation. Hence a more nuanced needs assessment should be done. In other words it is the notion of assistance ‘packages’ that should be questioned and support should be tailored to meet the need of each trafficked person regardless of their gender or sector of exploitation. For persons trafficked outside the sex sector to access justice, service providers pointed out that no single alternative legal framework (labour, migration or asylum) is necessarily better than the criminal justice one using anti-trafficking legislation. However, using more than one legal route certainly offers more legal options. Trafficked persons therefore are better off using more than one legal route. Making a distinction between trafficking for exploitation outside the sex sector and within the sex sector has proven useful to some. For example, making a distinction between sex and labour trafficking has served to put the spotlight on various labour sectors in Europe which were traditionally not looked at as potential sites of trafficking. It has opened up possibilities for identification of the ‘non-traditional’ victim of trafficking, such as somebody trafficked outside the sex sector, or a trafficked man. However, it was pointed out that distinguishing trafficking per sector of exploitation can also have negative consequences. Making such a distinction takes the emphasis away from exploitation, instead it looks at the sector and thus risks looking at all work in that sector as exploitative. Besides, it excludes the sex sector as a labour sector even though some countries have legal sex sectors and in many others sex workers are demanding workers rights. Overall, working on this paper allowed us to understand the practical implications of broadening of the anti-trafficking framework.

Details: Bangkok: Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women (GAATW), 2011. 102p.

Source: GAATW Working Papers Series: Internet Resource: Accessed March 9, 2012 at http://www.gaatw.org/publications/MoreTrafficking_LessTrafficked_GAATW2011.01.31.12.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: Europe

Keywords: Human Trafficking

Shelf Number: 124409


Author: Morbel, Richard

Title: Prevention and Suppression of Organised Crime: Future Action Perspectives from a German and a European Angle

Summary: According to Europol, there are some 4000 organised crime groups active in the EU with very differing organisational structures. Globalised and more intensive trade relations plus technological progress have made a considerable contribution to the internationalisation of their activities, which now transcend cultural, legal and economic limits. Yet the actual size of the threat posed by organised crime is difficult to asses; the greater part of criminal activities remains undetected. Criminal groups visualise Europe as a single area of action, which means that Europe needs a suppression approach which is correspondingly unified and in which the national policies of member states of the EU are integrated. This suppression approach should be both repressive and preventive in its focus and should be based on an overall strategy for internal security in the EU. A strategy of this kind should aim inter alia at a situation where transnational investigations are routine and where European institutions such as Europol and Eurojust are further strengthened. In the area of intergovernmental cooperation, a quantum leap is required: all law enforcement actors should be brought together in a broad European information and cooperation network. Priority must continue to be given to the reciprocal recognition of sentences, rulings and procedures, if necessary on the basis of further harmonisation measures for instance in the procedural area. Data protection should not be ignored in this process, but it needs to be modernised: all technological options should be fully exhausted to guarantee on the one hand adequate scope for weighing up alternatives while at the same time making possible the identification of misuse. What must then follow is the effective mobilisation of the political, economic and public sectors, which must be brought together in a broader opinion-forming process. For this reason the political sector must, in its own vital interest, not only support the combating of organised crime but give it active support. The funds made available by the EU will increase tenfold between 2006 and 2013 to around 150 Mio. Euro and can make an effective contribution to intensifying the efforts required. Finally, cooperation between law enforcement bodies should not stop at borders. Where criminal groups operate on a global basis, every effort should be made for countermeasures to be globally effective. The EU, with its specific experience in intergovernmental cooperation on security, can in the future and in its own interest adopt a pioneer role.

Details: Berlin: Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, 2007. 24p.

Source: Compass 2020, Germany in international relations, Aims, instruments, prospects: Internet Resource: Accesssed March 10, 2012 at http://www.fes.de/kompass2020/pdf_en/Crime.pdf

Year: 2007

Country: Europe

Keywords: Crime Prevention (Europe)

Shelf Number: 124414


Author: Monroy, Matthias

Title: Using false documents against "Euro-anarchists": the exchange of Anglo-German undercover police highlights controversial police operations

Summary: Examination of several recently exposed cases suggests that the main targets of police public order operations are anti‐globalisation networks, the climate change movement and animal rights activists. The internationalisation of protest has brought with it an increasing number of controversial undercover cross‐border police operations. In spite of questions about the legality of the methods used in these operations, the EU is working towards simplifying the cross‐border exchange of undercover officers, with the relevant steps initiated under the German EU presidency in 2007. In October 2010 [1], “Mark Stone,” a political activist with far‐reaching international contacts, was revealed to be British police officer Mark Kennedy [2] prompting widespread debate on the cross‐border exchange of undercover police officers. Activists had noted Kennedy’s suspicious behaviour during a court case and then came across his real passport at his home. Since 2003, the 41‐year‐old had worked for the National Public Order Intelligence Unit (NPOIU) [3], which had been part of the National Extremism Tactical Coordination Unit (NETCU) since 2003. The NPOIU was formed at the end of the 1990s to surveil anarchist and globalisation groups as well as animal rights activists. NPOIU and NETCU report to the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO), but recent media coverage [4] has led to the restructuring of undercover police operations in the UK with the Home Secretary withdrawing NPOIU’s mandate to lead. This decision follows on from the disclosure that some undercover officers had used sexual relationships in order to gain trust or extract information.

Details: London: Statewatch, 2011. 16p.

Source: Statewatch Analysis: Internet Resource: Accessed March 13, 2012 at http://www.statewatch.org/analyses/no-146-undercover-exchange-protests.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: Europe

Keywords: Intelligence Gathering

Shelf Number: 124474


Author: Bosello, Francesco

Title: The Economic and Environmental Effects of an EU Ban on Illegal Logging Imports. Insights from a CGE Assessment

Summary: Illegal logging is widely recognized as a major economic problem and one of the causes of environmental degradation. Increasing awareness of its negative effects has fostered a wide range of proposals to combat it by major international conservation groups and political organizations. Following the 2008 US legislation which prohibits the import of illegally harvested wood and wood products, the European Union (EU) is now discussing a legislation proposal which would ban illegal timber from the EU market. In this study we use the ICES computable general equilibrium model to estimate the reallocation of global demand and timber imports following the pending EU legislation. With this exercise our final objective is to assess the economic impacts and measure the potential emission reduction resulting from the introduction of this type of policy. Results show that while the EU ban does not seem particularly effective in reducing illegal logging activities, its main effect will be the removal of illegal logs from the international markets. In addition, the unilateral EU ban on illegal logs increases secondary wood production in illegal logging countries as their exports become relatively more competitive. Through this mechanism, part of the banned, illegal timber will re-enter the international trade flows, but it will be “hidden” as processed wood. This effect is, however, limited. Finally, given the limited effect on overall economic activity, effects on GHG emissions are also limited. Direct carbon emissions from logging activities can decrease from 2.5 to 0.6 million tons per year.

Details: Venice: Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei (FEEM), 2010. 34p.

Source: FEEM Working Paper 67.2010: Internet Resource: Accessed March 17, 2012 at http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1627988##

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Economics

Shelf Number: 124567


Author: Feltes, Thomas et al

Title: Gender-Based Violence, Stalking and Fear of Crime

Summary: Due to their age and lifestyle, female students as a group are especially at risk from various forms of sexual violence – the aim of the three-year European-wide research project “Gender-based Violence, Stalking and Fear of Crime” (2009-2011) is to verify this hypothesis and to collect, analyse and compare relevant data in five European countries. By analysing the qualitative and quantitative data in a comparative survey it aims to rising awareness for the victimisation of female students. In the consequence this will support universities in their efforts to decrease sexual violence at universities, to help victims and to implement adequate instruments of prevention and intervention. The EU project, which has been funded through the programme “Prevention of and Fight Against Crime” initiated by the EU Commission on General Justice, Freedom And Security, is being coordinated at the Department of Criminology at Ruhr University Bochum in Germany. Besides the German university the consortium covers the University of Bologna, Jagiellonian University in Cracow/Poland, Universitát Autonoma de Barcelona/Spain and Keele University/U.K.

Details: Bochum, Germany: Ruhr-University Bochum, 2012. 394p.

Source: EU-Project 2009-2011: Internet Resource: Accessed March 18, 2012 at http://vmrz0183.vm.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/gendercrime/pdf/gendercrime_final_report_printable_version.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Fear of Crime

Shelf Number: 124572


Author: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA)

Title: Understanding and responding to drug use: the role of qualitative research

Summary: Qualitative research is increasingly recognised by drug experts in the European Union as a useful tool for understanding drug use patterns and planning suitable responses. Focusing on the meanings, perceptions, processes and contexts of the ‘world of drugs’, its main value is to complement quantitative data and analyses and provide insight into developments behind the statistics. This publication offers a comprehensive overview of this issue in the EU. In over 40 chapters, the monograph highlights the multiple roles, techniques and methods of qualitative research, as well as its impact on policy-making.

Details: Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, 2000. 350p.

Source: EMCDDA Scientific Monograph Series No. 4: Internet Resource: Accessed March 18, 2012 at http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/attachements.cfm/att_34018_EN_Monograph4.pdf

Year: 2000

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Policy (Europe)

Shelf Number: 124578


Author: Mastrobuoni, Giovanni

Title: Migration Restrictions and Criminal Behavior: Evidence from a Natural Experiment

Summary: We estimate the causal effect of immigrants' legal status on criminal behavior exploiting exogenous variation in migration restrictions across nationalities driven by the last round of the European Union enlargement. Unique individual-level data on a collective clemency bill enacted in Italy five months before the enlargement allow us to compare the post-release criminal record of inmates from new EU member countries with a control group of pardoned inmates from candidate EU member countries. Difference-in-differences in the probability of re-arrest between the two groups before and after the enlargement show that obtaining legal status lowers the recidivism of economically motivated offenders, but only in areas that provide relatively better labor market opportunities to legal immigrants. We provide a search-theoretic model of criminal behavior that is consistent with these results.

Details: Moncaliere, Italy: Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei, 2011. 51p.

Source: Internet Resource: FEEM Working Paper No. 53.2011:
Accessed March 21, 2012 at: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1891689

Year: 2011

Country: Europe

Keywords: Illegal Aliens

Shelf Number: 124622


Author: Nunziata, Luca

Title: Crime Perception and Victimization in Europe: Does Immigration Matter?

Summary: We present an empirical analysis of the consequences of the recent immigration waves in Western European regions in terms of crime victimization and perception. Our research strategy is twofold. We first estimate a linear probability model of the likelihood of being a crime victim (and of feeling unsafe) on immigration by region using individual data and a set of regional fixed effects and country specific time effects plus controls. In addition, in order to account for possible measurement errors of regional immigration and possible regional specific time varying unobservable factors, we instrument regional immigration in a model in differences using an exogenous measure of immigration flows induced by push factors in world areas of origin. Our empirical results suggest that immigration does not have any significant impact on criminality in destination regions. We find some effects on crime perception that disappear when immigration is instrumented. This result is at odd with our finding that crime perception is an important driver of the attitude of European citizens towards immigration.

Details: Padua, Italy: Department of Economics, University of Padua, 2010. 37p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 21, 2012 at: http://www.csea.decon.unipd.it/download/projects/immigration/CSEA_2011_004_Nunziata.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Crime Vcitimization

Shelf Number: 124626


Author: Gauci, Jean-Pierre

Title: Racism in Europe: ENAR Shadow Report 2010-2011

Summary: The aim of ENAR’s Shadow Report on racism in Europe is to provide a civil society perspective on the situation of racism and related discrimination in Europe between March 2010 and March 2011. In view of the 2011 International Year of People of African Descent, this report gives special attention to the ways in which racism and racial discrimination impact the lives of this particular group across Europe. The communities most vulnerable to racism and racial and/or religious discrimination in Europe are various and remain largely similar to those reported in previous Shadow Reports. Key among the communities most affected are people of African descent, black Europeans, migrants (both EU and third country nationals), Roma, Muslims and Jews. A number of national reports also highlight specific communities who are especially vulnerable. There appears to be a link between the vulnerability and experience of discrimination, visible characteristics of difference, and the public’s perception of these characteristics. Further distinctions exist between visible minorities (including nationals of ethnic minority backgrounds) and status minorities (those whose legal status places them in a particularly disadvantaged situation in the country). In the context of employment, some of the key concerns related to minorities and migrants include: unemployment rates, difficulties in the acquisition of relevant documentation and recognition of qualifications, language and cultural barriers, discrimination in recruitment processes, the glass ceiling effect within employment, and unequal working conditions. Particularly at a time of economic downturn, ethnic minorities and migrants have been disproportionately affected by both unemployment and precarious working conditions. Issues faced in the context of housing and accommodation include difficulties in the private rental market, in accessing public housing and funds or loans to purchase property, poor living conditions and overcrowding, discrimination by homeless shelter staff, housing segregation, and a lack of awareness of rights and obligations. Discrimination in education takes a variety of forms, including structural concerns, such as segregation and discrimination by teachers, and more personal concerns, such as language barriers and bullying at the hands of peers. The result is poorer educational attainment by many members of ethnic minorities and migrants and over-representation among early school leavers. Manifestations of racism and related discrimination are also notable in the field of healthcare and include prejudice by staff and patients, significantly lower health outcomes (including greater prevalence of certain chronic conditions), language and cultural barriers, as well as legal challenges (especially in the case of migrants). In terms of access to goods and services, access to bars and places of entertainment, to financial services and to public transport continues to be highlighted as being particularly problematic. In the context of criminal justice, ethnic minorities are more likely to be stopped and searched, to be arrested and prosecuted, and are disproportionately represented in prisons. Ethnic profiling is also carried out in the context of counter-terrorism, causing alienation and frustration among ethnic and religious minorities. Moreover, ethnic minorities are victims of racist violence and crimes of various forms; their complaints are often ignored or not taken seriously by the relevant authorities. Another concern is underreporting by victims of racist violence due to lack of trust in the police and fears linked to migrant status and/or further victimisation, In the context of the media, some of the key problems continue to be inaccurate reporting, negative and/or lack of representation of ethnic minorities, the use of an ‘us versus them’ rhetoric, as well as the promotion of racism on the internet, especially through social media. People of African descent face discrimination, stereotypes and prejudice in employment, housing, healthcare, education, access to goods and services, criminal justice, and the media. Their visibility heightens their vulnerability to discrimination. Whilst most manifestations of discrimination are not particularly targeted at people of African descent, they do tend to be disproportionately affected by these manifestations. Moreover, in a context of rampant prejudice, visibility and perception of ethnic minority status appear to outplay other considerations including nationality and status. Finally, the report provides an overview of some of the key legal and political developments in the fields of anti-racism and anti-discrimination as well as migration and integration.

Details: Brussels: European Network Against Racism (ENAR), 2012. 44p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 21, 2012 at http://cms.horus.be/files/99935/MediaArchive/publications/shadow%20report%202010-11/shadowReport_EN_final%20LR.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Criminal Justice

Shelf Number: 124636


Author: Oakley, Robin

Title: Combating Hate Crime in Lativa and The Czech Republic: A Comparative Assessment

Summary: This paper has been prepared within the framework of the EU-funded project “Combating Hate Crime in Latvia and the Czech Republic: Legislation, Police Practice and the Role of NGOs”, which has been carried out during the period 2006–2008 by the Latvian Centre for Human Rights together with its partner the Czech Helsinki Committee. The main focus of the project has been to address the issue of ineffective policing of hate crime in the two countries. In addition the project has also focused on issues relating to legislation and its implementation, and on the victim’s perspective and the impact on communities. Through developing cooperation between police and NGOs at both national and international levels, and by involvement of international experts in seminars and conferences, the project has aimed to enhance awareness and understanding, as well as elaborating practical tools and methods for more effective policing of hate crime in the two countries. After briefly setting the European context, the paper characterises and compares the state of development in each country, and then describes and assesses the contribution made by the project. Finally the paper draws out the lessons learned, and makes recommendations for follow-up activities both at national and European levels. Key lessons learned include (a) the need for legislation to effectively address other hate crime motives in addition to racism, (b) the need for clear directives and procedures for policing and record-keeping, (c) the need for greater awareness of the victim perspective, (d) the importance of inter-agency cooperation (especially between police, prosecutors and courts), and (e) the importance of preventive activities. Despite the fact that the Czech Republic already has a well-established specialist policing response for tackling “extremist” crime, much more needs to be done in the above fields in both countries. So far as methodology is concerned, the project highlights the key role that NGOs can play in helping to develop the response of the police and other public authorities in responding to hate crime. NGOs can do this not only by monitoring and challenging the performance of the authorities, but also by cooperating with them in a constructive way to help them improve their response, both by raising their knowledge and awareness and by building bridges between them and victims and their communities. Establishing successful relationships between NGOs and the police and other authorities is not always easy and is dependent on mutual respect, understanding and trust. Such relationships need to be built up over time on a basis of sustained practical cooperation. Finally, as regards the implications for the EU, the paper highlights the relevance of the project for current EU policies on combating racism and wider forms of discrimination and social exclusion. Specifically, the project offers a methodology and model of operation that could be used more widely across the EU to promote good practice in combating hate crime through cooperation between police and NGOs. It is therefore recommended that measures should be introduced at EU level to enable the methodology adopted in this project to be applied in other countries across the EU, preferably in the form of a systematic targeted EU-funded programme. The key features of such a programme should be that in each country it should be NGOled, that it should have the focus of implementing EU policy commitments relating to racist and other forms of hate crime, and that national-level activities should be complemented by international exchange of experience.

Details: Latvian Centre for Human Rights, 2008. 32p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 23, 2012 at http://www.humanrights.org.lv/upload_file/anglu.pdf

Year: 2008

Country: Europe

Keywords: Comparative Studies

Shelf Number: 124726


Author: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction

Title: A Definition of 'Drug Mules' for Use in a European Context

Summary: The trafficking of drugs and, in particular, the use of human carriers (often called ‘drug mules’) remains a relatively hidden phenomenon, on which limited information is available. This latest EMCDDA Thematic paper explores whether a common definition of ‘drug mules’ can be developed in the European context and assesses the implications of this for data gathering and future research. The paper has its roots in a questionnaire launched by the EMCDDA in 2010 to test a proposed conceptual framework of drug couriers. Taking part in the survey were experienced professionals, academics and practitioners from a variety of countries, legal traditions and law-enforcement practices. Drug mules are reported to be transporting all of the major illicit drug types through Europe and making full use of all European transport routes. This paper draws a number of conclusions and recommendations for further investigation into drug markets and related responses.

Details: Lisbon: EMCDDA, 2012 46p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 2, 2012 at: http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/attachements.cfm/att_150421_EN_EMCDDA_ThematicPapers_DrugMules.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Markets

Shelf Number: 124787


Author: Kego, Walter

Title: Russian Organized Crime: Recent Trends in the Baltic Sea Region

Summary: A new criminal landscape is emerging in Europe. A key factor behind the dramatically increasing crime levels is Russian organized crime. While these groups are often comprised of Russians, they are not based solely on eth-nicity, often members are also from former Soviet repub-lics. According to Europol, these groups are among the most dangerous criminal groups operating in Europe to-day. They are involved in every type of illegal activity and excel in exploiting new opportunities in the economic and financial sectors. They make exorbitant amounts of money from illegal activities such as money laundering, human and drug trafficking, smuggling and extortion. Their activities have grown and spread to other countries to such an extent that they pose a serious problem affect-ing all EU member states. This report documents recent trends.

Details: Nacha, Sweden: Institute for Security & Development Policy, 2012. 102p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 11, 2012 at: http://www.isdp.eu/images/stories/isdp-main-pdf/2012_kego-molcean_russian-organized-crime-recent-trends.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Trafficking

Shelf Number: 124923


Author: Pompidou Group

Title: Policy Paper Providing Guidance to Policy Makers for Developing Coherent Policies for Licit and Illicit Drugs

Summary: Drug policies fall within states’ responsibility, leading to a variety of national action plans and strategies reflecting the diversity of situations in the different countries. To make the most of this diversity, other countries’ experiences are widely discussed and taken into account. While there is a wish to learn about different policies and strategies in Europe, language continues to be a barrier since many of the relevant documents are not translated. An ever-increasing amount of documentation on evidence-related research, guidelines, manuals and good practice inventories is now available. At the same time, a significant number of international legal and political instruments need to be taken into account when developing and implementing action plans and strategies. In addition, there are various tools developed by international governmental and non-governmental bodies. However, qualified overviews allowing policy makers quickly to identify instruments and tools relevant to their work are rare, or even non-existent. The sheer quantity of available resources has grown to the point where giving them adequate consideration is becoming impossible. Furthermore, much of the material available is targeted at professionals and rarely at those involved in policy decisions. This policy paper aims to provide decision makers and policy managers with an overview of the basic principles, instruments and tools that will support them in developing, reviewing and implementing drug policies, strategies and action plans. It summarises key elements for coherent drug policies and effective strategies in the form of a series of guiding principles. It also lists a selection of relevant instruments, tools and resources proposed by European and international organisations (Appendix 1) and sets out a number of key observations by policy makers on existing practice (Appendix 2).

Details: Strasbourg: Council of Europe, 2012. 52p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 3, 2012 at: http://www.coe.int/t/dg3/pompidou/default_en.asp

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Alcohol Abuse

Shelf Number: 125133


Author: Amnesty International

Title: Choice and Prejudice: Discrimination Against Muslims in Europe

Summary: muslims across europe belong to many different ethnic groups and follow diverse cultural, religious or traditional practices. they are discriminated against for different reasons, including their religion or belief, ethnicity and gender. this report highlights discrimination on the grounds of religion or belief and illustrates some of its consequences. restrictive dress-code policies and legislation are enforced in, for example, Belgium, France, the netherlands, spain and switzerland. muslims, and especially muslim women, who express their cultural or religious background by wearing specific forms of dress or symbols have been denied employment or excluded from classrooms. some political parties and authorities also oppose the establishment of muslim places of worship, a component of the right to freedom of religion. in switzerland, for example, the major political party successfully campaigned to ban the building of minarets. some anti-discrimination legislation exists in europe. amnesty international calls on the authorities to enforce it at both european and national levels. governments should not introduce general bans on religious and cultural symbols and dress, and should end the practice of restricting the right of muslims to establish places of worship.

Details: London: Amnesty International Publications, 2012. 123p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 6, 2012 at http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/EUR01/001/2012/en/85bd6054-5273-4765-9385-59e58078678e/eur010012012en.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Discrimination (Europe)

Shelf Number: 125165


Author: Berg, Louis-Alexandre

Title: The EU's Experience with Security Sector Governance

Summary: In postconflict countries and emerging democracies, reform of security sector institutions is vital for a successful transition to political stability and economic prosperity. The EU has unique experience in strengthening security sector governance and can serve as a partner for the United States. This report examines the EU’s experience in supporting the transformation of ministries of interior to draw lessons for assistance programs and make recommendations for future cooperation. The report was prepared as part of the research program of the Initiative on Security Sector Governance of the United States Institute of Peace and discussed at a public forum, “The Role of the EU in SSR,” held at the Institute on December 16, 2010. Civilian oversight ministries are essential to broader efforts to strengthen the performance and responsiveness of security and law enforcement forces. Ministries facilitate coordination among agencies, hold personnel accountable to law and policy, perform administrative functions, shield forces from political interference, and enable civilian oversight through the legislature, civil society, and other mechanisms. Failure to support these roles can undermine efforts to strengthen law enforcement and improve citizen safety in countries affected by conflict or instability.

Details: Washington, DC: United States Institute of Peace, 2011. 20p.

Source: Special Report 256: Internet Resource: Accessed May 8, 2012 at http://www.usip.org/files/resources/SR265-EU's_Experience_with_SSG.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: Europe

Keywords: Criminal Justice Administration (Europe)

Shelf Number: 125220


Author: Eurojust

Title: Strategic Project on: "Enhancing the work of Eurojust in drug trafficking cases" - Final Results

Summary: This report collects the results of the “Strategic Project on enhancing the work of Eurojust in drug trafficking cases”. A primary goal of the project, covering the two-year period 1 September 2008 to 30 August 2010, was to identify the main challenges and related solutions in Eurojust coordination meetings involving drug trafficking. A second objective was to prepare the workshops for the “Strategic Seminar on Drug Trafficking”, which took place in Krakow, Poland, on 5 and 6 October 2011. A third objective was to provide a sound basis for an Action Plan with recommendations on how to enhance Eurojust‟s work with national authorities and third States (see Appendix III of the report). The report is based on a quantitative analysis of the Eurojust Case Management System (CMS) and a qualitative analysis of materials available from Eurojust coordination meetings (findings, case evaluation forms, presentations, etc). The conclusions of these analyses have been further validated with the feedback received during the “Strategic Seminar on Drug Trafficking”, which is included in the conclusions of the present report. The analysis is necessarily restricted to available information on drug trafficking cases dealt with at Eurojust, and seeks to stimulate reflection and discussion. Clearly, it does not purport to provide analysis of all drug trafficking in the European Union, or of cross-border judicial cooperation in criminal cases generally.

Details: The Hague, Netherlands: Eurojust, 2012. 70p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 13, 2012 at http://eurojust.europa.eu/doclibrary/corporate/Casework%20publications/Enhancing%20the%20work%20of%20Eurojust%20in%20drug%20trafficking%20cases%20(Jan%202012)/drug-trafficking-report-2012-02-13-EN.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Trafficking (Europe)

Shelf Number: 125244


Author: Stover, H., Weilandt, C.

Title: Final Report on Prevention, Treatment, and Harm Reduction Services in Prison, on Reintegration Services on Release from Prison and Methods to Monitor/Analyse Drug use among Prisoners

Summary: The main objective of this work package was to analyse the status-quo of prevention, treatment and harm reduction services for people in prisons and in reintegration services for persons on release from prisons. The report is based on data on health interventions targeting imprisoned drug users as well as on relevant information included in the national action plans on social inclusion prepared by the Member States within the context of the open method of coordination on social protection and social inclusion. A key result of this work package is that there is a need for more systematic research on the effectiveness of treatment for drug users in prison, as there is hardly any high-quality research in this field, especially in the EU. Although there exist a range of interventions for drug using inmates, the implementation is often sporadic and not sufficient to meet the needs. To promote and secure health in prison, testing for infectious diseases and vaccination is a major opportunity, and does have an impact on the health of the incarcerated, the correctional employees and the communities to which the inmates return. Vaccination for Hepatitis B and A is highly recommended for prisoners. Drug testing on the other hand, in particular mandatory drug testing in prison can have adverse effects, e.g. encourage people to switch from smoking drugs like Cannabis to injecting drugs like heroin, in order to avoid detection. It has been observed that mandatory drug testing is rather expensive and can be counterproductive, due to an increasing tension in the prison. Treatment for prisoners involves the treatment for drug dependency and infectious diseases. Upon entering the prison, prisoners with AIDS should be offered treatment with highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART), which is an effective treatment. Hence existing HAART should not be discontinued and prisoners not yet receiving HAART should be encouraged to start HAART. Similar to AIDS, treatment for HCV is safe and feasible. Although the establishment of prison-based substitution treatment proved to be as effective in reducing mortality, crime and re-incarceration rates and HCV as in the community, the implementation of prison-based substitution treatment is still not equally well accepted and realized. Concerning harm reduction measures in prison the implementation is fragmentary and often problematic, despite existing research on the topic. Evidence for the effectiveness of prison needle exchange programmes (PNEP) has been gathered in a number of very different prison settings: PNEP reduces needle sharing very effectively, can increase uptake of drug treatment as well as the safety in the prison, and can reduce abscesses and fatal overdoses. It does not increase injecting drug use, nor has it shown any other negative effects. No research was found explicitly evaluating the distribution of sterile tattooing equipment. Still this measure should be recommended to reduce the risk of transmitting diseases, as tattooing often occurs in prison. Condoms are likely to be the most effective method for preventing sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). No serious negative effects of condom distribution in prisons have been found, and the free availability of condoms seems feasible in a wide range of prison settings.

Details: Bonn, Germany: WIAD Wissenschaftliches Institut der Ärzte Deutschlands gem. e.V., 2008. 281p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 14, 2012 at: http://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_determinants/life_style/drug/documents/drug_frep1.pdf

Year: 2008

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction

Shelf Number: 113425


Author: Hirschberger, Peter

Title: Illegal Wood for the European Market: An Analysis of the EU Import and Export of Illegal Wood and Related Products

Summary: Illegal logging is a pervasive problem of major international concern, as it leads to deforestation, one of the main causes for climate change. Illegal logging for international markets is often a form of organised crime. Like other criminal activities it takes place covertly. This is why no one can calculate the quantity of wood of illegal origin in international trade with exact certainty. This study thus aims to give an estimate of the orders of magnitude of timber from illegal sources which reach the European market. All products in which wood was used as a raw material were included for this purpose. The European Union foreign trade data from 2006, calculated back to the quantity of raw timber that was needed to produce the imported products (raw timber equivalent), is used as a basis. The share of illegal logging in global wood production is estimated at 20% to 40%, and the economic loss through lost receipts for the state, industry and forest owners is estimated at US$ 15 billion (9, 5 billion euro) per year. Illegal logging pushes wood prices down worldwide by 7% to 16%. This economic loss for legitimately operating companies is compounded by the damage both to the image of wood as a sustainable raw material and to the responsible forestry sector.

Details: Frankfurt am Main, WWF-Germany, 2008. 45p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 15, 2012 at: http://www.illegal-logging.info/item_single.php?it_id=644&it=document

Year: 2008

Country: Europe

Keywords: Illegal Logging (Europe)

Shelf Number: 125274


Author: Fekete, Liz

Title: Pedlars of hate: the violent impact of the European far Right

Summary: his report brings together over one hundred cases from the beginning of 2010 until April 2012. Many aspects of far-right violence are discussed – from online death threats to arson and murder. While some of the cases suggest that small underground groups are stockpiling weapons and preparing for ‘race war’, with the organisations and individuals attempting to articulate how serious the situation is, now at serious risk themselves from the far Right, it would be wrong to see the situation in terms of one single and coherent far-right movement taking root across Europe. On the contrary, each far-right movement builds on its country’s particular extremist tradition.

Details: London: The Institute for Race Relations, 2012. 48p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 20, 2012 at http://www.irr.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/PedlarsofHate.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Extremist Groups

Shelf Number: 125384


Author: Robinson, Neil

Title: Feasibility Study for a European Cybercrime Centre

Summary: To advise the EC on the development of a European Cybercrime Centre, RAND Europe reviewed scholarly literature on the nature, extent, and impacts of cybercrime and collected empirical evidence on the capabilities of 15 EU member states' computer crime units in face to face visits. Findings from the literature and document review suggested a great deal of uncertainty between industry reported figures on the state of cybercrime and official recorded crimes. Nonetheless, the online criminal underground is evolving toward a service based economy. Aspects of forensic capability, investigations, intelligence sharing, training and information exchange were discussed. In addition, RAND Europe consulted Europol, Eurojust, Cepol, Interpol, and the European Network and Information Security Agency on their contribution to tackling cybercrime at the European level. A scenario based workshop was held in Brussels in November 2011 where a range of possible futures were described and considered by participants. The research team's report considers a number of options for the establishment of the ECC and evaluates their strengths and weaknesses according to a range of factors. These include its scope, activities, resources, risks, impacts and interoperability. The study considered a range of options including an ECC hosted by Europol, Eurojust, ENISA and a virtual ECC. The study considered that an ECC hosted by Europol would constitute the most appropriate way forward. The study laid out an implementation plan including expected activities for the first year of the ECC between January–December 2013.

Details: Cambridge, UK: RAND Europe, 2012. 253p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 26, 2012 at: http://ec.europa.eu/home-affairs/doc_centre/crime/docs/20120311_final_report_feasibility_study_for_a_european_cybercrime_centre.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Computer Crimes (Europe)

Shelf Number: 125399


Author: Wainwright, Richard, ed.

Title: Exporting Destruction. Export Credits, Illegal Logging and Deforestation

Summary: Exporting Destruction is the conclusion of research that included fieldwork in China, desk studies, and a new financial review, all commissioned to shine a light on the role that export credit agencies (ECAs) play in financing global deforestation. Through detailed case studies and historical research, FERN has been able to produce a set of policy recommendations that would, if implemented effectively, bring export credits in line with other publicly-funded institutions and reduce their potential for negative social and environmental impacts. The paper suggests that while the primary, if not sole, remit of ECAs is to promote their country’s domestic industries in competitive and risky environments, particularly in poor emerging markets, the huge amounts of money involved mean that they also have an important effect on policies and actions in the countries in which they support projects. To put their size in context, ECAs underwrite around US$100 billion annually in medium and long-term credits and guarantees, compared with, for example, multilateral development banks, which have a combined total of US$60 billion in loans per year. ECA involvement in activities that have fuelled unsustainable, and often illegal, deforestation in a number of countries has been documented since the mid 1990s. Evidence in this paper, gathered from community groups around the world, suggests that a number continue to be centrally involved in the sector. Their significance is primarily the result of their 'door opening' public finance status, as well as their focus on countries that are a high-risk for commercial operators, usually those which also lack the institutional governance to regulate their industries effectively. Direct ECA support for logging or timber trading is minimal because they are not particularly capital-intensive sectors, but significant support from ECAs has been instrumental in aiding the infrastructure and pulp and paper sectors for the last fifteen years, particularly for controversial expansion projects in Indonesia. FERN’s report shows that this support was, and continues to be, ‘blind’, not taking environmental or social issues into account or investigating whether operators’ prospectus documents were based on realistic assessments of the nature or ownership of the forest resource. This lack of ‘ground-truth’ in assessing projects is shown to be one of the core problems of ECAs. Although taxpayers fund them, their remit is often limited to economic considerations, and they are not currently subject to the binding environmental, social, human rights or transparency standards by which other public sector agencies are governed. The case studies clearly show that this has led to increased illegal logging, corruption and the opening of previously isolated forests. Indeed, experience highlighted in the studies suggest that no ECAs have the relevant procedures in place to identify and address the flawed operating and expansion model that much of the pulp and paper sector has followed. What's more, by aiming for very low-transaction costs, most ECAs have little internal capacity for assessing the environmental or social impacts of the operations the help to finance. This report calls on Governments to urgently address the negative impact that ECA-supported operators have internationally, particularly in sensitive sectors such as forestry, and to develop safeguards that would ensure that the operations of export credit agencies do not serve to undermine international commitments to sustainable development and good governance in some of the poorest countries in the world. Such policies should draw on those already in place in most multilateral banks and some of the largest commercial ones, and be resourced and monitored to an extent which ensures diligent implementation. More specific details on what these policies should look like in the forest sector and how ECAs could be brought into line with two decades of their national governments commitments to tackle illegal logging and unsustainable deforestation can be found in Chapter 7.

Details: Moreto, in Marsh, UK: FERN, 2008. 41p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 6, 2012 at: http://www.fern.org/sites/fern.org/files/media/documents/document_4155_4160.http://www.fern.org/sites/fern.org/files/media/documents/document_4155_4160.pdf

Year: 2008

Country: Europe

Keywords: Crimes Against the Environment

Shelf Number: 125484


Author: Kupatadze, Alexander

Title: ‘Transitions after Transitions’: Coloured Revolutions and Organized Crime in Georgia, Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan

Summary: This dissertation addresses organized crime in post-Soviet Eurasia (Georgia, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan) exploring the nexus between politics, business and crime. Based on extensive field research in the three countries the dissertation examines organized crime groups in the region and describes their inter-relationships with political and business elites, then discusses the impact of the three countries’ Coloured Revolutions on crime and corruption. The impacts of the revolutions on organized crime are situated in several variables, among them political opposition to incumbent regimes; the strength of civil society and the role of organized crime groups during the revolutionary processes; personal morals of the leaders and their views on cooperation with organized crime; and the presence and nature of the “pact” between outgoing and incoming elites. The dissertation also takes into account larger explanatory variables, such as geography, natural resources, industry, and regional wars and documents their role in shaping organized crime. In accounting for the diverging patterns of the three countries in terms of post-revolutionary effects on crime and corruption, the role of the West, defined as a “push” factor for democratization, and the experience of earlier statehood are also considered. The interaction between elites and criminals is regarded as a crucial part of state formation, and is characterized by shifting dominance between the actors of the underworld and upperworld. The thesis identifies points of cooperation and conflict between licit and illicit actors, and provides insight into the collusive nature of criminal networks in the post-Soviet context, arguing that the distinction between licit and illicit is frequently blurred and the representatives of the upperworld are sometimes key participants in organized criminal activity.

Details: St. Andrews, UK: University of St. Andrews, 2010. 273p.

Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed July 6, 2012 at: http://research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk/handle/10023/1320

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Organized Crime (Georgia, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan)

Shelf Number: 125487


Author: European Forum for Urban Safety

Title: Wandering Young People: The Conditions for Return

Summary: The publication “Wandering young people: the conditions for return” is the last step of an 18-month project as a feasibility study on the reintegration of isolated minors victims of trafficking, based on 600 study cases in Albania, Austria, France, Italy, Romania and Spain. This project, co-financed by the European Commission, is the result of a convergence of interests and questionings between local authorities – represented by the European Forum for Urban Safety and, within it the cities of Turin and Barcelona, to which was later added the Land of Tyrol – and associations specialised in taking care of and following up foreign minors, represented by the Jeunes Errants association (based in Marseilles) and Terre des hommes (regional child protection project based in Budapest). In a case-by-case approach, the study allowed for the analysis by the project’s various partners of 600 cases of minors potentially victims of trafficking. Initially it was a matter of identifying who these minors were, putting them back in their identity, history and life plan. The particular situation of these minors in fact requires appropriate responses. This can be done by proposing typologies and, for each of them, tracks for comprehension and resolution. Our categorisation was anxious to reproduce the nature of complex process of trafficking and migration, accounting for the children’s histories in an overall approach. The notion of vulnerabilities is important here: identifying them can allow for understanding the sequences in an itinerary and the solutions to envisage, in particular in a perspective of return (as well as prevention of new cases of trafficking). The study also allowed for studying how these minors become integrated into the environment of different European destination cities. For it is indeed the local and/or municipal authorities who are on the front line faced with the phenomenon of minors victims of trafficking and illicit activities that ensue and occur on their territory. On this occasion, a certain number of dysfunctions were noted. (…) Between the development of organised networks and the toughening of States’ migratory policies, now more than ever the operationalisation of the child’s rights raises a question. This study aims at providing solutions to succeed in reconciling the two imperatives that are 1) the return of victims of trafficking in human beings to their country of origin and 2) taking into account the particular vulnerability of children victims of trafficking in human beings. From this viewpoint, our recommendations are thus organised around three main lines: 1) case-by-case treatment; 2) the support of pluridisciplinary work and cooperation of players; 3) the development of transnational strategies and solidarities of responsibility.

Details: Terre des hommes, European Forum For Urban Safety, Federation Jeunes Errants, 2009. 117p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 9, 2012 at: http://tdh-childprotection.org/documents/wandering-young-people-the-conditions-for-return

Year: 2009

Country: Europe

Keywords: Child Sexual Exploitation

Shelf Number: 117797


Author: Ciudadana, Mirada

Title: The Prelude to Human Trafficking: Vulnerable Spaces for Andean Migrants in the European Union

Summary: This exploratory study was born out of the desire to shed light on possible human trafficking cases in Europe. The initial research goals were modified during the research process due to difficulties in locating human trafficking cases in which Peru was the country of origin and Europe the point of destination. For this reason it was not possible to learn about characteristics of the victims or about their experiences. Consequently, more emphasis was placed on examining factors that could have favored the development of human trafficking in Europe and which could help explain why some groups of people may be more vulnerable than others to becoming victims of human trafficking. Given the difficulties of obtaining information about victims of Peruvian origin in the European Union (EU), it was deemed necessary to expand the scope of the research and include information about people from the entire Andean community (Ecuador, Colombia and Bolivia, as well as Peru). However, the main results of this study focus on the Peruvian community, while data regarding trafficking victims from the Andean community serve as contextual support. Following the initial research, Mirada Ciudadana continued the study, broadening the scope and research about irregular migration of persons of the Andean community in the European Union, especially in Spain and Italy, countries which contain more than 70% of the Andean migrants in the European Union. 1 Mirada Ciudadana contacted civil society organizations that deal with human trafficking in the European Union and migratory issues in general in Peru, as well as Peruvian consular representatives in European countries with the largest number of Andean migrants. Mirada Ciudadana also contacted European government offices which provide assistance and protective services to trafficking victims in EU countries. The authors also contacted Peruvian associations in the EU. The primary objectives of this study seek to identify cases of human trafficking victims in the European Union and to identify vulnerable situations conducive to human trafficking. These objectives lead to several questions which have been separated into two main areas: The first area includes questions related to the quantitative and qualitative dimensions of human trafficking and groups of people that are vulnerable to exploitation: What are the driving factors leading to the existence of spaces prone to human trafficking and human exploitation in general? How is it possible to obtain viable statistics given the illicit nature of irregular migration? How many confirmed cases exist involving trafficked Peruvians in the European Union? How many cases exist that involve persons from other Andean countries? What impact could irregular migration have on the global human trafficking problem? The second set of questions relates to the best mechanisms for obtaining this information: What institutions have the greatest access to victims: Consular representatives whose mission is to protect their fellow citizens? Civil society organizations and government entities that provide specialized assistance and protection to trafficking victims? Local associations established in the receptor countries comprised of Andean citizens? Are these institutions willing to share this information and why? What responses did these institutions provide when contacted? In response to these questions, the study is divided into five main sections: • The first section presents the research aims and methodology. • In the next section, the historical background of this issue is reviewed to provide a foundation for further development. • Subsequently, the context and motivations for Andean migration to the European Union are explored, reviewing historical links as well as the main causes of this phenomenon. • Based on these factors, the fourth section deals with the principal vulnerable spaces in which the conditions conducive to human trafficking are fostered. The main job sectors where exploitive situations identified are examined, as well as the development of European migratory policies and their impact on human trafficking. • The fifth section outlines cases that have been identified and their characteristics, including a brief analysis of possible reasons for the number of cases identified. Finally, it provides comments about the responses from each sector contacted. This initial study aims to demonstrate the difficulty of gaining access to quantitative and qualitative information that would permit the identification of characteristics of persons vulnerable to human trafficking. In addition, it seeks to clarify important aspects of the contexts in which victims of exploitative situations and potential human trafficking cases are found. Thus, this study will serve as a foundation for future research within the European Union that will be able to identify vulnerable spaces and interview victims to learn about more aspects of their actual situations.

Details: Peru: Mirada Ciudadana and Capital Humano y Social Alternativo, 2009. 85p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 11, 2012 at: http://www.chsalternativo.org/upload/archivos/archivo_300.pdf

Year: 2009

Country: Europe

Keywords: Human Trafficking (Europe, South America)

Shelf Number: 125537


Author: Allen, Rob

Title: Reducing the Use of Imprisonment: What Can We Learn from Europe?

Summary: The familiar story of a rising prison population across Europe, and a general ‘punitive turn’ in Western democracies, now requires a new chapter. Since 2004, European countries have seen a divergence in prison numbers, with the Netherlands, Germany and some others successfully managing to reduce their prison populations, effectively tracking their falling crime levels, whereas England and Wales, along with France, have not achieved this. In England and Wales the prison population has continued to rise despite a clear and sustained reduction in crime. Since 2004 the total numbers incarcerated in the Netherlands has fallen from more than 20,000 to less than 15,000. In 2009 the Dutch Ministry of Justice announced plans to close eight prisons and cut 1,200 jobs in the prison system. They expect the number of prisoners to continue to decline and to average 8,875 by 2015. The Netherlands now uses the spare capacity to lease space at Tilburg jail to house 500 prisoners from Belgium, whose prisons are severely overcrowded. Alongside the Netherlands, Germany, too, has seen a significant decrease in numbers in custody since the middle of last decade. The aim of this paper is to look at features of the criminal justice systems in operation in these countries and to analyse changes in prison numbers in order to see whether any lessons might usefully be considered in England and Wales. There is a particular focus on Germany and the Netherlands as these are countries which share certain similarities with the UK. All three are highly urbanised countries with a GDP per capita well above the EU average, although the UK has recently had higher rates of unemployment and a higher proportion of citizens at risk of poverty and leaving education early than either the Netherlands or Germany. Spending on courts, prosecution and legal aid is similar in the UK and Netherlands, and trust in justice institutions is broadly comparable. Both Labour and the Conservatives have looked to the Netherlands for some of their ‘welfare to work’ agendas.

Details: London: Criminal Justice Alliance, 2012. 20p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 11, 2012 at: http://www.prisonpolicy.org/scans/CJA_ReducingImprisonment_Europe.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Inmates

Shelf Number: 125548


Author: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs

Title: Understanding the 'Spice' Phenomenon

Summary: Smokable herbal mixtures under the brand name ‘Spice’ are known to have been sold on the Internet and in various specialised shops since at least 2006 and metadata reports (Google Insights web searches) suggest that those products may have been available as early as 2004. Although advertised as an ‘exotic incense blend which releases a rich aroma’ and ‘not for human consumption’, when smoked, ‘Spice’ products have been reported by some users to have effects similar to those of cannabis. There are a number of products marketed under the ‘Spice’ brand — these include, but are not limited to: Spice Silver, Spice Gold, Spice Diamond, Spice Arctic Synergy, Spice Tropical Synergy, Spice Egypt, etc. In addition, there are many other herbal preparations for which the claim is made that they have a similar make-up to ‘Spice’ — e.g. Yucatan Fire, Smoke, Sence, ChillX, Highdi’s Almdröhner, Earth Impact, Gorillaz, Skunk, Genie, Galaxy Gold, Space Truckin, Solar Flare, Moon Rocks, Blue Lotus, Aroma, Scope, etc. It should be noted that the speed of innovation in this area means that any list of products is likely to become quickly outdated. Following a report from the Swedish Reitox national focal point (NFP), of a small number (around 10) of seizures of ‘Spice’ products in 2007, the Reitox early-warning system (EWS) on new psychoactive substances began, from the start of 2008, formally monitoring these products. However, despite various media reports and users’ accounts on the Internet, little verifiable information on the psychoactive and other effects of ‘Spice’ was officially reported to the EMCDDA prior to December 2008. Towards the end of 2008, forensic investigations were undertaken by German and Austrian authorities in order to identify the psychoactive ingredients of ‘Spice’. On 19 December 2008, the Austrian NFP formally notified to the EMCDDA the new psychoactive substance JWH-018 (Naphthalen-1-yl-(1-pentylindol-3-yl)methanone) (1) — a synthetic cannabinoid receptor (CB) agonist (2) that had been identified in ‘Spice’ products in Austria by AGES PharmMed (3). The compound was detected in at least three products (Spice Gold, Silver and Diamond). Information received from the German NFP reported that JWH-018 had also been identified a few days earlier (on 15 December) in ‘Spice’ products in Germany by THC-Pharm (Steup, 2008) (4). JWH-018 is a synthetic substance first synthesized in 1995 for experimental purposes. It is a naphthoylindole, which belongs to the aminoalkylindole family (Wiley et al., 1998; Huffman, 2009; Chin et al., 1999), i.e. the chemical structure differs substantially from Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), but it produces similar effects in animal experiments and has been reported to be more potent than THC; see Uchiyama, 2009 and Auwärter et al., 2009 for analytical details. JWH-018 has also been reported by Poland, the United Kingdom, Slovakia, Finland and Ireland.

Details: Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, 2009. 37p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 11, 2012 at: http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/attachements.cfm/att_80086_EN_Spice%20Thematic%20paper%20%E2%80%94%20final%20version.pdf

Year: 2009

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction (Europe)

Shelf Number: 125579


Author: GHK

Title: Prison Education and Training in Europe - A Review and Commentary of Existing Literature, Analysis and Evaluation

Summary: In February 2010, a European Conference on Prison Education and Training was held in Budapest. This conference, which was attended by over 200 delegates from 30 European countries, presented an opportunity to identify and share good practices from across Europe and delegates also stated that they had found inspiration for future projects. Nevertheless, a number of challenges and issues faced by prison educators were also highlighted at the event. In particular, issues such as overcrowding, the growing diversity of the prison population, increasing financial constraints and a more competitive job market were highlighted as key challenges at this present time and for the foreseeable future. One of the recommendations from the conference was that research in the area of prison education and training should be greatly expanded, in terms of both the issues addressed and the overall volume of analytical work conducted. In response, the European Commission‟s Directorate General for Education and Culture (DG EAC) commissioned GHK Consulting (GHK) to conduct a review and commentary of previous research, analysis and evaluation from Europe, relating to specific topics of current relevance to the field of prison education and training. An ambitious list of 16 themes was outlined in the original request for services. GHK proposed a revised list of 12 themes (agreed by the client) for an initial mapping exercise and selected four themes for more in-depth review, based on the availability of literature and an assessment of the added value which could be gained by conducting further research into the specific topics. In the future, it may be worth re-visiting the original list of twelve themes to identify where a further review of literature could provide informative results. This final report outlines the key issues emerging from the literature relating to the four topics selected for in-depth review. Three of the sections are based on a review of European literature and documentation, while one section (covering the effectiveness, cost-effectiveness and public value of prison education and training) also includes references to literature from the United States, to compensate for the lack of European research and evidence in relation to this specific topic. In addition, a reference list was collated for all of the agreed 12 topics. The list contains a brief description of the documents identified in relation to that topic during the inception phase. Documents from countries within (i.e. European countries) and outside of the scope of the study are included and the lists are separated according to whether the literature is available in the public domain, or not. The list can be found at the end of this document, after the bibliography. It is important to note that this report has certain limitations. The main focus has been on English-language sources, although some documents in other languages (mainly Norwegian and French, as well as some German-language documents) have been taken into account. This does not necessarily mean that the documents reviewed related only to countries where English is the main spoken language (i.e. a number of reports, although written in English, focus on one or more other European countries, but mainly the Nordic countries) although this was of course often the case. Thus the report has a certain „slant‟ towards these countries but this does not necessarily mean that the findings and recommendations are not transferable to others or are not valid at European level. Nevertheless this limitation should be borne in mind when reviewing the report.

Details: Birmingham, UK: GHK, 2011. 109p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 16, 2012 at: http://ec.europa.eu/education/grundtvig/doc/conf11/ghk_en.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: Europe

Keywords: Correctional Programs

Shelf Number: 125630


Author: Velleman, Richard: Reuber, Danielle

Title: Domestic Violence and Abuse experienced by Children and Young People living in Families with Alcohol Problems. Results from a Cross-European Study

Summary: Children and young people living in families where parents have significant problems with alcohol are often very badly affected. They have a range of very negative experiences, and often develop problems and psychological and/or physical symptoms as a result. Similarly, children and young people growing up in families where there are significant problems with domestic violence or aggression are also often badly affected: they also often experience a range of distressing incidents, and also often develop problems of their own as a result. It is well known that the incidence of domestic violence and aggression is much higher in families where there are also alcohol problems; but very little research has been undertaken on the impact of both of these family problems on children and young people. Although many children and young people do develop problems as a result of both of these family upbringings, a significant minority do not. They seem to be resilient. This project set out to look at children and young people across Europe, to discover what impacts having parents with both of these problems combined had on children, and then to suggest ways of improving practice and policy, within individual countries and across the EU, that would help these children. Experts in issues relating to addiction or violence within the family from eleven institutions located within ten EU states participated in planning and overseeing this project: Germany, where experts also coordinated the project, and Austria, England, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Malta, Netherlands, Poland and Spain.

Details: Cologne, Germany: Catholic University of Applied Sciences North-Rhine Westphalia, 2007. 66p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 17, 2012 at: http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/11965/1/Encare_ParentalAlcoholProblems.pdf

Year: 2007

Country: Europe

Keywords: Alcohol Use and Abuse

Shelf Number: 101391


Author: Hayes, Ben

Title: Borderline- The EU’s New Border Surveillance Initiatives, Assessing the Costs and Fundamental Rights Implications of EUROSUR and the ‘Smart Borders’ Proposals

Summary: This research paper ‘Borderline’ examines two new EU border surveillance initiatives: the creation of a European External Border Surveillance System (EUROSUR) and the creation of the so-called ‘smart borders package’…. EUROSUR promises increased surveillance of the EU’s sea and land borders using a vast array of new technologies, including drones (unmanned aerial vehicles), off-shore sensors, and satellite tracking systems. The EU’s 2008 proposals gained new momentum with the perceived ‘migration crisis’ that accompanied the ‘Arab Spring’ of 2011, which resulted in the arrival of thousands of Tunisians in France. These proposals are now entering a decisive phase. The European Parliament and the Council have just started negotiating the legislative proposal for the EUROSUR system, and within months the Commission is expected to issue formal proposals for the establishment of an [Entry-Exit System] and [Registered Traveller Programme]. The report is also critical of the decision-making process. Whereas the decision to establish comparable EU systems such as EUROPOL and FRONTEX were at least discussed in the European and national parliaments, and by civil society, in the case of EUROSUR – and to a lesser extent the smart borders initiative – this method has been substituted for a technocratic process that has allowed for the development of the system and substantial public expenditure to occur well in advance of the legislation now on the table. Following five years of technical development, the European Commission expects to adopt the legal framework and have the EUROSUR system up and running (albeit in beta form) in the same year (2013), presenting the European Parliament with an effective fait accomplit.

Details: Berlin: Heinrich-Boll-Stiftung, 2012. 83p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 18, 2012 at: http://www.boell.de/downloads/DRV_120523_BORDERLINE_-_Border_Surveillance.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Border Security (Europe)

Shelf Number: 125618


Author: Maftei, Loredana

Title: Illegal Drug Markets in Europe: The Negative Consequences of Globalization

Summary: Globalizing processes have profoundly shaped the European drugs situation. The illegal drug markets have reached to evolve and to transform all the advantages of this phenomenon, in their favor. Based on globalization aspects, the paper purpose is to present the main characteristics of illicit drugs market within European countries, from the last years. Furthermore the article is focused on the analysis of theoretical and empirical drugs literature, especially on the current reports and studies of EMCDDA and UNODC, which indicated certain drug sectors. Due to its richness, position and high demand of illegal drugs, Europe is viewed by criminal organizations as a transit area for heroin, cocaine, cannabis and synthetic drugs, and a big customer which continued to sustain this profitable enterprise, over the last decades. Regarding the drug problem, the governance needs to be reframed and to take account of economical, social and moral character. The simple connection of illegal drug markets with globalization, gives the originality note of the paper, which leads to some important new insights for future research and policy.

Details: Romania: Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iași,, 2012. 13p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 19, 2012 at: http://www.cse.uaic.ro/WorkingPapers/articles/CESWP2012_IV2_MAF.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Cannabis

Shelf Number: 125685


Author: Davidson, Julia

Title: Online Abuse: Literature Review and Policy Context

Summary: The principal aim of this review is to examine the context of online abuse by providing an overview of the relevant policy, legislation and safety practice within the European Union, focusing on case studies within the UK, Norway, Belgium and Italy to outline different attempts to educate children and young people about Internet safety issues1. An illustrative brief comparison to legislation and policy outside the EU is also provided, particularly for the USA, Australia and New Zealand where progress has been made in this area. The purpose of the review is to provide background to a scoping exercise on the current knowledge of online grooming and EU online child safety practice. This review will then inform parallel work collecting data from stakeholders on current knowledge, practice and policy on internet grooming for the sexual abuse of children. This is the first stage of an EC Safer Internet Plus Programme project to undertake the first comprehensive study of online grooming, involving the UK, Norway, Belgium and Italy. The breadth and scope of a European wide study entailed some decisions about selection of literature for review. The first decision was to focus on the European Union as opposed to the broader European continent. However, due to the awareness of the lack of geographical boundaries that online behaviour encompasses, there was an acknowledged need to reference other research in progress, for example in Russia, that sheds more light on young people’s online safety within the EU. The timescale for the review covers a period over the last five to six years – the period in which most of the research on young people and internet use has taken place.

Details: European Online Grooming Project, 2011. 52p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 21, 2012 at: http://www.europeanonlinegroomingproject.com/wp-content/file-uploads/EOGP-Literature-Review.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: Europe

Keywords: Computer Crimes

Shelf Number: 125714


Author: Webster, Stephen

Title: Final Report (European Online Grooming Project)

Summary: The sexual abuse of young people via the Internet is an international problem, a crime without geographical boundaries. Solutions both to perpetrators’ use of the Internet and to the safety of young people online must be sought and will necessarily involve agencies working to protect young people at local, national and international levels. Action of the Safer Internet Plus programme invited proposals for projects that aim to enhance the knowledge of the online sexual abuse of young people, with a particular focus on online grooming. • Online grooming is defined as the process by which a person befriends a young person1 online to facilitate online sexual contact and/or a physical meeting with them, with the goal of committing sexual abuse. The European Online Grooming Project research consortium is comprised of experts from across Europe and was tasked with meeting the following research objectives: o describe the behaviour of both offenders who groom and young people who are ‘groomed’, o describe how information, communication technology (ICT) may facilitate online grooming, o identify how young people are selected and prepared by online groomers for abuse online, o contribute to the development of prevention initiatives aimed at parents and young people. Methods • The project had three separate but interlinked phases. The first was a scoping project that involved a literature review, review of police case files and interviews with key stakeholders. Phase 2 of the research involved in-depth interviews with 33 male offenders convicted of online grooming in the UK, Belgium and Norway. Online groomers’ chat-logs were sourced from Italy. Phase 3 encompassed twelve focus groups with young people in the UK, Belgium and Italy. The aim of these groups was to understand young people’s online behaviour in the context of the groomers’ accounts, and explore young people’s view of online risks and current safety initiatives. In addition, seven dissemination events were held with teachers, parents and professionals in Belgium, Italy, Norway and the UK in order to promulgate the key findings from the project. • This report brings together findings from the main stages of the European Online Grooming Project - the in-depth interviews with online groomers, focus groups with young people, and dissemination events with key stakeholder groups. The scoping report and literature review have been published and are available for download at the project web-site.

Details: European Online Grooming Project, 2012. 172p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 23, 2012 at: http://www.natcen.ac.uk/media/843993/european-online-grooming-project-final-report.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Computer Crimes

Shelf Number: 125718


Author: Webster, Stephen

Title: Scoping Report (European Online Grooming Project)

Summary: The sexual abuse of young people via the Internet is an international problem, a crime without geographical boundaries. Solutions both to perpetrators’ use of the Internet and to the safety of young people online must be sought and will necessarily involve agencies working to protect young people at local, national and international levels. The police have suggested that an increasing number of online sex offenders are grooming young people online, using online social networks and internet chat rooms. Whilst a great deal is known about sex offender behaviour and there is an increasing body of pioneering work addressing those accessing indecent child images, little is known about online groomers and the way in which they select and engage victims. • To this end, Action 3.1 of the Safer Internet Plus programme invited proposals for projects that aim to enhance the knowledge of the online sexual abuse of young people, with a particular focus on online grooming. • Following a competitive tendering exercise, the European Online Grooming Project was commissioned. The research consortium is comprised of experts from across Europe, tasked with meeting the following overarching research objectives: • describe the behaviour of both offenders who groom and young people who are ‘groomed’ and explore differences (e.g. in demographics, behaviour or profiles) within each group and how these differences may have a bearing on offence outcome, • describe how information, communication technology (ICT) is used to facilitate the process of online grooming, • further the current low knowledge base about the way in which young people are selected and prepared by online groomers for abuse online, • make a significant contribution to the development of educational awareness and preventative initiatives aimed at parents and young people. The Project has three separate but interlinked phases. The first is a scoping project, the subject of this report. The second and third phases involve interviews with convicted online groomers across Europe and dissemination to professionals, parents, carers and young people respectively. • The scoping project contained three elements, all which had the aim of maximising the potential of phase 2 and 3 of the research. As such, the scoping phase contained a review of the literature and policy context1 and a review of convicted online groomers’ police case files. The scoping phase culminated with 19 in-depth interviews with stakeholders across Europe. These professionals all had expertise in the behaviour of online groomers from either an investigative, treatment, technological or young person’s perspective. • The review of police case files and interviews with key stakeholders resulted in the development of hypothetical model of online grooming. This model, drawn on case file and stakeholder accounts will then be used as a framework to ask questions of online groomers in the next stage of the research. It is important to note that the phases of the model presented here may be subsequent to significant change following the interviews with convicted online groomers. As such, the model in this report should be viewed as a hypothetical framework for subsequent appraisal. It should not be interpreted as the definitive presentation of the process of online grooming. • The hypothetical model has nine phases that encompass: vulnerability factors; grooming style; preparation and scanning; identity assumed 1; initial contact; identity assumed 2; desensitisation; offence maintenance and intensity; and finally, outcomes. • Evidence from stakeholder accounts suggests that some offenders may be engaging with 30 to 50 young people at different stages of the grooming process at any one time, and that offenders tend to refine their activities on the basis of what had ‘worked well’ in previous encounters with young people. Consequently, movement through different stages of the model of online grooming is neither unitary or linear, but rather, cyclical, involving a pattern of adoption, maintenance, relapse, and readoption over time. • It was also evident that the actual process of online grooming may take minutes, hours, days or months. As such, online groomers remain at different phases of the model for various lengths of time according to a dynamic inter-relationship between their goals and needs and the style or reactions of the young person. • In order to explain as well as describe online grooming, this report suggests that online grooming may be set within the context of three existing theories within forensic and social psychology. The first is Ward and Hudson’s (1998) self-regulation model of the sexual offence process. The central premise of Ward and Hudson’s theory is that different self-regulation styles, the internal and external processes that allow an individual to engage in goal-related behaviour, underpin the sexual offence process. The second is Suler’s (2004) theory of the online disinhibiton effect. This framework contains three dimensions that may also help develop understanding of online groomers’ behaviour: dissociative anonymity; invisibility and dissociative imaginationimagination. Finally, the theory of deindividuation (Zimbardo, 1969) proposes that factors such as anonymity, loss of individual responsibility, arousal and sensory overload contribute to a state of deindividuation and behavioral disinhibition where established norms of conduct may be violated. • It is important for all research to have an applied focus but even more so for this project, where the need for robust evidence is acute and the public safety message is clear. As such, stakeholders identified four core needs for the European Online Grooming Report. To provide strategies to aid detection and interviewing; further understanding regarding assessment and treatment needs; to raise awareness across the key groups outlined above; and finally, to avoid demonising the Internet per se.

Details: European Online Grooming Project, 2010. 51p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 23, 2012 at: http://www.europeanonlinegroomingproject.com/wp-content/file-uploads/EOGP-Project-scoping-report.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Computer Crimes

Shelf Number: 125742


Author: Quayle, Ethel

Title: Online Behaviour Related to Child Sexual Abuse: Interviews with affected Young People

Summary: Most young people in Europe have access to the Internet. In a study by Livingstone et al. (2011), including 25 142 children between 9-16 years old in 25 countries in the European Union (EU), the average age for first time contact with the Internet was 9 years old. In this study 60% reported that they used the Internet on a daily basis and 33% that they used the Internet once or twice a week. Access to the Internet is not only increasing, but today many youth have their own mobile phones with internet access. In the study by Livingstone et al. (2011) 35% of the youth used their own PC, 24% their own laptop and 12% a handheld device (e.g. iPod Touch, I-phone and Blackberry) when going online. The most common activities online were doing schoolwork (85%) followed by online gaming (83%) and watching video clips (76%). Most young people are alone when using their mobile phone and the Internet (Medierådet, 2010). This differs from other media forms, e.g. watching television and playing games on the computer, that more often are done together with a friend or an adult. This means that young people most of the time are alone when surfing the net, without adults being able to supervise or to hinder the youth from possible risk taking online. Most young people seem though to be well aware of the fact that there are safe and risky behaviours connected with the use of Internet (Jonsson et al, 2009). When a child reaches adolescence it is developmentally normal to expand their social network, forming close relationships and experiencing sexuality. The Internet is accessible, anonymous and affordable (Cooper, 1998) which makes it natural to use it for sexual purposes. In a study by Daneback and Månsson (2009) nine out of ten Swedish young people, between 18-25 years old, used the Internet for romantic or sexual purposes. The most common online sexual activity was watching pornography among the boys and searching for information about sex among the girls. Many studies have shown that pornography use is greater for young males (Caroll et al, 2008; Luder et al., 2011; Svedin et al, 2011) but recent studies show that the gender differences are most apparent with older adolescents and that there are less differences between genders who are 12 years old and younger (Livingstone et al., 2011). However young people are not only passive consumers of sexual material. They also produce and distribute their own sexual material and find sexual contacts online. Online risk taking behaviour Offline risk taking behaviour such as use of drugs, smoking, not attending school and having unprotected sex are more common among adolescents than others (e.g. Benthin et al., 1993; Boyer, 2006; Steinberg, 2008). Studies indicate that young people who take risks offline also do so online (Mitchell et al, 2007a). However, different studies use varying definitions as to what online risk taking behaviour is. Baumgartner et al. (2010) limited their definition to include communication with unknown people and categorized the following behaviours as risky: - Searching online for someone to talk about sex - Searching online for someone to have sex - Sending intimate photos or videos to someone online - Disclosing personal information like telephone numbers and addresses to someone online. Most risk behaviour does not lead to any negative consequences and is more likely to be associated with positive outcomes, while other risk behaviours can result in abuse, be lifealtering or may, in extreme cases, even be a threat to life. Online risk taking behaviour has been shown to increase the likelihood of negative experiences, such as unwanted aggressive sexual solicitations online (Cooper et al., 2002; Mitchell et al., 2007b). Misuse of personal information by others is another negative consequence. Even if young people are well informed about the negative effects of, for example, taking drugs or having unprotected sex, some still go ahead. Likewise research studies, and results from clinical projects about online sexual abuse, have shown that young people often are well aware of the risks online but take them anyway (e.g. Jonsson et al., 2009; Wolak, 2007). This research addresses some of the major challenges in constructing preventative work to hinder young people from risk taking behaviours (see, for example, Denehy, 2000). There might be many explanations as to why young people take risks online. In the study by Baumgartner et al. (2010) young people’s engagement in online risky sexual behaviour was investigated in a cross-sectional study. The young people who took sexual risks online perceived that more friends were engaged in these behaviours, perceived fewer risks and more benefits from the risky sexual behaviour and felt personally less vulnerable to negative consequences than other young people. Probably most youth who take risks online estimate the risks to be less than the positive effects that might follow. Studies from clinical projects and research have shown that one primary function of online risk taking behaviour is to be seen and to receive affirmation (Jonsson et al., 2009; Jonsson & Svedin, 2012; Nigård, 2009).

Details: Child Centre (The Expert Group for Cooperation on Children at Risk; ROBERT Project, EU Safer Internet Programme, 2012. 77p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 23, 2012 at: http://www.childcentre.info/robert/public/Interview_analysis_PRELIMINARY.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Computer Crimes

Shelf Number: 125743


Author: Kolpakova, Olga, ed.

Title: Online Behaviour Related to Child Sexual Abuse: Focus Groups' Findings

Summary: Over the last two decades more than 200 studies have been made that focus on various aspects of child online sexual violence. The majority of the surveys highlighted the way children use Internet. According to one of the largest scale surveys – EU Kids Online survey – produced in 2010, 60% of European children aged 9 to 16 years old use the Internet on a daily basis, spending on average 88 minutes online. They do their homework, play games alone or against the computer, watch video clips online, use Internet interactively for communication (social networking, instant messaging etc.) and read/watch the news, play with others online, download films and music, share content peer-to-peer (eg, via webcam or message boards), visit chat rooms, share files, blog and spend time in a virtual world (Livingstone et al 2011). Internet accessibility, frequency and duration of use, and types of children's online activities have been the focus of studies in a number of other national surveys (Leicht & Sorensen 2011, Children… 2006, Medienpädagogischer… 2010a,b, Mainardi and Zgraggen 2010, Soldatova et al 2010, Levina et al 2011, Medierådet 2005, 2008, 2010). The more active our children are online, the greater the risks associated with Internet use. According to a number of studies, a significant number of children and young people practice behaviour which could potentially lead to negative repercussions, such as; seeking new friends online (Levina et al 2011), having contact online with someone they have never met face to face (Livingstone et al 2011), having people on “buddy lists” known only online (Ybarra et al 2007, Levina et al 2011), sending personal information to people they have never met face to face (Livingstone et al 2011, Levina et al 2011), posting personal information (Ybarra et al 2007) and sexualized images (Svedin & Priebe 2009, Daneback & Månsson 2009), posing nude (De Graaf & Vanweseenbeeck 2006) or masturbating (Svedin & Priebe 2009) in front of a web cam, sending personal information (Ybarra et al 2007, Levina et al 2011), sending or receiving sexual images (Lenhart 2009), accessing pornography (Svedin et al 2011, Wolak et al 2007, Sørensen & Kjørholt 2007, Sabina et al 2008), talking about sex online (Medieradet… 2010, Livingstone et al 2011, Ybarra et al 2007) and meeting people face to face offline who they initially made contact with on the Internet (ACPI/PROTEGELES 2002, Helweg-Larsen et al 2009, Livingstone et al 2011, Mainardi & Zgraggen 2010, Monteiro & Gomes 2009, Wojtasik 2004). In some cases such behaviour could be regarded as a form of adolescent age-appropriate social and sexual expression and curiosity, and may not always lead to negative repercussions. In other cases, however, children and adolescents have narrowly avoided danger in potentially threatening situations. Therefore, not all those interacting online with unknown people, sometimes discussing sex, have been exposed to unwanted sexual solicitations or other negative repercussions (Wolak et al 2008). Of those who reported having seen pornography online accidentally or purposefully, two of three were unaffected by the experience (Livingstone et al 2011). However, some children and young people do experience negative consequences from such behaviour. Children may feel cheated, disgusted or uncomfortable by what they have seen on pornographic websites (Livingstone et al 2011), young people may be highly distressed after incidents of solicitation (Mitchell et al 2001), in some cases children and adolescents could be pressured or threatened into having sex during offline meetings with their online acquaintances (Suseg et al 2008, Helweg-Larsen et al 2009, Levina et al 2011). Studies have shown that the Internet (Levina et al 2010), and in particular chat rooms (Briggs et al 2010, Wagner 2008) and social networking sites (Wise et al 2010), could be used by offenders who are interested either in engaging in cyber sex without any direct wish to meet in real life or in meeting offline for sex. In a number of studies individual risk factors that led to sexual abuse, were identified. Studies show that girls (Baumgartner et al 2010, Ellonen et al 2008, Mainardi and Zgraggen 2010, Mitchell et al 2007a, Wolak et al 2008), adolescents (Baumgartner et al 2010, Ellonen et al 2008, Livingstone et al 2011, Wolak et al 2004), youngsters with lower education (De Graaf and Vanwesenbeeck 2006), teenagers who identify themselves as homosexual or those with unclear sexual orientation (Wolak et al 2004) are at a higher risk of experiencing Internetrelated sexual abuse. Personal behavioural factors such as frequent Internet use (De Graaf & Vanwesenbeeck 2006, Mitchell et al 2001, Stahl and Fritz 2002, Wolak et al 2008, Ybarra et al 2004), online risk-taking behaviour (ACPI/PROTEGELES 2002, Mitchell et al 2001, Mitchell et al 2008, Stahl and Fritz 2002), and substance use (Ybarra et al 2004) may also increase the chance of a young person becoming a victim of Internet-related sexual abuse. Another group of individual risk factors is related to personal traumatic experiences and emotional situations. According to the research data, youth (especially girls) with a history of offline sexual or physical abuse (De Graaf & Vanwesenbeeck 2006, Mitchell et al 2007b, Wolak et al 2008) and youth suffering from depression (such as sadness, emptiness or concentration problems) (Ybarra et al 2004) are at greater risk of online sexual solicitation. Even though a number of researches (Kvam 2001, Sullivan & Knutson 2000, SISO & SUS 2007) have shown that children with disabilities are more often exposed to sexual abuse, it is still not clear if these children are at greater risk of online sexual violence. A group of environmental risk factors includes: single-parents or reconstituted families (e.g. Gallagher 2007), homelessness or runaways (e.g. Regional… 2008), higher household socio-economic status (Livingstone et al 2011, Mitchell et al 2003), the lack of close parental relationships (ICAA 2004, Sørensen 2007), as well as lower levels of parental control (De Graaf & Vanwesenbeeck 2006, Mitchell et al 2003). In a few studies, resilience in relation to young people’s online behaviour was specifically focused upon. It was found that young people could use a number of strategies to reduce the risks of negative repercussions when meeting online friends in real life. These included informing their parents (e.g. Livingstone et al 2011) or friends (Bauermeister et al 2010) about the meeting, arranging meetings in public places and trying to get to know an online friend better before meeting them offline (Bauermeister et al 2010). When negatively affected by online contact (sexual messages, bullying, sexual images), children could use the following strategies: hope that the problem would go away by itself, report the problem, change their filter/contact settings, delete any messages from the person or block the person, try to fix the problem, talk to someone about the problem or stop using the Internet temporarily (Livingstone at al 2011). In addition to the growing impact the role of the Internet is having on children’s lives, researchers are specifically discussing the problem of merged online/offline environments (e.g. Lansdown 2011, Levina et al 2011). The online environment provides young people with more opportunities for accessing information, self-expression, self-promotion, social role experimentation and communication. It has becoming an integral part of their life where the boundary between online and offline experiences is vanishing. At the same time, offline safety rules and behaviour patterns are not always applicable to the online environment, and children’s online activities are to a lesser extent controlled by parents. It may seems obvious that there is a need for online behaviour education; we have to teach our children safe and correct use of information and communication technologies and improve parent’s ability to effectively control the online activities of their children1. However, there are still some aspects of child online sexual violence that have not been studied sufficiently. In particular, we do not clearly understand the child’s role in establishing and developing online relations with people who may potentially harm them in the future. Do children take the initiative themselves? Do they actively seek new friends and contacts online? What is their response to unwanted approaches? How do young people identify individuals that pose a risk of online sexual violence? Do they think that they are at risk themselves? Which strategies do young people usually use to stay safe online? Do young people perceive their world as undivided or do borders between the online and offline world still exist? Are there any groups of young people who are at greater risk of online sexual violence then others (such as GLBT, young people with disabilities, young people in residential care etc.)? And if so are there any differences between these groups in how they establish agency in a virtual world, negotiate online relationships, identify risks, stay safe online and distinguish between the online and physical world? The project ROBERT, Risktaking Online Behaviour Empowerment through Research and Training, is one attempt to answer some of the above questions. This project intends to make online interaction safe for children and young people. This project is implemented from June 2010 to June 2012, and is funded by the European Commission Safer Internet Programme as a Knowledge Enhancement Project. It is managed and coordinated by the CBSS Expert Group for Cooperation on Children at risk, EGCC, in partnership with the University of Tartu (Estonia), Linköping University (Sweden), University of Edinburgh (United Kingdom), Save the Children Denmark, Save the Children Italia, Innocence in Danger (Germany), Stellit International (the Netherlands and Russia) and Kingston University (UK). As a part of the project, focus groups with young people, some of whom may be considered to be more at risk of online abuse (young people in residential care, young people that are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender and young people with some form of disability), as well as with young people from the general population were interviewed in 2011–2012 in Denmark, United Kingdom, Sweden, Estonia, Italy, Germany and Russia. The aim of the focus group interviews was to obtain qualitative information about adolescent’s online behaviour, their need to socialize, communicate and discover themselves and the world and particularly those behaviours that lead to risktaking and their possible links with sexual victimization, while examining the strategies they use to avoid victimization itself. The issues that were discussed with children and explored with focus groups could be summarized in three main thematic areas: 1) characteristics of Internet use; 2) characteristics of online communication and its impact on the life of young people; 3) staying safe online. The results obtained from the focus groups are presented in the report. The chapter “Methodological issues” includes a glossary and a brief overview of focus groups and framework analysis. Particular attention is paid to the issue of ensuring quality in qualitative research. Issues such as sampling, procedures and data analysis are described. In the chapter “Research results” five main themes which were identified across the focus groups are examined: Establishing agency in a virtual world; Negotiating online relationships; Distinguishing between in-groups and out-groups; Safety online; Delineating between merged realities.

Details: Child Centre (The Expert Group for Cooperation on Children at Risk; ROBERT Project, EU Safer Internet Programme, 2012. 68p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed july 23, 2012 at: http://www.childcentre.info/robert/public/ROBERT_Focus_grups_report_wr.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Computer Crimes

Shelf Number: 125744


Author: Casey, Joe

Title: The Social Reintegration of Ex-Prisoners in Council of Europe Member States

Summary: The Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) has a long history of campaigning for prison and criminal justice reform. Working within this 350-year tradition, the Quaker Council for European Affairs (QCEA) is actively involved in promoting respect for human rights in the way society deals with crime. QCEA carried out extensive research into the conditions of women in prison in member states of the Council of Europe (CoE), in partnership with the Quaker United Nations Office (QUNO) in Geneva, Quaker Peace and Social Witness (QPSW) in the UK and the Friends World Committee for Consultation (FWCC) representatives to the UN Crime Commission in Vienna. The subsequent 2007 QCEA report, Women in Prison concluded that whilst in many cases prison sentences do little to reduce the risks of reoffending, the social cost to both prisoners and their families is disproportionately high. To support this recommendation, QCEA investigated the use of alternative sanctions to imprisonment in CoE member states. The resulting report, published in early 2010, presented a range of alternatives to prison, which ‘when implemented and assessed effectively, are often more successful at providing society with a suitable and effective response to crime and more often than not significantly less expensive’. Nevertheless, QCEA recognises that imprisonment will remain a part of European criminal justice systems, as ‘a last resort’ to be used where there is a pressing case to control offenders so that they cannot harm others. We argue in this report that whenever prison is used, it must be rehabilitative. Most offenders sent to prison will eventually be released. It is therefore incumbent on prison systems to invest adequately in rehabilitative programmes, so that prisoners have a better chance of reintegrating into the community after their sentence is finished. Such a policy respects the human rights and human dignity of those who break the law, but this is not the only reason to favour rehabilitation in prison management. An effective rehabilitative prison system can bring financial benefits too. Policing, investigating, and administering criminal justice systems are all expensive, as is imprisonment itself. This is not to mention the negative effects of crime on the community. Justice systems which can successfully rehabilitate offenders will save money and better meet the needs of society, since the alternative (longer and longer sentences) produces an unsustainable solution. These issues are explored in Chapter 3 followed by a short outline of how we have compiled the evidence used in this report in Chapter 4. There are many challenges to meet in making a rehabilitative prison system work. Among them is prison overcrowding. This problem is analysed in Chapter 5. Overcrowded prisons strain the resources invested in them and achieve less success in rehabilitating prisoners, because they are reduced to ‘coping’ rather than fulfilling their primary, rehabilitative function. Another challenge is ensuring that prisoners’ transition after their sentence is properly managed. This involves a balance between managing exoffenders and the crucially important goal of connecting them to services and opportunities (such as housing and employment) that will lend stability after the initial shock of leaving the regimented, structured life of prison. These need not be mutually exclusive goals. The role that probation services can play is explored in Chapter 6. Prisons must also understand and address the factors that, in many cases, drive criminal behaviour. Rehabilitation programmes for alcohol and drug addiction are vital in this regard as are programmes that aim to help prisoners understand the motivations and reasons for their crimes. Policy and best practice in alcohol and drug rehabilitation, and in sex-offender rehabilitation, are surveyed in Chapters 7 and 8. Yet the main challenge for prisoners remains how they will readapt to life in the community after their release. Preparation for this should begin immediately after their admission to prison. This is a huge adjustment for the prisoner and their families to make, especially after a longer sentence, and one where a number of factors come into play. Education (Chapter 9) is vital; if successfully completed it can have benefits both by offering prisoners employment skills they may not have had before and by allowing prisoners a different perspective on their lives. Preparation and support for prisoners to help them with the search for housing and employment are also important, as is the availability of training to improve their financial skills and thereby plan for the financial uncertainty and period of unemployment that may follow release. Current policies and best practice in these areas are explored in Chapter 10. Prisons should also try as far as possible to ensure that prisoners are able to stay in close touch with their families. Families provide the kind of motivation and support that official agencies simply cannot, and prison administrations must therefore make sure that they do not break family ties. This theme is explored in Chapter 11. Chapter 12 argues for the inclusion of prisoners in society more generally by arguing for the ending of blanket bans on prisoner voting. Finally, Chapter 13 makes the case for greater use of Restorative justice practices within and alongside the existing criminal justice system. Restorative justice aims to deal with conflicts (in this case, those caused by crime) by helping those affected explore the harm done and how it might be repaired. Such interventions may not be suitable in all cases and must be done with the consent of the individuals concerned, but have been shown to powerfully affect both offenders’ and victims’ perspectives on crimes. They work because they address the individual needs and issues caused by crime. At the core of all these issues and approaches is the fact that prisoners, for all that they may have committed acts that society disapproves of or even abhors, remain individual people, and they remain members of the wider community. If law-abiding behaviour arises out of respect or consideration for other members of our community, then dealing with crime solely by excluding its perpetrators from the same community that desires their future respect and consideration is unlikely to work. Continuing to exclude them after their release from prison merely exacerbates the problem, as does allowing prisons to become so overcrowded that prison staff cannot know or address the individual needs of prisoners. Proponents of an evermore punitive prison policy must confront this uncomfortable truth. There is no ‘catch-all’ solution to criminality and the policies and practices described in this report will not all apply to all offenders. However, exploration of best practice is worthwhile. Such practices, combined with a realistic policy on sentencing and prison population, may allow prisons to become genuinely rehabilitative. In so doing, prisons could be made to serve better the society that invests so heavily in them.

Details: Geneva: Quaker Council for European Affairs, 2011. 156p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 24, 2012 at: http://www.qcea.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/rprt-reintegration-full-en-may-2011.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: Europe

Keywords: Correctional Programs

Shelf Number: 125752


Author: Ainsaar, Mare

Title: Online Behaviour Related to Child Sexual Abuse: Literature Report

Summary: Young people today grow up in a technology-mediated world with almost unlimited access to games, music and film, not to mention the enormous array of contacts with other youth all over the world facilitated by the Internet. This opens tremendous possibilities that were unimaginable only half a generation ago. While such availability would uniformly be seen as positive, there are increasingly concerns about the problems access to technology might bring for young people. While the overwhelming majority of children and young people navigate safely through the Information and Communication Technologies, some children fall victim to abuse and to violence. While there is concern across different countries about online solicitation and grooming, there have been very few analyses to date that have explored how these contacts occur and what maintains these online relationships in the face of highly sexualised content. The ROBERT project intends to make online interaction safe for children and young people. This will be achieved by learning from experiences of online abuse processes and the factors that make young people vulnerable as well as those that offer protection. As part of the ROBERT project a systematic review of studies, with a specific focus on sexually abusive online experiences and offline sexual abuse that have started with an online contact or where the contacts between the perpetrator and the young person have relied heavily on information and communication technologies has been made. This report will cover also some issues of specific interest as we discuss young people who are at risk of sexual abuse in connection with information and communication technologies and seek answers questions as follows: I What patterns can be observed from the review on a European level that relate to areas of concern across different countries? II How do different data collection methods impact on the type and the quality of the data obtained? (For example, telephone interviews, paper based surveys responded to in class-room settings, online questionnaires etc). III When compared with other research on difficult and sensitive issues involving young persons, what is indicated in relation to disclosure and how does this compare with official statistics? IV Which behavioural patterns and risks seem to differentiate between specific groups of young people? (e.g. in relation to gender or sexual orientation). V Are there any reports that explore the perception of the young person with regard to the expression of their sexuality online and their interpretation of abusive practices? VI What studies have examined specific behavioural patterns that can be seen as leading from online contact to abusive experiences? VII How can we understand resilience in relation to young people’s online behaviour? VIII Do the reports indicate new emerging research needs as yet uncovered? IX What are the individual risk factors, or risks related to the environment, leading to sexually abusive experiences? X How have the complex ethical issues in involving children been negotiated across studies? Relevant publications were added to a publications database, set up as a part of the project. The emphasis of the work was on collecting information on publications related to online sexual abuse issues from 20 EU countries and Russia, but also publications from other parts of the world have been included if information was available to the project partners. The current report is the first analysis of literature collected by the ROBERT project in the database. The report consists of four major topics: 1. Methodological issues including regional and methodological coverage of online child sexual violence literature 2. Research evidence in to behavioural patterns which lead to becoming a victim of sexual abuse including risk factors of becoming a victim of sexual abuse 3. Behavioural patterns which lead to becoming a sexual abuser and sexually abusive behaviours including risk factors which lead to becoming a sexual abuser and sexually abusive behaviours 4. Specific behavioural patterns and risks of becoming a victim of abuse in relation to particular groups The database on Internet related child sexual abuse literature is available for public use on the Child Centre webpage www.childcentre.info/ROBERT.

Details: Child Centre (The Expert Group for Cooperation on Children at Risk; ROBERT Project, EU Safer Internet Programme, 2012. 122p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 24, 2012 at: http://www.childcentre.info/robert/public/Online_behaviour_related_to_sexual_abuse.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Computer Crimes

Shelf Number: 125757


Author: United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). Innocenti Research Centre

Title: Child Trafficking in the Nordic Countries: Rethinking Strategies and National Responses. Technical report

Summary: The study was initiated with twin aims: improving understanding of child trafficking and responses in the region; and contributing to the international discourse on child trafficking by examining the linkages between anti-trafficking responses and child protection systems. Although the study was conceived with a primary focus on trafficking, its scope is much broader. It analyses how the general principles of the Convention of the Rights of the Child are applied in relation to those children vulnerable to trafficking and other forms of exploitation. The study confirms that the Nordic countries have indeed made significant − and continuously evolving − attempts to address the issue of child trafficking, including through setting up relevant institutions, developing action plans and allocating budgets. However, while this has meant that specialized expertise is available for specific groups of children, it has sometimes also led to fragmentation of services, leaving some children unprotected. The research also finds that many existing gaps may be bridged by consistent and strengthened implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. At the same time, the study highlights that there is a way to achieve a fuller realization of rights for children who are vulnerable.

Details: Florence, Italy: UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre, 2012. 164p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 25, 2012 at: http://www.unicef-irc.org/publications/643

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Child Protection

Shelf Number: 125768


Author: Liedl, Claudia

Title: Top-down vs. Bottom-up: Does a top-down approach bear more advantages than a bottom-up approach within the implementation process of housing security projects?

Summary: In March 2004 the European Commission enacted a legal act in order to manifest crime prevention within the European Union. This act aimed at the prevention of domestic burglary, violent crime and high-volume crime. The Council Decision of May 2001 stated that crime prevention covers all measures that are intended to reduce or otherwise contribute to reducing crime and citizens' feeling of insecurity, both quantitatively and qualitatively, either through directly deterring criminal activities or through policies and interventions designed to reduce the potential for crime and the causes of crime. It includes work by government, competent authorities, criminal justice agencies, local authorities, specialist associations, the private and voluntary sectors, researchers and the public, supported by the media (Europea - Summaries of EU legislation, 2006). This is a very broad definition of crime prevention; this study does only focus on a small part of it. The case study carried out in this thesis comprises two projects based on the crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED) theory. In the study two CPTED projects (a German and a Dutch one) which deal with housing security are investigated. As they are already evaluated by other scholars this will not be the purpose of the study. This thesis compares the two ways of implementing a project 􀍴 bottom-up and top-down 􀍴 and therefore deals with the research question whether a top-down approach bears more advantages than a bottom-up approach within the implementation process of housing security projects.

Details: Twente: University of Twente, Centre for European Studies, 2011. 94p.

Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed July 27, 2012 at: http://essay.utwente.nl/61106/1/BSc_B_Liedl.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: Europe

Keywords: Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPT

Shelf Number: 125792


Author: Bennett, Christine

Title: Public Perceptions of Safety and Security in Kosovo: Time to Act

Summary: This survey is the sixth in a series which tracks changes in public perceptions of safety and security in Kosovo over time. It tests how people believe access to, responsiveness and performance of security and justice institutions in Kosovo are developing and is based on qualitative and quantitative data collected through a household survey and focus group discussions. The survey was conducted by Saferworld with input provided by the Forum for Civic Initiatives (FIQ). It takes into account the role of different characteristics, such as ethnicity and geographic location and to a lesser extent gender and age, in shaping people’s perceptions of both national and international security providers. The survey aims to contribute towards the development of responsive, accountable and people-focused security and justice provisions in Kosovo. The survey findings are cause for concern that should be noted and trigger a response. They show that the political crisis in Kosovo in late 2010 which continues at the time of writing this report had a devastating effect on local safety and security perceptions, attitudes towards small arms and light weapons (SALW) and, even more so, on the trust placed in security and justice providers. Perceptions of day-to-day public safety and security have slightly deteriorated and an increasing number of people – particularly young people – would consider acquiring weapons. The reputation of the Kosovo Police (KP), which was previously held in high regard by the majority of the population, has particularly suffered in the last year. This may be linked to heated political debates about the security situation in Kosovo, the performance of the police and the high turnover in senior police staff in Autumn 2010. Findings indicate that people are tired of what they see as insufficiently accountable and ineffective institutions, both at national level – such as the police, customs and justice sectors and international level, particularly with regards to EU Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX). The Government and institutions concerned must step up efforts to improve their credibility, in order to prevent further frustration and alienation from spreading.

Details: London: Saferworld, 2011. 50p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 13, 2012 at: http://www.saferworld.org.uk/downloads/pubdocs/Kosovo_tracker_survey_2011_English_reduced.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: Europe

Keywords: Criminal Justice System

Shelf Number: 126007


Author: European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia

Title: The Impact of 7 July 2005 London Bomb Attacks on Muslim Communities in the EU

Summary: The report analyses the impact of the bomb attacks on the EU's Muslim communities, examining government and police responses to the events, the reaction from Muslim communities, media reporting, and the possibility of an anti-Muslim backlash, in the EU and in the UK in particular. The Agency finds that the strong and united stand taken by the UK Government, police and community leaders, including Muslim community representatives, in condemning both the bombings and any retaliation, has played a major part in preventing an anti-Muslim backlash. This joint action was decisive in countering a short-term upsurge in anti-Muslim incidents in the immediate aftermath of the bombings. Such incidents have now dropped back to levels before the bomb attacks. The report finds that across the EU, the firm stand taken by Governments, communities and Muslim organisations has had a similar effect. The report concludes with recommendations on how in the longer term Islamophobia can be countered and community cohesion is strengthened.

Details: Vienna: European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia (EUMC), 2005. 56p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 14, 2012 at http://fra.europa.eu/fraWebsite/attachments/London-Bomb-attacks-EN.pdf

Year: 2005

Country: Europe

Keywords: Crime Prevention (Europe)

Shelf Number: 126031


Author: Khasia, Maia

Title: The Abolition of the Death Penalty and Its Alternative Sanction in South Caucasus: Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia

Summary: The death penalty is the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment. It represents an unacceptable denial of human dignity and integrity. It is irrevocable, and where criminal justice systems are open to error or discrimination, the death penalty will inevitably be inflicted on the innocent. The challenges within the criminal justice system do not end with the institution of a moratorium or with abolition of the death penalty, as the problem of what to do with the most serious offenders remains. Many countries that institute moratoria do not create humane conditions for prisoners held indefinitely on ‘death row’, or substitute alternative sanctions that amount to torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment, such as life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, solitary confinement for long and indeterminate periods of time, and inadequate basic physical or medical provisions. Punitive conditions of detention and less favourable treatment are prevalent for reprieved death row prisoners. This research paper focuses on the historical application of the death penalty, and the processes of its eventual abolition in the South Caucasus region, and subsequently the implementation of its alternative sanction, life imprisonment. Its aim is to provide up-to-date information about the laws and practices relating to how the death penalty was applied prior to abolition, and how life imprisonment is now being implemented in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. This paper takes a country-by-country approach and focuses on: DD The legal framework of the death penalty and its alternative sanction (life imprisonment). DD Implementation of the sentence, including an analysis of fair trial standards. DD Statistical information on the application of the death penalty/life imprisonment. DD Application of the sentence including an analysis of the conditions of imprisonment. DD Criminal justice reform processes in each country. This paper provides detailed and practical recommendations tailored to each country to bring it in line with international human rights standards and norms. It is intended as a follow-up report to the 2009 PRI report “Life Imprisonment and Conditions of Serving the Sentence in the South Caucasus”. We hope this research paper will assist advocacy efforts in the region towards the implementation of alternative sanctions that are humane and respect international human rights standards. We also hope this paper will assist researchers, academics, members of the international and donor community, and all other stakeholders involved in penal reform processes including parliamentarians, prison officials and members of the judiciary. This report has been published in English, Georgian and Russian. March 2012 it in line with international human rights standards and norms. It is intended as a follow-up report to the 2009 PRI report “Life Imprisonment and Conditions of Serving the Sentence in the South Caucasus”.

Details: London: Penal Reform International, 2012. 61p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 13, 2012 at: http://www.penalreform.org/files/South%20Caucasus%20Research%20Report%20Death%20Penalty%20and%20Alternatives%20ENGLISH.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Capital Punishment

Shelf Number: 126321


Author: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction

Title: Travel and Drug Use in Europe: A Short Review

Summary: Recent decades have seen a growth in travel and tourism abroad because of cheap air fares and holiday packages. This has been accompanied by a relaxation of border controls, especially within parts of Europe participating in the Schengen Agreement. As some people may be more inclined to use illicit substances during holiday periods and some may even choose to travel to destinations that are associated with drug use — a phenomenon sometimes referred to as ‘drug tourism’ — this means that from a European drug policy perspective the issue of drug use and travel has become more important. This Thematic paper examines travellers and drug use, with a focus on Europeans travelling within Europe, although some other relevant destinations are also included. For the purpose of this publication, a ‘traveller’ is defined as someone who goes abroad for reasons ranging from a weekend visit to a music festival or a short holiday, through to backpacking for longer periods. Using drugs in a foreign country can be associated with additional risks and consequences. For example, while drug use anywhere may lead to adverse health consequences, using drugs abroad can be associated with increased risks due to additional uncertainties regarding the composition and purity of the substances and the lack of knowledge of local health and social services. In addition, under the influence of drugs, tourists may also engage in behaviours that put them at risk of various medical conditions, accidents and risky sexual practices. They also risk arrest and imprisonment for possessing, using, selling or smuggling drugs into and out of a country. Local populations may also be negatively affected. While visitors bring income to the host countries, drug use by some may lead to antisocial behaviour and public nuisance, an increase in those requiring health and social services, and the presence of gangs controlling the drug trade, thus putting pressure on the local law enforcement, health and social services. Little is known about the issue of drug use by travellers. This Thematic paper seeks to increase the interest in this topic both in terms of research and of developing adequate responses to problems related to drugs and travel. The paper aims to shed some light on this topic by investigating the following five questions: What is the profile of those who travel and use drugs? Which destinations have been associated with drug use among travellers? What is the prevalence of drug use among travellers? What are the risks associated with using drugs while travelling? What is the potential for prevention interventions? Information for this publication was collected from online reference resources, such as PubMed and Scopus, and with the help of Internet search engines. In addition, six Reitox national focal points (1) provided information about drugs and travel in their countries and about drug use among their citizens while the latter are travelling. These countries are presented as examples in the following pages but they should not be considered as necessarily having more extensive travel and drug use problems than other European countries.

Details: Lisbon: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, 2012. 24p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 13, 2012 at: http://www.ofdt.fr/BDD/publications/docs/OEDT1209travellers.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction (Europe)

Shelf Number: 126328


Author: Calderoni, Francesco

Title: Crime Proofing the Policy Options for the Revision of the Tobacco Products Directive: Proofing the Policy Options Under Consideration for the Revision of EU Directive 2001/37/EC Against the Risks of Unintended Criminal Opportunities

Summary: The report by Transcrime uses a widely endorsed crime proofing methodology that assesses opportunities for crime inadvertently created by regulation. Analyzing all the proposed policy options for the revision of the TPD, Transcrime found three major policy areas which are likely to increase crime: generic packaging for tobacco products, implementation of a “polluter pays principle” and a ban on the display of tobacco products at the point of sale. “The crime proofing exercise we have conducted has shown that some of the policy options envisaged by the European Commission carry significant risks of creating unintended opportunities for the illicit trade in tobacco products. In particular, there is a high risk that a measure such as generic packaging may increase the counterfeiting of tobacco products and make it difficult for consumers to distinguish legitimate products from illegitimate ones” said the report’s author, Professor Ernesto Savona. Available information on the currently on-going impact assessment for the revision of the TPD indicates that the Directorate General for Health and Consumer Protection (DG SANCO) paid almost no attention to the potential impacts on the illegal trade in tobacco products. “Contrary to their own guidelines, European policymakers rarely consider the crime risk implications when drafting new legislation and the revision of the Tobacco Products Directive by DG SANCO seems to confirm this,” continued Professor Savona. In the report, Transcrime emphasizes the need for further research and attention by policy makers to assess, among the many consequences, also the crime impact of proposed tobacco policy measures, something that has been systematically overlooked so far.

Details: Trento, Italy: Transcrime - Joint Research Centre on Transnational Crime, 2012. 60p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 14, 2012 at: http://transcrime.cs.unitn.it/tc/537.php

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Counterfeit Tobacco

Shelf Number: 126347


Author: Buckland, Gemma

Title: Review of Effective Practice with Young Offenders in Mainland Europe

Summary: Professionals are working across the European Union to tackle the urgent problems that cause offending by young people. The aim of this report is to share information on success in working on these issues. It provides a review of practices from countries in the European Union that show some promise of effectiveness. Evaluations for youth justice initiatives in Europe are very poorly disseminated. This report has been compiled using a combination of searches in bibliographic databases, searches of the World Wide Web in all the European national languages and through personal contacts with academics and Ministries of Justice.

Details: London: Youth Justice Board, 2001. 51p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 26, 2012 at: http://yjbpublications.justice.gov.uk/en-gb/scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=120&eP=

Year: 2001

Country: Europe

Keywords: Delinquency Prevention

Shelf Number: 126463


Author: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA)

Title: Cost and Financing of Drug Treatment Services in Europe: An Exploratory Study

Summary: Recent estimates suggest that, each year, over 1 million Europeans receive treatment for problems related to the use of illicit drugs (EMCDDA, 2010). Of these, more than half receive opioid substitution treatment for problems related to opioid drugs, primarily heroin. The current levels of provision of drug treatment services in the European Union are the result of an expansion of services that has taken place during the last two decades. For much of that time, services expanded against a background of a growing drug problem, and one in which economic conditions were largely favourable. Now, however, in an era of cuts in government expenditure, managing the costs of treatment and ensuring the highest quality and best outcomes for the lowest possible cost are priorities. While measuring and improving drug treatment outcomes have been relatively high on the research agenda in recent years, the cost of treatment has received far less research attention. Addressing this information gap is likely to have a number of benefits for both decision-makers and treatment providers. On the one hand, service providers need accurate information on the costs of service provision in order to plan the allocation of resources. On the other, decision-makers and funders can use such information as a means of cost control, for example, by comparing costs of similar services or those of alternative providers of similar services. Finally, as a part of a fuller economic analysis, information on service costs is needed to determine the cost-effectiveness of interventions and treatment programmes. The cost of drug treatment in Europe is looked at from two main angles in this Selected issue. First, it presents an overview of the main sources of drug treatment funding and the financing mechanisms that are employed in European countries. The available data are presented on who is paying for drug treatment, how funding is organised, and how funding is distributed among different treatment modalities. This is followed by an analysis of the unit costs of different types of drug treatment. Costs related to opioid substitution treatment including the costs of substitution medication for a number of European countries are presented here. This publication keeps a tight focus on the cost of drug treatment and does not attempt to undertake a broader economic analysis of the healthcare and social costs relating to illicit drugs. Exploring the cost and financing of drug treatment services in Europe This Selected issue represents a first attempt to provide a European overview of drug treatment costs, and individual countries are brought into focus to illustrate specific aspects of the analysis. This subject is both topical and methodologically challenging. The varying availability of information as well as the complexity of funding arrangements mean that, at best, only very incomplete estimates can be made of the costs of (or expenditure on) drug treatment in Europe.

Details: Luxembourg: Publications Offi ce of the European Union, 2011. 28p.

Source: Internet Resource: Selected Issue 2011: Accessed September 27, 2012 at: http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/attachements.cfm/att_143682_EN_TDSI11001ENC.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction (Europe)

Shelf Number: 126480


Author: Nuytiens, An

Title: Sport, Science and Art in the Prevention of Crime Among Children and Youth

Summary: This paper explores theoretical frameworks used for understanding the relationship between leisure activities and the prevention of youth crime. It is examined whether scientific research has yielded empirical support for these theoretical perspectives. This discussion is illustrated by means of examples of good or promising projects for each field (sports, art, science). It is concluded that leisure can be regarded as an important context for youth crime prevention. In practice however, there appears to be little scientific evidence for these mechanisms. Therefore, it is difficult to identify good or promising practices within this field.

Details: Brussels: European Crime Prevention Network, 2012. 17p.

Source: EUCPN Thematic Paper No. 1: Internet Resource: Accessed September 30, 2012 at http://www.eucpn.org/download/?file=EUCPN%20Thematic%20Paper%20No%201.pdf&type=13

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Arts in Prisons

Shelf Number: 126511


Author: Ponemon Institute

Title: The Billion Euro Lost Laptop Problem: Benchmark study of European organizations

Summary: Intel and Ponemon Institute are pleased to present the results of The Billion Euro Lost Laptop Problem, which is an independent benchmark study of 275 private and public sector organizations located in eight countries, including the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Sweden and Spain. The purpose of the study is to determine the economic consequences to European organizations when laptops used by employees and contractors are lost or stolen. To calculate the total economic impact we referred to The Cost of a Lost Laptop benchmark study released in 2009 and also sponsored by Intel. In that study we were able to determine that the average value of one lost laptop is 35,284 Euros. We believe this study is important because it reveals the significant cost to organizations as a result of lost or missing laptops. Based on previous Ponemon Institute research completed in May 2009, the total economic impact of one lost laptop is $49,256 (or €35,284). If we apply the figures from this earlier research to the present sample, this would be a combined cost of €1.29 billion for the 275 organizations participating in our study. This yields €4.8 million per organization, on average. In addition to convincing employees and contractors of the importance of keeping a careful watch over their laptops, it is also important to protect the sensitive data contained on the computer. Not surprisingly, lost or stolen laptops are costly to organizations. But it is not the replacement cost that should have companies concerned. Rather it is the data and the risk of a data breach that can have serious financial implications for companies. The cost of a data breach, as we determined in the 2009 study, represents 80 percent of the total cost of a lost laptop compared to two percent for replacing the computer. We also found that encryption on average can reduce the cost of a lost laptop by nearly half. We also recommend training and awareness programs for all employees who have laptops. Only 13 percent are lost in the workplace. Thus, special attention should be paid to instructing employees who take their laptops off-site such as when traveling or working from home. Another important recommendation is to have policies that require employees to report a lost or stolen laptop as soon as possible. In addition, anti-theft and data protection solutions are available to secure laptops and the sensitive and confidential information they contain. Based on the costly consequences of lost laptops, the business case can be made for allocating the necessary resources to stop the loss and protect the data.

Details: Traverse City, MI: Ponemon Institute, 2011. 14p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 30, 2012 at http://www.intel.com/content/dam/doc/case-study/mobile-computing-security-eu-benchmark-study.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: Europe

Keywords: Costs of Crime

Shelf Number: 126515


Author: Chiru, Mihail

Title: Physical Insecurity and Anti-Immigration Views in Western Europe

Summary: This article assesses the effect of feelings of physical insecurity on the perceived consequences of immigration and the preferred level of restriction in this policy area. Our comparative analysis uses individual level and country level data for 12 Western European countries. Our statistical analyses indicate significant effects both at pooled level and in most of the separate tests conducted on national samples. Overall, a switch in physical insecurity from the minimal to the maximal level decreases the preference for liberal immigration policies by 7.4% and increases the negative evaluations of the immigration consequences by 8.3%. The findings also emphasize the importance of social alienation, radical-right partisanship, and of ‘tough on crime’ attitudes on the formation of anti-immigration opinions. The cross-country variation in the main effect is partially explained by the size of the immigration community, unemployment rates and the change in GDP real growth.

Details: Oxford, UK: Centre on Migration, Policy and Society, 2012. 22p.

Source: Internet Resource: Working Paper No. 98: Accessed October 1, 2012 at: http://www.compas.ox.ac.uk/publications/working-papers/wp-12-98/

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Immigrants

Shelf Number: 126535


Author: Pjano, Ahmed

Title: Regional Report on Child Begging. Prevalence, Prevention and Supression of Child Begging. Prevention of Child Exploitation in South East Europe

Summary: Begging, as a social phenomenon, is public, visible and undisguised. Most child beggars exist in major cities and have almost become one of their distinctive features. Although they can be regularly seen on city squares, traffic roads and crossroads, in front of shops and in parks, these children are largely invisible for the system and the society. Little is known about their origin, life, family and social statuses, while the underlying causes of their being involved in begging activities are usually not subject to research, nor are they being systematically dealt with. During the first half of the year, Save the Children Norway SEE together with four members of the South East Europe Children’s Rights Ombudspersons’ Network: Provincial Ombudsman of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, Ombudsman for Children of the Republika Srpska, Ombudsman of the Republic of Montenegro and Ombudsman of the Republic of Serbia – conducted a research to collect data on prevalence and principal characteristics of the child begging phenomenon in the SEE Region. The research sets out priorities and gives recommendations to all of the stakeholders in the area of child begging, with an aim to protect numerous children subject to such exploitation.

Details: Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2011. 33p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 11, 2012 at:

Year: 2011

Country: Europe

Keywords: Child Begging (Europe)

Shelf Number: 126678


Author: Kulu-Glasgow, I.

Title: Categorical Accommodation and Assistance for Victims of Trafficking in Human Beings. A Study of Four European Countries

Summary: The shortage of adequate and suitable shelter facilities for victims of trafficking in human beings (THB) has been on the agenda now for several years in the Netherlands. Until recently, female victims of THB were usually accommodated in women’s shelters; male victims mostly in shelters for the homeless, or public shelters. There have been signals that these types of shelters do not meet the specific needs of this particular group of victims (e.g. lack of specialised assistance and sufficient security measures) (Ministerie van VWS, 2010; NRM 2009, 2010). In June 2010, the Dutch government started a pilot project on categorical accommodation and assistance (CAA) for adult victims of THB (for national or non-national victims of exploitation in all sectors), which will continue until the end of 2014. The aim of this research is to look at the experiences that other European countries have had with CAA for adult victims of THB, and present an overview of the organisation and implementation of CAA in these countries. This includes descriptions of the bottlenecks these countries have experienced, any possible solutions they have employed, and the perceived advantages and disadvantages of CAA. The study may provide input for the possible further implementation of CAA in the Netherlands. Four countries were selected: Belgium, the Czech Republic, Italy and Spain. These countries were chosen with an eye on the diversity of the organisation and implementation of CAA, and their similarity with the Netherlands (all countries are transit and destination countries for victims of THB) and with the Dutch pilot on CAA (a broad target group). The three central research questions in this study are: 1 What are the objectives of CAA for victims of THB in the selected EU countries and what is the target group? 2 How is CAA for victims of THB organised and implemented in the selected countries? Are there any bottlenecks? 3 What are the perceived advantages and disadvantages of CAA for victims of THB? To answer the above research questions the following methods were used: • a literature survey, • interviews with 22 representatives of ministries, specialised NGOs providing CAA, and other relevant institutions in the selected countries; additionally, another five representatives of these organisations provided exclusively written information. In Belgium and the Czech Republic, representatives of all the specialised NGOs providing CAA to victims of THB were interviewed (three NGOs and three shelters and two NGOs and three shelters respectively). In Italy representatives from two Italian NGOs (operating two and six shelters respectively), and in Spain from one NGO (operating three shelters) were interviewed. Considering the large number of NGOs in these two countries, the results of this study do not cover all variations in the implementation of CAA in Italy and Spain.

Details: The Hague: Dutch Minister of Security and Justice., Research and Documentation Centre, 2012. 203p.

Source: Internet Resource: Cahier 2012-8: http://english.wodc.nl/onderzoeksdatabase/vergelijkend-landenonderzoek-naar-de-categorale-opvang-van-slachtoffers-mensenhandel.aspx?cp=45&cs=6799

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Housing

Shelf Number: 126681


Author: Madsen, Sanne

Title: Internet the Dangers and the Possibilities -- A Study about Swedish and Danish Teenagers’ Internet Habits

Summary: When unknown things, (e.g. a new media) first emerge on the market it is often defined as a threat to the society’s values. This phenomenon is called moral panic and seems to be happening right now due to the diffusion of the Internet. Many times teenagers find themselves in the middle of disturbing situations. There are also concerns in the society that the Internet makes teenagers antisocial. Teenagers of today have been growing up with the Internet as a part of their daily life. Therefore we want to discover how this media affects them. We also want to find out if there are any differences and similarities in how Swedish and Danish teenagers use the Internet. In addition, we are interested to find out if there are any differences in how girls and boys use the media. We have done a quantitative research study where we used questionnaires. The questionnaires included 27 questions concerning Internet habits. The questionnaires were handed out to two schools, Bergaskolan in Sweden and Frederikssunds Private Realskole in Denmark. The students were in the age group 14 to 17 and went in grade 7, 8 and 9. We received 329 questionnaires and based our research on those answers. We didn’t find any major differences between the Swedish and the Danish students Internet habits. However, Swedish students seem to chat more than the Danish students. It is also common for both Swedish and Danish teenagers to have experienced something disturbing on Internet. In addition it is also common among the teenagers not to tell their parents about the incidents they frequently experiences while being online. We found some differences between the genders Internet habits. For example, the girls tend to use the Internet as an information tool whereas the boys use it as an entertainment provider.

Details: Lund University Department of Sociology Media and Communication Studies, 2004. 61p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 15, 2012 at: http://lup.lub.lu.se/luur/download?func=downloadFile&recordOId=1357519&fileOId=1357520

Year: 2004

Country: Europe

Keywords: Computer Crimes

Shelf Number: 126732


Author: Nunziata, Luca

Title: Crime Perception and Victimization in Europe: Does Immigration Matter?

Summary: This paper presents an empirical analysis of the effect of changes in immigration in region of residence on the likelihood of being a crime victim and on the subjective representation of criminality in local area of residence. To this purpose, the analysis exploits the recent immigration waves that took place in western European regions in the 2000s, using European Social Survey data matched with data from Labour Force Survey and other sources. Three alternative research strategies are proposed and discussed to account for possible endogeneity and measurement error of migration penetration: fixed effects by regions and country specific years; IV by instrumenting migration penetration at regional level using a second measurement provided by an alternative data source and an IV specification in differences where changes in immigration are instrumented using exogenous supply-push changes by migration flow areas. All identification strategies suggest no effect of immigration on crime victimization and perception in western Europe. However, simple OLS estimates suggest otherwise, implying that regional unobserved characteristics are partly responsible for inducing the public to wrongly imply a causal relationship between immigration and crime, whereas only a small positive correlation exists. This latter finding helps explaining why crime perception is an important driver of the attitude of European citizens towards immigration.

Details: Padua, Italy: University of Padua, Department of Economics, 2012. 48p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 9, 2012 at: http://www.csea.decon.unipd.it/download/projects/immigration/CSEA_2011_004_Nunziata.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Crime and Immigration

Shelf Number: 126900


Author: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs

Title: Cannabis Production and Markets in Europe

Summary: This study brings together available evidence to provide a comprehensive analysis of cannabis production and markets across the EU. It combines information from EMCDDA routine reporting — data on patterns of prevalence and use, seizures, police reports, drug-law offences, cannabis potency and retail market prices — with literature on cannabis markets to create an in-depth analysis of the issue in a European context. The analysis presented in this volume covers, as far as possible, the 30 countries that participate in the EMCDDA’s reporting system. That is the 27 EU Member States, Croatia, Turkey and Norway. The information reviewed is based on a number of sources and methodologies. We list below the main sources and data used as a basis for the analysis, and more detailed methodological notes are provided throughout the text. Some of the data used in this report are derived from the EMCDDA’s routine monitoring, based on its Reitox network of national focal points. Data on prevalence and patterns of drug use, drug seizures, police reports of drug law offences, cannabis potency and retail prices are part of the quantitative data sets submitted by reporting countries on an annual basis. Quantitative data are routinely analysed and made available in the online Statistical bulletin (EMCDDA, 2011b), but more in-depth analyses were carried out for this publication. In addition, the EMCDDA’s routine monitoring includes a national narrative report providing an overview of the drug phenomenon and, among other issues, information on drug supply and drug trafficking, drug laws and sentencing practices. Legal texts held in the European Legal Database on Drugs (ELDD) and an ad hoc consultation of the legal correspondents network that informs the database were also used as sources of information for this report. In addition, two independent studies were carried out to obtain more detailed data and other information on specific aspects of cannabis production and markets in Europe. The issue of market shares of different cannabis products was a focus of both of these exercises. First, the national focal points, within the context of a Selected issue data collection exercise (Reitox national focal points, 2009), provided an overview of cannabis production (brief history, plantations seized, ‘grow shops’), distribution of cannabis at national level (structure and actors, wholesale prices, retail outlets, transaction sizes) and cannabis supply reduction responses (law enforcement activities, cannabis seizures, cannabis offences). These national contributions result from an analysis of different sources, including quantitative data, targeted studies, research, expert opinions and information from operational actors such as law enforcement. Second, the EMCDDA commissioned a study (Costes et al., 2009) to provide an overview of cannabis production methods (covering topics such as materials and costs) and typologies of growers, and of cannabis flows and trafficking routes to and within Europe. The authors carried out a survey based on key informants drawn from across Europe as part of this exercise. This report is also informed by an extensive review of the literature, which took in both scientific papers published in peer-reviewed journals and the ‘grey literature’ 16 (including reports from international organisations). For a number of the issues addressed in this report, the literature served as the only information source or as a complement. Analysis of the literature proved to be key in areas where standardised data collections are relatively rare, in particular on the botany of cannabis and on the production of cannabis both outside and within Europe. Chapter 1 reviews the origins of cannabis and its diffusion. Consideration is given to the morphology and anatomy of this interesting plant — which can be characterised by its extreme natural variation. This is accompanied by an analysis of production issues, including cultivation and processing for consumption. Chapter 2 provides an overview of the source countries for the cannabis imported into Europe. It includes a critical review of the considerable, and arguably insurmountable, challenges associated with estimating global cannabis production. The chapter focuses mainly on cannabis production in, and exportation to Europe from, the five regions and countries (the ‘big five’) most often mentioned as a source: North Africa (Morocco), south-west Asia (Afghanistan), the Balkans (Albania), the Middle East (Lebanon) and sub-Saharan Africa (South Africa). Chapter 3 is dedicated to cannabis production in Europe. Starting with the historical context, including the substitution of imported resin by domestically produced herb in some countries, it then reviews available evidence of the extent and type of cannabis cultivation across Europe. A typology of cannabis growers and their motivations is discussed. Distribution, either social or commercial, is addressed, and an analysis of issues related to transactions and prices is presented. Cannabinoid contents, and in particular tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), are addressed in Chapter 4, as are issues affecting the sampling and quantitative analysis of THC in cannabis products. This is followed by a review of the data available on cannabis potency in Europe. Chapter 5 focuses on cannabis consumption. Starting with an overview of the situation and trends in cannabis use in Europe, it then reviews the results of the few studies that have estimated the size of the market for cannabis in Europe. It ends with an analysis of the market shares at consumer level of cannabis herb and cannabis resin across Europe. Differences in the legislations controlling cannabis cultivation and supply in Europe are discussed in Chapter 6, which also provides an analysis of data on cannabis offences reported by law enforcement, and of cannabis seizures across Europe. The chapter ends with a brief overview of the strategies and tactics employed by law enforcement in their fight against cannabis cultivation and cannabis trafficking in Europe.

Details: Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, 2012. 274p.

Source: Internet Resource: EMCDDA Insights Series No 12; Accessed November 9, 2012 at: http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/publications/insights/cannabis-market

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Cannabis

Shelf Number: 126911


Author: Berg-le Clercq, Tijne

Title: Combating Child Abuse and Neglect in Germany, Hungary, Portugal, Sweden and The Netherlands. Final Report of Work Stream 1: Collecting and Comparing Strategies, Actions and Practice

Summary: The Netherlands Youth Institute in co-operation with 4 partner country organisations in Germany, Hungary, Portugal and Sweden has been granted a two-year project (2011 – 2012) within the framework of the Daphne III programme ‘preventing and combating violence against children, young people and women and to protect victims and groups at risk’. The project is called ‘Prevent and Combat Child Abuse: What works? An overview of regional approaches, exchange and research’. It aims to generate relevant knowledge on current strategies for the prevention of child abuse and neglect in Europe. It focuses on interventions and strategies that are targeted at the prevention and treatment of child abuse in the five participating European countries. The project also has a research strand with the experiences of parents regarding programmes. The final output of the project is a manual with data about what works in the prevention and the treatment of child abuse. The project is coordinated by the Netherlands Youth Institute and carried out in collaboration with the Swedish Orebro regional council, the Hungarian Family child Youth Association, the German Youth Institute, CESIS from Portugal and the Verweij-Jonker Institute from The Netherlands. Work stream 1 This report is the final product of work stream 1 of this Daphne project called ‘Collecting and Comparing Strategies, Actions and Practice’. In this work stream, the focus was on collecting information and research in all the participating countries on the policy and practice regarding the full circle of combating child abuse, ranging from prevention to treatment. All five countries collected their own data and made a résumé and analysis on basis of national data. Next, they wrote a national report on strategies, measurements and management of tackling child abuse and neglect in the full circle, from prevention to treatment (the continuum of care). They did so by means of a questionnaire called ‘The description of the résumé and analysis of the national information and research’ that was developed especially for this Daphne project by the Netherlands Youth Institute (see Appendix 1). On the basis of the reports received from the partners and their presentation about these reports, the Netherlands Youth Institute wrote this overview report. Set-up of this report The overview report outlines the policy and practice regarding the full circle of combating child abuse, ranging from prevention to treatment in these five countries. The first chapter of this overview report outlines international obligations and the international context regarding child abuse and neglect. The second chapter describes the child welfare system of Germany, Hungary, Portugal, Sweden and The Netherlands. Chapter three addresses the measurement and management of tackling child abuse and neglect in these five countries. This chapter addresses several topics: definitions; attitudes; research; legislation and national strategies regarding child abuse and neglect. Chapter four, five and six describe the continuum of care regarding child abuse and neglect, consisting of universal and preventive services (chapter 4), detecting, reporting and stopping child abuse and neglect (chapter 5) and care services (chapter 6). These three chapters as well as chapter 8 (that addresses the education and training of professionals) have a similar set-up. All these chapters contain the following sections: introduction; governmental strategies and actions; products and their results; good practices; bottlenecks; conclusions. In contrast, chapter 7 deals with the integration of services. The final chapter of this report summarizes the main points of the previous chapters. It also contains interesting elements of each of the five countries regarding their child welfare system; the available universal and preventive services; detecting, reporting and stopping of child abuse and neglect; care services; the integration of services; the education and training of professionals.

Details: Utrecht: Netherlands Youth Institute, 2012. 84p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 20, 2012 at: http://www.youthpolicy.nl/yp/downloadsyp/Publications-Combating-child-abuse-and-neglect-in-Germany,-Hungary,-Portugal,-Sweden-and-The-Netherlands.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Child Abuse and Neglect (Germany, Hungary, Portuga

Shelf Number: 126936


Author: Geddie, Eve

Title: Strategies to End Double Violence Against Undocumented Women - Protecting Rights and Ensuring Justice

Summary: Undocumented women are those residing in Europe without a valid residence or work permit. In an absence of rights and justice, violence can be a reason for their migration, the cause of their irregularity, and consequence of this unprotected status. Gender vulnerabilities increase the likelihood of migrant women to become undocumented, a status under which they are greatly exposed to systematic violence, abuse and discrimination. The majority of undocumented women arrive to Europe with a regular, but often highly dependent migration status and become undocumented for reasons outside of their own control. While many women leave their home countries in a bid to achieve justice and equality, the discriminatory and disempowering policies which govern the migration process can often disempower them. The lack of an independent legal status is a very common challenge for migrant women and means that those subject to violence, exploitation or misinformation can easily find themselves in an undocumented situation with no possibility to re-regularise their status. Migrant women may also become undocumented following an unsuccessful claim for asylum; those seeking protection are highly disadvantaged in the asylum system as claims on grounds of gender-based violence have a disproportionately high refusal rate in many of states.1 Finally, irregular entry is another route in which migrant women can become undocumented and one in which they are at particular risk of human rights abuses.2 As workers, migrants, and carers, undocumented migrant women are frequently the main wage earner and often negotiate on behalf of their families and communities with the social, educational and health systems. The tendency to detect irregular migrants through these systems therefore places undocumented women at additional risk of being detained and deported. Paradoxically, it is the active agency of migrant women, in addition to their urgent needs regarding housing, working conditions and protection from violence which enables disproportionate discrimination. While European governments recognise health and education as fundamental standards to improve the situation of vulnerable women abroad, they implement policies which effectively strip these same women of their innate rights and entitlements should they become undocumented within EU borders. The barriers facing undocumented women to access basic social rights, social support systems or redress for abuses increases their experience of violence.

Details: Brussels, Belgium: PICUM, 2012. 128p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 24, 2012 at: http://picum.org/picum.org/uploads/publication/Double%20Violence%20Against%20Undocumented%20Women%20-%20Protecting%20Rights%20and%20Ensuring%20Justice.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Illegal Immigrants

Shelf Number: 126996


Author: European Parliament. Directorate-General for Internal Policies. Policy Department C: Citizzen's Rights and Constitutional Affairs

Title: Europe’s Crime-Terror Nexus: Links Between Terrorist and Organised Crime Groups in the European Union

Summary: The study presents a qualitative analysis of the linkages between Organised Crime (OC) and terrorism with specific reference to the European Union. A conceptual basis of the links between OC and terrorism is outlined, and systematically used to identify how these two phenomena come together in the European theatre. The study also considers developments regarding the relationship between OC and terrorism in regions outside the E.U., that have a direct impact on how the nexus is evolving in E.U. member-states. It reveals that certain linkages between OC and terrorism exist in the E.U. Trends suggest that these linkages will continue to develop. The study concludes by assessing the impact of OC-terrorism linkages on the E.U., and providing recommendations on how to address it. It points out that the effective fight against OC and terrorism depends on an integrated approach that involves all stakeholders at both national and E.U. levels.

Details: Brussels: European Parliment, 2012. 65p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 27, 2012 at: http://www.statewatch.org/news/2012/nov/ep-study-crime-terrorism.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Crime-Terror Nexus

Shelf Number: 127010


Author: Armstrong, Sarah

Title: Reducing Reoffending: Review of Selected Countries

Summary: Audit Scotland commissioned this research by the Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice on international experiences of reoffending. An international perspective of reoffending can inform understanding of the Scottish experience and suggest where efforts might be targeted to improve efficiency and effectiveness. The specific aims of this review are to: · Provide a sense over time of reoffending patterns and experiences of other, potentially comparable, jurisdictions; and, · Identify valid predictors and explanations of reoffending patterns. In addition, we try to build on this knowledge to comment in general terms on what might help reduce reoffending. Through discussion with Audit Scotland we selected five jurisdictions in addition to Scotland to focus the research. and Wales, Northern Ireland, Ireland, Norway and New Zealand. These countries were selected on the basis of size, proximity and shared or relevant penal practices which might put Scotland’s experience in context. Making direct international comparisons in an area like criminal justice is difficult, if not impossible, but considering the differing experiences of countries may nevertheless shed light on explanations for particular trajectories for reoffending within them.

Details: Edinburgh: Scottish Centre for Crime & Justice Research, 2012. 55p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 29, 2012 at: http://www.sccjr.ac.uk/documents/Reducing%20Reoffending%20FINAL%20Sept%202012.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Recidivism

Shelf Number: 127038


Author: FRA – European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights

Title: Making Hate Crime Visible in the European Union: Acknowledging Victims' Rights

Summary: Violence and crimes motivated by racism, xenophobia, religious intolerance or by a person’s disability, sexual orientation or gender identity – often referred to as ‘hate crime’ – are a daily reality throughout the European Union (EU), as data collected by the FRA consistently shows. Such crimes not only harm the victim, they are also generally prejudicial to fundamental rights, namely to human dignity and with respect to non-discrimination. Victims and witnesses of hate crimes are reluctant to report them, whether to law enforcement agencies, the criminal justice system, non-governmental organisations or victim support groups. As a result, victims of crime are often unable or unwilling to seek redress against perpetrators, with many crimes remaining unreported, unprosecuted and, therefore, invisible. In such cases, the rights of victims of crime may not be fully respected or protected and EU Member States may not be upholding the obligations they have towards victims of crime. The EU and its Member States can combat hate crime and address the related fundamental rights violations by making them both more visible and holding perpetrators accountable. This entails encouraging victims and witnesses to report crimes and incidents, while increasing their confidence in the ability of the criminal justice system to deal with this type of criminality decisively and effectively.

Details: Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2012. 60p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 1, 2012 at: http://fra.europa.eu/sites/default/files/fra-2012_hate-crime.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Bias-Motivated Crimes

Shelf Number: 127087


Author: International Centre for Migration Policy Development

Title: The Way Forward in Establishing Effective Transnational Referral Mechanisms A Report Based on Experiences in Cases of Human Trafficking in South-Eastern Europe

Summary: Trafficking in human beings is a crime that requires a coherent transnational response in order to be tackled effectively. It is evident that transnational cooperation is a fundamental component of any successful strategy to prevent and fight human trafficking as well as to protect trafficked persons. The report “The Way Forward in Establishing Effective Transnational Referral Mechanisms. A Report Based on Experiences in Cases of Human Trafficking in South-Eastern Europe”, drafted in the framework of the project Enhancing Transnational Cooperation on Trafficking Cases in South-Eastern Europe (TRM-II), concludes the work under the TRM programme (2006-2012). It elaborates on the concept of Transnational Referral Mechanisms (TRM), their development and applicability. It offers a detailed description of what the TRM is. The report further provides a solid background for national stakeholders from countries that have a TRM in place, and serves as an introduction to the TRM concept for all those that in the process of implementing it. The report also contains an overview of the forms and tools for transnational cooperation used in cases of human trafficking. Notwithstanding its primary geographical scope, the report serves as a useful tool to all countries that have embarked on developing a transnational referral mechanism, or are considering doing so in the future. Practical advice on how to design and implement a functioning TRM can be found in the many recommendations that this report brings forward. In addition to introducing the main legislative framework currently existing in South-Eastern Europe, this report also provides an analysis of the opinions of a large number of professionals from the field both at the policy making and operational level, thus allowing the reader to identify themselves with their counterparts and relate to the lessons learned and practical observations. The reader will find valuable recommendations that could improve their own work in this field.

Details: Vienna, Austria: International Centre for Migration Policy Development, 2012. 161p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 7, 2012 at: http://www.icmpd.org/fileadmin/ICMPD-Website/ICMPD-Website_2011/ICMPD_General/News/Transnational_Referral_Mechanisms_in_Trafficking_Cases.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Child Trafficking

Shelf Number: 127144


Author: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction

Title: Prisons and Drugs in Europe: The Problem and Responses

Summary: This Selected issue starts off by reviewing the available data on drug use among prison populations in Europe, focusing on injecting drug use and other health risk behaviours. Major health risks for drug-using prisoners, including blood-borne infections and infections that can affect all prisoners equally, such as tuberculosis, are discussed. Also mentioned is the role of prison environments, where overcrowding and unsanitary conditions are not uncommon, and the higher-than-average occurrence of psychiatric problems among prisoners. The first section concludes by describing the increased risk of death among prisoners, both in custody and after release. The second part of the report focuses on responses to the health needs of drug-using prisoners in European countries. The study looks at how the internationally recognised rights of prisoners and the European and international rules that set standards for the care of prisoners apply to those with drug problems. The administration of prison healthcare in European countries is examined, and national policies are reviewed. This is followed by an overview of the available information on drug-related service provision in Europe, from prison entry to prison release, addressing counselling, treatment of drug dependence and the prevention of infectious diseases and drug overdose.

Details: Lisdon: EMCDDA, 2012. 36p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 10, 2012 at: http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/attachements.cfm/att_191812_EN_TDSI12002ENC.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Abuse and Crime

Shelf Number: 127181


Author: European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA)

Title: EU-MIDIS Data in Focus Report 6: Minorities as Victims of Crime

Summary: The average rate of criminal victimisation for all groups surveyed in EU-MIDIS was 24 %, in other words every fourth person from a minority group said that they had been a victim of crime at least once in the 12 months preceding the survey. More ‘visible’ minority groups – that is, those who look visibly different to the majority population – report, on average, higher levels of victimisation in EU-MIDIS than immigrant or minority groups who look similar to the majority population. These results, however, mask significant differences depending on the EU Member State in which generic respondent groups, such as ‘Roma’ or ‘Sub-Saharan African’, live. On average, 18 % of all Roma and 18 % of all Sub-Saharan African respondents in the survey indicated that in the 12 months prior to the survey they had experienced at least one ‘in-person crime’ – that is, assault or threat, or serious harassment – which they considered as being ‘racially motivated’ in some way. In comparison, less than 10 % of other groups indicated that they considered they had been a victim of ‘racially motivated’ in-person crime. The survey asked respondents a series of questions about their experiences of criminal victimisation in relation to the following five crime types: •theft of or from a vehicle; •burglary or attempted burglary; •theft of personal property not involving force or threat; •assault or threat; •serious harassment. Given that many crimes are relatively rare events, EU‑MIDIS asked respondents about their experiences of crime in the last five years; this report, however, explores findings from the survey with respect to people’s experiences in the 12 months preceding the survey interview. The analysis of results and recommendations are thus based on more up‑to‑date information. Follow‑up questions focused on how often interviewees had experienced assaults or threats and serious harassment in the last 12 months. These results showed whether certain groups were more prone to repeat victimisation. The survey questions also asked interviewees whether they considered their experiences of victimisation to be motivated in any way by their ethnic minority or immigrant background.

Details: Vienna, Austria: FRA, 2012. 20p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 10, 2012 at: http://fra.europa.eu/sites/default/files/fra-2012-eu-midis-dif6_0.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Hate Crimes

Shelf Number: 127206


Author: Hartmann, Andreas-Rentaus

Title: New Trends in the Expansion of Western Balkan Organized Crime

Summary: The note demonstrates the growing importance of the "South East hub" for the trafficking of illicit commodities to and from the European Union, analyses the factors which led to the rise in international stature of Western Balkan organized crime and predicts that the massive presence of irregular immigrants in the southern part of the European Union combined with the sinking into recession of this region will almost certainly provide another opportunity for the Western Balkan organized crime groups and their global expansion.

Details: Brussels: European Parliament, Policy Department C - Citizens' Rights and Constitutional Affairs, 2012. 8p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 20, 2012 at http://www.europarl.europa.eu/committees/en/libe/studiesdownload.html?languageDocument=EN&file=75711

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Crime Trends

Shelf Number: 127244


Author: Children's Rights Alliance for England

Title: Ending Violence against Children in Custody: Comments from European and International Monitoring Bodies on Violence Against Children in Custody in European States

Summary: The Children's Rights Alliance for England and the International Juvenile Justice Observatory has published a review of European and international human rights bodies to identify observations, comment and criticisms relating to violence against children in custody in European states. The report highlights significant comments relating directly or indirectly to violence against children in custody. The second part of the report looks in detail at the legislation governing the use of force against children in custody in the five project partner countries.

Details: London: Children's Rights Alliance for England, 2012. 46p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 21, 2012 at http://www.violencefreecustody.org.uk/site/assets/files/1152/ending_violence_against_children_in_custody_-_comments_from_european_and_international_monitoring_bodies_final.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Juvenile Detention (U.K.)

Shelf Number: 127249


Author: Schulze, Holst

Title: Driving Under the Influence of Drugs, Alcohol and Medicines in Europe — findings from the DRUID project

Summary: Roadside surveys conducted in 13 countries across Europe, in which blood or oral fluid samples from 50,000 drivers were analysed, revealed that alcohol was present in 3.48 %, illicit drugs in 1.90 %, medicines in 1.36 %, combinations of drugs or medicines in 0.39 % and alcohol combined with drugs or medicines in 0.37 %. However, there were large differences among the mean values in the regions of northern, eastern, southern and western Europe. Although the absolute numbers were quite low, the prevalence of alcohol, cocaine, cannabis and combined substance use was higher in southern Europe, and to some extent in western Europe, than in the other two regions, whereas medicinal opioids and ‘z-drugs’, such as zopiclone and zolpidem, were detected more in northern Europe. Studies of hospitalised, seriously injured car drivers were conducted in six countries, and studies of car drivers killed in accidents took place in four countries. Among the injured or killed drivers, the most commonly consumed substance was alcohol alone, followed by alcohol combined with another substance. The use of illicit drugs alone was not frequently detected. After alcohol, the most frequently found substance among injured drivers was tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) followed by benzodiazepines, whereas, among drivers killed in accidents, it was benzodiazepines. The results of the roadside surveys and the hospital surveys were combined in a case–control study to calculate the relative risk of being seriously injured or killed in a traffic accident. The project assigned the investigated substances to one of four groups, according to whether the increased risk was considered to be slight, medium, considerable or high. The findings showed that alcohol is still one of the most dangerous psychoactive substances used by drivers. The biggest risk for a driver of being seriously injured or dying in a traffic accident arises from high blood alcohol levels or from combinations of alcohol, drugs or medicines. Most of the seriously injured or killed drivers who tested positive for alcohol were severely intoxicated. However, results of interviews in two countries showed that problem drinkers do not believe that alcohol impairs their driving. Intensive drug users were more likely than moderate drug users to drive under the influence, with the latter taking a more responsible approach to driving under the influence of drugs. Alcohol and drugs were detected more often in male drivers. Medicines were detected mainly in middle-aged and older female drivers, but, among drivers seriously injured or killed in accidents, medicines were more often found in male drivers in the same age ranges, often in combination with other substances. Experimental studies suggested that the illicit stimulants d-amphetamine, MDMA (‘ecstasy’) and cocaine have no negative influence on fitness to drive, but studies of drivers injured and killed in accidents found considerably higher median drug levels for stimulants, and such levels may have detrimental effects on self-perception, critical judgement and risk-taking. A night of sleep deprivation alone impairs performance to a similar degree to the 0.8 g/l blood alcohol concentration (BAC), i.e. higher than the common legal driving limit of 0.5 g/l, and MDMA in combination with alcohol (or sleep deprivation) causes dramatic impairment of driving performance; stimulants do not compensate for alcohol use or sleep deprivation. A few medicines can cause impairment of which the patient is unaware. A number of recommendations were made to update the wording of the 1991 European Council Directive on Driving Licences, referring to licence withdrawal due to consumption of drugs and psychoactive substances. Very few public information campaigns regarding drug-driving were evaluated for their impact — and some of them evaluated only awareness of the campaign, rather than if it changed driver behaviour. Psychoactive medicines on the EU market were classified into four categories depending on their influence on fitness to drive, and it was demonstrated that a pictogram on the package indicating the risk when driving was effective in changing patients’ intended behaviour. In collaboration with experts of the Pharmacovigilance Working Party of the European Medicines Agency, recommendations could be presented for improving the package information leaflet for category II (moderately impairing) and category III (severely impairing) medicines. It was also shown that a software package could assist physicians and pharmacists in giving advice to patients when prescribing and dispensing such medicines, respectively. Legal limits, consistently enforced, are the single most effective approach to combat drink-driving. The maximum standard legal limit should be 0.5 g/l BAC, and stricter limits for certain risk groups (novice drivers, professional drivers) should be considered. As mixed intoxication with other substances poses a greater risk, the alcohol limit must be lower in such cases. To combat drug-driving, most countries either operate a zero tolerance policy or take into account degree of impairment, sometimes in a two-tier system. Legal limits may be set low, at the limit of detection, or higher to take effects into consideration. For example, while the project set a detection limit of 1 ng/ml in whole blood for THC in the roadside surveys, it was found that 2 ng/ml THC in whole blood (3.8 ng/ml THC in serum) seems to cause impairment equivalent to 0.5 g/l BAC. Such equivalents could not be calculated for other drugs. It is not realistic to develop cut-off limits for all substances. Regarding driving under the influence of medicines, a legal limit for patients undergoing long-term treatment is inappropriate; sanctions should be based on degree of impairment. None of the roadside oral fluid testing devices achieved the target value of 80 % sensitivity, specificity and accuracy for all the individual substances tested. Thus, when considering the suitability of a device, the type and prevalence of drugs within the target population should be considered. An evaluation of a checklist of clinical signs of impairment, such as bloodshot eyes, did not give promising results; more experience and better training of police officers may improve this. In the near future, analysis of dried blood spots could be a much quicker and less invasive method of proving an offence than taking a sample of whole blood from a driver using a syringe. Transport and storage of dried blood spots are also much easier than for whole blood. A cost–benefit evaluation found that increased enforcement of drug-driving sanctions, based on roadside oral fluid screening, is potentially cost-beneficial, particularly for countries where the level of enforcement is currently low. However, increasing drug-driving enforcement at the expense of a reduction in drink-driving enforcement may actually decrease the positive impact on road safety. As the risk and share of injuries is higher for alcohol, targeting driving under the influence of alcohol should always be the first priority of law enforcers. Withdrawal of the driving licence is an effective deterrent and sanction, more so than prison or fines, but only when it is implemented quickly and for a period of 3–12 months (longer leads to non-compliance). Combining licence withdrawal with rehabilitation/treatment is more effective than licence withdrawal alone. Withdrawal of the licence of patients undergoing long-term treatment, including substitution treatment, should be based on an individual assessment of a patient’s fitness to drive overall, not simply on substance consumption. Some driver rehabilitation schemes can reduce recidivism by an average of 45 %. Drivers with addiction or similar problems are unlikely to benefit from a rehabilitation programme and should be matched to more appropriate treatment. Rehabilitation options should vary according to the needs of different offenders.

Details: Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2012. 57 pp.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 17, 2013 at: http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/attachements.cfm/att_192773_EN_TDXA12006ENN.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Driving Under the Influence (Europe)

Shelf Number: 127336


Author: van Dijk, Jan

Title: Final Report on the Study on Crime Victimisation

Summary: Sample surveys of the general public about their experience of common crime – so-called victimisation surveys - are now well established. In covering crimes that are both reported and not reported to the police, victimisation surveys provide a more complete measure of people’s ordinary experience of crime than administrative statistics. Victimisation surveys have been carried in varies countries across the world, but having been done in different ways, they are as problematic for comparative purposes as statistics of police recorded crime. The International Crime Victimisation Survey (ICVS) has adopted a standardised approach in surveys carried out in a large number of countries over the last two decades. The fifth round of this comparative survey, conducted in 2004/2005, was co-funded by the European Commission. Nonetheless, the need stands for an up-to-date survey tailored to the legal and social realities of the EU and its distinct policy interests. Such a survey was proposed under the European Commission’s Action Plan on the Hague Programme (2004-2009), updated in the Stockholm Action Plan ( 2010-2014), in which the European Commission agrees to develop a comparative victimisation survey to provide data on crime as a supplement to statistics of police recorded crime. Execution of the task has been put in the hands of Eurostat. Proposals for the planned survey were submitted for discussion in the DG JLS Expert Group on the Policy Needs of Crime and Criminal Justice Statistics, the Eurostat Working Group on Crime and Criminal Justice Statistics and the Task Force on Victimisation Surveys. HEUNI was contracted to assist in the design a draft questionnaire. In 2009, the Universities of Tilburg (the Netherlands) and Lausanne (Switzerland) were contracted by Eurostat to: (a) make an inventory of victimisation surveys that have been conducted in Europe; (b) evaluate pilot tests in 17 member states of the draft questionnaire for an EUwide survey; and (c) in the light of (b) and other professional experience, to review the methodological options for a survey in all member states to take place in 2013. The planned survey is now named the EU Security Survey (or the EU Safety Survey (SASU) or EU-SASU)). Alongside this, work was in hand in the United Nations on a Manual on Victimisation Surveys. This recommends the regular conduct of victimisation surveys as a tool for the planning, monitoring and evaluation of national and local crime prevention and control policies (United Nations, 2010). Within the context of the European Union, a standardised victimisation survey would allow member states with widely divergent criminal laws and criminal justice practices to compare their experiences. This would be in relation to comparative levels of selected crimes (including different forms of violent crime), as well as fear of crime and aspects of policing. In addition, such an EU survey would provide benchmark data on the performance of the police and other agencies vis à vis victims of crime as regulated in the Framework Decision of 2002 (and the future Directive on Crime Victims Rights). If repeated over time, the EU survey could provide invaluable information on trends in crime in the member states.

Details: Tilburg, The Netherlands: INTERVICT - Tilburg University, 2010. 130p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 23, 2013 at: http://arno.uvt.nl/show.cgi?fid=113047

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Crime Statistics

Shelf Number: 127360


Author: Vidino, Lorenzo

Title: Countering Radicalization in Europe

Summary: Since the mid-2000s, European countries have developed counter-radicalisation strategies, seeking to de-radicalize committed militants and preventing the radicalization of vulnerable populations. What do these strategies entail? Where do they differ, and what do they have in common? How successful have they been? Based on extensive fieldwork in Britain, the Netherlands, Denmark and Norway, ICSR's latest report - Countering Radicalization in Europe - describes the genesis, main characteristics, aims, underlying philosophies and challenges experienced by counter-radicalization policies in Europe.

Details: London: International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation and Political Violence (ICSR), King's College London, 2012. 84p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 25, 2013 at: http://icsr.info/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/ICSR-Report-Countering-Radicalization-in-Europe.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Counter-Radicalization Programs

Shelf Number: 127400


Author: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction

Title: EU Drug Markets Report: A Strategic Analysis

Summary: The EU drug markets report is the first comprehensive overview of illicit drug markets in the European Union. It covers issues such as production, consumer markets, trafficking, organised crime and policy responses, along with a review of the markets for heroin, cocaine, cannabis, amphetamine, methamphetamine, ecstasy and new psychoactive substances. It concludes with concrete action points for the areas where the current EU response to the drug market and its consequent harms may be improved. An essential reference tool for law enforcement professionals, policymakers, the academic community and the general public, the report combines Europol’s strategic and operational understanding of trends and developments in organised crime with the EMCDDA’s ongoing monitoring and analysis of the drug phenomenon in Europe and beyond.

Details: Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2013. 155p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 4, 2013 at: http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/publications/joint-publications/drug-markets

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction

Shelf Number: 127467


Author: Children's Rights Alliance for England

Title: Speaking Freely: Chidlren and Young People in Europe Talk About Ending Violence Against Children in Custody

Summary: The Ending Violence against Children in Custody project aims to make progress towards ending violence against children and young people in custody. The project has two main elements: a research phase – consisting of a desk based legal analysis of the rules governing custody and interviews with children and young people – and a campaigning phase where young people will develop their own campaigns based on the recommendations from their research. The project was coordinated by CRAE and implemented with five European partner organisations: International Juvenile Justice Observatory – Belgium, Defence for Children International – the Netherlands, The Commissioner for Children’s Rights – Cyprus, The Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Human Rights – Austria and Save the Children – Romania. This report brings together the findings from field research conducted in Austria, Cyprus, England, the Netherlands and Romania and desk-based research into international and European law and policy concerning violence against children in custody led by the International Juvenile Justice Observatory (Belgium). All direct quotations from young people in this report are from the focus groups and interviews carried out in the five partner countries. Where possible, the quotes show age, gender and country. The findings in this report do not represent the views and experiences of all young people in custody in the partner countries. Rather, the research sought insights from a range of children with first-hand experience of custody into the extent to which they enjoyed their right to be free from violence whilst in custody, and how realisation of this right could be promoted. The recommendations from young people in each of the partner countries for ending violence against children in custody formed the basis of youth-led campaigns in five of the partner countries. A consolidated campaign report outlining the various campaign activities, achievements and lessons learnt in each of the partner countries will also be published. All project reports will be available through the project website: www.violencefreecustody.org.uk.

Details: London: Children's Rights Alliance for England, 2013. 64p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 7, 2013 at: http://www.violencefreecustody.org.uk/site/assets/files/1264/speaking_freely_ending_violence_against_children_in_custody_european_research_report_final.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Juvenile Corrections

Shelf Number: 127534


Author: Brunovskis, Anette

Title: Balancing Protection and Prosecution in Anti-Trafficking Policies. A comparative analysis of reflection periods and related temporary residence permits for victims of trafficking in the Nordic countries, Belgium and Italy

Summary: This report analyses and discusses the various forms of reflection periods and related temporary residence permits for victims of trafficking in the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden) as well as Belgium and Italy. The study was initiated and funded by the Nordic Council of Ministers, who saw the use of a comparative study of models and experiences in the Nordic countries. In addition, for the purpose of expanding the analysis, Belgium and Italy were also included. These two countries were selected as both have long-standing experience of anti-trafficking work. Both were early actors in implementing temporary residence permits for victims of trafficking, but have adopted different models for reflection periods/temporary residence. As such, their inclusion in this report serves as a backdrop and a foundation for comparison and discussion of the Nordic models of reflection periods and temporary residence permits. The main focus in this report is on how different policy solutions relate to victims’ needs, as well as the needs of states for victims to cooperate in investigation and prosecution of traffickers. These needs can be difficult to reconcile, and the report discusses implications of different models and approaches, remaining sensitive to the fact that there are differences between the countries’ social and political contexts. The concept of “best practice” as such is not culturally and politically neutral. What may be a “best practice” in one context is not necessarily transferrable to another.

Details: Copenhagen: Nordic Council of Ministers, 2012. 81p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 13, 2013 at:

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Human Trafficking

Shelf Number: 127601


Author: Children's Rights Alliance for England

Title: Speaking Freely: Children and Young People in Europe Take Action on Ending Violence Against Children in Custody: Campaign Report

Summary: This report by the Children’s Rights Alliance for England (CRAE) presents the campaigning activities undertaken by forty children and young people in Austria, Cyprus, England, the Netherlands and Romania to try and create violence-free youth custodial settings in their countries. The campaigning activities were carried out as part of CRAE’s Ending Violence against Children in Custody project, funded by the European Commission’s Daphne III programme. The youth-led campaigns in each country were based on the recommendations developed by young researchers in the first phase of the project. . Campaigners in Austria followed up the full range of recommendations from the research phase of the project in a series of meetings with the Juvenile Custody Centre and pre-trial remand unit. Some young campaigners met with the Director of the Juvenile Custody Centre to discuss their concerns about violence in custody and recommendations for change and to see how they could be taken forward at the Centre. Young campaigners in Cyprus focused on living conditions in prison and pushed for increased support for young prisoners through mentoring programmes. They decided to carry out a series of awareness raising activities to educate other young people about the conditions in custody and to develop some momentum for change. In England the young campaign team focused on two campaign issues that they felt would help to create violence free custody for children and young people: • Installing cameras with sound recording in custodial and police settings; • Reviewing the qualities of staff who are employed in custodial settings. They had a meeting with the Youth Justice Board (YJB) to discuss these issues and explore what action could be taken. The young campaigners in the Netherlands compiled a ‘Top 10’ from the longer list of recommendations developed during the research phase of the project. They decided to work on awareness-raising about violence in custody targeting the Government, Parliament and other professionals and experts. In Romania the young campaign team took action on three key issues: • Video surveillance in police stations; • Better activities in custodial settings; • Reducing the numbers of internees in each room in custody. A letter was sent to the Ministry of Justice and discussions were held with representatives from the National Administration of Penitentiaries to discuss the recommendations.

Details: London: Chidlren's Rights Alliance for England, 2013. 48p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 5, 2013 at: http://www.crae.org.uk/assets/files/Ending%20Violence%20Campaign%20report_condensed.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Juvenile Corrections

Shelf Number: 127835


Author: Borlini, Leonardo

Title: EU Anti-Money Laundering Regime: An Assessment within International and National Scenarios

Summary: The present work is divided into three main parts. Part I aims at providing the proper background against which assessing the recent evolution of the EU anti-money laundering legal framework, by first illustrating the economic menaces posed by the crime at issue and, secondly, by accounting for the rise of new international standards and assessing the performance of a sample domestic anti-money laundering (AML) pieces of legislation. It outlines the serious threats posed by transnational laundering operations in the context of economic globalization, showing, at the same time, the key reasons for international responses to such a crime. We focus on the phenomenological aspect of money laundering (ML) as the necessary means through which criminal activity can live on and proliferate.

Details: Milan, Italy: Universita Bocconi, 2012, 64p.

Source: Internet Resource: Paolo Baffi Centre Research Paper No. 2012-125, Bocconi Legal Studies Research Paper No. 2144122: Accessed March 20, 2013 at: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2144122


Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Financial Crimes

Shelf Number: 128048


Author: Mawdsley, Jocelyn

Title: A European Agenda for Security Technology: From Innovation Policy to Export Controls

Summary: The development and production of scanners, unmanned aircraft, cameras, coding, firewalls etc., are heavily promoted at the European level. These technologies are important for our security and they are an incentive for a new economic market. However, we have to ensure security technology doesn't become a weapon against human rights. Security first -- Attention to security has become an unprecedented priority ever since the terrorist attacks of 9/11. More than ever, citizens are made aware of the security risks in every aspect of our society and have become accustomed to various controls. Politicians emphasize the importance of 'homeland security', which must be defended on our own territory as well as elsewhere in the world. An industrial security industry, which taps into these new markets, has emerged alongside the traditional defence industry. This has to do with research, development and production for information technology, navigation, biometry, communication equipment, electronic identification, etc. In this regard, frequent use is made of generic civil technologies from, for instance, the world of communication and information technology. The 'civil' industries, but also the traditional defence industries, are active on the security market. European Commission explores new economic market -- Following the lead of the US, the European Union is also focusing on greater collaboration to reinforce internal security. Combating terrorism, attacks to critical infrastructure, cyber crime or guarding external European borders are among the policy areas that the EU takes to heart. Greater security is, however, not the only motive of the EU: in its report, the Flemish Peace Institute demonstrates how the European Commission seizes upon this area in order to develop a new economic market. A great deal of attention and resources are being dedicated to research in the security industry: 1.4 billion euros in the five past years. In this way, the European Commission is also specializing in research and development for security and defence, a domain which has traditionally been controlled by the Member States themselves. Exports in order to make the European security industry profitable -- The European Commission stimulates the supply, but the European demand (still a matter for the Member States) is not following. Member States are not totally convinced that these security technologies are a universal remedy against security threats. Moreover, European agencies have a smaller budget due to the economic crisis. Thus, according to the Commission, external markets are required in order to keep the European security industry profitable. This economically oriented attitude of the European Commission does not take into account the strategic and ethical aspects of the common foreign and security policy which the Member States within the EU are developing. Human rights on the radar -- The risks of the growing technological security apparatus with respect to privacy and respect for human rights in our own society, have often been pointed out. In the search for new markets, however, these risks are also exported outside the EU. Recently, during the Arab Spring, it became clear that security technologies are not only used to guarantee the security of civilians, but also for repression and human rights violations. European deep packet inspection technologies were used to filter the information available to citizens on the internet, while surveillance technologies were used to track and capture activists through social media use.

Details: Brussela: Flemish Peace Institute, 2013. 94p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 22, 2013 at: http://www.flemishpeaceinstitute.eu/images/manager/publicaties/onderzoeksrapporten/pdf/a%20european%20agenda%20for%20security%20technology_report.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Border Security

Shelf Number: 128083


Author: European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA)

Title: Report on Racism and Xenophobia in the Member States of the EU

Summary: On 1 March 2007, the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) came into being, following the extension of the mandate of the European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia (EUMC). This makes the current report a ‘transitional’ report, in that it has been produced on the basis of the EUMC’s legal base and mandate, but it is being published by the FRA. Whilst the equivalent reports in previous years were ‘EUMC Annual Reports’, this report does not have the title of FRA Annual Report. The first FRA Annual Report will be published in June 2008. The current report covers the area of racism and xenophobia in the EU for the year 2006. The operation of the Racial Equality Directive provides an important context for much of this report. Last year’s EUMC Annual Report focused on the stages of transposition of the Racial Equality Directive in the EU Member States. The current report looks at the implementation of the directive and the initial evidence on how the legislation is applied by courts and tribunals, as well as how the specialised bodies are using their powers. Whilst there was much progress in implementing the Racial Equality Directive in most Member States, there was wide variation in the degree to which sanctions had been applied or compensation awarded in cases of ethnic discrimination during 2006. In around half of the Member States, even with laws and procedures in place, there were no indications of any sanctions being applied. The very low level of complaints in some countries during 2006 suggests a rather low awareness of the existence of the specialised bodies. It seems, therefore, that some Member States need to do more in the way of publicity and campaigns targeting potential victims of discrimination in order to raise awareness of the specialised bodies and their powers. Furthermore, not all specialised bodies disclose the grounds of discrimination for individual complaints, which makes it impossible to ascertain how many cases of ethnic discrimination were processed by the legal system during the year. This weakness relates to a broader message of this report, namely that for discrimination to be recognised and tackled there need to be systems in place for producing relevant and accurate data. This should include data on the circumstances of those groups who are potential victims of discrimination, in all the thematic areas of education, employment and housing, as well as on incidents of racist violence and crime. This is important for a number of reasons, not least because of the need for evidence-based policies to combat discrimination and racist crimes. For example, whilst there is evidence in this year’s report of some innovative positive action practices against discrimination in employment, such positive action is difficult to introduce and apply without accurate equality data on the employment circumstances of those groups who are the targets of such policies. Meanwhile, in the context of the continuing gaps in our knowledge resulting from of the patchiness of equality data, this report demonstrates examples in many Member States where research investigations have had the important function of identifying and bringing to public attention incidents and processes of racism and discrimination in the fields of employment, housing and education. This year, the information and data collection activities for this report involved 27 National Focal Points (NFPs), not 25, including for the first time Bulgaria and Romania, who became full members of the European Union on 1 January 2007. As with previous Annual Reports from the EUMC, this report covers in turn the thematic areas of legal issues, employment, housing, education, and racist violence and crime. In addition, for a second year, there is a final chapter covering developments and policies at the EU level in combating racism and xenophobia.

Details: Vienna: FRA, 2007. 172p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 23, 2013 at: http://fra.europa.eu/sites/default/files/fra_uploads/11-ar07p2_en.pdf

Year: 2007

Country: Europe

Keywords: Bias Crimes

Shelf Number: 107709


Author: Environmental Justice Foundation

Title: Illegal Driftnetting in the Mediterranean

Summary:  Driftnets, ostensibly banned from the Mediterranean by both the European Union and the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna (ICCAT) since 2002 and 2003, respectively, continue to be used illegally across the region to catch valuable large pelagic species, mainly swordfish and tuna.  There are estimated to be up to 600 illegal driftnet vessels operating in the Mediterranean, including many from EU Member States, namely Italy (100+ vessels), and France (70-100 vessels). Major fleets are also based in Morocco (150-300 vessels), Turkey (up to 110 vessels) and Algeria.  Although there is very little data available on either the catch rate or the associated bycatch of this illegal fishery, it is clear that driftnetting practices, whether legal or illegal, have had devastating environmental consequences globally, and for the biodiversity of the Mediterranean Sea in particular. Between 1986 and 1900, driftnets were responsible for 83% of all cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises) stranded and, at the peak of driftnetting, an annual bycatch of over 8,000 cetaceans was estimated for Italian seas alone, with up to 10,000 dying annually across the whole Mediterranean.  Vulnerable, slow reproducing species have suffered from high bycatch levels in driftnets, including sharks, rays, sea turtles and sea birds. According to figures supplied by the Italian Merchant Marine Ministry, in 1990-91 only 18% of the catch of the Italian driftnet fleet, which was the largest in the region at the time, was swordfish; the other 82% consisted of some different species, almost all of which were discarded.  Despite the evident destructive nature of driftnets, also called ‘walls of death’, due to their propensity for catching enormous numbers of non-target species, a combination of weak enforcement and loopholes in French and Italian fisheries law have enabled sizeable driftnet fleets to flout EU and international law for more than a decade. The European authorities have openly acknowledged the Italian and French governments’ failure to enforce EU fisheries policy but have so far failed to punish these clear infractions of the Common Fisheries Policy.  In France, effective action against driftnets has come not from the EU, but from three NGOs - France Nature Environnement, S.O.S Grand Bleu, and Groupe de Recherche sur les Cétacés (GREC) – who have successfully challenged the status of the “thonaille” fishery operating within the internationally protected Pelagos sanctuary for marine mammals. The thonaille is now officially recognised as a driftnet under French law and is therefore illegal. However, evidence from the 2006 season indicates that the ban is not being enforced and fishing continues with impunity.  In Italy, driftnetting also continues, with 800km of nets confiscated by the Italian authorities in 2005 and 400km seized in the first half of 2006. The use of driftnets around the island of Ischia in the Tyrrhenian Sea has been monitored for a number of years by Delphis, a local cetacean research organisation. Illegally caught swordfish have been observed being landed and transferred onto vans bearing the EU logo, and numerous stranded striped dolphins and sperm whales have been found with scars indicative of being caught in driftnets.  There is also compelling evidence from several sources that many vessel owners, having received up to €70,000 of EU taxpayers’ money as compensation, continue to fish illegally. The Italian authorities have spent more than €200 million compensating driftnet fishermen, with 75% of this coming from the EU. Despite the generous funding that has been allocated to phasing-out this destructive fishery, driftnets are actually getting bigger.

Details: London: EJF, 25p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 23, 2013 at: http://www.theblackfish.org/files/Driftnets_EJF.pdf

Year: 0

Country: Europe

Keywords: Illegal Fishing

Shelf Number: 128098


Author: Hasebrink, Uwe

Title: Patterns of Risk and Safety Online: In-depth analyses from the EU Kids Online survey of 9- to 16-year-olds and their parents in 25 European countries

Summary: - This report is the work of the EU Kids Online network, coordinated by the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), with research teams and stakeholder advisers in each of the 25 countries and an International Advisory Panel. The network has been funded by the European Commission's (EC) Safer Internet Programme in order to strengthen the evidence base for policies regarding online safety. - Countries included in EU Kids Online are Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey and the UK. - The report is based on a new and unique survey of 25,000 children across Europe, and was designed and conducted according to rigorous standards by the EU Kids Online network. Top-line findings for the survey have already been reported in: Livingstone, S., Haddon, L., Gorzig, A. and Olafsson, K. (2011) Risks and safety on the internet: The perspective of European children. Full findings. - This report offers a further analysis of these survey findings, examining the patterns of use, activities, risks and safety within these 25 countries focusing on individual and group-level differences (age, gender, parental education, and so forth). - It is paired with a parallel report, published simultaneously (August 2011), Cross-national comparison of risks and safety on the internet, which examines cross-national differences in children's experiences of the internet in Europe, depending on the country they live in. - The intended audience for both reports includes researchers and research users. The reports include primary statistical analysis in order that the basis for the project's conclusions is clearly explained and accounted for. - To address policy stakeholders more widely, both reports will be followed, in September 2011, by a report discussing the policy implications of these individual and country-level comparisons of children's experiences.

Details: London: London School of Economics and Political Science, 2011. 88p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 25, 2013 at: http://www2.lse.ac.uk/media@lse/research/EUKidsOnline/D5%20Patterns%20of%20risk.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: Europe

Keywords: Computer Crimes

Shelf Number: 128123


Author: Carrera, Sergio

Title: Europe’s Most Wanted? Recalibrating Trust in the European Arrest Warrant System

Summary: This paper assesses the uses and misuses in the application of the European Arrest Warrant (EAW) system in the European Union. It examines the main quantitative results of this extradition system achieved between 2005 and 2011 on the basis of the existing statistical knowledge on its implementation at EU official levels. The EAW has been anchored in a high level of ‘mutual trust’ between the participating states’ criminal justice regimes and authorities. This reciprocal confidence, however, has been subject to an increasing number of challenges resulting from its practical application, presenting a dual conundrum: 1. Principle of proportionality: Who are the competent judicial authorities cooperating with each other and ensuring that there are sufficient impartial controls over the necessity and proportionality of the decisions on the issuing and execution of EAWs? 2. Principle of division of powers: How can criminal justice authorities be expected to handle different criminal judicial traditions in what is supposed to constitute a ‘serious’ or ‘minor’ crime in their respective legal settings and ‘who’ is ultimately to determine (divorced from political considerations) when is it duly justified to make the EAW system operational? It is argued that the next generation of the EU’s criminal justice cooperation and the EAW need to recognise and acknowledge that the mutual trust premise upon which the European system has been built so far is no longer viable without devising new EU policy stakeholders’ structures and evaluation mechanisms. These should allow for the recalibration of mutual trust and mistrust in EU justice systems in light of the experiences of the criminal justice actors and practitioners having a stake in putting the EAW into daily effect. Such a ‘bottom-up approach’ should be backed up with the best impartial and objective evaluation, an improved system of statistical collection and an independent qualitative assessment of its implementation. This should be placed as the central axis of a renewed EAW framework which should seek to better ensure the accountability, impartial (EU-led) scrutiny and transparency of member states’ application of the EAW in light of the general principles and fundamental rights constituting the foundations of the European system of criminal justice cooperation.

Details: Brussels, Belgium: Centre for European Policy Studies, 2013. 46p.

Source: Internet Resource: CEPS Paper in Liberty and Security in Europe no. 55: Accessed March 26, 2013 at: http://www.ceps.eu/book/europe%E2%80%99s-most-wanted-recalibrating-trust-european-arrest-warrant-system

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Arrest and Apprehension

Shelf Number: 128131


Author: Lauridsen, Jorgen T.

Title: A Spatial Panel Data Analysis of Crime Rates in EU

Summary: The study investigates selected factors affecting crime rates in the EU-15 countries during the years 2000 to 2007 with an especial focus on inflation rate, level of education, income and employment. While these topics have been investigated in former studies, the present study adds by introducing spatial panel data methods to the case. Regarding the effects of these factors, the present study obtains results comparable to those from former studies, whereby the robustness of these are confirmed.

Details: Odense, Denmark: Department of Business and Economics, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, 2013. 24p.

Source: Internet Resource: Discussion Papers on Business and Economics
No. 2/2013: Accessed March 26, 2013 at: http://static.sdu.dk/mediafiles//A/2/1/%7BA21BF15B-1A84-4BA6-B4A7-3AAA6E3FA6AC%7Ddpbe2_2013.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Cost-Benefit Analysis

Shelf Number: 128139


Author: Wenke, Daja

Title: Children Trafficked for Exploitation in Begging and Criminality: A challenge for law enforcement and child protection

Summary: In 2002, the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS) established an Expert Group for Cooperation on Children at Risk (EGCC), a group of representatives from the ministries responsible for child policy in the CBSS Member States. The Expert Group set up the Children’s Unit within the CBSS international secretariat and created a special regional framework for cooperation on child rights and child protection. Through its programmes, the EGCC has addressed the situation of unaccompanied and trafficked children in the region since 20031. In all CBSS Member States, children are known to be exposed to exploitation, including in the context of trafficking. The national governments have committed to address child trafficking, nationally as well as through the regional cooperation of the CBSS, within the European Union and the Council of Europe. Significant progress has been achieved in setting up structures and measures for the identification and referral of child victims, the investigation of cases and the prosecution of perpetrators. Yet, only few children are officially identified and registered as victims of trafficking each year. Service providers report higher numbers, based on their experience of working with child victims and children at risk. The experience with addressing child trafficking in the region is concentrated mainly on cases of sexual exploitation. There is, however, evidence and a growing awareness that children are exposed to many different and multiple forms of exploitation. An area that has thus far received limited attention is the exploitation of children in begging and criminal activities. With the adoption of the new EU Directive on human trafficking in 2011, governments have specifically committed to address these forms of exploitation. It is therefore timely to document and share the experience made with these types of cases as well as related good practice and challenges. In many European countries, children are known to be involved in begging and other street based activities or in criminal activities such as petty crime, burglary, stealing, and drug dealing. The children concerned include nationals and non-nationals from within the EU and from third countries. Although the authorities at the local and central levels of European States are aware of these cases, there is little evidence as to whether the children are exploited and if they are victims of trafficking. They are often looked at as ‘street children’, children in conflict with the law, or migrant and asylum seeking children. In the case of Roma children, their involvement in begging, other street based activities or petty crime is often perceived according to common stereotypes as a ‘cultural issue’ and a ‘personal choice’ that is not condoned but tolerated. The possible links to organised exploitation and trafficking are not necessarily recognised and investigated. Child protection services and law enforcement agencies are equally struggling to identify and understand these cases and to respond in an appropriate way that is child-centred and rights-based. Their attempts to safeguard the rights of the children and remove them from the risky or exploitative situations do not always succeed. Some children consent to cooperating with the police, to exit the exploitative situations and to accept the services they are being offered. Others refuse and their motivations are manifold. In order to investigate the challenges that child protection services and law enforcement agencies are confronted with when addressing these cases, the EGCC launched the programme ‘Children trafficked for exploitation in begging and criminality: A challenge for law enforcement and child protection’. The programme builds on the outcomes of a regional conference on child trafficking organised by the EGCC and the Norwegian Ministry of Children, Equality and Social Inclusion in June 20113. The conference identified concrete challenges and difficulties that law enforcement and child protection services are confronted with when investigating and responding to the cases of children involved in begging and criminal activities.

Details: Stockholm: Council of the Baltic Sea States Child Centre, Expert Group for Cooperation on Children at Risk, 2013. 48p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 26, 2013 at: http://www.childcentre.info/public/Childtrafficking_begging_crime.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Child Begging

Shelf Number: 128140


Author: Scharff-Smith, Peter

Title: Children of Imprisoned Parents

Summary: According to historians, prisons have existed as separate institutions in Europe for more than 400 years, and imprisonment has been a key sanction in the range of punishments of modern European states since the 19th century. Experts, policy makers and many others have discussed the effects of imprisonment for decades and even centuries, addressing issues such as the purpose of imprisonment as a punishment and its effects on recidivism, rehabilitation and prevention. These discussions have typically focused on the impact of imprisonment upon the individual prisoner and to a certain degree on the possible deterrent effect that incarcerating criminals can have upon the rest of society. However, it is of course inevitable that the use of imprisonment will also affect prisoners’ families and perhaps, most especially, their children. Yet, children of imprisoned parents have, up until the later decades of the 20th century, attracted scarce attention, either politically or as a topic for research. As recently as 2005, two prominent criminology editors of a volume on “The effects of imprisonment” concluded that the impact of imprisonment on the prisoner’s family was still one of the less studied fields within criminology, despite the obvious importance of this area. As a consequence, children of imprisoned parents as a specific group have been labelled the ‘forgotten victims’ of our system of punishment. This seems hard to understand given the extent of the problems many of these children face, the potentially long-term damage to their emotional and psychological development and the sheer scale of the problem: on any given day there are millions of children who experience parental imprisonment all over the world and an estimated 800,000 in the European Union alone. This figure is not only likely to be a conservative estimate but also only relates to children with a parent in prison. There are of course many, many more children who are affected by imprisonment of their siblings, grandparents, uncles and aunts and other family members with whom they have a close relationship. The effects of such imprisonment on those children will often be similar to those experienced by children whose parent goes to prison, and many of the rights and issues identified within this report still apply.

Details: Copenhagen: Danish Institute for Human Rights; European Network for Chidlren of Imprisoned Parents, University of Ulster and Bambginisenzasbarre, 2011. 284p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 30, 2013 at: http://menneskeret.dk/files/pdf/Full%20report%20Children%20of%20Imprisoned%20parents.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: Europe

Keywords: Children of Prisoners (Europe)

Shelf Number: 128171


Author: Neild, Rachel

Title: Reducing Ethnic Profiling in the European Union: A Handbook of Good Practices

Summary: Ethnic profiling by police in Europe is a widespread form of discrimination. By focusing on appearance rather than behavior, police who engage in ethnic profiling violate basic human rights norms. Ethnic profiling is also inefficient: it leads police to focus on racial and ethnic traits rather than genuine indicators of suspicion, and results in stopping and searching large numbers of innocent people. Fortunately, better alternatives exist— approaches to policing that are more fair and more effective. This handbook documents those approaches and provides guidance for police officers, other law enforcement officials, and policymakers in how to reduce ethnic profiling. The guidelines and case studies set forth in the following pages are intended to help cut down on discrimination and increase police efficacy. Ethnic profiling is the practice of using ethnicity, race, national origin, or religion as a basis for making law enforcement decisions about persons believed to be involved in criminal activity. Ethnic profiling can result from discriminatory decision-making by individual law enforcement officers, or from law enforcement policies and practices that have a disproportionate impact on specific groups without any legitimate law enforcement purpose. It is often the result of beliefs deeply-ingrained in individual law enforcement officers and even whole institutions and the societies in which they operate. While not a new phenomenon, ethnic profiling has increased in the European Union in recent years because of two factors: (1) rising concern about illegal immigration into and movement of undocumented migrants within the European Union, and (2) the threat posed by terrorism in the aftermath of September 11th terrorist attack in the United States and the subsequent March 2003 terrorist bombings in Madrid and July 2005 bombings in London. These trends are described in detail in the Open Society Justice Initiative’s 2009 report Ethnic Profiling in the European Union: Pervasive, Ineffective, and Discriminatory. The United Nations, the Council of Europe, and the European Commission have highlighted ethnic profiling as a particular area of concern with respect to discriminatory policing practices. International human rights monitoring bodies have likewise highlighted ethnic profiling as an area of concern. The first step in addressing ethnic profiling is to admit its existence and recognize its discriminatory nature. The next step is deciding what to do about it. The final step is implementing new policies and practices that reduce ethnic profiling and replace it with more reasoned and effective procedures. Reducing Ethnic Profiling in the European Union aims to assist in this process by offering diagnostic questions, providing ideas and models of proven good practice, and identifying challenges and impediments to reform. It is the result of a thorough review of existing laws and relevant academic literature, field testing of specific reforms, and extensive interactions with state authorities, law enforcement agencies, civil society organizations, and local ethnic minority communities across the EU. Ethnic profiling is not an easy issue to resolve. Law enforcement agencies may feel that a focus on ethnic profiling unfairly singles them out as racist. For ethnic minority persons and communities, discussions of ethnic profiling highlight stereotypes about minorities and offending. But while discussions of discrimination and racism are never easy, reducing ethnic profiling can be a win-win proposition that benefits law enforcement agencies and the many communities they serve. Both research and first-hand experience—exemplified in the case studies throughout this handbook—demonstrate that adopting good practices not only supports fairer policing but can also improve the effectiveness of law enforcement. This handbook provides a wide-ranging review of current efforts to reduce ethnic profiling and support non-discriminatory law enforcement. Its numerous case studies examine: non-discriminatory standards established in legal instruments and operational guidelines, research and monitoring methodologies, institutional practices that create non-discriminatory workplaces that reflect the societies they serve, and models of community outreach and engagement. The case studies and explanatory text aim to provide clear and practical support to all those seeking to understand the dynamics and reduce the frequency of ethnic profiling. Taken together, they offer a holistic approach to law enforcement that does not discriminate.

Details: New York: Open Society Foundations, 2012. 232p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 30, 2013 at: http://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/sites/default/files/reducing-ep-in-EU-12172012_0.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Discrimination

Shelf Number: 128178


Author: Rossborn, Stella

Title: Actors against Trafficking for Labour Exploitation. Report on Cooperation between Stakeholders at the National Level in the countries of the Baltic Sea region to Address Trafficking for Labour Exploitation

Summary: The aim of the study is to obtain an overview of the different actors who are currently involved in the work of combating and preventing trafficking for labour exploitation. Actors have occasionally also been included who have a significant potential to be involved in this work. In addition, the study has analysed existing resources and structures, primarily for cooperation at the national level. This work was a necessary starting point in identifying existing resources as well as challenges encountered by different actors at the national level. The results have been compiled into the report which will serve as a starting point and as a basis for dialogue at the national level in each member state. The report has been designed to present an overview of relevant actors and mandates; governmental as well as non-governmental. It further analyses the current forms of cooperation, in terms of mechanisms in place as well as relevant policies and legislation. The findings are based mainly on the expertise and experience of national actors currently working on the issue of trafficking for labour exploitation and forced labour. As such, the report is meant to capture resources as well as challenges as they are perceived and identified by the relevant national actors, according to the individual context in that specific country.

Details: The Council of the Baltic Sea States,, 2013. 107p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 30, 2013 at: http://www.cbss.org/Civil-Security-and-the-Human-Dimension/the-task-force-against-trafficking-in-human-beings-with-focus-on-adults

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Forced Labor (Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany,

Shelf Number: 128181


Author: Verhage, Antoinette

Title: Community Policing as a Police Strategy: Effects and Future Outlook

Summary: COP as a police strategy has been widely discussed and commented, both in theory and in practice. Police research has indeed devoted a considerable amount of time in discussing the roots of this police strategy and in contemplating its effects. In this article, we aim to give the reader an overview of these discussions, focusing on the research into the effects of COP. After an introduction on COP as a police strategy and its backgrounds, we look at studies that have reviewed the impacts of this strategy on a number of levels: the impact on crime, on public opinion and on incivilities and fear of crime. These studies show that the research focus remains very narrow, looking at specific types of interventions, but often without taking the broader context into account. We conclude by referring to a number of positive results of community oriented policing and plead for more and specifically more long-term research into effects of police strategies and tactics.

Details: Brussels: European Crime Prevention Network, 2012. 13p.

Source: Internet Resource: EUCPN Thematic Paper Series, no. 3: Accessed April 5, 2013 at: www.eucpn.org/

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Community Policine (Europe)

Shelf Number: 128277


Author: European Crime Prevention Network

Title: Public Opinion and Policy on Crime Prevention in Europe

Summary: The first report in the European Crime Prevention Monitor series gave an overview of general European developments in crime and crime statistics, based on international cross-country statistics, surveys and reports (EUCPN, 2012a). Four different data sources were highlighted, with focus on recorded crime rates, victimisation data, self-reported delinquency measures and qualitative data. In this second monitor report the focus is put on people’s perceptions and attitudes on the one hand, and on priorities in crime prevention policies across Europe on the other hand. What does the general public think about the police: their relationship with the communities, their effectiveness in preventing crime, their fairness with which they wield their authoritative power, their integrity,...? What do Europeans think of the effectiveness of policies on the different levels (national vs. European)? What do they believe to be the challenges to the security in the prevention and fight against crime? These are some questions approached in this report. The information and data used to answer these questions come from the Trust in the Police & Courts Module of the European Social Survey and from the Eurobarometer surveys conducted by the European Commission. Besides these existing survey data, the EUCPN Secretariat collected some additional data from the EUCPN members on the priorities in the crime prevention policies in their countries. More specifically, questions were asked about the country’s top three priorities in crime prevention policy/strategy and compared to the country’s three most prominent crime problems based on crime statistics. Also, it was examined whether or not the top three priorities in the country’s crime prevention policy were based on statistical or recorded data, or – if not – what other basis was used to pick these priorities. And finally, some questions were added about any remarkable or new developments in the Member States over the past five years.

Details: Brussels: EUCPN, 2012. 35p.

Source: Internet Resoruce: European Crime Prevention Monitor
2012/2: Accessed April 5, 2013 at: http://www.eucpn.org/research/reviews.asp

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Crime Prevention (Europe)

Shelf Number: 128278


Author: Klima, Noel

Title: European Cross-Country Crime Statistics, Surveys and Reports

Summary: This report is a start up of a series of European Crime Prevention Monitor reports published every six months, presenting information on crime situations and crime trends based on statistics, surveys and reports. This first report presents findings from different international cross-country crime statistics, surveys and reports. A summary of some data, reports and on the major findings is outlined and presented with a focus on the 27 European Member States where possible. The aim of this report is to provide a quick and substantial, but selected overview of the situation and trends on crime and crime prevention in European Member States from the perspectives of the used data and literature. Target groups are local, national and European practitioners and policy makers. This report does not claim to be exhaustive. There are more statistics, surveys and reports which were not considered for this report. The data used has been published elsewhere and is not originally collected by the EUCPN. However, the information used in this report is analysed and presented in accordance with the needs of the target groups and the strategy of the EUCPN.

Details: Brussels: EUCPN Secretariat, 2012. 34p.

Source: Internet Resource: European Crime Prevention Monitor
2012/1: Accessed April 5, 2013 at: www.eucpn.org

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Crime Prevention

Shelf Number: 128292


Author: Vanhauwaert, Rosita: European Crime Prevention Network

Title: The Prevention of Youth Crime Through Local Cooperation with the Involvement of the Police – A Pilot Study

Summary: The pilot study aims to identify EU good practices regarding local cooperation, with the involvement of the police to prevent youth crime. The purpose of the study is to know what kind of local cooperation involving the police exists in the EU Member States to prevent youth crime and which of these are effective in preventing youth crime (i.e. what works). The projects that were identified are divided according to the risk factor prevention paradigm (individual/peer, school, family and community). The pilot study concludes that despite the abundance of local cooperation forms, it is almost impossible to know which types of local cooperation are effective, due to a lack of solid monitoring and evaluating of inter-agency work in crime prevention.

Details: Brussels: EUCPN Secretariat, 2012. 40p.

Source: Internet Resource: Thematic Paper No. 2: Accessed April 5, 2013 at: http://www.eucpn.org/research/reviews.asp

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Delinquency Prevention (Europe)

Shelf Number: 128294


Author: Trautmann, Franz

Title: Further Insights into Aspects of the EU Illicit Drugs Market: Summaries and Key Findings

Summary: • Our estimates for the EU cannabis market suggest a range of approximately €7 billion to €10 billion for 2010. These estimates are likely low as they do not account for the “consumption gap” (see below) that is created when data from general population surveys are used to measure substance use. Prior estimates of the EU cannabis market ranged from €15-35 billion. • This difference arises from two key findings of this study: o Cannabis users who use more frequently also smoke more each time they use. This is true across the seven countries studied. o Occasional users are more likely to share than are frequent users; that still further reduces the amount they consume at each session. o This picture also seems to apply to amphetamine, ecstasy and cocaine use. • Prior estimates multiplied the number of users by the average number of sessions per user and the average amount per session; this will lead to overestimates of the quantity consumed because, for example infrequent users are the vast majority of all users and they use much less per session as the result of sharing. • Our study also shows that intensive users are a small to modest fraction of cannabis users (between 5% and 25%), but are responsible for the bulk (between 55% and 77%) of the total amount of cannabis annually consumed in all countries. Infrequent users of cannabis, using less than once per month, form the largest group of past year cannabis users but account for 2 percent or less of the quantity consumed. • Another important finding is that users stating that they used in the past month and specifying the quantity used in the past month do not consume (the same amounts) each month. Multiplying their consumption by twelve to obtain an annual estimate may result in an overestimation. There are also other factors which might have led to earlier overestimations of cannabis consumption. One might be overstating the share of ‘high consumption users’ among past year. Finally, earlier studies have used higher estimates of amounts of cannabis used per unit compared to those we found in our study. • Substantial prior research finds that opioid substitution treatment (OST) such as methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) contributes substantially to a reduction of drug use related harm and to better health. Research shows that OST reduces the frequency and intensity of illicit heroin use among treatment clients. Drawing from a wider lower and upper bound range, the study calculates that the amount of pure illicit heroin consumption averted per Problem Heroin User retained in MMT each month ranges from a conservative estimate of 1.26 grams to a high estimate of 3.09 grams. This compares with estimates for the amount of pure heroin consumed when not engaged in MMT, which ranged from 1.79 to 4.5 grams. At an individual level, changes on this scale are equivalent to a 70 per cent reduction in the amount of pure heroin consumed while retained in MMT. • Extrapolating these estimates across the four case study Member States considered, we conclude that retention in MMT may reduce total pure heroin consumption by around 30 per cent. Assuming 221,452 Problem Heroin Users from a wider population of 505,173 were in receipt of MMT across these four Member States, total monthly consumption of pure heroin is estimated to have reduced by between 0.28 and 0.69 metric tons, from an estimated total of between 0.9 and 2.3 metric tons consumed. • Enforcing laws against the production and distribution of cannabis dramatically inflate their costs. The increase is largely driven by producers and traffickers requiring compensation for their risk of arrest, incarceration, seizure, and violent injury as well as by the inefficiencies associated with having to operate covertly. • Drug markets to some extent follow the same laws of economics of licit markets, as attested by our Delphi survey of European drug experts about key trends of the illicit drugs market and policy responses in the EU. The majority of experts stress the analogy of the illicit drugs market with other (licit) markets. For example, it is important to maintain working relations with suppliers and employees. A study of 33 failed transactions in the Dutch cocaine smuggling trade found that the smuggler mostly tried to understand what went wrong and work out a reasonable way of arranging compensation. However about 40% did involve either violence or its threat; how that affects behaviour within the market remains to be worked out.

Details: Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2013. 46p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 5, 2013 at: http://ec.europa.eu/justice/anti-drugs/files/eu_market_summary_en.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction

Shelf Number: 128295


Author: Pana, Artemis

Title: Youth4Youth: A Manual for Empowering Young People in Preventing Gender-Based Violence through Peer Education

Summary: The Youth4Youth training manual is the culmination of a series of initiatives undertaken in several European countries that aimed at shedding more light on the issue of gender-based violence among adolescents. A number of projects funded by the European Commission’s Daphne Programme have created a wealth of information on how young people think and act in relation to their gender identity and within romantic relationships, forming the basis for the work undertaken in the Youth4Youth project, a deliverable of which is this manual. Most importantly, they have provided the foundation upon which interventions such as this manual can be developed and implemented in schools and in youth centres to prevent gender-based violence, and violence against women in particular, by addressing its root causes as early as possible. Emerging evidence suggests that patterns of violence and victimization may develop in early adolescence, and soon become difficult to reverse. Hence, primary prevention measures have an essential role in combating gender based violence since schools and other education centres are a critical component of adolescents’ lives and one of the main contexts where gender socialization takes place, as well as where attitudes toward oneself and others are formed and reinforced. This type of work goes on to stress the importance of funding programmes within the EU that prioritize gender equality and the fight against gender-based violence, including primary prevention programmes that aim to provide young people across Europe with the knowledge and skills to live healthier, more empowered lives.

Details: Nicosia, Cyprus: Mediterranean Institute of Gender Studies (MIGS), 2012. 94p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 6, 2013 at: http://www.medinstgenderstudies.org/wp-content/uploads/Y4Y-Manual_digital_v12.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Bullying

Shelf Number: 128299


Author: Nordic Council of Ministers,

Title: Nordic-Baltic Campaign Against Trafficking in Women. Final report 2002

Summary: Trafficking of women and children is not a new phenomenon in the Nordic Baltic region. However, the magnitude, forms and impact are more alarming and devastating than before. The United Nations estimates that between one and four million women and children are victims of trafficking every year around the world, of these more than 500,000 are believed to be trafficked into the European Union. The majority of these women and children, mostly girls, are recruited, transported, sold and purchased by individual buyers, pimps, traffickers and members of organized crime networks within countries and over national borders for the specific purpose of sexual exploitation in the sex industry. In the past most women were trafficked for brothel prostitution. Today the forms and varieties have expanded. Trafficked women are sexually exploited through brothel prostitution, including in nightclubs, through escort service agencies, for sex tourism and military “rest and recreation,” in pornography and in other forms of sexual “entertainment” such as striptease and telephone sex. Many women are also sold to men around the world as mail order brides through newspaper ads and over the Internet, for domestic work and other forms of servitude. The majority of these women and children are trafficked from countries in the south to countries in the north, and from Eastern Europe, the Baltic countries and the countries in Central Asia to countries in Western Europe and North America. However, women and children are also trafficked domestically between neighbourhoods, from city to city, within the Nordic and Baltic countries and to and from countries in the Baltic region. An increasing number of women, often very young, from the Baltic countries are sold to Nordic men and sexually exploited in the Nordic countries. Nordic men also travel to the Baltic countries as sex tourists. Trafficking in women is extremely profitable. Due to the increasing globalization of the economy and the rapid expansion of the sex industry combined with lenient punishment, trafficking in women and children for sexual exploitation has become a relatively low risk, high profit activity that attracts opportunity-seeking individual traffickers and well-organized crime networks in the Nordic Baltic region and beyond. These local, regional and international trafficking networks recruit and transport women and children to markets around the world for buyers who demand unlimited access to a varied supply of women and children from different countries, cultures and backgrounds. It is estimated that these groups may earn several billion Euros every year, making trafficking in human beings the third largest source of profit after drugs and arms trafficking. Trafficking in women for sexual purposes is a gender-specific crime and a serious barrier to gender equality in all societies. The traffickers exploit to their full advantage the fact that most women who are victims of trafficking come from the most oppressed and vulnerable groups in society, those who are educationally, economically, ethnically and racially marginalized and often victims of prior male sexual violence. The impact on the victims is devastating. Women who have been trafficked for sexual purposes experience physical and psychological harm that has lifelong consequences. Trafficking in women for sexual purpose is also a gross violation of women’s human rights, their human dignity and their right to bodily and psychological integrity. Women who escape from the traffickers or, who courageously agree to testify against them, often run a serious risk of retaliation, to themselves, to their families and to their friends. Many women who return to their home countries may find themselves unprotected, isolated and further discriminated against due to misconceptions in the society around them.

Details: Copenhagen: Nordia Council of Ministers and the Nordic Council, 2004. 144p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 6, 2013 at: http://www.norden.org/en/publications/publikationer/2004-715/at_download/publicationfile

Year: 2004

Country: Europe

Keywords: Child Sex Trafficking

Shelf Number: 128308


Author: MOVISIE (Netherlands Centre for Social Development)

Title: Combating Honor Related Violence, Forced Marriages and Abandonment. Policy, Good Practices and Success Factors in Cyprus, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden and Turkey

Summary: This Toolkit against violence has been developed by MOVISIE for organizations that are committed to tackling honour related violence, forced marriages and abandonment. This Toolkit was especially developed for grass roots organizations and non-governmental organizations (NGO’s) in Europe that are addressing honour related violence, forced marriage and abandonment. The content is based on practical experiences from sister organizations in Sweden, Germany, Cyprus, the Netherlands and Turkey. The experiences from the participating organizations were collected and described by the project team of the 'Flying Team against Violence', a collaboration between organizations from the aforementioned countries. Each team member interviewed several grass roots organizations and NGO’s in their respective countries. Good practices were described and an inventory was made of conditions and factors that made these practices successful.

Details: Utrecht: MOVISIE (Netherlands Centre for Social Development), 2012. 6 volumes

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 16, 2013 at: http://www.movisie.com/toolkit-against-violence-0

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Forced Marriage

Shelf Number: 128378


Author: Kelly, Liz

Title: Realising Rights: Case studies on state responses to violence against women and children in Europe

Summary: The commitment within Europe to combating violence against women (VAW), and to a lesser extent violence against children, has increased throughout the last decade as a result of sustained actions by women’s movements, non-governmental organisations, and initiatives such as DAPHNE. The initial set of DAPHNE activities were carried out on an annual basis between 1997 and 1999. Thereafter, those activities were continued by the European Commission in the form of DAPHNE I (2000-2003), DAPHNE II (2004-2008 with a budget of EUR 50 million), and DAPHNE III (2007-2013 with a budget of EUR 166 million). The projects funded under DAPHNE have addressed VAW and violence against children and youth, with most focusing on one or the other. Realising Rights (RRS) is part of the current DAPHNE III programme and explores both fields of violence. The aims of the RRS project were threefold: · to provide a comprehensive analysis of existing European legislation in the fields of violence against women (VAW) and child maltreatment (CM); · to undertake in depth case studies on approaches to, and effectiveness of, protection and justice; · to present an analytic overview of promising directions and gaps in legislation and implementation, in order to suggest directions for further reforms in laws, procedures and public policy. Mapping legislation was begun in 2009 and then carried over and deepened in a feasibility study for the European Commission1 which also included sexual orientation violence. That research project covered the first aim, and to some extent the third. In this report we present the multi-country case studies from phase 2 of RRS focused on the wider policy context and the social and institutional processes that define the practices covering: national action plans (NPA) on VAW; child protection processes; and protection for women living with domestic violence. One of our starting points is to develop a deeper understanding of how and why the same principles and concepts lead in diverse directions or why diverse legal frameworks seem to achieve similar results in terms of implementation and understandings of women and children’s human rights. Whilst core principles are established in human rights discourse for addressing VAW and VAC respectively, historical, societal and cultural diversity and legal traditions appear to shape their interpretation, especially when different rights can be interpreted as being in tension. Three case studies were developed to explore this conundrum more fully, involving the four specialised institutions collaborating in this project: · Child & Woman Abuse Studies Unit (CWASU, London Metropolitan University, United Kingdom); · International Victimology Institute Tilburg (INTERVICT, the Netherlands); · Institute for Educational Science, University of Osnabrück (Germany). · German Institute for Human Youth Services and Family Law, Heidelberg (DIJuF, Germany) CWASU undertook the NPA case study involving the following countries: Bulgaria, Finland, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Serbia, Turkey and the UK. These countries were selected in order to provide a reasonable geographic spread, a diversity of legal frameworks, and different social, economic and cultural traditions and conditions. The Institute for Educational Science of the University of Osnabrueck and the German Institute for Human Youth Services and Family Law (DIJuF) in Heidelberg undertook the study on child maltreatment and child protection practice across a range of countries, while INTERVICT in Tilburg, the Netherlands, conducted the study on barring orders. Each case study used a slightly different methodological approach to the case studies, meaning that these are documented within each chapter. The first chapter supplements the European Commission report on legal responses (European Commission, 2010), presenting data on an additional 11 non-EU countries with respect to VAW and VAC. Chapters 2-4 present the three case studies and the final chapter explores cross-cutting themes.

Details: London: Child and Women Abuse Studies Unit, London Metropolitan University, 2011. 223p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 22, 2013 at: http://www.cwasu.org/

Year: 2011

Country: Europe

Keywords: Child Abuse and Neglect

Shelf Number: 128433


Author: European Commission. Eurostat

Title: Trafficking in Human Beings. 2013 edition

Summary: This publication presents the first report at the EU level on statistics on trafficking in human beings. It includes data for the years 2008, 2009 and 2010. The EU and its Member States have selected trafficking in human beings as one of the priority areas in the fight against organised crime. This resulted in the adoption by the Council and the European Parliament of Directive 2011/36/EU on preventing and combating trafficking in human beings and protecting its victims and the adoption by the Commission on 19 June 2012 of the EU Strategy towards the Eradication of Trafficking in Human Beings 2012–2016, endorsed via Council Conclusions by the Justice and Home Affairs Council on 25 October 2012. In order to further develop a coherent and strategic approach in the EU cooperation with third countries and regions, the Justice and Home Affairs Council adopted the so called Acton Oriented Paper on strengthening the external dimensions in actions against trafficking in human beings in 2009. The Second Implementation Report on the Action Oriented Paper of December 2012 includes a list of priority countries and regions with which the EU will establish closer cooperation. The preliminary data collected for the report below has been used together with other sources to define the prioritisation of these countries. The need to develop comparable and reliable statistics on crime and criminal justice has long been recognised by the European Commission and the EU. This has been further emphasised in the Commission Communication on Measuring Crime in the EU, adopted in January 2012, in which trafficking in human beings was highlighted as one of the priority areas for collecting statistics. In addressing trafficking in human beings, the European Commission and the EU take a human rights based approach that is victim-centred, gender-specific and focuses on the best interest of the child. This approach stresses the importance of multi-disciplinary actions where all relevant actors are involved in working together towards the eradication of trafficking in human beings. These key elements in trafficking in human beings policy and legislation mentioned above are systematically reflected in this publication on statistics. Thus, this report includes statistics on the total number of victims disaggregated by gender, age and form of exploitation, and also contains statistics on victims' citizenship and type of assistance and protection received. The data have been collected from different authorities working in the field of trafficking in human beings, including civil society organisations. Moreover, the report also includes statistics on suspected, prosecuted and convicted traffickers disaggregated by gender, citizenship and form of exploitation. Although the report focuses on statistical data from the registration systems in the respective organisations, Member States were encouraged to also send in metadata from other sources such as projects, studies and reports. This first report includes statistical data from all 27 EU Member States, Croatia and the following EU Candidate and EFTA/EEA countries: Iceland, Montenegro, Norway, Serbia, Switzerland and Turkey. The total number and percentages in the report are based on data from the EU Member States. Data from the non-EU countries have been highlighted separately in some sections. It is hereby acknowledged that the current state of the results does not entirely comply with the stringent requirements of the European Statistics Code of Practice and further development is planned to improve data quality in future collections. Nevertheless the political demand for this information is such that it seems opportune to make it available at this stage in the form of a Eurostat Working Paper. This means that figures should be interpreted with caution, taking into consideration the methodological notes and caveats provided in this report. For example, Member States were not able to provide comparable data on the number of victims by country of recruitment, the number of suspected traffickers involved in organised crime, the number of final decisions by public prosecution services or the number of convicted traffickers by form of exploitation. By drawing conclusions on the findings is this report several issues need to be taken into consideration. The increase in the number of identified and presumed victims shown in the report could indicate that the phenomenon of trafficking in human beings in EU Member States is on the rise. However, better identification procedures, the involvement of more actors in the identification process, changes in legislation in individual Member States and higher priority in addressing trafficking in human beings can also have an influence on the number of victims.

Details: Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2013. 86p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 25, 2013 at: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/home-affairs/what-is-new/news/news/2013/docs/20130415_thb_stats_report_en.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Forced Begging

Shelf Number: 128438


Author: Carnibella, Giovanni

Title: Football violence in Europe A report to the Amsterdam Group

Summary: The report contains an up-to-date review of research and theoretical approaches to football violence in Europe. The historical development of the problems in various countries is outlined. Specific attention is given to the role of the media, the emergence of overt racism at football matches and the alleged influence of alcohol consumption on violent behaviour. A principal aim of this report has been to present a clear, unbiased, but critical review of the literature on football violence in Europe. This we have attempted to do by standing back from the vested interests, academic or otherwise, of the individuals and research groups from whom the literature emanates and by judging the work in terms of available evidence and relevance to contemporary problems in Europe. This detachment has been difficult at times because one of the authors of this report established a fairly significant theoretical perspective on football hooliganism in the late 1970s. In keeping with the traditions of this field, he has also been soundly attacked by a number of other authors whose work is reviewed here. Nonetheless, this report is a collective effort and we would claim that a high degree of balance has been maintained. The input of a number of consultants and colleagues throughout Europe has added significantly to this objectivity.

Details: Oxford, UK: Social Issues Research Centre, 1996. 168p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 1, 2013 at: http://www.sirc.org/publik/football_violence.pdf

Year: 1996

Country: Europe

Keywords: Football Hooliganism

Shelf Number: 128595


Author: Brunovskis, Anette

Title: A Fuller Picture: Addressing trafficking-related assistance needs and socio-economic vulnerabilities

Summary: Given the importance of assistance and protection in the lives of trafficked persons, it is critical that interventions are designed to meet their actual needs at various stages of their post-trafficking recovery. A comprehensive picture of assistance needs necessitates engaging directly with trafficked persons in the design, implementation and evaluation of assistance interventions. That is, what do trafficking victims themselves see as important and useful assistance in order to be able to recover and move on from trafficking? To what extent are these needs being met within the existing assistance system? How could interventions better respond to their different needs? These questions are the main focus of this paper. A second focus is the broader social and economic context of victims’ needs. For many victims, their assistance needs are not tied directly to trafficking but to their social and economic exclusion and vulnerability. Disentangling when victims’ assistance needs are directly caused by trafficking and which are manifestations of their general social and/or economic vulnerability, situates human trafficking in a wider context of socioeconomic vulnerability. In so doing, it pinpoints when and how trafficking involves distinct, specific needs and responses and when victim needs might be addressed within the existing social protection framework. This report is based on interviews with victims of trafficking in Albania, Moldova and Serbia.

Details: Oslo, Norway: Fafo; Washington, DC: NEXUS Institute, 2012. 48p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 2, 2013 at: http://www.fafo.no/pub/rapp/20256/20256.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Human Trafficking (Albania, Moldova, Serbia)

Shelf Number: 128603


Author: Brunovskis, Anette

Title: No Place Like Home? Challenges in family reintegration after trafficking

Summary: When trafficking exploitation ends, victims face a new set of challenges as they return and integrate into their home environment. A critical aspect is victims’ relationship and interaction with their family. Family provides not only emotional and social support but also (often vital) economic backstopping. Considering and accommodating family dynamics and relationships in reintegration responses has the potential to contribute substantially to more efficient and appropriate assistance and protection. At the same time, there are family tensions and issues, which can serve to undermine the reintegration process. Considering relationships within the family – with parents, children, spouses and so on – is critical in the design of reintegration responses. Moreover, socio-economic vulnerability amongst trafficking victims is well known and one of the main reasons assistance is provided. Multiple vulnerabilities can create additional strain on the family system, which, in turn, diminishes the ability to function as a safety net and a welfare provider. Tensions potentially heighten the victim’s vulnerability as it can lead to family rejection, not serving as a security net and/or not assisting her in a situation of crisis. The two main sources of additional stress on and conflict in families post-trafficking are tied to financial hardship and stigma. This report is based on interviews with victims of trafficking in Albania, Moldova and Serbia.

Details: Oslo, Norway: Fafo; Washington, DC: NEXUS Institute, 2012. 64p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 2, 2013 at: http://www.fafo.no/pub/rapp/20257/20257.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Human Trafficking (Albania, Moldova, Serbia)

Shelf Number: 128605


Author: Brunovskis, Anette

Title: Out of sight? Approaches and challenges in the identification of trafficked persons

Summary: Identification is a key starting point for protection measures. It is central to ending trafficking situations and facilitating access to assistance. Failure to identify victims of trafficking may lead to deportation from destination countries, where they lack legal migrant status; prosecution for crimes or misdemeanours associated with trafficking; or not being granted relevant rights as trafficked persons under international conventions. This report discusses and analyses challenges in victim identification, based on interviews with 43 victims of trafficking and 99 key informants in the anti-trafficking field in Albania, Moldova and Serbia, between 2006 and 2008.

Details: Oslo, Norway: Fafo; Washington, DC: NEXUS Institute, 2012. 64p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 2, 2013 at: http://www.fafo.no/pub/rapp/20255/20255.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Human Trafficking (Albania, Moldova, Serbia)

Shelf Number: 128606


Author: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drugs Addiction (EMCDDA)

Title: Drug Prevention Interventions Targeting Minority Ethnic Populations: Issues Raised by 33 Case Studies

Summary: This Thematic paper contains the results of a study that examined drug prevention interventions for minority ethnic populations in 29 European countries. A total of 33 interventions were reported to the study and the issues they raise are presented and discussed in the paper. The results will inform the EMCDDA’s plans for 2013–15 in terms of monitoring drug prevention interventions particularly in three areas: data collection, design and quality, and the dissemination of knowledge.

Details: Lisbon: EMCDDA, 2013. 115p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 3, 2013 at: http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/attachements.cfm/att_197631_EN_TDXA13001ENN.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction

Shelf Number: 128611


Author: Central and Eastern EuropeanHarm Reduction Network

Title: Sex Work, HIV/AIDS, and Human Rights in Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia

Summary: Although sex work has a long history in nearly every culture and society, sex workers have been rarely, if ever, free from persecution, stigma, and violence. In some countries, notably in Western Europe, government officials and policymakers have worked with sex workers and their representatives in an effort to ease discrimination and improve access to health care and other social services. Such efforts have at times been slow and inconsistent; they are, however, major accomplishments compared with most nations elsewhere in the world. In Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia, for example, sex workers remain among the most marginalized members of society. Policymakers and authorities view them as nuisances to be ignored or immoral lawbreakers rather than as individuals who can and should be protected from violence and receive social and economic assistance and support. At the same time, the surging HIV/AIDS epidemic in the region places sex workers at increasingly greater risk of infection not only from HIV, but also from other potentially debilitating conditions related to sex work and drug use. This report provides an overview of these and other important issues that sex workers face in the region as well as to the political, economic, and social factors that influence policies and attitudes toward sex workers. It focuses primarily on existing laws and policies and their consequences from the perspective of HIV prevention and treatment. The report also offers recommendations designed to uphold sex workers’ human rights and remove barriers that reduce their ability or willingness to obtain access to consistent and equitable health care and other social services.

Details: Vilnius, 01114, Lithuania: Central and Eastern European Harm Reduction Network, 2005. 121p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 3, 2013 at: http://www.unodc.org/documents/hiv-aids/publications/CEEAndCAsiaharm_05_sex_work_east_eur_0408.pdf

Year: 2005

Country: Europe

Keywords: AIDS (Disease)

Shelf Number: 128614


Author: BIO Intelligence Service

Title: Stocktaking of the main problems and review of national enforcement mechanisms for tackling illegal killing, trapping and trade of birds in the EU. Final Report

Summary: The European Union (EU) is rich of a diversity of over 500 wild bird species. These species have been facing several threats for a long time: fragmentation and reduction of their habitat, diminution of their food supply linked to an intensification of agriculture, forestry and fisheries as well as direct threat to their population due to a massive use of pesticide, unregulated hunting and the development of illegal practices like poaching. Many species which suffer under an unfavourable population status are impacted by illegal killing (see annex 6). This is important because it increases threats to populations already threatened, but many common species with favourable status are also impacted, which may lead to an unfavourable status of these populations in the future. The Birds Directive (BD) is the legal EU text protecting birds. It has the overall goal to preserve all species of birds naturally occurring in the wild (articles 1 and 2), while allowing sustainable hunting activities for listed bird species (article 7). However, no reporting on this overall goal was found in the summary of the main findings in the report from the European Commission (EC) on the implementation of the Bird Directive (Period covered: 2005 – 2007, EC2009). Similarly to other biodiversity targets at EU and international levels, and considering the population status of several bird species, this overall goal can be considered however not (yet) achieved. The European Conference on Illegal Killing of Birds, co-organised by the Council of Europe and the Game Fund of Cyprus (Ministry of Interior) in July 2011 concluded that “despite efforts by many governmental authorities, illegal taking and trading in wild birds is still a serious pan- European problem with clear regional patterns, having a considerable negative impact on biodiversity across the continent. In some European countries, the driver for such activities is mainly direct or indirect financial profit for individuals or organised crime, generating illegal (untaxed) benefits not related to basic survival needs. Considering the multiple dimensions of illegal killing, trapping and trading of birds in Europe, such as the ecological/environmental, legal, economic, social and political aspects, a combination of measures, policies and strategies is necessary to solve the problem.”

Details: Paris: European Commission (DG Environment, 2011. 215p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 20, 2013 at: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/pubs/pdf/BIO_BirdsIllegalKilling.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: Europe

Keywords: Birds

Shelf Number: 128757


Author: Sahovic, Nevena Vuckovis

Title: ENOC Study report on National Human Rights Institutions and Child/Juvenile Delinquency

Summary: The Survey: A first step in the survey on NHRIs and child/juvenile delinquency was to develop and distribute a questionnaire. The questionnaire on the monitoring role of the NHRIs in dealing with the rights of child/juvenile delinquents (C/JD) was sent in May 2012 to all ENOC member institutions (to date ENOC is made up of 41 members). The members were asked to provide some basic information on their involvement in the protection of the rights of C/JD. The questionnaire consisted of groups of questions which covered all measures of implementation in the area of the rights of C/JDs, with special attention to the rights of children who are alleged as, accused of or sentenced as having infringed the Penal law. However, children below the age of criminal responsibility also perpetrate offences (sometimes crimes) as well as “status” offences, for which they are deprived of liberty, taken into custody and intervened against. Therefore, children of all ages were subject of this survey.  Structure of the Questionnaire: The questions were grouped into three chapters:  Chapter one, dealing with basic information on the protection of the rights of C/JD in ENOC members’ States;  Chapter two dealing with the role of NHRIs in the implementation of general measures needed for the realization of the rights of C/JD and  Chapter three dealing specifically with the role of NHRIs in monitoring and evaluation of prevention and intervention in the area relevant for C/JD. Each Chapter was divided into sections The Questionnaire was elaborate but simple, with most questions requiring yes or no answers. Members were asked to provide comments and proposals for improvement for each group of questions.  Structure of the Report This report follows the structure of the questionnaires and is thus divided in three Chapters and sections within.

Details: Strasbourg: ENOC - European Network of Ombudspersons for Children, 2012. 61p.

Source: Internet Resource: ECOC Survey 2012: Accessed May 30, 2013 at: http://www.kinderrechtencommissariaat.be/sites/default/files/bestanden/enoc_report_juvenile_justice_2012.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Child Protection

Shelf Number: 128873


Author: European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA)

Title: EU LGBT survey European Union lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender survey. Results at a glance

Summary: In light of a lack of comparable data on the respect, protection and fulfilment of the fundamental rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) persons, the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) launched in 2012 its European Union (EU) online survey of LGBT persons’ experiences of discrimination, violence and harassment. The survey results provide valuable evidence of how LGBT persons in the EU and Croatia experience bias-motivated discrimination, violence and harassment in different areas of life, including employment, education, healthcare, housing and other services. The fi ndings show that many hide their identity or avoid locations because of fear. Others experience discrimination and even violence for being LGBT. Most, however, do not report such incidents to the police or any other relevant authority. By highlighting and analysing the survey results, this report, together with the accompanying EU LGBT survey – Main results report, will assist the EU institutions and Member States in identifying the fundamental rights challenges facing LGBT people living in the EU and Croatia. It can thereby support the development of effective and targeted European and national legal and policy responses to address the needs of LGBT persons and ensure the protection of their fundamental rights.

Details: Vienna, Austria: FRA, 2013. 31p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 1, 2013 at: http://fra.europa.eu/sites/default/files/eu-lgbt-survey-results-at-a-glance_en.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Bias-Motivated Crimes

Shelf Number: 128909


Author: Frontex

Title: Annual Risk Analysis 2013

Summary: Detections of illegal border-crossing along the EU’s external borders dropped sharply in 2012 to about 73 000, i.e. half the number reported in 2011. This was the first time since systematic data collection began in 2008 that annual detections have plunged under 100 000. In the Central Mediterranean area, the large number of detections in 2011, which suddenly increased following the Arab Spring in Tunisia and Libya, had been significantly reduced by the end of 2011. However, throughout 2012, detections steadily increased and by the end of the year they totalled more than 10 300. Starting from 2008, considerable numbers of migrants had been detected crossing illegally the border between Turkey and Greece, along the so-called Eastern Mediterranean route. The situation changed dramatically in August 2012 when the Greek authorities mobilised unprecedented resources at their land border with Turkey, including the deployment of 1 800 additional Greek police officers. The number of detected illegal border-crossings rapidly dropped from about 2 000 in the first week of August to below 10 per week in October 2012. The enhanced controls along the Greek-Turkish land border led to a moderate increase in detections of illegal border-crossing in the Aegean Sea and at the land border between Bulgaria and Turkey, but simultaneous mitigation efforts in Turkey and Bulgaria have so far contained the displacements. There remains the risk of resurgence of irregular migration, since many migrants may be waiting for the conclusion of the Greek operations before they continue their journey towards Europe. Many migrants who cross the border illegally to Greece move on to other Member States, mostly through the land route across the Western Balkans. Contrary to the decrease at the Greek-Turkish land border, there was no decrease in detections of illegal border- crossing on the Western Balkan route (6 390, +37%). In 2012, in the Western Mediterranean area between North Africa and Spain, detections of illegal border-crossing decreased by nearly a quarter compared to 2011 but remained above the levels recorded in previous years (6 400, -24%). In 2012, Afghans remained the most detected nationality for illegal border-crossing at EU level, but their number considerably dropped compared to 2011. Syrians stand out, with large increases in detections of illegal bordercrossing and for using fraudulent documents compared to 2011. Most of the detected Syrians applied for asylum in the EU, fleeing the civil war in their country. There were large increases in refusals of entry at the Polish land border with Belarus and Ukraine. However, these increases were offset by a decrease in refusals of entry issued at other border sections, resulting in a stable total at EU level compared to 2011 (-3%, 115 000 refusals of entry). Detections of illegal stayers, which totalled about 350 000 in the EU in 2012, have shown a stable but slightly declining long-term trend since 2008. Most migrants detected illegally staying in the EU were from Afghanistan and Morocco. Despite a short-term increase of 10% between 2011 and 2012, the overall trend of detections of facilitators of irregular migration has been falling since 2008, totalling about 7 700 in 2012. This long-term decline may be in part due to a widespread shift towards the abuse of legal channels (such as overstaying, abuse of visa-free regime, etc.) and document fraud, which results in facilitators being able to operate remotely and inconspicuously. In 2012, there were around 8 000 detections of migrants using fraudulent documents to enter the EU or Schengen area illegally. Preliminary data on asylum applications in 2012 indicate an overall increase of about 7% compared to the previous year. While Afghans continue to account for the largest share of applications, much of the increase was due to an increasing number of applications submitted by Syrian nationals. The number of asylum applications submitted in the EU by Western Balkan citizens, mostly those from Serbia, remained unabated in 2012. Consequently, following the implementation of the visa facilitation agreement with five Western Balkan countries that started at the end of 2009, there are now discussions in the EU about the possible reintroduction of the visa regime. In 2012, there was a steady trend of about 160 000 third-country nationals effectively returned to third countries. Greece reported the largest number of returns of a single nationality (Albanians), and effective returns in Greece increased markedly in the last quarter of 2012 following the launch of the Xenios Zeus operation. Looking ahead, the assessment of risks along the EU’s external borders shows that despite a sharp reduction in detections between 2011 and 2012, the risks associated with illegal border- crossing along the land and sea external borders remain among the highest, in particular in the southern section of the border of the EU. The risk of illegal border-crossing along the land borders of the Eastern Mediterranean route, including the Greek and Bulgarian land border with Turkey, is assessed amongst the highest. This comes after several years of large numbers of migrants detected at the Greek land border with Turkey. Although the flow abruptly stopped in August 2012, there are reports of uncertainties related to the sustainability of the efforts and growing evidence that migrants are waiting in Turkey for the end of the operation. Increases at the neighbouring sea border (Aegean Sea), at the land border between Bulgaria and Turkey and increases in detections of document fraud from Istanbul airports, although so far relatively small, indicate that alternatives to the Greek land border are being explored by facilitators. Many of the migrants who crossed illegally through the Eastern Mediterranean route are expected to continue making secondary movements across the Western Balkans and within the EU. The risk of illegal border-crossing across the Central Mediterranean area was also assessed amongst the highest due the continued volatile situation in countries of departure in North Africa. Crisis situations are still likely to arise at the southern border with thousands of people trying to cross the border illegally in the span of several weeks or months. Past experiences also show that these crises take their toll on human lives, and are very difficult to predict and quell without a coordinated response. Most risks associated with document fraud were assessed as high. Indeed, document fraudsters not only undermine border security but also the internal security of the EU. These risks are also common to nearly all Member States, as they are associated with passenger flows and border checks, which are a specific expertise of bordercontrol authorities. Fraud is expected mostly among EU travel documents (e.g. passports, visas and ID cards). False pretence or deception is used to obtain a wide range of documents. The most common technique is to use fraudulent documents to obtain short-term visas. Most risks associated with the abuse of legal channels are assessed as high as they are common and widely spread phenomena. Based on currently available information, the risks associated with cross-border criminality are assessed as moderate, including the risks of trafficking in human beings, terrorism, smuggling of illicit drugs and exit of stolen vehicles.

Details: Warsaw, Poland: Frontex, 2013. 84p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 1, 2013 at: http://www.frontex.europa.eu/assets/Publications/Risk_Analysis/Annual_Risk_Analysis_2013.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Border Control

Shelf Number: 128911


Author: European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders of the Member States of the European Union (FRONTEX)

Title: Situational Overview on Trafficking in Human Beings

Summary: Although trafficking in human beings (THB) is not frequently reported at the external border of the European Union (EU), this phenomenon is, by its transnational nature, closely related to the national borders and the work of border guards. As exploitation predominantly starts after the potential victim crosses the border, the data collected for the purposes of this analysis reflect cases of trafficking detained inland (inside the EU). The definitions of trafficking in human beings used by the Member States and Schengen Associated Countries* (SAC) are not all harmonised with the definition used by Frontex,** where a potential victim of trafficking is understood as “a person that most probably suffered or will suffer from offences related to trafficking in human beings.” Although some Member States and SAC could not provide the numbers of potential victims of trafficking as defined by Frontex, the collected data will be considered comparable for the purposes of this analysis, as the need for a situational overview of THB in the EU and SAC outweighs the need for stricter data guidelines. The following analysis is based on statistical data and reports of national rapporteurs provided by Member States and SAC for the years 2008 and 2009, analytical materials collected during Frontex Joint Operations (JO) and open source data. As there is limited intelligence-based evidence on the timeframes, mode, and locations of the arrival of victims of trafficking at the EU external border, reliable conclusions are limited. Statistical data collected shows that Member States and SAC reported 3 023 potential victims of trafficking from third countries in 2009, while there had been only 2 075 cases reported in 2008. This represents a 27% increase in 2009, if the countries that provided the data in both years are the only ones taken into account. Most of the third-country potential victims came from West African countries (showing an increase of 75% in the years compared), followed by nationals from South America, East Asia, and North Africa. The most common nationalities among the potentially trafficked non-Europeans are Nigerian, Chinese and Brazilian. Most of the potential victims were trafficked for the purpose of sexual exploitation, but trafficking for forced labour or services is reported as an increasing phenomenon. The same increasing trend is also observed regarding male victims. The number of male victims in 2009 was ten times higher than the number in 2008. The most common male victims were Pakistani nationals, followed by Chinese and Vietnamese.

Details: Warsaw, Poland: FRONTEX, 2011. 24p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 3, 2013 at: http://frontex.europa.eu/assets/Publications/Risk_Analysis/Situational_Overview_on_Trafficking_in_Human_Beings.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: Europe

Keywords: Border Security

Shelf Number: 128918


Author: Clark, Nick

Title: Detecting and Tackling Forced Labour in Europe

Summary: Stronger labour market regulation and associated inspection/enforcement powers would make it more likely for forced labour to be detected. This study reveals how nine European countries (France, Germany, Italy, Ireland, Latvia, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain and Sweden) detected and tackled forced labour. Analysis identified key issues and lessons for the UK. ◾Although international measures outlaw forced labour, it occurs in all nine countries and is not always recognised by official bodies. ◾Most forced labour is in undeclared or clandestine jobs, but sometimes contributes to prominent companies’ supply chains. ◾Housing, healthcare and subsistence support is generally limited and designed with rehabilitation of trafficking victims in mind. These may prove unattractive to workers who need to find another employer. Recommendations include: ◾better information and training on forced labour indicators; ◾enlarging relevant inspectorates; ◾establishing main contractor liability in areas like construction and agriculture; and ◾pursuing unpaid wages and compensation in prosecution cases.

Details: York, UK: Joseph Rowntree Foundation, 2013. 75p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 7, 2013 at: http://www.jrf.org.uk/sites/files/jrf/forced-labour-europe-full.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Forced Labor (Europe)

Shelf Number: 129007


Author: Jackson, Jonathan

Title: Trust and Legitimacy Across Europe: A FIDUCIA Report on Comparative Public Attitudes Towards Legal Authority

Summary: FIDUCIA (New European Crimes and Trust-based Policy) seeks to shed light on a number of distinctively ‘new European’ criminal behaviours which have emerged in the last decade as a consequence of both technology developments and the increased mobility of populations across Europe. A key objective of FIDUCIA is to propose and proof a ‘trust-based’ policy model in relation to emerging forms of criminality – to explore the idea that public trust and institutional legitimacy are important for the social regulation of the trafficking of human beings, the trafficking of goods, the criminalisation of migration and ethnic minorities, and cybercrimes. In this paper we detail levels of trust and legitimacy in the 26 countries, drawing on data from Round 5 of the European Social Survey. We also conduct a sensitivity analysis that investigates the effect of a lack of measurement equivalence on national estimates.

Details: London: London School of Economics, 2013. 41p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 18, 2013 at: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2272975

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Criminal Courts

Shelf Number: 129024


Author: Hardiman, Paul Soto

Title: Youth and Exclusion in Disadvantaged Urban Areas: policy approaches in six European cities

Summary: This volume in the Trends in social cohesion series follows on from Volume 8, which dealt with some aspects of “integration” of young people in urban areas, in particular the implications of the concept and the responsibilities of the various parties (the state, the administrative authorities, politicians, the voluntary sector, mediators, families and young people themselves) in matters of policy. It also considered the limitations of reparation-orientated approaches that treat the question in isolation, being targeted at this specific section of the urban population. The present volume provides two additional studies. The first part, by Paul Soto, offers a reading of the causes of youth violence, based on comparative analysis of neighbourhood integration policies in six European cities: the four west European cities are Naples (the Spanish quarter), Barcelona (el Raval), Amsterdam (Slotervaart) and Derby (Derwent); the two cities in transition countries are Sofia (Fakulteta) and Moscow (the Southern Administrative District). In the second part Frédéric Lapeyre looks at the particular case of Naples’ Spanish quarter. His investigation brings home the complexity of any genuine policy in the matter, which, to restore humanity and dignity to young people’s daily lives, requires that all the players revise their perceptions and action. In a summary of the six case studies, Paul Soto shows that so-called “youth violence”, whether in west or east Europe, displays certain constant features: poverty, disappointed aspirations, lack of prospects, of self-confidence and of confidence in the local environment, official uncertainty, ignorance of the problems, indifference and spatial segregation. The violence manifests itself in the home and in family life, in the street, towards “outsiders”, towards symbols of authority, towards young people’s own community and towards communal facilities and installations. The study examines in detail the forms that violence can take. In the neighbourhoods considered, violence is one response to lack of control over changes that worsen the situation and the social climate: in addition to containing concentrations of poverty, some of it extreme, these are also reception areas for imported poverty in the form of immigrants. A series of questions arises. What kind of policy will enable young people to change their lives in neighbourhoods suffering from identity loss and in which identity building is conflict-based (“us”, the minority in the neighbourhood, and “them”, the majority who live on the far side of the mental and social boundaries that surround young people’s life setting)? What kind of constructive spaces can we provide for analysing and discussing the older generation’s anger and resentment? In what kind of environment are the political decisions being taken? How do politicians respond to the pressure they are under to make tackling local and street violence the priority rather than developing proper long-term education, training and employment policy? Paul Soto’s overview identifies four types of official response, ranging from decentralisation – allocating responsibilities and resources to the level at which the problem is located – to seeking areas in which young people themselves, and the rest of society, could be given greater responsibility. He reflects on how the political sphere addresses this and highlights the strengths and weaknesses of the different approaches. He shows that no project can be fully successful unless it rebuilds young people’s sense of belonging and sense of identity by reconciling them with their immediate life context (family, school, friends and so on). This part ends with a series of recommendations as regards both methods and indicators for evaluating the situation and setting up mechanisms for intervention and spaces conducive to it. In the second part Frédéric Lapeyre describes the everyday lives of young people in the Spanish quarter of Naples. He offers an interpretation of the interplay between various “life spaces” (physical/public, family/private and relational/public), all of which are characterised by a culture of disorganisation and violence, but also by great vitality and by tolerance of incomers who themselves have been marked by their experience of poverty and despair. The Spanish quarter features a huge concentration of deprivation and the community there has a large proportion of jobless citizens and people on minimum guaranteed income. From an early age the young have to harden themselves against disadvantage and take on an adult role. Their desperate need of protection draws them to the sort of figure who rules by fear, and the dearth of self-fulfilment models is compounded by the instability of relationships. The rejection of social norms is reflected in vandalism, educational failure, membership of criminal gangs and so forth. How is any sort of ambition for something better to be fostered in neighbourhoods like that, and how are people to be enabled to form any kind of life project in an environment where people are constantly afraid both individually and collectively?

Details: Strasbourg Cedex: Council of Europe Publishing, 2004. 178p.

Source: Internet Resource: Trends in social cohesion No. 9: Accessed June 22, 2013 at: http://www.coe.int/t/dg3/socialpolicies/socialcohesiondev/source/Trends/Trends-09_en.pdf

Year: 2004

Country: Europe

Keywords: At-Risk Youth (Europe)

Shelf Number: 129144


Author: Jahrl, Jutta

Title: Illegal Caviar Trade in Bulgaria and Romania - Results of a market survey on trade in caviar from sturgeons (Acipenseridae)

Summary: Overfishing and unsustainable trade in caviar from wild sturgeons have been identified as the major direct threats to sturgeons in the Danube – one of the last mainstays of these globally threatened fish1. In the two key range States of Danube sturgeons, Romania and Bulgaria, both fishing and domestic trade in caviar from wild sturgeons are now illegal, due to general moratoria lasting until the end of 2015. However, there are unconfirmed reports that poaching continues there. The aim of this report is to provide research findings from a survey of caviar trade in Bulgaria and Romania, with a special focus on illegal trade as well as on illegal fishing of sturgeons. The goals of the survey were to collect reliable data and provide clear indications as to whether illegal caviar is available in Bulgaria and Romania in order to support the actions of national authorities controlling fishing and trade. The survey adds to Objective 6 of the “Action Plan for the conservation of sturgeons (Acipenseridae) in the Danube River Basin” in that it aims to investigate the trade in caviar including the chain of custody from fishermen to restaurant sellers and exporters of products (Action 6.5) and the implementation of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) universal caviar labelling system (Action 6.3)1. The project involved local surveyors visiting selected shops, restaurants, markets, street vendors and sturgeon farms in different parts of the two countries in order to buy caviar. The survey took place from April 2011 to February 2012, with a special focus on times of peak supply or demand (e.g. spring and autumn migration times for wild caviar; Christmas and New Year). Samples were obtained from vendors and then the DNA analysed to determine the species of origin. Overall, the findings of the survey suggest that illegal fishing of sturgeons and illegal trade in caviar continues in both Romania and Bulgaria in spite of the moratoria.

Details: Vienna, Austria: WWF Austria & TRAFFIC, 2013. 54p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 25, 2013 at:

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Caviar

Shelf Number: 129159


Author: Bio Intelligence Service

Title: Stocktaking of the Main Problems and Review of National Enforcement Mechanisms for Tackling Illegal Killing, Trapping and Trade of Birds in the EU. Final Report for the European Commission (DG Environment)

Summary: The European Union (EU) is rich of a diversity of over 500 wild bird species. These species have been facing several threats for a long time: fragmentation and reduction of their habitat, diminution of their food supply linked to an intensification of agriculture, forestry and fisheries as well as direct threat to their population due to a massive use of pesticide, unregulated hunting and the development of illegal practices like poaching. Many species which suffer under an unfavourable population status are impacted by illegal killing (see annex 6). This is important because it increases threats to populations already threatened, but many common species with favourable status are also impacted, which may lead to an unfavourable status of these populations in the future. The Birds Directive (BD) is the legal EU text protecting birds. It has the overall goal to preserve all species of birds naturally occurring in the wild (articles 1 and 2), while allowing sustainable hunting activities for listed bird species (article 7). However, no reporting on this overall goal was found in the summary of the main findings in the report from the European Commission (EC) on the implementation of the Bird Directive (Period covered: 2005 – 2007, EC2009). Similarly to other biodiversity targets at EU and international levels, and considering the population status of several bird species, this overall goal can be considered however not (yet) achieved. The European Conference on Illegal Killing of Birds, co-organised by the Council of Europe and the Game Fund of Cyprus (Ministry of Interior) in July 2011 concluded that “despite efforts by many governmental authorities, illegal taking and trading in wild birds is still a serious pan- European problem with clear regional patterns, having a considerable negative impact on biodiversity across the continent. In some European countries, the driver for such activities is mainly direct or indirect financial profit for individuals or organised crime, generating illegal (untaxed) benefits not related to basic survival needs. Considering the multiple dimensions of illegal killing, trapping and trading of birds in Europe, such as the ecological/environmental, legal, economic, social and political aspects, a combination of measures, policies and strategies is necessary to solve the problem.” This study describes the situation in the EU related to illegal killing, trapping and trade of birds and reviews the enforcement mechanisms of Member States (MS) legislation implementing the Birds Directive (Directive 79/409/EEC and 2009/147/EEC). The information provided through the European Conference on Illegal Killing of Birds forms an excellent resource to achieve this goal especially the materials collected by the Council of Europe and BirdLife International. The present report is composed of five main chapters. After a presentation of the main issues related to illegal killing of birds in Europe, the study reports the feeling of the different Member States concerning this issue. In the third chapter, a “country profile” assesses and summarises for each Member states the implementation and the enforcement of the Bird Directive. A focus is then realised on some examples of successful and failed enforcement. Finally, the main findings as well as the proposed recommendations to make more efficient the fight against the illegal killing of birds are available in the last chapter. The Birds Directive is the main EU text, which ensures the protection of threatened bird species. This Directive was adopted first in 1979 and “relates to the conservation of all species of naturally occurring birds in the wild state in the European territory of the Member States to which the Treaty applies. It covers the protection, management and control of these species and lays down rules for their exploitation. It shall apply to birds, their eggs, nests and habitats” (article 1). The overall goal of the Birds Directive is, that “Member States shall take the requisite measures to maintain the population of the species referred to in article 1 at a level which corresponds in particular to ecological, scientific and cultural requirements, while taking account of economic and recreational requirements, or to adapt the population of these species to that level” (article 2.1). The Birds Directive allows hunting in certain conditions, recognising that it is an important recreational activity in some areas, that it can constitute an acceptable exploitation of species where populations can be maintained, and that it may be used as a tool to reduce ecological damage caused by birds. Hunting is a traditional recreation activity in most EU countries. Given how widespread it is, hunting is also an important economic activity, over and above providing an occasional source of income for landowners, and hunters, if the specimens are sold. The Federation of Associations for Hunting and Conservation of the EU (FACE) has estimated that hunting accounts for 100 000 jobs in the EU, based on the approximation that 65 hunters are needed for the creation of one job (Pinet, 19952). In September 2010, FACE says there were 6,571 millions of hunters were recorded in the EU3. Hunting is differentiated from trapping since whereas hunting implicitly refers to the lawful pursuit and killing of wildlife for food, recreation or trade, trapping is usually considered separately since it does not involve the pursuit of the animal (note that trapping is legal under certain conditions). Lawful hunting and trapping of birds if properly managed can constitute a sustainable use of wild species for at least two reasons. Hunting can contribute to the restoration or maintenance of natural areas, through activities carried out by the hunters, and can be enhanced through the revenues raised from the sale of hunting licences. In France for example, the national hunting agency ONCFS manages 31 protected areas4. Hunting can also contribute to regulating or eradicating populations of some damaging species. For example, in France, the Great Cormorant and the Canada Goose can be hunted under a derogation year around for this reason. Not all killing and trapping of birds is performed in accordance with the law. Illegal killing, trapping or trade in the EU may be a significant driver in the decline of some wild bird populations and a cause of wider ecosystem disturbance (see examples in section 1.2). Illegal killing, trapping and trade encompasses: killing/shooting/trapping protected species (most of the species listed in Annex I of the Birds Directive, but also most of the species not listed in Annex I, unless authorised for hunting (Annex II) or under a derogation), capture of protected species, killing/trapping/capture in areas (e.g. bird sanctuaries) and/or periods during which hunting/trapping is forbidden (e.g. during the spring migration period, without derogation), use of methods prohibited under the Birds Directive without derogation (see annex 1), involuntary killing (using illegal products), killing/shooting/trapping game birds without a hunting licence, and nest robbery or nest destruction. Reasons for illegal killing/ trapping and trade of birds vary. In Mediterranean countries, some traditional delicacies involve songbirds (Franzen, 20105). Despite bans on songbird killing, there is still significant demand from restaurant owners. This demand has encouraged poaching and illegal trade since the sale of songbirds is well remunerated. Throughout the EU, raptors are illegally killed (mainly by the use of poisoned bait), as hunters often consider birds of prey to be “competitors”6. Farmers or fishermen may also consider that birds are reducing their yields. The poisoning of protected birds can also be an indirect, involuntary consequence of other practices. For instance, some hunters used to spread poisoned bait for foxes before breeding since they are considered a pest in several countries. Unfortunately, this bait is eaten by raptors and can kill them. In Ireland, over 20 protected birds of prey have been tested positive for exposure to poisons over the last three years. Many other species are poisoned but never found, which makes it hard to estimate the effect of poisoned bait on local population decline. Trophy hunting and taxidermy are also motivations for poachers. Trophy hunting is an old practice in southern and central Europe, going back to historical times when the head or pelt of an animal was displayed as a sign of prowess. An argument in favour of trophy hunting is based on projected economic benefits for the environment and local communities. Lindsey et al. (2007) developed for example the theory that trophy hunting is viable in countries that receive few conventional tourists. They have shown that compared to the ecotourism, trophy hunting can generate 14 times greater revenues. Consequently, they demonstrate that hunting can potentially generate considerable income without the environmental disagreement usually generated by the tourism (littering, fossil fuel use, habitat conversion for infrastructure development, etc.). The Capercaillie7 in several EU countries and also the migratory bird species on the Greek island of Zakynthos8 are both hunted to serve as trophies. While legal trophy hunting may provide interesting revenues in rural localities, illegal activities must be banned. Illegal trophy hunting and taxidermy can generate high benefits and are often associated with illegal trade.

Details: Paris: Bio Intelligence Services, 2011. 215p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 28, 2013 at: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/pubs/pdf/BIO_BirdsIllegalKilling.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: Europe

Keywords: Animal Poaching

Shelf Number: 129203


Author: Görgen, Thomas

Title: Youth Deviance and Youth Violence: Findings from a European study on juvenile delinquency and its prevention (YouPrev)

Summary: In the upcoming decades, European societies will be characterized by rapid demographic change. Population ageing will affect the entire structure and functioning of societies. These changes are of importance not only for the size of youth populations but also for intergenerational relations, family structures, and labour markets. They will also have substantial impact on the age structure of the staff of institutions responsible for prevention and control of youth deviance and violence; especially in the case of the police, processes of “staff ageing” are already visible in many countries. This era of shrinking adolescent populations will furthermore be facing substantial challenges related to young people’s deviance. The current deep and prolonged economic crisis which affects European countries in very differential ways entails changes in government options concerning management and control of social problems and exposes individuals, families, communities and entire populations to considerable economic risks. The rapid progress and spread of new communication technologies affects modes of communication and social relationships and has already begun to change opportunity structures for adult and juvenile crime and deviance. While in recent years police-recorded crime rates in many European countries mainly show downward trends, at least until very recently, juvenile violence has generally been rising. Self-report studies (e.g. Baier, Pfeiffer, Simonson & Rabold, 2009) asking young people about experiences as perpetrators and victims of violence point to the fact that part of this rise in police-recorded youth violence may be due to increased reporting of hitherto undetected offences. This indicates that the development of youth deviance and violence is embedded into larger European societal trends such as diminishing tolerance for the use of violence as a means of conflict resolution and an increasing reliance upon formal institutions as agents of conflict settlement (cf. Pinker, 2011). Still, youth problem behaviour and violent offences committed by young people remain very important problems and matters of discourse and dispute in media and politics. Considering the countries involved in the project – Belgium, Germany, Hungary, Portugal, Slovenia, and Spain – there are a number of youthrelated phenomena that are regarded and discussed as paramount problems cross-nationally. Among these are problems connected to a small but very active group of young repeat offenders, the nexus between migration and crime among young people, substance abuse among adolescents and alcohol and drug-related offences, violence in schools reaching from bullying to school shootings and killing sprees, violent youth crime including the use of guns and knives, offences committed by girls and by very young juveniles and even children, the impact of new technologies on young people’s deviance, bringing about – or making possible – phenomena like cyber-bullying or digital copyright violations, and juvenile violence committed by gangs or rooted in youth subcultures. Across countries, there appear to be widespread perceptions of an increasing brutality and rudeness of juvenile violent offences and rising levels of aggressiveness in everyday life. They are linked to a perception of declining respect for authorities – including parents, teachers, and institutions of law enforcement. Though such perceptions are only partially supported by social science research, they have an impact on the ways the public and professionals – like police and social workers – perceive problems of youth deviance and violence (see Estrada, 2001). Beyond these cross-nationally consistent conceptualizations of paramount problems in the field of youth deviance, there are phenomena currently being regarded as important mainly in some countries. This holds true for offences committed by young people belonging to the Roma minority in Hungary, or severe acts of violence committed in public spaces and in public transport in Germany. So, while it is widely recognized nowadays that certain minor forms of deviant behaviour (alcohol and substance use, truancy, petty thefts, etc.) are a broadband developmental phenomenon – most young people displaying some kind of deviance during adolescence – there is a number of critical areas of youth crime that are regarded as serious problems and as severe threats to public safety. Substantial parts of this violence happen in public places (often called street violence). This has considerable impact on fear of crime and perceived quality of life in heavily affected areas. If young people are associated with deviant and violent behaviour in public spaces (consumption of drugs and alcohol, rude and physically aggressive behaviour), the attractiveness of (especially inner city) areas diminishes, places are avoided, and this in turn influences not only individual quality of life but also the local economy, the housing market, and social cohesion in neighbourhoods (cf. Thomas & Bromley, 2000, Tiesdell & Oc, 1998; Warr & Ellison, 2000). In multiple ways, young people’s deviance is connected to lifestyle aspects. Lifestyle issues have been theoretically and empirically linked to juvenile violence as well as to violent victimization (see for example Bottoms, 2006; Nofziger & Kurtz, 2005; Pauwels & Svensson, 2009). Lifestyle approaches point both at risk factors and at opportunities for prevention and intervention. Among the lifestyle issues discussed in connection with juvenile deviance and violence are young people’s consumption and abuse of alcohol and other psychotropic substances, their use of media and new communication technologies, afterschool activities, especially when frequenting risky public spaces (pubs, discos, clubs, etc.) and associating with delinquent peers, and lifestyle factors related to cultural and ethnic diversity and to migration (including perceptions of masculinity and femininity and attitudes regarding the legitimacy of using violence). Taking these lifestyle issues into account may open up approaches to successfully prevent youth deviance and violence. Among the stable findings of criminological research is that – with some exceptions – offenders and victims of crime and violence are very similar in their basic demographic characteristics and that there is considerable overlap between those committing violent acts and those affected by them. Violence committed by young people is mostly directed against young people, often their immediate peers. Thus, successfully preventing youth violence means protecting adolescents from violent victimization (Chen, 2009; Sampson & Lauritsen, 1990). While in the past, crime-related discourses have often been dominated by rather punitive attitudes, in recent years the concept of crime prevention has gained widespread acceptance – especially with regard to offences committed by young people. In multiple ways, successful prevention and control of youth deviance and violence require a broad perspective. As regards the actors involved, prevention should not be limited to police and law enforcement but should include social work, schools, the community etc. Concerning the characteristics and behaviours to be addressed by prevention and intervention, measures should not be focussed upon violence alone, but rather include other types of delinquency, with a special emphasis on the use and abuse of legal and illegal substances (cf. Ribeaud & Eisner, 2006; Webster- Stratton & Taylor, 2001). Regarding the target groups, a diversity of preventive approaches is needed – from measures of primary prevention addressing young people in general (e.g. in the field of alcohol abuse prevention) to specific measures targeting pre-identified high risk groups and known offenders. Consequently, prevention and control require a broad perspective in terms of the approaches taken, reaching from early onset primary prevention to custodial sanctions and to offender rehabilitation. Finally, regarding the levels of action, preventive measures should proceed at different levels, ranging from a micro to a macro perspective. Young people’s deviance is deeply rooted in local and regional conditions (family, school, peer group, community) which must be taken into account. However, since these micro conditions are embedded in and partly determined by factors at higher aggregate levels, prevention also requires a national and increasingly a European perspective. In the field of prevention and control of youth deviance and young people’s violence, multiple approaches are put into action in all European countries and by many different actors. Up to now, few of them have been systematically evaluated with regard to their effects and efficiency. Exchange across projects is scarce, especially if they are located in different countries. In recent years, criminological research has produced a substantial body of knowledge on risk and protective factors, offering multiple starting points for improving deviance control and prevention (see for example the Communities that Care Programme which builds upon local analyses of risk and protective factors; cf. Brown, Hawkins, Arthur, Briney & Abbott, 2007; Cleveland, Feinberg, Bontempo & Greenberg, 2008; Harachi, Hawkins, Catalano, LaFazia, Smith & Arthur, 2003; Hawkins, Catalano, Arthur, Egan, Brown, Abbott & Murray, 2008). What is currently lacking is a systematic up-to-date approach on best practices in prevention of young people’s deviance and youth violence in European countries. Further, this knowledge should be made available to the most important professions in the field in a way suitable for training and continuing education. Conclusions and consequences for policies directed at young people and at youth deviance and violence need to be made available to policy makers and practitioners in the field. The YouPrev project aimed at filling and narrowing these gaps by using a combination of different perspectives and methods. While the approaches are described in more detail below, the logic behind the methods applied is to first look what kind of approaches are currently being taken in partner countries and what is known about their effects and efficiency, and to ask key actors and experts in the field for their expertise on how to best tackle problems of youth violence and deviance. While this approach is primarily a national and cross-national one, the project also took a micro perspective by analysing juvenile problem behaviour and measures directed at it at the local level, thereby also comparing youth living in urban and rural areas. In this part of the project, young people’s first hand perspective not only on deviance and victimization but also on their perceptions and acceptance of preventive and protective measures was taken into account via surveys conducted in schools. Having analysed the current state of affairs, the proposed project then turned to future challenges and their implications for prevention and control of youth problem behaviour. Though, of course, no attempt to predict future developments can claim perfect accuracy, at least predictions regarding demographic changes in the coming decades are well-based on evidence. Since any type of strategic planning necessarily presupposes assumptions about the future, the challenge is to put these assumptions on a basis as solid as possible. The project undertook to go beyond the level of “implicit predictions” by including experts’ views in a systematic and structured manner via Delphi surveys. The project also aimed at refining and disseminating project findings and making them available for training and continuing education of the most important professions in the field. Following the basic assumption that successful prevention and intervention require multi-professional and multi-disciplinary approaches, practitioners and experts from different institutions and academic disciplines were brought together in national and international workshops. Finally, the project undertook to put knowledge on youth deviance prevention and control into action by conceiving materials for training and continuing education for police officers on the one hand and social workers on the other. Recommendations emerging from the project were set up to be disseminated among policy makers and key professionals in the field. Prevention and control of youth problem behaviour and youth violence can only be meaningfully understood as multidisciplinary, multi-professional and multi-agency endeavours. In the frame of the project, police and social work were identified as crucial and therefore teachers, trainers, and educators in this field represented the key target groups. This refers to staff at schools, colleges, faculties, universities and other educational institutions for police officers and social workers as well as to professionals in the field of continuing education. Beyond this, other groups are targeted by the project. These include practitioners from professions involved with crime and deviance prevention and control, members of crime prevention councils and networks at local, regional, national and European levels (like the EU Crime Prevention Network EUCPN and the European Forum for Urban Safety EFUS), as well as policy makers at local, regional, national and European levels.

Details: Brussels: European Commission, 2013. 188p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 1, 2013 at: http://www.youprev.eu/pdf/YouPrev_InternationalReport.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Delinquency Prevention

Shelf Number: 130030


Author: Institute for Democracy

Title: Security for all – a challenge for Eastern Abkhazia Community perceptions of safety and security

Summary: This is the third annual survey conducted in Eastern Abkhazia by the Institute for Democracy and Saferworld since 2011. The survey tracks and summarises local perceptions of safety and security, gathered in four research areas: Gal/i town and surrounding villages, Ochamchira/e and Tkvarchel/i towns and surrounding villages, Upper Gal/i, and Lower Gal/I). The methodology included a household survey conducted in January 2013 and a series of follow-up focus group discussions conducted in March 2013. This year’s results show further slight improvements in local perceptions of safety and security, suggesting that positive changes noted between surveys conducted in 2011 and 2012 represent a trend, rather than a one-off anomaly. Respondents attribute positive changes to fewer incidents relating to safety and security, a decreased threat of renewed violence, and improved infrastructure. Unemployment tops the list of communities concerns while, as in the previous year’s survey, at the regional level concerns regarding crime, extortion, presence of armed groups, and kidnappings have virtually disappeared from the list of major community problems. These positive outcomes, however, are not evenly distributed and there are considerable differences between the four research areas. The Ochamchira/e and Tkvarchel/i group and, to a lesser degree, the Gal/i town groups reported an overall improvement, while respondents in the more isolated and rural Lower Gal/i and Upper Gal/i groups are more inclined to report a worsening of their situation in comparison to the previous year. In general, respondents in Ochamchira/e and Tkvarchel/i are more concerned by access to services (e.g. electricity, potable water), than by rights issues (e.g. access to Abkhaz passports, freedom of movement), which are pressing issues for communities in Lower and Upper Gal/i, as well as in Gal/i town and surroundings, albeit to a relatively lesser degree. Upper Gal/i is the only area where the majority of respondents note a worsening of their security situation, and in Lower Gal/i more people report deterioration than improvement (although the majority felt the situation was unchanged). In both research groups these negative perceptions were related to difficulties commuting across the Ingur/i River, and closely related to that, by difficulties obtaining Abkhaz passports. Problems with crime were identified as a major community concern by respondents in Lower Gal/I. Recommendations for responding to communities’ safety and security priorities n Carefully monitor the nature, cause, and frequency of incidents of crime in Lower Gal/i and develop measures to combat crime in the area n Simplify procedures for obtaining Abkhaz passports for permanent/long-term residents in Eastern Abkhazia and improve communication about such procedures, including about legal requirements for obtaining passports and reasons for delays or failure to issue passports n Improve procedures for crossing the Ingur/i River, including by opening additional checkpoints n Increase investments into socio-economic rehabilitation of the area, particularly emphasising job creation and healthcare provision.

Details: London: Saferworld, 2013. 36p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 3, 2013 at: http://www.saferworld.org.uk/downloads/pubdocs/Security-for-all-English-version.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Community Safety (Abkhazia)

Shelf Number: 129245


Author: Healy, Claire

Title: Report for the Study on Typology and Policy Responses to Child Begging in the EU

Summary: Child begging is a common sight in cities such as Budapest, Sofia, Paris or Warsaw. It is not so common, and in fact has all but disappeared, in Stockholm, Copenhagen or Vienna. One of the purposes of this report is to examine the reasons behind these differences, in relation to legislation, policy and responses, as well as the characteristics and causes of child begging across Europe. Begging children occupy a place at the lowest echelons of society, come from poor backgrounds, are often badly dressed and badly cared for, and mostly treated as a nuisance by the authorities, rather than as a child protection concern. Their visibility on the streets of European cities casts doubt upon the viability of child protection frameworks and reminds passers-by of the intolerable levels of poverty, inequality, exclusion and child abuse that exist in Europe today. During the last few years, there has been increasing attention in many EU Member States and other European countries on the phenomenon of child begging. Whilst a consensus exists among Member States that child begging needs to be addressed, there has been little evidence thus far on what is the best policy approach. In order to provide a comprehensive understanding and rigorous empirical research on child begging, it is necessary both to conduct research at a national level, and to bring the research down to a local level, to examine the reality of the phenomenon as it affects the children themselves and as it plays out in European localities. Therefore research was conducted first at a national level in 15 European countries – 13 EU Member States and 2 non-EU countries, as well as, in a second phase, in a total of thirty European cities, on the phenomenon of child begging. The Country Sections included in this Report present a complex phenomenon that is by no means homogenous in nature, and involves children of various backgrounds and in different situations. Nevertheless, there are some key features common to a number of cities, setting out the main scenarios that child begging represents.

Details: Brussels: European Commission, 2012. 337p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 6, 2013 at: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/home-affairs/e-library/documents/policies/organized-crime-and-human-trafficking/cybercrime/docs/child_begging_final_11jan2013_en.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Child Begging (Europe)

Shelf Number: 129259


Author: OSCE Office of the Special Representative and Co-ordinatorfor Combating Trafficking in Human Beings

Title: Trafficking in Human Beings for the Purpose of Organ Removal in the OSCE Region: Analysis and Findings

Summary: Trafficking in human beings for the purpose of organ removal (THB/OR) is, like all other forms of trafficking, a violation of the fundamental human rights and dignity of individuals, while also clearly representing a grave form of transnational organized crime. My mandate to address this form of trafficking stems back to the OSCE Action Plan to Combat Trafficking in Human Beings. Other OSCE commitments throughout the years refer to all forms of trafficking; most recently in the Vilnius Declaration , participating States expressed their deep concern for this form of trafficking. It is important to note at the outset what has not been included within the terms of reference for this research because it is not within my mandate. Firstly, our research does not address allegations of organ trafficking related to alleged war crimes, since they do not involve trafficking in human beings. Secondly, it is important to clarify an important distinction between what is known as organ trafficking, and trafficking in human beings for the purpose of organ removal. My mandate is of course based on trafficking in human beings; organ trafficking is a separate issue as has been recognized by the United Nations and the Council of Europe, it raises a whole other set of factual and legal considerations. Furthermore, our research does not cover trafficking of tissues and cells, as it is not widely recognized to fall within the meaning of “organ removal” within the relevant definition of trafficking for organ removal. This Occasional Paper is based on actual reported incidents or cases of THB/OR that have been investigated to different degrees, and in some cases, fully prosecuted. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first research paper based on an analysis of available case studies in the OSCE region. It is thus not possible to make any comparisons to the global context of the crime, even though the 2012 Global Report on Trafficking in Persons has identified a similar scope and scale of the crime. A brief annex of cases where formal criminal proceedings were initiated on THB/ OR or related charges can be found in Annex A. The methodology for this report is explained in detail but it is important to stress that wherever possible we prioritized indictments, judgments, and official government sources, and we also requested and received official information from participating States. The findings are also based on media and open source reporting, as well as interviews with key experts in relevant fields (medical, ethics, transplantation, victim care, among others). We have collated information and analysed more than ten cases of potential THB/OR, and at least two or three other incidents in which there were allegations of THB but there was insufficient evidence to proceed to investigation or prosecution. We have also included at least one case of organ trafficking which however seems to share many of the common elements of THB/OR cases. To this end, this paper confirms a trend amongst all THB cases: it remains a challenge for criminal justice actors across the OSCE region to identify and charge trafficking in human beings and not on related and in some cases, lesser, charges. If we are going to address the full scale of modern-day slavery, then we must also address the full criminality in prosecutorial strategies and charging documents.

Details: Vienna, Austria: OSCE/ Office of the Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, 2013. 80p.

Source: Internet Resource: Occasional Paper Series no. 6; Accessed July 16, 2013 at: http://www.osce.org/cthb/103393

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Human Trafficking (Europe)

Shelf Number: 129399


Author: European Network Against Racism (ENAR)

Title: Recycling Hatred: Racism(s) in Europe Today. A Dialogue between Academics, Equality Experts and Civil Society Activists

Summary: This publication aims to bring together various discussions between academics, equality experts, activists, policy makers, and foundation representatives, who participated in the ENAR/OSF symposium on the Varieties of European Racism(s) in Brussels on 27-28 September 2012. With the motto ‘only together will we be strong’, multiple stakeholders convened to reflect various understandings of racism and ways to influence public sentiment and bring about structural changes to achieve inclusive societies and ensure equality for all. The symposium thus enabled a platform to discuss new and different forms of racism and to reflect whether distinctive experiences of racism can be linked to particular minority populations. It also shed light on the structural and ideological aspects driving racism and hate on the ground in the different European Member States. Participants shared research outputs, personal testimonies, and examples from the different national contexts, bringing forward evidence of the varieties of European racism(s). The symposium additionally enabled a platform to address the interconnections between institutional racism (structures and laws that legislate for exclusion) and popular racist culture, as well as the role of state actors and civil society in countering this. By the end, strategies for improving measures to combat racism on the ground were collected, including approaches for mobilising civil society and for changing racist and xenophobic attitudes.

Details: Brussels: European Network Against Racism (ENAR), 2013. 188p.

Source: Internet Resource: ENAR Anti-Racism in Focus 1; Accessed July 16, 2013 at: http://cms.horus.be/files/99935/MediaArchive/publications/SymposiumReport_LR%20final%20final.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Bias

Shelf Number: 129402


Author: Veisten, Knut

Title: Cost-Benefit Analysis of Drug Driving Enforcement by the Police

Summary: One of the deliverables in DRUID WP3 is a cost-benefit analysis (CBA), an assessment to what degree (increased) enforcement against driving under the influence of drugs is profitable in economic terms for the society, together with an assessment of which of the existing devices for such enforcement are more profitable. The policy goal of increased enforcement, targeting driving under the influence of psychoactive substances, would be to increase societies’ benefits (reduce societal costs) through a deterrence effect that should reduce prevalence and driving under the influence of psychoactive substances, and subsequently reduce the tolls of fatalities and injuries. This implicitly assumes that individual behaviour is affected by the increased presence of police at the roadside and/or the word-ofmouth of acquaintances being tested and/or that the particular driver is tested. While positive benefits in the CBA will be due mainly to an expected decrease in fatalities and injuries, there are other effects of an enforcement increase that will be counted as negative benefits, particularly the additional time use of the road users. The cost of increased enforcement against driving under the influence of drugs will comprise the costs of control equipment and police work, as well as additional medical and judicial costs in case of suspicions and convictions. Both costs and benefits may depend on the quality of the particular drug screening test device to be applied by the police. Even if the particular device selection normally is beyond the CBA, e.g., that some hypothetical/average device is assumed in the analysis, in the case of drug screening the selection of device might become more decisive for the results. Data are collected from the three participating countries: Belgium, Finland, and the Netherlands. Also the CBA is applied to these three countries. Applying these three countries as case studies may prove illustrative, in that they have different baseline levels of drug screening. Although the CBA model will have some limitation (stiffness) in terms of differentiating effects with respect to the baseline level, it will appear that the current control level will affect the outcome of the CBA. However, estimating the effect of control change on prevalence (the “deterrence effect”) is indeed a very complex issue, and the approach in our CBA must be regarded as fairly simplified. The input variables and different scenarios for the CBA are complex and must often be based partly on assumptions. The primary assumption relates to the deterrence effect. Firstly, the effect of increased enforcement will depend on the relative increase with respect to the reference level; the deterrence effect will most probably not be linear – there will be relatively less effect of higher increases. The quality of the device, its sensitivity (how good it is at detecting true positives), will affect the objective risk of being detected when tested for drugs. Cost figures for devices are generally not available from producers. Therefore we use a common unit price for the disposable devices. Based on information received, unit prices may be reduced substantially for large quantity purchases. We use the estimates for six different groups of drugs: amphetamines (including metaamphetamines), benzodiazepines, cocaine, medical opioids, opiates and cannabis. The selection of these six groups is based on the fact that these six are more or less the standard groups of drugs that are included in the on-site oral fluid screening devices for drugs. This report has been produced under the IP DRUID of the EU 6th Framework Program and reflects only the authors' view. The European Commission is not liable for any use of the information contained therein.

Details: Gladbach, Germany: DRUID, 2011. 48p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 18, 2013 at: http://www.druid-project.eu/cln_031/nn_107548/Druid/EN/deliverales-list/downloads/Deliverable__3__3__1,templateId=raw,property=publicationFile.pdf/Deliverable_3_3_1.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: Europe

Keywords: Cost-Benefit Analysis

Shelf Number: 129436


Author: Environmental Justice Foundation

Title: What's the Catch? Reducing Bycatch in EU Distant Water Fisheries

Summary: It is estimated that . million tonnes of non-target catch (bycatch) are discarded annually by the world’s fisheries (Kelleher). This has considerable economic, ecological and developmental impacts (see Impacts of bycatch right). In some cases, bycatch reduction is already technically feasible and economically advantageous (Valdemarsen & Suuronen) – what is needed now is the political will to implement and enforce solutions. In particular the European Union (EU) has clear moral, economic and environmental imperatives to address both bycatch and discard issues associated with its distant water fishing fleets, currently operating in the waters of developing countries. EU trawl, longline and purse seine fisheries operating in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans are of special concern. Bycatch reduction in these fisheries would be in direct accord with international commitments the EU has made by adopting the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation’s (FAO) Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries and in ratifying the UN Agreement on the Conservation and Management of Straddling and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks. Reducing bycatch would also be consistent with the recent reform of Europe’s Common Fisheries Policy. EJF has evaluated which international policy initiatives could best address bycatch globally. There is much value in taking an integrated approach to bycatch reduction, rather than focusing on specific fisheries or specific bycatch species. As such, EJF is calling for a UN FAO International Plan of Action (IPOA) on Bycatch Reduction and considers that the EU has both the ability and a responsibility to take the lead in proposing this initiative at the FAO. We believe that such action could complement and reinforce existing FAO initiatives designed to help individual species, such as the voluntary guidelines being drafted to reduce fishery-sea turtle interactions, and the International Plan of Action on Sharks and that on Seabirds.

Details: London: EJF, 2005. 16p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 18, 2013 at: http://www.imcsnet.org/imcs/docs/whats_the_catch_%20reducing_bycatch.pdf

Year: 2005

Country: Europe

Keywords: Fishing Industry (Europe)

Shelf Number: 129452


Author: Poullet, Yves

Title: Cloud Computing and Its Implications on Data Protection

Summary: 1. The Council of Europe requested the CRID to prepare a preliminary report identifying the main privacy issues related to cloud computing and the questions to be addressed in the future, in particular in the light of Council of Europe data protection standards. As set by the contract, the work is to identify and underline the main cloud computing privacy issues. This first draft is definitively to be further elaborated and to be completed. It does not aim at giving answers which would have to be elaborated in the context of another mandate. 2. This report is structured as follows. It starts with a brief technical introduction illustrating the variety of services covered by the concept of “Cloud computing”. As defined by NIST1, “cloud computing is a model for enabling convenient, on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources (e.g., networks, servers, storage, applications, and services) that can be rapidly provisioned and released with minimal management effort or service provider interaction.” 3. Cloud computing services include a large diversity of services going from those offered at the benefit of individuals as the services offered by social networks to those proposed at the benefit of companies in sharing a common software or by using shared information infrastructures. To establish a typology of cloud computing services is quite important since legal problems raised by each kind of computer services might be different to a certain extent. The second point is dedicated to the analysis of the adequacy of the CoE Convention 108 (referred hereinafter as ETS 108) definitions with the cloud computing reality. In particular, the status of the actors involved into the operations will be analyzed. Thereinafter, our report analyses the duties of the persons subscribing to the cloud computing services or offering these services. The crucial question of the security is then addressed. Finally, the report envisages the delicate questions of transborder data flows and international private law, which are inherent to most of the cloud computing services.

Details: Strasbourg: Council of Europe, 2010. 28p.

Source: Internet Resource: Discussion Paper: Accessed August 5, 2013 at: http://www.coe.int/t/dghl/cooperation/economiccrime/cybercrime/Documents/Reports-Presentations/2079_reps_IF10_yvespoullet1b.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Cloud Computing

Shelf Number: 129533


Author: Cara, Arben

Title: Investigating and Combating Organized Crime in EU

Summary: The organized crime (OC) situation within the EU is developing rapidly. It is a growing problem within the EU and poses a threat to the EU objective to create a high level of safety within an area of freedom, security and justice. On the one hand, the opening of the borders between EU – 27 member states have made the indigenous and non-indigenous OC groups within the EU aware of the possibilities of expanding their criminal activities. Furthermore, to achieve criminal successes, the OC groups exploit the absence of or delay in the political initiatives or the unforeseen, negatives consequences of these as well as judicial changes among different EU member states. On the other hand, the growth of the European Union however does not just provide the organized crime with new opportunities in a common geographical and political space; it also provides the EU with an opportunity to streamline its political initiatives and activities, to become more efficient by overcoming national differences in the area of law enforcement. The EU has taken advantage of this new opportunity and from the recent years up to now has adopted a global strategy in the struggle against the organized crime both within the EU and in the international level. This strategy for the purpose of my research is divided into important parts: The investigation of organized crime and the combating of organized crime, within EU and beyond. The primary aim of this work is just to analyze and to bring insights for the EU a logic line and method to investigate and combat the organized crime from EU. We should keep in mind that the EU is not “a state” and the difficulties to achieve this goal are enormous. And, a good example to frame laws and to introduce efficient investigative methods, in different member states and in its own EU legislation, is Italy. As regards the methodology it is a mixing between analyze and descriptive one. The work will focus more on e European perspective of the fight against the organized crime than on individual national actions against it. The two important moments of this strategy against organized crime are reflected as I mentioned above on the investigation of organized crime, and combating of organized crime.

Details: Trieste, Italy: Università degli studi di Trieste, 2011. 205p.

Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed August 12, 2013 at: http://www.openstarts.units.it/dspace/handle/10077/7446

Year: 2011

Country: Europe

Keywords: Mafia

Shelf Number: 129620


Author: Lobe, Bojana

Title: Cross-national comparison of risks and safety on the internet: initial analysis from the EU Kids Online survey of European children

Summary: This report examines the cross-national differences between the 25 countries included in the EU Kids Online project. The core of the project is a rigorous and detailed in-home, face-to-face survey with 1,000 children aged 9-16 in each country. Top-line findings for the survey are reported in: Livingstone, S., Haddon, L., Görzig, A. and Ólafsson, K. (2011) Risks and safety on the internet: The perspective of European children. Full findings. This report offers a further analysis of these survey findings, focused on cross-country comparisons. It asks the following key questions:  What are the main differences in children’s online use, activities, skills, risks and harm across the 25 countries surveyed?  How far can these differences be accounted for by external country-level factors (such as broadband penetration, education, GDP, etc)? It is paired with a parallel report, published simultaneously (August 2011), Patterns of risk and safety online, which examines cross-national similarities among children’s experiences of the internet in Europe, focusing on individual and group-level differences (age, gender, parental education). The intended audience for both reports is researchers and research users. The reports include primary statistical analysis in order that the basis for the project’s conclusions is clearly explained and accounted for. To address policy stakeholders more widely, both reports will be followed, in September 2011, by a report discussing the policy implications of these individual and country-level comparisons of children’s experiences.

Details: London: EU Kids Online Network, London School of Economics, 2011. 84p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 19, 2013 at: http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/39608/1/Cross-national%20comparison%20of%20risks%20and%20safety%20on%20the%20internet%28lsero%29.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: Europe

Keywords: Bullying

Shelf Number: 129648


Author: Van Selm, Joanne

Title: Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Measures for the Integration of Trafficked Persons

Summary: The Evaluation of the effectiveness of measures for the integration of trafficked persons study has been carried out in the frame of the Foster and Improve Integration of Trafficked persons (FIIT) project. The FIIT project has been funded by the EC fund for the integration of third-country nationals, the Italian Ministry of the Interior and the British NGO Migrant Helpline and implemented in five EU Member states: Belgium, France, Hungary, Italy and the United Kingdom from January 2012 to June 2013. Based on more than 100 interviews with service providers, policymakers and former victims of trafficking, the study analyses and compares the integration measures dedicated to victims of trafficking in the five case countries. It also provides recommendations to enhance the integration of victims of trafficking in host countries.

Details: Geneva, SWIT: International Organization for Migration, 2013. 93p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 22, 2013 at: http://publications.iom.int/bookstore/free/FIIT_study_ENG.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Human Trafficking (Europe)

Shelf Number: 129673


Author: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime

Title: Business, Corruption and Crime in the Western Balkans: The impact of bribery and other crime on private enterprise

Summary: This study offers a comprehensive assessment of corruption as experienced by businesses in the western Balkans, based on interviews with more than 12,700 companies. If not countered by strong preventive and law enforcement action, corruption and crime can act as a barrier to private and foreign investment as well as trade, and hinder economic development. By identifying areas of vulnerability, the study aims to support governments in the region to implement the United Nations Convention against Corruption and work effectively with the private sector to develop and put into action anti-corruption strategies and measures. In order to provide guidance for public interventions and evidence-based policymaking that support the rule of law and fair markets, it is necessary to go beyond perception-based and general indicators of corruption and measure the actual experience of corruption and crime. This survey, which follows UNODC's 2011 survey of bribery and other forms of corruption as experienced by private households in the western Balkans, seeks to provide this tool. Furthermore, building long-term capacity and promoting the sustainability of corruption monitoring instruments was an explicit goal of this undertaking. Quantitative monitoring of corruption and integrity - of the related vulnerabilities but also the successes achieved in fighting corruption - needs to be carried out regularly and consistently so that policy makers have the necessary information to implement and evaluate anti-corruption measures. A broad range of stakeholders in the western Balkans, ranging from anti-corruption agencies, law enforcement and criminal justice institutions to business organizations and chambers of commerce, were consulted during the preparatory phase of the survey. UNODC partnered with National Statistical Offices and other data producers, and involved national anti-corruption agencies, business organizations and others in the design of the survey as well as in the dissemination of the results, thereby helping to strengthen national capacities to produce evidence-based assessments of corruption and crime. The study demonstrates that measuring corruption affecting the business sector is both possible and useful. It is also an excellent example of the work carried out by UNODC to support Member States in areas related to our mandate and expertise. UNODC's Regional Programme for South Eastern Europe (2012-2015) was recently launched at the request of, and in close partnership with, the countries of the region, to provide concrete assistance in addressing the challenges identified and analysed through studies like this one.

Details: Vienna: UNODC, 2013. 79p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 7, 2013 at: http://www.unodc.org/documents/data-and-analysis/statistics/corruption/Western_balkans_business_corruption_web.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Bribery

Shelf Number: 131605


Author: Moore, Marianne

Title: Save Money, Protect Society and Realise Youth Potential. Improving Youth Justice Systems During a Time of Economic Crisis

Summary: In 1978, the Council of Europe published a resolution on juvenile delinquency and social change calling for 'the prevention of juvenile delinquency and the social integration of the young'. Since then, despite over ten recommendations relating to youth justice being released by the Council of Europe, few concerted attempts have been made by governments to meet them. When we acknowledge the fact that many countries generally ignore the youth justice standards, the situation becomes all the more concerning during a time of economic turmoil when even the most basic services to protect children's economic, social, and cultural rights are at an increased risk. The United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child frequently expresses its concern that international standards on youth justice have not been fully implemented by European countries. Indications exist suggesting that the majority of European countries do not have a clear picture of the extent to which they are adhering to international and European standards, or, indeed, whether or not any of their practices in the sphere of youth justice are truly yielding the expected results, because they do not have sufficient data collection, monitoring and evaluation systems. In general, most countries tend to favor detention and punitive measures, however, this white paper will argue that through the prioritization of four key factors in the design of juvenile justice policies, European governments can save money, ensure greater security, and foster the positive development of its young population.

Details: Brussels, Belgium: International Juvenile Justice Observatory, 2013. 90p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 11, 2013 at: http://ejjc.org/sites/default/files/white_paper_publication.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Delinquency Prevention

Shelf Number: 131634


Author: Parren, Franny

Title: Combatting Youth Sexual Aggression and Victimization in the European Union: Stakeholder Perspectives and Recommendations

Summary: Youth sexual aggression and victimization (Y-SAV) is a problem all over Europe. In most countries where data on sexual violence is disaggregated by age, prevalence figures for sexual aggression and victimization in the age group 12-25 years old are higher compared to average fi gures for the overall population. Understanding and preventing youth sexual aggression and victimization is important not only to tackle the existing high prevalence, but also to invest in sexual health and equal relationships for future generations. Sexual aggression is characterised by many grey areas and there are a range of sexual pressures and unwanted sex that do not necessarily fit within the legal frame of sexual violence, but nonetheless require societal action. Particularly in the current context of over-exposure to media images and virtualised socio-sexual interaction, young people need adequate support to develop positive attitudes towards sexuality and gender roles, and to strengthen their sexual interaction competence. This report forms part of the European Y-SAV project (implemented in the period July 2010 - December 2013). Consultations have been conducted in nine EU member states (Ireland, Spain, Lithuania, Greece, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands) and a total of 73 organisations and 20 individual experts participated. The participants identified the main shortfalls and opportunities to address youth sexual aggression and victimization within a variety of areas and provided recommendations to improve responses towards youth sexual aggression and victimization at the EU level and at the level of individual member states.

Details: Utrecht, The Netherlands: Rutgers WPF, 2013. 30p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 23, 2013 at: http://ysav.rutgerswpf.org/sites/default/files/ESAP_2013_Online2.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Juvenile Offenders

Shelf Number: 131662


Author: European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA)

Title: Discrimination and Hate Crime Against Jews in EU Member States: Experiences and perceptions of antisemitism

Summary: Antisemitism is one of the most alarming examples of how prejudice can endure, lingering on for centuries, curbing Jewish people's chances to enjoy their legally guaranteed rights to human dignity, freedom of thought, conscience and religion or non-discrimination. Despite European Union (EU) and Member States' best efforts, many Jews across the EU continue to face insults, discrimination, harassment and physical violence that may keep them from living their lives openly as Jews. Nevertheless, there is little concrete information available on the extent and nature of antisemitism that Jewish people encounter in the EU today - whether at work, in public places, at school or in the media - information critical to policy makers seeking to craft effective solutions to bring an end to such discrimination. The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) has reported on the available official and unofficial data on antisemitic incidents in its Annual report on Fundamental rights: challenges and achievements, as well as in a separate annual working paper - Antisemitism: Summary overview of the situation in the EU - which presents trends on the available data covering up to 10 years. This provides a long-term view of the developments concerning antisemitic incidents. These reports are part of FRA's body of work on hate crime, shining light on the experiences of various groups such as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) persons, immigrants and ethnic minorities, and persons with disabilities. The available data fail to answer many questions, however, which are of keen interest to policy makers looking to improve responses to antisemitic acts. Effective solutions require information on the types of antisemitic incidents, the context in which they take place and the reasons why many incidents are not reported at all, indeed, why official statistics markedly underestimate the number of antisemitic incidents and the number of people exposed to these acts. Furthermore, even the most basic official statistics on antisemitic incidents are not available in many EU Member States. To close this information gap and facilitate effective solutions, FRA carried out the first-ever survey to collect comparable data across a number of EU Member States on Jewish people's experiences and perceptions of antisemitism, hate crime and discrimination. In the survey, which was conducted in Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Sweden and the United Kingdom, 5,847 self-identified Jewish people took part. The survey was also carried out in Romania, but due to the small number of responses in Romania these results are presented separately in Annex 2 of this report. The survey also provides data on exposure to antisemitic acts against the Jewish community, such as vandalism of Jewish sites or antisemitic messages in the broadcast media or on the internet.

Details: Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2013. 80p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 23, 2013 at: http://fra.europa.eu/sites/default/files/fra-2013-discrimination-hate-crime-against-jews-eu-member-states_en.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Antisemitism

Shelf Number: 131695


Author: Sethi, Dinesh

Title: Preventing Injuries in Europe: From international collaboration to local implementation

Summary: Injuries and violence are the third leading cause of death in the WHO European Region and pose a threat to economic and social development. This publication presents the results of a three-year collaborative project between WHO and the European Commission, funded by SANCO in the framework of the Public Health Programme (2003-2008), on progress achieved by European countries in implementing resolution EUR/RC 55/R9 and the European Council Recommendation on the prevention of injury and the promotion of safety. A web-based database of country profiles was developed using a questionnaire survey completed by health ministry focal people for preventing injury and violence. Information was provided on progress in delivering on key items of resolution EUR/RC 55/R9, on the implementation of 99 selected evidence-based programmes to prevent unintentional injuries and violence and on the cross-cutting risk factors of alcohol and socioeconomic inequality. There were responses from 47 of the 51 WHO European Member States that have focal people. Good progress is taking place, and resolution EUR/RC 55/R9 has catalysed change in 75% of the countries responding. The development of national policies for individual types of injury and violence varied from 95% for road safety to 40% for preventing drowning. Implementation of evidence-based programmes for preventing all types of injury and violence varied in countries, and the median score was 73% for all these together. This progress report documents that the health sector needs to commit more to the widespread implementation of effective programmes both in number and coverage and to engage with other stakeholders in a multisectoral response to prevent injuries and violence.

Details: Copenhagen, Denmark: World Health Organization, Regional Office for Europe, 2010. 100p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 27, 2013 at: http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/96455/E93567.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Crime Prevention

Shelf Number: 131723


Author: Maffei, Stefano, ed.

Title: New European Crimes and Trust-Based Policy

Summary: In the last decade, two large-scale research projects that focused on trust in justice were funded by the European Commission under the Seventh Framework Programme. EURO-JUSTIS, which was co-ordinated by Mike Hough and ran from 2008 to 2011, aimed to develop social indicators on trust in justice in order to enable evidence-based public assessment of criminal justice across Europe. The purpose of the FIDUCIA project, which began in 2012 and will conclude in 2015, is to shed light on a number of distinctively "new European" criminal behaviours which have emerged in the last decade as a consequence of technology developments and the increased mobility of populations across Europe, and propose new approaches to the regulation of such behaviours. For years, the question which has dominated and defined criminology is, 'Why do people break the law?' Procedural justice theory in general, and the two projects in particular, invert this question to discover reasons for compliance with the law. This focuses attention on a different set of explanations. When we ask why we ourselves observe the criminal law most of the time, we immediately look to answers that are couched in terms of normative compliance. When people ask why others break the law, explanations tend to be in terms of instrumental factors, such as insufficient deterrence or insufficient responsiveness to deterrence. The central idea behind the FIDUCIA project is that public trust in justice is important for social regulation: this is why the Consortium proposes a "trust-based" policy model in respect of emerging forms of criminality. Its aim is to determine whether new ways of regulating the sorts of crimes that are becoming more common as we move towards a more integrated Europe, with improved communication, large movements of citizens and non-citizens between member states can be discovered. What does the FIDUCIA research team mean by "trust-based policy"? This is a fundamental idea, however it requires further explanation. Most people think that police and criminal justice systems control crime through systems of deterrent threat. They suppose that people obey the law because they want to avoid the costs of conviction and punishment in the courts. This is partly true, yet it is only part of the story. Most people obey the law most of the time because they think it is the right thing to do. The police and the courts play an important role in maintaining this "normative commitment to the law", and they do it best when they command legitimate authority. People are more likely to obey the law and to cooperate with police and justice officials when they regard them as legitimate. This publication contains the findings of the FIDUCIA project's first-year of research, namely a review of: the state of knowledge on crime trends (Deliverables 1-3), the effectiveness of current criminal policies (Deliverables 4-6) and the fear of crime, trust in justice and punitive attitudes of citizens across Europe (Deliverables 7-9).

Details: Athens, Greece: FIDUCIA, 2013. 230p.

Source: Internet Resource: Volume #1: Accessed January 31, 2014 at: http://www.fiduciaproject.eu/media/publications/11/FiduciaVol1_Nov18.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Crime Trends

Shelf Number: 131820


Author: Houghton, Claire

Title: A Review of the Increased Use of CCTV and Video-Surveillance for Crime Prevention Purposes in Europe

Summary: This report describes the evolution of Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) video surveillance from a simple system involving a camera and a video recorder to the sophisticated digital, multi-camera systems, integrating fully functional cameras capable of tracking a person's movements across public space. Most European cities now have extensive CCTV surveillance in private and semi-public space, particularly in the transport and retail sectors, but many countries are following the UK's example and deploying open street CCTV for the purposes of crime prevention in their major cities. While the growth of open CCTV in the Nordic countries has been limited, in other countries, particularly France, Italy and the Netherlands many cities now have open street CCTV systems. The regulation of CCTV in Europe is primarily through the application of data protection law. This has been shown to be uneven in its scope and application. Moreover, CCTV sits uneasily with the Data Protection concept of consent. Consent is implied in the public operation of CCTV and data subjects have not given it freely. Moreover, data is being processed without subject's knowledge and this suggests that regulatory requirements need to be strengthened and extended.

Details: Brussels: European Parliament, 2009. 27p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 31, 2014 at: http://www.statewatch.org/news/2009/apr/ep-study-norris-cctv-video-surveillance.pdf

Year: 2009

Country: Europe

Keywords: Children and Violence

Shelf Number: 131825


Author: Rusev, Atanas

Title: Human Trafficking, Border Security and Related Corruption in the EU

Summary: Trafficking in human beings (THB), as a transnational crime, involves movement of people across borders. In this regard, border control authorities are expected to play an important role in preventing and curbing this phenomenon. Border guards are identified as key actors in fight against trafficking in human beings both in the new Directive 2011/36/EU and the associated EU Strategy towards the Eradication of Trafficking in Human Beings. The role of border guards in combating trafficking, is largely seen as in the role of "first responder" as part of the National Referral Mechanisms in identification of victims of trafficking, as well as for the identification and apprehension of traffickers within border control procedures. The growing commitment on the EU policy level for prevention of, and fighting against, trafficking of human beings, has also led to recognition of the issue as an important priority to border control authorities of all Member States as well. The European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders of the Member States of the European Union (FRONTEX) has already recognised THB as one of its priorities and has developed a training manual for border guards related to THB and a handbook for Border Control Authorities on good practices to counter THB. This paper Human Trafficking, Border Security and Related Corruption in the EU, by Atanas Rusev of the Center for Study of Democracy in Bulgaria, investigates the much under-researched aspect of corruption and human trafficking. Rusev explores this topic vis-a-vis border authorities and connected corruption to facilitate, inter alia, THB and how this corruption can be related to the corporate sector and enter into the highest political spheres.

Details: Brussels: DCAF, 2013. 28p.

Source: Internet Resource: Migration and the Security Sector Paper Series: Accessed January 31, 2014 at: http://www.dcaf.ch/Publications/Human-Trafficking-Border-Security-and-Related-Corruption-in-the-EU

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Border Security

Shelf Number: 131833


Author: European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA)

Title: Racism, Discrimination, Intolerance and Extremism: Learning from Experiences in Greece and Hungary

Summary: Crimes motivated by racism, xenophobia and related intolerances, the mainstreaming of elements of extremist ideology in political and public discourse, and ethnic discrimination all persist throughout the European Union. Growing alarm has been expressed at the national, EU and international levels with regard to manifestations of violent racism and other forms of intolerance especially in two EU Member States: Greece and Hungary. An additional important concern is the substantial parliamentary representation of parties that use paramilitary tactics or are closely associated with paramilitary groups and use extremist rhetoric to target irregular migrants in Greece, and the Roma and Jews in Hungary. In this context, FRA took the initiative to collect data and compile the present thematic situation report. It examines the effectiveness of responses by public authorities, statutory human rights bodies, and civil society organisations to racism, discrimination, intolerance and extremism in these two EU Member States. Despite the fact that this report focuses on two countries, the identification of barriers to counter such phenomena is of relevance to the EU as a whole. The proposals contained in the report on issues such as tackling racist and related crime, increasing trust in the police, and countering extremism could therefore be considered for use in all EU Member States

Details: Vienna, Austria: FRA, 2013. 58p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 31, 2014 at: http://fra.europa.eu/sites/default/files/fra-2013-thematic-situation-report-3_en_1.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Bias

Shelf Number: 131837


Author: World Health Organization. Region Office for Europe

Title: Evidence for the Effectiveness and Cost-Effectiveness of Interventions to Reduce Alcohol-Related Harm

Summary: There is a substantial evidence base on the effectiveness of different policies in reducing the harm done by alcohol. Policies that regulate the economic and physical availability of alcohol are effective in reducing alcohol-related harm. Enforced legislative measures to reduce drinking and driving and interventions individually directed to drinkers already at risk are also effective. The evidence shows that information and education programmes do not reduce alcohol-related harm; nevertheless, they have a role in providing information, reframing alcohol-related problems and increasing attention to alcohol on the political and public agendas. In all parts of the European Union, population-based interventions represent a highly cost- effective use of resources to reduce alcohol-related harm. Brief interventions for individual high-risk drinkers are also cost-effective, but are harder to scale up because of their associated training and manpower needs.

Details: Copenhagen: World Health organization Regional Office for Europe, 2009. 134p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 11, 2014 at: http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/43319/E92823.pdf

Year: 2009

Country: Europe

Keywords: Alcohol Abuse

Shelf Number: 131847


Author: Royuela, Luis

Title: Drug Use in Prison: Assessment Report

Summary: Drug use in prisons and its related consequences are issues of considerable political concern. It is possible to draw a general picture of the situation in Europe based on data available at the European level, but there are significant limitations in the data and wide gaps in its availability, particularly when assessing the wider European picture and comparing individual countries. The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) is required to collect information at the European level on drugs, drug addiction and their consequences, including the issue of drugs in prisons. As a first step in addressing gaps in the data on drug use in prisons, the EMCDDA gathered more than 40 questionnaires on drug use among prisoners that are currently being used in European prisons. This paper assesses the quality of the information collected by the surveys, exploring commonalities and differences between countries. The assessment will be used to create a standardised European questionnaire on prison drug use and related consequences that can be used in all European countries.

Details: Lisbon: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, 2014. 35p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 12, 2014 at: http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/attachements.cfm/att_223762_EN_Drug%20use%20in%20prison_assessment%20report.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords:

Shelf Number: 131874


Author: Calafat, Amador

Title: Night Life in Europe and Recreative Drug Use. SONAR 98.

Summary: Young Europeans of the third millennium are the inheritors of a society defined in terms of consumption and opulence. These are young people born in the welfare society where leisure and entertainment take on a hegemonic value in social structure criteria. In contrast to the industrial order of a society orientated towards work and production, leisure time emerges as a restoration force of the individual qualities disguised or repressed by working conditions. Leisure is, therefore, defined as a success in welfare societies, as the space where individuals are liberated from the obligations imposed on them by the labour world, etiquette and routine, in order to devote time to those other activities which are freely chosen and which enable them to expand their better qualities. But leisure has also been assimilated by the market and is being defined by consumption criteria which have given rise to a very active leisure industry which is well-established and ever-expanding with an active role in creating life style criteria. Having the free time to devote to "oneself ", to "liberate oneself ", is already a criterion in the definition of the quality of life and, therefore, a necessity. But experiencing leisure does not only depend on having free time but on doing something in this time which is supposedly one's own, doing something considered creative and liberating, and taking part in the leisure industry. One of the social groups which has most appropriated the leisure space is the one comprising young people and this has led to the expansion of an industry and a market specifically engaged in promoting a supply of products, places and services, exclusively for this group. In particular, juvenile recreation is one of those sectors which has seen enormous expansion in the last twenty years, with activities closely linked to the weekends and holiday season, and which take place in specific spaces where the music, fashion and the use of legal and illegal addictive substances create the context of the entertainment. At the same time, the changes produced in this organisation of time are fundamental to understanding the dynamic of post-modern societies. Whereas the majority of activities relating to social reproduction, such as work, family life, studies, travel, etc., take place during the day, the night is the period of time devoted to rest, leisure and entertainment. During the night, although the majority of people remain in their houses, relaxing or sleeping, a part of the population, which includes a large number of young people, choose the night to go out and enjoy themselves, to take part in a ritualised meeting which may be with friends or with those people with whom they most identify themselves or with whom they can share the activities appropriate to that time. The places where the young people go are generally public spaces distributed in different areas of the city, and in each one of these places an environment has been created to suit specific activities. The environment, the dress, the type of people and the music, in particular, are the principal elements in giving these places their identity.

Details: Palma de Mallorca, Spain: IREFREA and European Commission, 242p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 12, 2014 at: http://www.irefrea.org/uploads/PDF/Calafat%20et%20al_1999_SONAR%2098.pdf

Year: 1999

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction

Shelf Number: 131876


Author: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA)

Title: Drug Supply Reduction and International Security Policies in the European Union: An Overview

Summary: The production and trafficking of illicit drugs poses complex and interlinked problems, which have a negative impact on public health and the security and stability of society. In responding to the dynamics of a globalised drug market, the EU and its partners are involved in actions within and outside the EU. Focusing on actions directed at the EU's internal security situation, this paper elaborates who is involved in setting policy, what legal and funding basis for action has been established, and what the main priorities are. In doing so, the paper looks at the EU institutions (the Parliament, the European Council, the Council and the Commission) and agencies predominately involved in the management of drug supply reduction and internal security issues. The paper explores relevant EU treaties and legislations that provide a means to target the supply of illicit drugs, as well as the financial instruments and programmes supporting this action. Additionally, this paper also discusses how these policy areas are addressed in the EU's strategic planning documents. For example, the Stockholm Programme, the EU internal security strategy, the EU policy cycle for organised and serious international crime and the EU drugs strategy 2013-20 and action plan 2013-16.

Details: Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2013. 30p.

Source: Internet Resource: EMCDDA Papers: Accessed March 12, 2014 at: http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/attachements.cfm/att_220676_EN_TDAU13006ENN.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Enforcement

Shelf Number: 131878


Author: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA)

Title: Drug Squads: Units Specialised in Drug Law Enforcement in Europe

Summary: Drug law enforcement is likely to be the intervention that contributes the most to reducing the supply of drugs in Europe. Important statistical datasets on drug seizures and drug law offences are the result of drug law enforcement activity, yet little is known about how drug law enforcement is organised in Europe. Based on a survey of specialised units, or drug squads, in 26 countries, this report provides for the first time essential facts about drug law enforcement 1 000 drug squads operating in Europe and their in Europe. Data on the number of staff, institutional affiliations, mandates and functions of the more than approximately 17 000 officers are presented and put into perspective, and knowledge gaps are identified. This report thus provides an evidence base against which to monitor future changes, while offering insights that will help in the contextualisation of essential datasets. Thus, it will be of interest to policymakers, but also to the scientific community, the public at large and those working in law enforcement in Europe and beyond.

Details: Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2013. 38p.

Source: Internet Resource: EMCDDA Papers: Accessed March 13, 2014 at: http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/attachements.cfm/att_220668_EN_TDAU13005ENN.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Control

Shelf Number: 131903


Author: Calafat, Amador

Title: Tourism, Nightlife and Violence: A Cross Cultural Analysis and Preventive Recommendations

Summary: At first glance, violence and tourism do not seem closely related. Holidays are that time in which we get away from our daily routines in search of fun and rest, somewhere different, spending leisure time with family and friends, or even alone. So peoples spirits and expectations should be high in anticipation of their trip. But why do we frequently hear news about young people dying in tourist resorts after falling from the balconies of their hotels? Why do we read about fights in discotheques, in which somebody can end up having a bottle smashed over their head? Why are the emergency services saturated in some resorts, especially in summer, attending to hundreds of cases of young people poisoned by alcohol or other substances? It would seem, indeed, that the panorama is not the idyllic one we might expect. A first response, simple and somewhat conjectural, is that the kinds of problems described above are caused by the typical behaviour of young tourists from central and northern Europe who visit Mediterranean resorts. But this cannot be the case: neither is it the majority who behave violently, nor do they normally behave like that in their countries of origin. What is it, then, that triggers such inappropriate, sometimes vandalistic, aggressive and frenzied behaviour? This is the question to which we try and respond in this report. Over a period of four years (2007-2010) we have collected data from young tourists visiting the Balearic Islands (Spain), as well as other destinations, such as Algarve (Portugal), Venice (Italy), Crete (Greece) or Cyprus. In these studies and in others there is a constant factor, which is the abusive consumption of alcohol. We know that alcohol is a powerful disinhibitor of executive control. This control is exercised in the prefrontal cortex of the brain, telling us what it is appropriate to do and what it is not, and helping us to weigh up the consequences and make decisions accordingly. In states of intoxication this control disappears. Thus, a large part of such inappropriate behaviours could be attributed to the abuse of alcohol and drunkenness. But this is only the first part of the explanation. The next step is to ask ourselves how these contexts facilitate such behaviours. In many tourist destinations alcoholic drinks are offered at giveaway prices. Indeed, it is sometimes as cheap (or as expensive) to buy a beer as it is to buy a bottle of water. The nightlife scene is frequently livened up with images and promotions with recreational-sexual content, creating an atmosphere of anything goes. This strategy can often be seen in offers from tour operators and local businesses targeting young holidaymakers in particular. It is hardly surprising, then, that tourists arrive with pre-programmed expectations of wild parties and a culture of excess, which act as facilitators of these inappropriate behaviours. But the health-risk behaviours associated with the abuse of alcohol and illegal drugs extend beyond violence to cover, for example, sex-related behaviours promiscuity, sex without condom, sexual harassment; moreover, being under the effects of alcohol or other substances makes it more likely for one to be the victim of theft, road accidents and accidents of other types (e.g., falls). We can see, then, a whole range of problems deriving from this holidaymaking style revolving around the nightlife context, though naturally it also involves positive aspects of socialization. Why do we not create the global conditions for this type of tourism to give way to a more high-quality kind of tourism, without involving financial losses for the sector? In the countries of origin of these young tourists, many companies in the nightlife leisure sector have opted to promote a high-quality type of nightlife recreational context, based on the latest criteria developed in the field. However, it is not common for such measures to be applied in holiday resorts. On the contrary, there seems to be a certain reluctance to adopt new measures for fear of losing markets; there is a view that some of the changes mooted would increase costs and lead to a loss of competitiveness; permissiveness has become a selling point. The tourist industry itself will not take the matter seriously until there is a global and synergic initiative that forces the different groups involved to seek consensus-based solutions. Such efforts should be supported by a law or by local regulations providing the conditions for achieving standards of quality in our tourism, and by the application of prevention programs of proven efficacy. Equally essential is the cooperation of the consulates and tourist ministries from the tourists country of origin. Without an awareness of the need for change at an international level and common goals in the medium and long term with benefits for all the parties involved, it will be difficult to produce a robust response to this problem. This report sets out, on the one hand, to offer a detailed analysis of the situation, but at the same time to serve as a resource of concrete and viable ideas and proposals for better practice in all those sectors involved in the tourist industry.

Details: Palma de Mallorca: IREFREA, 2010. 58p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 17, 2014 at: http://www.irefrea.org/uploads/PDF/Calafatetal_2010.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Alcohol Abuse

Shelf Number: 131950


Author: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA)

Title: Drugs and Vulnerable Groups of Young People

Summary: Social policy in Europe has long identified disadvantaged populations who manifest potential for marginalisation and social exclusion. hese vulnerable groups are specific groups among the wider population that may be more prone to a range of problems, from ill health, substance use and poor diet, to lower educational achievement. In the area of illicit drug use, vulnerability and vulnerable groups are gaining increased attention on the European drug policy agenda, particularly as regards young people and drug use. Vulnerability as it relates to drugs is defined in this Selected issue as whether a specific group, based on sociodemographic profile and related risk factors, has an increased susceptibility to drug use and related problems. Groups identified as vulnerable examples include children in care institutions or homeless young people might be prone to earlier, more frequent, or more problematic drug use. They might also experience faster progression to problem drug use. As levels of both current drug use and the risks of developing drug-related problems are likely to be much higher among vulnerable groups, these groups are being given special attention in terms of demand reduction responses. Identifying these groups is important because direct assessment of drug use at the population level for example, through large-scale screening is often not feasible. Furthermore, selecting individuals based on individual risk factors may prove both difficult and problematic. So identifying vulnerable groups is becoming an important tool for directing or channelling policy responses at those groups or geographical areas where problem drug use is more likely to develop. This is particularly the case for those groups which might not perceive their drug use as problematic. In Europe, interventions targeted at vulnerable groups referred to as selective prevention (1) are gaining both increased policy visibility, and maturity in terms of design and evaluation. This Selected issue examines aspects of social vulnerability at the group or geographical level in Europe, focusing specifically on young people in the age-group 1524. There is a need to find more effective ways to approach and involve vulnerable young people in demand reduction interventions, in a manner which reflects their immediate sociodemographic context. The report includes examples drawn from the EDDRA database to illustrate some of the interventions carried out in Europe.

Details: Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, 2008. 40p.

Source: Internet Resource: Selected Issue 2008: Accessed March 20, 2014 at: http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/attachements.cfm/att_64250_EN_EMCDDA_SI08_vulnerable-young.pdf

Year: 2008

Country: Europe

Keywords: At-risk Youth

Shelf Number: 131988


Author: Plaku, Erlind

Title: Drugs, Harms and Youth: The State of Drug Use and Harm Reduction Amongst Youth in European Countries

Summary: This paper was created by young professionals and activists working in the fields of harm reduction, drug treatment, public health, social policy and human rights in various European countries: United Kingdom, Italy, Poland, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania and Romania. We are all members of Youth Organisations for Drug Action, a network that connects and supports young people who are working to reform drug policies in Europe, towards a model based on the principles of scientific evidence, human rights and cost-effectiveness. All contributors have both some educational background and work experience in areas related to the topic of this paper. In this paper we aim to discuss the current situation regarding drug use in Europe among young people (aged 15-30, with variation in definition across countries) and the availability of services aimed at young drug users or potential users. We will also compare approaches adopted in examined countries to show which has proven to be to be most effective at reducing overall drug prevalence among young people as well as related risky behaviours and harms. Regional differences in drug culture, historical context and developing trends will also be taken into account.

Details: Youth Organisations for Drug Action, 2014. 61p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 20, 2014 at: http://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/64663568/library/Drugs-harms-and-youth.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction

Shelf Number: 131996


Author: Stritecky, Vit

Title: Developments in trafficking in human beings for the purpose of labor exploitation and forced labor

Summary: This monograph deals with an important legal, human rights and security related topic of human trafficking for the purpose of exploitation and forced labor. The book points to the fact that the phenomenon of trafficking in human beings for the purpose of labor exploitation and forced labor has been on the rise, creating an environment of very complex international social networks. Even though this global problem is predominantly connected with Asia and Africa, the authors warn, that this phenomenon is very relevant for the EU as well. Due to the growing resources and expanding reach of organized crime, the trafficking poses a growing challenge for the EU. For this reason the activities on the part of national and international stakeholders, who attempt to develop more effective tools to fight this phenomenon have intensified. Authors of publication, Vit Stritecky and Daniel Topinka, emphasize the fact, that the nature and complexity of human trafficking and other illegal activities connected with it require a broader understanding of security sector. Besides traditional law-enforcement agencies, such as the police, the judicial branch, private security agencies, we should also understand the importance of non-governmental organizations providing counsel, social services and child protection. The book also abandons the traditional and predominant orientation on human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation and explains that the concept of human trafficking is also connected with forced labor and other (non-sexual) forms of exploitation as well as other topics (e.g. trafficking in human organs). The book "Developments in trafficking in human beings for the purpose of labor exploitation and forced labor" presents a detailed discussion of how the concept of human trafficking has evolved (e.g. discussion about different forms and types of trafficking), legal concepts and frameworks reflecting the specific definition debates connected with human trafficking and last but not least strategic litigation, which is connected with the social and legal assistance provided by non-governmental organizations.

Details: Prague: Institute of International Relations, 2013. 197p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 28, 2014 at: http://aa.ecn.cz/img_upload/6334c0c7298d6b396d213ccd19be5999/publication.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Forced Labor

Shelf Number: 132003


Author: Freeman, Jim

Title: Discovering Trafficking in Human Beings for the Purpose of Labour Exploitation and Forced Labour: European Perspective

Summary: This monograph is concerned with the important present legal topic that is the area of human trafficking for the purpose of other forms of exploitation and forced labour. According to the report of International Labour Organization (ILO, 2012) was possible to find in 2012 20.1 million people on the Earth that were the victims of forced labour. This methodologically sophisticated statistic (ILO, 2012b) of "modern day slavery" includes also the cases of human trafficking for the purposes of forced labour and sexual exploitation. Closer look at the above mentioned number indicates that globally speaking are approximately 3 people out of every thousand working under threats or pressure in the conditions similar to slavery. The latest ILO methodology does not specifically categorize the cases of human trafficking; however the next to last global report issued in 2005 mentioned 12 millions victims of forced labour in total, from which were 2.4 millions subjected to direct trafficking (ILO, 2005). Depicting the situation in Czech republic and other countries of EU in this book is illustrative of the fact, that the forced labour, often interconnected to the human trafficking, is not the prerogative of the developing world. Although the ILO statistics (ILO, 2012: 15-16) is dominated by the Asian-Pacific region (with the part of 56%), followed by Africa with 18%, we could still find approximately 1.5 million of forced labour workers in the developed countries and EU. From the statistics can be deduced that more than 90% of present day slaves are being exploited within the private sector. Out of this number, approximately one fourth of all cases is sexual exploitation and the rest are victims of forced labour in traditional sectors such as agriculture, construction, production or housework (ILO, 2012: 13-14), that are the major topic of this book. Without looking at the discussions questioning the relevance of the above mentioned numbers, it is clear that the phenomenon of the forced labor and the interconnected human trafficking requires the attention of civil service of individual states as well as of the international organisations. The analyses of human trafficking in Europe (Ruggiero, 1997; Friesendorf, 2007; Picarelli, 2009) indicate that the human trafficking is generating the profits irrespective of the employment choice of the trafficked persons. In the context of these cases, the activities of official, semi-official agencies or of unambiguously criminal groups, were proven and frequently all the parties were interconnected. Human trafficking and illegal, often forced labour, affected also the important European companies working in the field of textile industry or in the construction. These large groups were not participating directly on semi-legal and in the vast majority of cases purely illegal activities, they were doing so through various smaller sub-contracting companies, that were not included in the control mechanisms of established companies. In the end, the illegal activity connected to human trafficking and forced labour affected also the parties with higher ethic and commercial standard, which is indicative of the depth and complexity of the whole issue (Ruggiero, 1997: 241-242). In the context of the relative growth of human trafficking in the past two decades, which is connected to the growing political and economic interconnecting of the different parts of the world; there was also the rise in the activity of the national and international parties in the area of the fighting against this phenomenon. The key role in this field is played by the parties working in the law-enforcement agencies, whose goal is the prosecution of the human traffickers and the organizers of the forced labour, the protection of the victims of this kind of criminality and last but not least the prevention of this activity. The character of the human trafficking and extended criminal activities indicates the need of broad range view of law-enforcement agencies. Aside from the key law-enforcement agents considered as traditional, such as armed services, police, border service or immigration service, there are included also agents from the area of justice, the agencies responsible for the control of armed services or lately emerging private law-enforcement agencies (Friesendorf, 2009). This book is trying to show that different, but still important role is played by the governmental and above all by non-governmental institutions, that offer consulting, social services and protection to the victims. Aside form the traditionally viewed coercive parties is necessary to understand the importance of non-coercive parties.

Details: Prague: La Strada Ceska Republika, 2013. 212p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 28, 2014 at: legislationline.org

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Forced Labor

Shelf Number: 132008


Author: Stevens, Alex

Title: Review of Good Practices in Preventing the Various Types of Violence in the European Union

Summary: The report provides information from a review of good practices in preventing various types of violent crime in the European Union. It is based on a multi-lingual systematic literature review, visits to EU countries and conferences and a meeting of European experts. These activities took place between June 2005 and February 2006. It provides, in appendices, an inventory of promising and effective European approaches and a glossary of useful terms in crime prevention.

Details: Brussels: European Crime Prevention Network, 2006. 124p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 28, 2014 at: http://www.eucpn.org/pubdocs/A%20review%20of%20good%20practice%20in%20preventing%20various%20types%20of%20violence%20in%20the%20EU.pdf

Year: 2006

Country: Europe

Keywords: Crime Prevention

Shelf Number: 107154


Author: Stevens, Alex

Title: Review of Good Practices in Preventing Juvenile Crime in the European Union

Summary: The report provides information from a review of good practices in preventing juvenile crime in the European Union. It is based on a multi-lingual systematic literature review, visits to EU countries and conferences and a meeting of European experts. These activities took place between June 2005 and February 2006. It provides, in appendices, an inventory of promising and effective European approaches and a glossary of useful terms in crime prevention. Following earlier work in this field (FitzGerald, Stevens, & Hale, 2004), we use the public health approach to the prevention of juvenile crime. This involves work at three levels: 1. Primary prevention - universal approaches that aim to prevent crime before it occurs. 2. Secondary prevention - approaches that focus on those people who are at the highest risks of victimisation and perpetration of crime. 3. Tertiary prevention - approaches that focus on people who have already been victimised or criminal.

Details: Brussels: European Crime Prevention Network, 2006. 138p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 28, 2014 at: http://www.eucpn.org/pubdocs/A%20review%20of%20good%20practice%20in%20preventing%20juvenile%20ccrime%20in%20the%20EU.pdf

Year: 2006

Country: Europe

Keywords: Crime Prevention

Shelf Number: 106733


Author: Calafat, Amador

Title: Lifestyles and Drugs: Prevention Interventions in Recreational Settings

Summary: The publication seeks to explore a range of possible drug misuse prevention activities that could be delivered to young people and families during their holidays as well as in the recreational settings, and provide examples of innovative drug misuse prevention activities in holiday and leisure time settings. There are many economic, social and cultural advantages of national and international tourism and the problems addressed in this publication are far outweighed by the benefits. Nevertheless, there is a need to pool together successful experience from different localities in order to tackle problems related to misuse of drugs during holidays and in leisure settings. Certainly, big differences exist in the possibilities for responses available to different localities and settings - depending on resources available, extent of control (for example, licensing of premises for serving alcohol), local laws and traditions (e.g. laws and customs relating to cannabis possession and consumption) and the national contexts. The present publication will attempt to provide the readers with detailed examples of practice to illustrate the general principles which could be applied in most settings including: - understanding the issue through research, data collection and analysis, - involving the local community in developing solutions, - intelligent policing, - creating safer environments through planning and design, - working with local businesses to discuss issues and find solutions, - transport development, - providing alternatives to substance misuse, - working with and by the country of tourists' origin.

Details: Strasbourg: Pompidou Group, Council of Europe, 2010. 74p.

Source: Internet Resource: P-PG/Prev (2010) 7: Accessed March 28, 2014 at: http://www.coe.int/t/dg3/pompidou/Source/Files/minconf/P-PG-PREV-2010-7-en.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Alcohol Abuse

Shelf Number: 132016


Author: Khalifa, Najat

Title: Harm Reduction: Evidence, Impacts and Challenges

Summary: Harm reduction is now positioned as part of the mainstream policy response to drug use in Europe. However, this has not always been the case, and in reflecting on this fact we felt that the time was right to take stock of how we had arrived at this position, ask what it means for both policies and action, and begin to consider how harm reduction is likely to develop in the future. This monograph builds on other titles in the EMCDDA's Scientific monographs series, where we have taken an important and topical subject, assembled some of the best experts in the field, and allowed them to develop their ideas constrained only by the need to demonstrate scientific rigour and sound argument. Our Scientific monographs are intended to be both technically challenging and thought provoking. Unlike our other publications we take more of an editorial 'back seat' and we do not seek consensus or necessarily to produce a balanced view. Good science is best done when unconstrained, and best read with a critical eye. This volume includes a variety of perspectives on harm reduction approaches, together with an analysis of the concept's role within drug policies, both in Europe and beyond. Readers may not necessarily agree with all of the arguments made or the conclusion drawn, but we hope it is perceived as a valuable contribution to the ongoing debate on how to respond to contemporary drug problems in Europe. A number of contributors explore what harm reduction means and what policies it can encompass, as well as charting how the concept evolved. They reflect on the point we have now reached in terms of both harm reduction practice and the evidence base for its effectiveness. A major issue that many contributors touch on is the difficulty of assessing how complex interventions occurring in real world settings can be evaluated, and why conclusive evidence in such settings can be so elusive. With an eye to the future, we also asked our contributors to wrestle with the difficult issue of how harm reduction might be extended into new areas that are of particular relevance to the evolving European drug situation. Here the empirical base for grounding discussions is far less developed, and a more exploratory approach is necessary.

Details: Lisbon: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, 2010. 469p.

Source: Internet Resource: EMCDDA Monographs 10: Accessed March 28, 2014 at: http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/attachements.cfm/att_101257_EN_EMCDDA-monograph10-harm%20reduction_final.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction

Shelf Number: 132020


Author: European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA)

Title: Violence Against Women: An EU-Wide Survey. Main Results

Summary: This FRA survey is the first of its kind on violence against women across the 28 Member States of the European Union (EU). It is based on interviews with 42,000 women across the EU, who were asked about their experiences of physical, sexual and psychological violence, including incidents of intimate partner violence ('domestic violence'). The survey also included questions on stalking, sexual harassment, and the role played by new technologies in women's experiences of abuse. In addition, it asked about their experiences of violence in childhood. Based on the detailed findings, FRA suggests courses of action in different areas that are touched by violence against women and go beyond the narrow confines of criminal law, ranging from employment and health to the medium of new technologies.

Details: Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2014. 198p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 8, 2014 at: http://fra.europa.eu/sites/default/files/fra-2014-vaw-survey-main-results_en.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Domestic Violence

Shelf Number: 132048


Author: Shelley Louise I.

Title: Human Smuggling and Trafficking into Europe: A Comparative Perspective

Summary: Human smuggling and trafficking are rapidly growing transnational criminal activities that involve the recruitment, movement, and delivery of migrants from a sending region to a destination. This report examines trafficking and smuggling trends and routes to Europe, and profiles the facilitators and clients/victims of such activities. Trafficked or smuggled migrants to Europe come from all regions of the world, and the primary transit routes are across the Mediterranean, and through the Balkans, Eastern Europe, and Turkey. Many of these are the same routes that are used for traded goods. The report also details how the barriers to entry into these activities have created an enormous variety of facilitators who assist those seeking illegal entry into the European Union, ranging from small groups to complex international organizations. Other facilitators are not part of criminal networks, but instead either knowingly or unknowingly aid the process. Corruption is also deeply connected to the problem, as travel agencies, border guards, customs officials, consular officers, and other diplomatic personnel must be bribed or extorted for trafficking to be successful. The report concludes with a menu of policy solutions that are likely to reduce trafficking and smuggling flows, noting that such policies must be multifaceted to address a variety of contributing factors simultaneously. Primarily, policymakers must address the demand for such migrants through education, prevention efforts, and prosecution; harmonize policy efforts within and across countries so that smugglers and traffickers do not just move to take advantage of the most permissive regulatory environment; decrease the profits of smugglers and traffickers; and improve labor laws so that legal immigrants may fill the demand for the work that currently employs smuggled migrants.

Details: Washington, DC: Migration Policy Institute, 2014. 28p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 19, 2014 at: http://www.migrationpolicy.org/research/human-smuggling-and-trafficking-europe-comparative-perspective

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Human Smuggling

Shelf Number: 132070


Author: Rubin, Jennifer

Title: Intolerance in Western Europe: Analysis of Trends and Associated Factors

Summary: This study, commissioned by the Open Society Foundations, aimed to situate the widely-shared perception of rising intolerance in Western Europe in the context of empirical evidence on high-level trends in intolerant attitudes in Western Europe. Through analysis of European datasets, a review of empirical literature, and assessments of trends in selected individual countries, we explored whether intolerance has risen more in some countries than others, whether it has risen more against particular groups, if such attitudes are particularly prevalent among subgroups of the population and if there are clear patterns of association with trends in wider political, social, economic and cultural factors.

Details: Cambridge, UK: RAND Europe, 2014. 136p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 19, 2014 at: http://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR334.html

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Bias-Motivated Crimes

Shelf Number: 132073


Author: Vanderbruggen, Maaike

Title: Point of No Return: The Futile Detention of Unreturnable Migrants

Summary: This paper is an outcome of the awareness-raising project "A Face to the Story: The issue of unreturnable migrants in detention", which has been made possible by the support of EPIM, the European Programme on Integration and Migration. The project runs from September 2012 to February 2014, and involves qualitative research based on the stories of 39 unreturnable migrants with experiences of detention in Belgium, France, Hungary or the United Kingdom. The report is the result of a collaboration of Flemish Refugee Action (Belgium), Detention Action (UK), France terre d'asile (France), Menedek - Hungarian Association for Migrants, and The European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE), which aims to increase public debate on the detention of unreturnable migrants and to put pressure on governments to use detention only as a last resort. With this report and the related campaign, we hope to increase momentum amongst policy-makers at national and EU levels to reduce detention and find solutions for unreturnable migrants. Besides informing decision-makers, this report is also intended to stimulate civil societies to give special attention to this group of migrants, who are often living under the radar.

Details: Point of No Return, 2014. 102p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 24, 2014 at: http://www.vluchtelingenwerk.be/bestanden/publicaties/PONR_report.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Illegal Immigrants

Shelf Number: 132169


Author: Amnesty International

Title:

Summary: Many of Europe's 10-12 million Roma are at increased risk of racist violence and discrimination. Excluded from access to essential services and unable to get redress for human rights violations, many Roma feel abandoned. State authorities are failing to protect Roma and to ensure that crimes against them are thoroughly investigated in order to reveal underlying racist or discriminatory motives. This briefing examines hate motivated violence and harassment perpetrated against Roma through emblematic cases in three countries - the Czech Republic, France and Greece.

Details: London: AI, 2014. 40p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 28, 2014 at: http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/EUR01/007/2014/en/7c3cc69e-e84d-43de-a6a9-3732b4702dff/eur010072014en.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Bias-related Crimes

Shelf Number: 132179


Author: Immigrant Council of Ireland

Title: Stop Traffick! Tackling Demand for Sexual Services of Trafficked Women and Girls

Summary: This study, funded under the European Commission's Prevention and Fight against Crime (ISEC) initiative, has been carried out as part of the project 'Stop Traffick: Tackling demand for sexual services of trafficked women and girls'. The research will inform strategies to reduce demand for the services of trafficked women and girls in the five participating countries (Cyprus, Finland, Ireland, Bulgaria and Lithuania). This evidence base will influence the production of a toolkit of products and activities to: - Raise awareness among buyers and potential buyers of services delivered by victims of human trafficking in the sex industry - Reduce the demand for purchase of sexual services The initiating partner, the Immigrant Council of Ireland (ICI), led this project in collaboration with the Bulgarian Gender Research Foundation (BGRF), Klaipeda Social and Psychological Service Centre (KSPSC) in Lithuania, the Mediterranean Institute for Gender Studies (MIGS) in Cyprus and the Multicultural Women's Association of Finland (MONIKA). This report analyses and assesses efficient approaches to discourage demand for the services provided by victims of human trafficking for sexual exploitation, based on a greater understanding of experiences, attitudes and motivations of the people who purchase sex. We wanted to gather sufficient knowledge to inform interventions linked with the decision to purchase sex and, in particular, to purchase sex from a vulnerable individual who could be a victim of human trafficking.

Details: Dublin: Immigrant Council of Ireland, 2014. 117p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 3, 2014 at: http://www.immigrantcouncil.ie/images/stories/documents/STOP_TRAFFICK_-_full_report.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Human Trafficking

Shelf Number: 132206


Author: Schulze, Erika

Title: Sexual Exploitation and Prostitution and its Impact on Gender Equality

Summary: The objective of this briefing paper is to provide background information drawn from the international literature on sexual exploitation and prostitution and its impact on gender equality in relation to the report of the Women's Rights and Gender Equality Committee. The study concentrates on the debate on whether prostitution could be voluntary or has rather to be regarded in any case as a violation of women's human rights. It also presents an overview of the policies on prostitution in the Member States as well as four case studies: Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, and Sweden. Conclusions are presented with the view to enhance the debate.

Details: Brussels: European Parliament, 2014. 89p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 5, 2014 at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/etudes/join/2014/493040/IPOL-FEMM_ET(2014)493040_EN.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Gender

Shelf Number: 132245


Author: Colla, Elisabetta

Title: Stop-Car: Stop the Deviant Careers of Juvenile Criminals

Summary: Within the framework of the AGIS 2006 Programme, the European Commission approved the research project called "STOP-CAR: Stop the deviant careers of juvenile criminals." The Project addressed recidivism and deviant careers and involved four EU countries: - Italy, acting as project leader (Juvenile Justice Department and Cooperativa OESSE); - Germany (CJD Eutin Association); - Portugal (Questao de equilibrio Association); - Romania (Ministry of Justice), a country that joined the EU on 1st January 2007. The Stop/Car project was aimed at recidivism in juveniles aged 14 to 18; this is an issue that has not yet been investigated extensively in our country along with the prevention of juvenile delinquency. Getting in touch with the world of criminal justice is known to spark a deviant career in many youths. There are youths aged 14 to 18 that get repeatedly in touch with the criminal justice system, which goes to show how difficult it can be to build up "sound" educational and management actions. Addressing recidivism in the 14 to 18 age range means carrying out tertiary prevention - i.e. reducing the risk that the given offence may be committed again after harm has occurred. It is necessary to know which kind of recidivism applies to juveniles' deviant activities - whether there is an escalation in terms of quality and number of the offences. More specifically, to prevent recidivism one should validate the current educational approaches so as to highlight those actions undertaken by detention homes, services and communities for juveniles in Italy and abroad that rely on the most appropriate models with a view to preventing recidivism. Out of the possible pathways to prevent crime - in line with the objectives pursued by the AGIS programme - the Stop/Car project focused on an area that is as yet poorly known, by regarding educational actions targeted at youth delinquency as preventive actions. Accordingly, the Project envisaged the following: - Evaluating educational actions with a view to the tertiary prevention of crimes committed by juveniles aged 14 to 18; - Analyzing recidivists' deviant careers; - Getting involved the relevant stakeholders via focus groups that could take stock of the experiences and background applying to both juveniles and practitioners.

Details: Rome: Juvenile Justice Department, Ministry of Justice, 1007. 239p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 8, 2014 at: www.eucpn.org

Year: 2007

Country: Europe

Keywords: Delinquency Prevention

Shelf Number: 132293


Author: Mak, Jodi

Title: Prevention and Combat Child Abuse and Neglect. International Report of Workstream 2. Experiences of Parents and Professionals: What Works?

Summary: A partnership of six institutions from five European countries has been granted a two-year project (2011 - 2012) within the framework of the Daphne III programme: preventing and combating violence against children, young people and women and protecting victims and groups at risk. This project is called Prevent and Combat Child Abuse: What works? An overview of regional approaches, exchange and research. The aim of the project is to generate relevant knowledge on current strategies for the prevention of child abuse and neglect (CAN) in Europe. It will focus on interventions and strategies that target the prevention and treatment of child abuse and neglect. It will compare five European countries: Germany, Hungary, Portugal, Sweden and the Netherlands. The final output of the project will be a manual with data on what works in the prevention and treatment of child abuse. The project is coordinated by the Netherlands Youth Institute and has been carried out in collaboration with the Swedish Orebro regional council, the Hungarian Family Child Youth Association, the German Youth Institute, CESIS from Portugal and the Verwey-Jonker Institute from the Netherlands. The aim of this research was to generate information about the experiences of parents and professionals concerning the prevention and combating of child abuse and neglect: what are the successful elements of an effective approach? Knowledge about these elements gives the opportunity to improve both the policy and practice of combating child abuse and neglect. Therefore the research had to provide an answer to the following question: Do national prevention strategies and actions against child abuse and neglect correspond to what works in practice, as experienced by parents and professionals? We chose a combination of research methods, applied through two phases. The first phase involved a total of ten interviews with parents. The second phase consisted of (a) focus group meeting(s) with professionals. The goal of this mixed method was to obtain inside information about the subject matter, which is hard to achieve solely through in-depth interviews. Furthermore, by using this mixed methodology, we have a greater sense of validity when it comes to adequately portraying and representing each target group. All five countries made a national report on the results. Based on these reports and the discussion about the results during the international meetings, the Verwey-Jonker Institute wrote this international report.

Details: Utrecht: Verwey-Jonker Institute, 2012. 60p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 10, 2014 at: http://www.youthpolicy.nl/yp/downloadsyp/Daphne-final-report-workstream-2.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Child Abuse and Neglect (Europe)

Shelf Number: 132316


Author: Mendes Bota, Jose

Title: Prostitution, trafficking and modern slavery in Europe

Summary: Trafficking in human beings is a hideous human rights violation and one of the most lucrative activities for criminal organisations worldwide. It occurs for various purposes, including forced labour, criminality and organ removal. In Europe, trafficking for sexual exploitation is by far the most widespread form: an estimated 84% of victims are trafficked for this purpose. Efforts to tackle trafficking in human beings have intensified in the last decade but remain insufficient. As transnational trafficking represents the greatest part of this phenomenon, harmonisation of legal standards and effective international co-operation in criminal matters are crucial to succeed in the fight against human trafficking. The lack of reliable and comparable data on prostitution and trafficking in Europe is a major barrier to making and implementing effective policies against trafficking for purposes of sexual exploitation. Creating a Europe-wide data collection system on prostitution and trafficking is therefore crucial. As a pan-European organisation, the Council of Europe has an important role to play in promoting such a data collection system. Some Council of Europe member States have drawn up prostitution regulations and policies aimed at countering trafficking by curbing the demand for victims. This is true of Sweden, together with Iceland and Norway. The "Swedish approach", based on criminalising the purchase of sexual services, is currently under consideration by legislators in several European countries as a possible tool for tackling trafficking. While each system presents advantages and disadvantages, policies prohibiting the purchase of sexual services are those that are more likely to have a positive impact on reducing trafficking in human beings. Irrespective of the legal approach adopted, prostitution regulations should include harm-reduction measures aimed at countering the negative effects of prostitution on the people involved and supporting those who wish to leave the sex industry.

Details: Strasbourg Cedex: Council of Europe, Parliamentary Assembly, 2014.

Source: Internet Resource: Doc. 13446: Accessed May 10, 2014 at: http://assembly.coe.int/nw/xml/XRef/X2H-Xref-ViewPDF.asp?FileID=20559&lang=en

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Forced Labor

Shelf Number: 132324


Author: Conflict Prevention Forum

Title: Begging in Kosovo and its Impact on Peoples' Safety

Summary: In December 2013, AKTIV, FIQ, and seven local partner organisations in Kosovo organised a series of community dialogue meetings to examine the issue of begging and the effect it has on people's safety, and their perception of their safety. Begging has been recognised as a problem to varying degrees within Kosovo and this research project, implemented by Saferworld and partners, explores who beggars are perceived to be, how their actions affect communities, and how government and non-government actors are engaging with the issue. This report shows that beggars are the most vulnerable in society as no official safety net exists to support them. They include the poor, vulnerable adults with addictions, people suffering from disabilities and mental illnesses, and perhaps most worryingly children who have been trafficked. Within a complex environment such as Kosovo these already vulnerable groups are exposed to additional hostility if they arrive from neighbouring or regional countries. The situation is compounded by the adverse economic environment that has led to increased levels of unemployment. From the research the Conflict Prevention Forum has compiled recommendations for the government, local municipalities, civil society actors, and the Kosovo Police, including: examining and tackling the root causes of begging, including ethnic discrimination; ensuring the inclusion of socially marginalised children in the education system while effectively managing outreach to their families; establishing organisations that can work together to eradicate begging; investigating forced labour and the economic exploitation of children, as part of a wider investigation into human trafficking.

Details: Pristina, Kosovo: Conflict Prevention Forum and European Union Office in Kosovo, 2014. 13p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 4, 2014 at http://www.saferworld.org.uk/downloads/pubdocs/begging-in-kosovo-and-its-impact-on-peoples-safety.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Begging (Kosovo)

Shelf Number: 132413


Author: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)

Title: The Illicit Trafficking of Counterfeit Goods and Transnational Organized Crime

Summary: As a global, multibillion dollar crime, organized criminal groups have not hesitated to cash in on the trade in counterfeit goods. In many parts of the world, international, regional and national law enforcement authorities have uncovered intricate links between this crime and other serious offences including illicit drugs, money laundering and corruption. Some estimates put the counterfeit business at well in excess of $250 billion a year and hundreds of billions more, if pirated digital products and domestic counterfeit sales are included. The involvement of organized criminal groups in the production and distribution of counterfeit goods has been documented by both national and international authorities. Groups such as the Mafia and Camorra in Europe and the Americas, and the Triads and Yakuza in Asia have diversified into the illicit trafficking of counterfeit goods, while at the same time being involved in crimes varying from drug and human trafficking, to extortion and money laundering. UNODC's own research reports have recognized the strategic and operational criminal link between counterfeiting and activities such as drug trafficking. There is an additional societal impact caused by counterfeiting. The trade in counterfeit products can result in increased corruption and law enforcement costs, have a serious impact on public health and safety, lead to social and environmental concerns, and result in the infringement of other criminal and administrative laws such as tax and customs evasion as well as fraud.

Details: Vienna: UNODC, 2014. 10p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 4, 2014 at: https://www.unodc.org/documents/counterfeit/FocusSheet/Counterfeit_focussheet_EN_HIRES.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Costs of Crime

Shelf Number: 132414


Author: European Cybercrime Center - Europol

Title: Police Ransomware Threat Assessment

Summary: Over the past two years, European Union (EU) Member States (MS) have been confronted with a significant proliferation of police ransomware cases. Experts from both law enforcement and the private sector agree that prevention and raising awareness can only work in conjunction with investigations targeting the criminals behind the fraud. Furthermore, even if police ransomware in its current form might naturally fade out in the future, it is likely that an evolution of this modus operandi driven by the same or different perpetrators will take place. That is why it is important that measures against police ransomware and similar modi operandi are implemented in a coordinated, complementary and comprehensive manner. This assessment is the result of a common initiative of the European Cybercrime Centre (EC3) and the Dutch National High Tech Crime Unit (NHTCU). Its aim is to increase awareness of ransomware by providing an EU perspective on the problem and to identify opportunities for intervention and coordination. The assessment encourages better coordination and cooperation between MS law enforcement agencies from the early stages of cybercrime investigations and acknowledges once more the importance of partnering with private industry. This threat assessment relies on open source information, research papers on ransomware and semi-structured interviews with cybercrime investigators.

Details: The Hague: European Cybercrime Centre (EC3), 2014. 13p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 5, 2014 at: https://www.europol.europa.eu/sites/default/files/publications/policeransomware-threatassessment.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Computer Fraud

Shelf Number: 132417


Author: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA)

Title: European Drug Report: Trends and Developments

Summary: How many new drugs were detected in Europe over the last year? Is cannabis getting stronger? How many Europeans have ever used an illicit drug? What are the latest drug policy developments in the region? These are just some of the questions explored in the European Drug Report: Trends and developments. This report provides a top-level overview of the long-term drug-related trends and developments at European level, while homing in on emerging problems in specific countries. Such a perspective is valuable, as it allows differing national experiences to be understood within the broader European context.

Details: Lisbon: EMCDDA, 2014. 88p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 14, 2014 at: http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/publications/edr/trends-developments/2014

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction (Europe)

Shelf Number: 132451


Author: Caruso, Raul

Title: What is the Relationship Between Unemployment and Rape? Evidence from a Panel of European Regions

Summary: This paper analyzes the relationship between unemployment and rape in a panel of European regions. In particular, this paper is intended to test whether an 'opportunity perspective' holds for rape. The 'opportunity perspective' interprets the level of unemployment as an indicator of 'social inactivity', so that a negative relationship between violent crime and unemployment is predicted. Results show that rape and unemployment are positively associated so not confirming the opportunity perspective. Results are robust using alternative dependent variables, namely (i) the count of rape; (ii) the rape rate per 100,000 people.

Details: Munich: Munich Personal RePEc Archive (MPRA), 2014.

Source: Internet Resource: MPRA Paper No. 54725: Accessed June 19, 2014 at: http://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/59041/9/MPRA_paper_59041.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Rape

Shelf Number: 132525


Author: Amnesty International

Title: Because of Who I Am: Homophobia, Transphobia and Hate Crimes in Europe

Summary: Although the situation of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex (LGBTI) people has improved in recent years in some European countries, prejudice, discrimination and hate-motivated violence persist, even in countries where same-sex relationships are relatively accepted and where marriage has been opened to all couples irrespective of their gender and sexual orientation. Because of discrimination, prejudice and violence, many people in Europe continue to hide their sexual orientation and gender identity, including from colleagues, friends, schoolmates and family members. According to a survey across European Union (EU) States recently published by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), almost 70% of the LGBTI respondents had always or often disguised their sexual orientation or gender identity at school. LGBTI individuals can face violence anywhere: on the street, in bars and clubs, even at home - sometimes from family members. An Italian NGO (AGEDO) that provides counselling to parents of LGBTI youth in Palermo described cases where teenagers have been sexually abused by their relatives as well as cases where they have been confined to or banished from their homes or referred to "sorcerers" supposedly to help them "fix" their sexual orientation or gender identity. Violence motivated by the real or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity of the victim is widespread, although the exact extent cannot be known. According to the FRA, one out of four of the LGBTI individuals surveyed had been attacked or threatened with violence in the past five years. Unfortunately, only a minority of European countries collect comprehensive data on homophobic and transphobic hate crimes. According to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), 13 EU countries collect some kind of data on homophobic hate crimes, while only five collect data on transphobic hate crimes. However, only four of them provided information on these crimes to the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights in 2011. Hate-motivated violence has a particular detrimental, long-term impact on victims. It also creates a broader climate of fear among LGBTI individuals, groups and communities and, especially when states fail to bring the perpetrators to justice, a pervasive mistrust in authorities. In order to effectively tackle hate crimes on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity, authorities need to make improvements in several areas. Currently, there are gaps in legislation in many EU countries, while investigations and prosecutions of crimes with a hate motive are often flawed. There is little support for victims, who in turn may be unwilling to report the crimes to the police, and impunity prevails for the attackers. This briefing identifies such areas with illustrative case studies. It also provides information on homophobic and transphobic hate crimes in these countries and makes a number of recommendations to both national authorities and the EU.

Details: London: AI, 2013. 16p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 2, 2014 at: http://amnesty.ie/sites/default/files/Because%20of%20who%20I%20am.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Bias-Motivated Crimes

Shelf Number: 132602


Author: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA)

Title: Drug Use and Related Problems Among Very Young People (Under 15 Years Old)

Summary: Evidence suggests that early experimentation with psychoactive substances, including alcohol and tobacco, is associated with an increased risk of developing drug problems later in life. In a Selected issue on 'Drug use and related problems among very young people-, the EMCDDA focuses on the prevalence and patterns of substance use among the under-15s and on available responses in terms of legislation, prevention and treatment.

Details: Lisbon: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, 2007. 28p.

Source: Internet Resource: Selected Issue 2007: Accessed July 2, 2014 at: http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/attachements.cfm/att_44741_EN_TDSI07001ENC.pdf

Year: 2007

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction

Shelf Number: 132612


Author: Triandafyllidou, Anna

Title: Governing Irregular Migration and Asylum at the Borders of Europe: Between Efficiency and Protection

Summary: This paper investigates recent developments in EU policy on controlling irregular migration and managing asylum at the EU's southern borders. The paper focuses on the (im) balancing act between efficiency and protection in EU policies. Beginning by expounding the notion of governance of irregular migration and asylum, we turn to critically discuss current European border control practices with a focus on the agencies and policies in place (including the Common European Asylum System). The paper concludes by showing how the EU's balancing act between irregular migration control and asylum management tips clearly towards the former even if it pays lip service to the latter as well as to the need of preventing the loss of human life.

Details: Rome: Isituto Affari Internazionali, 2014. 34p.

Source: Internet Resource: Imagining Europe, no. 6: Accessed July 14, 2014 at: http://www.iai.it/pdf/ImaginingEurope/ImaginingEurope_06.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Asylum Seekers

Shelf Number: 132667


Author: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA)

Title: Drug Use, Impaired Driving and Traffic Accidents, Second Edition

Summary: This literature review provides a comprehensive report on the relationship between drug use, impaired driving and traffic accidents. It describes methodological issues (Chapter 1), presents the results of prevalence surveys among drivers and provides an overview of findings from major international epidemiological surveys published since 2007 (Chapter 2) and gathers evidence from experimental and field studies of the relationship between drug use, driving impairment and traffic accidents (Chapter 3). The research methods can be broadly separated into experimental and epidemiological studies. Every approach has its inherent advantages and disadvantages. Experimental studies, in which the drug is administered in measured doses to volunteers, may be conducted in a laboratory or a driving simulator or on the public road. They allow the effects of a single factor to be measured, but can identify only potential risks, and in some cases the results can be of limited value because of the use of non-realistic doses for safety reasons or because of the drug use history of the volunteers or inter-individual differences. Epidemiological studies examine the prevalence of drug use in various populations. They include roadside surveys, studies assessing the prevalence of drugs in a subset of drivers, accident risk studies, responsibility analyses, surveys among the general population and pharmacoepidemiological studies. However, the study design means that it is not possible to completely eliminate all risk factors other than that under examination and which may be highly correlated with the risk factor of interest. The results of different studies may not be comparable if, for example, different populations or different kinds of samples are tested. The results of experimental studies have indicated that several illicit drugs could have an influence on driving performance; the effects of some, but not all, drugs are dose dependent. Cannabis can impair some cognitive and psychomotor skills that are necessary to drive. 3,4-Methylenedioxymethylamphetamine (MDMA) exerts both negative and positive effects on performance, and studies investigating the effects of a combination of alcohol and illicit drugs have found that some illicit drugs (e.g. cannabis) can act additively with alcohol to increase impairment, while others (e.g. cocaine) can partially reverse alcohol-induced impairment. MDMA can diminish some, but not all, deleterious effects of alcohol, while other negative effects of alcohol can be reinforced. The chronic use of all illicit drugs is associated with some cognitive and/or psychomotor impairment, and can lead to a decrease in driving performance even when the subject is no longer intoxicated. The results of experimental studies also show that some therapeutic drugs can cause obvious impairment. Benzodiazepines, for example, generally have impairing effects, but some types (whether long-, medium- or short-acting) cause severe impairment, whereas others are unlikely to have residual effects in the morning. First-generation antihistamines are generally more sedating than second-generation ones, though there are exceptions in both groups. Tricyclic antidepressants cause more impairment than the newer types, though the results of experimental tests after consumption of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are not always consistent. In every therapeutic class, however, some substances are associated with little or no impairment. These therapeutic drugs should preferably be prescribed to those wishing to drive. Epidemiological studies have confirmed many of the findings from experimental studies. The Driving under the Influence of Drugs, Alcohol and Medicines (DRUID) project has calculated that, on average, 3.48 % of drivers in the European Union drive with alcohol (> 0.1 g/l) in their blood, 1.9 % with illicit drugs, 1.4 % with (a limited list) of medicinal drugs, 0.37 % with a combination of alcohol and drugs and 0.39 % with different drug classes. Studies assessing the prevalence of drugs, medicines and/or alcohol in drivers who were involved in a traffic accident (fatal or otherwise) have found that alcohol is more prevalent than any other psychoactive substance, but drugs are also frequently found, and in a higher proportion of drivers than in the general driving population. Of the drugs analysed, cannabis is the most prevalent after alcohol, although benzodiazepines, when samples have been analysed for these, are sometimes even more prevalent than cannabis. Statistically, the use of amphetamines, cannabis, benzodiazepines, heroin and cocaine is associated with an increased risk of being involved in and/or responsibility for an accident, and in many cases this risk increases when the drug is combined with another psychoactive substance, such as alcohol. From the perspective of traffic safety - especially looking at prevalence rates and risks - the following conclusions can be made. Alcohol, especially in high concentrations, must remain the principal focus of prevention measures. The combination of alcohol and drugs or medicines seems to be a topic that should be addressed more intensively because it is associated with a very high risk of a traffic accident. The problems resulting from medicine use among drivers should be addressed by providing doctors and patients with appropriate information, not by defining thresholds. Based on experimental studies, D9-tetrahydrocannabinol and amphetamines would appear to represent a minor risk, but in case-control studies amphetamines use is associated with a much increased risk of accident. More research is needed to investigate the probable risks of amphetamines in real traffic and the mediating factors. From the perspective of risk, sleep deprivation should also be addressed as it is associated with a high risk of accidents.

Details: Lisbon: EMCDDA, 2014. 156p.

Source: Internet Resource: Insights, no. 16: Accessed July 16, 2014 at: http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/publications/insights/2014/drugs-and-driving

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Driving Under the Influence

Shelf Number: 132694


Author: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA)

Title: Residential treatment for Drug Use in Europe

Summary: In most European countries, residential treatment programmes form an important element of the range of treatment and rehabilitation options for drug users. The aim of this paper is to provide a Europe-wide overview of the history and availability of residential drug treatment within wider national drug treatment systems.

Details: Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2014. 31p.

Source: Internet Resource: EMCDDA Papers: Accessed July 16, 2014 at: http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/publications/emcdda-papers/residential-treatment

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Abuse Treatment

Shelf Number: 132695


Author: Fingerle, Michael

Title: Hate Crime Survey Report: Perspectives of victims, at-risk groups and NGOs

Summary: The "When Law and Hate Collide" project is funded by the Daphne III program of the European Union. The program aims at contributing to the protection of children, young people and women against all forms of violence and attains a high level of health protection, well-being and social cohesion. Its main objective is to contribute to the prevention of and the fight against all forms of violence and aims to take preventive measures and provide support and protection for victims and groups at risk. The project consists of a collaboration between three project partners: the Lancashire Law School at the University of Central Lancashire, United Kingdom, led by the project's Principal Investigator Professor Michael Salter; the Department of Philosophy, Linguistics and Theory of Science at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, led by Professor Christian Munthe; and the Institute of Special Needs Education within the Department of Education Sciences at the Goethe University Frankfurt, led by Professor Michael Fingerle. The overall aim of the project is to look at the concept of Hate Crime in a European context and explore possibilities for a Hate Crime law in Europe. The interdisciplinary project team looks therefore at the theme of Hate Crime from a legal (University of Central Lancashire), ethical (University of Gothenburg) and psychological (Goethe University) perspective. The project aim of the empirical part of the project partners at Goethe University is to understand the psychological aspects of Hate Crime regarding the experience of victimization, victim support and possibilities for preventive measures. This focus is motivated by two concepts. Firstly, we look at Hate Crimes as a variety of social discrimination. Hate crimes are identity crimes, their aim is to attack the social identity and to depreciate the value of people who belong to what is called "target groups". Usually, members of such groups are experiencing such acts of social discrimination on a broader scale whether these acts are classified as crimes or not. From this point of view, Hate Crimes happen in a certain social climate which exists in social localities or even in the society as a whole. To have an influence on these factors, it is not only important to document the pain of victims. It is necessary to give the victims and the members of target-groups a voice and to ask them about their experiences and about what they think about the usefulness of a Hate Crime legislation. Also NGOs - which are active as support groups and/or as a political lobby - play a crucial role in what one could call the empowerment of target groups. Secondly - and in a certain way, this point of view is linked to the question of empowerment - did we base the design of our empirical research on the concept of resilience, which has become pivotal in the area of both prevention and therapy over the last decade. Resilience is usually defined as a person's capacity to master adversaries and critical life events (e.g. Sroufe, 2005, Masten, 2010, Fingerle, 2011b). Of course, it would be misguided and even cynical to use the concept of resilience in the sense that members of target groups could develop personal abilities to avoid Hate Crimes. Instead of this misconception we are interested in personal resources which enable a person to cope with the trauma which comes along with being the victim of a Hate Crime. Moreover, according to a concept of resilience which was formulated already at the early stages of this kind of research and which has been emphasized recently under the notion of a (social) ecology of resilience (Ungar, 2011) we are interested in the documentation of the social resources victims and members of target groups need to cope with the aftermath of Hate Crimes and to empower themselves.

Details: Frankfurt am Main: Goethe University, 2013. 50p,

Source: Internet Resource: When Law and Hate Collide: Accessed July 18, 2014 at: https://www.uclan.ac.uk/research/explore/projects/assets/Hate_Crime_Survey_Report.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Bias-Motivated Crime

Shelf Number: 138725


Author: European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA)

Title: Criminalisation of Migrants in an Irregular Situation and of Persons Engaging with Them

Summary: This paper examines the sanctions applied to counteract irregular migration, building on previous work by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) on the rights of migrants in an irregular situation. It looks first at the punishments used for irregular entry or stay, when persons enter or stay in a territory although they are not authorised to do so. It examines, in particular, the custodial penalties for irregular entry or stay for persons to whom the safeguards of the EU Return Directive should apply. It then examines the risk that those who help such migrants or rent out accommodation to them are punished for smuggling human beings, or facilitating their entry or stay. The paper compares EU Member States' legislation and case law in this field, analysing the findings in light of relevant EU law. Based on this analysis, the paper proposes changes to policies against the smuggling of human beings, to render them more sensitive to fundamental rights.

Details: Vienna: FRA (European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights), 2014.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 19, 2014 at: http://fra.europa.eu/en/publication/2014/criminalisation-migrants-irregular-situation-and-persons-engaging-them

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Human Rights

Shelf Number: 132718


Author: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, Office of the Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings

Title: Leveraging Anti-Money Laundering Regimes to Combat Trafficking in Human Beings

Summary: This publication, issued by the OSCE Office of the Co-ordinator for Economic and Environmental Activities, the OSCE Office of the Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, and the OSCE Transnational Threats Department - Strategic Police Matters Unit, summarizes several years of joint efforts to bridge gaps in the knowledge and capacity of practitioners who are working to counter money laundering and trafficking in human beings. Much of the research contained herein was identified during the OSCE/UNODC Expert Seminar on Leveraging Anti-Money Laundering Regimes to Combat Human Trafficking, held in Vienna on 3-4 October 2011. This publication provides background and information to help practitioners to operationalize the intersection of human trafficking and money laundering.

Details: Vienna: OSCE, 2014. 44p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 21, 2014 at: http://www.osce.org/secretariat/121125?download=true

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Economic Crimes

Shelf Number: 131683


Author: Autres Regards

Title: Indoor Sex Work: Analysis and good practice manual on indoor sex work settings in seven European cities

Summary: Following policy and legislative changes and the development of new technologies, the prostitution scene in Europe has evolved during the last ten years. According to TAMPEP, the European Network for HIV/STI Prevention and Health Promotion among Migrant Sex Workers1, a shift was observed from outdoor to indoor sex work between 2003 and 2008. Indoor sex work is an evolving and growing phenomenon with its own structure, codes and working conditions. Facing the restructuring of sex work settings, service providers and organisations have developed new strategies to contact indoor sex workers who are more isolated. However, broader development and implementation of such strategies is required in order to cover geographically and structurally more settings and provide indoor sex workers with comprehensive, quality outreach services. This manual on indoor sex work has three aims: analysis, documentation and recommendations.

Details: Marseille: Autres Regards, 2010. 122p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 22, 2014 at: http://www.autresregards.org/www_old/Indoors/indoors_manual.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Prostitutes

Shelf Number: 132728


Author: European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA)

Title: Child Trafficking in the European Union: Challenges, Perspectives and Good Practices

Summary: In July 2007, the European Commission asked the FRA to develop indicators to measure how the rights of the child are implemented, protected, respected and promoted in the EU Member States. The indicators were published by the Agency in March 2009. In October 2007, the European Commission requested that the Agency started collecting data on the basis of these indicators. Following a consultation meeting with other international organisations and the European Commission in Vienna, in April 2008, it was agreed that the FRA's first thematic study on the rights of the child would focus on child trafficking. Key findings Many children fall victim to trafficking every year Trafficking in human beings is a major problem both in the EU and worldwide. Every year a substantial number of children fall victim to trafficking for sexual exploitation or other purposes. Estimates as to the full extent of the problem have been provided by some reputable sources, yet there are no studies or reliable statistics to provide a comprehensive picture. A clear definition of child trafficking is lacking in both the EU legal framework, and at Member State level. Children disappearing from shelters most likely fall victim to trafficking According to NGOs, the disappearance of children from shelters in the EU Member States is widespread, with their destinations largely unknown. However, this problem remains largely ignored, with a severe lack of monitoring as a result of insufficient data collection in at least 9 Member States. Only a few Member States have developed policies to tackle this issue. Extremely low number of child trafficking convictions There are generally very few final convictions in child trafficking cases. Convictions for child trafficking could only be detected in 4 Member States in the 2000-2007 period. Identification of victims is vital to prosecuting traffickers The identification of victims of child trafficking is crucial to prosecuting traffickers and providing victims with protection and assistance. Protection of child victims of trafficking needs to be a priority According to international law, the interests of children must always be a primary consideration at the heart of all law. However this is still not the case for child trafficking. This 'principle of best interests of the child' is, amongst others, enshrined in Article 24 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU. Member States have important interests in combating crime and regulating immigration. However, these policy goals should not be allowed to overshadow the best interests of victims of child trafficking.

Details: Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, 2009. 164p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 23, 2014 at: http://fra.europa.eu/en/publication/2009/child-trafficking-eu-challenges-perspectives-and-good-practices

Year: 2009

Country: Europe

Keywords: Child Trafficking

Shelf Number: 115638


Author: Brussa, Licia

Title: Sex Work in Europe: A Mapping of the Prostitution Scene in 25 European Countries

Summary: An understanding of the current reality of sex work and the situation of sex workers in Europe is critical to strengthening HIV prevention in sex work settings across Europe. The European Mapping report aims to identify trends and tendencies in relation to the changing patterns of sex work and the living and working conditions of female and transgender sex workers within Europe. In addition, it provides an overview of sex work migration patterns across Europe and addresses the impact of the expansion of the European Union on the situation and migration of sex workers in Europe. This report also provides insight into the ways in which policies on prostitution and migration affect the vulnerabilities of migrant and mobile sex workers to HIV/AIDS, which is also inseparable from a number of other forms of vulnerability (violence, drug and alcohol use, discrimination, social exclusion, stigmatisation, legal status etc) shown in the mapping below. In seeking to address HIV and sex work in Europe it is also essential that we understand social determinants, working conditions and other contextual factors. In this respect, current legislation and public policies, their impact on sex work settings and the potential consequences for sex workers and HIV prevention are particularly important. The mapping entailed gathering information on legislation and public policy. Working within a human rights framework, this mapping seeks to internationally recognise effective practices of prevention and to reduce vulnerability. The European network for HIV/STI prevention and health promotion among migrant sex workers - TAMPEP 87 works to reduce the HIV vulnerability of migrant and mobile sex workers through the development, exchange, promotion and implementation of appropriate policies and interventions across Europe. TAMPEP aimed to reduce the vulnerability of sex workers through the strengthening of outreach activities and the further development of effective interventions and strategies for HIV/STI prevention among national, migrant and mobile sex workers and their clients; the development of an Internet directory of health and social care services accessible to sex workers; and the production of a capacity building manual. TAMPEP has informed policy development through qualitative and quantitative assessment of the prostitution scene across Europe, mapping and analysing the legal frameworks regarding migration, sex work, and HIV/STIs.

Details: Amsterdam : TAMPEP International Foundation, 2009. 79p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 23, 2014 at: http://tampep.eu/documents/TAMPEP%202009%20European%20Mapping%20Report.pdf

Year: 2009

Country: Europe

Keywords: AIDS (Disease)

Shelf Number: 132742


Author: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime

Title: The Illicit Drug Trade Through South-Eastern Europe

Summary: South-Eastern Europe has long served as a corridor for several drug-trafficking routes to Western and Central Europe. Owing to its geographical position between Afghanistan, the world's most important opiate-producing country, and the large and lucrative markets for opiates in Western and Central Europe, South-Eastern Europe is a crucial stage on one of the world's most important heroin trafficking routes, the "Balkan route". Diverse drug flows come from multiple directions. Externally, cocaine arrives from South America. Internally, South-Eastern Europe produces relatively large amounts of cannabis, most notably in Albania, and the region also has a recent history of producing and trafficking amphetamine-type-stimulants (ATS). Of all these drug flows, however, only heroin flows can be considered strategically significant to consumption markets in Western and Central Europe. It is important to note that South-Eastern Europe is not only a transit region, but also faces drug consumption challenges in its own right and is vulnerable to corruption. In order to place policymakers and law enforcement analysts in a better position to evaluate the drug-trafficking situation and make informed decisions regarding responses, this report analyses the major and emerging drug trends, including use, for heroin, cocaine, ATS and cannabis. Based on findings from data submitted to UNODC by countries and territories, reports from regional organizations such as SELEC and Frontex and publicly available publications and scientific literature, the report also looks at the responses of countries in the region to related challenges. With a particular focus on heroin, it analyses the Balkan route from its origin on the borders of Afghanistan, through the Islamic Republic of Iran and Turkey, into South-Eastern Europe and up to its end point in Western and Central Europe, where the four principal opiate user markets it serves (the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Italy) are located.

Details: Vienna: UNODC, 2014. 142p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 28, 2014 at: http://www.unodc.org/documents/data-and-analysis/Studies/Illicit_DT_through_SEE_REPORT_2014_web.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction

Shelf Number: 132793


Author: Maftei, Loredana

Title: An Overview Of The Tobacco Black Market In Europe

Summary: Cigarette smuggling is a global phenomenon and so well-organized that it poses a serious threat to public health and national economies. The aim of the article is to highlight the main definitions and classifications between illegal tobacco trade and cigarette smuggling and also to describe the general situation of Europe. Based on data retrieved from International Tobacco Trade and UNODC, the paper is focused on the price differences, source countries, supply and demand and on the analysis of reports and articles. Furthermore the main findings emphasize the role of high taxation and corruption which have affected the European economies.

Details: Romania: Central and Eastern European Online Library, 2012. 13p.

Source: Internet Resource: CES Working Papers, issue 3a/2012: Accessed July 28, 2014 at: http://www.cse.uaic.ro/WorkingPapers/articles/CESWP2012_IV3a_MAF.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Cigarette Smuggling (Europe)

Shelf Number: 132804


Author: Caneppele, Stefano

Title: Crime Proofing of the New Tobacco Products Directive

Summary: This study concerns the crime proofing of the Proposal for the Revision of the Tobacco Products Directive presented in December 2012, and it is an update of a study on the crime proofing of the policy options under consideration of the revision of Directive 2001/37/EC. The crime proofing of legislation is a scientific approach developed by Transcrime in 2006 (Savona, 2006a; Savona, 2006b; Savona, Calderoni et al., 2006; Savona, Maggioni, et al., 2006; Morgan and Clarke, 2006; Albrecht and Kilchling, 2002). The core idea is that legislation may produce unintended opportunities for crime, thereby having potential criminogenic effects. When these opportunities and where they may occur is known, the legislation may be "proofed" against crime. This study is concerned with the impact of the new Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) on crime, and all the more so on the Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products (henceforth ITTP), an area that has not been considered by any of the impact assessment studies carried out by the EU Commission in preparation of the new Directive. Consequently, no knowledge is officially available on the impact of the new regulation upon the ITTP. This report aims at filling this gap by using the available data and making estimates. In January 2012, Transcrime presented a study which proofed the policy options under consideration for the revision of EU Directive 2001/37/EC against the risks of unintended criminal opportunities for the illicit trade in tobacco products (Calderoni, Savona, & Solmi, 2012). The study highlighted that "DG SANCO paid almost no attention to the impact on the ITTP" and that "certain measures considered for the revision of the TPD may have serious consequences" regarding possible risks of increased ITTP (Calderoni et al. 2012, p.42). The impact assessment (IA) released on December 2012 denies the risks of the ITTP. The EU Commission declared "that the preferred policy options do not [ in the assessment of the Commission - lead to increased illicit trade" (European Commission, 2012a, p. 6). More than being the result of an IA of the policy options and their trade-off on ITTP, this statement is an a priori assumption that excludes the area of crime from the IA carried out by the EU Commission. This is a serious flaw that may compromise the validity of the results of the impact assessment itself, and which does not comply with the EU's official impact assessment guidelines (European Commission, 2009).

Details: Trento, IT: Transcrime, 2013. 88p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 28, 2014 at: http://www.transcrime.it/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Crime-Proofing-of-the-NEW-TPD_6.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Cigarette Smuggling (Europe)

Shelf Number: 132805


Author: Riccardi, Michele

Title: The Identification of Beneficial Owners in the Fight Against Money Laundering

Summary: While a proposal for a Fourth EU Anti Money Laundering Directive is being adopted by the EU Commission, lack of data on the ownership structure of EU companies still represents a serious obstacle for the fight against the misuse of corporate entities for financial crime purposes. In order to address this problem, the research project BOWNET (www.bownet.eu), funded by EU Commission, DG Home Affairs, and carried out by an International consortium coordinated by Universit Cattolica del Sacro Cuore Transcrime (www.transcrime.it) has:  Understood what information is used by EU competent authorities and intermediaries in investigations as regards the ownership structure of suspicious companies;  Identified their main problems and needs ;  Identified the level of availability of data on the ownership structure of EU companies;  Explored where are these data stored, how they can be accessed, at which cost and in which data format;  Suggested a range of EU policy and regulatory initiatives that could be taken to improve the access to company ownership information;  Suggested a range of IT tools that could ease the identification of beneficial owners of suspicious corporate entities; For doing so, the project has performed surveys on EU Law enforcement agencies, Financial Intelligence Units, financial and non-financial intermediaries; a review of software used in the anti-money laundering (AML) field; a comprehensive analysis of the public business registers of the 27 EU member states; a comprehensive analysis of other 150 public and commercial providers of data on the ownership structure of EU companies.

Details: Milan, IT: Transcrime, 2013. 98p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 29, 2014 at: http://www.transcrime.it/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/BOWNET3.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Financial Crimes

Shelf Number: 132815


Author: KPMG

Title: Project Sun: A study of the illicit cigarette market in the European Union. 2013 Results

Summary: One in every ten cigarettes consumed in the European Union in 2013 were illicit, 33% of which were "illicit whites", an emerging type of illegal, branded cigarettes manufactured for the sole purpose of being smuggled, according to a KPMG study. At these levels, EU governments lost approximately L10.9 billion to the illegal market. KPMG found the highest illegal trade incidence levels for 2013 in Latvia (28.8%), Lithuania (27.1%), Ireland (21.1%), Estonia (18.6%) and Bulgaria (18.2%). The highest volumes of illegal cigarettes were consumed in Germany and France with 11.3 billion and 9.6 billion illegal cigarettes, respectively, and Poland and Greece where "illicit whites" accounted for 9.1% and 12.2% of consumption respectively. Other key findings include: - Overall, 58.6 billion illegal cigarettes were consumed in the EU; this is equivalent to the total legal cigarette markets of Spain and Portugal combined and represents a total tax revenue loss of L10.9 billion; - In 2013, 10.5% of all cigarettes consumed in the EU were illegal, compared to 11.1% in 2012 and 10.4% in 2011; - The prevalence of contraband - which excludes "illicit whites" and counterfeit - dropped significantly by 26.7% to 35.6 billion cigarettes; - "Illicit whites" reached a record high of 19.6 billion cigarettes, from virtually zero in 2006; and - The highest "illicit white" volumes for 2013 were measured in Poland (4.0 billion), Greece (2.8 billion), Spain (2.5 billion), Bulgaria (1.6 billion) and Germany (1.4 billion). Despite the overall decline in the illegal market in 2013, the EU's black market for tobacco remains a significant source of revenue loss for governments and a resilient competitor to the legitimate manufacturers and trade. This illegal activity not only comes at a financial cost, but it fosters criminality in local communities. British American Tobacco plc (BAT), Imperial Tobacco Group plc (Imperial), Japan Tobacco International (JTI) and Philip Morris International Inc. (PMI) continue to devote significant resources to combat this problem - above the requirements set out in their Cooperation Agreements with the European Commission - underpinned by the conviction that effective solutions require solid cooperation between governments, law enforcement agencies, manufacturers and retailers. For the first time since its inception in 2006, KPMG's study was commissioned by all four major tobacco manufacturers operating in the EU - BAT, Imperial, JTI and PMI. This allowed KPMG access to a wider set of data sources, which further refined and improved the completeness of the analysis. Prior to 2013, the study was commissioned by PMI as part of the company's commitments under its Cooperation Agreement with the European Commission.

Details: Lausanne, Switzerland: Philip Morris International, 2013. 362p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 31, 2014 at: http://www.pmi.com/eng/media_center/media_kit/pages/sun_report_2013.aspx#

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Black Markets

Shelf Number: 132850


Author: Dugato, Marco

Title: The Crime against Businesses in Europe: A Pilot Survey

Summary: The project "EU Survey to assess the level and impact of crimes against business - Stage 2: Piloting the survey module" aims at carrying out a pilot survey on the victimisation of businesses across twenty selected European countries. The main objectives of this project are: - Implementing a business victimisation pilot survey in unexplored countries of the EU - Developing a common methodology - Collecting comparable data - Analysing data in order to produce comparable results - Reporting the results in order to produce policy implications The pilot survey method implements a phased multi-mode approach, first of all by conducting a representative interviewer-facilitated telephone survey (PHASE I) and secondly by redirecting these enterprises to fill in the rest of the questionnaire in a dedicated CAWI interface (PHASE II). The statistical unit was the local unit or the branch of the enterprises, and the entire universe of the survey was defined as companies having at least one employee, with market or for-profit activities and with available telephone numbers in the sampling frames used. The pilot survey was implemented in 20 selected Member States of the European Union and each country sample had a minimum of 500 interviews and a maximum of 2,000 interviews, depending on the number of active enterprises in the given country. The survey was conducted on the field between 23rd of May and 3rd of September 2012. The questionnaire was composed of a preliminary general part on the characteristics of the firms, a screener part aimed at investigating which businesses were actually victimised and which ones were not, and a main questionnaire including more detailed questions for the businesses that were actually victimised. This first draft of the questionnaire was discussed with the Steering Group of the European Commission first, and then redrafted according to the reviews made by the member of a Technical and Scientific Committee (T&S Committee) formed by a panel of experts in the field of victimisation surveys and crime and criminal justice statistics. The experts provided support in finalising the questionnaire content and tested the formulation and comprehension of the questions before the questionnaire was translated in twenty-two languages. The initial samples in Phase I were stratified samples of businesses, using disproportional allocation, to ensure over-representation of the larger enterprise segments. Criteria for stratification were the economic activity sector of the enterprise and the company size in terms of persons employed. As a result of non-response and disproportional random sampling procedures, the distribution of the achieved sample according to key variables was biased. In order to reach unbiased estimations, weights needed to be applied. For the CAWI subsamples data file, 19 weights were computed that reproduced the composition of the screener sample segments affected by crime in general and specific crimes in particular (one weight for each of the 18 types of crime). 19,039 businesses completed Phase I - CATI interview. 7,839 businesses were victimised in the last twelve months, whereas 11,200 were not. Of the 7,839 victimised ones, 2,815 completed also the Phase II - CAWI questionnaire.

Details: Milan, IT: Transcrime, 2013. 138p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 31, 2014 at: http://www.transcrime.it/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/EU-BCS-Final-Report_GallupTranscrime.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Crimes Against Businesses (Europe)

Shelf Number: 132859


Author: Migreurop

Title: Europe's Murderous Borders

Summary: Born in 2002, the Migreurop network brings together activists and over forty associations from thirteen countries both north and south of the Mediterranean. Its goal is to collect information to reveal and denounce the effects of the European Union's migration policies insofar as human rights violations are concerned, particularly in places of detention. The map of camps for foreigners in Europe and in Mediterranean countries drawn up by Migreurop, which is regularly updated, has become a reference in this field. Since 2008, the Migreurop network's work has taken on the form, in particular, of a Borders Observatory that rests upon a number of tools: apart from the divulging of information on human rights violations at borders through its e-mail list and website, Migreurop has launched a campaign for a 'Right of access in the places of detention for migrants', and has set up a working group on the consequences of readmission agreements reached between the European Union and its neighbours. In September 2009, Migreurop published an 'Atlas of migrants in Europe', which aims to be a work of critical geography of border controls. Migreurop releases this report on the violation of human rights at borders, 'Murderous Borders', within the framework of the Borders Observatory. For this first edition, Migreurop has chosen to focus on four symbolic poles of the misdeeds of the policies enacted by the European Union: the Greek-Turkish border, the Calais region in northwestern France, that of Oujda, in eastern Morocco, and the island of Lampedusa in the far south of Italy. They represent as many stops, of varying length and too often tragic, in the odyssey of thousands of people who, every year, seek to flee persecutions through chosen or obligatory exile, or simply to escape the fate that is reserved to them, by attempting to reach Europe.

Details: Paris: Migreurop, 2009. 51p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 6, 2014 at: http://www.migreurop.org/IMG/pdf/Rapport-Migreurop-nov2009-en-final.pdf

Year: 2009

Country: Europe

Keywords: Border Control

Shelf Number: 132903


Author: Lallerstedt, Karl

Title: Illicit Trade Flows: How to deal with the neglected economic and security threat

Summary: Illicit trade flows generate massive costs for the EU, yet the countermeasures have been inadequate. A shortage of data, the tendency to look at different forms of illicit trade as separate phenomena, and the complexity of the problem have led to an under-prioritisation of illicit trade among policymakers. Globally, the illicit trade in products that replace those that are generally licit (such as counterfeit goods and contraband excise goods) represents the biggest monetary turnover and hurts government and corporate revenues directly. Still, it is particularly under-prioritised. Synergistic effects for smuggling different items relate to the fact that there are over one thousand international poly-crime groups operating in the EU, the same smuggling routes can be used for different commodities, and the same corrupt officials or purveyors of false documentation can deliver their services to multiple "operators". Illicit trade also makes the EU more vulnerable to terrorist attacks. It finances terrorist organisations, and well-established smuggling routes make the borders more porous. To address the problem, better data need to be generated showing its extent and impact. Taking a holistic view of the various aspects of illicit trade is important to facilitate coordination among the relevant authorities. The costs of this work represent investments which - beyond enhancing security - will generate income by boosting tax revenues, reducing crime, creating jobs and driving economic growth.

Details: Helsinki: Finnish Institute of International Affairs, 2014. 10p.

Source: Internet Resource: FIIA Briefing Paper 151: Accessed August 11, 2014 at: http://www.fiia.fi/en/publication/405/illicit_trade_flows/

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Economic Crime

Shelf Number: 132970


Author: Migreurop

Title: European Borders: Controls, detention and deportations

Summary: Abbiamo fermato l'invasione: "We have stopped the invasion", a Northern League poster boasted in March 2010 before the regional elections in Italy. The press could rejoice about seeing "Lampedusa returned to the fishermen", since the identification and expulsion centre on the island, which had seen over 30,000 "illegals" disembark in 2008, and still 1,220 in February 2009, was henceforth empty since October. In turn, the Italian government was trumpeting the fact that, against "illegal" immigration, firmness had ended up paying off. From the other islands in the Sicily Channel to Malta, to the Canary islands, and to the coasts of Andalusia in Spain, the same fact could be noted: unwanted arrivals on the coasts had ended, at least on that side of Europe. Moreover, at a time when Migreurop is completing its second annual report, it has even been stated that Libya has closed its detention centres - those camps that were hastily created following great inputs of "aid" from north of the Mediterranean. Readers should read this report with caution, because, in the field of migration, the gateways and routes open up and close down very quickly, in accordance with the deals between European Union member states and those between the latter and so-called "third" countries, in spite of the strong trends that we denounce here.

Details: Paris: Migreurop, 2010. 132p.

Source: Internet Resource: http://www.migreurop.org/IMG/pdf/rapport-migreurop-2010-en_-_2-121110.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Border Control

Shelf Number: 132972


Author: European Crime Prevention Network

Title: Priorities in crime prevention policies across Europe

Summary: In the European Crime Prevention Monitor 2012/2 (EUCPN, 2012b), the EUCPN Secretariat collected information from the Member States on their main priorities in the crime prevention policy/strategy in their countries. Obviously, each country has its own strategy and approach regarding crime prevention. Whereas some countries pay specific attention to certain crime types in their prevention strategy, others - like e.g., the Czech Republic, Denmark and the United Kingdom - have a broad and general preventative approach at the national level, with more room to focus on local crime prevention priorities. Overall, the crime types which were considered most in the various prevention policies are: 1. Property crimes (i.e. burglaries, theft); 2. Crimes against the person (i.e. violence, domestic violence); 3. Juvenile delinquency; 4. Drug use; and 5. Violent crime. In this third Monitor, we will have a closer look at some of these crime types which are currently prioritised by the Member States and which were identified in the previous Monitor (EUCPN, 2012b). For this, we will draw upon some of the findings of the International Crime Victimization Survey of 2005 and 2010, Eurostat's Statistics in Focus 2013, the Statistical Bulletin 2013 of the European Monitoring Centre for Drug and Drug Addiction and the European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs 2011 (ESPAD).

Details: Brussels: European Crime Prevention Network, 2013. 27p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 11, 2014 at: www.eucpn.org/

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Crime Prevention (Europe)

Shelf Number: 132994


Author: Helsper, Ellen J.

Title: Country Classification: Opportunities, Risks, Harm and Parental Mediation

Summary: This report updates and deepens the understanding of cross-national differences among the countries surveyed in EU Kids Online. Where the previous classification was based simply on the percentage of children in each country who used the internet daily, and who had encountered one or more risks, this report examines the range and type of online opportunities, risks and harm experienced by the children in each country. It also takes into account the ways in which parents mediate or regulate their children's internet use in each country. Clusters of countries are most clearly distinguished in terms of sexual content risks. Children who are bullied or who give away personal data are uniformly distributed across the countries. Using these and many other factors, the report identifies four country clusters overall: unprotected networkers, protected by restrictions, semi supported risky gamers, and supported risky explorers. This new analysis reveals that differences within countries are substantially larger than differences between countries, whether measured in terms of online opportunities, risk of harm or forms of parental mediation. The advantage of such pan-European similarities is that it makes sense for policy makers in one country to learn from the best practice initiated in another.

Details: London: EU Kids Online, 2013. 46p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 23, 2014 at: http://www.lse.ac.uk/media@lse/research/EUKidsOnline/EU%20Kids%20III/Classification/Country-classification-report-EU-Kids-Online.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Computer Crimes

Shelf Number: 129952


Author: Clarke, Steve

Title: Trends in crime and criminal justice, 2010

Summary: The latest collection of data indicates a general tendency towards a decrease in the levels of recorded crime across European Union Member States between 2007 and 2010. The number of most types of crimes recorded by the police in the European Union has fallen (see Figure 1). While crimes linked to drug trafficking, robbery and violent crimes decreased between 3 and 6% between 2007 and 2010, the number of motor vehicle thefts has fallen substantially faster over the same period (-23%). In contrast, domestic burglary is a category with a rising trend in the European Union. Compared to 2007, 7% more cases of domestic burglary were reported in 2010. The following publication gives an insight into the trends in the various categories of recorded crime and furthermore looks at police officer numbers and imprisonment rates.

Details: Luxembourg: Eurostat, 2013. 16p.

Source: Internet Resource: Statistics in Focus, 18/2013: Accessed August 28, 2014 at: http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/cache/ITY_OFFPUB/KS-SF-13-018/EN/KS-SF-13-018-EN.PDF

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Crime Statistics (Europe)

Shelf Number: 122928


Author: Jemia, Monia Ben

Title: Violence against Women in the Context of Political Transformations and Economic Crisis in the Euro-Mediterranean Region: Trends and Recommendations toward Equality and Justice

Summary: EMHRN's new report "Violence against Women in the Context of Political Transformations and Economic Crisis in the Euro-Mediterranean Region" comes to shed light on the sharp increase in gender-based violence. Unfortunately, the euphoria of the Arab Spring has given way to the sobering realisation that women have been the main victims of the turmoil rocking the region. In Europe, the economic crisis has led to disproportionate growing poverty and lack of economic independence among women compared to men. These trends are aggravated by societal attitudes and conservative discriminatory policies.

Details: Copenhagen: Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network (EMHRN), 2014. 63p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 28, 2014 at: http://www.euromedrights.org/eng/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/VAW-report_final_en.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Gender-Based Violence (Europe)

Shelf Number: 133160


Author: TNS Political and Social

Title: Young People and Drugs

Summary: Drug use and drug-related problems continue to be a major concern for EU citizens, as well as being a significant public health and public safety issue. Around one quarter of the adult population is estimated to have used illicit drugs at some point in their lifetime, with cannabis the most commonly used substance. Drug experimentation often starts in the school years, and it is estimated that one in four 15-16 year-olds have used an illicit drug. Although progress has been made in recent years, drug overdose remains one of the major causes of avoidable mortality in young citizens. In recent years, the use of 'legal-highs' - currently legal substances that mimic the effect of illicit drugs - has become increasingly popular, and the European Commission is working to strengthen the EU's ability to reduce their availability, as part of an overall drug control framework . This survey builds on the work of previous reports (Special Eurobarometer 172 in 2002, Flash Eurobarometer 158 in 2004, Flash Eurobarometer 233 in 2008, and Flash EB 330 in 2011) in exploring young people's perceptions of and attitudes towards drugs, including: - Self-reported use of cannabis and new substances that imitate the effects of illicit drugs. - Sources of information about drugs, including their effects and the associated risks. - Perceived ease of availability of drugs. ▪ The perceived health risks associated with occasional or regular use of various drugs, including alcohol and tobacco. - The appropriate legal status of a range of currently illegal drugs, as well as alcohol and tobacco. - Opinions about the best ways for authorities to tackle drug problems. Results are analysed at the overall EU28 level and (where sample sizes permit) at country level, and by a range of socio-demographic groups. Where possible, comparisons are made with the results from 2011.

Details: Luxembourg: European Commission, 2014. 162p.

Source: Internet Resource: Flash Eurobarometer 401: Accessed September 4, 2014 at: http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/flash/fl_401_en.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction (Europe)

Shelf Number: 133173


Author: European Commission. Directorate General for Justice

Title: Summary of contextual overviews on children's involvement in criminal judicial proceedings in the 28 Member States of the European Union

Summary: The promotion and protection of the rights of the child is one of the objectives of the EU on which the Treaty of Lisbon has put further emphasis. This report is part of a study 'to collect data on children's involvement in judicial proceedings in the EU' which supports the implementation of the Commission Communication of 15 February 2011 'An EU Agenda for the Rights of the Child', that identified the lack of reliable, comparable and official data on the situation of children in the Member States (MS). This deficiency is a serious obstacle to the development and implementation of evidence-based policies and is particularly evident in the context of child friendly justice and the protection of children in vulnerable situations. Making the justice system more child friendly in Europe is a key action of the EU Agenda. It is an area of high practical relevance where the EU has, under the Treaties, competences to turn the rights of the child into reality by means of EU legislation. Improved data is crucial to the framing of such legislation. This report describes the main findings of the 29 contextual overviews produced and information collected in the phase of the study to collect data on children's involvement in criminal judicial proceedings in the role of suspects/offenders, victims and witnesses.

Details: Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2014. 100p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 9, 2014 at: http://bookshop.europa.eu/en/summary-of-contextual-overviews-on-children-s-involvement-in-criminal-judicial-proceedings-in-the-28-member-states-of-the-european-union-pbDS0313659/

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Child Protection (Europe)

Shelf Number: 133181


Author: Forte, Roberto, ed.

Title: Organised Crime and the Fight Against Crime in the Western Balkans: a Comparison with the Italian Models and Practices. General overview and perspectives for the future

Summary: The project SAPUCCA (Sharing Alternative Practices for the Utilisation of Confiscated Criminal Assets), co-funded by the European Commission's Programme "ISEC 2009 - DG Home Affairs", is aimed at encouraging, promoting and elaborating methods and tools to prevent and fight organised crime, and at experimenting good practices for the re-use of assets confiscated to criminal organisations for social and institutional purposes. As the foremost output of the project, the Policy paper "Organised Crime and the Fight Against Crime in the Western Balkans: a Comparison with the Italian Models and Practices. General overview and perspectives for the future" has been published. The authors are Natale Argiro, Mauro Baldascino, Mario Battello, Atanas Rusev, Luigi Gay, Dafne Papandrea and Domenico Zinzi, and the paper is edited by Roberto Forte. The document offers an overview of the situation of organised crime in the Western Balkans in general and in individual Countries -- Croatia, Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro -- as well as a focus on the recent legislation on the recovery and management of criminal assets in Bulgaria, used as a term of confrontation with the consolidated approach applied in Italy to such issues. It offers as well a study on the extensibility of the Italian model in Europe, and a feasibility analysis on the extension of the model to the Western Balkans.

Details: Rome?: SAPUCCA: Sharing Alternative Practices for the Utilization of Confiscated Criminal Assets, 2013. 88p.

Source: Internet Resource: Policy Paper: Accessed September 9, 2014 at: http://flarenetwork.org/documents/Sapucca-pubbl-final.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Asset Forfeiture

Shelf Number: 133189


Author: European Parliament. Directorate-General for Internal Policies. Policy Department C Citizens' Rights and Constitutional Affairs

Title: Overview of the worldwide best practices for rape prevention and for assisting women victims of rape

Summary: The study provides an overview of the worldwide best practices for rape prevention and for assisting women victims of rape. It reviews the international literature and offers selected examples of promising practices. It addresses the comprehensive range of policies in the fields of gender equality; law and justice; economy, development and social inclusion; culture, education and media; and health. It presents a wide-ranging set of examples of best practice. It concludes with a series of recommendations, based on the social scientific evidence presented in the study.

Details: Brussels: European Union, 2013. 214p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 23, 2014 at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/etudes/join/2013/493025/IPOL-FEMM_ET(2013)493025_EN.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Gender-Related Violence

Shelf Number: 133395


Author: Sethi, Dinesh

Title: European report on preventing violence and knife crime among young people

Summary: This report highlights interpersonal violence as the third leading cause of death and a leading cause of disability among people aged 10-29 years in the 53 countries of the WHO European Region. This burden is unequally distributed, and 9 of 10 homicide deaths in the Region occur in low- and middle-income countries. Irrespective of country income, interpersonal violence disproportionately affects young people from deprived sections of society and males, who comprise 4 of 5 homicide deaths. Numerous biological, social, cultural, economic and environmental factors interact to increase young people's risk of being involved in violence and knife-related crime. Factors that can protect against violence developing among young people include good social skills, self-esteem, academic achievement, strong bonds with parents, positive peer groups, good attachment to school, community involvement and access to social support. Good evidence indicates that reducing risk factors and enhancing protective factors will reduce violence among young people. The experience accumulated by several countries in the Region and elsewhere shows that social policy and sustained and systematic approaches that address the underlying causes of violence can make countries in the Region much safer. These make compelling arguments for advocating for increased investment in prevention and for mainstreaming objectives for preventing violence among young people into other areas of health and social policy.

Details: Copenhagen: WHO Regional Office for Europe, 2010. 117p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 23, 2014 at: http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0012/121314/E94277.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Homicides

Shelf Number: 121192


Author: Judins, Andrejs

Title: Restorative Justice vs Juvenile Delinquency: The Baltic States in European Dimension.

Summary: The research focuses on the impact of the philosophy and principles of restorative justice on the legal instruments of criminal and Juvenile Justice in the Baltic States. Principles of Restorative Justice have influenced the development of the criminal procedure in Latvia and other Baltic States and have promoted the development of new legal mechanisms, however, the potential of Restorative Justice has not yet been appreciated in full and its application is still insufficient in terms of its spread and systemic application. In an attempt to ensure an effective reaction to offences, it is essential to promote a wider application of Restorative Justice principles in practice, thus developing criminal justice that does not focus on the penalisation of the offender but on addressing the criminal conflict and preventing criminal recidivism. It is particularly important in respect of minors with immature personalities, and depending on the strategy followed in combating crime and the reaction of the state to the committed offence, they may stay on the path of criminality or, just the opposite, never ever violate prohibitions contained in criminal law. The research assesses the traditional approach to reducing crime as well as the capacity of specific criminal penalties and other legal instruments in restoring justice. The purpose of the research is to promote the development of new criminal and Juvenile Justice, linking their bases and aims to the philosophy of Restorative Justice. A summary and analysis have been undertaken within the frame of the Project of statistical data, legal acts, examples of good practice and initiatives concerning the implementation of Juvenile Justice in the Baltic States. In the course of implementing the Project recommendations were formulated and a development strategy developed concerning the wider application of principles and instruments of Juvenile Justice in the criminal procedure if the person suspected of having committed a criminal offence or charged with the commission of a criminal offence is a minor.

Details: Riga, Latvia: PROVIDUS, 2010. 223p.

Source: Internet Resource: accessed September 27, 2014 at: http://www.providus.lv/upload_file/Projekti/Kriminalitesibas/RJ_research.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Juvenile Justice

Shelf Number: 133462


Author: Lutchman, Indrani

Title: An Independent Review of the EU Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Regulations

Summary: Illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) fishing refers to fishing activities that do not comply with national, regional, or international fisheries conservation or management legislation or measures (Agnew & Barnes, 2004). IUU fishing is complex and affects many stakeholders from the individual artisanal fisher in national waters, to fishing fleets in Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ) and the High Seas, to fish processor and fisheries managers in developed and developing countries. Illegal fishing occurs in every ocean in the world, resulting in the loss of individual jobs and income, depletion of existing fish stocks, damage to the marine environment, and loss of state revenue (Doulman, 2000). It affects activities both at sea and onshore, such as shipment, transportation, landing, importation and exportation, sale, and distribution of fish products (Gallic, 2008). IUU fishing also has the potential to reduce the amount of fish available to subsistence fishers and communities who rely on fish as their staple diet. For example in Sierra Leone, fish provides approximately 65% of the protein source consumed by the under-nourished population. Thus people's livelihoods and food security may be seriously threatened by the possibility of losing access to this food source as result of IUU fishing (Environmental Justice Foundation, n.d.).

Details: London: Institute for European Environmental Policy, 2012. 40p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 1, 2014 at: http://www.oakfnd.org/sites/default/files/IEEP_Independent%20Review%20of%20the%20EU%20IUU%20Regulations.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Crime Against the Environment

Shelf Number: 133520


Author: European Parliament. Directorate-General for Internal Policies. Policy Department C Citizens' Rights and Constitutional Affairs

Title: Access to shelters of undocumented migrant women fleeing domestic violence: the legal and practical situation in the Member States

Summary: This study is a literature review about the ability of undocumented migrant women who experience domestic violence to access shelter and support. The study brings together data on characteristics of this group of women and the difficulties they face in seeking help. It includes eight case studies and important lessons about the political/economic, social and individual-level barriers to their seeking the help they need to preserve their Human Right to safety.

Details: Brussels: European Parliament, 2013. 73p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 1, 2014 at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/etudes/join/2013/493027/IPOL-FEMM_ET(2013)493027_EN.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Domestic Violence

Shelf Number: 133521


Author: European Network of Advisory Teams (EuNAT)

Title: Prevention and Coping Strategies: Kidnapping, Hostage Taking, Extortion

Summary: Due to your personal and/or professional circumstances, you and your family may be at a higher risk of being affected by a serious offence like kidnapping, hostage taking or extortion. Experience shows that these crimes are often well prepared by the perpetrators. The offender might take advantage of the victims routines or habits in order to identify opportunities for an attack. Understanding this will help you identify any weak spots in your routines and take steps to reduce the risk of becoming a victim. This also applies to spontaneous crimes such as robberies. This brochure aims to help you minimise potential and foreseeable risks and suggests how you can do this, in order to be as safe as possible. It should be used in accordance with national and company laws, policies and procedures.

Details: Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2012. 46p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 1, 2014 at: https://www.europol.europa.eu/content/prevention-and-coping-strategies-kidnapping-hostage-taking-extortion

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Extortion

Shelf Number: 133522


Author: Amnesty International

Title: The human cost of Fortress Europe: Human rights violations against migrants and refugees at Europe's borders,

Summary: Every year, thousands of migrants and refugees try to reach Europe. Some are fleeing grinding poverty; others are seeking refuge from violence and persecution. The response of the European Union (EU) and its member states has been to invest in surveillance technology, security forces and detention centres, both internally and in neighbouring countries, with one overriding aim: to construct an impenetrable fortress at Europe's borders to keep people out. Fixated on "protecting" borders, EU member states are employing drastic measures, some of which breach their human rights obligations and cause immense human suffering. At some EU borders, migrants and refugees are denied access to asylum procedures and pushed back into neigbouring countries, often in ways that put them at grave risk. They are ill-treated by border guards and coastguards and left stranded in neighbouring countries where there are serious human rights concerns. With safer routes to Europe being closed off through increased securitization, and in the absence of legal channels into the EU, migrants and refugees are attempting ever more hazardous routes. Thousands have died on the journey since 2000; many more are missing feared dead. This report describes some of the key elements of the EU's migration policy and how this policy plays out at the EU border where Bulgaria and Greece meet Turkey, one of the main routes used by Syrian refugees seeking safety in the EU. The report ends with recommendations calling on the EU and member states to review their migration policy urgently in order to shift its primary focus from protecting borders to protecting people.

Details: London: AI, 2014. 54p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 9, 2014 at: http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/EUR05/001/2014/en

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Border Security (Europe)

Shelf Number: 133928


Author: Child Rights International Network

Title: Inhuman Sentencing: Life Imprisonment of Children in the European Union

Summary: What is immediately obvious from reviewing the justice systems of the European Union (EU), is that life imprisonment of children is now restricted to a small number of States, but that a substantial number of children are affected by such sentences. Within three States - Cyprus, France, and the United Kingdom (including England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland) - life imprisonment remains clearly lawful for children. In 22 States, life imprisonment has now been explicitly abolished for children. While certainly something to celebrate, this statistic masks the extremely long maximum sentences that remain legal for crimes committed while under the age of 18 and the disparity in sentencing across Europe. This report reviews the laws and practices of the States within the EU with regards to life imprisonment of children; that is all persons under 18 years of age. Where official information is available on how many children are affected by the relevant sentences, this has been included, and where government figures are not maintained, this too is highlighted. For the purposes of this report, "life imprisonment" has been defined to include a variety of types of sentence under which it is possible for a person to be legally detained for the rest of his or her natural life for an offence committed whilst under the age of 18 years.

Details: London: Child Rights International Network, 2014. 42p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 10, 2014 at: https://www.crin.org/sites/default/files/life_in_the_eu3.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Juvenile Detention

Shelf Number: 133633


Author: European Parliament. Directorate-General for Internal Policies. Policy Department C Citizens' Rights and Constitutional Affairs

Title: The Economic, Financial and Social Impacts of Organised Crime in the EU

Summary: The aim of the study is to generate a best estimate for the economic, financial and social costs of organised crime in and against the EU and to inform an evidence-based understanding of the associated issues. As so much uncertainty and known intra-EU and inter-crime variation exist, the study refrains from trying to create an aggregate figure for the costs of organised crime and responses to it in the EU as a whole and, instead, where possible, produces estimates for selected offenses. The study underlines that measuring the costs of organised crime is still at an early stage of development and that there is a clear need for more cross-border data matching and investigation in order to improve the quality of the evidence basis for European law enforcement agencies and their effectiveness in fighting organised crime.

Details: Brussels: European Union, 2113. 86p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 16, 2014 at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/etudes/join/2013/493018/IPOL-JOIN_ET(2013)493018_EN.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Costs of Crime

Shelf Number: 133727


Author: European Union

Title: Trafficking in human beings. 2014 edition

Summary: In 2013 Eurostat published the first working paper on Trafficking in Human Beings in Europe. This publication constitutes the second working paper at the EU level on statistics on trafficking in human beings and contains data for the years 2010, 2011 and 2012. This second working paper includes statistical data from all 28 EU Member States and the following EU Candidate and EFTA/EEA (Iceland, Norway) countries: Montenegro, Norway, Serbia, Switzerland and Turkey. The totals and percentages in the working paper are based on data from the EU Member States. Where relevant, the number of Member States providing data, and on which the statistics are based, is also given. Data from the non-EU countries have been highlighted separately in some sections. This is a working paper looking at statistical data at EU level as gathered and submitted by national authorities. In this respect, it is a unique undertaking in this field at EU level. The data have been collected from official sources, and provide information on registered victims, suspects, prosecutions and convictions, as recorded by the authorities. As such, this working paper differs from other reports which have looked at estimates of the prevalence of trafficking in human beings, for example. There may also be studies at national or regional level which provide greater detail about a specific subset of the phenomenon or which look at a narrower geographical area. This report should be considered alongside such studies to gain maximum benefit from the full evidence base available. Since the first working paper, encouraging progress has been achieved in terms of availability of data. This working paper reaffirms the need for further improvement, as more comprehensive and comparable data will allow for a more accurate assessment of the nature of the problem, as well as more accurate conclusions at EU level. Not all Member States have provided comprehensive data on all indicators. In view of this, and the differences between national definitions and recording systems, figures should be interpreted with caution, and with careful consideration of the methodological notes provided. A higher number of reported cases does not necessarily mean that a country has more victims than another country. Nor is it necessarily an indication of a better identification or recording system. Sudden increases or decreases may merely reflect legislative modifications, changes in statistical procedures and counting rules, or be the result of specific law enforcement initiatives. Careful analysis of the information provided in the country notes is required to allow for a comprehensive understanding of the values reported, and comparisons between Member States should be avoided.

Details: Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2014. 141p.

Source: Internet Resource: Eurostat: Statistical Working Papers: Accessed October 17, 2014 at: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/home-affairs/e-library/documents/policies/immigration/irregular-immigration/docs/20141017_thb_wp2013-2014_final_161014_en.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Crime Statistics

Shelf Number: 133731


Author: Eurasian Harm Reduction Network

Title: Overdose prevention services upon release from prison: Best practices from Scotland, Denmark, Italy and Spain

Summary: This 'Fact Sheet' reports on good practice models in four European Union (EU) countries - Scotland, Denmark, Italy and Spain (more specifically, the Catalonia region) - on overdose prevention and management programs upon release from prison. Information gathered includes programme descriptions; evidence of effectiveness; functioning; and involvement of people who use drugs. A separate, complementary mapping report describing the situation in the target countries (Estonia, Hungary, Lithuania, Poland and Romania) regarding overdose prevention services upon release from prisons was also produced within Workstream 3: 'Overdose prevention services upon release from prison: Estonia, Lithuania, Hungary, Poland and Romania'.

Details: Vilnius: Eurasian Harm Reduction Network (EHRN), 2014. 38p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 17, 2014 at: http://harm-reduction.org/sites/default/files/pdf/fact_sheet_best_practices_overdose_prevention.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction (Europe)

Shelf Number: 133803


Author: Eurasian Harm Reduction Network

Title: Overdose Prevention Services Upon Release from Prison: Estonia, Lithuania, Hungary, Poland and Romania

Summary: This report concentrates on the mapping of existing overdose prevention and management programmes for released prisoners. The mapping exercise involves the following five European Union (EU) countries: Estonia, Hungary, Lithuania, Poland and Romania and includes: a. identification of existing programmes and services available upon release from prison; b. availability of naloxone; and c. opportunities for the introduction of overdose prevention and/or naloxone programmes.

Details: Vilnius, Lithuania: Eurasian Harm Reduction Network (EHRN), 2014. 57p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 20, 2014 at: http://www.harm-reduction.org/sites/default/files/pdf/report_overdose_prevention_services_upon_release_from_prison.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction (Europe)

Shelf Number: 133740


Author: Donges, Hannah

Title: Women and Gun Ownership

Summary: Policy and research on the role of firearms in women's lives usually stress women as victims of gun violence. Around the world, firearms are used in roughly 40 per cent of the estimated 66,000 annual homicides with female victims. Guns are even more commonly used to injure, intimidate, and coerce women (Alvazzi del Frate, 2011, pp. 117, 131-32). Although women own and use guns, or live in households where firearms are present, firearms policy and research tend to focus on the role of and effects on men, who are the majority of firearm owners worldwide (Alvazzi del Frate and McDonald, 2014, p. 2). While relevant data is scarce, it reveals a substantial gap between male and female civilian firearm owners and users. As shown in this Research Note, women account for a smaller proportion of gun owners than men, and they are not as aware of or not as willing to acknowledge the presence of firearms in homes and communities. Bridging this gender gap will help shed light on perceptions of and attitudes towards firearms, which could help to inform the agenda for women, peace, and security as well as the development of comprehensive and efficient safety policies. By showing what can be said with relative certainty, this Research Note establishes a baseline for systematic analysis and careful policy-making.

Details: Geneva, SWIT: Small Arms Survey, 2014. 4p.

Source: Internet Resource: Research Notes, No. 45: Accessed October 22, 2014 at: http://www.smallarmssurvey.org/fileadmin/docs/H-Research_Notes/SAS-Research-Note-45.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Gun Control

Shelf Number: 133788


Author: INDOORS Project

Title: Pictures of a Reality

Summary: Sex workers talk about their life and work experiences within the indoor sex work setting in nine European cities, The INDOORS project was carried out between January 2011 and December 2012, within a partnership of nine organisations in nine member states of the European Union: Austria, Bulgaria, France, Finland, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain. The goal of INDOORS was to carry out an analysis of the working and living conditions of female sex workers in nine cities of these countries: Amsterdam, Genoa, Hamburg, Helsinki, Madrid, Marseille, Porto, Sofia and Vienna.

Details: Marseille, France: Autres Regards, 2012. 124p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 27, 2014 at: http://tampep.eu/documents/Pictures_of_a_reality-Indoors_2.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Prostitutes

Shelf Number: 133826


Author: European Commission. Directorate-General for Home Affairs

Title: Technical Study on Smart Borders: Final Report

Summary: The "Smart Borders Package" was proposed by the Commission in February 2013. It follows the European Commission (EC) Communication of February 2008 suggesting the establishment of an Entry/Exit System (EES) and a Registered Traveller Programme (RTP). The Smart Borders Package is constituted of three legislative proposals. It aims to improve the management of the external borders of the Schengen Member States (MS), fight against irregular immigration and provide information on overstayers, as well as facilitate border crossings for pre-vetted frequent third country national (TCN) travellers. During the first examination of the Smart Borders Package, which was completed in February 2014, the Council and the European Parliament (EP) voiced technical, operational and cost concerns, mainly related to the overall feasibility of the proposed new systems and of some of their features. Concerns related especially to the impact on the actual border control process, the RTP token, the data retention period in the EES, the choice of biometric identifiers, the extent to which national Entry/Exit Systems could be integrated and/or reused, the need for enhanced synergies and/or interoperability with existing border control systems, and the possibility for law enforcement authorities to access the EES. In order to further assess the technical, organisational and financial impacts of the various possible ways to address these issues, the Commission subsequently initiated - with the support of both co-legislators - a proof of concept exercise aimed at identifying options for implementing the Smart Borders package. This exercise consists of two stages: 1. A Commission-led Technical Study (this report) aimed at identifying and assessing the most suitable and promising options and solutions. Based on this Study, the options and solutions to be tested through a pilot project should be identified by the end of 2014. 2. A Pilot project to be entrusted to the Agency for the Operational Management of large-scale IT Systems in the area of Freedom, Security and Justice (eu-LISA), aimed at verifying the feasibility of the options identified in the Technical Study and validating the selected concepts for both automated and manual border controls. This Study addressed a series of questions raised in 20 Thematic Files (TFs) that were jointly agreed between the EC's Directorate General for Home Affairs (DG HOME), the MS and EP representatives in February 2014. These questions focused on six domains: 1. Statistics 2. Biometrics 3. Border control processes 4. Data 5. Architecture 6. Costs. The Study's methodological approach was primarily based on stakeholders' consultations through workshops, phone interviews and feedback from MS on the draft deliverables. The stakeholders consulted included MS, the EP, the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS), DG HOME, DG Justice (DG JUST), DG Taxation and Customs Union (DG TAXUD), eu-LISA, Frontex and representatives from industry. The Study also built upon extensive desk research, literature review and various on-site visits. In addition, a specific data collection survey was carried out at the external borders of the Schengen Area by the MS at the end of May 2014. This survey allowed collecting up-to-date quantitative data concerning border crossings, including their number and type (air, land and sea), and the categories of travellers (i.e. EU/EEA/CH - abbreviated as EU-citizens, third country nationals either visa-exempt (TCNVE) or visa holders (TCNVH)).

Details: Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2014. 416p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 30, 2014 at: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/home-affairs/what-we-do/policies/borders-and-visas/smart-borders/docs/smart_borders_technical_study_en.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Border Control

Shelf Number: 133834


Author: Autres Regards

Title: Outreach in Indoor Sex Work Settings.

Summary: The last ten years have seen considerable changes to sex work settings in many European cities. Indoor sex work is a developing sector. This development can be partly explained by the increased use of new technologies in selling sexual services and by the repressive political agenda regarding sex workers, currently widespread in numerous European cities. This report is based on the mapping of the indoor sex work sector in the nine European cities of the INDOORS project: Amsterdam, Genoa, Hamburg, Helsinki, Madrid, Marseille, Porto, Sofia, and Vienna. The indoor venues vary from one city to another. The venues most frequently encountered during the course of this project were clubs, apartments, massage parlours, brothels, Laufhauser, bars, saunas, clubs, sex shops and windows. The information used in this mapping was collected by all partner organisations from the first quarter of 2011 to June 2012. Female, nontransgender sex workers were the main target but men and transgender indoor-based sex workers were also contacted. This report aims to give a comprehensive overview and analysis of the indoor prostitution scene, its settings, trends, specific needs, working and social conditions. While contributing to a better knowledge and understanding of the indoor sex work scenario, this report will help organisations working with and for sex workers to assess and address the specific needs of indoor sex workers, especially with regard to risk reduction

Details: Marseille, France: Autres Regards, 2012. 128p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 30, 2014 at: http://tampep.eu/documents/Outreach_Report-Indoors_2.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Prostitutes

Shelf Number: 133837


Author: Guild, Elspeth

Title: New approaches, alternative avenues and means of access to asylum procedures for persons seeking international protection

Summary: This study examines the workings of the Common European Asylum System (CEAS), in order to assess the need and potential for new approaches to ensure access to protection for people seeking it in the EU, including joint processing and distribution of asylum seekers. Rather than advocating the addition of further complexity and coercion to the CEAS, the study proposes a focus on front-line reception and streamlined refugee status determination, in order to mitigate the asylum challenges facing Member States, and vindicate the rights of asylum seekers and refugees according to the EU acquis and international legal standards. Joint processing could contribute to front-line reception and processing capacity, but is no substitute for proper investment in national systems. The Dublin system as currently configured leads inexorably to increasing coercion and detention, and must thus be reconfigured to remove coercion as a principle and ensure consistency with human rights and other fundamental values of the EU.

Details: Brussels: European Parliament, 2015. 117p.

Source: Internet Resource: CEPS Paper in Liberty and Security No. 77: Accessed January 15, 2015 at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2014/509989/IPOL_STU%282014%29509989_EN.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Asylum, Right of (Europe)

Shelf Number: 134317


Author: European Institute for Gender Equality

Title: Estimating the Costs of Gender-Based Violence in the European Union

Summary: The report provides an analysis of methodological options on the cost of gender-based violence and intimate partner violence, by studying different literatures and studies, and provides recommendations. It includes a case study on the cost of intimate partner violence against women in the UK during 2012 and provides a calculation of the costs in the EU.

Details: Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2014. 148p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 28, 2015 at: http://eige.europa.eu/sites/default/files/MH0414745ENC.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Costs of Criminal Justice

Shelf Number: 134474


Author: Nunziata, Luca

Title: Immigration and Crime: New Empirical Evidence from European Victimization Data

Summary: We exploit the increase in immigration flows into western European countries that took place in the 2000s to assess whether immigration affects crime victimization and the perception of criminality among European natives. Using data from the European Social Survey, the Labour Force Survey and other sources, we provide a set of fixed effects and instrumental variable estimations that deal with the endogenous sorting of immigration by region and with the sampling error in survey based measures of regional immigration shares, whose implications in terms of attenuation bias are investigated by means of Monte Carlo simulations. Our empirical findings show that an increase in immigration does not affect crime victimization, but it is associated with an increase in the fear of crime, the latter being consistently and positively correlated with the natives' unfavourable attitude toward immigrants. Our results reveal a misconception of the link between immigration and crime among European natives.

Details: Bonn, Germany: Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA), 2014. 57p.

Source: Internet Resource: IZA DP No. 8632: Accessed January 31, 2015 at: http://ftp.iza.org/dp8632.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Fear of Crime

Shelf Number: 134512


Author: Mounteney, Jane

Title: The Internet and drug markets: Summary of results from an EMCDDA Trendspotter study

Summary: The speed with which the Internet is transforming drug markets poses a major challenge to law enforcement, public health, research and monitoring agencies. This study aims to raise understanding of the current online supply of drugs and to map the range of Internet markets in existence.

Details: Lisbon: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, 2015. 11p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 5, 2015 at: http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/attachements.cfm/att_234684_EN_Internet%20and%20drug%20markets%20study.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Markets (Europe)

Shelf Number: 134550


Author: European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA)

Title: Addressing forced marriage in the EU: legal provisions and promising practices

Summary: Forced marriage is marriage without consent. It is a form of domestic violence. It violates the right to freely decide whether, when and whom to marry. Most of the victims are women but it can be imposed on men, too. Children and those with learning disabilities are particularly vulnerable. With this paper the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) encourages European Union institutions to look at the issue of forced marriage in a comprehensive manner. It suggests that the EU should consider acceding to the 2011 Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul Convention), given that the convention envisages this possibility.

Details: Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2014. 56p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 22, 2015 at: http://fra.europa.eu/sites/default/files/fra-2014-forced-marriage-eu_en.pdf.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Domestic Violence

Shelf Number: 134593


Author: De Stercke, Jeroen

Title: An integral methodology to develop an information-led and community-orientated policy to tackle domestic burglary

Summary: With over 8 registered burglaries every hour and yearly more than 69,568 registered burglaries and attempts, domestic burglary continues to be one of the biggest crime problems in Belgium. Furthermore, domestic burglary is one of the only crimes within the European Union which rises in intensity. Therefore, the policy makers need to take action. With the financial help from the European Commission, we were able to investigate this problem. This project focuses specifically on improving the policy for domestic burglary prevention, in which there is also a focus on itinerant crime groups. This was carried out by evaluating the national and European policy and by searching for possibilities to strengthen the approach. In regard to this, we developed, provided and widely diffused a methodological step-by-step plan to realize a dynamic burglary policy plan. This step-by-step plan materialized through the organization of advisory boards, focus groups, field visits and a World Cafe. With this methodological step-by-step plan, we want to support other Member States by developing multiple methods, and improve our own national policy. The action plan developed during this project can serve as an example of a good practice and therefore inspire the policy makers in the other Member States.

Details: Brussels: General Directorate Security and Prevention, Belgian Ministry of Internal Affairs, 2014? 70p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 12, 2015 at: http://www.domesticburglary.eu/sites/default/files/domestic_burglary_GB.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Crime Prevention

Shelf Number: 134599


Author: Roth, Pia

Title: Data Protection Challenges in Anti-Trafficking Policies - A Practical Guide

Summary: The publication offers an overview of the relevant European data protection provisions, a methodology to conduct privacy impact assessments for anti-trafficking NGO service providers, an analysis for the privacy rights claims for trafficked persons, and data protection standards for NGO service providers. Moreover, the study contains an elaboration of legal arguments that lead in 2013 to the failure of mandatory registration of sex workers in the Netherlands.

Details: Berlin: KOK e.V. German NGO Network against Trafficking in Human Beings, 2015. 100p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 19, 2015 at: http://www.datact-project.org/fileadmin/user_upload/pdf/datAct_engl_Online.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Data Protection

Shelf Number: 134654


Author: European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions

Title: Violence and harassment in European workplaces: Extent, impacts and policies

Summary: Violence and harassment are attacks on personal dignity, the right to equal and non-discriminatory treatment and often a person's health. Workers affected by it feel insecure about their work; they are more frequently absent and may even be unable to work, with consequent impacts on productivity and corporate and public costs. Some national-level surveys point to a long-standing increase in reported violence and harassment. Certain European countries, such as the Scandinavian countries, have more coordinated, established policies on preventing and tackling violence and harassment. Awareness of the topic at the national level, its inclusion in legislation and the degree of the social partners' involvement in policies and interventions all contribute to the effectiveness of policies to address it.

Details: Dublin: Eurofound, 2015. 91p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 26, 2015 at: http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/sites/default/files/ef1473en_violence_and_harassment_in_european_workplaces_0.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Sexual Harassment

Shelf Number: 134684


Author: Europol

Title: Exploring Tomorrow's Organised Crime

Summary: I am pleased to present Europols view on the future of serious and organised crime in the European Union (EU). This report, a first of this kind for Europol, is the outcome of our engagement with experts in the private and public sectors and academia as well as our many partners in the European law enforcement community. Law enforcement is often criticised for being reactive rather than proactive. A reactive approach to criminal offences committed lies in the nature of police work in solving criminal cases, supporting victims and working within our judicial systems to create justice. However, we can also be more proactive in fighting crime, particularly organised crime, in anticipating the development of new modi operandi, shifts in criminal markets and changes in organised crime structures. Looking ahead will enable us to better allocate resources, plan operational activities and engage with policy- and law-makers to prevent certain types of crimes from emerging. This document considers the future of serious and organised crime in the EU and while we do not claim to make definitive predictions, we identify a series of key driving factors that will impact on the serious and organised crime landscape in Europe. The EUs first full multi-annual policy cycle on serious and organised crime enters its third year in 2015. The policy cycle represents Europes joint effort in fighting serious and organised crime and aims to coordinate the activities of many stakeholders at EU-level. With the first successful operational actions of this cycle already accomplished, this is an ideal time to look ahead and identify the key trends and developments that will shape our wider environment, law enforcement and serious and organised crime. Serious and organised crime will pose new threats to the Member States of the EU. Organised crime groups will find ways to exploit evolving technologies, changes in the economy and society. New forms of payment such as virtual currencies will change how criminal actors transfer and launder illicit proceeds of crime. New modes of transportation will provide OCGs with greater mobility and new ways to traffic illicit goods into, from and via the EU. Economic disparity and declining prosperity in EU Member States has the potential to create a climate rife for exploitation by OCGs and creating large pools of potential recruits for organised crime. The increasing scarcity of and competition for natural resources will open new fields of exploitation for OCGs. The make-up of European societies is undergoing major demographic changes opening up new opportunities for OCGs to exploit a larger group of elderly people or provide illicit services to them. These and many other factors are set to impact on the serious and organised crime landscape. Organised crime is dynamic and adaptable and law enforcement authorities across the EU are challenged to keep pace with the changing nature of this substantial and significant threat. However, just as criminals learn to exploit new technologies and invent new modi operandi, law enforcement authorities also make use of technological innovation and develop new investigative measures to counter the threat of organised crime. In this report, leading police officers from various EU Member States, third partners and international organisations outline how they evaluate the challenges and opportunities facing law enforcement over the next decade. Law enforcement authorities are becoming more effective and better at countering the various criminal threats emerging from serious and organised crime. Law enforcement authorities will continue to innovate to serve and protect their communities across Europe. We hope to be able to make a contribution to their work with this report by outlining potential developments and emerging threats across the serious and organised crime landscape.

Details: The Hague: European Police Office, 2015. 64p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 4, 2015 at: https://www.europol.europa.eu

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Illicit Goods

Shelf Number: 134745


Author: Blickman, Tom

Title: Cannabis policy reform in Europe: Bottom up rather than top down

Summary: With the regulation of recreational cannabis markets in Uruguay and the US states of Colorado and Washington in 2013, and - in November 2014 - the approval of cannabis regulation ballots in the states of Oregon and Alaska, a breakthrough in conventional cannabis policy is emerging. The current policy trend towards legal regulation of the cannabis market is increasingly seen as a more promising model for protecting people's health and safety and has changed the drug policy landscape and the terms of the debate. The prohibitive model has failed to show any sustained impact in reducing the market, while imposing heavy burdens upon criminal justice systems; producing profoundly negative social and public health impacts; and creating criminal markets supporting organised crime, violence and corruption. While in the Americas cannabis policy reform is taking off, Europe seems to be lagging behind. That is to say, in European nations at the level of national governments - where denial of the changing policy landscape and inertia to act upon calls for change reigns. At the local level, however, disenchantment with the current cannabis regime gives rise to new ideas. In several countries in Eu rope, local and regional authorities are looking at regulation, either pressured by grassroots movements - in particular the Cannabis Social Clubs (CSCs) - or due to the involvement of criminal groups and public disorder. This briefing will give an overview of recent developments in Europe.

Details: Amsterdam: Transnational Institute, 2014. 24p.

Source: Internet Resource: Series on Legislative Reform of Drug Policies No. 28: Accessed March 11, 2015 at: http://www.tni.org/sites/www.tni.org/files/download/dlr28.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Cannabis

Shelf Number: 134889


Author: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)

Title: Preventing Terrorism and Countering Violent Extremism and Radicalization that Lead to Terrorism: A Community-Policing Approach

Summary: Terrorism is a denial of democracy and of human rights, which are at the very core of the OSCE. The OSCE participating States are determined to combat all acts of terrorism, without exception, as most serious crimes. States, through their police agencies in particular, have a duty to protect all individuals within their jurisdictions from terrorism, as part of their human rights obligations to guarantee the right to life, the right to security and other human rights and fundamental freedoms. This requires that they adopt a comprehensive approach to countering terrorism, with a particular focus on preventing and countering violent extremism and radicalization that lead to terrorism (VERLT), while upholding human rights and the rule of law. The effectiveness and legitimacy of the state's actions against terrorism will be undermined if the state, through any of its agencies, uses its power in violation of international human rights standards. As the police play a central role in countering terrorism, it is particularly crucial that the police be held accountable for their actions in order to ensure legitimacy, confidence, trust and support from the public. Radicalization is not a threat to society if it is not connected to violence or other unlawful acts, such as incitement to hatred, as legally defined in compliance with international human rights law. Radicalization can actually be a force for beneficial change. For instance, people advocating the abolition of slavery or who championed universal suffrage were at one time considered to be radical as they stood in opposition to the prevailing views in their societies. Terrorist radicalization is a dynamic process whereby an individual comes to accept terrorist violence as a possible, perhaps even legitimate, course of action. There is no single profile that encompasses all terrorists, nor is there a clear-cut pathway that leads individuals to terrorism. Possible drivers of terrorist radicalization are varied and complex and combine in a unique way in each case. Profiles built on stereotypical assumptions based on religion, race, ethnicity, gender, socio-economic status, etc. are not only discriminatory but are also ineffective. OSCE participating States firmly reject the identification of terrorism with any nationality, religion or ethnicity. Countering VERLT requires a sophisticated, comprehensive response. This should include both effective criminal-justice action, in compliance with international human rights standards and the rule of law, against those who incite others to terrorism and seek to recruit others for terrorism, and multidisciplinary efforts to address conditions that are conducive to terrorism. There are many issues, relevant but not specific to terrorism that need to be genuinely addressed, in their own right and without undue security bias. The police have a key role in the criminal-justice response to VERLT, but their role should be limited in proactive prevention efforts. The state has the obligation and primary responsibility to prevent and combat terrorism, as well as to respect and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms. However, the state needs to draw on the support of society in general, including civil society and businesses, to successfully counter this phenomenon. OSCE participating States have acknowledged the usefulness of such joint efforts in the form of public-private partnerships in countering terrorism. There has been a growing recognition that the broader public and individual communities are stakeholders and partners in countering terrorism, rather than simply the passive object of law enforcement activities. Some OSCE participating States are developing community-oriented approaches to countering terrorism that emphasize public support and participation in order to increase accountability and effectiveness. These approaches consist of locally tailored and locally driven initiatives that draw on partnerships among a wide range of actors, beyond traditional security practitioners, to include other public authorities, as well as civil society organizations, businesses and/or the media.

Details: Vienna: OSCE, 2014. 200p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 12, 2015 at: http://www.osce.org/atu/111438?download=true

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Community-Policing

Shelf Number: 134917


Author: Coghlan, Deirdre

Title: Trafficking for Forced Labour in Ireland and the United Kingdom: Issues and Emerging Good Practice

Summary: Trafficking in human beings has attracted considerable public and political attention in recent years. With this attention has come greater awareness that trafficking for forced labour exists in every country including Ireland, where it has been identified in a variety of sectors including agriculture, construction, domestic work and restaurant work. And yet, while many initiatives have grown in response to these stark forms of labor exploitation, including within the framework of trafficking in human beings, there remains a vast gulf between the political response to trafficking and the reality of experiences of forced labour. Considerable weaknesses in addressing forced labour remain. They rest largely on the move away from a focus on exploitation and forced labour to solely focusing on trafficking concerns. This research by the Migrant Rights Centre Ireland presents several issues of concern and emerging good practices in Ireland and the United Kingdom in the area of trafficking for forced labour. At the end of the publication MRCI presents several recommendations to the governments of Ireland and UK.

Details: Dublin: Migrant Rights Centre Ireland, 2010. 30p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 12, 2015 at: http://lastradainternational.org/lsidocs/Trafficking%20for%20Forced%20Labour%20Ireland%20and%20the%20United%20Kingdom%20Issues%20and%20Emerging%20Good%20Practice%20(MRCI).pdf

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Forced Labor

Shelf Number: 134918


Author: TRANSCRIME

Title: European Outlook on the Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products

Summary: This study calls for a new direction to be taken in the analysis of, and the fight against, the illicit trade in tobacco products (ITTP) in the European Union (EU). It suggests that the focus should be trained more closely on the reduction of criminal opportunities than on crime control policies. This requires a change of mindset: from the conviction of criminals, hoping that this will eventually reduce crime, to the actual reduction of crime through specific prevention strategies. The study adopts two approaches. The first part (Framing the scene: the ITTP in the European Union) takes a "horizontal approach" and analyses selected components of the illicit cigarette market in the EU. The second part (Zooming the scene: the ITTP in the EU Member States and beyond) adopts "a vertical approach" and examines in detail the illicit markets within each EU Member State, as well as the role of selected non-EU European countries in the EU illicit market. Both the horizontal and the vertical approaches underscore the regulatory and law enforcement dimensions that influence the size and type of the ITTP in Europe and beyond. If the illicit cigarette trade is to be reduced, it is necessary to understand the trade-off between regulation of the legal market and the risk of creating criminal opportunities in the illicit market. Currently, policymakers regulate the legal market while leaving the fight against the illicit market to law enforcement. The reduction of criminal opportunities may reduce this trade-off, thus maximizing health and minimizing crime with lower costs.

Details: Trento: Transcrime - Universita degli Studi di Trento, 2015. 302p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 16, 2015 at: http://www.transcrime.it/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/European-Outlook-on-the-ITTP.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Cigarette Smuggling

Shelf Number: 134933


Author: Anti-Slavery International

Title: Trafficking for Forced Criminal Activities and Begging in Europe

Summary: European states fail to protect thousands of people trafficked and forced into crime, a new study by the RACE in Europe Project lead by Anti-Slavery International claims. The report, entitled simply "Trafficking for Forced Criminal Activities and Begging in Europe" analyses the phenomenon of trafficking into crime such as cannabis cultivation, ATM theft, pickpocketing, bag-snatching, counterfeit DVD selling, benefit fraud and forced sham marriage, as well as being forced to beg. The report explores the situation in the project partner countries (Ireland, the UK, the Czech Republic, and the Netherlands) and provides an overview of the rest of Europe. It exposes the dearth of systematic information and awareness about this type of exploitation amongst the policy makers and justice system actors with very few cases reported in official statistics and many victims misidentified as offenders. The findings show that the issue is more widespread than previously reported, with potentially thousands of victims being exploited through a variety of criminal activities. One of the biggest issues connected to these forms of exploitation is that the victims caught in the criminal act by the police end up being prosecuted against, whilst the real criminals remain untouched. The research found that the issue is more widespread than is currently reported, even in those countries, such as the UK, where this form of trafficking is acknowledged in national statistics. In countries where this type of trafficking has not been formally identified, NGOs and other frontline professionals are nevertheless identifying victims. The report concludes that although legislative and law enforcement tools exists at the EU level offered by Eurojust and Europol, they are underused to counter this form of trafficking.

Details: London: Anti-Slavery International, 2014. 124p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 18, 2015 at: http://www.antislavery.org/includes/documents/cm_docs/2014/r/race_europe_report.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Child Trafficking

Shelf Number: 134965


Author: Pruin, Ineke

Title: Better in Europe? European responses to young adult offending

Summary: Over the last ten years approximately, the question of how to respond appropriately to the offending of young adults has emerged as a point of increased focus within international criminological research and criminal policy. This development has mainly been based on recent research results in the field of neurosciences and studies investigating individual differences in criminal careers across the life course, which - taken together - shed a different light on young adult offenders and their behaviour. These research results question the adequacy of immediately and abruptly barring offenders from the special regulations, approaches and procedures provided for under juvenile justice legislation simply because the offence happened to be committed after the offender has turned 18, or because the offender happens to have turned 18 in the course of proceedings (Farrington/Loeber/Howell 2012, p. 729). Recent experiences have shown that the implications of these findings are strong enough to justify a change in criminal policy governing the treatment of young adult offenders. Such change can be extensive, like in the Netherlands, or gradual like in England, where the Transition to Adulthood Alliance in particular has promoted such developments. The last literature review by Prior et al. 2011, commissioned by the Barrow Cadbury Trust and comprising a comprehensive overview of interdisciplinary research results on young adults, is barely three years old, but nevertheless, in the meantime there are new analyses and developments to be reported on. The results from two large working groups comprising many highly esteemed scholars and researchers from the field - one European with 33 scholars and one US-American with 32 scholars (Loeber et al. 2012 and Loeber/Farrington 2012) - were published in 2012. Furthermore, a recent volume in the Cambridge Criminal Justice Series has focused on young adults and their treatment in the criminal justice system, which is based on conference papers from one of the first Transition to Adulthood Alliance experts meetings (Losel/ Bottoms/Farrington 2012). A distinct approach to juveniles New considerations emerge from the following questions: specific juvenile justice systems or approaches have been successfully implemented all over the world. Providing a special approach to responding to juvenile offenders is not only mandatory due to international Human Rights Law - it is also a logical consequence if policy is to be based on a deep and wide base of research evidence: juvenile offending can be characterised as ubiquitous and episodic. Self-report studies have shown that most offenders stop behaving in a criminal manner regardless of whether they have experienced any public reactions (like prosecution) to their offending (spontaneous remission). Therefore, juvenile justice policy rightly tends to regard youth offending as a more or less normal pattern in juvenile development (at least for the vast majority of juvenile offenders who cannot be defined as 'chronic offenders'). Juvenile justice approaches and strategies normally seek to avoid the well-known negative consequences of harsh criminal sanctions like imprisonment, by providing a more tolerant approach to dealing with juveniles. Furthermore, interdisciplinary research has repeatedly and continuously highlighted that juveniles are, for various reasons, not responsible for their criminal behaviour in the same way as adults are for their behaviour (e. g. low impulse control, more susceptible to peer influences, more likely to take risks for excitement, see Farrington/Loeber/ Howell 2012, p. 729 f.). Even leaving such neuroscientific results aside, many existing juvenile justice systems are based around the old notion of doli incapax, i.e. a diminished criminal capacity due to young age. Extending the distinct approach to Young Adults Recent research results and experiences with special approaches to responding to young adult offenders in many justice systems (Dunkel/Pruin 2012) do raise the question whether the arguments in favour of treating juveniles in a manner that better reflects their maturity could not be equally valid for young adults as well? Is it justifiable to regard the 18th birthday as an abrupt cut-off point, after which criminal behaviour is responded to in accordance to adult criminal law, which generally focuses more on retribution than on rehabilitation (at least in most countries) and is doing so logical? Criminological research indeed suggests that the findings pertaining to the particularities of juvenile offending also apply to young adults. Desistance research indicates that changes in patterns of criminal behaviour occur in particular in the phase of young or emerging adulthood. This serves as justification for devoting targeted research to this particular demographic group, and the special provisions that have been put in place in some (juvenile) criminal justice systems throughout Europe give an insight into promising strategies for responding appropriately to offending by young adults. This report aims to summarise recent research results on young adult offenders, focusing on criminological analyses in general and data from Germany in particular, a country where young adult offenders have been included in Juvenile Justice since 1953. A shorter review on some sociological observations on changes in the living contexts of young adults aims to manifest a deeper understanding of the special phase of transition young adults face today. The overview on research results from psychology and neuroscience is concise by comparison due to the respective comprehensive overview by Prior et al. 2011. A second focus of this report lies in providing an overview of the different strategies and practices for responding appropriately to young adult offending that have been put in place in Europe. The presented findings are mainly based on a recent extensive research project conducted by the Department of Criminology at the University of Greifswald, Germany, involving more than 40 international juvenile justice experts (Dunkel et al. 2011), and have been up dated with the help of recent expert interviews.

Details: London: Barrow Cadbury Trust; Greifswald, Germany: Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-University of Greifswald, Department of Criminology, 2015. 85p.

Source: Internet Resource: Transition to Adulthood Alliance: Accessed march 19, 2015 at: http://www.barrowcadbury.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/T2A_Better-in-Europe_Report-_online.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Juvenile Justice Reform

Shelf Number: 134969


Author: Biecheler, Marie-Berthe

Title: Cannabis, driving and road safety: A review of the scientific literature

Summary: Based on international literature and recent data acquired in France, this paper seeks to examine how the consumption of cannabis, possibly combined with that of alcohol, affects driving behaviour and what the result is in terms of its impact on road accidents. In surveys of drivers, whether they are involved in accidents or not, cannabinoids regularly top the list of the illicit drugs detected. The prevalence of cannabis detected depends on the populations surveyed. Estimations are largely the result of the way in which the samples tested are selected and of the means used to detect the cannabis. While the United States undoubtedly stands out in terms of the history of its research into this subject, with numerous papers having been published as early as the 1970s and throughout the 1980s, Europe largely made up for its late start during the 1990s.

Details: Gladbach, Germany: DRUID (Driving under the Influence of Drugs, Alcohol and Medicines), 2011. 21p.

Source: Internet Resource: Working Paper: Accessed March 19, 2015 at: http://www.druid-project.eu/Druid/EN/deliverales-list/downloads/Deliverable_2_1_3.pdf?__blob=publicationFile

Year: 2011

Country: Europe

Keywords: Driving Under the Influence (Europe)

Shelf Number: 134976


Author: De Bruycker, Philippe

Title: Alternative to Immigration and Asylum Detention in the EU: Time for Implementation

Summary: This report is an integral part of the project MADE REAL - "Making Alternatives to Detention in Europe a Reality by Exchanges, Advocacy and Learning" - which was co-financed by the European Commission and implemented by the Odysseus Academic Network together with 13 national partners. It constitutes a significant pooling of knowledge on the law and practice of detention decision-making and the operationalization of alternatives to detention in 6 EU Member States (Austria, Belgium, Lithuania, Slovenia, Sweden and the United Kingdom). In addition, it includes legal research on the scope of Member States' obligations to implement alternatives to immigration detention under international, European (i.e. Council of Europe) and EU law. The critical analysis of the legal frameworks as well as of the significant mass of information on national law and practice has led to the identification of underlying principles and good practices for fair decision-making on, and effective implementation of, alternatives to detention. However, the research also reveals defective practices, which contravene the legal obligations of Member States and are ineffective in achieving Member States' objectives.

Details: Brussels, Belgium: Odysseus Network, 2015. 157p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 19, 2015 at: http://odysseus-network.eu/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/FINAL-REPORT-Alternatives-to-detention-in-the-EU.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Asylum Detention

Shelf Number: 134979


Author: Dobovsek, Bojan

Title: Trends and developments in drug legislation in South Eastern Europe

Summary: KEY POINTS - Criminal Justice systems of South Eastern European (SEE) countries are based on different traditions and the response to the drug issue proves diversified. Deviations are wider in the area of smaller-scale violations of drug laws, while penalties envisaged for drug trafficking have more common characteristics being extremely harsh. In several countries however, regardless of the strict scope of legal provisions, the penalties actually imposed by courts are less stringent - The reaction of criminal law in cases of drug possession for personal use reveal more distinct diversifications. In general, SEE countries could be described as indecisive on issues regarding decriminalization of possession of drugs for personal use. This is an extremely crucial issue in the further development of drug policy, since this reasoning usually deeply affects the lenient or harsh treatment of the user-perpetrators within the criminal justice system. Further research and study of the current practice concerning possession for personal use, must be a priority in the future agenda of the countries of the region, in order to relieve the criminal justice and the penitentiary, system. The scientific community in SE Europe could contribute significantly in imple-menting a program to achieve this goal. - In recent years, great strides have been made to broaden harm-reduction policies and services. However, weak or non existing legislation on harm reduction, and a culture of mistrust and phobic societies, have greatly suppressed harm reduction programs and services. The shift of interest towards harm reduction is a particularly critical parameter and it will greatly influence developments in drug policy in South Eastern Europe, especially under the effect of the wider relevant European policy. - The National drug strategies an action plans have in most of the countries of South Eastern Europe never been evaluated. It is a challenge for them to assign a qualified and independent periodic evaluation.

Details: Amsterdam: Transnational Institute, 2013. 16p.

Source: Internet Resource: Drug Policy Dialogue in South Eastern Europe, DIOGENIS Association Pr 3, Accessed March 23, 2015 at: http://www.diogenis.info/ckfinder/userfiles/files/Briefing_paper_nr_3_Trends_and_developments_in_Drug%20_legislation_SEE_English_final.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction

Shelf Number: 134999


Author: Nobody's Children Foundation

Title: The Problem of Child Abuse: Comparative Report from Six East European Countries 2010-2013

Summary: The goal of the study was to assess attitudes towards child abuse and corporal punishment as well as parental practices in six countries participating in the project "Childhood without Abuse: Towards a Better Child Protection System in Eastern Europe" financed by OAK Foundations. The same measurements were applied in 2010 and 2013 to provide an objective evaluation of the change that occurred during the project as well as comparison between countries. The results from earlier studies were also utilised to address the changes in attitudes towards corporal punishment and, in effect, findings from years 2005-2013 have been compared. To achieve the above mentioned goal, the following research questions were stated: - How do the respondents estimate the dynamics of various aspects of child abuse? - What are the respondents' self-reported attitudes toward parental use of physical punishment of children? - What are their attitudes towards a legal ban on different forms of corporal punishment? - What institutions in the broadly understood field of child protection provide help for abused children? - How do parents punish their children?

Details: Warsaw, Poland: Nobody's Children Foundation, 2013. 61p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 23, 2015 at: http://www.canee.net/files/OAK_Comparative_Report_Child_Abuse_6_Countries_2010-2013_.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Child Abuse and Neglect (Europe)

Shelf Number: 135001


Author: Pearce, Fred

Title: Protecting Forests, Respecting Rights: Options for EU Action on deforestation and forest degradation

Summary: This report examines the EU's "Deforestation Footprint" - its role in global deforestation. It looks at important action the EU has taken, through the Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade (FLEGT) Action Plan to improve how forests are owned and managed in timber-exporting countries and to prevent imports of illegal tropical timber entering EU borders.

Details: Moreton in Marsh, UK: Fern, 2015. 24p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 30, 2015 at: http://www.fern.org/sites/fern.org/files/Protecting%20Forests%20Respecting%20Rights.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Conservation

Shelf Number: 135077


Author: Abu-Hayyeh, Reem

Title: Unwanted, Unnoticed: An audit of 160 Asylum and Immigration-related Deaths in Europe

Summary: The deaths over the last five years, in the detention and reception centres, the streets and the squats of Europe, are a product of the rightlessness and the lack of human dignity European governments accord to migrants and asylum seekers. They are also the tip of the iceberg; the true figures are unknown, as in many countries migrants' deaths are not recorded or investigated. But of the deaths whose circumstances are known, the largest number, sixty, were suicides; 26 were caused by untreated illness or illness exacerbated by detention, while sixteen were caused by destitution.

Details: London: Institute of Race Relations, 2015. 33p.

Source: Internet Resource: Briefing No. 10: Accessed April 1, 2015 at: http://www.irr.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/ERP-Briefing-Paper-No-10-FINAL.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Asylum Seekers

Shelf Number: 135123


Author: Kantorowicz, Elena

Title: The Secret of a Cheaper Sentencing System: Lessons from Europe

Summary: The United States has one of the highest incarceration rates in the world. Imprisoning a large portion of the population imposes a heavy financial burden on the society. On the other hand, many European countries increased their use of alternative sanctions and developed a rich sentencing continuum. This resulted in lower prison population, and higher portion of punishments which not only cost less, but also bring benefits to the society (e.g. fines, community service). This transformation did not result in excessive crime rates and uncontrolled offenders. It seems that the United States can benefit from the European experience. Therefore, this paper offers an extensive comparative analysis of the available sanctions and measures in Europe and in the U.S. In addition, to the extent possible, it provides the scope of usage of those sanctions, their costs, and empirical evidence of their effectiveness.

Details: Rotterdam: Erasmus University Rotterdam, 2014. 66p.

Source: Internet Resource: Rotterdam Institute of Law and Economics (RILE) Working Paper Series No. 2015/01 : Accessed April 6, 2015 at: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2475021

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Alternatives to Incarceration

Shelf Number: 135161


Author: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA)

Title: New psychoactive substances in Europe. An update from the EU Early Warning System

Summary: This short report provides an update on new psychoactive substances (NPS) in Europe for 2014. It highlights recent developments, including the growth of the market over the past few years, as illustrated by seizures by law enforcement and other indicators, as well as the growing number of serious harms that are being reported as a result.

Details: Lisbon: EMCDDA, 2015. 12p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 15, 2015 at: http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/attachements.cfm/att_235958_EN_TD0415135ENN.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Enforcement

Shelf Number: 135226


Author: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA)

Title: Drug use and its consequences in the Western Balkans: 2006-2014

Summary: This report focuses on Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro and Serbia - all current candidate and potential candidate countries to the European Union (EU) in the Western Balkans. This is a region that has been characterized by considerable political and social transition since the early 1990s, including armed conflicts, intraregional migration and the displacement of large populations. Such situations can generate conditions conducive to a 'risk environment' for illicit drug use, particularly problem drug use, and related health and social consequences. Over the last 10-15 years, cooperation with the EU has developed at bilateral and regional levels, with the support of specific EU programmes such as Community Assistance for Reconstruction, Development and Stabilisation (CARDS) between 2000 and 2006 and the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) from 2006 until today. As part of this process, closer cooperation and coordination have progressively been achieved in the area of drugs, and substantial progress has been made in recent years on the definition of national drug strategies and the setting up of national drug coordination mechanisms, including the establishment of national drug information systems and focal points. This report draws on those achievements and, in particular, on the data gathered and analysed in the national reports of Western Balkan countries to the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA). It aims to provide a regional overview of the dynamics of illicit drug use and associated health and social consequences.

Details: Lisbon: EMCDDA, 2015. 38p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 22, 2015 at: http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/attachements.cfm/att_236339_EN_TD0215196ENN.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction (Europe)

Shelf Number: 135361


Author: Composite Project

Title: Policing Opportunities and Threats

Summary: This report's aim is twofold: (1) to develop an overall picture of the policing environment, with an extra emphasis on the role of external parties, in ten European countries; and (2) to engage in a cross-country comparison. This report is largely based on 441 interviews with police officers and knowledgeable external stakeholders (such as journalists, trade union representatives, members of the public prosecution, mayors, et cetera) who have been interviewed in the period between January and May 2011 in ten countries: Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, the Republic of Macedonia, the Netherlands, Romania, Spain, and the United Kingdom. Although this report cannot but offer a snapshot in time, as all cross-section environmental analyses do by definition, it provides an interesting diagnosis of current and future trends in European policing from the perspective of 441 representatives of external and internal parties active in the European policing field of 2011.

Details: Composite Project (Comparative Police Studies in the EU), 2011. 86p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 24, 2015 at: http://www.composite-project.eu/tl_files/fM_k0005/download/Brochure%20WP1.2[1].pdf

Year: 2011

Country: Europe

Keywords: Police Policies and Practices

Shelf Number: 135387


Author: Newman, Stephanie

Title: A case study on illegal fishing and the role of rights-based fisheries management in improving compliance

Summary: This case study focuses on illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. IUU fishing refers to fishing activities that do not comply with national, regional, or international fisheries conservation or management legislation or measures. IUU fishing activities may all have serious detrimental impacts on marine ecosystems, ecosystem services, and the societies that derive benefit from such services. IUU fishing exerts additional pressure on fish stocks, which may already be under pressure from unsustainable rates of legal fishing activities, and can thereby contribute to the depletion of fish stocks. In addition to these direct impacts on target fish species, fishing activities (and therefore IUU fishing activities) can have direct impacts on non-target commercial species and nonmarketable fish, on protected and vulnerable species, and on habitats. This case study focuses on the causes, motives and incentives for committing illegal fishing. It considers the role of rights-based fisheries management systems in incentivising or dis-incentivising illegal behaviour. Rights-based management programmes convey and manage exclusive entitlements to an entity - person, company, vessel, community - to fish in a particular place at a particular time. The European Commission defines rights-based management as "a formalised system of allocating individual fishing rights to fishermen, fishing vessels, enterprises, cooperatives and fishing communities". Rights-based systems of fisheries management exist in most EU Member States in some shape or form, and the Commission sought to introduce an EU system of transferable fishing concessions (defined as a revocable user entitlement to a specific part of fishing opportunities allocated to a Member State, which the holder may transfer) in its proposal for the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). Rights-based management is found to be a potential tool to deliver better fisheries management. The adoption of rights-based management can lead to better compliance with fisheries requirements due to the interest rights holders have, their ability to lease extra quotas, etc. However, the benefits of rights-based management depend entirely on the rights being adequately determined. If fishers consider their entitlements to be insufficient or unfairly distributed, then non-compliant behaviour may occur. Rights-based management is, therefore, a mechanism to be considered within the design of fisheries management. In taking such a system forward it is importance properly to design the catch share systems to ensure the incentives work for compliance as well - i.e. to address or limit social equity concerns.

Details: London: European Union Action to Fight Environmental Crime, 2015. 17p.

Source: Internet Resource: Work Package 4 "Case Studies": Accessed April 30, 2015 at: http://efface.eu/sites/default/files/EFFACE_Illegal%20fishing%20and%20the%20role%20of%20rights%20based%20fisheries%20management%20in%20improving%20compliance_0.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Fishing Industry

Shelf Number: 135438


Author: Walby, Sylvia

Title: Estimating the Costs of Gender-Based Violence in the European Union: Report

Summary: Gender-based violence is perceived as one of the most severe forms of gender inequality and it remains one of the most pervasive human rights violations of modern time. It is an issue that affects women disproportionally as it is directly connected with the unequal distribution of power between women and men; thus, it has a profound effect on families, communities and societies as a whole. The elimination of gender-based violence and the protection of victims/survivors is a stated goal of the European Union and one of the future key areas of work for the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE). Identifying the economic costs of gender-based violence will contribute to better informed decision-making in this area and support the comprehensive process of policy development. This report aims to analyse and assess the methodological options in the existing literature and studies on the costs to society of intimate partner violence. The European Commission and the Member States are taking steps to develop policies to combat all forms of gender-based violence. An accurate understanding of the costs of gender-based violence can guide EU Member States on which approaches to take while developing policies. It must be remembered that gender-based violence knows no geographical boundaries, no ethnic differences, class distinction or age limits and that such costs are borne by individuals and by the whole of society. The report looks at costs of lost economic output, health, legal services, social welfare, specialised services, and the physical and emotional impact on victims. Additionally, the report presents a case study on the cost of gender-based and intimate partner violence in the United Kingdom (2012) which later comes to serve as the basis for extrapolation of the costs of gender-based and intimate partner violence for each Member State. The findings of the study clearly show that the impact of gender-based violence on economies and society is significant; a holistic approach involving all stakeholders focused on the elimination of gender-based violence is fundamental to addressing the root causes. This report will support policymakers and relevant institutions in their efforts.

Details: Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2014. 148p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 1, 2015 at: http://eige.europa.eu/sites/default/files/MH0414745ENC.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Costs of Violence

Shelf Number: 135443


Author: Livingstone, Sonia

Title: Towards a better internet for children

Summary: This report presents new findings and further analysis of the EU Kids Online 25 country survey. It also brings together our previously published findings relevant to European Commission Vice President Kroes' CEO Coalition recent initiative to make the internet a better place for children. New results show that, of nine different kinds of parental worries about their child, online risks - being contacted by strangers (33% parents) or seeing inappropriate content (32% parents) - rank 5th and 6th. Will the Coalition's principles help manage online risk of harm, and so address parental concerns? Our evidence supports recommendations about initiatives that industry can take under four of the five headings considered by the CEO Coalition.

Details: London: EU Kids Online, London School of Economics, 2012. 17p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 1, 2015 at: http://www.lse.ac.uk/media@lse/research/EUKidsOnline/EU%20Kids%20III/Reports/EUKidsOnlinereportfortheCEOCoalition.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Computer Crimes

Shelf Number: 135454


Author: Geeraerts, Kristof

Title: Illegal shipment of e-waste from the EU: A case study on illegal e-waste export from the EU to China

Summary: This report examines the case of illegal shipments of e-waste from the EU to China and the effectiveness of EU legislation to counter these shipments. Although the import of e-waste into China has been officially banned since 2000, it is estimated that around 8 million tonnes of e-waste are imported illegally into China every year. Despite empirical data suffering from high uncertainties, the scale of the e-waste trade, its environmental and health impacts, and its links to crime are difficult to contest. This case study reveals that many legal actors, such as companies, are involved in illegal e-waste shipments and that many actors involved walk on a thin line between legal and illegal. Profit plays a crucial role, but a series of push, pull and facilitating factors gives a more sophisticated picture of the drivers and motivations behind this environmental crime. Loosely structured organised crime groups are often behind illegal trafficking of e-waste to China. Traditional mafia-like organised crime groups seem to be rather marginally involved, mostly as facilitators of the e-waste crime. Enforcement in the EU suffers from differences in implementation of relevant legislation among Member States. The EU legislative framework, which has been significantly amended in recent years, however is sufficiently coherent and does not show major gaps. The recent legislative amendments have the potential to improve inspection and enforcement on the ground, but it remains to be seen whether this will effectively occur. Given the complexity of the e-waste problem approaches beyond enforcement and inspections are needed. As part of its conclusions this report also presents a series of policy recommendations.

Details: European Union Action to Fight Environmental Crime (EFFACE), 2015. 54p.

Source: Internet Resource: Work Package 4 "Case Studies" Accessed May 6, 2015 at: http://efface.eu/sites/default/files/EFFACE_Illegal%20shipment%20of%20e%20waste%20from%20the%20EU.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Electronic Waste

Shelf Number: 135529


Author: Clark, Marilyn

Title: The Gender Dimension of Non-Medical Use of Prescription Drugs (NMUPD) in Europe and the Mediterranean Region

Summary: Understanding gender as it relates to drug use and drug use disorders is a critical requirement to developing effective policy and practice responses. This study aims to explore the gender dimension of non-medical use of prescription drugs (NMUPD) in Europe and the Mediterranean region and continues to build on the corpus of knowledge on the subject and also help identify gaps. Working Definitions The definition of NMUPD developed by the Lithuanian Presidency of the Council of the EU in 2013 was adopted: 'use of a prescription drug, whether obtained by prescription or otherwise, other than in the manner or for the time period prescribed, or by a person for whom the drug was not prescribed (2013:14). The term "nonmedical use," does not correspond to the definition of substance related disorders in DSM-V. For the purpose of the survey tool the 'use of prescription drugs' was defined as 'consumption with doctor's prescription and/or consumption as prescribed by a medical practitioner'. Project Purpose and Design The main aims of this study are: - To explore gender differences in NMUPD in Europe and the Mediterranean region through a documentation of secondary sources with the aim of constructing a snapshot of the current scenario with regards to gender and use and misuse of prescription drugs. - To identify gaps in the data available in the various regions in Europe and the Mediterranean. - To make recommendations for further research. - To make recommendations for policy development and practice A survey questionnaire targeted towards experts nominated by the Permanent Correspondents of the Pompidou Group Member States and former Member States and for the Mediterranean countries, experts nominated through the MedNET correspondents, constitutes the research tool.

Details: Strasbourg: Council of Europe, Pompidou Group expert Working Group on the Gender Dimension of NMUPD, 2015. 152p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 9, 2015 at: http://www.coe.int/t/dghl/standardsetting/equality/03themes/gender-mainstreaming/PompidouGenderDimension-V5.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction

Shelf Number: 135541


Author: Euer, Katrin

Title: Strengthening Resilience against Violent Radicalization (STRESAVIORA) Part I: Literature analysis

Summary: Radicalization is a complex process. Former research pointed to the importance of multiple factors covering the social-, demographic- and psychological spheres. Furthermore, triggers like the deceasing of a family member or drastic events that circulate on (social) media, play an important part in the development of radical ideas. Especially youngsters and adolescents who are in the process of developing a social identity, are vulnerable to influences from charismatic role models or peers. In this report the results of the research on the process of violent radicalization are presented. During this research, our focus evolved from paying attention to deradicalization interventions and risk factors to prevent radicalization, to a mind set in which we became conscious that the focus should be on positive experiences, instead of fighting against situations we do not want to happen. An overview is given of risk factors as well as protective factors on several levels and related to different spheres in the process of violent radicalization. In the consulted literature, little has been written about protective factors, therefore our aim was to uncover these during the qualitative interviews. Instead of only focussing on aspects which should be banished, attention should be paid to hopes, wishes and dreams. Further, in this report an overview of promising practices concerning trainings for the enlargement of resilience among youths is presented. This research aims to prevent certain (radical) attitudes to develop. Although the process of involvement in radical movements or developing radical attitudes is difficult to grasp, some preventive strategies could be identified. Also, indicators to take into account for the design and evaluation of trainings are discussed, in order to hand out guidelines for the development of tools. There is no univocal answer to the question: which measure or intervention is the most effective and efficient. Yet, we state that a comprehensive, integrated approach is useful if combined with a focus on positive factors, in order to increase youngsters resilience to prevent involvement in violent radicalization.

Details: Brussels: Belgian Ministry of the Interior, 2015. 78p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 9, 2015 at: http://www.bounce-resilience-tools.eu/sites/5092/files/content/download/files/stresaviora_research_report_part_1.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Radical Groups

Shelf Number: 135542


Author: European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA)

Title: Child-friendly justice - Perspectives and experiences of professionals on children's participation in civil and criminal judicial proceedings in 10 EU Member States

Summary: All European Union (EU) Member States have a duty to ensure that children's best interests are the primary consideration in any action that affects them. This consideration is of particular importance when children are involved in criminal and civil judicial proceedings. Such proceedings can be stressful for anyone. Even more so for children, who may become traumatised if the procedures are not child friendly, the settings unsuitable and the professionals involved inadequately trained. Thousands of children are affected. Data show that in 11 EU Member States alone, around 74,000 children were victims of crime and 495,000 were affected by parental divorce in 2010. The treatment of children in judicial proceedings is an important fundamental rights concern, addressed by the United Nations in its Convention on the Rights of the Child, which all EU Member States have ratified and which celebrated its 25th anniversary in November 2014. The EU further shows its commitment to this issue by promoting the Council of Europe's 2010 Guidelines on child-friendly justice and helping its Member States improve the protection of child rights in their judicial systems. These Council of Europe guidelines promote children's rights to be heard, to be informed, to be protected and to nondiscrimination. To determine the extent to which these rights are respected and fulfilled in practice, the Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA), in cooperation with the European Commission, collected and analysed data through interviews with professionals and children who experienced judicial proceedings. The present report, which is the first part of this work, examines the responses of 570 judges, prosecutors, lawyers, court staff, psychologists, social workers and police officers interviewed in 10 EU Member States. These professionals are in daily contact with children going through judicial proceedings. The evidence they provided shows that there is a long way to go to make justice more child-friendly across the EU. The second report of this FRA research will concentrate on the responses of the children who were interviewed. Practices of child participation in criminal and civil judicial proceedings vary considerably not just across, but also within Member States, pointing to a need for clear and consistent standards and guidelines and the systematic monitoring of their implementation. Children are not sufficiently supported when participating in a criminal or civil proceeding, court settings that can be intimidating for children are not always adjusted to their needs. Concrete measures, such as preventing a child from directly confronting defendants or witnesses in court or ensuring that a child is informed about and understands the proceedings, are not yet common practice. The research also revealed, however, a number of promising practices, outlined in this report.

Details: Vienna: European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, 2015. 133p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 14, 2015 at: http://fra.europa.eu/sites/default/files/fra-2015-child-friendly-justice-professionals_en.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Child Protection

Shelf Number: 135645


Author: Ramalingam, Vidhya

Title: Far-Right Extremism: Trends and Methods for Response and Prevention

Summary: Far-right extremism is a diverse phenomenon. It is composed of movements and parties with different ideological tendencies, mobilising against different conceptions of 'the enemy', and using different methods to achieve their goals. For some, this involves the use of violence. A key challenge facing many European countries is one of definition. Across Europe, there is no consensus on what constitutes far-right extremism, and security agencies record violence from the extreme right in different ways. This has inhibited our ability to assess threat levels and compare trends across countries. Meanwhile, the media and public debate on the threat posed by the 'rise of the far right' remains confused in many ways. Only through a proper understanding of both violent and non-violent far-right movements and parties can policy makers work out where the problem lies, and therefore what to do about it. In other words, should we draw the line at the use of violence, or the spreading of intolerance? Are we concerned about the proliferation of radical right ideologies and narratives in mainstream politics and their impact on wider community relations, or about the potential for violence? And in terms of responses, can we separate the two?

Details: London: Institute for Strategic Dialogue, 2012. 27p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 16, 2015 at: http://www.strategicdialogue.org/Policy_Briefing_-_Far_Right_Extremism_FINAL.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Extremist Groups

Shelf Number: 135684


Author: Butt, Riazat

Title: European Counter-Radicalisation and De-Radicalisation: A Comparative Evaluation of Approaches in the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark and Germany

Summary: This report is a comparative assessment of approaches to counter-radicalisation and de-radicalisation within four countries from the European Policy Planners' Network (EPPN). It begins by setting out the definitions of key terms. It then provides an overview of the recent history of extremist violence and the approaches taken in tackling radicalisation and facilitating de-radicalisation in the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark and Germany in order to contextualise the environment in which the programmes examined in the report operate. The report will then identify some of the key challenges and lessons that can be learned from the outcomes of policies and initiatives in this area. It is part of a larger project funded by the European Commission and is based on research and interviews conducted during visits to countries in question. Although this paper focuses primarily on four EPPN countries, the appendix contains case studies from elsewhere in Europe that offer valuable insights into other successful initiatives and programs in the field of counter-radicalisation. Although the countries focused on in this report are not diverse in terms of their geographical location, their approaches to the challenges presented by radicalisation vary considerably as do the security and socio-cultural environments that inform them. For example, the problems faced by Germany, a large federal state with a history of far-right and far-left terrorism, are quite different to those faced by its smaller neighbour the Netherlands. In addition to this the evidence base within these countries is strong, allowing for effective and in-depth comparisons. The way in which countries have been affected by extremism has a tangible impact on the formulation of policies and programmes designed to prevent or reduce the impact of radicalisation. Before evaluating the approaches to these issues taken in the four selected European countries, it is important to note that counter- and de-radicalisation policies and programmes cannot "simply be transplanted from one country to another, even within the same region. They have to develop organically in a specific country and culture." Despite this, by evaluating the strategies and initiatives in their various national contexts it is possible to identify certain elements of good practice that could potentially inform policy and practice elsewhere.

Details: London: Institute for Strategic Dialogue, 2014. 42p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 16, 2015 at: http://www.strategicdialogue.org/De-radicalisation_final.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: De-radicalization

Shelf Number: 135685


Author: Ramalingam, Vidhya

Title: Old Threat, New Approach: Tackling the Far Right Across Europe. Guide for policy makers

Summary: Several recent events have focused attention on the growing dangers posed by the far right in Europe. In October 2013, Ukrainian born Pavlo Lapshyn was convicted of racially-motivated murder and for plotting a campaign of terror against mosques in the UK. In May 2013 commenced the trial of Beate Zschape, the only surviving member of the National Socialist Underground (NSU), a far-right terrorist group which has been linked to a series of murders of immigrants, the murder of a policewoman and the attempted murder of her colleague, the 2001 and 2004 Cologne bombings and 14 bank robberies. In August 2012, Anders Behring Breivik was convicted for the murder of 77 people in twin terrorist attacks in Norway. Security agencies such as Europol have documented heightened levels of right-wing extremist activity across a number of countries in Europe. While such high-profile and high impact events hit the headlines, the bulk of the threat posed by the far right is felt through smaller-scale localised harassment, intimidation and bullying by extremists targeting minority communities. The dichotomy between national security and community safety means that, as a result, far-right extremism tends to be relegated to a second tier security threat, even though its impact is felt on a daily basis by individuals and communities across Europe. Far-right extremism takes a number of forms. There are four main types of agents: youth gangs, white power and skinhead groups; terrorist cells and lone actors; political movements and paramilitary groups; and nativist, identitarian and anti-Islam movements. They engage in a wide range of activities: spontaneous hate crime, vandalism and hooliganism; street demonstrations; shock tactics; hate speech and incitement; and planned hate crime and terrorism. Though often rooted in its local context, far-right extremism has impacts across borders. Groups and methods in one country are often mirrored elsewhere, and online connectivity is making this more common. There is also evidence of cooperation between national groups and the pooling of knowledge and expertise.

Details: London: Institute for Strategic Dialogue, 2014. 64p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 16, 2015 at: http://www.strategicdialogue.org/ISD_New_Approach_Far_Right_Report.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Extremist Groups

Shelf Number: 135686


Author: Butt, Riazat

Title: European Counter-Radicalisation and De-radicalisation: A Comparative Evaluation of Approaches in the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark and Germany

Summary: This report is a comparative assessment of approaches to counter-radicalisation and de-radicalisation within four countries from the European Policy Planners' Network (EPPN). It begins by setting out the definitions of key terms. It then provides an overview of the recent history of extremist violence and the approaches taken in tackling radicalisation and facilitating de-radicalisation in the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark and Germany in order to contextualise the environment in which the programmes examined in the report operate. The report will then identify some of the key challenges and lessons that can be learned from the outcomes of policies and initiatives in this area. It is part of a larger project funded by the European Commission and is based on research and interviews conducted during visits to countries in question. Although this paper focuses primarily on four EPPN countries, the appendix contains case studies from elsewhere in Europe that offer valuable insights into other successful initiatives and programs in the field of counter-radicalisation.

Details: London: Institute for Strategic Dialogue, 2014. 42p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 18, 2015 at: https://www.counterextremism.org/resources/details/id/530/european-counter-radicalisation-and-de-radicalisation-a-comparative-evaluation-of-approaches-in-the-netherlands-sweden-denmark-and-germany

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Counter-Radicalization

Shelf Number: 135708


Author: Ramalingam, Vidhya

Title: On the Front Line. A guide to countering far-right extremism

Summary: Far-right extremism remains a worrying problem across Europe. The most visible cases are those that hit the headlines, such as the discovery of the National Socialist Underground in Germany or Anders Behring Breivik's attacks in Norway. In the past decade, both Hungary and Sweden were hit by a string of serial murders of Roma and ethnic minorities. Though attacks of this magnitude and scale remain rare, they are not unheard of. In some cases, those personally touched by these violent attacks are still fighting for justice. While high-profile and high-impact events hit the headlines, the bulk of the threat posed by the far right is felt through smaller-scale localised harassment, bullying and hate crime by extremists targeting minority communities. These kinds of incidences often go undetected, and indeed they are hard to quantify. They manifest in the sectioning off of some local areas as no-go zones for ethnic minorities, graffiti of far-right symbols on mosques and synagogues, or threats received by individual members of the community. Those carrying out these actions - far-right extremists - are a broad group, ranging from less ideological youth street gangs to neo-Nazi terrorist cells, anti-Islam activists and registered political parties. Though they differ in their aims and methods, there are some defining features: racism, xenophobia, ultra-nationalism and authoritarianism. The actions they take aim to intimidate and assert power over particular communities and undermine democracy. In some countries, the capacity for violence within the far right is on the rise, and it remains challenging to ascertain at what point ideology can turn to violence. With the proliferation of extremist content online, and the ease with which anyone can access communities advocating violence across the web, this challenge has only grown. There are thousands of front-line professionals across Europe who come face-to-face with this issue on a regular basis, whether it is those working specifically on countering violent extremism, or those who encounter the far right as part of their daily responsibilities policing communities or educating young people. Though European countries differ on the particular problems they face and the ways in which they address them, there are more commonalities than differences when it comes to specific challenges posed by the far right. Front-line professionals and local communities often develop innovative solutions to these challenges, though these rarely make headlines or send ripples beyond the community immediately affected. This project aims to change this. This is one of the first projects aiming to enhance understanding of what works in prevention, intervention and response to far-right extremism across Europe. It has developed a package of resources which include ISD's report Old Threat, New Approach: Tackling the Far Right Across Europe which sets out government approaches to far-right extremism and provides guidance to policymakers, as well as an online platform called The FREE Initiative - Far-Right Extremism in Europe (www.theFREEinitative.com), which aims to inspire and connect those tackling the far right and showcase best practices. This is a practical guide for front-line professionals and activists. It is based on the collective experiences of over 120 individuals tackling far-right extremism across 10 countries (Sweden, UK, the Netherlands, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Germany, Poland, Hungary, Slovak Republic). This includes both governmental and non-governmental professionals coming into contact with far-right individuals or those who are impacted by them, on a daily basis. These professionals are thus in a unique position to influence those within or vulnerable to far-right extremism, and limit their impact.

Details: London: Institute for Strategic Dialogue, 2014. 77p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 18, 2015 at: http://www.strategicdialogue.org/On_The_Front_Line_Far_RightHANDBOOK.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Counter-Extremism

Shelf Number: 135709


Author: Europol

Title: 2015 Situation Report on Counterfeiting in the European Union

Summary: Although the majority of counterfeit products in circulation in Europe are manufactured outside the EU - and evade detection at the EU's external borders - research for the report highlights how domestic EU production is on the rise with cases originating in Belgium, the Czech Republic, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Spain and the UK. This large-scale domestic production of counterfeit goods in the EU is becoming an increasingly profitable business for organised crime groups and organisations. Counterfeiters, who operate with significantly lower risks, have been found to have links with other forms of crime such as trafficking in human beings - notably for labour exploitation - as well as with other criminal groups, originating from different countries in and outside Europe. The most significant enabler for distributing these counterfeit goods is the Internet. Consumers are drawn to e-commerce sites due to their prices, 24/7 availability and direct delivery. Some websites are of such high quality that they rival those of the rights holder. Counterfeiters are able to function across multiple jurisdictions, evading capture, and are also able to take down and set up new websites overnight without losing their customer base. The report explores how Chinese organised criminal groups involved in distributing counterfeit goods are highly mobile, specialised teams. Those operating in Italy are known to have close relationships with the Camorra and collaborate to import counterfeit goods. Chinese diaspora communities across Europe are extensive and there is a concentration of Chinese counterfeit businesses in several Italian provinces that are all associated with the textile and fashion industries. Parts of Madrid and its suburbs have also been infiltrated by Chinese organised crime groups. These criminal groups operate across Europe and use legitimate businesses to facilitate the movement of counterfeit products. They have also established and developed collusive relationships with a network of money transfer agencies, enabling them to launder and send large amounts of money to China. After China, India is the next priority concern due to its impact on the EU through counterfeit pharmaceutical products; Turkey for foodstuffs; Indonesia for weak legislation and corruption issues; and the Philippines for low rates of enforcement.

Details: The Hague: Europol, 2015. 70p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 20, 2015 at: https://www.europol.europa.eu/content/2015-situation-report-counterfeiting-european-union

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Consumer Protection

Shelf Number: 135731


Author: European Crime Prevention Network

Title: Trafficking in Human Beings: a global and European overview.

Summary: This theoretical paper is published by the EUCPN Secretariat in connection with the theme of the Italian Presidency which was Trafficking in Human Beings. Trafficking in Human Beings is a phenomenon which covers a very wide scope of criminal activities. This theoretical paper is thus written as an overview to increase the understanding of Trafficking in Human Beings. This paper has attention for the victims and traffickers and gives an overview of the different forms of Trafficking in Human Beings. Moreover attention also goes to the economics of the phenomenon. This theoretical paper will serve as base for a manual about THB in which we will look at the difficulties and attempts to prevent THB, at the main international weapons and what the international agencies already do against the phenomenon. Through these actions we hope to raise awareness concerning THB, to exchange good practices and hopefully to propose general guidelines for THB policy.

Details: Brussels: EUCPN, 2013. 22p.

Source: Internet Resource: EUCPN Theoretical Paper Series, Accessed May 20, 2015 at: http://eucpn.org/sites/default/files/content/download/files/trafficking_in_human_beings_paper.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Forced Labor

Shelf Number: 135737


Author: Tabbert, Ulrike

Title: Crime through a corpus: The linguistic construction of offenders, victims and crimes in the German and UK press

Summary: In this thesis I analyse and compare the linguistic construction of offenders, victims and crimes in the British and German press. I have collected a corpus of British and German newspaper articles reporting on crime and criminal trials and carried out a corpus linguistic analysis of this data using the software package Wordsmith Tools (Scott, 2004). Reports on crime do not construct a neutral representation of offenders. By employing the tools offered by Critical Stylistics (Jeffries, 2010a) and combining them with Corpus Linguistics I identify the linguistic features used to pre convict offenders and to invoke a feeling of insecurity and fear in the public. The negative associations assigned to crime are transferred to the offenders and thus construct them as being evil and label them as deviant (Becker, 1966: 31). The linguistic construction of the victim ultimately impacts on the construction of offenders because the two are placed at opposite ends of a morality scale. It is through language that such ideologically motivated representations of offenders are constructed and reinforced. The image of the evil-perpetrating monster constructed in the media as part of societal discourse on crime is based on ideologies which my research aims to reveal. I argue that the underlying ideologies for the construction of offenders, victims and crimes in the British and German press are comparable and that the linguistic triggers for these in the texts are similar. I found no distinction between the persona of the offender and his or her crime because offenders only gain a celebrity-like status following the crime they have committed. This fascination with crime in the media has roots in the backstage nature of crime (Surette, 2009: 240) which satisfies the voyeuristic desire of the audience.

Details: Huddersfield, UK: University of Huddersfield, 2013. 241p.

Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed May 27, 2015 at: http://eprints.hud.ac.uk/18078/

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Language and Crime

Shelf Number: 129969


Author: Townsend, Jacob

Title: Before the Boat: Understanding the Migrant Journey

Summary: In response to the recent surge in migrants crossing the Mediterraneanand the deaths and injuries that often result from failed journeysEuropean policymakers have struggled to find effective policy responses to stem the flow of boats. Deep, sophisticated insight into the decision-making process of those who undertake these journeys is necessary; without this information and a wider understanding of the political economy of migrant smuggling, policymakers essentially are making decisions in the dark. This MPI Europe report argues that to develop effective policy in this area, policymakers must recognize the driving forces behind migrants decisions and movements through a comprehensive understanding of smuggling networks and the migrants who utilize them. At the moment, the knowledge base suffers from a number of limitations, including a "destination bias" that views developments from a destination-country perspective. There is a lack of understanding of the way migrants make decisions, as their personal risk assessment models are often much more nuanced and far-sighted than the current evidence acknowledges. Policymakers should also consider the structure and economy of smuggling networks, which could help locate weak spots and pressure points. The report, drawing from the authors' interviews with migrants, highlights gaps in evidence on migrants decision-making processes, perceptions of risk, and access to information. It also examines smuggling networks, which have been thus far overlooked in research efforts.

Details: Brussels: Migration Policy Institute Europe, 2015. 20p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 5, 2015 at: http://www.migrationpolicy.org/research/boat-understanding-migrant-journey

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Human Smuggling

Shelf Number: 135915


Author: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA)

Title: Drug consumption rooms: An overview of provision and evidence

Summary: Supervised drug consumption facilities, where illicit drugs can be used under the supervision of trained staff, have been operating in Europe for the last three decades. These facilities primarily aim to reduce the acute risks of disease transmission through unhygienic injecting, prevent drug-related overdose deaths and connect high-risk drug users with addiction treatment and other health and social services.

Details: Lisbon: EMCDDA, 2015. 8p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 8, 2015 at: http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/attachements.cfm/att_239692_EN_Drug%20consumption%20rooms_POD2015.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction

Shelf Number: 135928


Author: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA)

Title: Drugs policy and the city in Europe

Summary: Illicit drug problems and responses and the different forms they can take in the city environment are explored in this paper. It addresses four areas: urban spaces and drug use, responses to city-level drug problems, city-level drugs strategies, and the coordination and funding of city-level policies. This paper explores existing and emerging drug problems and responses in the city environment. It addresses four areas: urban spaces and drug use, businesses and recreational drug use, city-level drugs policies and the coordination and funding of city-level policies. The paper is based on three data sources: a review of scientific literature, grey literature, and national reports from the Reitox network of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction. Two main categories of city-level problems related to drug use are identified: one centres on problematic forms of drug use such as use of opioids and injection, the other on recreational use of licit and illicit substances. So-called open drug scenes, where drug users congregate and high-risk drug use takes place in public spaces, were found in several cities. The open drug scenes vary by visibility, size and the type of location in which they occur. Cities differ in the level of access they provide for problem drug users to opioid substitution treatment, needle and syringe exchange programmes and low-threshold services, and in the geographical coverage of such interventions. In cities, extensive nightlife zones can be found. Concentrations of bars and clubs, and in some cases cannabis coffee shops and head shops, provide a focus for recreational drug use. Different measures have been implemented in nightlife settings to respond to drug use, including drug prevention interventions and 'pill testing' services. This study identified 10 capital cities with an active drugs strategy document. Generally, city authorities are formally responsible for the coordination of drugs policy in the municipality. A number of Europe's capital cities allocate a dedicated budget to the implementation of their drugs strategies.

Details: Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2015. 25p.

Source: Internet Resource: EMCDDA Papers: Accessed July 8, 2015 at: http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/attachements.cfm/att_240226_EN_TDAU15001ENN1.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction

Shelf Number: 135958


Author: Savona, Ernesto U.

Title: From Illegal markets to Legitimate Businesses: the Portfolio of Organised Crime in Europe

Summary: This is the final report of Project OCP - Organised Crime Portfolio (www.ocportfolio.eu). Aim of OCP is to carry out an exploratory study of the economics of organised crime in Europe, and in particular to address three research questions, which are covered by the three sections of this report: - Where organised crime proceeds are generated, from which illicit markets (Part 1); - Where these proceeds are then invested in the legitimate economy, in which regions, assets and business sectors (Part 2); - The extent to which these proceeds are confiscated by European authorities (Part 3). The project focuses on seven EU member states (Finland, France, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and the United Kingdom), represented by OCP partners, and for which provides an in-depth analysis. However, the report also presents a broader examination of the situation in Europe as a whole. OCP deals with issues crucial from a policy standpoint but which are characterised by a lack of data and of previous studies. OCP addresses this research gap by adopting an innovative methodology and using a wide range of information, both qualitative and quantitative, deriving from very different sources. Despite its pioneering nature and its data limitations, this report represents a first step towards better understanding of how the organised crime business works. In line with the Transcrime research agenda, it is a starting point for a better identification and reduction of the opportunities exploited by criminals to infiltrate illicit and legitimate markets in Europe. In this sense, this report constitutes an important tool for both public and private institutions to improve the assessment of the risks of organised crime infiltration and to strengthen the tracing and the confiscation of criminal assets in Europe.

Details: Milan, Italy: Transcrime, 2015. 341p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 13, 2015 at: http://www.transcrime.it/en/pubblicazioni/the-portfolio-of-organised-crime-in-europe/

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Asset Forfeiture

Shelf Number: 136004


Author: Matrix Insight

Title: Assessing the effectiveness of EU Member States' practices in the identification, tracing, freezing and confiscation of criminal assets

Summary: The EU Action Plan to combat organised crime of April 19971 States that: "The European Council stresses the importance for each Member State of having well developed and wide ranging legislation in the field of confiscation of the proceeds of crime..." Furthermore, the EU Millennium Strategy States that "The European Council is determined to ensure that concrete steps are taken to trace, freeze, seize and confiscate the proceeds of crime". In line with these undertakings, and having regard to the urgency of controlling criminal assets in the face of terrorist threat, the Action Plan for the Hague Programme is currently reviewing EU legislation in this area and, if necessary, will strengthen it. The target date for completing this process is 20083. Obtaining an accurate, reliable and comprehensive overview of the practice of, and provisions for, criminal asset identification, tracing, freezing and confiscation across EU Member States is a critical phase in this process. The European Commission DG JLS therefore commissioned Matrix Knowledge Group (referred to in the text as "Matrix") to provide an overview of the enforcement of confiscation provisions in all EU Member States. For this purpose, Matrix has undertaken a literature review, interviews, case studies and a statistical and qualitative quota sample survey in order to: - map current practice around the investigative, judicial and disposal phases of the asset recovery process, noting use of specific tools and techniques in investigation (with relative frequency of use) and levels of cooperation with banks, financial and nonfinancial institutions; - identify effective practice by country (with a view to knowledge transfer); - identify obstacles to effective implementation of existing legal provisions by country; distinguishing where possible between jurisprudential and other causes of impediment and, where jurisprudential causes are identified, whether modification of the relevant EU instrument would be appropriate; - examine the potential for cooperation and information exchange between EU Member State asset recovery agencies and between those agencies and similar agencies in third party jurisdictions; - set up and, as far as practicable, populate a statistical model of Member States' asset recovery activities; - propose a performance index for asset recovery operations of Member States (such an index may contain input, output and outcome elements); - produce a set of overarching summary conclusions about the effectiveness of asset recovery procedures at an operational level, diagnosis of shortcomings classified by type of cause and recommendations about potential points of treatment intervention and the nature of plausible treatments; - estimate the likely benefits accruing from implementing recommended treatments and identifying the main points of institutional and agency impact; - provide an impact map identifying which Member States are likely to experience the greatest degree of positive change if recommendations are implemented.

Details: Brussels: European Commission, Directorate-General Justice, Freedom & Security, 2009. 189p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 13, 2015 at: http://ec.europa.eu/home-affairs/news/intro/docs/20120312/final_asset_recovery_report_june_2009.pdf

Year: 2009

Country: Europe

Keywords: Asset Forfeiture

Shelf Number: 136006


Author: European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA)

Title: Severe labour exploitation: workers moving within or into the European Union - States' obligations and victims' rights

Summary: Worker exploitation is not an isolated or marginal phenomenon. But despite its pervasiveness in everyday life, severe labour exploitation and its adverse effects on third-country nationals and EU citizens - as workers, but also as consumers - have to date not received much attention from researchers. The extensive fieldwork and desk research carried out by FRA for the report is the first to look comprehensively into various criminal forms of severe labour exploitation of workers who move from one EU Member State to another or from a third country. It aims to fill the knowledge gap, thus challenging the current climate of implicit acceptance of severe labour exploitation. The report identifies risk factors contributing to such exploitation and discusses means of improving the situation. It highlights the challenges faced by EU institutions and Member States in making the right of workers who have moved within or into the EU to decent working conditions a reality. It aims to support them in preventing severe labour exploitation, monitoring situations where severe labour exploitation occurs and making victims' right to have access to justice a reality. An EU-level consensus is needed which states that severe labour exploitation is unacceptable and that all workers are entitled to the effective protection of their rights. If the EU and its Member States are serious about maintaining national and international labour standards, accepting systemic labour exploitation is not an option.

Details: Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2015. 108p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 13, 2015 at: http://fra.europa.eu/sites/default/files/fra-2015-severe-labour-exploitation_en.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Forced Labor

Shelf Number: 136007


Author: Di Nicola, Andrea

Title: Study on paving the way for future policy initiatives in the field of fight against organised crime: the effectiveness of specific criminal law measures targeting organised crime

Summary: Organised crime poses a threat to the security and freedom of European citizens and impacts the lives of people worldwide. Recognising the severity of the problem and the need for coordinated action, the EU has initiated a number of measures to encourage closer cooperation between Member States and the adoption of common legal, judicial and investigative frameworks to address organised crime. The report Study on paving the way for future policy initiatives in the field of fight against organised crime: the effectiveness of specific criminal law measures targeting organised crime evaluates the practical application of legal and investigative tools stemming from Framework Decision 2008/841/JHA on the fight against organised crime, other EU and international regulations and national legislation. The study involved a review of the transposition of Framework Decision 2008/841/JHA in 28 Member States; examining how the identified legislation, relevant to the fight against organised crime, was used in practice in each Member State; a review of eight special legal and investigative tools and techniques used in the fight against organised crime and an overview of selected national specialist law enforcement and prosecution agencies involved in the fight against organised crime. CSD team developed Chapter III of the study dedicated to the analysis of the investigatory tools used in the fight against organised crime (legislation and practices). It examines eight investigative techniques: surveillance, interception of communication, covert investigations, controlled deliveries, informants, joint investigation teams, hot pursuit and witness protection. For each of the tools, the following aspects have been reviewed: definition; assessment of various approaches to the implementation of the tool; evaluation of the mechanism for judicial or other oversight of the tool; analysis of the issues and problems that typically limit the effectiveness of the tool; suggested recommendations to improve cooperation within the EU in the use of the tool.

Details: Brussels: European Commission, 2015. 357p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 14, 2015 at: http://www.csd.bg/artShow.php?id=17380

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Criminal Law

Shelf Number: 136031


Author: Dimitrova-Stull, Anna

Title: Violence towards children in the EU: Current situation

Summary: Violence against children takes diverse forms and occurs in various different contexts. It can have serious, harmful consequences in both the short and long term, and estimates of the scale of the problem are alarming. It results from a complex interaction of various risk factors, but can be avoided through effective prevention policies. A number of international instruments have been adopted to safeguard and promote childrens rights. The cornerstone in this framework of instruments is the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, Article 19 of which lays down the right of a child to be protected from all forms of violence and the obligation on states to take all appropriate measures to protect children. With the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty, protection of childrens rights has been explicitly recognised as an objective which the EU has an obligation to pursue. While child protection systems fall mainly within the responsibility of the Member States, the EU also plays an important role. Its actions have a direct impact on laws and policies implemented at national level. The aim of future EU guidelines on integrated child protection systems will be to set out areas in which the EU may be able to provide support to national systems and encourage the exchange of good practice.

Details: Brussels: European Parliamentary Research Service, 2014. 27p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 15, 2015 at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/IDAN/2014/542139/EPRS_IDA(2014)542139_EN.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Child Abuse and Neglect

Shelf Number: 136056


Author: Europol

Title: Why is Cash Still King? A strategic report on the use of cash by criminal groups as a facilitator for money laundering

Summary: In spite of the rapidly changing face of criminality and the rise of cybercrime, money laundering methods detected by law enforcement remain overwhelmingly traditional. Europol's latest strategic report, 'Why is cash still king?', shows that while cash is slowly falling out of favour with consumers, it is still one of the preferred methods used to launder the proceeds of crime. Almost all crime types make use of cash to facilitate money laundering at some stage, not only traditional crimes which generate cash profits, but also threats now arising from new technologies such as virtual currencies, where cash is used as an instrument to disguise the criminal origin of proceeds. In the EU, the use of cash is the main reason triggering suspicious transaction reports within the financial system, accounting for more than 30% of all reports. Reports on detections of suspicious physical cash movements represent around one third of all contributions to Europol in the area of money laundering. Although the use of cash for payments has experienced a moderate decline in the EU, the demand for high denomination notes not commonly used for payments, such as the EUR 500 note, has been sustained. The EUR 500 note alone accounts for over 30% of the value of all banknotes in circulation (1). This raises questions about the purpose for which they are being used and whether this could be linked to criminal activity, which should be further explored. Linking cash to criminal activities remains a key challenge for law enforcement. "The use of cash by criminals remains one of the most significant barriers to successful investigations and prosecution," says Rob Wainwright, Director of Europol. "It is a threat that has not received sufficient international attention or legislative solutions. A fragmented enforcement approach at national and international level, and the differing regulatory frameworks across the EU Member States, are widely exploited by criminals, who adapt their methods and routes to take advantage of these loopholes. Stepping up efforts to increase international cooperation and information exchange, and establishing a more harmonised approach among EU Member States concerning cash movements within the EU, are crucial if we are to tackle these criminal activities." One of the prevalent methods used by criminals to launder profits remains physical cash smuggling. It is difficult to assess the scale of this criminal activity, but highly conservative estimates based on records received by Europol show that EUR 1.5 billion in cash is detected and/or seized by EU Member State authorities each year. The findings of 'Why is cash still king?' are reflected in a set of recommendations aimed at providing practical solutions which could assist in preventing the use of cash for criminal purposes as well as enabling investigators to achieve higher rates of successful convictions.

Details: Paris: Europol, 2015. 54p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 15, 2015 at: https://www.europol.europa.eu/content/why-cash-still-king-strategic-report-use-cash-criminal-groups-facilitator-money-laundering

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Money Laundering

Shelf Number: 136064


Author: European Parliament. Directorate-General for Internal Policies. Policy Department D Budgetary Affairs

Title: Workshop: Cigarette Smuggling. Proceedings

Summary: This report analyses the relationship between EU policy and the illicit trade in tobacco products. We consider three EU policies: (1) the EC Strategy and the Action Plan to tackle the illicit trade in tobacco products, (2) the revised Tobacco Products Directive, and (3) the Agreements between the European Community, individual Member States and the four major tobacco companies.

Details: Brussels: European Union, 2014. 132p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 20, 2015 at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/workshop/join/2014/490681/IPOL-JOIN_AT(2014)490681_EN.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Illicit Products

Shelf Number: 136107


Author: Dongen, Teun van

Title: Detecting Elusive Criminals

Summary: Organized crime for the European market is a multi-billion dollar business that feeds on, as well as sustains, poverty and poor governmental control. As factors like the economic crisis and the emergence and growth of urban slums will sustain organized crime, this threat is likely to stay with us in the foreseeable future. Against this background, this report answers the following question: what research strands need to be explored further in order to find solutions for the threat posed to Europe by transnational organized crime? The flexibility of criminal networks is remarkable, as they seem to think nothing of moving operations to other countries, entering into new partnerships and using other modes of transportation. Also, they are often quick to pick up on new technologies that help them run their businesses. The consequent lack of signature and standard operating procedures on the part of criminal networks means that they are increasingly difficult to detect. The fact that a criminal cell has at one point been in touch with another cell, says little to nothing about the likelihood that they will be in touch again. In general, it is questionable to what extent past behaviors can be used as clues to predict future conduct and eventually find and catch criminal cells. Current research strands that have to do with the detection of criminal networks fail to take into account the state of flux that is characteristic of organized crime. Technological detection tools like scanners and air sampling devices are deployed statically, and fail to uncover more than a small part of all organized criminal activity. Knowledge discovery approaches, in which criminal networks can be detected through the analysis of digital data, are mostly based on police records. This means that approaches along these lines are largely reactive in nature. A similar objection can be raised against crime mapping exercises that are carried out by scholars and government research departments. They register trends and developments in organized crime after they have taken place. This means that organized crime mapping, while useful, is always a step behind- a shortcoming which could be a problem against a threat that changes rapidly and constantly. Therefore, we suggest a series of research strands that are more preventive in nature. First, the detection of criminal networks should be applied to the preventive and early warning phase. We should development frameworks and vulnerability assessment tools to predict or estimate whether a certain area - a neighborhood, a city, a region - will in the near future have to deal with criminal networks. This will help governments act quickly and at an early stage, which is crucial when dealing with a fluid and adaptive threat like the one posed by organized crime. For the development of such vulnerability and early warning frameworks, we need more research into what contextual factors make areas vulnerable to organized crime, and into the motives of criminal networks to choose certain areas of operation over others. We need, in other words, to learn more about the causes behind the trends and developments in organized crime. Second, research is needed to identify and address legal obstacles to the sharing of information between and within governments needed to detect criminal networks or make vulnerability assessments. What should be addressed is not only the legal obstacles between governments, but also within governments and between the government and the private sector. Finally, we should look into technological tools for criminal network detection (e.g., data mining) as well as into possibilities to generate human criminal intelligence, as such an approach will be non-intrusive and will help law enforcement agencies win the trust of the local population.

Details: The Hague: The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies and TNO, 2012. 65p,

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 22, 2015 at: http://www.hcss.nl/reports/detecting-elusive-criminals/122/

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Criminal Investigation

Shelf Number: 136127


Author: Kuschminder, Katie

Title: Irregular Migration Routes to Europe and Factors Influencing Migrants' Destination Choices

Summary: Irregular migration to Europe has become a central issue for the 28 member states of the European Union (EU). The number of migrants crossing the Mediterranean with the intention to irregularly cross a European border reached a record high in 2014, when 267,344 people were detected at the EU borders. This is more than double the number of people who irregularly crossed a European border from the Mediterranean in 2013 (Frontex, 2015). Until the mid-2000s, Morocco was the main source country of irregular migrants entering Europe, but the majority of migrants who have entered Europe irregularly in recent years are from conflict-affected countries such as Syria, Somalia, and Afghanistan (Duvell, 2011; Frontex, 2015). The same shift can be seen in the Dutch context: research from the Netherlands has indicated a decrease in the number of irregular Moroccans in the Netherlands over the past decade (Engbersen, Snel & van Meeteren, 2013). This is an example of the fact that the patterns of migration to Europe are continually changing (Collyer & De Haas, 2012). As will be shown in this comprehensive review of the literature of irregular migration to Europe, the routes of entry to the EU constantly adjust according to circumstances in the countries of origin, transit and destination. The EU has reacted to increased irregular migration flows through increased border securitisation and the building of 'Fortress Europe' (De Haas & Czaika, 2013). As has been continually stated by De Haas (2014), however, "increased border controls do not stop migration". The record number of irregular crossings into Europe in 2014 has illustrated this well. Irregular entry poses many challenges for the nation state by both challenging state sovereignty and requiring resources to address the movements. Border States of the EU, such as Greece and Italy, have in recent years received the largest numbers of irregular migrants. In December 2011, the European Court of Justice ruled that migrants could not be returned to Greece under the Dublin II regulation due to the over burdening of the asylum system and poor conditions for asylum seekers in Greece. Italy has placed 'burden-sharing' and migration in general as a high priority on the EU agenda given the disproportionate number of irregular migrants the country receives and the lack of resources the country possesses to address them.

Details: Maastricht, The Netherlands: Maastricht Graduate School of Governance, 2015. 92p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 24, 2015 at: http://www.emnbelgium.be/sites/default/files/publications/irregular_migration_routes_maastricht_graduate_school_of_governance_june_2015.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Asylum Seekers

Shelf Number: 136147


Author: Strand, Jakob

Title: Marine Litter in Nordic waters

Summary: In recent years there has been an increased focus on environmental problems arising from litter pollution in the oceans after various studies have described instances of vast amounts of litter including microscopic particles consisting of plastic debris and other synthetic materials. International institutions such as EU, OSPAR, HELCOM and UN have identified marine litter as an important issue that should be prioritized both in terms of knowledge building and the development of environmental indicators that can be used for characterization of the environmental quality. In Europe, marine litter is now high on the environmental agenda, especially after the implementation of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) with obligations for all the EU member states. Subsequently, marine litter has also received increasing attention in the Nordic countries. In Nordic countries, there has been and are also several on-going field studies, including research, monitoring and other types of surveys. These studies demonstrate ubiquitous occurrence of marine litter in the Baltic Sea, the North Sea and the North Atlantic as well as in the Arctic, where marine litter have been found in all relevant marine compartments, i.e. at beaches, in the water column (incl. sea ice), on the sea floor (incl. in sediments) and in biota. This report provides an overview of the currently available data from studies on marine litter in the Nordic countries. This covers various field studies on amount, distribution, characteristics and impact of macro-and micro-litter particles. The data reported can provide a good basis for prioritisation of activities, especially having the establishment of marine litter indicators for MSFD monitoring and national management plans in the Nordic countries in mind. However, results from the different Nordic studies are not always comparable due to employment of different methodologies for sampling and analyses have been employed. There is therefore a need for a common assemblage of knowledge and experience, and also a standartisation of methods based on the regional conditions that facilitate the framing of this environmental problem in a Nordic perspective. This report compiles information that can be used as a contribution to this process.

Details: Copenhagen: Nordic Council of Ministers, 2015. 79p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 24, 2015 at: https://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:824655/FULLTEXT01.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Litter

Shelf Number: 136154


Author: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA)

Title: Alternatives to punishment for drug-using offenders

Summary: Based on the options provided by the international drug control legal framework, this paper considers the rehabilitative measures of treating, educating or reintegrating drug users as alternatives or additions to conviction or punishment that are established in the laws of many countries in Europe today. Distinguishing them from 'alternatives to prison', it outlines the variety of rehabilitative measures in use and sets out the main issues in their design, implementation and evaluation. The paper finds that alternatives to punishment are available across Europe to varying degrees and with inconclusive evaluations suggesting positive results. The success of these measures depends partly on the degree to which they are accurately targeted to specific objectives and specific users. The policy arguments in favour of them seem to have developed along two lines: reducing harms to the individual and society by problem drug users, and addressing structural burdens on the justice system by non-problem users. Yet the paper finds that this distinction, or prioritisation, is not always clear in the design or implementation of the different measures, which can in turn affect the few evaluations carried out. Compromises between the two different aims of the laws (to treat or to punish these offenders) can also have unintended effects on the outcomes. Clarity on these issues should assist development and implementation of more successful measures in the future.

Details: Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2015. 22p.

Source: Internet Resource: EMCDDA Papers: Accessed July 29, 2015 at: http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/attachements.cfm/att_240836_EN_TDAU14007ENN.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Alternatives to Incarceration

Shelf Number: 136234


Author: European Interdisciplinary Analysis Project

Title: Criminal Money Management as a Cutting Edge between Profit Oriented Crime and Terrorism.

Summary: The strategic orientation of the LKA NRW is adjusted to the future. In this concept it is essential, in particular with respect to the fight against organised criminal groups and terror organisations to act jointly and across national borders - with newest methods like the so-called scenario-technique, to come to a better "pre-thinking" of the criminal future. Once more the LKA NRW sets an initiative in this direction. Beginning in December 2005, the LKA NRW, in cooperation with EUROPOL, the University of Ghent and Turkish National Police (TNP) conducted the inter-disciplinary analysis project EDGE with financial support of the EU `AGIS` funding. In the project, on the one hand the scenario method was examined regarding its usability as an instrument for future oriented strategic planning on the field of law enforcement. On the other hand, the field of `Criminal Money Management` as a cutting EDGE between profit oriented crime and terror-ism was chosen as a relevant topic to conduct this examination. As a result, future scenarios and future robust strategic recommendations were developed. The unique collection and analysis of actual international money flows with an illegal background in Europe and Turkey and the interdisciplinary cooperation of experts from the banking sector, criminological science and law enforcement with a harmonized result have, among others, to be regarded as the relevant outputs of the project.

Details: Ghent, Belgium: Ghent University, Institute for International Research on Criminal Policy, 2005. 125p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 5, 2015 at: http://www.csd.bg/fileadmin/user_upload/Countries/Germany/EDGE_Final_Results.pdf

Year: 2005

Country: Europe

Keywords: Money Laundering

Shelf Number: 136331


Author: Council of Europe. Committee of Experts on the Evaluation of Anti-Money Laundering Measures and the Financing of Terrorism (MONEYVAL)

Title: Typologies Report on Laundering the Proceeds of Organised Crime

Summary: 1. The project to examine the laundering methods used by organised crime (OC) was approved by the 41st MONEYVAL Plenary in April 2013. It was agreed that the project team should examine the methods used by organised criminal groups to launder illegally earned profits and should try to assess potential regional vulnerabilities. It was also agreed that trends, methods, red flags and indicators, the means of identification and analysis of organised crime money flows should all be addressed in the report in order to enhance the capabilities of competent authorities in such cases. 2. Two expert meetings were held in the context of this research: the inaugural meeting of delegations was organised in October 2013 in Strasbourg; this was followed by a second meeting, bringing together prosecutors and judges in May 2014 in San Marino. 3. The reason for conducting this research is the recognition that OC presents one of the major threats to the Rule of Law in Europe and globally. A large percentage of all the criminal proceeds that are laundered world-wide are laundered by or on behalf of OC. 4. The report highlights a number of significant challenges to the effective investigation and prosecution of laundering the funds derived from organised crime and achieving final confiscation of assets. Some of these problems arise due to a lack of resources or relevant expertise, some due to reluctance of prosecutors in some jurisdictions to tackle difficult cases and some are caused by the very nature of the laundering techniques themselves. The main problems identified were: - Lack of financial, accounting and IT expertise; - Intelligence gaps; - Lack of adequate risk analysis; - Inadequate domestic coordination; - Failure to use the full range of powers and practices available; - The perception of some prosecutors that they have always to identify a specific predicate offence from which the proceeds are derived for a successful 3rd party prosecution; - Reluctance of prosecutors to tackle difficult cases; - Delay in applying provisional measures rendering any subsequent confiscation orders less effective; - Transnational transactions and difficulties caused by mutual legal assistance; - Exploitation of new technologies by organised crime groups; - Lack of transparency of corporate vehicles. 5. The report sets out a number of recommendations on measures that jurisdictions can adopt in order to improve the investigation and prosecution of OC-related ML and the final confiscation of their criminal proceeds. In particular, the report highlights the need to make full use of the powers available to investigators and prosecutors. The recommended measures include: - Ensuring that there is more high-level commitment to prosecuting OC ML and pursuing deterrent confiscation orders in those cases; - Including any special issues raised by OC in the ML national risk assessment; - Ratifying the Warsaw Convention and implementing the revised Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Recommendations 2012 (in particular Recommendation 30 (Responsibilities of law enforcement and investigative agencies)); - Focusing on confiscation; - Focusing on third party money laundering; - Making full use of FIU powers and expertise; - Using financial profiling, trained specialists and expert witnesses; - Developing national cooperation, coordination and feed-back and improving domestic information exchange; - Expediting international information exchange; - Increasing the transparency of information on the real owners of companies and trusts; - Improving financial supervision; - Utilising media campaigns, particularly in relation to the risks of persons being exploited unintentionally by OC as money mules. 6. The report draws conclusions on trends from the responses received. It is noted that OCGs will in practice use all available means to launder the proceeds of crime and have the ability to adapt quickly to changing law enforcement and AML/CFT environments. Nonetheless, a number of particular trends were identified, including exploitation of poorly regulated financial institutions and DNFBPs, as well as an increasing use of international transactions by OCGs. The main trends are, however, mostly typical of money laundering generally, but specifically in the OC context include: - Exploitation of poorly regulated sectors; - Development of transnational infrastructures to launder funds; - Use of legal persons to hide criminally derived funds; - Use of professionals; - Use of new technologies. 7. The report assesses some of the techniques that have proved successful in investigating and prosecuting the laundering of the proceeds from OC and achieving final confiscations. The analysis considers risk identification as a strategic starting point, ways of detecting potential OC-related transactions (both at the level of FIUs and LEAs), the analytical processes involved, financial investigations and financial profiling and also covers challenges to and best practices for the achievement of convictions and confiscations. 8. It appears that OC and ML are rarely analysed at a strategic level by decision-makers together in jurisdictions. The report suggests that a better collective understanding of the OC vulnerabilities and threats is critical for those who are responsible for overall resource allocation for investigation and prosecution of OC cases. 9. The ability of the reporting entities themselves to detect OCG-related funds for reporting purposes seems limited. Financial institutions rely typically on the information available on the internet or from public and commercial databases. 10. At the FIU level, in order to identify potential OCG indicators, the analysts mostly rely on the number of persons involved in suspicious transaction reports (STR). There are no distinctive procedures for OCG-related STRs but, when recognised, such cases are prioritised and analysed in more detail. 11. Financial investigations are always a key element in ML cases, whether the proceeds result from OC activities or not. This survey revealed that, when deciding upon the initiation of parallel financial investigations, there are no differences between an organised crime case and any other case. 12. In some jurisdictions, the criteria for initiation of a parallel financial investigation is provided by legislation and can be activated automatically in proceeds-generating cases. In other jurisdictions the decision is taken by investigators and prosecutors on a case-by-case basis. There are no special investigative powers dedicated to financial investigations carried out in OC cases. The report concludes that wider use of the power to monitor bank accounts and/or to postpone transactions should increase effectiveness in the asset tracing and freezing processes. 13. One useful tool in asset recovery which has been identified is the use of financial profiles. These are descriptions of the investigated persons' licit income compared with their expenditure and lifestyle. Building such profiles can better assist the authorities to identify unexplained wealth. Nonetheless, such profiles are not routinely conducted in OC financial investigations. In some jurisdictions they are made exclusively in the pre-trial stage and do not always constitute admissible evidence. In order to create accurate profiles, LEAs may need access to a variety of information held by others, including Tax, Customs and the FIU. In some jurisdictions this access is on-line; in others formal requests to another authority need to be made. 14. There appears to be a direct link between the international element of ML cases related to OCG, and the duration of the investigation and prosecution processes. These processes frequently become prolonged because of delays in receiving responses to mutual legal assistance requests. The report notes that prosecutors may sometimes request mutual legal assistance, where the evidence required may be capable of proof in other ways, through the more focused use of domestically available circumstantial evidence. 15. In order to increase timeliness and success of prosecutions, some jurisdictions have introduced special courts and/or prosecutors' offices as part of the judicial system, which have nationwide competences and jurisdiction for a series of specific offenses. This system has the advantage of reducing the possibility of local influence and corruption and deepening specialisation of judges and prosecutors in OC-related cases. 16. The report found that various FIUs and other LEAs, with long-standing experience in the ML area (including in its OC component), are capable individually of addressing the issues related to the fight against the legalisation of OC profits, but that often these efforts are fragmented and the overall outcome is limited. The report identifies obstacles in this area. Some of the most frequently noted difficulties related to obtaining evidence from abroad (especially from offshore jurisdictions) and to the continuing lack of transparency of the ownership of investigated corporate vehicles. The complexity of the financial flows which can be involved create particular challenges for investigators and prosecutors. 17. On a more positive note, valuable tools for OC asset tracing, freezing and confiscation were identified in the course of the research. These include exploitation of the analysis by the FIUs, use of FIU powers (monitoring of transactions, postponement), and use of financial profiling techniques. In addition, the more active use of Joint Investigations Teams (JITs) in appropriate transnational OC investigations is recommended. 18. The report identifies that some jurisdictions achieve success in autonomous ML cases without the necessity to establish precisely from which predicate offenses the laundered property comes. These cases are usually based on inferences drawn from facts and circumstances. This is particularly helpful in OC cases. However, the survey also indicated that there still remains resistance in many jurisdictions to challenging the courts with these types of autonomous and stand-alone cases. The report explains some of the jurisprudence in England and Wales on autonomous and stand-alone ML that has been followed in several other jurisdictions. The case studies also describe some of the successes that have been achieved following this line of jurisprudence. It is strongly recommended that more jurisdictions challenge their courts with cases based on this line of jurisprudence where there are OC connections. 19. The infiltration of financial institutions by OC through corruption (or by other means) is sometimes associated with identified criminal activities, such as illicit waste disposal, trafficking in endangered species, illegal investment in real estate projects, the facilitation of illegal immigration, drug and weapons trafficking, document counterfeiting and crimes which can be facilitated only with the authorisations of local or national administrations. While the incidence of this finding is not measured, it is considered that jurisdictions where the above-mentioned predicate offenses are prevalent, should be more alert to the risks of OC infiltrating financial institutions for ML purposes. 20. Finally the report focuses on typologies of ML cases where OC proceeds were laundered. It appears that the most common proceeds-generating crimes are of a financial nature (all forms of fiscal frauds, including tax evasion and internet-related frauds). The survey revealed that the FIUs' capacity and expertise in financial analysis is underused by law enforcement.

Details: Strasbourg: COE, 2015. 93p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 7, 2015 at: http://www.coe.int/t/dghl/monitoring/moneyval/Typologies/MONEYVAL(2015)20_typologies_launderingtheproceedsoforganisedcrime.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Asset Forfeiture

Shelf Number: 136350


Author: European Commission. Centre for Strategy and Evaluation Services

Title: Study to Support an Impact Assessment on Options for Combatting Illicit Firearms Trafficking in the European Union

Summary: The purpose of the study was to: - Analyse the current legal framework in all Member States including the definitions of specific offences relating to firearms trafficking, the sanctions, the liability of legal and natural persons and the notions of intent, negligence and aggravating or mitigating circumstances; - Analyse the implementation of the above-mentioned offences in practice and identify possible obstacles in police and judicial cooperation due to the existence of different legal systems; - Make recommendations as to the advisability of the approximation of certain offences and sanctions and suggest specific provisions if appropriate. The purpose of this study was to provide DG Home with information required for the Impact Assessment to determine the most appropriate policy option within the context of possible changes to the 2008 Directive. The research involved desk research to examine legal frameworks and other information, a survey of key stakeholders, an interview programme, and three workshops covering the Benelux countries, Baltic States and the Western Balkans, Austria and Hungary, which were attended by representatives from a total of 11 Member States. 2. Main Conclusions The study's main findings and conclusions are summarised below under three sub-headings - the problem of illicit firearms trafficking, existing legal frameworks to combat illicit arms trafficking, and policy objectives and evaluation of policy options. 2.1 The problem of illicit firearms trafficking Overall, the research confirms that Europe faces a serious illicit firearms trafficking problem. This is a problem in its own right but also as an important factor contributing to other criminal activities such as drugs smuggling and human trafficking as well as terrorist-related activities that threaten the security of EU Member States and their citizens. Trafficked firearms also contributes to increased lethality of criminal violence by adding to firearms availability. The nature and scale of illicit firearms trafficking in the EU is difficult to assess given the hidden nature of the problem. Two approaches could be used - a broad indicator based on the number of unregistered firearms and a narrower measure based on firearms seizures - but they give widely differing estimates (there are 67 million unregistered firearms in the EU or 79% of the 81 million total licit and illicit firearms; seizures are estimated to account for around 1% or 81,000 of the total). The first of these approaches is likely to be very much an overestimate of the quantity of illicit firearms whilst the second calculation is almost certainly an underestimate. Informed estimates by national enforcement authorities or other institutions using various other methodologies are illuminating but also unreliable. The conclusion is that the illicit firearms trafficking cannot be estimated precisely and only quantified in terms of a broad range. Notwithstanding the methodological complications in measuring the phenomenon, most of the literature suggests however that illicit arms trafficking takes place on a considerable scale. In many respects, the scale of the illicit firearms trafficking problem is usefully measured by the number of firearms-related homicides. It is estimated that illicit firearms trafficking has been directly responsible for at least 10,000 firearms-related deaths in EU Member States over the past decade. Some other estimates (e.g. by the UNODC) put the deaths at a higher level than this (around 1,200 p.a.). Availability of firearms during violent incidents tends to substantially increase the lethality of injuries. In addition to murders committed by individuals, illegally-held firearms are often used by organised crime groups to coerce and to intimidate their victims. Moreover, the use of illicit firearms in organised crime activities such as drug trafficking, prostitution, and money laundering leads to further deaths (e.g. from drugs use). Terrorists and extremists have also used illicit firearms to carry out attacks. Overall, the use of firearms is a significant destabilising factor in European societies. In terms of the drivers of illicit firearms trafficking, three main types of players can be identified on the demand and supply sides of the problem. On the demand-side, the illicit firearms end users of most concern are criminal or terrorist individuals and groups that procure firearms illegally to use in the pursuit of their goals. Secondly, traffickers and other intermediaries are involved in the actual trafficking of firearms either for profit or other reasons (e.g. being linked to a criminal conspiracy). Lastly, on the supply-side, suppliers are individuals and organisations that provide a source of illicit firearms (either intentionally or unintentionally) who are again likely to be motivated by financial considerations, at least where the act of supplying illicit weapons is intentional. The main sources of illegal weapons in the EU are the reactivation of neutralised weapons, burglaries and thefts, embezzlement of legal arms, legal arms diverted to the illegal market, firearms retired from service by army or police, and the conversion of gas pistols. Most illicit firearms originate from cross-border trafficking, often from outside the EU. Since the early 1990s, the firearms illicitly trafficked have originated from three main sources that have replaced each other: first of all the former Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact bloc were a source of illicit firearms due to the fall of the iron curtain; then, during the wars of Yugoslav succession, the Western Balkans became an important source of illicit firearms; and more recently, North Africa has superseded the former, with a pool of weapons available and following some of the main drug trafficking routes into the EU. According to Europol, the amount of heavy firearms and Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) in circulation in the EU seems to satisfy much of the demand at present and suppliers in south-eastern Europe have the capacity to meet any rise in demand in the foreseeable future. There is already extensive cross-border cooperation between EU Member States and their law enforcement agencies to combat illicit firearms trafficking. Whilst there are many examples of successful operations to intercept weapons before they can be used, there are also cases where police and/or judicial cooperation has been made more difficult because of differences in legal frameworks in different countries. There are also significant complications of tackling cross-border illicit firearms trafficking of a non-legal nature. 2.2 Existing legal frameworks to combat illicit arms trafficking At present, there are significant differences with regard to EU Member States' legal frameworks for combatting illicit firearms trafficking. This applies to the definition of offences, the types and levels of penalties applicable to legal and natural persons, the treatment of aggravating or mitigating circumstances, and the factor of negligence and degrees of intent. International and EU legal frameworks that have a bearing on illicit firearms trafficking are broadly defined and leave signatories with considerable discretion on how key provisions are implemented. Example provisions on the criminalisation of illicit firearms trafficking are included in the UNODC's Model Law. However, the Model Law itself has no binding force on EU Member States. What is more, to leave a 'margin of discretion' for national legislators to implement the instruments in the most appropriate manner in line with their legal traditions, neither the Model Law clauses nor the other international or EU instruments are prescriptive as regards the various legal elements of an illicit firearms trafficking offence. Similarly, the relevant provisions of the UN Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons and the Firearms Protocol to the UN Convention on Organised Crime also leave considerable scope for discretion on these matters. As a result of the different legal histories and cultures and the non-prescriptive approach at international/EU level, there is a diversity of legal frameworks in relation to illicit firearms trafficking at the national level. Differences exist with regard to the definition of offences, penalties and sanctions, the existence of aggravating or mitigating circumstances and the possibility of a negligent illicit firearms trafficking offence. Other important issues where there are differences relate to the ways in which firearms trafficking offences are prosecuted (as mere possession in some instances) and seizure in transit (and tracing issues). However, divergences in national legislation are not per se a rationale for EU intervention. The relevant issue is whether, pursuant to Article 83(1) TFEU, there is a need to establish minimum rules concerning the definition of criminal offences and sanctions in the area of illicit firearms trafficking with a cross-border dimension resulting from the nature or impact of this offence or from a special need to combat such trafficking on a common EU basis. Minimum, EU-wide rules on illicit firearms trafficking would have the benefit of reducing legal uncertainty produced by these divergences for national police and investigating authorities, facilitate prosecutions, ensure that criminals are unable to exploit loopholes, and reduce incentives for criminals forum shop between EU jurisdictions. The research indicates that divergences do indeed affect cross-border police and judicial cooperation - and that, given the intrinsically cross-border nature of illicit firearms trafficking, there is a strong need to combat the offence on an EU-wide basis. However, the evidence also suggests that practical issues such as lack of resources, conflicting policy priorities (for example with anti-terror legislation) and lack of enforcement of existing laws are equally significant impediments to cross-border efforts to combat illicit firearms trafficking than differences in national legislation in this area. Feedback from the research indicates that cooperation between the police and other law enforcement agencies on cross-border cases is generally good, if often cumbersome and dependent on the quality of networks of contacts. However, at the judicial stage, e.g. in seeking permission for controlled deliveries or asking for a prosecutor to take up a case following an investigation, these differences in legal frameworks can cause complications. In considering any EU initiative, however, it should be acknowledged that there are likely to be political sensitivities in approximating some elements of the illicit firearms trafficking offence given that questions of aggravating or mitigating circumstance, sanctions and penalties, and the factor of negligence and degrees of intent touch on fundamental principles of criminal law at the national level. 2.3 Policy Objectives and Evaluation of Policy Options The overall policy objectives of any new EU-level initiative should be to help Member States to combat illicit firearms trafficking more effectively and by doing so, enhancing the common area of freedom, security and justice. More specific goals include deterring criminal offences related to firearms, improving cooperation between law enforcement authorities in preventing detecting, disrupting, investigating and prosecuting illicit arm trafficking; and providing a model which can be promoted in discussions with third countries on firearms risk reduction. Operational goals are defined as being to minimize the differences in definitions of firearms offences and levels of sanctions across the EU; to put in place a system for regular monitoring the effectiveness of efforts to disrupt firearms crime, and to further encourage the sharing of information and intelligence. Several Policy Options have been defined and assessed in the report. To summarize: - Policy Option 1: Status Quo - continuation of the current situation with no new EU intervention. - Policy Option 2(a): Non-legislative action - promoting closer collaboration between Member States rather than introducing new EU-level initiatives (although these may be necessary to promote close collaboration). This option would include non-statutory intervention, either as a first step or supporting action for implementing EU legislation in the future. - Policy Option 2(b): Minimum legislative intervention at the EU level - a minimum level of legislative intervention at EU level to strengthen cross-border cooperation between law enforcement agencies by making certain types of cooperation obligatory. - Policy Option 3: Comprehensive legislative solution at EU level - EU action to introduce legally-binding common minimum standards across Member States with regard the definition of criminal offences and their sanctions related to illicit arms trafficking and linked offences. - Policy Option 4 - Combination of legislative and non-legislative actions, i.e. Policy Options 2 and 3. In essence, Policy Option 1 entails a continuation of the status quo as defined in the problem assessment (this could mean a potential worsening of the problem caused by illicit firearms trafficking) with the 'advantageous effects' of Policy Options 2 and 3 being measured against this baseline. Because it is difficult to quantify what impact different Policy Options might have on the current level of illicit firearms trafficking, the assessment of the merits and drawbacks of different Policy Options is essentially qualitative. Drawing on the results of the analysis of expected financial and economic, social and other impacts, including the implications for fundamental rights, the conclusion is that Policy Option 4 (i.e. a combination of Policy Options 2 and 3) will have the most advantageous effect on the problem and on promoting EU policy aims. Policy Option 4 is therefore the recommended option.

Details: Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2014. 204p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 7, 2015 at: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/home-affairs/e-library/documents/policies/organized-crime-and-human-trafficking/general/docs/dg_home_-_illicit_fireams_trafficking_final_en.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Firearms Trafficking

Shelf Number: 136351


Author: European Commission. Directorate General Justice, Freedom and Security

Title: Study on "Best Practices in Vertical Relations between the Financial Intelligence Unit and (1) Law Enforcement Services and (2) Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Reporting Entities with a View to Indicating Effective Models for Feedback on Fol"

Summary: The objective of the study was to make an inventory on the provision of feedback between the Reporting Entities (REs), the Financial Intelligence Units (FIUs) and Law enforcement Authorities (LEAs). 25 Member States were visited and a large number of interviews were held. Feedback should be provided and received in the following ways: (1) Feedback should be received by the REs in reaction to the financial reports (STRs) the REs are legally obligated to send to the FIUs of the different Member States. (2) Feedback should be provided by LEAs to the FIUs in reaction on the dissemination by the FIU of financial information on the basis of the STRs received from the REs. The interviews of personnel from the REs, FIUs and LEAs indicated a level of feedback (FIU->RE) as generally recommended in the Best practice Guidelines on Providing Feedback, published in 1998 by the FATF. There are some new developments like indications on quality of STRs being fed back to the REs. The main forms of feedback between those entities (FIU->RE) are however still based on the recommendations of the FATF. Feedback in the 25 Member States consists mainly of general feedback (the organisation of AML-meetings, workshops, statistics, typologies, trends, sanitised cases etc.) and specific feedback (individual or case to case) on the outcome of specific STRs reported by the REs. This last form of feedback seems to be provided in an informal way in most Member States. Some forms of formal obligations to provide specific feedback between FIUs and LEAs and from the FIUs to REs were found in some Member States. It was also found that even if there was a formal obligation for LEAs and the FIU to provide feedback to each other and the REs, this not always meant that feedback was supplied to the REs. The general impression of the AML activities in relation to feedback within the Member States visited by the Team is that most Member States still rely on the "old" recommendations of the FATF (1998) on feedback. New ways to provide feedback are hardly developed. Good communication and information exchange with the REs is not sufficiently implemented in a lot of Member States. Contacts between reporting Entities and the FIU as well as Law enforcement authorities seem to have decreased in some Member States. "The number of meeting, conferences and training sessions have become less and less, AML information is not sent as frequently as in the past, the relation between FIUs, Reporting Entities and Law enforcement, in relation to the money laundering approach has cooled down". General Remarks like this by a number of REs seem to suggest a declining interest in AML activities. A possible explanation for this may be the lack of communication and cooperation within the AML chain (REs, FIUs and LEAs), continuous organisational changes that some institutions are facing, complicated AML legislation and lack of sufficient results in the form of ML convictions. Audits performed in some Member States on the effectiveness of AML Institutions showed few achievements in the fight against ML, and as a consequence, usually a reorganisation of the AML institutions was undertaken in some countries. Some examples of these changes are The Netherlands (2006 MOT to the FIU the Netherlands), The United Kingdom (2006 NCIS to SOCA) and presently Italy (2008). Other Member States have relocated their FIU organisation or created new functions like a police liaisons within their units, e.g. Bulgaria, Lithuania, Hungary and Estonia. In addition, FIUs and REs expressed their concern about the increasing number of tasks that have been assigned to them in relation to the traditional AML activities and or new specific tasks regarding the financing of terrorism. This report certainly does not pretend to be of a scientific nature but merely an introduction to the problem of feedback. One thing is certain, there is a lot of improvement to be made in the communication and cooperation between the different AML institutions.

Details: Brussels: European Commission, 2008. 101p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 8, 2015 at: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/home-affairs/doc_centre/crime/docs/study_fiu_and_terrorism_financing_en.pdf

Year: 2008

Country: Europe

Keywords: Criminal Investigation

Shelf Number: 136357


Author: Global Detention Project

Title: The Detention of Asylum Seekers in the Mediterranean Region

Summary: With the recent tragic surge in the number of deaths at sea of asylum seekers and other migrants attempting to reach Europe, enormous public attention is being focused on the treatment of these people across the Mediterranean. An important migration policy employed throughout the region is detention, including widespread deprivation of liberty of asylum seekers and other vulnerable groups. This Global Detention Project background paper is intended to highlight some of the vulnerabilities that people seeking international protection face when they are taken into custody in Mediterranean countries and to underscore the way that European Union-driven policies have impacted the migratory phenomenon in the region. The report focuses on eight key countries in Europe and North Africa. While there are clear differences in treatment from one side of the Mediterranean to the next, looked at collectively, the protection environment across all the countries in the region is bleak. Not surprisingly, the conditions of detention asylum seekers face in North African countries are often horrific and inhumane. However, in Europe, there are also serious shortcomings. In fact, as this backgrounder reports, reception and detention conditions in three of Europe's main asylum receiving countries (Greece, Italy, and Malta) are so inadequate that many of their EU counterparts have been forced to halt returns to these countries under the Dublin III Regulation

Details: Geneva, SWIT: Global Detention Project, 2015. 22p.

Source: Internet Resource: Global Detention Project Backgrounder : Accessed August 8, 2015 at: http://www.globaldetentionproject.org/fileadmin/DIVERSE/GDP_Med_report_final.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Asylum Seekers

Shelf Number: 136361


Author: Kopp, Pierre

Title: Organized Crime: Strategies and Countermeasures

Summary: While there have been vast numbers of studies on criminal money-laundering, the great majority of them appear to be devoted exclusively to evaluating the amounts of money involved. These essentially quantitative analyses are inadequate because they give us only an abstract view of the money-laundering problem and provide no precise information about its impact on the legal economy or about the true threat that the existence of such illegal activities presents to society. Concentrating as they do on the extent of money-laundering, studies of this kind tend to focus attention on the methods used by criminal organizations to remove their income from police surveillance, at the expense of an analysis of the strategies these organizations use to obtain income to the detriment of society. Public policy in the fight against money-laundering has focused too much on the use of the most sophisticated techniques put at our disposal by the international financial system, whereas most criminals who launder their income continue to use the most elementary methods, and among those methods the most primitive of all - namely consumption. Hardly more sophisticated are the shifting of cash from one place to another and the opening of several bank accounts, which often constitute the only precautions taken. Complex scenarios such as those uncovered in the Jurado affair are put in hand by only a minority of criminals, among whom the large criminal organizations occupy the first rank. Many of our methods of combating money-laundering have been designed to prevent, or render extremely difficult, the sophisticated use of banking and financial mechanisms, which has led the law enforcement authorities to practices. Because of its growing complexity, the campaign against money-laundering - confined to its most sophisticated aspects - has acquired a kind of autonomous status which is too often unrelated to the real struggle against criminal organizations; and this limits the efficiency of the campaign. The law enforcement authorities have had to admit their inability to oversee the whole network of international transactions themselves. As a consequence they have had to delegate this function to the banking and financial system. Since they are not in a position to impose a mandate directly on that system, they have had to offer special incentives to secure its cooperation. Banks and financial institutions are required, under pain of sanctions, to oversee their clients. Criminals must therefore either give up money-laundering or else resort to more complex and costly arrangements, which is in itself an indirect way of checking laundering. We shall show in this report that government policy in the fight against money-laundering, as commonly implemented, reflects these concerns that are too exclusively focused on the use of methods designed to increase the cost of laundering, to slow down its implementation and to limit the sums of money whose criminal origins can effectively be disguised. The public authorities base their actions on assumptions regarding the behaviour of the actors involved (criminals and banks) which accord great confidence to the effectiveness of incentive arrangements whose foundations are at best uncertain.

Details: Vienna: Vienna International Center, 1999. 98p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 8, 2015 at: http://www.pierrekopp.com/downloads/organizedcrime.pdf

Year: 1999

Country: Europe

Keywords: Financial Crimes

Shelf Number: 136362


Author: Center for the Study of Democracy

Title: Corruption and Illegal Trafficking: Monitoring and Prevention. Assessment Methodologies and Models of Counteracting Transborder Crime. Second, revised and amended edition

Summary: This revised and amended edition of the Corruption and Trafficking report reviews corruption and transborder crime in Bulgaria and discusses topics such as the development of smuggling channels, consumer good smuggling and drug trafficking. The report offers methods for monitoring trafficking and identifies ways to curb trafficking and related corruption.

Details: Sofia: Center for the Study of Democracy, 2000. 71p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 14, 2015 at: http://www.isn.ethz.ch/Digital-Library/Publications/Detail/?lang=en&id=28950

Year: 2000

Country: Europe

Keywords: Border Security

Shelf Number: 136421


Author: Berman, Jacqueline

Title: Needs Assessment: Human Trafficking in the Western Balkans

Summary: In September 2013, through the support of the IOM Development Fund, a seven-month needs assessment on the human trafficking situation in the Western Balkans (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina [BiH], UNSC resolution 1244-administered Kosovo, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia) was commissioned . The purpose was to collect and summarize stakeholder views of the mechanisms and resources available to combat TIP in the region. The assessment sought to identify key gaps related to the identification, referral, assistance and support for trafficked persons. Stakeholders were also asked for their recommendations on how to strengthen existing responses, correct inappropriate processes, and rectify fundamental gaps in regional counter-trafficking resources. The primary focus on the prompt and accurate identification of cases of trafficking and their appropriate treatment suggests how fundamental these steps are to any effective response to TIP. Without proper identification of cases, it is not possible to identify, apprehend and prosecute trafficking networks, nor to generate the data required to inform prevention activities and improve policy responses. Without appropriate referral and support for all persons who experience trafficking and exploitation, it is not possible to have a comprehensive response to trafficking. As such, the needs assessment focused on these two key components of trafficking responses in the region. The needs assessment involved six primary steps: (1) a desk review consisting of collection, coding and analysis of documents identified and requested by IOM and supplemented by the research team; (2) development of two tools for identification of stakeholders and their roles to include in the needs assessment; (3) interviews with 37 identified stakeholders in-person and by telephone; (4) an online survey of regional, sub-regional and extra-regional IOM staff and other stakeholders (yielding 99 out of 135 completions for a response rate of 73%); (5) analysis and triangulation of all data sources using a structured coding scheme to develop findings and initial recommendations; and (6) presentation and correction/validation of study findings and recommendations at a stakeholders workshop. The needs assessment identified a total of 20 primary findings that focus on the issues (1) most frequently cited by informants, respondents and in documents; (2) to which informants, respondents and documents devoted the most time or space discussing; and (3) that were most often identified as salient across respondent types and sub-regional/regional documents. The research team grouped the findings under the following five key areas: (1) emerging trends in TIP; (2) identification and referral; (3) support available to people who have experienced trafficking; (4) cooperation among counter-TIP actors; and (5) gaps in identification, referral and protection programmes. The recommendations following from stakeholder views and these findings seek to address the primary gaps and priorities identified at the regional level. They reflect the suggestions made by interviewed informants and survey respondents, as well as discussed and validated at the stakeholder workshop. Not all recommendations are equally relevant to each site. There are 15 consecutively numbered recommendations ordered by topic. Additionally, country-level recommendations and priorities for action are included in the recommendations section of the report (Section 5).

Details: Geneva, SWIT: International Organization for Migration, 2014. 166p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 14, 2015 at: http://publications.iom.int/bookstore/free/CT_NeedsAssessment_Western_Balkans_ENG.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Human Exploitation

Shelf Number: 136428


Author: Marijnissen, Chantal

Title: Facing Reality: How to halt the import of illegal timber in the EU

Summary: By mid-2004, the European Commission is due to report back to the Council of the European Union with its proposals for implementing the EU Action Plan on Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) that it released in May 2003. FERN, Greenpeace and WWF welcome the Plan and aim, with this report, to provide further recommendations to EU policy makers that will assist their efforts to ensure its successful implementation. Given the stage of development of the FLEGT Action Plan, this report will focus primarily on criminal aspects of the timber industry. However, it is important to remember that much legal logging is also highly destructive - and that ultimately it is the issue of forest sustainability that needs to be addressed. As the environmental NGO community has repeatedly shown, the impacts of illegal logging on wildlife and human welfare are devastating. Illegal logging contributes to deforestation and loss of biodiversity; fuels civil wars and threatens international security through bribery, organised crime and human rights abuses; cuts tax revenue of producer countries; destabilises international markets and undermines both legitimate business and responsible forest management. As a major buyer and importer of illegal forest products, and with European timber companies heavily implicated in this trade, the European Union has the duty as well as the power to curtail criminal activities linked to it. We believe that, to be successful, the FLEGT process cannot be restricted to voluntary mechanisms. Illegal logging has reached an unprecedented high level, proving that voluntary measures, together with industry self-regulation, have been insufficient to stop illegal logging. Therefore, although we welcome the planned EU regulation for a voluntary licensing scheme and the development of voluntary partnership agreements, we believe that the EU must develop a regulation to outlaw the import of illegally sourced timber and forest products. This regulation must be implemented at the same time as the regulation for the voluntary licensing scheme and should allow EU enforcement officials to seize illegally sourced forest products and to prosecute those that trade in them. We also ask the European Union to build political support within producer countries for the voluntary partnership agreements proposed by the FLEGT Action Plan. The negotiations of these agreements should bring together all stakeholders in producer and consumer countries in developing solutions and promoting responsible forest management.

Details: Brussels: FERN, 2004. 38p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 19, 2015 at: http://www.fern.org/sites/fern.org/files/pubs/reports/facing_reality.pdf

Year: 2004

Country: Europe

Keywords: Deforestation

Shelf Number: 136456


Author: Ginkel, Bibi T. van

Title: Responding to cyber jihad: towards an effective counter narrative

Summary: "Who is in control of the narrative?" is the mantra that now echoes in the hallways of the EU's headquarters in Brussels. Spurred in part by large-scale jihadist propaganda, approximately 20,000 people from 50 countries have joined the fight in Iraq and Syria. So far, authorities in their countries of origin have not been able to address the jihadist radicalisation messages transmitted via the internet and social media. Many new initiatives were recently announced, however, including the establishment of a European counter-narrative centre in Brussels. In this research paper, ICCT Research Fellow Dr. Bibi van Ginkel analyses the role of the internet and social media in processes of radicalisation. It offers an outline of the various aspects of the jihadist narrative, in order better to understand what message needs to be countered. The counter-actions against this cyber jihad can take different forms. Parallel to the way in which advertisement campaigns are tailored to sell products to a certain target group, strategic communication should take into account how a number of recurring elements play a role in the counter-messaging. The understanding of who the target group is, what jihadist narrative is used and how that message can be countered, who the credible messenger should be, and what medium can best be used to deliver the message are all relevant questions that can only be answered in a context-specific manner. The report concludes with several recommendations on how the recently announced new European counter-narrative centre can effectively contribute to the already diverse landscape of counter-narrative initiatives.

Details: The Hague: International Centre for Counter-Terrorism, 2015. 21p.

Source: Internet Resource: ICCT Research Paper: Accessed August 19, 2015 at: http://www.clingendael.nl/sites/default/files/Responding_to_Cyber_Jihad_2015.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Extremist Groups

Shelf Number: 136490


Author: Parkin, Joanna

Title: The Criminalisation of Migration in Europe: A State-of-the-Art of the Academic Literature and Research

Summary: In the last 30 years, a clear trend has come to define modern immigration law and policy. A set of seemingly disparate developments concerning the constant reinforcement of border controls, tightening of conditions of entry, expanding capacities for detention and deportation and the proliferation of criminal sanctions for migration offences, accompanied by an anxiety on the part of the press, public and political establishment regarding migrant criminality can now be seen to form a definitive shift in the European Union towards the so-called 'criminalisation of migration'. This paper aims to provide an overview of the 'state-of-the-art' in the academic literature and EU research on criminalisation of migration in Europe. It analyses three key manifestations of the socalled 'crimmigration' trend: discursive criminalisation; the use of criminal law for migration management; and immigrant detention, focusing both on developments in domestic legislation of EU member states but also the increasing conflation of mobility, crime and security which has accompanied EU integration. By identifying the trends, synergies and gaps in the scholarly approaches dealing with the criminalisation of migration, the paper seeks to provide a framework for on-going research under Work Package 8 of the FIDUCIA project.

Details: Brussels: Center for European Policy Studies, 2013. 30p.

Source: Internet Resource: CEPS Papers in Liberty and Security in Europe, no. 61: Accessed August 19, 2015 at: http://www.ceps.eu/system/files/Criminalisation%20of%20Migration%20in%20Europe%20J%20Parkin%20FIDUCIA%20final.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Illegal Immigration

Shelf Number: 131704


Author: Davis, Ian

Title: Organised crime, corruption and illicit arms trafficking in an enlarged EU: Challenges and perspectives

Summary: Although the end of the Cold War has significantly reduced the threat of nuclear war, it has also resulted in an increase in the number of local wars and civil conflicts throughout the world fought primarily with small arms and light weapons. Large quantities of small arms are in circulation today moving from one armed conflict to another, a process abetted by brokers, local arms dealers and certain producer governments. Weapons are being transferred regularly to regions of conflict in Africa, Asia and the Middle East, from areas with weak export controls and large surplus stocks, such as the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. However, more recently, traditionally safer areas such as Western Europe have also been adversely affected by the spread of small arms. Although the influx of weapons into the European Union (EU) is not overwhelming, there is a regular trickle of small arms primarily from the Balkan region, as well as from Eastern Europe, which could increase as the EU and the Schengen Rim both expand to the east and south-east. The collapse of the Soviet Union, the end of the Warsaw Pact and the wars in former Yugoslavia have resulted in a relaxation of border controls and an excess supply of light weapons, some of which have found their way into Europe. Small arms and light weapons (SALW) have fed the local criminal underworld as well as European terrorist groups, such as the Real IRA, thus contributing to the undermining of West European public safety. The EU looks set for significant expansion, which will compound the difficulties facing the control of illegal weapons proliferation, especially given that in some of the potential candidate countries, e.g. Cyprus, the components of former Yugoslavia, and to a lesser extent Hungary, organised crime is particularly strong. Moreover, as the EU expands, its outer rim will be policed and protected by state security forces and customs officials that may be less well-trained and capable overall than their current counterparts. Before too long, the EU might border unstable regions in former Yugoslavia and Albania. Although military conflict has been brought to an end in Kosovo and Bosnia, and former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic has been ousted from power in Belgrade, the political situation in the region remains highly unstable. A renewal of violence and new demand for light weapons cannot be ruled out. Furthermore, the end of the wars in former Yugoslavia has resulted in widespread availability of cheap but powerful light weapons, many of which have ended up in the hands of local organised crime groups. These groups are now becoming increasingly powerful, as they forge links with well-established groups on the other side of the Adriatic. The spread of crime and instability, especially to the southern regions of Europe, could lead to further proliferation of light weapons in the region and eventually into the EU. The potential for a future light weapons proliferation crisis within the EU which is normally considered a secure area, therefore needs to be assessed.

Details: London: Saferworld, 2001. 70p.

Source: Internet Resource: Saferworld Arms & Security Programme: Accessed August 20, 2015 at: http://www.saferworld.org.uk/resources/view-resource/76-organised-crime-corruption-and-illicit-arms-trafficking-in-an-enlarged-eu

Year: 2001

Country: Europe

Keywords: Corruption

Shelf Number: 136496


Author: Sagramoso, Domitilla

Title: The proliferation of illegal small arms and light weapons in and around the European Union: Instability, organised crime and terrorist groups

Summary: Although the end of the Cold War has significantly reduced the threat of nuclear war, it has also resulted in an increase in the number of local wars and civil conflicts throughout the world fought primarily with small arms and light weapons. Large quantities of small arms are in circulation today moving from one armed conflict to another, a process abetted by brokers, local arms dealers and certain producer governments. Weapons are being transferred regularly to regions of conflict in Africa, Asia and the Middle East, from areas with weak export controls and large surplus stocks, such as the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. However, more recently, traditionally safer areas such as Western Europe have also been adversely affected by the spread of small arms. Although the influx of weapons into the European Union (EU) is not overwhelming, there is a regular trickle of small arms primarily from the Balkan region, as well as from Eastern Europe, which could increase as the EU and the Schengen Rim both expand to the east and south-east. The collapse of the Soviet Union, the end of the Warsaw Pact and the wars in former Yugoslavia have resulted in a relaxation of border controls and an excess supply of light weapons, some of which have found their way into Europe. Small arms and light weapons (SALW) have fed the local criminal underworld as well as European terrorist groups, such as the Real IRA, thus contributing to the undermining of West European public safety. The EU looks set for significant expansion, which will compound the difficulties facing the control of illegal weapons proliferation, especially given that in some of the potential candidate countries, e.g. Cyprus, the components of former Yugoslavia, and to a lesser extent Hungary, organised crime is particularly strong. Moreover, as the EU expands, its outer rim will be policed and protected by state security forces and customs officials that may be less well-trained and capable overall than their current counterparts. Before too long, the EU might border unstable regions in former Yugoslavia and Albania. Although military conflict has been brought to an end in Kosovo and Bosnia, and former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic has been ousted from power in Belgrade, the political situation in the region remains highly unstable. A renewal of violence and new demand for light weapons cannot be ruled out. Furthermore, the end of the wars in former Yugoslavia has resulted in widespread availability of cheap but powerful light weapons, many of which have ended up in the hands of local organised crime groups. These groups are now becoming increasingly powerful, as they forge links with well-established groups on the other side of the Adriatic. The spread of crime and instability, especially to the southern regions of Europe, could lead to further proliferation of light weapons in the region and eventually into the EU. The potential for a future light weapons proliferation crisis within the EU which is normally considered a secure area, therefore needs to be assessed. This project has involved research on the proliferation of arms in two EU countries which are geographically close to the areas of instability - Germany and Italy - and in two which are further away from the areas of tension but could also become affected by the spread of arms - the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. In addition, research has been conducted in two EU candidate countries, the Czech Republic and Bulgaria, in order to assess the implications of their future EU membership for European public safety. Finally, particular attention has been devoted to the examination of terrorist organisations in Europe that still have important arsenals, and which represent a threat to their country's security. Information has been gathered from a series of personal interviews with relevant public officials, experts and journalists, as well as from official statistics and documents, newspapers and specialised journals.

Details: London: Saferworld, 2001. 55p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 20, 2015 at: http://www.saferworld.org.uk/resources/view-resource/77-the-proliferation-of-illegal-small-arms-and-light-weapons-in-and-around-the-european-union

Year: 2001

Country: Europe

Keywords: Organized Crime

Shelf Number: 105693


Author: Rubio Grundell, Lucrecia

Title: EU Anti-Trafficking Policies: from Migration and Crime Control to Prevention and Protection

Summary: Trafficking in Human Beings (THB) emerged on the EU's agenda in the mid-1990s. Since then, it has been the subject of increased media attention, intense political cooperation and much legal regulation. Despite three decades of commitment to maximizing co-operation in the fight against THB however, facts regarding prevention, prosecution and especially protection remain extremely discouraging. The upcoming adoption of the European Agenda on Migration therefore, which points to the "fight against criminal human trafficking networks" as one of its four priorities, is promising. It may mark the stepping up the EU's efforts to implement the existing tools and cooperation in dealing with THB. Even more so, when the transitional period for the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty's provisions regarding Justice and Home Affairs expired in December 2014. This policy brief argues however, that even though the absence of internal borders renders a European approach indispensable, the management of migration flows from third countries is not an adequate framework within which to tackle THB. In fact, the incorporation of THB into the category of migration, especially irregular migration, is arguably one of the main reasons for the lack of success of EU anti-trafficking policies to date. A revision of EU anti-trafficking policies should ensure a more inclusive decision-making process, a focus on exploitation and not on the irregular crossing of borders, a harmonization of penalties and the guarantee that measures regarding protection are made compulsory, non-discriminatory, unconditional and adequate. Moreover, the root causes of THB must be addressed and this must include a review of the impact of EU migration laws themselves.

Details: Florence, Italy: Migration Policy Centre Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies - European University Institute, 2015. 12p.

Source: Internet Resource: Policy Brief: Accessed August 20, 2015 at: http://cadmus.eui.eu/bitstream/handle/1814/35745/MPC_PB_2015_09.pdf?sequence=1

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Human Trafficking

Shelf Number: 136497


Author: Chin, Shirleen

Title: Actors and Institutions Relevant to Fighting Environmental Crime.

Summary: There are numerous actors and institutions, internationally and regionally, that are relevant for the efforts of the European Union to combat environmental crime both on its territory and beyond. This report examines the roles of some prominent actors and institutions, including amongst others, INTERPOL, the the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, World Customs Organisation, the United Nations Environment Programme, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, EUROPOL, Eurojust and the Directorate General Environment of the EU Commission. Some of these organisations have their own units to address environmental crime whilst some do not, by virtue of their mandates. Together, most of these organisations are linked to one another in the form of some formal and informal agreements. To date, one of the most significant cooperation is that between INTERPOL, UNODC, WCO, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora and World Bank called the International Consortium on Combating Wildlife Crime. This report will try to demonstrate how environmental crime is inherently linked to other forms of especially serious and organised crime. Several organisations described in this report have made that connection between environmental crime and these other forms of crime and do not treat environmental issues in isolation. The analysis contained in this report will cover, to the extent possible, the actual behaviour of cooperation amongst these organisations. For this, relevant literature and documents as well as interviews with experts and practitioners have been used.

Details: The Hague: Institute for Environmental Security, 2015. 54p.

Source: Internet Resource: Study in the framework of the EFFACE research project: Accessed August 20, 2015 at: http://www.ecologic.eu/sites/files/publication/2015/efface_actors_and_institutions_relevant_to_fighting_environmental_crime_0.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Offenses Against the Environment

Shelf Number: 136499


Author: Smith, Lucy Olivia

Title: Evaluation of the Costs and Impacts of Environmental Crime: CITES Trade of the Horsfieldii Tortoise

Summary: Testudo horsfieldii is a tortoise and is classified as Vulnerable (VU)1 on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List following an evaluation of its conservation status in the wild by the Tortoise and Fresh Water Turtle Specialist Group in 1996. For this reason the horsfieldii was categorized to Appendix II of Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) allowing for monitored trade of the species based on quotas self-designated by Parties to the Convention in a manner meant to sustain the species in the wild in its natural range. The horsfieldii is native across Central Asia and can be found in Armenia, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, northwest China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Since the mid 1970s the horsfieldii has been subject to heavy trading for the global pet market. Horsfieldii are either caught in the wild or bred in captivity and exported from its range into the pet trade in predominantly Western countries. The US, Japan and Europe are the main importers of the species. While there are many turtle and tortoise species involved in the pet trade, the horsfieldii is one of the most heavily traded and illegal trade is suspected to take place. Firstly, it is likely that more specimens are traded than are actually reported in CITES trade data. Secondly, it is suspected that the improper use of CITES labels that differentiate between wild and captive bred specimens results in a much higher number of wild caught specimens existing in trade than the data reported would suggest. Finally, tortoise is naturally found in a very vast range which includes countries that are not party to CITES (e.g. Tajikistan), which opens the possibility of illegal transport and smuggling through non-party countries or countries with less stringent environmental and enforcement standards. Despite that certain patterns in trade reveal potential illegality, it is difficult to calculate the rate of extinction of the species or its monetary value as a species because there is a serious lack of reliable data. This is a common reality for many species listed in CITES and therefore is not a justifiable reason for non-inclusion in such evaluations. Unlike the elephant and rhino that are also included in the CITES valuation study of the EFFACE project, the horsfieldii is an example of the omnipresent but invisible nature of illegal wildlife trade. This case is representative of many species that face the threat of unsustainable harvest but that are less emblematic and therefore risk drifting into population decline and possible extinction without notice. The commercial harvest of horsfieldii for the pet trade is regarded by conservation biologists as the foremost threat to its survival and existence in the wild. For data, this study relied on publicly available trade data provided by CITES that indicate quotas and information on the quantity of exports and imports. Despite the many infrequencies that exist when using such data, it is possible to show how illegal trade may take place and at what scale. A significant challenge to understanding the impact of commercial trade on turtle and tortoise conservation status and that of the horsfieldii specifically, is the fact that there remains little data collection or information about their population status in the wild, which results from the fact that they are difficult to count in their vast range and also considered of lesser importance or reputation than some other flagship species (e.g. panda, rhino, elephant). The data limitation on population and replacement rate was a significant obstacle in the calculation efforts of this study to determine the rate of extinction and sustainability of the current trade.

Details: Berlin, Germany: Ecologic Institute, 2015. 21p.

Source: Internet Resource: This study was completed as part of the EFFACE project. Accessed August 21, 2015 at: http://efface.eu/sites/default/files/EFFACE%20D3.2f%20Quantitative%20and%20monetary%20analysis%20-%20Horsfieldii%20Tortoise%20hunting.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Endangered Species

Shelf Number: 136515


Author: Farmer, Andrew

Title: Qualitative and monetary analysis of the impacts of environmental crime: Overview

Summary: The survey of data sources within earlier work within EFFACE showed that the data on environmental crime are usually highly dispersed with limited detailed data collations. The most likely sources of consolidated data are international institutions (such as Conventions and the EU). However, even here data are often limited. As a result it is not possible to provide a robust estimate of the overall impacts of environmental crime as a total figure. There are simply too many gaps for this to be done with any confidence. Therefore, it is important to focus on quantifying the impacts of environmental crime in areas where there are sufficient data for this to be done robustly and with confidence. As a result, the quantitative and monetary analysis has been undertaken for the following five subjects: - The impacts of arson events - The impacts of illegal wildlife trade in rhino and elephant - The impacts of marine pollution - The impacts of illegal WEEE shipments from the EU to China - The impacts of illegal wildlife trade in Horsfieldii Tortoise A common framework to guide data collection, analysis and presentation was agreed. This framework involved three analytical steps on the quantitative assessment of levels of illegal activity, the quantitative assessment of the impacts of that illegal activity and the economic valuation of the impacts of the illegal activity. The results identified good examples of information that can be used to understand impacts of environmental crime. The most useful are good, coherent databases with information about the scale of illegal events (a fires database being a clear case). Another is the linking together of good data from different sources, such as that on illegal elephant and rhino poaching and that on population changes - thus enabling conclusions to be drawn on whether the criminal activity is affecting populations in the wild. Data from different types of sources can help paint a picture of different types of impacts (as seen with the waste shipment case). The work had variable success in determining the quantitative impacts of environmental crime. Problems encountered in doing this have included: - Barriers to determining what level of crime is occurring, where, trends, etc. In some cases there is poor recording of criminal events. However, in other cases it may be difficult to distinguish between legal and illegal activity. - Information about impacts may prove difficult to move from anecdotal to quantitative. - Where crime levels are known, the impacts from such crimes may be mixed with those from legal activities, so that distinguishing impacts is difficult. - There is poor monitoring and recording of changes to environmental quality, health, etc., so that quantitative impacts of criminal activities are not known. As a result, for much of the work here, assessments of quantitative impacts are limited to specific areas where there is sufficient data (or data of sufficient confidence) to provide those estimates. The analyses in this study present different approaches to economic analysis. In some cases the quantitative information is insufficient to develop further economic assessments to any degree of confidence. Some used valuations of the natural environment (e.g. on natural capital loss due to poaching) or to health (e.g. for waste shipment). The fires case has sought to estimate the value of assets lost. Several cases have included information on the financial losses and benefits from those engaged in or affected by the illegal activity. In all cases, the economic analysis does not provide a total value for the impact of the type of environmental crime covered, but economic values for specific impacts.

Details: London: Institute for European Environmental Policy, 2015. 22p.

Source: Internet Resource: A study in the framework of the EFFACE research project. Accessed August 21, 2015 at: http://efface.eu/sites/default/files/EFFACE%20D3.2a%20-%20Quantitative%20and%20monetary%20analysis%20-%20overview.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Costs of Crime

Shelf Number: 136516


Author: Fajardo, Teresa

Title: The Aznalcollar and Kolontar mining accidents: A case study on the criminal responsibility of operators and administrators

Summary: Mining activities are of tantamount importance for the EU that has approved in the last years different strategies in order to guarantee the mineral supplies that our industry requires. Authorisations, licencing procedures and liability regimes that must be complied with by mining operators as well as administrations responsible for them, are matters of major concern. Mining activities that are highly profitable may test the effectiveness and capacity of deterrence of environmental criminal law for violations of licences and liability regimes. Big companies can afford to damage the environment and then delay legal proceedings but in other cases they cannot survive the cost of compensation and the penalties. The case study assesses the effectiveness of the EU environmental criminal law and liability to prevent and to resolve these problems in EU Member States, examining leading cases in Spain and Hungary.

Details: Granada: University of Granada and University of Jaen, 2014. 52p.

Source: Internet Resource: A study compiled as part of the EFFACE project. http://efface.eu/sites/default/files/EFFACE_The%20Aznalcollar%20and%20Kolontar%20Mining%20Accidents_revised.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Mining

Shelf Number: 136520


Author: Saunders, Jade

Title: EUTR CITES and money laundering: A case study on the challenges to coordinated enforcement in tackling illegal logging

Summary: This paper considers three EU policy mechanisms which have the potential to reduce incentives for illegal exploitation of forest resources in producer countries: the EU Timber Regulation (EUTR), CITES and anti-money laundering legislation. Looking at four EU countries (the Czech Republic, Italy, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom) and two producer countries (Ghana and Indonesia) it describes sanctions regimes and enforcement efforts, and identifies opportunities for improved cooperation by national and EU agencies. While the available data is limited, the paper finds that enforcement has been reasonably successful given the early stage of implementation. There are some synergies between EUTR and CITES, whereas anti-money laundering legislation is not generally relied on to address environmental crimes. The paper finds significant variance between enforcement systems in the EU member states, and concludes that European Commission leadership is essential to establishing the consistency necessary for effective enforcement in the EU market. With regard to the issue of environmental crime generally, the paper concludes that in the case studies, 'criminalization' of environmentally harmful activities has primarily been guided by the nature of the sanctions considered necessary to address the problem in question.

Details: London: Chatham House, 2015. 47p.

Source: Internet Resource: A study for the EFFACE project. Accessed August 21, 2015 at: http://efface.eu/sites/default/files/EFFACE_EUTR%20CITES%20and%20money%20laundering%20A%20case%20study%20on%20the%20challenges%20to%20coordinated%20enforcement%20in%20tacking%20illegal%20logging.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Forests

Shelf Number: 136522


Author: Watkins, Emma

Title: Illegal localised pollution incidents in the EU

Summary: This case study looks at illegal localised pollution incidents within the EU. The inclusion of this case study in the EFFACE project provides an example of smaller scale, localised crime to set within the wider EFFACE context. Since this environmental crime occurs at a local level, it is not possible within the case study to provide a complete picture for the whole EU; nevertheless, a limited number of sources are investigated that provide a broad impression of the number of such incidents across the EU, as well as the incidence of illegal landfilling in all EU Member States. The main part of the case study focuses on the issue of fly-tipping/illegal waste dumping, with a specific focus on the UK and Ireland. Relatively limited amounts of data (given lack of availability) are presented on the number, type and quantity of waste, and location of fly-tipping incidents. In addition, data that was found on the number and type of actions (including successful prosecutions) taken against identified fly-tippers is also presented. A short summary of waste-related legislation and instruments in the UK and Ireland is provided, to give some context for the case study. Attempts are made to identify the key causes, impacts, costs and victims of local pollution incidents. In addition, the available law enforcement responses and their effectiveness are addressed. The final section looks at potential options for tackling fly-tipping/illegal waste dumping, including some consideration of types of action that may be appropriate at the EU level.

Details: London: Institute for European Environmental Policy, 2015. 36p.

Source: Internet Resource: A study compiled as part of the EFFACE project. Accessed August 21, 2015 at: http://efface.eu/sites/default/files/EFFACE_Illegal%20localised%20pollution%20incidents%20in%20the%20EU.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Illegal Waste

Shelf Number: 136523


Author: Technopolis

Title: Evaluation of the Firearms Directive.

Summary: The Firearms Directive (i.e. Directive 91/477/EEC as amended by Directive 2008/51/EC) aims at balancing internal market objectives (i.e. cross border movement of firearms) and security policy objectives (i.e. high level of security and protection against criminal acts and illicit trafficking) within the EU. The Firearms Directive was adopted in 1991. At that time, intra-EU frontiers and borders controls were about to be abolished including the firearms sector, which raised concerns as regards security safeguards. The Directive thus laid down the minimum requirements that Member States should impose as regards the acquisition and possession of the different categories of firearms to facilitate commercial exchange across Member Sates while guaranteeing the security of EU citizens. Furthermore, it regulates the conditions for the transfer of firearms across Member States, while granting more flexible rules for the transfer of hunting and target shooting weapons. The Firearms Directive is part of a set of initiatives taken at international level for the regulation of firearms. Its amendment in 2008 reinforces its security dimension to meet the EU international obligations which result from the Firearms Protocol2, in particular Art. 10 thereof on the prevention of illicit manufacturing and trade of firearms, their components and ammunition. The EU legislation includes comprehensive rules on the acquisition, possession and import/export of firearms, but it also leaves scope for national interpretation, standards and procedures on several aspects. Within the EU framework, Member States are indeed allowed to take more stringent measures in order to meet specific national needs.

Details: Brussels: European Commission, Directorate-General for Enterprise and Industry, 2014. 106p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 24, 2015 at: ec.europa.eu/

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Border Security

Shelf Number: 136539


Author: Transparency International

Title: Confiscation of Criminal and Illegal Assets: European Perspectives in Combat against Serious Crime

Summary: In order to disrupt organised crime activities it is essential to deprive criminals of the proceeds of crime. Organised crime groups are building large-scale international networks and amass substantial profits from various criminal or illegal activities. The proceeds of crime are laundered and re-injected into the economy in order to be legalised. The confiscation/forfeiture of criminal or illegal assets is considered as a very effective way to fight organised crime, which is essentially profit-driven. Seizing back as much of these profits as possible aims at hampering activities of criminal organisations, deterring criminality and providing additional funds to invest back into law enforcement activities or other crime prevention initiatives. The relevance of this issue is in removing the economic gain from serious crime (including, but not limited to drug trafficking, corruption, money laundering, organised crime) in order to discourage the criminal and illegal conduct. The confiscation/forfeiture of assets has been in the focus of the attention of the European Union (EU) for quite some time now, but since 2001 there are documents that can indicate developments in the concept on behalf of European institutions. Confiscation of criminal assets and Illegal asset forfeiture policy follows the course set forth by the common EU policy in the area of justice and home affairs. This course is demonstrated by the special focus on corruption and organised crime in the Lisbon Treaty and the Stockholm Programme alike2. The EU strategic vision on these issues is reflected in the Stockholm Programme which sets down the priorities of the European Union in the area of justice, freedom and security for the period 2010 - 2014. Building on the achievements of past programmes, namely the Tampere and Hague Programmes, it aims at meeting future challenges and strengthening this area by measures focused on citizens' interests and needs.

Details: Bulgaria: Transparency International; Bucuresti, Romania: Transparency International; Milan: Transparency International, 2015. 16p.

Source: Internet Resource: Policy Paper: Accesses August 24, 2015 at: http://www.confiscation.eu/site/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Policy_Paper_EN_web.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Asset Forfeiture

Shelf Number: 136558


Author: Hobbing, Peter

Title: Customs Cooperation in the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice: The role of customs in the management of the EU's external border

Summary: This study contrasts the current role of customs at the EU's external borders with the role it was intended to perform according to international standards in border management. There is a considerable imbalance between the involvement of customs and border guards, which impedes the smooth operation of border control and poses security risks for the Union and its citizens, including terrorist attacks. This paper analyses the causes of this imbalance and proposes appropriate solutions that are in line with international standards.

Details: Brussels: Centre for European Policy Studies, 2011. 39p.

Source: Internet Resource: CEPS 'Liberty and Security in Europe' Working Paper 39: Accessed August 24, 2015 at: http://aei.pitt.edu/32072/1/No_39_Hobbing_on_Customs_Cooperation.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: Europe

Keywords: Border Guards

Shelf Number: 136559


Author: European Commission. Directorate-General for Home Affairs

Title: Study on Preventing and Fighting Illicit Trafficking in Cultural Goods in the European Union

Summary: The trafficking in cultural goods is among the biggest criminal trades, estimated by some to be the third or fourth largest, despite the fact that, as INTERPOL notes, there are hardly any instruments for measuring this trade or any data on illicit commerce. The information dossier that UNESCO produced for the 40th anniversary of the 1970 Convention observes that, together with the drugs and armaments trades, the black market in antiquities and culture constitutes one of the most firmly rooted illicit trades in the world. Despite the difficulty of obtaining statistics, the scale of this phenomenon calls for concentrated and convergent efforts on the part of States and at the European and international levels. At stake is the safeguarding of the heritage of States. The European Union can today take a more active approach to preventing and combating the trafficking in cultural goods. As the Council of the European Union recalls, "one of the objectives of the European Union is to protect Europe's public and private cultural heritage by combating trafficking in cultural goods", and it further emphasizes that "in view of the economic and commercial dealings which characterise it and the artistic and cultural heritage which it contains, the territory of the European Union is a favoured target for criminal organizations". Hence the need to launch a specific reflection on developing more effective means within Europe, in close relation with the instruments developed at international level. It was with this in mind that the process of reflection in the context of this study, entrusted by the Commission to CECOJI, was undertaken.

Details: Brussels: The European Commission, 2011. 192p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 24, 2015 at: http://ec.europa.eu/home-affairs/doc_centre/crime/docs/Report%20Trafficking%20in%20cultural%20goods%20EN.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: Europe

Keywords: Antiquities

Shelf Number: 136560


Author: ICF GHK

Title: Study on Possible Ways to Improve the Exchange of Information on Travelling Violent Offenders Including those Attending Sporting Events or Large Public Gatherings

Summary: The aim of this assignment was to inform EU decision-making on the possible ways of improving the exchange of information between Member States on travelling violent offenders (TVO) in connection with major events, including large public gatherings and sporting events. The assignment: "Analysed and provided an overview of the types of events which have been subject to unlawful disruption by TVO crossing national frontiers;" Analysed the law enforcement authorities of needs in relation to information on TVO in connection with major events, particularly regarding content on the subjects, format and time; "Analysed the different sources of information on TVO at national and EU level;" Provided a detailed analysis and description of how information exchange on TVO has occurred across the EU, particularly through the analysis of major events; Provided a detailed identification and analysis of the reasons for unsatisfactory exchange of information related to TVO; Analysed ways of providing a definition of the term TVO at EU level and proposed at least three definitions; Examined, described and evaluated different non-IT based options in order to improve the exchange of information on TVO; and Examined, described and evaluated IT based solutions in order to improve the exchange of information on TVO.

Details: Birmingham, UK: ICF GHK, 2013. 93p.

Source: Internet Resource: Final Report for Directorate-General for Home Affairs: Accessed August 24, 2015 at: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/home-affairs/e-library/documents/policies/police-cooperation/general/docs/study_on_improving_the_info_exchange_on_travelling_violent_offenders_march_2013_en.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Information Sharing

Shelf Number: 136563


Author: Galabov, Antoniy

Title: Legislation Meets Practice: National and European Perspectives in Confiscation and Forfeiture of Assets: Comparative Report.

Summary: In order to disrupt organised crime activities it is essential to deprive criminals of the proceeds of crime. Organised crime groups are building largescale international networks and amass substantial profits from various criminal activities. The proceeds of crime are laundered and re-injected into the economy to be legalised. The confiscation/forfeiture and recovery of criminal or illegal assets is considered as a very effective way to fight organised crime, which is essentially profit-driven. Seizing back as much of these profits as possible aims at hampering activities of criminal organisations, deterring criminality and providing additional funds to invest back into law enforcement activities or other crime prevention initiatives. The relevance of this problematic is in removing the economic gain from serious crime (including, but not limited to drug trafficking, corruption, money laundering, organised crime) in order to discourage the criminal conduct. Its importance is evidenced by the number of multilateral treaties that have been concluded and provide obligations for states to cooperate with one another on confiscation, asset sharing, legal assistance, and compensation of victims. Several United Nations conventions and multilateral treaties contain provisions with regard to confiscation and forfeiture. The issue is also a matter of interest at European Union (EU) level with the new legislation adopted. However challenges still remain and should be addressed, so that cooperation can be more effective, since anti-fraud policy should be targeted in a trans-border perspective. The Stockholm programme called upon the Member States and the Commission to make the confiscation of criminal assets more efficient and to strengthen the cooperation between Asset Recovery Offices (AROs)3; EC report on cooperation between AROs (2011) has identified common capacity problems (insufficient personnel and resources, lack of common legislative framework), inadequate access to databases and judicial statistics. In this context, three national chapters of Transparency International, being also EU Member States, (TI-Bulgaria, TI-Italy and TI-Romania) are conducting a 24-month research and independent civil monitoring over the legal, institutional, and operational modes of the Asset Recovery Offices (AROs) and policies to outline their main strong and weak aspects in terms of competencies, capacity, performance and integrity. The aim of the project "Enhancing Integrity and Effectiveness of Illegal Asset Confiscation - European Approaches", funded by the "Prevention of and Fight against Crime" programme carried out by DG Home Affairs of the European Commission, is to support the effectiveness, accountability and transparency of asset confiscation/ forfeiture policies and practices in Europe, allowing for improved cooperation between authorities in Member states (MSs). The research provided for objective understanding of main strong and weak points in asset confiscation/ forfeiture legal, institutional and policy practices in Bulgaria, Romania and Italy. It became the basis for the independent civil monitoring and the exchange of know-how and good practices. The addressed shortcomings and recommendations will trigger improvement of the institutional and procedural capacities of national confiscation/forfeiture authorities at local and EU level, especially regarding transparency, accountability, integrity, modes of operation, human resource management, coherence with other relevant authorities, access to databases, use of expertise in asset assessments, cost effectiveness. The project findings from the monitoring (lessons learnt) will also be disseminated via the Transparency International network on regional, EU and international level. Ultimately, this means strengthened capacities of AROs, better chances for cooperation between MSs and civil society representatives. The publication is based on the work of the three national chapters of Transparency International that analyse and monitor the national models of confiscation/forfeiture of assets in Bulgaria, Italy and Romania. The aim is to provide information on the national approach on confiscation/forfeiture as regulated by the national law as well as to provide information on its implementation, based on civil monitoring on real cases tackled by the national confiscation authorities. The publication includes summaries of the three national models of confiscation/forfeiture of illegal/criminal assets (Bulgaria, Italy and Romania). In this part a critical analysis of the legislation is made to be used as a basis for identification of strong and weak features of each model. This is the basis for concrete recommendation for improvement of each model. The second part of the publication includes summaries of the reports for monitoring of the activities of the national confiscation/forfeiture authorities in the three countries. The actual reports are presented as attachments at the end of the book. Each monitoring report includes specific recommendations for improvement. The analysis of the indicators for transparency, integrity, accountability and efficiency in the work of confiscation authorities, based on the active monitoring, is provided as well. In addition the paper provides for a model for civil monitoring of the activities of national confiscation/ forfeiture authorities, which is irrelevant of the specific national model and could be used by civil society organizations in any country to monitor the activities of institutions in this respect. The presentation gives a special focus on the elaboration of an "ideal model" for confiscation/forfeiture at national level. This model is perceived as a set of common standards which should be applied in all EU MSs, in order to achieve transparency, accountability, integrity, efficiency and human rights protection, when confiscation/forfeiture procedures are at stake. Last but not least, the book provides for recommendations for adoption of more advanced common European standards at EU level in the field of confiscation/forfeiture of assets. Further improvement of the existing EU regulations shall contribute to the more successful work of national authorities.

Details: Sofia: Transparency International Bulgaria, 2015. 132p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 24, 2015 at: http://www.transparency.bg/media/publications/Final_Report_EN_web.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Asset Forfeiture

Shelf Number: 136565


Author: Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service

Title: European Exchange of Best Practice in Arson Prevention and Investigation (E-API)

Summary: This is the final report of an innovative two-year project that was delivered by Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service (UK) in partnership with Northumbria Police (UK) and Laboratoire Central de la Prefecture de Police (Paris, France). The project was delivered between January 2007 and December 2008 and was titled: "European Exchange of Best Practice in Arson Prevention and Investigation" 1. The project activities were co-funded by the European Commission Directorate-General for Environment under the 2006 Call for Proposals in Civil Protection. The overarching premise of the project was that by sharing best practice in arson prevention and investigation, arson practitioners across Europe could be better equipped to prevent and investigate fire crime within their communities. In order to stimulate and facilitate greater levels of cross-border communication, the project involved the delivery of a number of key activities, including the: - creation of a European network of contacts; - creation and development of a European Register of Experts/Specialists; - creation and development of a European Database of Best Practice; - design, development and pilot of basic-level training modules for fire investigation (suitable for delivery in all European countries); - delivery of the first "Fire Crime in Europe Conference". The partners conclude that the project was extremely successful because it exceeded the scope of the initial plans. The project successfully created a European Network of Arson Practitioners and facilitated a significant level of cross-border communication and information exchange. This level of cross-border communication was unprecedented among arson practitioners prior to the project. The project was also deemed to be successful because it delivered all seven of its key objectives, which subsequently contributed towards the successful completion of all project aims. In addition, the project delivered all of its expected outputs, as well as an additional four outputs. Importantly, the project delivered significant European added-value through the dissemination of activities and outputs to a wide European audience. This level of dissemination was made possible by a comprehensive communication strategy which included the publication of journal/magazine articles across Europe, the placement of advertisements on websites and the circulation of emails via the project distribution list. It is the opinion of the project team that greater levels of European cross-border communication, cooperation and interaction are still required within the fields of arson prevention and investigation. This report makes a number of specific recommendations which will help to achieve this objective. The project team envisage, as they have done since the project outset, that the outputs described in this report represent a foundation rather than a conclusion. The implementation of the recommendations presented within this report will provide foundations upon which to achieve future success. Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service, Northumbria Police and Laboratoire Central remain committed to supporting the newly formed European Network of Arson Practitioners; however, they now require assistance and collaboration from other organisations and individuals in order to guarantee its success and longevity.

Details: Northumberland, UK: Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service, 2009. 84p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 24, 2015 at: http://www.stoparsonuk.org/documents/resources/European%20Exchange%20of%20Best%20Practice%20in%20Arson%20Prevention%20and%20Investigation.pdf

Year: 2009

Country: Europe

Keywords: Arson

Shelf Number: 136570


Author: Bigo, Didier

Title: Justice and Home Affairs Databases and a Smart Borders System at EU External Borders An Evaluation of Current and Forthcoming Proposals

Summary: This study examines current and forthcoming measures related to the exchange of data and information in EU Justice and Home Affairs policies, with a focus on the 'smart borders' initiative. It argues that there is no reversibility in the growing reliance on such schemes and asks whether current and forthcoming proposals are necessary and original. It outlines the main challenges raised by the proposals, including issues related to the right to data protection, but also to privacy and non-discrimination.

Details: Brussels: Center for European Policy Studies (CEPS), 2012. 97p.

Source: Internet Resource: CEPS Paper in Liberty and Security in Europe No. 52: Accessed August 25, 2015 at: http://www.ceps.eu/system/files/No%2052%20JHA%20Databases%20Smart%20Borders.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Border Security

Shelf Number: 136574


Author: Farmer, Andrew

Title: Conclusions on the EFFACE Case Studies

Summary: As part of the EFFACE project, partners have published 12 project case studies on different types of environmental crime, including focus on impacts and counter-measures. This report, which has been formally submitted to the European Commission, summarises the most important overarching conclusions and features recommendations on improving the EU's policy framework and EU political action to better combat environmental crime.

Details: European Union Action to Fight Environmental Crime (EFFACE), 2015. 29p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 26, 2015 at: http://efface.eu/sites/default/files/events/EFFACE_D4.3%20Conclusions_Case_Studies.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Offenses Against the Environment

Shelf Number: 136584


Author: Center for the Study of Democracy

Title: Overcoming Institutional Gaps to Tackle Illicit Financing

Summary: The EU legal framework requires that all Members States criminalise the financing of organised crime. According to the provisions of Article 2 (a) of the Council Framework Decision 2008/841/JHA of 24 October 2008 on the fight against organised crime "Each Member State shall take the necessary measures to ensure that one or both of the following types of conduct related to a criminal organisation are regarded as offences: (a) conduct by any person who, with intent and with knowledge of either the aim and general activity of the criminal organisation or its intention to commit the offences in question, actively takes part in the organisation's criminal activities, including the provision of information or material means, the recruitment of new members and all forms of financing of its activities, knowing that such participation will contribute to the achievement of the organisation's criminal activities." Nevertheless, criminal justice authorities in Members States rarely make use of these provisions.

Details: Sofia: Center for the Study of Democracy, 2015. 9p.

Source: Internet Resource: Policy Brief No. 50: Accessed August 26, 2015 at: http://www.csd.bg/artShow.php?id=17367

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Financial Crime

Shelf Number: 136589


Author: Center for the Study of Democracy

Title: Financing of Organised Crime

Summary: Enhancing the knowledge of the financing of organised crime is an indispensable component of more effective and smarter approaches to prevention and investigation. Accessing capital is a significant constraint for some criminals when they seek to become big players in illicit markets for goods and services, yet the processes and structures involved in the financial investment of criminal markets are largely under-researched. Whilst there is general information available regarding the level of financing required for a criminal group's operations in specific illicit markets - for example, the illicit drugs market is relatively well documented and there is a reasonably sound understanding of the pricing available along the entire value chain of operations, from production prices, smuggling and wholesale prices, middle-level dealing, to retail distribution, as well as with costs of the business - this is not the case with a number of other illicit markets such as organised VAT fraud, illicit excisable goods, smuggling/trafficking in human beings, counterfeiting of goods and money, payment card fraud, and trafficking in stolen vehicles, etc. To enter a criminal market at the wholesale level, organised criminals may need significant financial resources including, but not restricted to, credit facilities. Their need for financing concerns every level of organized crime. However, while millions (upfront and/or on credit) may be needed to enter the cocaine market at wholesale level, participation at the retail level requires only modest resources. The same applies to manifestations of organised crime that do not require entrepreneurial characteristics and are based on predatory activities. For example, small criminal groups may need only several tens of thousands of euros to launch an international banking fraud. The entry costs for many e-crimes are insignificant. Various financial mechanisms and opportunities are available for criminal actors to fund new or existing illicit activities. However, fairly little has been done in terms of systematically analysing or targeting individuals or processes that are mainly involved in the financing of criminal structures and organised criminal activities. The financing of organised crime is the type of horizontal issue that several analyses as well as threat and strategic assessments - analyses and assessments that have been previously criticised us unreliable sources of information on organized crime - often skip, focusing instead on the proceeds of crime, criminal assets and/or money laundering. Official and informal financial services may all be used to finance organised criminal operations in one way or another. Previous research has shown that financiers are often behind the financing of large-scale trafficking of commodities such as cigarettes or drugs. Yet despite the influence of these financiers, they remain outside the scope of analysis of organised crime being done at EU level, where such information is largely omitted. Although considerable research has been conducted on the proceeds of crime and the financial management of several organised criminal activities, the financing of terrorism and money laundering, little has been done in terms of analysing or targeting individuals, structures and processes that are involved in the "preceeds" of crime, especially on crimes unconnected with the financing of terrorism. Little has also been done in terms of analysing whether criminal entrepreneurs engage in a process that disguises a legitimate source of funds that are to be used for illegal purposes, a process that has been defined as "reverse money laundering." Following these observations, a number of academics and law-enforcement officials from across Europe were contacted in order to gather information regarding the respective situations in their countries. It was established that many faced a similar situation, where some operational knowledge on the issue existed, yet (excepting the Netherlands) analytical units had not given much specific attention to it. Therefore, an interest was expressed to gather this knowledge at the EU level, as well as to exchange knowledge and experiences with partner countries where this issue has been paid more attention.

Details: Sofia: Center for the Study of Democracy, 2015. 464p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 26, 2015 at: http://www.csd.bg/artShow.php?id=17317

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Human Trafficking

Shelf Number: 136598


Author: Qosaj-Mustafa, Ariana

Title: Fulfilling the EU Requirements in Anti-Corruption and Organised Crime

Summary: Stuck in a limbo between declarative willingness to fight corruption by its current political elite and actual results on the ground, Kosovo remains captured by affairs of corruption awaiting further investigations. An overall mantra of the government as of 2008, the fight against corruption, will continue as long as the investigations and prosecutions of high profile cases would not involve the major political figures of the current government. In addition, as of 15th of June 2014, the EULEX Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo has transferred its competencies to their local counterparts, decreasing further any hope that high profile cases implicating also the current government will be trialed. The transfer of competencies has already shown weak results as evidenced by the low number of corruption cases dealt by the Anti-Corruption Task Force with only five criminal cases initiated by special prosecutors within this body. With the ongoing allegations of corruption for the largest EU civilian mission- EULEX- of their former and current EULEX judges and prosecutors, and joint investigations as of 2013 by EULEX and Kosovo judicial authorities into these allegations, the hopes of Kosovo tackling high profile corruption keeps fading away. The presence and the need to combat corruption in Kosovo has been a continuous requirement of the EU. Few of the recommendations for Kosovo are requirements for many years now with Kosovo institutions continuously failing to implement these recommendations. In 2014, Kosovo was again valued by the EU to have had made limited progress and is at an early stage in the fight against corruption. Furthermore, the second monitoring report on progress by Kosovo in fulfilling the requirements of the Visa Liberalisation Roadmap has indicated that there have been improvements in the fight against corruption, but there still appears to be a lack of actual results in courts. Furthermore, the EU encourages cooperation of Kosovo institutions with the CSOs sector in order to increase the communication of the government with its citizens as well as share of different experiences including analysis of on-going efforts and lessons learned by Kosovo institutions in the fight against corruption and organised crime. This commitment is also shown by the EU support to a number of civil society organisations to monitor and report on the corruption efforts ongoing in Kosovo. This brief is a result of a joint quarterly monitoring of KIPRED and SiV from July-October 2014. The brief offers an overview of the current findings on the fulfilment of the EU criteria in the fight against corruption and organised crime by analysing the capacities of current structures mandated to fight these phenomenas, focusing on the courts and law enforcement agencies. The brief provides a number of recommendations in line with the EU requirements for Kosovo institutions needed for Kosovo to demonstrate willingness to administer the state based on rule of law principles and strengthen its fight against corruption and organised crime.

Details: Prishtina, Kosovo: Kosovar Institute for Policy Research and Development (KIPRED), 2014.

Source: Internet Resource: Policy Brief, No. 2/14: Accessed August 28, 2015 at: http://www.kipred.org/repository/docs/KIPRED_SiV_Brief_Fulfilling_the_EU_Requirements_in_Anti_Corruption_and_Organized_Crime_833217.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Corruption

Shelf Number: 136605


Author: Qosaj-Mustafa, Ariana

Title: Strengthening Rule of Law in Kosovo: The Fight Against Corruption and Organised Crime

Summary: Since its declaration of independence in 2008, Kosovo has undergone a number of state-building processes. In strengthening its capability and legitimacy towards citizens, it has been failing to meet up with societal expectations, particularly in ensuring rule of law governance. Fragile states struggle with development, weak economic investments and face difficulties in their democratic performances. In order to build a resilient state for its citizens, states should undertake continuous check efforts and evaluations to measure the level of their performance. In this regard, KIPRED has analysed Kosovo's current response to organised crime and corruption, in order to support the process of building a resilient state for its citizens. The past United Nations administration (UNMIK) failed to offer Kosovo's citizens an administration that prioritised respect for the rule of law. In the post-independent Kosovo there are increasing calls by civil society, media and international community players that Kosovo should strengthen its rule of law performance in order to strengthen its capability and legitimacy. Societal expectations in particular have been rising with the recent developments in the investigation of organised crime and corruption in Kosovo. The raising of expectations has come as a consequence of almost 10 years of hesitation by the UN mission to investigate and fight organised crime and corruption leading to the impunity of criminals. The UN justified its failure to fight organised crime and corruption because of the pressures exercised by powerful foreign countries in order to preserve 'peace and stability' in Kosovo. In addition, the recent investigations kicked off by the EULEX Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo and their declarations on the hunt against 'big fishes' further increased social expectations and support for their acts. These actions also spurred debates around the will and the capacities of the mission and of Kosovo authorities to end almost 10 years of impunity in fighting organised crime and corruption. KIPRED has undertaken this analysis in order to evaluate the current response of Kosovo's authorities and the EU Rule of Law Mission towards organised crime and corruption in ensuring full respect for rule of law in Kosovo. At this crucial phase of its state building process, Kosovo will need to seriously show that it will tackle the problems of organised crime and corruption. This all has to happen in order to ensure full respect for rule of law that will remain as one of key priorities for a Kosovo aiming European Union accession in the coming years. This policy paper looked at the level of current response by analysing the regulation and enforcement capacities existing in Kosovo' judicial, prosecutorial and police services to investigate and fight organised crime and corruption. It closely looked at the executive government response and support provided to judicial, prosecutorial and police services. It does not evaluate the administrative capacities to fight corruption in depth but rather focuses on the judicial and prosecutorial capacities. The paper also identifies main challenges and proposes practical ways forward in overcoming the gaps identified.

Details: Prishtina, Kosovo: Kosovar Institute for Policy Research and Development (KIPRED, 2010. 35p.

Source: Internet Resource: Policy Paper 2010/8: Accessed August 28, 2015 at: http://www.kipred.org/repository/docs/Strengthening_Rule_of_Law_in_Kosovo-_The_Fight_Against_Corruption_and_Organised_Crime_602831.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Corruption

Shelf Number: 136606


Author: Qosaj-Mustafa, Ariana

Title: Investigation of Corruption in Kosovo: (Mis) Coooperation Between Police and Prosecution

Summary: Kosovo institutions have been addressing as a matter of priority the EU requirements for the Visa Liberalization Roadmap for Kosovo and the Feasibility Study for Kosovo. The EU has requested from Kosovo government to address around 150 criteria in order for Kosovo to advance in its EU free travel and integration processes. Therefore, Kosovo government has been trying to provide evidence of results in its fight against corruption, including developing a tracking mechanism to prove the successful rate of prosecutions and convictions of corruption. Tackling corruption particularly at the level of high profile officials, including requirements such as better coordination among the rule of law enforcement bodies and impartial investigations of corruption by also ensuring reliable corruption statistics are a necessary requirements for Kosovo to advance in its EU path. The Kosovo institutions have been efficient in proposing new legislation, drafting of new policies and strategies however, have proven weak in efficient and impartial delivery of such requirements. This brief analyses the cooperation in between Kosovo Police and prosecution and its recent initiatives by looking at whether this cooperation and initiatives have been in line with the set requirements. Since the declaration of independence of Kosovo, the public satisfaction with the work of the Kosovo Police and the State Prosecution has been declining. Whereas the Kosovo Police continuously enjoys the highest public trust over the last 6 years (80% September 2008 to 75.1% April 2013) the state Prosecution enjoys the lowest (22.7% in May 2008 to 17.7% April 2013). Such a discrepancy in public trust is also reflected in attempts for efficient inter-institutional cooperation, especially in the area of fighting corruption. Legal framework for cooperation between Kosovo Police and Prosecution in investigating corruption is largely in place and it is in detail specified by Kosovos Criminal Procedure Code and Kosovo Law on Police. Nevertheless, problems occur when it comes to practical cooperation that is impeded by the lack of proper database and cases file management. There has been progress in filing cases against corruption, though the local prosecutors mainly dealt with low profile cases. In addition, initiating investigations as foreseen by law has been minimal by local prosecutors (0.52%), while Kosovo Police has initiated almost 77% of cases. Until now, high profile and risky cases have been investigated and prosecuted by EULEX. The inability of local prosecutors to deal with high profile cases remain as serious concern for strengthening performance of rule of law institutions. Investigations of corruption of high profile cases by local prosecutors and Kosovo Police are a hostage of political interference and lack of independence of these institutions, which as a fact is widely acknowledged by domestic officials, diplomatic presence in Kosovo and European Union (EU) Commission annual Reports. The lack efficiency and independence of rule of law institutions to deal with corruption makes the extension of EULEX mandate both necessary and inevitable.

Details: Prishtina, Kosovo: Kosovar Institute for Policy Research and Development, 2014. 12p.

Source: Internet Resource: Policy Brief, No. 1/14: Accessed August 28, 2015 at: http://www.kipred.org/repository/docs/Investigation_of_Corruption_Kosovo_(Mis)_Cooperation_Between_Police_and__Prosecution_624080.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Corruption

Shelf Number: 136607


Author: Nwabuzo, Ojeaku

Title: Racist Crime in Europe: ENAR Shadow Report 2013-2014

Summary: Civil society organisations across the EU report an increase in racist crimes in 2013, in particular against Black and Asian ethnic minorities, Roma, Jews and Muslims - or those perceived as such, according to the European Network Against Racism's latest Shadow Report on racist crime in Europe, covering 26 European countries. A total of 47,210 racist crimes were officially recorded, but this is only the tip of the iceberg, as many EU Member States do not properly record and report racially motivated crimes. There was an increase in anti-Semitic (Bulgaria, Denmark, Germany, Hungary, the Netherlands and Sweden) and Islamophobic (France, England and Wales) crimes in some countries, and these crimes increasingly take the form of online incitement to hatred and/or violence. There were cases of violence, abuse or incitement to violence against Roma in almost all EU Member States, and in particular those with a large Roma population. In many EU countries, including Estonia, Greece, Italy, Poland, Sweden and the United Kingdom, the most violent physical attacks reported are perpetrated against Black and Asian people. In Sweden for example, 980 crimes with an Afrophobic motive were recorded. In addition, crimes perpetrated by members of far-right groups are over-represented (49%) in racist crimes and complaints linked to political groups. In some countries there is no official or systematic data collection of racially motivated crimes; and in others, information about the racial, ethnic or religious background of the victims is not disaggregated. Only one third of EU countries have recorded and published information on racist crimes for 2013. In addition, because many feel ashamed, do not trust the police or think their testimony will not change anything, victims often do not come forward to report racist crimes. The investigation and prosecution of racist crimes is also problematic. Although most EU Member States recognise racially motived crimes in their legislation, narrow definitions of what constitutes racially motivated crime can result in incidents not being recorded, investigated or prosecuted properly. In the Czech Republic and Italy, an estimated 40-60% of reported racist crimes are not fully investigated by police. Under-qualification of racist crimes takes place throughout the justice system, from police reporting to court judgements.

Details: Brussels: European Network Against Racism (ENAR), 2015. 44p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 28, 2015 at: http://www.enar-eu.org/IMG/pdf/shadowreport_2013-14_en_final_lowres-2.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Bias-Motivated Crime

Shelf Number: 136616


Author: Barlage, Melody

Title: Essays on the relations between European police forces and their stakeholders

Summary: In a dynamic world where societies and crimes are growing more complex, we see that police organisations increasingly reach out to stakeholders, and vice versa. In this thesis we try to learn more about stakeholder management in police organisations. On the one hand, we do this to attempt to close some gaps in the literature on stakeholder management in the policing sector. On the other hand, an elaborate study is desired from the practical perspective. As police forces and many individual officers cope with external parties on a daily basis, it is highly relevant to ask if they are doing it right, and if they could do it in ways that are more satisfactory for the stakeholders. Satisfying stakeholders is crucial for police and other public organisations alike, because their operations thrive on the legitimacy they receive from the citizenry. We approached the topic from several angles, looking both at strategic and operational stakeholder management. In our first study, we focus broadly on stakeholder management strategies that are employed towards different types of police stakeholders in Europe. In the second and third study we investigate the success factors of collaborations between the police and other public organisations in the Netherlands. Finally, in the fourth study, we provide a cautionary note concerning the potential biases in stakeholder perceptions of European police organisations.

Details: Tilburg: Tilburg University, CentER, Center for Economic Research, 2014. 251p.

Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed August 28, 2015 at: https://pure.uvt.nl/portal/files/3848327/ThesisMelody.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Collaboration

Shelf Number: 136619


Author: Vollaard, Ben

Title: Temporal displacement of environmental crime. Evidence from marine oil pollution

Summary: The probability of conviction commonly varies across different circumstances due to imperfect monitoring. Evidence of whether and how offenders exploit gaps in monitoring provides insight into the process by which deterrence is produced. We present an empirical test of temporal displacement of illegal discharges of oil from shipping, a major source of ocean pollution, in response to a monitoring technology that features variation in the probability of conviction by time of day. After sunset and before sunrise, evidence collected using airborne radar day-round becomes contestable in court because the nature of an identified spot cannot be verified visually. Using data from surveillance flights above the Dutch part of the North Sea during 1992-2011, we only find evidence for temporal displacement after 1999, with further tightening of the regulations. By that time, the overall level of discharges had been reduced considerably, making the observed temporal displacement relatively small in absolute levels.

Details: Tilburg, NETH: TILEC, 29p.

Source: Internet Resource: CentER Discussion Paper; Vol. 2015-037; Accessed August 31, 2015 at: https://pure.uvt.nl/portal/files/7366060/2015_037.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Displacement

Shelf Number: 136621


Author: Dunkel, Frieder

Title: Research and Selection of the Most Effective Juvenile Restorative Justice Practices in Europe: Snapshots from 28 EU Member States

Summary: The IJJO in conjunction with its think tank the European Council for Juvenile Justice (ECJJ) has just released Volume I of its 'European Research on Restorative Juvenile Justice'. This volume, entitled 'Research and Selection of the Most Effective Juvenile Restorative Justice Practices in Europe: Snapshots from 28 EU Member States' analyses the existing restorative practices across the EU, and is the basis for the best practices recommended in Volume II, the 'European Model for Restorative Justice with Juveniles', soon to be published. The research was led by the team of Professor Frieder Dunkel, Doctor Andrea Parosanu and Doctor Philip Horsfield, of Greisfwald University, who were responsible for individual snapshots of restorative juvenile justice in each of the EU Member States, before concluding with a comparative overview of practices across the EU as a whole. Each snapshot was complied following extensive research and most are written by local experts on subject. There is a total of 30 snapshots, as the UK is broken up into three parts (England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland), due to differences in legal systems and approaches to restorative justice. The aim of the 'Snapshots' is to provide a better understanding as to what makes for a successful restorative justice programme. As such, it takes into account the access and use of restorative practices as determined by its legal base in each country. The implementation of restorative justice itself is also a focus of the 'Snapshots'; this is determined by its organisational structure in each jurisdiction. Finally the work evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of each restorative system. In her foreword to the volume, Marta Santos Pais, Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General on Violence against Children, emphasises the importance of restorative justice in both reducing reoffending and protecting child rights. She argues that it provides a successful and cost effective way of rehabilitating and reintegrating child offenders with society. The Special Representative praised the research itself for its emphasis on child rights, without compromising the rights of the victim. The 'Snapshots' provide the background research for the next volume to be released, the 'European Model for Restorative Justice with Juveniles'. Based on the 28 national snapshots this volume analyses the key features of good restorative justice systems. It then picks out three case studies; Belgium, Finland and Northern Ireland, examining in greater detail the practices in each. From the good practices established in the 'European Model', the final volume will provide a toolkit to practitioners involved in juvenile justice and aims to diffuse the most effective restorative justice methods.

Details: Brussels: International Juvenile Justice Observatory, 260p.

Source: Internet Resource: European Research on Restorative Juvenile Justice Volume 1: Accessed September 2, 2015 at: http://www.ejjc.org/sites/default/files/volume_i_-_snapshots_from_28_eu_member_states.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Juvenile Offenders

Shelf Number: 136649


Author: Murshed, Syed Mansoob

Title: Threat Perceptions in Europe: Domestic Terrorism and International Crime

Summary: paper focuses on two areas of security concern for the European Union: terrorism and international crime. I present a model of game-theoretic interaction between a European state and a domestic dissident group, who, on occasion, may resort to acts of terrorism. Here, identity is crucial to the putative terrorist, providing the microfoundations of dissident group behaviour by solving the collective action problem. I also sketch a macromodel of drugs production in a conflict-ridden developing country, where I argue that demand-side policies of regulation may be better than policies that are aimed at eradicating supply. As far as the policy implications are concerned, first excessive deterrence against potential terrorists may backfire. Secondly, space needs to be created so that Muslim migrants are able to merge their personal identities within their adopted European homelands. Thirdly, the economic discrimination against Muslims in Europe needs to be redressed. Finally, aid to fragile drug producing states should be broad-based and poverty reducing, not just benefiting warlords.

Details: Berlin: Economics of Security, 2009. 17p.

Source: Internet Resource: Economics of Security Working Paper 2: Accessed September 11, 2015 at: http://www.diw.de/documents/publikationen/73/diw_01.c.94888.de/diw_econsec0002.pdf

Year: 2009

Country: Europe

Keywords: Domestic Terrorism

Shelf Number: 136716


Author: Cyrus, Norbert

Title: Demand Arguments in Debates on Trafficking in Human Beings: Using an historical and economic approach to achieve conceptual clarification

Summary: This first DemandAT working paper by Norbert Cyrus and Dita Vogel seeks to clarify the concept of demand in the context of trafficking in human beings. It approaches this task by historically analysing the emergence of the concept of demand within legal frameworks related to trafficking. The paper also discusses the understanding of demand as a concept in economics and whether and how this can be applied to trafficking in human beings. Working Paper 1 makes recommendations on terminology for the DemandAT project including: -the definition of demand as 'the willingness and ability to buy a particular commodity' 'the definition of demand-side policies and measures as reserved for activities that seek to influence the demand for final commodities (such as consumer goods and services)

Details: Vienna: International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD), 2015. 38p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 11, 2015 at: http://www.demandat.eu/sites/default/files/DemandAT%20WP1%20Cyrus%20Vogel%20June%202015a.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Human Trafficking

Shelf Number: 136720


Author: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA)

Title: Opioid trafficking routes from Asia to Europe

Summary: Imported heroin has historically been available in Europe in two forms, the most common being brown heroin (its chemical base form), originating mainly in Afghanistan and other countries in south-west Asia. Less common is white heroin (a salt form), which historically came from south-east Asia but is now also produced in Afghanistan and probably in neighbouring Iran and Pakistan. This region, sometimes referred to as the Golden Crescent, dominates production for the European market Although signs of a decrease in heroin use have been observed recently in some European countries with longer-established heroin use problems, there is also evidence of an increased diversity of opioids appearing on the market. There has also been a marked increase in opium production in Afghanistan, and there is evidence to suggest diversification of heroin and morphine production and innovation in trafficking methods and routes. In the light of these changes, which are impacting on European opioid markets, this analysis reviews the latest evidence on the multiple ways heroin is now trafficked to Europe.

Details: Lisbon: EMCDDA, 2015. 7p.

Source: Internet Resource: Perspectives on Drugs: Accessed September 16, 2015 at: http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/attachements.cfm/att_239691_EN_Opioid%20trafficking%20routes_POD2015.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Trafficking

Shelf Number: 136783


Author: Kane, June

Title: People on the Move: Human Trafficking and Migration in Jordan, Lebanon and Syria

Summary: This report aims to map current trends in people movement to, from and through the three Mashreq countries of Jordan, Lebanon and Syria, and to throw light on the phenomenon of human trafficking affecting these countries as sending (origin), transit and receiving countries.

Details: San Domenico di Fiesole, Italy: European University Institute, 2011. 45p.

Source: Internet Resource: CARIM Research Report; 2011/04: Accessed September 16, 2015 at: http://cadmus.eui.eu/bitstream/handle/1814/18956/CARIM_RR_2011_04.pdf?sequence=1

Year: 2011

Country: Europe

Keywords: Forced Labor

Shelf Number: 136792


Author: Putten, Frans-Paul van der

Title: Geopolitics and Maritime Security in the Indian Ocean. What Role for the European Union?

Summary: The European Union needs to pay close attention to the risks and the potential benefits of a greater engagement in maritime security in the Indian Ocean. Against the backdrop of a crowded, unstable and increasingly militarized maritime space, this Policy Brief provides an overview of the main aspects that future EU policy planning on maritime security in the Indian Ocean must address. It outlines important recent developments in the region and discusses their specific implications for the EU as a maritime actor: What exactly is the European Union currently doing in this field, what are its main interests, and how can the EU effectively protect them without antagonizing its traditional security partners or adding fuel to an already tense situation of maritime insecurity?

Details: The Hague: The Hague Institute for Global Justice and Clingendael, 2014. 11p.

Source: Internet Resource: Police Brief 11: Accessed September 21, 2015 at: http://www.clingendael.nl/sites/default/files/Geopolitics%20and%20Maritime%20Security%20in%20the%20Indian%20Ocean.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Maritime Crime

Shelf Number: 136839


Author: Birdlife International

Title: The Killing

Summary: The BirdLife Partnership presents "The Killing", a review based on the first ever comprehensive scientific study to quantify the scale and scope of illegal killing across the Mediterranean region. The results are gruesome. Despite legal protection, illegal bird killing is taking place at quite extraordinary and unsustainable levels. While many turn a blind eye, an estimated 25 million birds are being illegally massacred annually. In some countries such as Cyprus, Syria and Egypt, more than two million birds are illegally shot, glued or trapped each year. The report identifies three individual locations - the Famagusta area in Cyprus, the Menbej-Tishreen Dam area in Syria and the El Manzala area in Egypt - where, staggeringly, more than half a million birds are being illegally slaughtered each year. Populations of 40 different migratory songbird species that were once abundant in Europe are declining and some are now in free-fall. Many have already disappeared from much of their former range. European Turtle-dove (Streptopelia turtur) has declined by 30% throughout Europe since the start of the millennium and in some countries by as much as 90% in the same period. Yet more than one million are still illegally killed each year.

Details: Cambridge, UK: Birdlife International, 2015. 15p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 25, 2015 at: http://www.birdlife.org/sites/default/files/attachments/01-28_low.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Birds

Shelf Number: 136882


Author: Callaghan, Jane E.M.

Title: Understanding Agency and Resistance Strategies (UNARS): Children's Experiences of Domestic Abuse

Summary: Children who experience domestic violence between their parents, or other adults at home, are not just passive observers. They are profoundly impacted by violence and coercive behaviour at home, and they find complex, creative ways to manage and cope with these experiences. This is a key finding of the research project 'Understanding Agency and Resistance Strategies - Children in Situations of Domestic Violence', which today has published its final project report. This two year project, funded by the European Commission and led by Dr. Jane Callaghan at the University of Northampton, is the largest qualitative study of children's experiences of domestic violence conducted to date. Researchers in Greece, Italy, Spain and the UK interviewed 110 children and young people who had experienced domestic violence, focused on how they experienced the violence, and how they found ways to manage their experiences. Using the insights gained from this research, the team developed a group-based therapeutic intervention to support children to build on their existing strengths and coping strategies. The intervention aims to help the young people develop resilience and a positive sense of self, as they recover from living with domestic violence. The UNARS researchers argue that we should challenge passive images of children who experience domestic violence has been skewed by media coverage and images, which portray them as passive, helpless victims, doomed to repeat cycles of violence in their own later relationships. The UNARS research is not suggesting that domestic violence is not an acutely painful experience for children - of course it is frightening, distressing, and children are hurt and wounded by the violence they live with, and the coercive and controlling behaviours that often pervade their homes. However, it is also clear, in children's accounts, that there is an inextricable intertwining of their experiences of damage and of coping. Children's experiences of domestic violence is a little like a double helix, with the twin strands of coping and damage very closely interlinked. Children's capacity to be strong, to be agentic, to be resilient can only be read in the context of the actions that function to undermine their development of agency and resilience, forms of relating that characterise violence, abuse and coercive control. Jane Callaghan explained: "Consider, for instance, the examples of children hiding away in cupboards, hidey holes and dens. In some senses this looks like an accession to abuse and control - children might be seen by professionals and academics as hiding away, as cowering in corners. But if we only see this painful and difficult aspect of the child's behaviour, and don't try to make sense of the meaning they attach to it, we do not see how it is also resistant and resilient. Children are not just frightened, they are not just hiding. They are creating spaces for themselves, where they can feel just slightly safer, just a little more secure and in control." The research team also completed an analysis of European and national policies on domestic violence. Their most significant finding is that children are startlingly absent from legal and policy frameworks. The Istanbul Convention, introduced by the Council of Europe to galvanise action around violence against women and domestic violence. Children are not explicitly defined as victims either in the Istanbul convention, or the national and regional legal and policy frameworks that implement it. In this sense, children are absent from legal definitions (except as victims of dating violence). Children who 'witness' domestic violence do not have a legal status as 'victim'. (This is changing in Spain, where the distinction between 'direct' and 'indirect' victims is being removed from Spanish statutes). This means that children are seen in law and policy as an absence, as 'collateral damage' to adult domestic violence, and this has consequences for how they are understood and treated in criminal justice, social services and voluntary sector organisations. Services for children who experience domestic violence are typically a 'bolt on' to adult oriented services, as adults, and particularly women, are seen as its main victims. "We think this is because children are seen as 'silent witnesses', helpless in families where domestic violence occurs", says Dr Callaghan. "By focusing on children's voice, on their capacity to make sense of the situation they are in, and to take creative action to make their lives a little better, we have been able to highlight both the profound impact of violence on children's lives and the complex and often paradoxical ways that they find to cope." The UNARS project has highlighted that children experience the negative impact of domestic violence, and cope with domestic violence, in much the same way that adult victims do, and that the distinction between 'direct' and 'indirect' victim, or between 'adult victim' and 'child witness' is not sustainable. When policy frameworks do not include children as victims, this contributes to the erosion of children's representation and voice in professional and policy discourses. By focusing on children's capacity for conscious meaning making and agency in relation to their experiences of domestic violence, we have highlighted the importance of recognising the impact domestic violence has on children, and their right to representation as victims in the context of domestic violence.

Details: Northampton, UK: University of Northampton, 2015. 272p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 19, 2015 at: http://www.unars.co.uk/resources/UNARS%20Final%20Project%20Report%20(1).pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Domestic Violence

Shelf Number: 136995


Author: Klopfer, Franziska

Title: A Force for Good? Mapping the private security landscape in Southeast Europe

Summary: The private security industry polarises opinion. For some, it is simply unacceptable to hand responsibility for public security to commercial entities driven - according to this argument - purely by the pursuit of profit. For others, private security companies (PSCs) offer a much needed complement or even an alternative to beleaguered state security services. Perspectives may vary for reasons as diverse as wider national attitudes to privatisation of state services in general or, for example, personal experience of PSCs. But views are always likely to reflect either strong opposition or support. In short, it seems that there is no general agreement about the role that PSCs should and can play as part of the security sector in a democratic state. This topic has been the focus of considerable attention in research and policy circles at national and international levels. Spurred by high profile incidents in contexts such as Iraq and Afghanistan, much attention has been given to the role of PSCs and private military/security companies (PMSCs) in conflict and post-conflict environments. This has led to international non-governmental actors, governments and PSCs themselves coming together to develop international regulatory mechanisms that aim to ensure transparency and accountability while fostering good practices and improved standards within the industry. While developments on the international level provide important starting points for private security regulation, they do not provide a detailed analysis of how private security can contribute to ensuring security as a public good. Indeed, the answers to this question will differ significantly from context to context. A true understanding of private security and its regulation can only start from two fundamental considerations: (1) which role does the state want to attribute to private security providers within the security sector; and (2) which framework is most effective to enable private security to deliver those services and fulfil to clearly defined standards. The first question requires a political decision. The second situates private security within the wider framework of domestic security sector governance concerns. Crucially, both questions need to be answered based on a clear understanding of national security needs and the actual roles played by PSCs operating in a given context.

Details: Belgrade; Geneva: Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces, 2015. 129p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 19, 2015 at: http://www.researchgate.net/publication/282657912_A_Force_for_Good_Mapping_the_private_security_landscape_in_Southeast_Europe

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Private Policing

Shelf Number: 137018


Author: Kronberga, IIona

Title: Keeping Youth Away from Crime: Searching for Best European Practices. Summary

Summary: Research "Keeping youth Away from Crime: Searching for Best European Practices" was one of the main results of a project with the same title. This research provides readers with a possibility to learn about legal framework of juvenile justice systems in 10 European countries, it gives an insight on how the tools and approaches foreseen in law work in practice. Most importantly, research addresses the issue of early prevention - what can be done to keep children away from entering the formal justice system and how it is done in Austria, Belgium, England and Wales, Italy, Scotland, Sweden, in the Netherlands and in all three Baltic states - Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. From the very beginning of carrying out research, three main objectives were kept in mind: exploring of best European practices on how to work with and for children at risk and children in risk situations; promoting a unified understanding and practice among European countries while applying EU and other international recommendations on children wellbeing; and transforming the policy objectives into unified action. All these objectives were reached in the preparation process of research "Keeping youth Away from Crime: Searching for Best European Practices". In total, material consists of two volumes. First volume is dedicated to comparative report, ensuring an overview of different systems and identifying the common principles that are in place across the Europe. Second volume includes full-length national reports from each country. Research summary, as an additional reading material, is focused on practical part of the study with regards to what exactly is considered a good approach when working with children from risk groups and in risk situations. It enables the specialists working with and for children to look differently at the in risk situations. It enables the specialists working with and for children to look differently at the methods that are available for them and facilitating the change of attitude in a concentrated, targeted way.

Details: Riga, Latvia: PROVIDUS, Centre for Public Policy, 2015. 88p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 20, 2015 at: http://providus.lv/article_files/2947/original/keeping_eng.pdf?1431605555

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: At-risk Youth

Shelf Number: 137033


Author: Breger, Daniel

Title: Keeping Youth Away from Crime: Searching for Best European Practices. Volume 1: Findings from a comparative study on youth crime and early prevention strategies

Summary: The main objective of this report is to pool together European wide experiences of juvenile crime prevention, particularly in relation early prevention strategies. In this context, "early prevention" refers to a series of actions which aim to create an environment that deters children from persistent disruptive behaviour and early-onset delinquency. This report sets out and compares the various systems and strategies that exist in respect of children who have entered, or are at risk of entering, the criminal justice system. This is achieved through the analysis of reports from Latvia, Netherlands, Scotland, Lithuania, Estonia, England and Wales, Belgium, Austria, Italy, Sweden; all of which have been prepared by domestic experts in youth justice. Each national report has been considered and, in so far as possible, compared with European counterparts. Obviously direct comparison in many cases is simply not possible (because of the nuanced systems that are in place in each country), however, there are a number of trends and themes that can and have been identified, such as an overall decline in young people entering the youth justice system; a prevalence of young men committing crimes; an appetite for recent legislative reforms; and the development of innovative diversion and early prevention strategies.

Details: Brussels: International Juvenile Justice Observatory; Riva, Latvia: PROVIDUS, 2015. 145p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 20, 2015 at: http://providus.lv/article_files/2912/original/Volume_1_-_Findings_from_a_comparative_study.pdf?1428501057

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: At-Risk Youth

Shelf Number: 137034


Author: Sharapov, Kiril

Title: Understanding Public Knowledge and Attitudes towards Trafficking in Human Beings. Part 1

Summary: Despite Europe being a major thoroughfare for human trafficking and exploited labour that enables many European consumers to live 'the good life', research presented in this paper shows that many citizens do not understand human trafficking, nor do they see it as a problem in their everyday lives. Over the last decade, human trafficking has become a policy priority for governments in all European countries, for non-governmental organizations that provide services to victims of trafficking, and for researchers attempting to assess its magnitude. However, little is still known about how many people are trafficked into and exploited within Europe, and how many people are exploited across national economies without being trafficked in the first place. Little is also known about public understanding of human trafficking and public attitudes towards this phenomenon. This study addresses a gap in knowledge in this field and highlights differences in the levels of awareness of human trafficking among the general public in Great Britain, Ukraine, and Hungary. It relies on representative surveys of public understanding and attitudes towards human trafficking in these countries, which represent one of the many trafficking routes from Eastern into Central and Western Europe. The surveys were completed between December 2013 and January 2014.

Details: Budapest: Center for Policy Studies, Central European University, 2014. 52p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 20, 2015 at: https://cps.ceu.edu/sites/default/files/publications/cps-working-paper-upkat-public-knowledge-and-attitudes-towards-thb-2014.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Forced Labor

Shelf Number: 137036


Author: Sharapov, Kiril

Title: Understanding Public Knowledge and Attitudes towards Trafficking in Human Beings. Part 2

Summary: Part 2 of this research report should be read and considered within the context of the discussion, methodological overview and survey data analysis introduced in part 1 (Sharapov 2014a). In picking up where Part 1 left off, Part 2 explores how survey respondents answered a series of agree/disagree statements in relation to various issues associated with trafficking in human beings. The project's survey questionnaire is included as Annex 1 in Part 1.

Details: Budapest: Center for Policy Studies, Central European University, 2015. 32p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 20, 2015 at: https://cps.ceu.edu/sites/default/files/publications/cps-working-paper-upkat-public-knowledge-and-attitudes-towards-thb-2015.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Forced Labor

Shelf Number: 137038


Author: Mendel, Jonathan

Title: Human Trafficking and Online Networks

Summary: The Briefing, co-authored by Kiril Sharapov, Marie Curie Research Fellow at CPS, and Jonathan Mendel, Lecturer in Geography at Dundee University, provides an overview of human trafficking and online networks as an emerging area of policy concern at the European level, and presents headline results from two empirical investigations, which explore what is currently known about the use of online networks to facilitate trafficking in human beings.

Details: Budapest: Centre for Policy Studies, Central European University, 2014. 16p.

Source: Internet Resource: Policy Briefing: Accessed October 20, 2015 at: https://thbregionalimplementationinitiative.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/cps-policy-brief-upkat-human-trafficking-and-online-networks-2014.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Human Trafficking

Shelf Number: 137039


Author: European Parliament. Directorate-General for Internal Policies. Policy Department C Citizens' Rights and Constitutional Affairs

Title: The US legal system on data protection in the field of law enforcement. Safeguards, rights and remedies for EU citizens

Summary: In US law, there are a number of different legal sources that govern data protection in the field of federal law enforcement. This study first considers the two most important sources of data protection law-the Fourth Amendment to the US Constitution and the Privacy Act of 1974. It then turns to the most significant methods of information collection that are available for ordinary criminal investigations and national security investigations and the data protection guarantees set down under the laws authorizing and regulating such information collection. The Fourth Amendment prohibits "unreasonable searches and seizures" by the government. Reasonableness is established if the search or seizure is conducted pursuant to a valid warrant, that is, a judicial order based on a showing of probable cause and on a particular description of the property to be searched and the items to be seized. Reasonableness can also be established if one of the exceptions to the warrant requirements exists. In the data protection context, however, the application of the Fourth Amendment is relatively limited because of the third-party records doctrine which holds that individuals do not have an expectation of privacy in personal data that they voluntarily turn over to third parties like financial institutions and communications providers. With regard to EU citizens, the Supreme Court has held that foreign citizens resident abroad are not covered by the Fourth Amendment. Among U.S. laws, the Privacy Act of 1974 is the closest analogue to a European data protection law in that it seeks to regulate comprehensively personal data processing, albeit only with respect to federal government departments and agencies. It regulates the collection, use, and disclosure of all types of personal information, by all types of federal agencies, including law enforcement agencies. At a general level, the Privacy Act contains most of the elements of the EU right to personal data protection. However, it only protects US citizens and permanent residents, not EU citizens. Furthermore, there are a number of exemptions available specifically for law enforcement agencies. As a result, the benefits of the proposed legislation on judicial redress for EU citizens are unclear. The proposed legislation contemplates three types of law suits, two of which are designed to protect the right of access to and correction of personal data, and one of which enables individuals to obtain compensation for unlawful disclosures of personal data. Since law enforcement agencies commonly exempt their data bases from the access requirements of the Privacy Act, the right of action for intentional or willful disclosures that cause actual damage is the only one that would be available on a general basis. In investigations involving ordinary crime, there are at least three different methods of personal data collection available to law enforcement officials: (1) use of private sources like commercial data brokers; (2) court and administrative subpoenas; (3) electronic surveillance and access to electronic communications based on a court order under the Electronic Communications Privacy Act. These information-gathering methods afford the same level of data protection for US and EU citizens. With respect to EU data protection law, however, some of these methods contain relatively few data protection guarantees. In the case of private sources of personal data, this is attributable to the absence of a comprehensive data protection scheme in the private sector and the vast quantities of personal information freely available to market actors and, consequently, also to law enforcement officials. With respect to the subpoena power and access to communications metadata and subscriber records (under the Stored Communications Act and the Pen Register Act), the lack of significant data protection guarantees is associated with the standard of "relevance" to any type of criminal investigation and the permissive application of that standard by the courts. The law and jurisprudence of "relevance," in turn, is driven by the failure of US law to recognize a robust privacy interest in the personal data held by corporate entities and other third parties. In investigations involving national security threats, which can involve both an intelligence and a law enforcement component, there are a number of additional means available to the government: (1) a special type of administrative subpoena known as a "national security letter"; (2) surveillance authorized by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA); (3) any other form of intelligence gathering authorized by Executive Order 12,333 (and not covered by FISA). The information gathered through such methods can be shared with criminal prosecutors if relevant for law enforcement purposes. Foreign intelligence gathering, both inside and outside the United States, follows a two-track scheme, one for US persons and another for non-US persons. With the exception of FISA electronic and physical surveillance orders, the data protection guarantees afforded to non-US persons are minimal. The stated intent of Presidential Policy Directive 28 is to provide for stronger personal data protection for non-US persons, but it is difficult to come to any conclusions at this point in time on what effect it will have. More generally, even with respect to US persons, personal data protection under foreign intelligence law raises a couple of questions. The first concerns the point in time when the right to privacy is burdened by government action. The US government has suggested that in the case of bulk collection of personal data, harm to the privacy interest only occurs after the personal data is used to search, or results from a search of, the information included in the data base. This position stands in marked contrast with EU law, where it is well established that bulk collection, even before the personal data is accessed, is a serious interference with the right to personal data protection because of the number of people and the amount of personal data involved. The second question concerns the conditions under which personal data can be shared between intelligence and law enforcement officials. In the realm of data processing by law enforcement and intelligence agencies, the European courts have emphasized that intrusive surveillance can only be conducted to combat serious threats that are carefully defined in law. They have also held that the information that results from such surveillance can only be used to combat those serious threats, whether to take national security measures or to prosecute the associated criminal offenses. In US law, by contrast, the law allows for intelligence to be transferred to the police and criminal prosecutors for any type of law enforcement purpose..

Details: Brussels: European Union, 2015. 40p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 21, 2015 at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2015/519215/IPOL_STU(2015)519215_EN.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Criminal Investigations

Shelf Number: 137049


Author: International Juvenile Justice Observatory (IJJO)

Title: Keeping Youth Away from Crime: Searching for the Best European Practices. Volume 2: Compendium of Ten Best European Practices

Summary: The project has identified good practices working with children from risk groups and risk situations in 10 European countries. The output of this research consists of 10 national reports on these territories, as well as a comparative analysis, which as a whole provides a comprehensive study of best practices in the EU.

Details: Brussels: IJJO, 2014. 512p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 26, 2015 at: http://providus.lv/article_files/2913/original/Volume_2_-_Compendium_of_Ten_Best_European_Practices.pdf?1428501072

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: At-Risk Youth

Shelf Number: 137141


Author: De Vito, Elisabetta

Title: Public health aspects of migrant health: a review of the evidence on health status for undocumented migrants in the European Region

Summary: Undocumented migrants are people within a country without the necessary documents and permits. They are considered at higher risk for health problems because of their irregular status and the consequences of economic and social marginalization. A systematic review found 122 documents that suggested policies and interventions to improve health care access and delivery for undocumented migrants. Undocumented migrants mostly have only access to emergency care across Europe, and even in the countries where they are fully entitled to health care, formal and informal barriers hinder their access. This raises concerns for both public health and migrant care. On the basis of findings, policy options are suggested regarding data collection, research, entitlement to health care, information and communication, training and intersectoral approaches.

Details: Copenhagen: World Health Organization, 2015. 49p., app.

Source: Internet Resource: Health Evidence Network synthesis report 42: Accessed November 9, 2015 at: http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/289255/WHO-HEN-Report-A5-3-Undocumented_FINAL-rev1.pdf?ua=1

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Health Care

Shelf Number: 137227


Author: Forsaith, James

Title: Study for an impact assessment on a proposal for a new legal framework on the confiscation and recovery of criminal assets

Summary: The confiscation and recovery of criminal assets, which has a long pedigree within the criminal justice systems of many Member States, has in recent decades assumed a prominent position in the fight against organised crime. Led by Italy, many EU Member States have introduced asset confiscation laws which, by targeting the motivation for profit-driven crime, aim to deter would-be criminals. The force of this logic is easily demonstrated at the microeconomic level (by examining the choices facing individual decision-makers) but the macroeconomic consequences of asset confiscation remain poorly researched. Nevertheless, the logic is widely accepted - no doubt in part because depriving criminals of their ill-gotten gains is a politically attractive concept. Although asset confiscation is a popular concept with a basis in international law, EU law and Member State laws, these laws remain underdeveloped and underutilised. It is unlikely that any Member State confiscates a significant proportion of criminal assets and, accordingly, it is unlikely that the laws themselves are achieving their stated aim. To a large extent this may be because asset confiscation presents as a paradigm shift in criminal justice and agents of the state are likely to remain focused upon their tradition roles (arrest and prosecution) unless they face specific incentives to use the available tools. There are noticeable trends towards improved laws and greater utilisation, but these trends are not so strong as to render EU-level action unnecessary. This study for an impact assessment on a proposal for a new legal framework on the confiscation and recovery of criminal assets aims to assist the European Commission by providing inputs in aid of a formal impact assessment. These inputs consist of policy options for EU-level intervention analysed against evaluation criteria. The evaluation criteria and policy options have both been derived in consultation with the European Commission: the former based on the European Commission's own Impact Assessment Guidelines and the latter based on a problem definition produced as part of this study. This problem definition is based on extensive desk research and fieldwork which generated a detailed map of Member State asset confiscation laws, sought to understand their operation in practice and collated available statistical data.

Details: Santa Monica, CA: RAND Europe, 2012. 259p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 14, 2015 at: http://ec.europa.eu/home-affairs/doc_centre/crime/docs/RAND%20EUROPE%20Study%20Final%20Report.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Asset Forfeiture

Shelf Number: 137286


Author: European Parliament. Directorate-General for Internal Policies. Policy Department C Citizens' Rights and Constitutional Affairs

Title: The Need for New EU Legislation Allowing the Assets Confiscated from Criminal Organisations to be Used for Civil Society and in Particular for Social Purposes.

Summary: The note evaluates the current legislation on the asset recovery process both at the EU and Member States level, with a view to assessing the need and the feasibility of establishing EU regulation on the use of confiscated assets for civil society and in particular for social purposes. It points out that at the EU level only limited attention has been given to the final destination of confiscated assets and that within Member States using confiscated assets for social purposes is not a widely established practice. It analyses the advantages of the social re-use of confiscated assets and comes to the conclusion that there is a clear need for a coherent European approach. The note puts forward a series of recommendations ranging from the adoption of a European Directive on the social re-use of confiscated assets to the creation of a European Asset Recovery Database, a European Asset Recovery Fund and a European Asset Recovery Office.

Details: Brussels: Commission of the European Communities, 2012. 100p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 14, 2015 at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/note/join/2012/462437/IPOL-LIBE_NT(2012)462437_EN.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Asset Forfeiture

Shelf Number: 137288


Author: Europol

Title: The Internet Organised Crime Threat Assessment (IOCTA) 2015

Summary: 2015 Internet Organised Crime Threat Assessment (IOCTA) is a law enforcement-centric threat assessment intended to inform priority setting for the EMPACT Operational Action Plan for 2016 in the three sub-priority areas of cybercrime (cyber attacks, child sexual exploitation online and payment fraud). The IOCTA also seeks to inform decision-makers at strategic, policy and tactical levels on how to fight cybercrime more effectively and to better protect online society against cyber threats. The 2015 IOCTA provides a view from the trenches, drawing primarily on the experiences of law enforcement within the EU Member States to highlight the threats visibly impacting on industry and private citizens within the EU. The IOCTA is a forward-looking assessment presenting analyses of future risks and emerging threats, providing recommendations to align and strengthen the joint efforts of EU law enforcement and its partners in preventing and fighting cybercrime

Details: The Hague: Europol, 2015. 75p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 17, 2015 at: https://www.europol.europa.eu/content/internet-organised-crime-threat-assessment-iocta-2015

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Cybercrime

Shelf Number: 137309


Author: European Parliament. Directorate-General for Internal Policies. Policy Department C Citizens' Rights and Constitutional Affairs

Title: Cybersecurity in the European Union and Beyond: Exploring the Threats and Policy Responses

Summary: The European Commission published the European Union Cyber Security Strategy along with the accompanying proposal for a Network and Information Security (NIS) Directive in 2013. Since the proposal was published, the cybersecurity landscape has continued to evolve, leading to questions regarding the nature and seriousness of the cyberthreats faced by the European Union (EU), the capabilities of Member States to manage these threats and respond to incidents, and the effectiveness of these capabilities. At the time of writing, discussions about the content and scope of the proposed NIS Directive are continuing. This study of cybersecurity threats in the EU was commissioned by the European Parliament (EP). It has five objectives: 1. To identify key cyberthreats facing the EU and the challenges associated with their identification. 2. To identify the main cybersecurity capabilities in the EU. 3. To identify the main cybersecurity capabilities in the United States (US). 4. To assess the current state of transnational cooperation. 5. To explore perceptions of the effectiveness of the current EU response

Details: Brussels: European Parliament, 2015. 152p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 17, 2015 at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2015/536470/IPOL_STU(2015)536470_EN.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Cybercrimes

Shelf Number: 137310


Author: European Parliament. Directorate-General for Internal Policies. Policy Department C: Citizzen's Rights and Constitutional Affairs

Title: The Law Enforcement Challenges of Cybercrime: Are We Really Playing Catch-Up

Summary: Cybercrime has become one of the key priorities for EU law enforcement agencies, as demonstrated by the establishment of the European Cybercrime Centre (EC3) in January 2013 and the development of specific European threat assessment reports in this field. High-profile criminal investigations such as the 'Silk Road' case, major data breaches or particularly nefarious hacks or malware attacks have been very much in the spotlight and widely reported in the media, prompting discussions and debates among policymakers and in law enforcement circles. Over the last few months, the cybercrime debate has specifically evolved around the issue of encryption and anonymisation. In this context, this Study argues that debates on the law enforcement challenge of cybercrime in the EU should steer clear both of doomsday scenarios that overstate the problem and scepticism that understates it, and that the key cybercrime concern for law enforcement is legal in nature rather than simply technical and technological. Indeed, the Study finds that the key challenge for law enforcement is the lack of an effective legal framework for operational activities that guarantees the fundamental rights principles enshrined in EU primary and secondary law. In order to address this core argument, this Study starts by analysing claims and controversies over the Internet 'going dark' on law enforcement (Section 2). It shows that these claims have been made for quite some time and should be considered as moral panics rather than accurate reflections of the challenges posed by cybercrime to law enforcement. Moreover, current controversies rehash older ones, conflating law enforcement concerns with intelligence-gathering and surveillance concerns. Without denying the fact that criminal activities do take place online, pose technical difficulties to law enforcement services and require the availability of specific capabilities, this section demonstrates that these difficulties do not impede criminal investigation to such an extent that exceptional means should be envisaged. While these technical aspects need to be considered, they raise issues related to policy and law rather than technology as such. The policy and law-related challenges are made greater by the fact that defining cybercrime is not an easy task. Very broad definitions have been adopted at the EU level, often leading to overlapping and sometimes conflicting mandates. Section 3 thus analyses the institutional architecture of EU cybercrime policy. It shows that the complexity of cybercrime measures and the expansive mandates and number of actors involved in their implementation make it difficult to ascertain and circumscribe the full scope of EU cybercrime policy. Whereas the Council of Europe (CoE) sought to codify cybercrime powers into an international convention, much of the EU's policy to fight cybercrime is based on non-legislative measures, including operational cooperation and ad hoc public-private partnerships. Furthermore, important distinctions and restrictions designed to ensure a 'separation of powers' between state agencies concerned with law enforcement (cyber-policing), civil protection (cybersecurity), national security (cyberespionage) and military force (offensive cyber capabilities) are harder to distinguish in the area of cybercrime, at both national and EU level. Section 3 underlines that, within this complex architecture, and with the blurring of the boundaries between those responsible for policing the Internet, for gathering intelligence from it, for conducting cyber-espionage against foreign targets, and for ensuring the safety of critical internet infrastructure, the European Parliament and civil society are largely excluded from policy development, impeding public scrutiny and accountability. This compounds the EP's existing problems in ensuring that fundamental rights and data protection are diligently protected in the area of justice and home affairs. In light of these gaps in oversight and accountability, Section 4 analyses in particular the challenge of jurisdiction, cooperation and fundamental rights safeguards. This section argues that operational challenges in cybercrime law enforcement do not change the obligation of EU institutions and Member States to ensure the safeguarding of EU fundamental rights in any operating framework of internal or transnational cooperation in law enforcement and criminal justice. Cybercrime law enforcement frequently cites the challenge of accessing and transferring data through existing Mutual Legal Assistance agreements. Yet practices taken outside of established legal channels cannot guarantee rights protections and run the risk of raising mistrust in the general public, the private sector and in transatlantic relations. Furthermore, across the spectrum of cybercrime prevention, investigation, and prosecution, the particular geography of the digital environment is said to complicate the traditional territorial foundations of law. Law enforcement bodies make continuous reference to the ways in which traditional legal structures stand in the way of operations. However, an updated legal framework designed to overcome these challenges should foreground fundamental rights concerns, which are essential to ensure due process and a necessary condition for the successful prosecution of cybercriminal offences. In light of these findings, the Study concludes with key recommendations for the European Parliament. In particular, to ensure that the Parliament is not marginalised altogether with respect to the implementation and review of EU cybercrime policies by the exercise of delegated powers, EU agency discretion and non-legislative decision-making bodies, further monitoring of EU council structures, Europol and international cooperation agreements is required (Recommendation 1). Moreover, the EP should ensure that the development of any cooperation/information-sharing framework guarantees the respect of fundamental rights (Recommendation 2). In light of the current discussions on a revised CoE Cybercrime Convention, the European Parliament should, further, ensure that the Convention's obligations are consistent with EU law and fundamental rights protections (Recommendation 3). The EP must also ensure that cybercrime is not used as a justification to undermine new information security protocols and the right to privacy in telecommunications, both of which are fundamental components of the functioning of the Internet (Recommendation 4). Finally, if European law enforcement agencies need to keep pace with technological change, it is imperative that training courses on cybercrime forensics and digital evidence include an applied fundamental rights component (Recommendation 5).

Details: Brussels: European Parliament, 2015. 68p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 17, 2015 at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2015/536471/IPOL_STU(2015)536471_EN.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Cybercrimes

Shelf Number: 137311


Author: European Commission

Title: Study on smuggling of migrants: characteristics, responses and cooperation with third countries

Summary: A consortium comprising Optimity Advisors, the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) and the European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE) was commissioned by the European Commission's DG Migration and Home Affairs to undertake a "Study on smuggling of migrants: Characteristics, responses and cooperation with third countries." (HOME/2011/EVAL/01). This document contains the Final Report for this study. Despite it being a pressing political issue, migrant smuggling remains an rather under-reported area of research, with scattered and incomplete information available. For example, no systematic review and evaluation of existing policies against smuggling facilitation has been carried out to date, and the understanding of the role of third countries in the smuggling process remains limited. Investigation and research undertaken on the issue of migrant smuggling by European and national authorities and agencies, in particular by Frontex and Europol as well as national police research units, is often restricted; given the sensitive nature of the topic, the information is not always publicly available. Published research arises mainly from PhD studies based on individual aspects of migrant smuggling, routes, population etc. In addition, numerous case studies exist, for example, on individual geographical areas or destination countries/regions, which are relevant in time and context. There are few larger and more comprehensive studies covering these themes. For example, in 2011, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime published a review of research on migrant smuggling in order to fill this gap by surveying sources and research studies. Its review also covers concepts, methodologies, the scope of the problem, profiles of those smuggled and those who smuggle, networks and the human and social costs. Even though more empirical information has been added since then, this review remains extremely comprehensive and one of the few larger studies on the phenomenon. The research undertaken for this study is intended to contribute to the research evidence and close some of the existing gaps, particularly in relation to the business of migrant smuggling. Nevertheless, the study has identified priorities for further research; these are described in the concluding section. The Final Report consists of the following main sections: !! Chapter 2 provides the objectives and scope of this study; !! Chapter 3 presents the methodology; !! Chapter 4 presents findings on the phenomenon and dynamics of migrant smuggling; !! Chapter 5 provides the legal and policy frameworks, programmes and operational responses, including the relevant institutions addressing migrant smuggling; !! Chapter 6 discusses the main conclusions based on data collection and case study findings.

Details: Luxembourg: European Commission, DG Migration and Home Affairs, 2015. 179p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 17, 2015 at: http://www.statewatch.org/news/2015/nov/eu-com-study-smuggling-of-migrants.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Human Smuggling

Shelf Number: 137314


Author: Ernst & Young

Title: Evaluation of Aquapol, Railpol and Tispol: Final Report

Summary: As trans-European police cooperation networks, Aquapol (water police, maritime and inland), Railpol (railroad police) and Tispol (traffic police) play an important role in addressing cross-border prevention of and the fight against crime. Tispol, established in 1998, is the oldest and most mature network in terms of visibility and outreach to the police community in Europe, comprising 29 members covering all EU Member States. Aquapol, comprising 21 members and representing 14 member states, was initiated 5 years after Tispol in 2003. Whilst its activities relating to inland shipping are mature, maritime affairs are under development. Railpol, now comprising 19 members and representing 14 member states, was established in 2003 by four members. The networks share some defining characteristics: they are essentially bottom-up, operationally based networks of law enforcement organisations that coordinate control operations, organise training and seminars on best practices in thematic areas, and on occasions, exchange staff between Member States. They produce and develop good practice manuals and other systems that support international cooperation. The possibilities to exchange information between members on a daily basis in an informal manner are valued. Furthermore, the heads of the three networks work closely together to capitalise on synergies, as well as with European agencies such as Frontex and Europol, in order to coordinate activity and enhance cooperation. These activities to date have relied strongly on financing from the DG HOME ISEC programme. ISEC monopoly grants represent the majority of the funding sources for all three networks, and have therefore played a key role in the development of the networks in recent years. Given national budget cuts in the context of the current economic crisis, ISEC funding is even more important. However in the long term, the networks will need to find alternative solutions to encourage financial self-reliance, growth in activities and visibility.

Details: Ernst and Young Associates, 2013. 154p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 25, 2015 at: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/home-affairs/e-library/documents/policies/police-cooperation/general/docs/eandy_evaluation_of_aquapol_railpol_tispol_final_report_20130115.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Law Enforcement

Shelf Number: 137341


Author: Robinson, Neil

Title: Comparative study on legislative and non legislative measures to combat identity theft and identity-related crime

Summary: This document is the Final Report of a comparative study on legislative and non legislative measures to combat identity theft and identity-related crime. It includes: Chapters on the context and definitional understanding for a pan-European data collection exercise regarding the legal and non-legal measures aimed at addressing the challenge of identity theft. Summaries of the countries covered as part of this study. Analysis and conclusions from the overview of the evidence base above. An Appendix with National Profiles for each country covered. This report represents a multi-stage legislative and policy diagnostic intended to assess the validity and effectiveness of current EU Member States legal and non-legal responses to the particular public policy challenge of the emergence of identity theft. This is an increasingly prevalent form of criminality and, with increasing reliance on public and private identity infrastructures, a possible emergent risk to the growing information society. This diagnostic consists of an overview of the typology of conduct; a review of the existence and impact of current national legal and non legal means to address these forms of conduct; and finally the exploration of appropriate mechanisms to improve the situation. As such the data in this report, collected between March and May 2010, represent a snapshot of the situation in mid-2010.

Details: Cambridge, UK: RAND Europe, 2011. 618p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 27, 2015 at: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/home-affairs/e-library/documents/policies/organized-crime-and-human-trafficking/cybercrime/docs/rand_study_tr-982-ec_en.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: Europe

Keywords: Computer Crimes

Shelf Number: 137343


Author: European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA)

Title: Fundamental rights implications of the obligation to provide fingerprints for Eurodac

Summary: Eurodac is a large database of fingerprints the European Union (EU) set up for the smooth running of the Dublin system, a mechanism established to determine the Member State responsible for examining an asylum application. The paper intends to assist EU Member States and EU institutions and agencies in avoiding fundamental rights violations when promoting compliance with the duty to provide fingerprints, by examining more closely the impact of refusing to give fingerprints on the principle of non-refoulement, the right to liberty and security, and the protection from disproportionate use of force. It also contains a checklist to guide authorities responsible for implementing the duty to take fingerprints. This focus paper is the first publication of FRA's project on biometric data in large information technologies systems in the field of borders, immigration and asylum included in its Annual Work Programmes 2014-2016. It is a living document that FRA will review in case of new research findings or if the currently sparse national case law develops further. Although focused on fingerprints, the considerations included in this focus paper also apply to other biometric identifiers.

Details: Vienna: FRA, 2015. 12p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 1, 2015 at: http://fra.europa.eu/sites/default/files/fra_uploads/fra-2015-fingerprinting-focus-paper_en.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Asylum Seekers

Shelf Number: 137371


Author: Spapens, A.C.M., ed.

Title: Administrative approaches to crime. Administrative measures based on regulatory legislation to

Summary: Over the last years a great deal of attention has been devoted to the administrative approach at the European level, within the context of preventing and combating organised crime. In fact, the Stockholm programme, the Internal Security Strategy and the COSI work programme all view this approach as a useful supplement to the traditional judicial and police approach against organised crime. The administrative approach was already subject to a range of initiatives, among them the delivery of different EU handbooks on complementary approaches and actions to prevent and combat organised crime, and the establishment of the Informal Network of contact points on the administrative approach. In 2010, during the Belgian EU Presidency, the Council adopted conclusions in which the Informal Network was requested to assess the possibilities to strengthen the exchange of information between administrative bodies and traditional law enforcement organisations. To this end the Dutch Ministry of Security and Justice (coordinator), together with Tilburg University (the Netherlands) and the KU Leuven - University (Belgium), supported by the Belgian Home Affairs Ministry, applied for a grant at the Prevention of and Fight against Crime Programme of the European Commission. In 2011, the European Commission awarded this ISEC grant to conduct a 'study on the potential for information exchanges between administrative bodies and traditional law enforcement organizations to support the use of administrative measures within EU Member States and at EU level'. The underlying report is the result of this ISEC grant. The study aims to contribute to the existing body of knowledge concerning an administrative approach to crime in the European Union in the following manner. First, it explored the legal options available to national administrative authorities in the selected Member States. Options that prevent criminals from misusing the legal infrastructure, such as licensing procedures or tender procedures. This resulted in ten separate country reports (Chapters 2-11), as well as a comparison of those legal options in the ten Member States (Chapter 12). Second, it considered the practical application of the legal options available in the selected Member States. The results of this empirical study are reviewed in Chapter 13. Chapter 14 explored the potential for information exchange between EU Member States in support of an administrative approach to crime. Last, the conclusions and the way forward were presented in part V of this study (Chapter 15 and 16).

Details: Brussels: European Commission, Directorate-General Home Affairs, 2015. 603p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 2, 2015 at: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/home-affairs/e-library/documents/policies/organized-crime-and-human-trafficking/crime-prevention/docs/final_report_eu_study_administrative_approaches_to_crime_en.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Crime Prevention

Shelf Number: 137422


Author: Brown, Ian

Title: Check the Web: Assessing the Ethics and Politics of Policing the Internet for Extremist Material

Summary: This report draws on insights from representatives of civil society, law enforcement and industry groups to offer fresh perspectives on the policing of extremist material online. Evidently, the Internet now serves not only as a breeding ground for extremism, but also offers myriad data streams which potentially hold great value to law enforcement. Using an international legal framework as a starting point, the report explores the technical, political and ethical complexities of policing the web for extremist material, and its implications for security, privacy and human rights.

Details: VOX-Pol Network of Excellence, 2015. 100p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 2, 2015 at: http://voxpol.eu/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/VOX-Pol_Ethics_Politics_PUBLISHED.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Extremist Groups

Shelf Number: 137427


Author: Cyrus, Norbert

Title: The Concept of Demand in Relation to Trafficking in Human Beings: A Review of Debates since the Late 19th Century

Summary: The 2000 UN Trafficking Protocol obliged states to discourage demand that fostered exploitation leading to trafficking. Fifteen years later, there is still no shared understanding of what demand means in the context of debates on trafficking in human beings (THB). This paper charts the history of the use of the concepts "trafficking" and "demand" in the context of debates on trafficking since the 1860s. It shows that terminological confusion was and still is a constant feature of these debates. The paper argues that conceptual confusion hampers mutual understanding, prevents reasonable dispute and undermines the capacity to develop policy approaches which effectively provide protection from trafficking and exploitation.

Details: Vienna, Austria: Demand Side Measures Against Trafficking, 2015. 112p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 1, 2016 at: http://www.demandat.eu/sites/default/files/DemandAT_WP2_Cyrus_October_2015_FINAL.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Forced Labor

Shelf Number: 137466


Author: Mediterranean Institute of Gender Studies

Title: "I thought I was applying as a caregiver": Trafficking in Women for Labour Exploitation in Domestic Work

Summary: In recent years the issues of gender and migration have received more attention from scholars, researchers and policymakers in different national contexts as well as at the EU level. Despite there being acknowledgment that gender matters, the experience of migrant domestic workers as possible victims of trafficking in human beings for labour exploitation has remained unexplored. Migrant domestic workers are left out of most policy framework relating to immigrant integration, violence against migrants, trafficking in human beings (THB), or exploitation, and therefore they tend to be invisible at all levels. However, female migrant domestic workers are visible agents within the destination countries since current economies in Europe are also built around them. EU Mediterranean countries such as Spain, Greece and Cyprus have become destination countries for many female migrant domestic workers, while Lithuana is a country from which domestic workers originate. It is evident from previous research that many are victims of exploitation. OSCE's Guide on Gender-Sensitive Labour Migration Policies notes that more women are migrating and the demand for workers in female dominated sectors, such as domestic work, is ever-increasing. Research shows that domestic workers play a crucial role in society but at the same time, due to the isolated and unregulated setting of their work, they are especially vulnerable to abuse, violence and exploitation. Migrant domestic workers mostly live in their employer's house and many, according to studies by the International Labour Organization, report physical, psychological, sexual abuse, and exploitative work conditions. They are often overworked, underpaid, have their personal documents confiscated, are restricted in their freedom of movement, and have their pay withheld in order to pay off debts related to their recruitment and transportation. Such exploitation is under-reported, and authorities do not necessarily recognize these situations to be cases of trafficking. However, trafficking in women may occur if the employee has been deceived, or if her dependent status and vulnerability has been abused in order to subject her to exploitation. Furthermore, the recent EU directive on THB (2011/36/EU) recognizes the gender dimension and it encourages Member States to be more aware of the less investigated forms of THB such as labour exploitation. The new strategy on THB (The EU Strategy towards the Eradication of Trafficking in Human Beings 2012-2016) is a critical tool in assisting the Member States to implement the Directive, and both documents pay special attention to THB for labour exploitation.

Details: Nicosia, Cyprus: University of Nicosia Press, 2015. 175p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 13, 2016 at: http://www.medinstgenderstudies.org/wp-content/uploads/here5.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Domestic Workers, Abuse of

Shelf Number: 137562


Author: KPMG

Title: Project Star: 2012 Results

Summary: KPMG has conducted a study on the illicit cigarette consumption in the European Union, every year since 2006, as part of the Cooperation Agreement between Philip Morris International, the European Union and the EU Member States. For the first time in 2013, the study was commissioned by all four major tobacco manufacturers - British American Tobacco plc (BAT), Imperial Tobacco plc (Imperial), Japan Tobacco International (JTI) and Philip Morris International Inc. (PMI). In the first years of the study, "illicit whites" did not have a significant presence in the EU and therefore were not analyzed in detail. In the years that followed and as these products became increasingly present in the illicit cigarette market, KPMG has analyzed past data and has estimated that "illicit whites" represented 0.1 billion cigarettes in 2006 and 2.6 billion cigarettes in 2007

Details: London: KPMG, 2013. 234p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 14, 2016 at: http://www.pmi.com/eng/media_center/media_kit/Documents/Project_Star_2012_Final_Report.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Black Markets

Shelf Number: 137577


Author: Krizsan, Andrea, ed.

Title: Mobilizing for Policy Change: Women's Movements in Central and Eastern European Domestic Violence Policy Struggles

Summary: The aim of this edited volume is to explore and understand the influence of women's movement mobilization on domestic violence policy change in Central and Eastern Europe. Fifteen years ago domestic violence was barely present on the policy agenda of countries in the CEE region. By 2005 most countries of the region adopted laws and policies addressing it and proceeded with implementation. Domestic violence policy processes can be seen as one of the most remarkable successes of women's movements in the region, which may stand to challenge skepticism around the policy efficiency of women's movements in Central and Eastern Europe. While variation certainly exists in the extent to which policy change that ultimately took place responds to women's rights concerns, there is undoubted progress in all countries of the region. This volume addresses a series of questions: what are the dynamics that led to movement successes in the region? Which movements and the strategies they adopt are successful in promoting progressive policy change? Why do some movements manage to secure policy change that is women's rights friendly, while others lose control beyond setting the agenda? How do alliances, institutionalization and framing make a difference? And how patterns of achieving policy influence resemble or differ from patterns found in Western post-industrialized states? Are Central and Eastern European domestic violence policy processes any different? The book develops a theoretical framework explaining the links between mobilization and change, followed by the portrayal of in-depth case studies on Bulgaria, Croatia, Poland, and Romania.

Details: Budapest: Central European University, Center for Policy Studies, 2015. 240p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 25, 2016 at: https://cps.ceu.edu/publications/books/mobilizing-for-policy-change

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Domestic Violence

Shelf Number: 137656


Author: Reitano, Tuesday

Title: Survive and advance: The economics of smuggling refugees and migrants into Europe

Summary: Violent conflicts, terrorism, long-standing repressive regimes, chronic poverty and inequality have driven an unprecedented number of refugees and migrants to Europe. Those making the journey are assisted by an increasingly violent and opportunistic smuggling industry. Sustainable profits made by this industry have allowed transnational networks to develop where they previously did not exist, with serious implications for human security and state stability. Effective responses will require an understanding of the drivers and dynamics of the crisis. This understanding should be sufficiently nuanced to recognise that each journey of migration is defined by the ethnicity, income level and country of origin of the migrants, as well as by a highly responsive smuggling industry.

Details: Pretoria: Institute for Security Studies, 2015. 32p.

Source: Internet Resource: ISS Paper 289: Accessed January 25, 2016 at: https://www.issafrica.org/uploads/Paper289-2.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Human Smuggling

Shelf Number: 137646


Author: European Parliament. Directorate-General for Internal Policies. Policy Department C Citizens' Rights and Constitutional Affairs

Title: Fit for Purpose? The Facilitation Directive and the Criminalisation of Humanitarian Assistance to Irregular Migrants

Summary: This study assesses the implementation of the humanitarian exception provisions of the Facilitation Directive and their impact on irregular migrants, along with the organisations and individuals providing assistance to them within EU member states. It maps the existing international and EU legal frameworks on people smuggling and their implementation in the national law of selected member states, assessing them against international, supranational and regional human rights instruments as well as the EU Charter. It subsequently gathers and presents data on the prosecution and conviction rates of those who have provided humanitarian assistance to irregular migrants and identifies important knowledge gaps and methodological caveats. Drawing on primary survey data, this study also explores the material, direct and perceived effects of the Facilitation Directive from the perspective of civil society and local authorities. It identifies the practical challenges and experiences of cities and civil society arising from implementation of the Facilitation Directive and puts forward a series of policy recommendations to the European Parliament for improving and amending the Directive. The study aims at enhancing the European Parliament's ability to make sound, evidence-based policy directed towards key stakeholders in this area and at strengthening its important role in ensuring democratic accountability at a time when the 'Facilitators' Package' is under revision

Details: Luxembourg: European Parliament, 2016. 132p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 1, 2016 at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2016/536490/IPOL_STU(2016)536490_EN.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Human Rights Abuses

Shelf Number: 137719


Author: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)

Title: Drug Money: the illicit proceeds of opiates trafficked on the Balkan route,

Summary: A new report launched today by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) shows that the total value of illicit heroin and opium trafficked from Afghanistan to Western Europe through the Balkans amounts to some $28 billion every year. Sixty-five per cent of this total ($18 billion) is generated in Western and Central Europe. The four largest European markets for heroin - France, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Italy - account for nearly half of the gross profits, as the major heroin benefits are made by traffickers on the retail markets. The report, entitled Drug Money: the illicit proceeds of opiates trafficked on the Balkan route, shows that the total value generated by Afghan heroin and opium trafficked in Europe and through the Balkan route is one third bigger than the entire GDP of Afghanistan itself, which, in 2014, amounted to some $21 billion. Other findings indicate that the negative economic impact of heroin and opium are actually greater in Europe and the Balkan route countries than in Afghanistan itself. The report also shows the Islamic Republic of Iran and Turkey as the two countries which interject the greater percentage of heroin and opium destined for Europe. Iran seizes about 30 per cent of the 155 tons of heroin and opium entering its territory every year, while Turkey seizes 17 per cent. All other countries in Europe interject an average of 6 per cent of heroin in their territory. Data show that the impact of illicit profits in the national licit economy across countries is significant, with heroin and opium traffickers gaining between 0.2 to 2 per cent of their country's GDP. For some countries this share is bigger than the public expenditures dedicated to drug policies - if all drugs, and not only heroin and opium, are considered. The large amounts of money generated through this illicit activity can distort the licit national economies in the region.

Details: Vienna: UNODC, 2015. 92p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 8, 2016 at: https://www.unodc.org/documents/data-and-analysis/Studies/IFF_report_2015_final_web.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Trafficking

Shelf Number: 137782


Author: European Commission. Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs

Title: Europeans' Attitudes Towards Security

Summary: Overall perception of security - Around 90% of people say that their immediate neighbourhood and their city, town or village are safe places to live. - Around 80% say that their own country and the EU are secure places to live. - Respect for fundamental rights and freedoms is thought to have the most positive impact on one's personal sense of security - 42% of respondents say this. Perceived threats and challenges - Terrorism is seen as the EU's most important security challenge, with half of all respondents describing it as important. - However, the level of concern varies considerably from country to country: 62% of people in Malta, but only 22% in Latvia, think terrorism is an important challenge. - Since 2011, the proportion of people identifying terrorism and religious extremism as important challenges has increased substantially. Fewer people now think that economic and financial crises are the most important challenge to security. - 65% of people think that terrorism is a very important internal security challenge for the EU, and 92% think it is important. - Over two-thirds of people think that the threat of terrorism is likely to increase over the next three years, with over half also saying that cybercrime and organised crime will increase. - Over eight out of ten respondents think that extremist ideologies, war and political instability, and poverty and social exclusion, are potential sources of threats to EU security. - Only seven out of ten people see climate change and pollution as a potential source of security threats. Responses to address security challenges - The police and the judicial system are seen as being chiefly responsible for ensuring the security of citizens: around nine out of ten respondents say this. - The police are seen as the organisation with the biggest role in ensuring the security of citizens in all but five Member States, where the judicial system is listed first. - Over half of the respondents think the police are doing enough to fight terrorism and drug trafficking, but less than half say enough is being done to fight other crimes. - A majority of respondents think that citizens' rights and freedoms have been restricted for reasons related to fighting terrorism and crime. - People are generally positive about the impact of new technologies, but a quarter think they will have a negative impact on the security of citizens.

Details: Luxembourg: The Commission, 2015. 108p.

Source: Internet Resource: http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_432_en.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Cybercrime

Shelf Number: 137809


Author: European Commission. Directorate-General for Home Affairs

Title: Cyber Security

Summary: This report brings together the results of the Special Eurobarometer public opinion survey on "Cyber security" in the 28 European Union countries. Cybercrime is a borderless problem, consisting of criminal acts that are committed online by using electronic communications networks and information systems, including crimes specific to the Internet, online fraud and forgery, and illegal online content. Whilst the value of the cybercriminal economy as a whole is not precisely known, the losses are thought to represent billions of euros per year. The scale of the problem is itself a threat to law enforcement response capability - with more than 150,000 viruses and other types of malicious code in circulation and a million people victims of cybercrime every day. Given the development of cybercrime in recent years, the European Commission has designed a coordinated policy in close co-operation with European Union (EU) Member States and the other EU institutions. EU legislative actions contributing to the fight against cybercrime address issues such as attacks against information systems, online offensive material and child pornography, online privacy, and online fraud and counterfeiting. The aim of this survey is to understand EU citizens' experiences and perceptions of cyber security issues. The survey examines the nature and frequency of Internet usage; their awareness and experience of cybercrime; and the level of concern that they feel about this type of crime. The findings from this survey update a previous survey which was carried out in May-June 2013 (Special Eurobarometer 404). The 2014 survey repeats most of the questions asked in 2013 in order to provide insight into the evolution of knowledge, behaviour and attitudes towards cyber security in the European Union.

Details: Luxembourg: European Commission, 2015. 171p.

Source: Internet Resource: Special Eurobarometer 423: Accessed February 8, 2016 at: http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_423_en.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Computer Crime

Shelf Number: 137810


Author: Denmark. Ministry of Refugee, Immigration and Integration Affairs

Title: The Challenge of Extremism: Examples of Deradicalisation and Disengagement Programmes in the EU

Summary: In January 2010 a survey on deradicalisation and disengagement was initiated. In this survey five respondent countries have described specific deradicalisation and/or disengagement programmes targeted towards individuals. These five countries are Germany, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Denmark and Sweden. This report focuses on these intervention programmes, because the main objective of the survey is to map such programmes. The main objectives of the survey were: - To map the practical experiences in EU member states with policies and programmes on deradicalisation and disengagement, focusing on how to intervene when individuals have been attracted to extremism. - To support the exchange of experience and good practice among the EU member states in the further efforts to address the challenges of extremism and radicalisation. The questionnaire was sent to all 27 EU member states. 18 EU member states replied extensively by giving descriptions of their overall strategies on prevention of extremism. All but one of the 18 countries have developed, or are developing, strategies to prevent radicalisation and extremism. Accordingly most of the strategies are broad initiatives on early prevention of radicalisation and extremism. The implementing partners in the strategies are often a mix of different authorities and organisations on a national, regional and local level. Out of 18 countries, 13 countries have experienced problems with right-wing extremism, 12 countries have experienced problems with left-wing extremism, 10 countries have experienced problems with militant Islamism, and seven countries have experienced problems with separatist movements, animal right groups and/or other groups. In most countries right-wing extremism and militant Islamism are assessed as the biggest threats.

Details: Copenhagen: The Ministry, 2010. 40p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 9, 2016 at: http://www.youthpolicy.org/library/wp-content/uploads/library/2010_Challenge_Extremisme_Deradicalisation_EU_Eng.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Extremism

Shelf Number: 137813


Author: Kronberga, IIona

Title: Social Inclusion: Preventive Measures of Childrens Anti-Social Behavior

Summary: The results of our recent studies1 show that the reasons for juvenile delinquency appear much earlier than their obvious consequences which are already the subject for the intervention of law enforcement agencies. If we assume that adults have to take care of the child's development starting from his/her birth and ensure the environment that would be appropriate for such development, we have to admit that deformed or antisocial behaviour is the consequence of the lack of such care. Adults in particular are responsible for the fulfilment of the youngster's special development needs. It is significant to recognise that the juvenile delinquency as an act of socially deformed behaviour shows that the rights of the particular child have been previously violated and his/her interests have been disregarded or neglected. The lack of care and treatment, indifference, parents and other adults' unwillingness to understand and fulfil the child's needs lead to the commitment of a criminal act. Therefore it is important to develop such systems of prevention and justice within which it is possible already in the early years of the child's development to discover, recognise and prevent future situations where the child becomes an offender or a victim or even only starts behaving in a way that could be called antisocial - opposite to the ethical and normative requirements of the social life in the community.

Details: Riga, Latvia: Providus, 2014. 88p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 9, 2016 at: http://providus.foo.lv/upload_file/Publikacijas/Kriminalt/2014/Visi_raksti_ENG.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: At-risk Youth

Shelf Number: 137814


Author: European Union

Title: Simplification of less serious crime investigation aimed to balance public danger, harm caused by crime and consumption of resources for investigation

Summary: The aim of the project is to exchange, summarize and analyse legislation, knowledge, experience and the best practice on simplification of less serious crime investigation in 7 EU Member States and to deliver recommendations for implementation of the best models and practice, thereby providing opportunities to increase effectiveness of law enforcement agencies in the EU Member States.

Details: Riga, Latvia: State Police of the Republic of Latvia, 2015. 142p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 9, 2016 at: http://eucpn.org/sites/default/files/content/download/files/46._simplification_of_less_serious_crime_investigation.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Crime Scene Investigations

Shelf Number: 137816


Author: European Parliament. Directorate-General for Internal Policies. Policy Department C Citizens' Rights and Constitutional Affairs

Title: Cross-border Parental Child Abduction in the European Union

Summary: Upon request by the European Parliament's Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE), this study aims at analysing the international, European and national legal framework applicable to cross-border parental child abduction, with a view to proposing recommendations for the improvement of the current system. In light of available statistics and case law, five recurrent scenarios giving rise to child abduction legal disputes have been identified. One common scenario is the wrongful removal of a child, which results in the reversal of the balance previously settled in a judicial decision for the exercise of parental rights. A judicial "fast track" through the "automatic" enforcement of foreign decisions on return prescribed by EU Regulation 2201/2003 can be said to have improved the regime of the existing Hague Convention on Child Abduction. In turn, case law shows that when child abduction takes the form of an "illegal transfer of a child's primary residence abroad" by the primary care-giver, national courts tend to explore more in-depth the "best interests of the child". The development of appropriate structures of mediation in order to organise the transfer of a child's residence abroad with one of the parents should prevent "abductions" and improve, in most cases, the relationship between the parents having joint responsibility for the child. In addition to a preventive mediation scheme, a remedial mediation scheme is proposed. If, despite the preventive and remedial mediation schemes, a request return is brought to court in complex situations, it is important to avoid contradictory decisions by the EU judges in the jurisdiction of the present and the former place of residence of the child and to allow careful analysis of the overall situation of the child. To this end, a "joint-decision" reached through the active cooperation of specialised national courts within the EU is proposed. This involves special judicial training - with language and intercultural skills - for international family disputes.

Details: Brussels: European Parliament, 2015. 415p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 10, 2016 at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2015/510012/IPOL_STU(2015)510012_EN.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Child Custody

Shelf Number: 137838


Author: Mounteney, Jane

Title: The internet and drug markets

Summary: The last decade has seen the emergence of new internet technologies that have acted as important facilitators of online drug markets. The internet now hosts a range of virtual marketplaces (both on the surface and deep web) for selling and buying illicit substances, as well as representing a new arena for health and law enforcement interventions. This first EMCDDA investigation into the world of online drug markets brings together state-of-the-art input from over 20 experts - from academia, journalism and frontline practice - and contributes to the knowledge base on this part of the supply chain.

Details: Lisbon: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, 2016. 136p.

Source: Internet Resource: Insights no. 21: Accessed February 11, 2016 at: http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/system/files/publications/2155/TDXD16001ENN.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Computer Crimes

Shelf Number: 137844


Author: Hagen-Zanker, Jessica

Title: Journeys to Europe: The role of policy in migrant decision-making

Summary: With more than a million migrants reaching Europe, 2015 has become known as the year of Europe's migration crisis. The persistence and intensification of crises in other parts of the world fuelled the largest movement of migrants and refugees into Europe since World War II. With some exceptions, the European response has been guided by strategies of containment, restriction and deterrence. Rather than welcoming, settling and integrating the new arrivals, many EU member states have tried to drive them away from their borders through an escalation of restrictive migration policies designed to stop people coming in the first place. This report and policy briefing aims to increase understanding of the journeys made by migrants. Based on in-depth interviews with more than 50 migrants, refugees and asylum seekers who have recently arrived in four European cities (Berlin, London, Madrid and Manchester), it explores: the journeys migrants take; the factors that drive them; and the capacity of destination country migration policies to influence people's decisions, both before their journey begins and along the way. Based on these findings, the authors make policy recommendations that could lead to the better management of, and a more effective and positive response to, the current migration crisis in Europe.

Details: London: Overseas Development Institute, 2016. 50p.

Source: Internet Resource: ODI Insights: Accessed February 11, 2016 at: http://www.odi.org/sites/odi.org.uk/files/odi-assets/publications-opinion-files/10297.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Immigrants

Shelf Number: 137845


Author: Pantucci, Raffaello

Title: Lone-Actor Terrorism: Literature Review

Summary: This paper is the first publication in the Countering Lone-Actor Terrorism (CLAT) project, which aims to improve understanding of, and responses to, the phenomenon of (potentially) violent lone actors through analysis of comprehensive data on cases from across Europe. Despite recent depictions within the media, lone-actor terrorism is not a new phenomenon; however, research suggests the threat is increasing as pressure from security services forces a tactical adaptation and groups - including Daesh (also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, ISIS) - call on those who share their ideology to act alone without direction or support. This paper examines the current state of knowledge surrounding the phenomenon, assessing the limitations of the literature and identifying where further research should focus to add real value to countering the threat. Three recommendations are made: first, increased methodological rigour in empirical research; second, focus on process as well as perpetrators; and third, specific examination of the confluence between returning foreign fighters, domestic Daesh supporters, and the lone-actor threat.

Details: London: Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies, 2015. 25p.

Source: Internet Resource: Countering Lone-Actor Terrorism Series: No. 1: Accessed February 19, 2016 at: https://rusi.org/sites/default/files/201512_clat_literature_review_0.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Counter-Terrorism

Shelf Number: 137894


Author: Global Detention Project

Title: The Uncounted: Detention of Migrants and Asylum Seekers in Europe

Summary: Based on a two-year investigation seeking basic details and statistics about immigration detention practices in 33 countries across Europe and North America, this joint report by the GDP and Access Info Europe reveals that in many countries it is impossible to obtain an accurate picture of the number of migrants and asylum seekers being held in detention. Information is frequently unavailable, many countries refuse to answer freedom of information requests, and when information is released or publicly available it is often incomplete or based on unclear measures that do not fully capture what is happening on the ground. The report concludes that in Europe in particular there is not sufficient transparency in detention regimes to be able to develop a coherent picture of the treatment of detainees or to make informed policy decisions, a fact that is all the more alarming given the large number refugees and asylum seekers currently being apprehended across the continent.

Details: Geneva, SWIT" Global Detention Project, 2015. 32p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 22, 2016 at: http://www.globaldetentionproject.org/publications/special-report/uncounted-detention-migrants-and-asylum-seekers-europe

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Asylum Seekers

Shelf Number: 137931


Author: European Commission

Title: Profiling: Protecting citizens' rights, fighting illicit profiling

Summary: One of the biggest challenges posed by the global technological evolution to the right of data protection is the processing of such data in the context of profiling. UNICRI is leading a consortium of partners in the implementation of a new project which seeks to outline the main risks to human rights involved in profiling practices. The PROFILING project has been funded by the European Commission, DG Justice, under the Fundamental Rights and Citizens programme. It is focused on identifying and tackling the challenges posed by technology to the fundamental right to data protection. Main objectives -Identifying the risks related to the extensive use of profiling -Identifying the level of awareness of the responsible authorities of the Member States on the risks deriving from the use of profiling -Identifying the level of awareness of a selected sample/group of interviewers in testing partner countries -Identifying the countermeasures adopted in all EU Member States. Main activities: 1.A background analysis on profiling and its impact on fundamental rights 2.A risk assessment based on the results of the background analysis 3.A series of questionnaires elaborated and tested with the national Data Protection Authorities of the 28 EU Member States and Switzerland, to assess the present European legal framework 4.Fieldwork in three selected countries - Romania, Germany and Italy - exploring automated profiling in different domains of applications: political activism (Germany), border control (Italy) and e-commerce (Romania).

Details: Brussels: European Commission, 2014. 205p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 24, 2016 at: http://profiling-project.eu/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Profiling_final_report_20141.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Data Protection

Shelf Number: 137959


Author: European Parliament. Directorate-General for Internal Policies. Policy Department C Citizens' Rights and Constitutional Affairs

Title: Forced Marriage from a Gender Perspective

Summary: This study provides an overview of the practice of forced marriage in the EU from a gender equality and women's rights perspective. It analyses the definitions of forced marriage and puts forward a definition from a gender perspective. It also provides an overview of the relevant international/EU legislation, policies and deliberations, as well as national policies, civil law and criminal law (in the 12 Member State that criminalise forced marriage). For those Member States that criminalise forced marriage, the study provides an assessment of the effectiveness and possible consequences of the implementation of the criminal legislation, including an analysis of data and case-law. The study includes a specific chapter focusing on forced marriage within Roma communities and five case-studies specifically focusing on Denmark, Germany, Spain, Slovakia and the UK. The study also puts forward recommendations for improving the response to forced marriage at EU and Member State level.

Details: Luxembourg: European Parliament, 2016. 241p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 25, 2016 at: http://www.statewatch.org/news/2016/feb/ep-study-forced-marriages.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Forced Marriage

Shelf Number: 137962


Author: Savona, Ernesto U.

Title: Organized Crime Infiltration of Legitimate Businesses in Europe: A Pilot Project in Five European Countries. Final report on Project Ariel

Summary: This research is an exploratory study on the infiltration of organised crime groups (OCGs) in legal businesses. Infiltration occurs in every case in which a natural person belonging to a criminal organisation or acting on its behalf, or an already infiltrated legal person, invests financial and/or human resources to participate in the decision-making process of a legitimate business. The main output of the research is a list of risk factors of OCG infiltration in legal businesses, i.e. factors that facilitate or promote infiltration. Risk factors are derived from an unprecedented cross-national comparative analysis of the vulnerabilities of territories and business sectors, criminal groups' modi operandi, and the characteristics of infiltrated businesses. Infiltration risk factors provide inputs for the development of a risk assessment model of OCG infiltration. Its development will assist Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) in identifying the factors facilitating and/or promoting infiltration and enhancing the prevention and enforcement of criminal infiltration. This will help protect EU MS legitimate economies from the misuse of legal businesses for illicit purposes. Project ARIEL - Assessing the Risk of the Infiltration of Organised Crime in EU MSs Legitimate Economies: a Pilot Project in 5 EU Countries (www.arielproject.eu) - was carried out with the financial support of the European Commission, DG Home Affairs, within the Prevention of and Fight against Crime (ISEC) Programme. It focused on five EU MS: Italy, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Sweden, and United Kingdom.

Details: Trento: Transcrime -- Universita degli Studi di Trento, 2015. 135p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 29, 2016 at: http://www.transcrime.it/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Project-ARIEL_Final-report.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Crimes Against Businesses

Shelf Number: 137990


Author: Palombi, Simon

Title: Lone-Actor Terrorism. Policy Paper 2: Attack Methodology and Logistics

Summary: The aim of the Countering Lone-Actor Terrorism (CLAT) project is to understand lone-actor terrorism in a European context. The project will develop a database of lone-actor cases from across Europe. Its overall objective is to see if it is possible to discern any trends or patterns that could be translated into useful observations or recommendations for practitioners and policy-makers. This is the second of four policy papers in the CLAT series, published by RUSI on behalf of Chatham House. The CLAT project identified a need to understand the factors underlying the attack methodology and logistics of lone-actor terrorists. This paper provides an in-depth analysis of the key variables of the data set. The results are then used to develop a more nuanced understanding of the lone-actor terrorism threat in Europe.

Details: London: Royal Institute of International Affairs, 2016. 15p.

Source: Internet Resource: RUSI Occasional Paper; Countering Lone-Actor Terrorism Series: No. 6: Accessed March 1, 2016 at: https://rusi.org/sites/default/files/201602_clat_policy_paper_2_v2.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Counter-Terrorism

Shelf Number: 138006


Author: Smith, Melanie

Title: Lone-Actor Terrorism. Policy Paper 3: Motivations, Political Engagement and Online Activity

Summary: The aim of the Countering Lone-Actor Terrorism (CLAT) project is to understand lone-actor terrorism in a European context. The project will develop a database of lone-actor cases from across Europe. Its overall objective is to see if it is possible to discern any trends or patterns that could be translated into useful observations or recommendations for practitioners and policy-makers. This is the third of four policy papers in the CLAT series and is published by the Institute for Strategic Dialogue. Preventing every single instance of lone-actor terrorism is impossible. This is particularly true in countries where freedom of thought, speech and privacy are highly valued and must be protected. The recommendations stemming from this paper's analysis provide practical suggestions for preventing instances of lone-actor terrorism - based on findings relating to motivations, political engagement and online activity - that adhere to these principles.

Details: London: Institute for Strategic Dialogue, 2016. 15p.

Source: Internet Resource: Countering Lone-Actor Terrorism Series: No. 7: Accessed March 1, 2016 at: https://rusi.org/sites/default/files/201602_clat_policy_paper_3.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Counter-Terrorism

Shelf Number: 138004


Author: Ellis, Clare

Title: Lone-Actor Terrorism. Policy Paper 4: 'Leakage' and Interaction with Authorities

Summary: This is the fourth and final policy paper in the CLAT series. It outlines the policy implications of analysis in relation to changes in perpetrator behaviour, 'leakage' of extreme views or intention to act, and interactions with public authorities in the time leading up to an attack. It provides a series of practical policy recommendations in order to develop an effective response to various lone-actor threats.

Details: London: Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies, 2016. 17p.

Source: Internet Resource: Countering Lone-Actor Terrorism Series: No. 8: Accessed march 1, 2016 at: https://rusi.org/sites/default/files/201602_clat_policy_paper_4.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Counter-Terrorism

Shelf Number: 138005


Author: Ellis, Clare

Title: Lone-Actor Terrorism: Analysis Paper

Summary: The aim of the Countering Lone-Actor Terrorism (CLAT) project is to understand lone-actor terrorism in a European context. The project will develop a database of lone-actor cases from across Europe. Its overall objective is to see if it is possible to discern any trends or patterns that could be translated into useful observations or recommendations for practitioners and policy-makers. This fourth paper of the series conducts a detailed examination of the lone-actor terrorist database. The findings reaffirm a key assertion from the earlier literature review: there is no consistent profile for a lone-actor terrorist. However, systematic analysis of cases from across Europe has provided valuable insights into the scale of the threat, the ways in which it is most likely to manifest, and the activities of lone-actor terrorists in the time leading up to the attack.

Details: London: Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies, 2016. 30p.

Source: Internet Resource: Countering Lone-Actor Terrorism Series: No. 4: Accessed march 2, 2016 at: https://rusi.org/sites/default/files/201602_clat_analysis_paper.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Homeland Security

Shelf Number: 138012


Author: United Nations Refugee Agency

Title: Initial Assessment Report: Protection Risks for Women and Girls in the European Refugee and Migrant Crisis

Summary: For the first time since World War II, Europe is experiencing a massive movement of refugees and migrants, women, girls, men and boys of all ages, fleeing armed conflicts, mass killings, persecution and pervasive sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). Many seek refuge in Europe from the ongoing armed conflicts that have torn apart their societies, and are entitled to protection under the 1951 Refugee Convention, its subsequent Protocol, and other international instruments. From January to November 2015, Europe witnessed 950,469 refugee and migrant arrivals through the Mediterranean, with Greece receiving the vast majority of arrivals (797,372). Those arriving by sea are fleeing the Syrian Arab Republic (49%), Afghanistan (20%), Iraq (8%), Eritrea (4%), Nigeria (2%), Pakistan (2%), Somalia (2%), Sudan (1%), Gambia (1%) and Mali (1%). The majority travel to Turkey, from where they undertake a treacherous journey by sea to Greece and then make their way through the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia and Austria in an attempt to reach their destination countries, including Germany and Sweden. Each day brings new arrivals, and accurate data remains a challenge. Refugees and migrants are travelling en masse, striving urgently to reach their destination from fear of border closures, potentially increased restrictions in asylum policies and the onset of winter. It is a dangerous journey, with refugees and migrants often facing high levels of violence, extortion and exploitation along the way, including multiple forms of SGBV. Single women travelling alone or with children, pregnant and lactating women, adolescent girls, unaccompanied children, early-married children - sometimes themselves with newborn babies - persons with disabilities, and elderly men and women are among those who are particularly at risk and require a coordinated and effective protection response. Concerned by the protection risks faced by women and girls, the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Women's Refugee Commission (WRC) undertook a joint seven-day assessment mission to Greece and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia in November 2015. This report describes the assessment's findings and key recommendations for the European Union (EU), transit and destination country governments, humanitarian actors and civil society organizations (CSOs). The assessment found that women and girl refugees and migrants face grave protection risks and that the current response by governments, humanitarian actors, EU institutions and agencies and CSOs are inadequate. The findings emphasize the urgent need to scale up response efforts, implement innovative solutions and strengthen protection mechanisms and services across borders to adequately address the protection threats facing women and girls. In this particular crisis, Europe's response needs to match its international obligations, responsibilities and stated values. There is a need for the European Union, as well as relevant governments in Europe, with the support of protection and humanitarian actors, to strengthen resources dedicated to ensuring effective protection, especially for persons with specific needs and those who are at heightened risk in this crisis.

Details: (S.L.): UNHCR, 2016. 25p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 4, 2016 at: https://www.unfpa.org/sites/default/files/resource-pdf/EuropeMission_Protection_Risks_19_Jan_Final_0.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Gender-Related Violence

Shelf Number: 138042


Author: Mampaey, Luc

Title: Prison Technologies: An appraisal of technologies of political control

Summary: The present study is in line with the extension of a previous STOA research, published in 1997 and entitled "An appraisal of technologies of political control" (PE 166.499). The report highlighted the appearance of a trend in Europe to privatize the prison system. Furthermore, it outlined the pressures to which the public authorities are subjected to substitute technological innovations for prison personnel, with a view to reducing costs and fighting against prison overcrowding. The present report works towards five aims : (1) to give the European Parliament a description of the most recent technologies, used or usable in prison environment and determine their degree of penetration in the European Union (2) to assess the efficiency of these technologies in relation with their objectives (3) to analyse the impact of their use on detainees and their relatives, especially having in mind the already carried out experiments (4) to identify the dangers and risks they involve regarding the respect of fundamental freedoms (5) to present political options and recommendations to the European Parliament, in order for it to take adequate initiatives aiming at protecting the rights of people placed under surveillance or detention, while preserving European interests. Two replies are usually offered to the problems of overcrowding and growth of the costs of the penal system : privatization of the penal function and use of new technologies ; one often entailing the other. This phenomenon, prompted by an American conception of order and security, influences today the European debates on the reform of the penal system and leads to the introduction of two types of technologies in the prisons : surveillance technologies and neutralization technologies.

Details: Luxembourg: European Parliament, 2000. 102p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed march 5, 2016 at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/etudes/join/2000/289666/DG-4-JOIN_ET(2000)289666_EN.pdf

Year: 2000

Country: Europe

Keywords: Correctional Institutions

Shelf Number: 138118


Author: Bakalis, Chara

Title: Cyberhate: An Issue of Continued Concern for the Council of Europe's Anti-Racism Commission

Summary: Fifteen years after the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) issue its General Policy Recommendation (GPR) No. 6 on Combating the dissemination of racist, xenophobic and antisemitic material via the Internet, cyberhate is still a recurring issue in its reports. Through a thorough examination of ECRIs country reports over four monitoring cycles, Chara Bakalis demonstrates that while GPR No.6 has had a substantial impact on efforts to combat cyberhate, much remains to be done.

Details: Strasbourg, France: Council of Europe, 2015. 24p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 10, 2016 at: http://www.coe.int/t/democracy/source/publications/Cyberhate_2015_en.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Anti-Semitism

Shelf Number: 138157


Author: Brenig, Mattheus

Title: Putting a Price Tag on Security: Subjective Well-Being and Willingness-to-Pay for Crime Reduction in Europe

Summary: Using information on life satisfaction and crime from the European Social Survey, we apply the life satisfaction approach (LSA) to determine the relationship between subjective well-being (SWB), income, victimization experience, fear of crime and various regional crime rates across European regions, while controlling for potentially confounding socio-economic variables. We show that fear of crime, criminal victimization and the average regionally perceived fear of crime significantly reduce life satisfaction across Europe. Building upon these results, we quantify the monetary value of improvements in public safety and its valuation in terms of individual well-being. The loss in satisfaction for victimized individuals corresponds to 21,790L. Increasing an average individual's perception within his neighborhood from unsafe to safe yields a benefit equivalent to 12,700L. Our results regarding crime and SWB in Europe largely resemble previous results for different countries and other criminal contexts, whereby using the LSA as a valuation method for public good provision yields similar results as stated preference methods and considerably higher estimates than revealed preference methods

Details: Gottingen, Germany: University of Goettingen (Gottingen), 2016. 32p.

Source: Internet Resource: Discussion Papers, no. 278: Accessed March 16, 2016 at: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2736933

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Costs of Crime

Shelf Number: 138253


Author: Singleton, Ann

Title: Migration and Asylum Data for Policy-making in the European Union: The problem with numbers

Summary: The migration, humanitarian and policy crises in the European Union in 2015 and early 2016 have highlighted, among many other problems, a pressing need for reliable, timely and comparable statistical data on migration, asylum, and arrivals at national borders. In this fast-moving policy field, data production and the timeliness of dissemination have seen some improvements but the sources of data remain largely unchanged at national level. The policy demand for the most recently available data points to the need for a better understanding of their strengths and limitations. This paper examines the reasons for some of the main problems with the data for policy and for public discussion. It makes a set of recommendations, calling for a complete and updated inventory of data sources and for an evaluation of the quality of data used for policy-making.

Details: Brussels: Centre for European Policy Studies, 2016. 9p.

Source: Internet Resource: Centre for European Policy Studies Paper in Liberty and Security in Europe, No. 89: Accessed March 21, 2016 at: https://www.ceps.eu/system/files/LSE%2089%20AS%20Migration%20and%20Asylum%20Data.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Asylum Seekers

Shelf Number: 138344


Author: Lievens, Eva

Title: Bullying and Sexting in Social Networks from a Legal Perspective: Between Enforcement and Empowerment

Summary: The availability and use of social networking sites creates both opportunities and risks for their young users. This paper evaluates the applicability of the current legal framework to (cyber)bullying and sexting, two types of behaviour that are increasingly occurring between peers in the social networking environment. The analysis includes a mapping of applicable provisions at the European and national level, an analysis of the Terms of Service of two social networking providers and an overview and assessment of self-regulatory initiatives that have been taken by the industry in this area. The ultimate goal is to identify a number of elements for a comprehensive strategy to ensure that risks of (cyber)bullying and sexting are dealt with in a manner that empowers young users.

Details: Ghent: KU Leuven - Interdisciplinary Centre for Law and ICT (ICRI); Ghent University - Faculty of Law, 2012. 23p.

Source: Internet Resource: ICRI Working Paper 7/2012: Accessed March 21, 2016 at: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2088166

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Bullying

Shelf Number: 138355


Author: Hafner, Marco

Title: The Cost of Non-Europe in the area of Organised Crime and Corruption: Annex II - Corruption

Summary: Corruption is a phenomenon with significant negative consequences for the EU and its Member States. This research paper uses a mix of methodologies to quantify the overall costs of corruption in the EU in economic, social and political terms. The findings, based on new analysis, suggest that corruption costs the EU between L179bn and L990bn in GDP terms on an annual basis. Current anti-corruption measures relevant to Member States and the EU as a whole are described and their effectiveness in reducing the levels of, and opportunities for, corruption are assessed. Eight potential areas for EU action are identified that might address the barriers to the effectiveness of current measures. The costs of non-Europe are calculated in relation to two of these, as well as in relation to the implementation of recently created EU laws.

Details: Brussels: European Parliament Research Survey, 2016. 157p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 25, 2016 at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2016/579319/EPRS_STU(2016)579319_EN.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Corruption

Shelf Number: 138412


Author: European Parliament. Directorate-General for Internal Policies. Policy Department A Economic and Scientific Policy

Title: Wildlife Crime

Summary: Wildlife crime poses not only a real threat to biodiversity, but has also come to be regarded as a security issue in some source countries. While the latter is also relevant to the EU as part of the international community, the EU is first and foremost one of the main global markets for wildlife trade. The present study gives an overview over the state of wildlife crime in Europe based on available documents, data from the EU-TWIX database which centralises data on seizures reported by the EU Member States, and empirical research including interviews with experts. It has to be noted that any overview on this topic is limited by the fact that comprehensive data on illegal activities are not available; even where data on wildlife crime could be obtained they are not always reliable and coherent. Illegal wildlife trade within the EU The EU is both a destination and a transit region for wildlife products. Although European countries seem to have become less important consumers in the trade with African mammals, many countries still seem to have a very important role as a trading hub in that trade. This trade is conducted via the major trade hubs (airports and ports) but new trade hubs (e.g. smaller European airports with direct connections to Africa and Asia) are also emerging. On the other hand, European countries still seem to be very important consumers and importers of pets, especially of reptiles and birds. As this trade is often not conducted via the main trade hubs, but via the Eastern European land borders and the Mediterranean and Black Sea, enforcement is even more challenging. Moreover, the demand for alternative medicinal products very often produced in Asia from endangered wildlife appears to have increased in Europe. The available information on trade routes is not very detailed, but the following four important trade routes could be identified: - Large mammals like elephants, rhinos and big cats from Africa and South America to major trade hubs and for further transit to Asia - Coastal smuggling of leeches, caviar, fish, as well as reptiles and parrots for the pet trade in Europe - Endangered birds from South Eastern Europe to Southern Europe - Russian wildlife and Asian exports via Eastern European land routes. The overall trend in wildlife crime measured in the number of seizures has been roughly constant in recent years. Seizures are concentrated in countries with large overall trading volumes like Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and France. Overall the UK, Germany and Netherlands are responsible for more than 70% of seizures in 2007-2014. The high number of seizures may also be attributable to well developed enforcement in these countries. The most frequently seized species are reptiles, mammals, flowers and corals. About half of the seizures are carried out at airports (e. g. London Heathrow, Paris Charles de Gaulle, Frankfurt a. M. and Amsterdam Airport Schiphol). Mailing centres are expected to become more important in the coming years. Most of the products confiscated are reported as imports in the EU-TWIX database although it is not clear whether parts of these imports are destined for re-selling to other countries. For the illegal trade in wildlife and its products the internet is becoming an increasingly important place.

Details: Brussels: European Parliament, 2016. 124p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 25, 2016: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2016/570008/IPOL_STU(2016)570008_EN.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Illegal Wildlife Trade

Shelf Number: 138414


Author: World Health Organization

Title: Good governance for prison health in the 21st century. A policy brief on the organization of prison health

Summary: Against the background of concern about ministerial responsibility for the health of prisoners in Europe, the members of the WHO European Network on Prison and Health asked the WHO Regional Office for Europe to provide a document on the governance of prison health. A special Expert Group for the Stewardship of Prison Health and members of the WHO European Network on Prison and Health have contributed to this document. The Expert Group concluded, with regard to institutional arrangements for prison health, that: (i) managing and coordinating all relevant agencies and resources contributing to the health and well-being of prisoners is a whole-of-government responsibility, and (ii) health ministries should provide and be accountable for health care services in prisons and advocate healthy prison conditions. The Expert Group considers that such governance of prison health is in accordance with and supportive of the new European policy for health, Health 2020, and will lead to better health and well-being of prisoners as part of better public health.

Details: Copenhagen: World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe, 2013. 42p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 26, 2016 at: https://www.unodc.org/documents/hiv-aids/publications/Prisons_and_other_closed_settings/Good-governance-for-prison-health-in-the-21st-century.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Health Care

Shelf Number: 138420


Author: Camerini, Diana

Title: Estimating the counterfeit markets in Europe

Summary: Counterfeiting is a global phenomenon that threatens the economic stability and sustainable growth of countries. A growing number of researchers, stakeholders, and public or private institutions have been producing a wide variety of studies and estimates on counterfeit markets. However, these studies are varied in scope and sometimes based on unclear methodologies. This prevents comparisons across time and space. In recent decades, Transcrime has contributed to the development of transparent and rigorous methodologies for the analysis of illegal activities. This study presents an update of the approach used by Transcrime to estimate the size of the various counterfeit markets at EU level. It starts with a brief review of what is known about counterfeiting in the EU (i.e. routes, products, consumers and previous studies). It then proposes new estimates of the expenditures for ten different counterfeit markets in the 28 EU Member States using a demand-size approach. Finally, it discusses policy and research implications

Details: Trento: Transcrime, 2015. 12p.

Source: Internet Resource: Transcrime Research in Brief 03: Accessed march 29, 2016 at: http://www.transcrime.it/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Estimating-the-counterfeit-markets-in-Europe.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Consumer Fraud

Shelf Number: 138453


Author: Caneppele, Stefano

Title: Risky Behaviours

Summary: This study presents data on the prevalence of the following risky behaviours: tobacco and alcohol consumption, drug use and gambling. The data were collected through a CAWI survey among high school, technical institute and vocational training centre students (15-19 years old). The survey was carried out in April/May 2014 in 12 schools located in the Trentino Province (Northern Italy). The study analised risky behaviours in relation to gender, age, citizenship, academic achievement and type of school attended. The findings are based on 1,200 questionnaires representative of the students in the province (21,465).

Details: Trento: Transcrime, 2015. 11p.

Source: Internet Resource: Transcrime Research in Brief 04: Accessed March 29, 2016 at: http://www.transcrime.it/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Risky-behaviours-pdf.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Alcohol

Shelf Number: 138354


Author: Weitekamp, Elmar G.M.

Title: Developing Peacemaking Circles in a European Context

Summary: The first question to be asked, before even beginning with this research, was why do we want to focus on peacemaking circles? What sets them apart that we even want to try to implement them (or at least explore if an implementation is possible) in a European context? To answer this question, we have to look back at the broader context of restorative justice. Restorative justice has grown for the last few decades out of a criticism towards the traditional justice system. Christie, in his article "onflicts as property" was probably one of the first to describe so clearly that this traditional justice system itself took the conflict away from its rightful owners, namely victim, offender and the neighbourhood, and that we should strive to give it back to them (1977). Although this statement does not really focus on every nuance of the whole evolution of why the state came to claim the ownership of dealing with crime and therefore might oversimplify the issue, as a basic premise it still holds its value to this day. It is this premise that restorative justice practitioners still hold high as they try to bring victim and offender together to deal with the crime and its consequences. In the search of how to do this, restorative justice proponents were sometimes inspired by native ways of dealing with conflicts - although some criticized that restorative justice literature did too much "butterfly-collecting": picking native practices that helped build the restorative discourse, without spending too much attention to the context of those practices (Crawford, 2002). As such, restorative justice seems to focus on three large methodological approaches, where especially the latter two find their roots, at least partially, in native practices: victim-offender mediation, conferencing and (peacemaking) circles. The success of restorative justice has led in the last decade(s) to a growth in both the use and regulation, both in international and national law, of restorative justice practices in Europe. Victim-offender mediation is the most wide-spread in Europe, although conferencing is gaining ground (Zinsstag & Vanfraechem, 2012). Circles however, are not used in Europe at the moment. It is in that use of restorative justice practices and the regulation thereof that we tend to see a growing distinction offender mediation is the most wide-spread in Europe, although conferencing is gaining ground (Zinsstag & Vanfraechem, 2012). Circles however, are not used in Europe at the moment. It is in that use of restorative justice practices and the regulation thereof that we tend to see a growing distinction between the restorative justice theory and the restorative justice practice. And that distinction lies entirely in the question that already arose in the previously mentioned article from Christie: who are the rightful owners of a conflict?

Details: Tubingen: Institute for Criminology, University of Tubingen, 2015, 833p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 30, 2016 at: https://www.jura.uni-tuebingen.de/einrichtungen/ifk/forschung/sanktionsforschung/abgeschlossen/implementing-peacemaking-circles-in-europe/forschungsbericht

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Restorative Justice

Shelf Number: 138481


Author: Carrera, Sergio

Title: The Cost of Non-Europe in the Area of Organised Crime and Corruption: Annex I - Organised Crime

Summary: This Research Paper examines the costs of non-Europe in the field of organised crime. It provides an interdisciplinary analysis of the main legal/ethical, socio-political and economic costs and benefits of the EU in policies on organised crime. It offers an in-depth examination of the transformative contribution that the EU has made, in terms of investigation, prosecution and efficiency, to trans-border operational activities and the protection of its citizens' rights. Finally, it seeks to answer the questions of what are the costs and benefits of European cooperation and what forms of cooperation would bring more European added value.

Details: Brussels: European Parliamentary Research Service, 2016. 177p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 30, 2016 at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2016/579318/EPRS_STU(2016)579318_EN.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Costs of Crime

Shelf Number: 138492


Author: European Parliament. Directorate-General for Internal Policies. Policy Department C Citizens' Rights and Constitutional Affairs

Title: The Issue of Violence Against Women in the European Union

Summary: This study provides an update of the 2011 study on the Issue of Violence against women in the European Union. The different forms and interrelated factors of violence against women are examined. The study also provides an overview of the current international and European political and legal framework on violence against women. Other issues such as the difficulty of the monitoring and gathering of data, the protection of victims, and the prevention of violence against women are also discussed.

Details: Brussels: European Parliament, 2016. 60p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 31, 2016 at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2016/556931/IPOL_STU(2016)556931_EN.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Domestic Violence

Shelf Number: 138506


Author: Nolan, Brittany

Title: A Rights-Based Approach to Trafficking? The Trafficking of Women for Forced Labour in the European Union and the United Kingdom

Summary: Human trafficking is a prominent human rights issue that on a regional and national level brings together elements of criminal justice, immigration affairs, and human rights. Trafficking for forced labour in particular is a form of exploitation that removes a victim's freedom and dignity, as they are used for their labour and not valued as a human being. The actual extent of human trafficking on its own is difficult to measure, however the ILO estimates there may be as many as 20.9 million people held in forced labour worldwide. This research evaluates whether the European Union (EU) and United Kingdom (UK) implement a human rights-based approach (HRBA) in their policies and legislation covering human trafficking for forced labour. A HRBA is discussed as a human rights framework that includes the empowerment of the trafficking victim, adherence to normative trafficking conventions set by international organisations, and by the extend a criminal justice approach is lessened, in favour of a more human rights-based one. This thesis analyses EU policy, such as the 2002 and 2011 directives on trafficking in human beings, as well as UK government strategies and legislation. The EU has made substantial progress in using a HRBA throughout their policies since 2002, notably in their 2011 and 2012 directives. They increasingly offer minimum standards and provisions of victim support and assistance, taking into consideration potential cross-cultural barriers. They increasingly use the term victim-centred in their reports on human rights, and overall have improved in using a HRBA. The UK has also made progress in incorporating a HRBA in their policies, although they continue to focus heavily on trafficking as a crime that needs a stronger criminal justice response. The creation of a draft Modern Slavery Bill has given the UK a chance to incorporate a HRBA more strongly in their legislation; however they did not use this opportunity fully. The UK also continues to focus on trafficking as an immigration issue, and is unwilling to align itself with all EU policy on trafficking if it has an obligation to provide residence permits to victims. Until the UK can move away from focusing on immigration and criminal aspects of human trafficking, the victim will remain a less prominent part of the trafficking story.

Details: Canterbury, UNZ: National Centre for Research on Europe, University of Canterbury, 2015. 89p.

Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed April 1, 2016 at: http://ir.canterbury.ac.nz/bitstream/handle/10092/11813/Nolan%2c%20Brittany_Final%20Masters%20Thesis.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Forced Labor

Shelf Number: 138518


Author: European Commission. Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs

Title: Study on the gender dimension of trafficking in human beings: final report

Summary: The purpose of this study is to contribute to the identification and understanding of what it means to be 'taking into account the gender perspective, to strengthen the prevention of this crime and protection of the victims thereof', as required in Article 1 of European Union (EU Directive 2011/36/EU on Preventing and Combating Trafficking in Human Beings and Protecting its Victims in the context of the EU Strategy (COM(2012) 286 final) Towards the eradication of Trafficking in Human Beings. The study contributes to Priority E Action 2 of the Strategy, which states that "the Commission will develop knowledge on the gender dimensions of human trafficking, including the gender consequences of the various forms of trafficking and potential differences in the vulnerability of men and women to victimisation and its impact on them". Its specific objectives and tasks are to address: the "gender dimension of vulnerability, recruitment, and victimisation"; "gender issues related to traffickers and to those creating demand"; and "an examination of law and policy responses on trafficking in human beings from a gender perspective". This study, according to its terms of reference, aims to look specifically at the gender dimension of trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation. This follows evidence from statistical data from Eurostat, as well as data from The European Police Office (Europol) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), according to which the most reported form of exploitation of victims is that of sexual exploitation and its strong gender dimension (96 % women and girls). It further addresses recommendations addressed in the Resolution of the European Parliament of 26 February 2014 on sexual exploitation and prostitution and its impact on gender equality (2013/2103(INI)) urging the European Commission to evaluate the impact that the European legal framework designed to eliminate trafficking for sexual exploitation has had to date and to undertake further research on patterns of prostitution, on human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation and on the increased level of sex tourism in the EU, with particular reference to minors, and to promote the exchange of best practices among the Member States. The study is situated within the law and policy environment in the EU on anti-trafficking in human beings and on gender equality. This includes analysis of the gender dimension of each of the fields that are identified as priorities in the EU Strategy (COM(2012) 286 final) towards the eradication of trafficking in human beings (victim assistance, law enforcement, prevention by demand reduction, coherence and coordination, and knowledge and emerging concerns). The study uses reviews of relevant literature, in-depth case studies and high-level analysis in order to reach conclusions with regard to the gender dimensions of trafficking in human beings and make recommendations concerning law and policy implementation and improvement.

Details: Brussels: European Parliament, 2016. 240p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 1, 2016 at: https://ec.europa.eu/anti-trafficking/sites/antitrafficking/files/study_on_the_gender_dimension_of_trafficking_in_human_beings._final_report.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Gender-Specific Responses

Shelf Number: 138522


Author: Berghaus, G.

Title: Meta-analysis of empirical studies concerning the effects of medicines and illegal drugs including pharmacokinetics on safe driving

Summary: In essence two different scientific approaches exist to evaluate the effects of psychoactive substances on driving behaviour: epidemiology and experimental studies. The subtask "Meta-Analysis" of Task 1.1 of DRUID (Driving under the influence of Drugs, Alcohol and Medicines) defines the target to evaluate the relevant literature on experimental studies on the effects of psychoactive substances on human performance and driving behaviour for their impact on traffic safety. The evaluation should include - "Medicines regarding to the frequency of driving under medicine influence or the insufficiency of documentation - Drugs regarding to the frequency of driving under drug influence or their novelty with a suspected hazard to driving - Prominent combination of drugs, medicines and alcohol - Alcohol research data will serve as a reference data base" (Description of work) The report at hand picks medicines, drugs (amphetamine, cocaine, cannabis) and prominent combinations out as a central theme whereas the remaining aspects (alcohol, other illegal drugs) will be presented in other deliverables. For medicines and illegal drugs for that exist sufficient relevant literature about their effects on human performance, a meta-analysis is conducted to quantify the results of the experimental studies. The report of the results of the meta-analysis is based on the publication of Berghaus (1997) who reviewed the literature on medicines some years ago. But two completely new approaches were introduced for this evaluation. On the one hand the empirical data on the time-dependent performance impairment of a medicine p.a. was smoothed by an appropriate curve fitting to establish - dose- and time-dependent impairment curves. On the other hand - since one objective of the DRUID project is to determine concentration-dependent effects with emphasis on establishing concentration thresholds - a new research approach had to be established: In a time-consuming evaluation, kinetics (time-dependent course of concentrations of a medicine in blood) of many medicinal agents had to be calculated on the basis of appropriate kinetic studies. With the help of these kinetics we were in the position to establish --concentration-dependent impairment curves. The results will be a quantitative estimation of the effects of the various substances on driving related skills. As requested the knowledge on alcohol will serve as reference base because for alcohol an extensive body of results has been accumulated over the last years and especially the effects of different legal thresholds on driving safety are well understood.

Details: DRUID: Driving under the Influence of Drugs, Alcohol and Medicines; Bergisch Gladbach: Federal Highway Research Institute, 2010. 772p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 2, 2016 at: http://www.bast.de/Druid/EN/deliverales-list/downloads/Deliverable_1_1_2_B.pdf?__blob=publicationFile

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Driving Under the Influence

Shelf Number: 138535


Author: Hargutt, Volker

Title: Driving under the influence of alcohol, illicit drugs and medicines. Risk estimations from different methodological approaches.

Summary: The objective of this deliverable is to assess the risk of driving with alcohol, illicit drugs and medicines and to deliver substance concentration thresholds for per se legislation. Therefore the results of all epidemiological and experimental studies conducted in DRUID are integrated in this deliverable. In case of combating driving under influence of alcohol, legislative regulations and enforcement practices are clearly defined. Regarding alcohol a clear correlation between consumption, blood concentrations and the score of driving impairment is proved for several years, whereas up to now defining limits for combating drugged driving comprises a lot of challenges. Thus per se limits for alcohol are based on scientific risk research which is a prerequisite to assure the compliance of the population with these regulations. Determining legislative regulations against drugged driving is more difficult, as a variety of aspects have to be taken into account. Especially defining risk thresholds for psychoactive substances is a challenging task. The most relevant information in order to determine thresholds is the information about the accident risk in traffic dependent on different concentrations of single substances. Direct information about the accident risk in traffic can only be gained by conducting epidemiological studies. Thus the data regarding risk estimates of psychoactive substance use in traffic are taken from the DRUID deliverable 2.3.5 In cases where low prevalence epidemiological data do not allow risk calculation (odds ratios) of different concentration ranges from single psychoactive substances the results of experimental studies should be taken into account. In order to integrate study results resulting from different methodologies, a reference curve is helpful. Here alcohol data delivered with these different study methodologies are used as the golden standard. Further on a harmonization of the system for DUI of alcohol and non-alcohol drugs (DUID) leads to achieve the compliance of the population. Therefore impairment limits corresponding to the 0.5 g/L limit for alcohol were defined for the drugs where scientific evidence showed a dose-response relationship for impairment. The main finding of this report is that the three substance categories, which are connected with extremely high risks (OR>10), are the two high alcohol concentrations (0.8 - 1.2 and > 1.2 g/L) and the combination of alcohol and drugs, all of them present with moderate prevalence rates of about 0.4%. In the risk range from a 5-to 10-fold injury alcohol including all concentrations is dominant with a prevalence rate of 3.5%. Moreover the epidemiological doubtful risk of amphetamines, medicinal opioids/opiates and drug-drug combinations are also in this range, but showing much lower prevalence rates (for amphetamines 0.08%) and therefore less demand for action. The group of illicit opiates, z-drugs and cocaine shows risks between 2-3 and prevalence rates lower than 0.5%. The risk associated with cannabis seems to be similar to the risk when driving with a low alcohol concentration (between 0.1 g/L and 0.5 g/L), which is slightly increased to about 1-3 times that of sober drivers. The proposed risk threshold for THC equivalent to 0.5 g/L alcohol is 3.8 ng/ml serum with an added value for measurement error and confidence interval. Thus alcohol, especially in high concentrations must remain focus number one of traffic safety efforts and the combination of alcohol and drugs or medicines seems to be a topic, which should be addressed more intensively because it leads to very high risks in traffic. In determining substance concentration thresholds, stimulant drugs like amphetamines and cocaine pose a particular challenge. The correlation between drug concentration and risk of traffic accidents/impairment is variable or insufficiently documented. In experimental studies, at the (rather low) doses that were given, driving performance increases rather than decreases. However, in epidemiological studies the accident risk is increased, but the data should be handled with care as the risk is calculated with only a few cases. Regarding legally prescribed medicines use it is not reasonable to define cut-off values for patients especially if they are in long-term treatment. Other than with drug users, the responsibility and compliance of patients under long-term treatment is usually high. The disease itself may affect the driving behavior even more and the use of medication could decrease this effect. Dosage effects were only investigated and observed with single users or new users. Hence, an impairment check is an objective way to judge recreational use. Thus a balance between concerns about ensuring road safety and the therapeutic needs of individuals is guaranteed. Additionally a separation of drinking, medicine consumption and driving is necessary and the respective information should be part of the physician's consultation. The epidemiological studies in DRUID have shown that drivers very often use more than one psychoactive substance including alcohol. The combination of alcohol and drugs or medicines, or the combination of more than one drug, increases the accident-risk exponentially. If risk thresholds respective lower effect limits will be implemented, they shouldn't be simply combined in the case of combined consumption. Because of the highly increased accident risk of combined consumption stricter regulations should be elaborated for this case.

Details: Gladbach, Germany: Federal Highway Research Institute. 2011. 120p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 5, 2016 at: http://www.bast.de/Druid/EN/deliverales-list/downloads/Deliverable_1_3_1.pdf?__blob=publicationFile

Year: 2011

Country: Europe

Keywords: Driving Under the Influence (Europe)

Shelf Number: 138566


Author: Sondergaard, Susanne

Title: TACTICS: Policy and strategic impacts, implications and recommendations

Summary: In recent years the threat of terrorism in urban environments has become an important issue, emphasised by several successfully carried out terrorist attacks (New York, Madrid, London, Copenhagen and Paris are just some examples). When security forces are alerted to a specific terrorist threat, their main goal is to prevent an actual attack. On the other hand, if prevention fails and the attack is carried out, independent of the degree of success, security forces become responsible for stopping it and mitigating its consequences. In both cases, the efficiency and effectiveness of the response relies on three key pillars: 1. Ability to respond quickly, without bias in decisionmaking, enabled by specific and precise requests for information and clearly issued orders. 2. Ability to decompose threats into observable terrorist behaviours specific for urban environments to enable an increased level of preparedness by security forces. 3. Ability to efficiently and effectively manage capabilities. TACTICS is an FP7 project commissioned by the European Commission in 2012 to develop low technology readiness level (TRL) decision support technology to assist security forces in countering terrorist threats in urban environments. The system that was developed as part of this project brings an innovative approach built around the three core capabilities described above. The acronym stands for Tactical Approach to Counter Terrorists in Cities. Conceptually, it can be defined as a counterterrorism decision support technology designed to facilitate a clearer understanding of both the threat and the capabilities available to counteract it, enabling a faster, more efficient and effective security force response. Technology has played, and will continue to play, a central role in counterterrorism policy, strategy and operations. Recent years have seen rapid innovation and the development of new technological applications, such as facial recognition and biometrics, counter-IED, communications interception, airport security, explosive and weapon detection, and so on. This report analyses eight case studies of counterterrorist technology implementation in order to extract lessons that can be applied in the context of deploying a TACTICS-like system in Europe. Furthermore, it presents a series of lessons extracted from relevant case law. There are a number of challenges that policymakers face today in the ever-increasing reliance on technology for countering terrorism in Europe today. These include: The level of engagement with the communities affected by the technology implementation; The effectiveness of counterterrorism measures; The resources dedicated to counterterrorism; Achieving an appropriate balance between privacy and security; Data sharing challenges; and Respect for criteria of legitimacy, necessity and proportionality.

Details: Santa Monica, CA: RAND, 2015. 83p.

Source: Internet Resource: https://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/research_reports/RR1200/RR1287/RAND_RR1287.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Counter-Terrorism

Shelf Number: 138567


Author: Cirlig, Carmen-Cristina

Title: EU-US cooperation on justice and home affairs - an overview

Summary: The United States is the key partner of the European Union in the area of justice and home affairs (JHA), including in the fight against terrorism. While formal cooperation on JHA issues between the US and the EU goes back to the 1995 New Transatlantic Agenda, it is since 2001 in particular that cooperation has intensified. Today, and for the period up until 2020, the key areas of transatlantic efforts in the JHA field are personal data protection, counter-terrorism and countering violent extremism, migration and border controls, tracing of firearms and explosives, money laundering and terrorism financing, cybercrime, drugs and information exchange. Regular dialogues at all levels, extensive operational cooperation and a series of legal agreements demonstrate the development of the transatlantic partnership on JHA. Assessments state that cooperation on law enforcement and counter-terrorism has led to hundreds of successful joint operations each year, and many foiled terrorist plots. Nevertheless, important challenges remain, in particular in light of the revelations of US mass surveillance activities and the resultant growth in EU concerns about US standards for data privacy. The European Parliament is making use of its extended powers in the JHA field, by urging a high level of data protection as well as effective and non-discriminatory means of redress for EU citizens in the US over improper use of their personal data.

Details: Strasbourg: European Parliamentary Research Service, 2016. 12p.

Source: Internet Resource: Briefing: Accessed April 8, 2016 at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2016/580892/EPRS_BRI(2016)580892_EN.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Border Security

Shelf Number: 138606


Author: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs

Title: EU Drug Markets Report: In-depth analysis

Summary: The report illustrates the widespread impacts of drug markets, how they are related to other criminal activities, create a strain on government institutions and have a serious impact on legitimate business and the wider economy, not to mention the negative consequences for neighbourhoods, families and individuals. We show how the drugs business and the organised crime groups controlling it reach into many corners of society, from vulnerable migrants exploited as a workforce for cannabis cultivation to officials in public office exposed to the influence of corruption. We present the dynamics and trends that exist in the main drug markets in the EU, from production to the consumer and all points in between, whilst not forgetting that external factors, such as the on-going instability within some neighbouring regions, can have potentially profound effects on the drug situation in Europe. The report goes on to briefly highlight some of the strategic responses, institutional frameworks and operational actions or initiatives in place to tackle the issue.

Details: Lisbon: EMCDDA, 2016. 190p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 11, 2016 at: https://www.europol.europa.eu/content/eu-drug-markets-report-2016

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction

Shelf Number: 138618


Author: Europol

Title: Migrant Smuggling in the EU

Summary: Europe has seen an unprecedented increase in the number of irregular migrants arriving in the European Union since 2014. The scale of these migratory flows reached previously unseen heights in 2015. This trend of exponentially increasing numbers of migrants arriving in the EU is set to continue in 2016. In 2015, more than one million migrants reached the EU. This development has had a profound impact on Europe's criminal landscape. Criminal networks have quickly adapted to this development and substantially increased their involvement in migrant smuggling. More than 90% of the migrants travelling to the EU used facilitation services. In most cases, these services were offered and provided by criminal groups. A large number of criminal networks as well as individual criminal entrepreneurs now generate substantial profits from migrant smuggling. Criminal networks exploit the desperation and vulnerability of migrants. They offer a broad range of facilitation services such as the provision of transportation, accommodation and fraudulent documents at excessively high prices. In many cases, irregular migrants are forced to pay for these services by means of illegal labour. The scale of this exploitation is set to further increase in 2016. In 2015 alone, criminal networks involved in migrant smuggling are estimated to have had a turnover of between EUR 3 -6 billion. This turnover is set to double or triple if the scale of the current migration crisis persists in the upcoming year. Migrant smuggling to and within the EU is a highly attractive business for criminal networks and has grown significantly in 2015. As the fastest growing criminal market in Europe and other regions, this trend is set to continue in 2016. In tackling the sophisticated international and European migrant smuggling networks generating enormous profits, law enforcement authorities face a significant challenge over the coming years.

Details: The Hague: EUROPOL, 2016. 15p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 11, 2016 at: https://www.europol.europa.eu/content/migrant-smuggling-eu

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Criminal Networks

Shelf Number: 138619


Author: Europol

Title: Trafficking in Human Beings in the EU

Summary: Key findings Trafficking in human beings (THB) in the EU is predominantly a European affair. ◊ 70% of the identified victims and suspects in the EU are EU nationals. ◊ Victims and suspects generally share nationality, ethnic ties and sometimes kinship links. ◊ Mobility and rotation of victims are key features within this criminal market. Austria is a crucial transit country, especially for victims originating from Central Eastern Europe. Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom are key entry points for non-EU victims. A vast majority of the criminal groups active in THB are capable of controlling the entire process of trafficking, from the recruitment of victims to the reinvestment of the criminal proceeds. ◊ While most traffickers are male, female suspects are also involved in low-ranking tasks. Nigerian criminal networks form an exception where women play a central role in the exploitation process. ◊ The typical structure of criminal groups engaged in THB consists of loose networks linked by kinship or ethnic ties. ◊ Criminal proceeds are primarily sent back to their country of origin. Human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation is the most reported form of THB in the EU. ◊ Most reported victims are female EU nationals from Central and Eastern Europe. ◊ Non-EU victims mainly originate from Albania, Brazil, China, Nigeria, and Vietnam. ◊ EU victims usually use genuine documents, while non-EU victims use forged or look-alike documents. ◊ Deception is commonly used to lure potential victims, including the 'lover boy' method.

Details: The Hague: EUROPOL, 2016. 41p.

Source: Internet Resource: Situation Report: Accessed April 11, 2016 at: https://www.europol.europa.eu/content/trafficking-human-beings-eu

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Criminal Networks

Shelf Number: 138620


Author: Carrera, Sergio

Title: A European Border and Coast Guard: What's in a Name?

Summary: This paper assesses the Commission's proposal presented in December 2015 to set up a European Border and Coast Guard (EBCG), based on the responses made by the EU border agency Frontex to the "refugee crisis" that began in 2015 and continues unabated. It explores the extent to which this proposed new body will be capable of remedying the EU's shortcomings in meeting established border and asylum standards and related institutional needs on the ground and concludes that it is unlikely to do so. The paper argues that the EBCG proposal does not establish a true European Border and Coast Guard. Instead it would revamp Frontex into a Frontex Agency. The EBCG would expand the current logic of national border guards to be committed to the Frontex Agency 'pools' and therefore does not solve the 'dependency' of Frontex on member states. More importantly, the EBCG would do too little to ensure that member states comply with EU border and asylum standards, which has constituted the central deficiency throughout 2015 and earlier. We find that it will also fall short of establishing a professional culture in border control cooperation to be shared across the Union. Revamping and relabelling Frontex will create expectations that will be difficult to fulfil if compliance with EU border, reception, and asylum standards remains weak on the ground. The paper calls on the EU to give higher priority to policies dealing with the structural compliance with EU border and asylum standards by all member states, moving beyond the EU Dublin system and including an enlarged role for the European Asylum Support Office (EASO).

Details: Brussels: Centre for European Policy Studies, 2016. 22p.

Source: Internet Resource: CEPS Paper in Liberty and Security in Europe : Accessed April 11, 2016 at: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2745230

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Asylum Seekers

Shelf Number: 138628


Author: Mouzourakis, Minos

Title: Wrong counts and closing doors: The reception of refugees and asylum seekers in Europe

Summary: Europe's ongoing failure to find humane responses to the plight of refugees has led to severe difficulties in ensuring reception for those seeking asylum, according to the latest report of the Asylum Information Database (AIDA). The report documents the situation in 20 European countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Germany, Spain, France, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Serbia and Turkey. The report demonstrates that the inability of reception systems to adapt to higher numbers of asylum seekers is a structural challenge throughout Europe. This has been the case in countries receiving the majority of refugees and migrants, but equally in those faced with much smaller increases in the number of arrivals. While some countries have shown great readiness to find accommodation solutions for the newly arrived, other states - often presented as countries of transit - have not enhanced their reception capacity even in the face of political commitments to do so at the Western Balkan Leaders' Meeting of October 2015. The lack of sufficient accommodation places has driven many persons in need of protection into inadequate living conditions and destitution. A central challenge to the operation of reception systems has been the obligation of states to identify vulnerabilities and provide appropriate reception to persons with special needs. Vulnerable persons such as unaccompanied children have been unduly subjected to detention due to the unavailability of appropriate reception places, not least in countries of first arrival. The implementation of the "hotspot" approach in Italy and Greece has reinforced the risk of detention of asylum seekers and migrants, contrary to states' obligations. The report also documents discrimination faced by asylum seekers of certain nationalities in the reception context. As many as eight European countries have resorted to some form of discrimination by privileging some nationalities over others when providing accommodation. In some countries, certain asylum seekers have found themselves arbitrarily detained on the basis of their nationality.

Details: Brussels: European Council on Refugees and Exiles, 2016. 50p.

Source: Internet Resource: AIDA Asylum Information Database: Accessed April 11, 2016 at: http://www.asylumineurope.org/sites/default/files/shadow-reports/aida_wrong_counts_and_closing_doors.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Asylum Seekers

Shelf Number: 138629


Author: Pudney, Stephen

Title: Licensing and regulation of the cannabis market in England and Wales: Towards a cost-benefit analysis

Summary: This study sets out the potential costs and benefits of a move to a licensed, taxed and regulated cannabis market in England and Wales. It identifies at least 17 sources of social cost/benefit and gives indicative estimates of annual net external benefit for 13 of them. We stress the important role of product regulation as a means of controlling the chemical properties of the cannabis product. Research in neuroscience has demonstrated the harmful effects of one cannabis constituent (THC) and the protective role of another (CBD). Given the strong upward trend in THC and downward trend in CBD in the illegal cannabis market, the possibility of product regulation is a potential advantage of a licensed and regulated system of supply. Three alternative scenarios are used, based on different assumptions about the responsiveness of demand to the policy change. We find that net benefits are likely to be positive and modest in size, except in the case of highly responsive demand (where, however, there is a great deal of uncertainty associated with the estimates). By far the largest effect is projected to be the net budgetary improvement for government, from new tax revenue and reduced policing and criminal justice costs.

Details: Munich: Munich Personal RePEc Archive, 2013. 164p.

Source: Internet Resource: MPRA Paper No. 50365; Accessed April 13, 2016 at: https://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/50365/1/MPRA_paper_50365.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Cannabis

Shelf Number: 138646


Author: Europol

Title: The THB Financial Business Model: assessing the current state of knowledge

Summary: Europol's Report on Trafficking in Human Beings (THB) Financial Business Model 2015 is now available online. This document has been prepared by experts at Europol and is oriented towards explaining the current crime situation, providing an overview of all relevant factors e.g. organised crime groups (OCGs), criminal markets, and geographical dimension. The main key findings detailed in the report show how OCGs involved in THB tend to work independently from other groups and launder their own criminal proceeds with little use of experts. These OCGs are mainly small and based on family and ethnic ties. The family cell is used to support trafficking operations and money laundering activities. There are no new methods of money laundering specific to THB groups, but the exploitation of innovative technologies is increasing. Financial institutions, money service businesses and other types of financial providers are at most risk of being exploited by the money laundering activities of OCGs.

Details: The Hague: Europol, 2015. 14p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 13, 2016 at: https://www.europol.europa.eu/content/trafficking-human-beings-financial-business-model

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Financial Crimes

Shelf Number: 138650


Author: European Migration Network

Title: Synthesis Report - The Use of Detention and Alternatives to Detention in the Context of Immigration Policies

Summary: The Synthesis Report was prepared on the basis of National Contributions from 26EMN NCPs (Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom and Norway) according to a Common Template developed by the EMN and followed by EMN NCPs to ensure, to the extent possible, comparability. National contributions were based on desk analysis of existing legislation and policy documents, reports, academic literature, internet resources and reports as well as information collected from national authorities. Statistics were sourced from national authorities and other (national) databases. The listing of Member States in the Synthesis Report results from the availability of information provided by the EMN NCPs in the National Contributions. It is important to note that the information contained in this Report refers to the situation in the above-mentioned (Member) States up to and including 2014 and specifically the contributions from their EMN National Contact Points. More detailed information on the topics addressed here may be found in the available National Contributions on the EMN web-site and it is strongly recommended that these are consulted as well. EMN NCPs from other Member States could not, for various reasons, participate on this occasion in this Study, but have done so for other EMN activities and reports.

Details: Brussels: European Migration Network, 2014. 58p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 14, 2016 at: .http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/home-affairs/what-we-do/networks/european_migration_network/reports/docs/emn-studies/emn_study_detention_alternatives_to_detention_synthesis_report_en.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Immigrant Detention

Shelf Number: 138680


Author: International Committee on the Rights of Sex Workers in Europe

Title: Feminism Needs Sex Workers, Sex Workers Need Feminism: Towards a Sex-Worker Inclusive Women's Rights Movement

Summary: Sex workers in Europe and Central Asia often live and work in precarious and dangerous contexts. The reasons for this are the criminalisation of sex work, precarisation of labour, feminisation of poverty and structural, institutional and interpersonal violence against women and LGBT people. This briefing paper explores the intersection of feminist ideologies, women's rights and sex workers' rights, and the feminist ideals which are included and supported in sex work activism. It calls upon the feminist movement to consider the growing evidence in support of sex work decriminalisation, build an alliance with sex workers and their organisations, and actively support sex workers' rights and the decriminalisation of sex workers.

Details: Amsterdam: The Committee, 2016. 31p.

Source: Internet Resource: Intersection briefing paper #2: Accessed April 16, 2016 at: http://www.sexworkeurope.org/sites/default/files/userfiles/files/ICRSE_Briefing%20paper_woman%27s%20right_March2016__05.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Prostitutes

Shelf Number: 138690


Author: Anti-Defamation League

Title: Scorecard on Hate Crime Response in the OSCE Region: Too Many Countries Don't Make the Grade

Summary: A report jointly released today by Human Rights First and the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) found that hate crimes in the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) region continue to go unreported by participating States, which consistently fall short on their commitments to combat hate crime. The report, Scorecard on Hate Crime Response in the OSCE Region identifies a number of recommendations for participating countries, including the United States. The report comes days before the OSCE meets in Vienna for a conference on the promotion of tolerance and nondiscrimination. Todays report analyzes data submitted by countries to the OSCEs Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) for its annual hate crimes report. This annual report is an important tool for understanding the nature and frequency of hate crime across the region, and to craft responsive policies. However, the organizations note that the report only provides a partial picture, as many countries either do not collect such data or fail to transmit their findings to the ODIHR on a timely basis. In the current environment, with the refugee crisis, the rise of far-right parties and movements espousing hatred, and an increase in hate crimesthere is an urgent need for the OSCEs participating States to make reporting a higher priority. Only 36 of the 57 participating States submitted information to the ODIHR for 2014. Half of participating States either did not report at all or reported zero crimes for their country. Human Rights First and ADL caution that this lack of reporting and underreporting is simply not acceptable or credible. Both Human Rights First and ADL have developed recommendations for the United States to aid its European allies in combating the rise of antisemitic and extremist violence, specifically in France, Germany, and Hungary.

Details: New York: Anti-Defamation League, 2016. 12p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 16, 2016 at: http://www.adl.org/assets/pdf/press-center/ADL-HRF-HateCrimes-Scorecard.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Bias-Related Crimes

Shelf Number: 138696


Author: Murer, Jeffrey Stevenson

Title: The European Study of Youth Mobilisation Report : Listening to Radicals: Attitudes and Motivations of Young People Engaged in Political and Social Movements Outside of the Mainstream in Central and Nordic Europe

Summary: The Report relays the findings and methodology of the three year European Study of Youth Mobilisation which interviewed more than 800 youth activists in five Central European cities (Bratislava, Brno, Budapest, Krakow and Warsaw), and brought together 200 practitioners and academic researchers in expert panel discussions in three Nordic cities (Copenhagen, Helsinki, and Stockholm) to discuss the attitudes and motivations of young people involved in political and social movements outside of the mainstream. The most important findings related to the wide-scale lack of trust in political institutions and that the perception of the legitimacy of violence was dependent on group membership, and not other factors including gender.

Details: Hungary: British Council, 2011. 32p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 21, 2016 at: https://research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk/bitstream/handle/10023/1838/British_Council_ESYM_Report_March_2011_.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

Year: 2011

Country: Europe

Keywords: Extremist Groups

Shelf Number: 1387819


Author: Missing Children Europe

Title: Best practices and key challenges on interagency cooperation to safeguard unaccompanied children from going missing

Summary: On 31 January 2016, Europol reported that 10,000 unaccompanied children are unaccounted for after arriving in Europe, with many feared to be exploited and abused for sexual or labour purposes. While systematic and comprehensive data on the disappearance of unaccompanied children in Europe is unavailable to date, it is clear that the rate of children that go missing from care facilities is staggering - and continues to increase in the recent refugee crisis. In 2015, the Swedish coastal town of Trellerborg reported that 1000 out of the 1900 who had arrived in the town had gone missing within the span of a month. The Italian Ministry of Welfare declared that 62% of the children that had arrived between January and May 2015 were unaccounted for. In January 2016, the Federal Criminal Police (BKA) reported that 4749 unaccompanied child and adolescent refugees are considered to be missing, of which 431 were younger than 13-years-old. Each and every one of these children is a child with hopes, dreams and fears, who are entitled to the same human rights as the rest of us. The vast majority have arrived in Europe following long and difficult journeys over land and sea, having left their home because of conflict, war or poverty. Some have been separated from their families during the journey. Some others have been sent to Europe by their parents, who stay behind hoping their child will find a better future in Europe. Once in Europe, some children go missing from care facilities with a specific migration plan in mind, often linked to a wish to be reunited with family members in other Member States. Many run away because of the fear of being sent back to the situation they tried to escape from, or to avoid an unwanted Dublin transfer. Others are groomed by traffickers and end up being exploited in prostitution, forced labour or begging. Irrespective of the reason why they go missing, many of them slip through the net of child protection systems in place that increases the risk of children becoming victims of violations of their basic human rights. Protecting these children is a shared responsibility of all EU Member States, at the level of law enforcement authorities, guardians, reception centres, hotline professionals and more. Too often failing cooperation and coordination, nationally and transnationally, between these stakeholders becomes an obstacle to achieving what we ultimately all aim to do: bringing these children to safety and protecting them from harm. The SUMMIT project coordinated by Missing Children Europe in partnership with the University of Portsmouth (UK), NIDOS (NL), Defence for children-ECPAT (NL), TUSLA (IR), KMOP (EL) and Child Circle (BE), and with the support of the European Commission, aims to contribute to improving effective interagency cooperation in preventing and responding to the disappearance of unaccompanied children. The current report provides for a first deliverable in the project: the analysis and findings of interviews conducted with grassroots practitioners in 7 EU Member States. These findings highlight a number of challenges encountered by professionals working for the protection of unaccompanied children, but also several good practices On 31 January 2016, Europol reported that 10,000 unaccompanied children are unaccounted for after arriving in Europe, with many feared to be exploited and abused for sexual or labour purposes. While systematic and comprehensive data on the disappearance of unaccompanied children in Europe is unavailable to date, it is clear that the rate of children that go missing from care facilities is staggering - and continues to increase in the recent refugee crisis. In 2015, the Swedish coastal town of Trellerborg reported that 1000 out of the 1900 who had arrived in the town had gone missing within the span of a month. The Italian Ministry of Welfare declared that 62% of the children that had arrived between January and May 2015 were unaccounted for. In January 2016, the Federal Criminal Police (BKA) reported that 4749 unaccompanied child and adolescent refugees are considered to be missing, of which 431 were younger than 13-years-old. Each and every one of these children is a child with hopes, dreams and fears, who are entitled to the same human rights as the rest of us. The vast majority have arrived in Europe following long and difficult journeys over land and sea, having left their home because of conflict, war or poverty. Some have been separated from their families during the journey. Some others have been sent to Europe by their parents, who stay behind hoping their child will find a better future in Europe. Once in Europe, some children go missing from care facilities with a specific migration plan in mind, often linked to a wish to be reunited with family members in other Member States. Many run away because of the fear of being sent back to the situation they tried to escape from, or to avoid an unwanted Dublin transfer. Others are groomed by traffickers and end up being exploited in prostitution, forced labour or begging. Irrespective of the reason why they go missing, many of them slip through the net of child protection systems in place that increases the risk of children becoming victims of violations of their basic human rights. Protecting these children is a shared responsibility of all EU Member States, at the level of law enforcement authorities, guardians, reception centres, hotline professionals and more. Too often failing cooperation and coordination, nationally and transnationally, between these stakeholders becomes an obstacle to achieving what we ultimately all aim to do: bringing these children to safety and protecting them from harm. The SUMMIT project coordinated by Missing Children Europe in partnership with the University of Portsmouth (UK), NIDOS (NL), Defence for children-ECPAT (NL), TUSLA (IR), KMOP (EL) and Child Circle (BE), and with the support of the European Commission, aims to contribute to improving effective interagency cooperation in preventing and responding to the disappearance of unaccompanied children. The current report provides for a first deliverable in the project: the analysis and findings of interviews conducted with grassroots practitioners in 7 EU Member States. These findings highlight a number of challenges encountered by professionals working for the protection of unaccompanied children, but also several good practices

Details: Brussels: Missing Children Europe, 2016. 110p.

Source: Internet Resource: Summit Report: Accessed April 23, 2016 at: http://missingchildreneurope.eu/Portals/0/Docs/Best%20practices%20and%20key%20challenges%20for%20interagency%20cooperation%20to%20safeguard%20unaccompanied%20migrant%20children%20from%20going%20missing.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Immigration

Shelf Number: 138792


Author: Astinova, Mihaela

Title: The Crime of Child Pornography: European Legislative and Police Cooperation Initiatives

Summary: Records of cases describing illegal contact with children have not been discovered and criticized just recently. Such cases have existed before. The process of development of child pornography has been traced back to 1960's when the crime started to be produced mainly in magazines and films. In 1970's child pornography was acknowledged as an unimaginable threat to children and was criminalized in some countries like England. Nowadays it is obvious that the illegal practices from the past have been developed and continued by transferring the old images along with the new ones to a digital bearer, uploaded and sent from one computer to another, from one country to another via the internet.2 Broadly, the crime of child pornography can be described as any records of sexual activity with children. Those can be photographs, video, written materials or sound files. However, sometimes photographs can be taken independently, and sometimes they can be extracted from video clips or movies. Notwithstanding, the graphic content of the pictures not always shows explicit sexual conduct with children and the collectors may avoid prosecution and conviction. This is dictated by the severity of the content and is further elaborated in the first chapter of the thesis. However, it is clear that production, possession of child pornography and its dissemination for commercial purposes all constitute child abuse and exploitation. In my opinion, however, criminalizing child pornography materials has a preventive function as well in case access to such materials provokes further child abuse and exploitation. It cannot be argued that child pornography has been considered a tremendous problem which nowadays is getting more and more difficult to track. Computers, internet, emails, external storage devices have facilitated the pornography makers to grow in number and hide effectively from the law enforcement agencies. Technology advancement and the proliferation of private computers have made it easy for the offenders to do criminal activities and still hide in the dark.3 Children need access to all new technologies by which to develop their abilities and knowledge. But taking into account the presence of innovative methods for exposure of personal information and data makes them open to injure and difficult to protect from being involved in an irreversible situation such as to become victims of child pornography. The purpose of the thesis is to give an answer to the central research question which is "in what ways do the new European legislation and international police cooperation help combat the proliferation, production and possession of child pornography". All the information and findings in this thesis are based on desk research, aiming to give answers to the following sub-questions in order to understand in detail the central research question: a) What is the current International and European legislation on child pornography? b) What new initiatives does the European Union take in order to facilitate the minimization of the crime and to support the legislative measures? c) What law enforcement mechanisms does the European Law Enforcement agency (Europol) has at its disposal in accordance to this particular crime? d) What operations against child pornography have been conducted? e) What is the outcome of the operations? f) What are the most common obstacles for the teams during joint operations against child pornography offenders and how were they handled?

Details: Tilburg, NETH: Tilburg University, 2013. 58p.

Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed April 25, 2016 at: http://arno.uvt.nl/show.cgi?fid=133077

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Child Pornography

Shelf Number: 138805


Author: Fajardo Del Castillo, Teresa

Title: Organised Crime and Environmental Crime: Analysis of EU Legal Instruments

Summary: Organised environmental crime is a serious crime committed by organized crime groups that often has a transnational dimension that requires the cooperation of the EU institutions and their Member States with Third countries and international organisations.. This organised environmental crime challenges the traditional definition of organised crime since it is now responding to a new market order. Organised crime criminals act as brokers providing highly specialized services to customers throughout the world, communicating through new technologies of information and escaping the traditional forms of crime prevention and repression. At the same time, these criminals are easily replaceable and not their structures that are challenging criminal and administrative approaches to dismantle their networks. Even though the EU has not yet adopted concrete measures to combat organised environmental crime, the new Article 83 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union allows the EU to adopt directives in areas of particularly serious crime with a cross-border dimension. In the future, the Council may unanimously decide to add serious environmental crimes to the list of organised crimes. Until then, as the former Commissioner for the Environment has put it: the main responsibility for fighting organised environmental crime is with the Member States. The adoption of a legal instrument addressing organised environmental crime is not on the EU legislative agenda even though the European Parliament has made some proposals. A package of non-binding instruments on organised crimes adopted by EU institutions is establishing the basic concepts for organised environmental crime. Moreover, it could be the basis for a future EU criminal policy on organised environmental crime, especially for those iconic crimes such as illegal trafficking of endangered species that have been the object of resolutions of the European Parliament and also of international institutions. Despite the fact that the principal EU instruments dedicated to fighting organised crime do not address directly the specific organised environmental crime, they have left some room for an extensive interpretation of the goals to be achieved and have detailed in annexes the "other serious crimes" that could be addressed when required. In the case of organised crime, the EU institutions are dealing with legal problems at the domestic and international levels that have hampered the enforcement of the legal instruments fighting against this type of criminality. There is a problem of conceptualization of organised crime that also affects the way the EU approaches environmental crime and organised environmental crime. The proximity between them leads the instruments and institutions to refer to both with the same terminology, the most general environmental crime prevailing over the specific forms of organised crimes, such as the illegal waste trafficking. The European institutions are also considering adopting an administrative approach to prevent and combat organised crime complementary to the criminal system to overcome the new challenges that the flexible structures of organised crime poses to traditional proceedings.

Details: Granada: University of Granada, 2015. 53p.

Source: Internet Resource: Study in the framework of the EFFACE research project, Accessed April 25, 2016 at: http://ecologic.eu/sites/files/publication/2015/efface_organised_crime_and_environmental_crime_eu_level.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Criminal Networks

Shelf Number: 138807


Author: Cunningham, Fiona

Title: A Modern Response to Modern Slavery

Summary: This report is particularly timely, coinciding with the passage into UK law of the Modern Slavery Act, a landmark piece of legislation championed by the Home Secretary which may inspire lawmakers in other European countries. It is fitting that the report should open with words from the Home Secretary and from a representative of the European law enforcement community, firstly because it combines legislative, policy and policing perspectives, and because it compares the UK situation to what is happening elsewhere in Europe. Following on from the Centre for Social Justice's It Happens Here (2013), a report which on modern slavery in the UK, this new report takes a broader view, looking beyond the phenomenon of modern slavery itself and exploring how it should be tackled in every country in Europe. Reflecting the multi-faceted nature of modern slavery and human trafficking, the report draws on the expertise of various sectors: think tanks, NGOs, central government and of course law enforcement.

Details: London: Centre for Social Justice, 2015. 92p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 25, 2016 at: http://www.centreforsocialjustice.org.uk/UserStorage/pdf/Pdf%20reports/CSJJ3202_Slavery_report_04.15_WEB.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Child Trafficking

Shelf Number: 138811


Author: Scherrer, Amandine

Title: Trafficking in Human Beings from a Gender Perspective Directive 2011/36/EU: European Implementation Assessment

Summary: Trafficking in human beings (THB), in all its forms, is a serious crime affecting fundamental rights, health, social life, economy and justice. THB knows no boundaries and most reported victims are female EU nationals from Central and Eastern Europe. THB can be tackled effectively only through a coherent approach at the levels of legislation and executive powers and through strategic policy-making. Proper investigation and prosecution are important and enhance victim protection and assistance as well as prevention. However, taking into account the gender dimension of THB is essential to ensure adequate support for the victims as well as effective prevention. The 2011 EU Anti-Trafficking Directive represents a landmark piece of legislation in that respect. The Ex-Post Impact Assessment Unit of the European Parliament has asked several groups of experts to analyse the implementation and application of the Directive, from a gender perspective, in 12 Member States: Bulgaria, Cyprus, Finland, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Romania, Sweden, the UK and Spain. The contributions received point to an uneven implementation of the Directive's requirements across the EU Member States. The findings emphasise the need to improve the identification of victims, which is key for granting them protection, to establish better training on the gender aspects of the different forms of human trafficking for front-line officers, to enhance cooperation between public administration and competent NGOs, and to expand prevention via public awareness campaigning.

Details: Brussels: European Parliament, 2016. 244p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 2, 2016 at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2016/581412/EPRS_STU(2016)581412_EN.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Human Trafficking

Shelf Number: 138847


Author: Buhringer, Gerhard

Title: Comparative Analysis of Research into Illicit Drugs in the European Union: Full report

Summary: The study was commissioned by the European Commission's Directorate-General for Justice, Freedom and Security (Justice-Liberte-Securite; DG JLS) with the following six objectives: (1) To map the key research areas, research disciplines and recent research trends, covering both drug demand and drug supply reduction, taking into account any important interrelations with related thematic areas (i.e. mental health and addiction, licit substance abuse, etc.). (2) To map and analyse the capacity, infrastructure and model of coordination of drug-related research in the member states (MS). An analysis of the participation of the national research communities in EU programmes should also be conducted. (3) To map and analyse the capacity, infrastructure and coordination of illicit drug-related research at European and international level, taking into account the drug-related research activities of the Pompidou Group of the Council of Europe and the World Health Organisation as well as the activities of significant private or semi-private research bodies. (4) To briefly describe - for comparative purposes - the drug-related research trends, capacity, infrastructure and model of coordination in the US, Canada and Australia as well as major research collaborations in the drug field with EU partners. (5) To identify strengths and weaknesses in EU drug-related research as well as gaps in the knowledge infrastructure in this field, always bearing in mind that the focus of this study covers both supply and demand of illicit drugs. (6) To assess options for strengthening - if necessary - the drug-related research infrastructure in EU.

Details: Luxembourg : Publications Office, 2009.507p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 3, 2016 at: http://ec.europa.eu/justice/anti-drugs/files/drug-research-study-report_en.pdf

Year: 2009

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction

Shelf Number: 138902


Author: Kristoffersen, Ragnar

Title: Correctional Statistics of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden 20089-2012

Summary: The correctional services of the Nordic countries have been publishing comparative statistics of their services since the eighties. An English version has long been wanted, reaching a broader public than the Nordic countries. Apart from a Swedish publication in the early nineties, this is the fourth English edition of this series of correctional statistics edited by the Correctional Service of Norway Staff Academy.

Details: Oslo: Correctional Service of Norway Staff Academy, 2013. 60p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 4, 2016 at: https://brage.bibsys.no/xmlui//bitstream/handle/11250/160610/9/Kristoffersen_2013.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Correctional Institutions

Shelf Number: 138909


Author: Kristoffersen, Ragnar

Title: Correctional Statistics of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden 2009-2013

Summary: Exact statistical comparability is difficult to attain given that law, practice and methods of data compilation vary between the Nordic countries. Even though present and former members of the Nordic group of statisticians have tried to establish a high level of comparability by carefully working out common definitions over the years, any differences between the countries shown in this report still need to be interpreted with caution. The reader is therefore requested to note carefully the definitions and the footnotes to the tables.

Details: Oslo: Correctional Service of Norway Staff Academy, 2014. 60p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 4, 2016 at: https://brage.bibsys.no/xmlui/bitstream/handle/11250/226835/NordicStatistics2009_2013.pdf?sequence=3&isAllowed=y

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Correctional Institutions

Shelf Number: 138912


Author: European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA)

Title: Guardianship for children deprived of parental care - A handbook to reinforce guardianship systems to cater for the specific needs of child victims of trafficking

Summary: The EU Strategy towards the Eradication of Trafficking in Human Beings 2012-2016 recognises the importance of comprehensive child-sensitive protection systems, for which a robust guardianship system serves as a touchstone. Effective guardianship systems are key to preventing abuse, neglect and exploitation. Yet the roles, qualifications and competences of guardians vary from one Member State to another. This handbook, a joint publication of the European Commission and the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, is designed to help standardise guardianship practice, ensuring also that it is better equipped to deal with the specific needs of child victims of trafficking. It provides guidance and recommendations to EU Member States on strengthening their guardianship systems, setting forth the core principles, fundamental design and management of such systems. By promoting a shared understanding of the main features of a guardianship system, it aims to improve conditions for children under guardianship and promote respect for their fundamental rights.

Details: Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2015. 118p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 4, 2016 at: http://fra.europa.eu/en/publication/2014/guardianship-children-deprived-parental-care-handbook-reinforce-guardianship

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Child Protection

Shelf Number: 138924


Author: European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA)

Title: Guardianship systems for children deprived of parental care in the European Union: With a particular focus on their role in responding to child trafficking

Summary: Children who are deprived of parental care and are unaccompanied or separated from their primary caregiver are particularly vulnerable to abuse and exploitation. They are entitled to special protection. Effective guardianship systems are key to preventing abuse, neglect and exploitation and they protect child victims of trafficking. Children who are separated from the parents are at heightened risk of exploitation, including falling victims of trafficking in human beings. In other cases, children have been separated from their primary care givers as they were also involved in exploiting the child they were responsible for. The EU Strategy towards the eradication of trafficking in human beings 2012-2016 underlines the importance of comprehensive child-sensitive protection systems to prevent and address child trafficking. Robust guardianship arrangements are a cornerstone of such child protection systems. Yet the roles, qualifications and competences of guardians vary substantially from one Member State to another. In June 2014, the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), in close cooperation with the European Commission, published a handbook on Guardianship for children deprived of parental care - A handbook to reinforce guardianship systems to cater for the specific needs of child victims of trafficking. The handbook offers EU Member States comprehensive guidance and recommendations on strengthening national guardianship systems. The handbook lays down the core principles that should guide national guardianship systems and suggests how national authorities, as well as guardians, could strengthen guardianship arrangements to respond better to the needs of child victims of trafficking. By promoting a shared understanding of the main features of a guardianship system, the handbook aimed at improving conditions and respect for the fundamental rights for all children deprived of parental care. It also sought to respond better to the specific needs of child victims of trafficking. The agency mapped national guardianship systems with the aim of identifying common challenges and promising practises. This report presents the main findings of this background research, which were also used to develop the handbook. These two publications are the latest results from FRA's longstanding commitment to promote and protect the rights of the child. This comparative report may assist Member States to understand better the strengths and weaknesses of their national system. It may also assist them to take measures to promote the effective protection of all children and, more specifically, find an adequate response to the needs and rights of those who are in the most vulnerable situation, such as child victims of trafficking.

Details: Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2015. 80p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 5, 2016 at: https://ec.europa.eu/anti-trafficking/sites/antitrafficking/files/guardianship_systems_for_children_deprived_of_parental_care_in_the_european_union_en.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Child Protection

Shelf Number: 138952


Author: Vogel, Dita

Title: The Concept of Demand in the Context of Trafficking in Human Beings: Using Contributions from Economics in Search of Clarification

Summary: Working Paper 3 examines how economic contributions can help clarify some of the terminology used in the DemandAT project. It sets out economic theories of 'demand', and contrasts these to common understandings of the concept of demand and prices as employed in debates on anti-trafficking, as well as understandings of the role of coercion. The paper suggests that the use of these terms has often been vague and inconsistent. The paper illustrates these problems by looking at three examples of the application of economics concepts in literature on THB. It concludes that what is needed most urgently is more context dependent data interpretation, rather than more data.

Details: Vienna: Demand-Side Measures Against Trafficking, 2015. 45p.

Source: Internet Resource: DemandAT Working Paper No. 3: Accessed May 11, 2016 at: http://www.demandat.eu/sites/default/files/DemandAT_WP3_Vogel_Economics_for_Conceptual_Clarification_FINAL.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Economics and Crime

Shelf Number: 139002


Author: Boswell, Christina

Title: Steering Demand and the Quest for 'Better Regulation'

Summary: What can we learn from other policy sectors about how best to regulate demand for illegal or undesirable goods/services? Drawing on insights from the areas of illegal drugs, tobacco and employment, Working Paper 4 uses a typology of regulatory approaches to identify types of smart regulation that might be most pertinent to measures addressing demand related to trafficking. The authors note the challenges of transferring policy solutions and critique the rationalist presuppositions underpinning the literature on regulation. In particular, the paper shows how issue framing shapes policy responses. This, in turn, poses the question as to how issue definition and framing might act as a constraint on developing new approaches to address demand in THB.

Details: Vienna: Demand-Side Measures Against Trafficking, 2016. 26p.

Source: Internet Resource: DemandAT Working Paper No. 4: Accessed May 11, 2016 at: http://www.demandat.eu/sites/default/files/DemandAT_WP4_Boswell_Kyambi_Steering_Regulations_FINAL.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Human Trafficking

Shelf Number: 139003


Author: Ricard-Guay, Alexandra

Title: Trafficking in Domestic Work: Looking at the Demand-Side

Summary: Domestic work is a sector of the economy particularly vulnerable to abusive and exploitative practices and is an area thought to be at high risk of hidden trafficking in human beings. Yet trafficking in domestic work remains poorly defined and the multiple drivers of demand in this context are difficult to differentiate. This fifth DemandAT working paper aims to provide a framework for research that captures some of the specificities of work in a domestic setting. This will provide common ground for the series of country studies that are to follow.

Details: Vienna: Demand-Side Measures Against Trafficking, 2016. 41p.

Source: Internet Resource: DemandAT Working Paper No. 5: Accessed May 11, 2016 at: http://www.demandat.eu/sites/default/files/WP5_RicardGuay_Mar2016_Final.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Domestic Workers

Shelf Number: 139004


Author: Rogoz, Madalina

Title: Responses to Demand in the Context of Trafficking in Human Beings: Regulatory measures from twelve national contexts

Summary: Demand-side approaches are seen as important building blocks in efforts to prevent trafficking, complementing measures addressing the vulnerability of trafficked persons. Whether such demand-side policies actually succeed in preventing trafficking is both debated and not sufficiently investigated. The sixth DemandAT Working Paper describes recurring types of regulatory tools addressing demand in twelve national contexts. The paper finds that there are few policies specifically addressing demand in the context of trafficking in human beings. More commonly, policies address broader issues associated with trafficking, and thus may serve to address, but are not limited to trafficking. Structurally, the promotion of demand-side approaches has the potential to mainstream anti-trafficking policies across various policy areas. At the same time, given the broad focus of existing demand-side measures, demand-side approaches inevitably focus on broader issues of severe forms of exploitation, compliance with legal standards and human rights.

Details: Vienna: Demand-Side Measures Against Trafficking, 2016. 49p.

Source: Internet Resource: DemandAT Working Paper No. 6: Accessed May 11, 2016 at: http://www.demandat.eu/sites/default/files/DemandAT_WP6_Rogoz_April2016_FINAL.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Human Trafficking

Shelf Number: 139005


Author: Neville, Darren

Title: On the frontline: the hotspot approach to managing migration

Summary: This study, commissioned by the European Parliament's Policy Department for Citizens' Rights and Constitutional Affairs at the request of the LIBE Committee, places the new "hotspot approach" to managing migration within its policy framework. It examines the way in which EU agencies provide support to frontline Member States, with particular focus on Greece, and assesses the chief challenges identified to date in both the policy design and operational implementation of hotspots.

Details: Brussels: Policy Department of Citizen's Rights and Constitutional Affairs, European Parliament, 2016. 58p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 16, 2016 at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2016/556942/IPOL_STU(2016)556942_EN.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Immigrants

Shelf Number: 139049


Author: Apraxine, Pierre

Title: Urban Violence and Humanitarian Challenges

Summary: This second colloquium organised jointly by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the European Union Institute for Security Studies (EUISS) aimed to present the causes and humanitarian consequences of urban violence, as well as related trends and challenges for the European Union and humanitarian actors. Two case studies have been selected, focusing on different types of violence affecting urban environments. The first case study examines pilot projects to address humanitarian needs arising from organised crime and gang violence in megacities; the second is an analysis of the humanitarian challenges emerging from urban violence in the context of uprisings, referring specifically to the lessons learned from the protests in the Arab world. Urban violence represents numerous challenges for policy makers and humanitarian actors alike. Today, more than half of the world's population lives in cities and it appears that urban centres will absorb almost all new population growth in the coming decades. It has therefore become increasingly important to understand the dynamics of violence in an urban setting. By bringing together experts, academics and representatives from various relief organisations, the ICRC and the EUISS hope to have contributed to the debate and spurred further interest in this increasingly important issue. The present publication includes summaries of both the presentations provided by the speakers and the discussions held during the colloquium.

Details: Paris: EU Institute for Security Studies, 2012. 88p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 16, 2016 at: http://www.iss.europa.eu/uploads/media/Urban_violence_and_humanitarian_challenges.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Gang Violence

Shelf Number: 125774


Author: Andvig, Jens Chr.

Title: Public procurement and organized crime - illustrated with examples from Bulgaria, Italy and Norway

Summary: The paper provides an exposition of the formulation of public procurement and privatization mechanisms and how they may be influenced by organized crime units. It argues that in order to understand how organized crime may become influential in procurement it is important in some societies to both understand the actual workings of their governance processes and the allocation of public assets. To this end, a number of possibilities are outlined using examples from Bulgaria, Italy and Norway.

Details: Oslo: Norwegian Institute of International Affairs, 2012. 36p.

Source: Internet Resource: NUPI Working Paper 813: Accessed May 18, 2016 at: https://brage.bibsys.no/xmlui/bitstream/handle/11250/277541/NUPI-WP--813-Andvig.pdf?sequence=3&isAllowed=y

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Corruption

Shelf Number: 139076


Author: Wijckmans, Belinda

Title: Community (oriented) policing in Europe: Concepts, theory and practice

Summary: This second toolbox in the series published by the EUCPN Secretariat focuses on the main theme of the Cyprus Presidency, which is community policing. The theme is explored and elaborated in four different ways, through: a theoretical paper; a survey among the European Member States on the organisation of community policing in their country, followed by an in-depth discussion during two round table sessions; a workshop/seminar with various experts and a particular focus on radicalisation, or which role community policing can play in the prevention of radicalisation, which is an important European issue and priority; and finally, a bundling of this year's European Crime Prevention Award's (ECPA) entries as a list of examples of good practices across Europe.

Details: Brussels: European Crime Prevention Network, 2012. 81p.

Source: Internet Resource: EUCPN Toolbox Series, No. 2: Accessed May 19, 2016 at: https://biblio.ugent.be/publication/3228987/file/3228996.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Community Policing

Shelf Number: 139098


Author: Beke, Mike

Title: Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing: Sanctions in the EU

Summary: This briefing note presents an overview of illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and sanctions in the European Union. It provides information on the different approaches for addressing serious infringements in different Member States, as well as an analysis of existing EU and international measures. The study identifies differences between levels of monitoring, control and surveillance in Member States. Also differences are observed between Member States in the following-up of serious infringements and sanctions imposed. The study recommends that Member States prioritise effective enforcement of IUU rules and promote harmonisation of penalties.

Details: Brussels: European Parliament, 2014. 80p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 19, 2016 at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2014/529069/IPOL_STU(2014)529069_EN.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Fisheries

Shelf Number: 139104


Author: Wijckmans, Belinda

Title: Evaluation of Crime Prevention Initiatives: The principles of evaluation

Summary: The fifth thematic paper in the series published by the EUCPN Secretariat in collaboration with the Irish Presidency, focuses on the theme of evaluation. It is written in the framework of the third EUCPN Toolbox on the same theme. The toolbox is developed to assist people engaged in evaluation who have limited resources, who often lack the internal expertise to conduct a robust evaluation or who have limited access to information and external support. The aim of this instrument is to develop more insight in 'how and why' to evaluate and to provide a minimum standard of knowledge and skills who are (about to be) involved in programme evaluation of small scale community-based crime prevention initiatives. Attention is paid to the planning of an evaluation, the data collection and analyses, and the communication of results. This thematic paper aims to be a general introduction to the principles of evaluation based on existing academic literature and provides more detailed information about the second part of the toolbox, the practical guidelines. It is recommended to read the thematic paper in conjunction with the guidelines in the toolbox.

Details: Brussels: European Crime Prevention Network, 2013. 18p.

Source: Internet Resource: EUCPN Thematic Paper Series, no. 5, Accessed May 19, 2016 at: http://eucpn.org/sites/default/files/content/download/files/16._eucpn_thematic_paper_no._5_-_evaluation_of_crime_prevention_initiatives_-_the_principles_of_evaluation.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Community-Based Programs

Shelf Number: 139108


Author: Meijers, Loy

Title: Trafficking in Illicit Firearms: A global and European overview

Summary: This theoretical paper is published by the EUCPN Secretariat in connection with the theme of the Dutch Presidency, which is trafficking in illicit firearms. With the terrorist attacks that shook Europe the past months in hindsight, the subject is more relevant than ever. Trafficking in illicit firearms is a dangerous and deadly business, which should not be taken lightly. Because of the cross-border aspect of trafficking in illicit firearms, it is important to have a global overview. Where do the weapons come from, how do they enter the illicit market and what are the modus operandi of the traffickers? This paper should function as a base for a more prevention-orientated manual in which we will look at the difficulties and attempts to prevent trafficking in illicit firearms. Furthermore we will focus at the main international weapons and what the international agencies already do against the phenomenon. Through these actions, we hope to raise awareness concerning trafficking in illicit firearms, to exchange good practices and hopefully to propose general guidelines for a trafficking in illicit firearms policy.

Details: Brussels: European Crime Prevention Network, 2016. 22p.

Source: Internet Resource: EUCPN Theoretical Paper Series; Accessed May 19, 2016 at: http://eucpn.org/sites/default/files/content/download/files/theoretical_paper_-_trafficking_in_illicit_firearms.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Illicit Firearms

Shelf Number: 139109


Author: Verleysen, Cindy

Title: Cybercrime: a theoretical overview of the growing digital threat

Summary: This theoretical paper is published by the EUCPN Secretariat in connection with the theme of the Luxembourgian presidency which was cybercrime. Cybercrime is a global definition which characterizes many different criminal forms committed in the virtual world. This means the phenomenon covers a very wide scope of activities. This theoretical paper is written as an overview to help understand the definition of cybercrime and its forms. We concentrate on the variety of consequences as a result of the phenomenon. Moreover, this paper also has attention to the current European law and legislative actions against cybercrime.

Details: Brussels: European Crime Prevention Network, 2015. 39p.

Source: Internet Resource: EUCPN Theoretical Paper Series: Accessed May 19, 2016 at: http://eucpn.org/sites/default/files/content/download/files/theoretical_paper_cybercrime_.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Computer Crime

Shelf Number: 139110


Author: Wijckmans, Belinda

Title: Tackling Domestic Violence in the EU: Policies and Practices

Summary: The fourth toolbox in the series published by the EUCPN Secretariat focuses on the main theme of the Lithuanian Presidency and the 2013 Best Practice Conference, which is "Prevention in Domestic Violence". The first part of this toolbox presents an overview of existing policy and legislative measures in the EU and the EU Member States, as well as some general information on data collection and EU funding programmes related to the theme. The second part focuses on the good and promising practices which were submitted by 18 Member States to compete in the 2013 European Crime Prevention Award (ECPA). Special attention is being paid to some important issues which are often related to cases of domestic violence and which were tackled by the award winning projects of Sweden, Belgium and Croatia. The topics covered are: victim support & attrition in domestic violence; multi-agency cooperation & the chain model; and early prevention and the role of education. This is followed by a summary of the discussions held at the Best Practice Conference (Vilnius, 11-12 December 2013), as well as some relevant conclusions formulated during the final round of the Conference by four participating experts invited by the EUCPN Secretariat. Finally, an overview of all submitted ECPA projects can be found in the last part of this toolbox.

Details: Brussels: European Crime Prevention Network, 2013. 69p.

Source: Internet Resource: EUCPN Toolbox Series No. 4: Accessed May 19, 2016 at: http://eucpn.org/sites/default/files/content/download/files/eucpn_toolbox_4_-_tackling_domestic_violence_in_the_eu_-_policies_practices_webversion.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Domestic Violence

Shelf Number: 139111


Author: Wijckmans, Belinda

Title: Evaluation of crime prevention initiatives

Summary: This third toolbox in the series published by the EuCpn Secretariat focuses on the main theme of the irish presidency, which is the evaluation of crime prevention initiatives. the theme is explored and elaborated in various ways through: a literature review; two workshops with international experts and practitioners during which the strengths and weaknesses of programme evaluation were discussed in detail; a screening of existing guidelines and manuals on evaluation; and finally, a call which was launched by the EUCPN Secretariat to the Member States to collect some practices on the evaluation of crime prevention initiatives.

Details: Brussels: European Crime Prevention Network, 2013. 82p.

Source: Internet Resource: EUCPN Toolbox Series No. 3: Accessed May 19, 2016 at: http://eucpn.org/sites/default/files/content/download/files/eucpn_toolbox_3_-_evaluation_of_crime_prevention_initiativeswebversion_final_0.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Crime Prevention

Shelf Number: 139112


Author: Europol

Title: Exploring Tomorrow's Organised Crime

Summary: Law enforcement is often criticised for being reactive rather than proactive. A reactive approach to criminal offences committed lies in the nature of police work in solving criminal cases, supporting victims and working within our judicial systems to create justice. However, we can also be more proactive in fighting crime, particularly organised crime, in anticipating the development of new modi operandi, shifts in criminal markets and changes in organised crime structures. Looking ahead will enable us to better allocate resources, plan operational activities and engage with policy- and law-makers to prevent certain types of crimes from emerging. This document considers the future of serious and organised crime in the EU and while we do not claim to make definitive predictions, we identify a series of key driving factors that will impact on the serious and organised crime landscape in Europe.

Details: The Hague: European Police Office, 2015. 64p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 26, 2016 at: https://www.europol.europa.eu/sites/default/files/edi/EuropolReportDigitalCove.html

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Criminal Networks

Shelf Number: 139222


Author: Europol

Title: Migrant Smuggling Netwowrks

Summary: Migrant smuggling networks have proven flexible and resilient, adapting to law enforcement action by quickly changing the routes used to smuggle migrants to the EU. These routes are constantly diversifying and changing. More than ever before, law enforcement authorities have to rely on situational awareness and an intelligence picture updated in real-time that can only be provided through effective intelligence sharing.

Details: The Hague: Europol; INTERPOL, 2016. 15p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 26, 2016 at: https://www.europol.europa.eu/content/europol-interpol-report-migrant-smuggling-networks

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Human Smuggling

Shelf Number: 139223


Author: Hester, Marianne

Title: Overview and Analysis of Research Studies Evaluating European Perpetrator Programmes

Summary: Evaluating whether domestic violence perpetrator programmes contribute to the safety of women and children victims/ survivors is essential for both policy makers and for practitioners1. However, until very recently there was no synthesised body of European evidence on 'what works' in domestic violence perpetrator programmes and issues of transferability means that existing evidence (e.g. from North American studies) cannot easily be generalised to a European context. In order to fill the existing knowledge gap about evaluations of perpetrator programmes across Europe, the Daphne III IMPACT project aimed to: - Provide an overview of outcome monitoring practices within perpetrator programmes across Europe (workstream 1) - Provide an overview of the research /evaluations of these programmes (workstream 2) - Identify the possibilities and challenges of a multi-country, European-wide evaluation methodology (workstream 3) - Develop a monitoring/evaluation toolkit that can be used by perpetrator programmes in future (workstream 4). This working paper describes the methodology and results of the work undertaken in workstream 2. The main objective of workstream 2 was to provide detailed analysis of a range of evaluation research studies linked to European perpetrator programmes, in order to provide criteria for robust evaluations and to feed into the development of a monitoring/evaluation toolkit [workstream 4]. The focus was not on the day-to-day outcome monitoring practices of perpetrator programmes but on the scientific process and outcome research. Specifically, workstream 2 aimed to develop - detailed knowledge about the approaches used in evaluation research studies across Europe, with particular emphasis on the methods, input, output and measures of outcome - a set of criteria related to scientific robustness that can accomodate realistic approches and a variety of methods and thus point to a 'new generation' of evaluation research.

Details: s.l.: Dissens, 2014. 39p.

Source: Internet Resource: Working paper 2 from the Daphne III project "IMPACT: Evaluation of European Perpetrator Programmes": Accessed May 27, 2016 at: http://www.work-with-perpetrators.eu/fileadmin/WWP_Network/redakteure/IMPACT/Daphne_III_Impact_-_Working_paper_2_-_Overview_and_Analysis_of_Research_Studies_-_Evaluating_European_Perpetrator_Programmes.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Domestic Violence

Shelf Number: 139335


Author: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA)

Title: European Drug Report 2016: Trends and Developments

Summary: The Trends and Developments report presents a top-level overview of the drug phenomenon in Europe, covering drug supply, use and public health problems as well as drug policy and responses. Together with the online Statistical Bulletin, Country Overviews and Perspectives on Drugs, it makes up the 2016 European Drug Report package. The health risks of high-potency products, the continued emergence of new substances, and changing patterns of drug use are among the issues highlighted in the European Drug Report 2016: Trends and Developments. The report also examines concern over rises in overdose deaths in some countries and the threats posed by internet drug markets

Details: Lisbon: EMCDDA, 2016. 84p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 31, 2016 at: http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/publications/edr/trends-developments/2016

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction (Europe)

Shelf Number: 139250


Author: Murdoch, Jim

Title: Combating Ill-Treatment in Prison: A handbook for prison staff with focus on the prevention of ill-treatment in prison

Summary: The handbook is designed for practitioners working in prisons. It examines one particular aspect of the protection of prisoners' human rights: the prohibition of ill-treatment in prison. It is conceived as a policy guide and a management tool for professionals and it focuses upon what this prohibition entails and the responsibilities of prison services towards those entrusted to its care. The text highlights the relevant standards of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe Recommendations and of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. (CPT), and the case law of the European Court of Human Rights. The handbook is a result of a multilateral meeting on combating ill-treatment in prison, held in Strasbourg in April 2015, as part of the Council of Europe co-operation activities in the penitentiary field implemented by the Criminal Law Co-operation Unit.

Details: Strasbourg Cedex, France: Council of Europe, 2016. 92p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 1, 2016 at: http://www.coe.int/t/dgi/criminallawcoop/Presentation/Documents/Combating%20ill%20treatment%20in%20prison%202_web.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Inmates

Shelf Number: 139254


Author: Kilkelly, Ursula

Title: Alternatives to Detention for Juvenile Offenders: Manual of Good Practices in Europe

Summary: States' responses to juvenile offending may take a variety of forms. While the model of juvenile justice adopted, the legislative framework, and the social context may vary from country to country, there is a body of international standards which sets out the key principles and minimum standards to be reached by each State in implementing their juvenile justice system. Particular emphasis is placed within these international standards on the promotion of the use of community-based sanctions and measures,as an alternative to custodial sentencing.

Details: Brussels: International Juvenile Justice Observatory, 2016. 65p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 7, 2016 at: http://www.oijj.org/en/joda-manual

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Alternatives to Incarceration

Shelf Number: 139303


Author: Schmid, Alex P.

Title: Foreign (Terrorist) Fighters with IS: A European Perspectives

Summary: This Research Paper by Dr. Alex P. Schmid opens with a brief exposition of the foreign (terrorist) fighter (FTF) phenomenon, concentrating on Salafist jihadists and their astonishing growth after the Caliphate was proclaimed in mid-2014. The author then discusses various definitions of FTFs. Subsequently, Dr. Schmid seeks to bring structure and order into the widely diverging estimates of the numbers of foreign fighters. He then identifies problems posed by foreign fighters for European democracies with Muslim diasporas, focusing on the range of motivations driving vulnerable young men and women - mainly second generation immigrants and recent converts to Islam - to join the so-called "Islamic State". Having identified push and pull as well as resilience factors that facilitate or inhibit young Muslims joining ISIS, he argues that stopping them from departing to Syria is not enough; political solutions have to be sought.

Details: The Hague: international Centre for Counter-Terrorism, 2015. 69p.

Source: Internet Resource: ICCT Research Paper: Accessed June 13, 2016 at: http://icct.nl/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/ICCT-Schmid-Foreign-Terrorist-Fighters-with-IS-A-European-Perspective-December2015.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: ISIS

Shelf Number: 139408


Author: Dzhekova, Rositsa

Title: Understanding Radicalisation: Review of Literature

Summary: The phenomena of radicalisation today develop and change at high speed, with their extreme forms manifested globally. The destructive dimensions of (violent) Islamist or right-wing radicalisation have become dramatically visible in Europe posing serious challenges to European societies. This literature review presents key academic conceptualisations and debates on the phenomena of radicalisation that might lead to violence. It deals with three different forms of radicalisation, including Islamist radicalisation, right-wing as well as left-wing radicalisation. In addition, an overview is provided of current academic debates regarding the role of the internet in radicalisation processes. The review is intended to help social scientists who are entering the field of radicalisation studies navigate through the complexity of underlying processes and factors that lead different individuals or groups to adopt radical ideas and commit acts of violence. The review is particularly relevant for countries of Central and Eastern Europe where radicalisation remains understudied, although most countries in the region share histories of extremism and political radicalism.

Details: Sofia, Bulgaria: Center for the Study of Democracy, 2016. 85p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 13, 2016 at: http://www.csd.bg/artShow.php?id=17560

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Extremism

Shelf Number: 139409


Author: Center for the Study of Democracy

Title: Extortion Racketeering in the EU: Vulnerability Factors

Summary: Extortion racketeering has been long pointed out as the defining activity of organised crime. Although in recent years this crime has not been among the top listed organised crime threats in the strategic EU policy documents, it still remains ever present in European countries. The seriousness of the phenomenon has been recognised at the EU level and the crime has been listed in a number of EU legal acts in the field of police and judicial cooperation in criminal matters. The report Extortion Racketeering in the EU: A six country study of vulnerability factors analyses extortion racketeering forms and practices in six EU member states. The analysis disentangles the risk and the vulnerability factors for enterprises in two business sectors - agriculture and hospitality - as well as in the Chinese communities. Drawing on the results of the analysis, the report suggests new policies for tackling extortion racketeering in the EU. This report has been produced with the joint efforts of the Center for the Study of Democracy, Instituto de Ciencias Forenses y de la Seguridad - Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, Transcrime - Universita Cattolica del Sacro Cuore di Milano and Vitosha Research and with the support of Guardia Civil in Spain.

Details: Sofia, Bulgaria: Center for the Study of Democracy, 2016. 351p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 13, 2016: http://www.csd.bg/artShow.php?id=17701

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Extortion

Shelf Number: 139413


Author: Bjorgo, Tore

Title: Early Intervention with Violent and Racist Youth Groups

Summary: This book provides insights into the processes and motivations involved in group formation and joining, as well as into group cohesiveness and disintegration, and the processes whereby individual members disengage or are unable to do so. The text provides a detailed description of several intervention methods and programs that have been developed to address problems of racist and violent youth groups, and that have been demonstrated to have some success in that respect. The main target groups are youth workers, social workers, teachers, police officers, municipal administrators, policymakers and other practitioners who handle emerging problems of the examined groups, as well as students in these professions.

Details: Oslo: Norwegian Institute of International Affairs, 2005. 114p.

Source: Internet Resource: Paper No. 677: Accessed June 13, 2016 at: http://www.einiras.org/Services/Digital-Library/Publications/Detail/?lng=en&id=27305

Year: 2005

Country: Europe

Keywords: Bias Crimes

Shelf Number: 139434


Author: Sina, Stephan

Title: Wildlife Crime

Summary: This study on wildlife crime was commissioned by Policy Department A at the request of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety. It gives an overview of the state of wildlife crime in Europe based on available documents, EU-TWIX data and empirical research including interviews. The study identifies main routes and species linked to illegal wildlife trade, as well as enforcement deficits. It also develops policy recommendations in view of the upcoming EU Action Plan. EU is both a destination and a transit region for wildlife products. Although European countries seem to have become less important consumers in the trade with African mammals, many countries still seem to have a very important role as a trading hub in that trade. This trade is conducted via the major trade hubs (airports and ports) but new trade hubs (e.g. smaller European airports with direct connections to Africa and Asia) are also emerging. On the other hand, European countries still seem to be very important consumers and importers of pets, especially of reptiles and birds. As this trade is often not conducted via the main trade hubs, but via the Eastern European land borders and the Mediterranean and Black Sea, enforcement is even more challenging. Moreover, the demand for alternative medicinal products very often produced in Asia from endangered wildlife appears to have increased in Europe. The available information on trade routes is not very detailed, but the following four important trade routes could be identified: - Large mammals like elephants, rhinos and big cats from Africa and South America to major trade hubs and for further transit to Asia - Coastal smuggling of leeches, caviar, fish, as well as reptiles and parrots for the pet trade in Europe - Endangered birds from South Eastern Europe to Southern Europe - Russian wildlife and Asian exports via Eastern European land routes. The overall trend in wildlife crime measured in the number of seizures has been roughly constant in recent years. Seizures are concentrated in countries with large overall trading volumes like Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and France. Overall the UK, Germany and Netherlands are responsible for more than 70% of seizures in 2007-2014. The high number of seizures may also be attributable to well developed enforcement in these countries. The most frequently seized species are reptiles, mammals, flowers and corals.

Details: Brussels: European Parliament, Environment, Public Health, Food Safety (ENVI), 2016. 124p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 28, 2016 at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2016/570008/IPOL_STU(2016)570008_EN.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Illegal Wildlife Trade

Shelf Number: 139528


Author: Duquet, Nils

Title: Armed to Kill: An exploratory analysis of the guns used in public mass shootings in Europe

Summary: Every year in Europe around 1,150 people are shot dead with firearms. These deaths occur in various contexts, including the relational and criminal spheres. The little available research into the weapons used during these fatal crimes suggests that different types of firearms are used in different contexts. In this report we focus on the weapons that were used for one specific form of deadly firearms incidents, namely "public mass shootings". These are shooting incidents in the (semi-)public space in which the perpetrator(s) use one or more firearms and during which several people are killed and injured. Under this umbrella term we find numerous types of shooting incidents, ranging from school shootings in which a frustrated pupil murders a number of classmates and/or teachers to terrorist attacks in which groups of perpetrators attempt to spread terror in coordinated attacks. A look at recent mass shootings shows that significant differences can be observed in terms of, for example, the locations where these shootings were carried out, the number of perpetrators, the motives of the perpetrator(s), the selection of the victims and the firearms used. This report analyses one specific aspect of such shooting incidents, namely the firearms that were used.

Details: Brussels: Flemish Peace Institute, 2016. 45p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 1, 2016 at: http://www.flemishpeaceinstitute.eu/sites/vlaamsvredesinstituut.eu/files/files/hitp/armed_to_kill.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Firearms

Shelf Number: 139545


Author: Moody, Carlisle E.

Title: Firearms and the Decline of Violence in Europe: 1200-2010

Summary: Personal violence, has declined substantially in Europe from 1200-2010. The conventional wisdom is that the state's monopoly on violence is the cause of this happy result. I find some evidence that does not support this hypothesis. I suggest an alternative hypothesis that could explain at least some of the reduction in violence, namely that the invention and proliferation of compact, concealable, ready-to-use firearms caused potential assailants to recalculate the probability of a successful assault and seek alternatives to violence. I use structural change models to test this hypothesis and find breakpoints consistent with the invention of certain firearms.

Details: Williamsburg, VA: College of William and Mary, Department of Economics, 2015. 41p.

Source: Internet Resource: Working Paper Number 158: Accessed July 11, 2016 at: http://economics.wm.edu/wp/cwm_wp158.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Concealed Weapons

Shelf Number: 139579


Author: Liagre, Febe

Title: Preventing Secondary Victimization : policies and practices

Summary: Secondary Victimization, which means the victimization of victims by government officials after a crime has occurred, is not an overly known phenomenon. However, it is important to focus on this phenomenon, because the nature of a criminal act leaves a victim vulnerable and in need of assistance. Victims are, often for the very first time, involved in the criminal justice system and may have to speak to police officers, lawyers and judges and ultimately go to court. This process can be confusing and overwhelming and when these parties, who are there to protect, inform and help them, victimize the victims further by their behaviour and reactions, it can further traumatize the victims and let them lose faith in the system. Because of this factor of unknown, the toolbox is primary written for local policy-makers and practitioners since they will be confronted with victims in their daily work. Therefore we hope that this toolbox with its guideline and good practices provides for an easy-to-use framework to start the prevention of Secondary Victimization.

Details: Brussels: European Crime Prevention Network, 2016. 74p.

Source: Internet Resource: EUCPN Toolbox Series, No. 7: http://eucpn.org/sites/default/files/content/download/files/toolbox_vii_-_final.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Secondary Victimization

Shelf Number: 139582


Author: Neville, Darren

Title: Internal border controls in the Schengen area: is Schengen crisis-proof ?

Summary: This study, commissioned by the European Parliament's Policy Department for Citizen's Rights and Constitutional Affairs at the request of the LIBE Committee, analyses the Schengen area in the wake of the European 'refugee crisis' and other recent developments. With several Member States reintroducing temporary internal border controls over recent months, the study assesses compliance with the Schengen governance framework in this context . Despite suggestions that the end of Schengen is nigh or arguments that there is a need to get 'back to Schengen', the research demonstrates that Schengen is alive and well and that border controls have, at least formally, complied with the legal framework. Nonetheless, better monitoring and democratic accountability are necessary.

Details: Brussels: Policy Department C: Citizens' Rights and Constitutional Affairs, European Parliament, 2016. 124p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 11, 2016 at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2016/571356/IPOL_STU(2016)571356_EN.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Human Smuggling

Shelf Number: 139587


Author: European Commission

Title: Evaluation of the EU FLEGT Action Plan (Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade) 2004-2014

Summary: In July 2014 the European Commission started an evaluation of the first 11 years of implementation (2003-2014) of the EU FLEGT Action Plan. The evaluation was based on a wide-ranging consultation process that included an independent evaluation undertaken by an external consultant, surveys, single and multi-stakeholder workshops, targeted interviews, as well as unsolicited inputs from stakeholders. The evaluation process will be concluded shortly with the release of a Commission's Staff Working Document. The evaluation had three main objectives: To assess and document progress, achievements, shortcomings and gaps To assess and analyse changes in the global context To draw lessons learnt and formulate recommendations that could guide future EU efforts on forest law enforcement, governance and trade The evaluation covered 2003-2014, the first 11 years of implementation of the EU FLEGT Action Plan. It included in its scope all actions undertaken by EU institutions, EU Member States and partner countries, including efforts of non-state actors and international organisations. It covered the EU FLEGT Action Plan's seven action areas and their interrelationships. The evaluation report comprises two volumes: Volume 1 is the main report, Volume 2 provides supporting documentation.

Details: Brussels: The Commission, 2016. 185p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 21, 2016 at: https://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/evaluation-eu-flegt-action-plan-forest-law-enforcement-governance-and-trade-2004-2014_en

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Forests

Shelf Number: 139588


Author: PriceWaterhouseCoopers

Title: How does organised crime misuse EU funds?

Summary: This study focuses on the relevance wh ether and to what extend organised crime is involved in defrauding the EU. By research and interviews it is clear that there is no universal definition of organised crime. Different working definitions are being used by EU agencies . In this study research is conducted on the means and methods of misuse of EU funds by organised crime, a risk analysis on the different EU funds and the quantification of EU funds misused by organised crime in 2009. In additi on, several recommendations are made focussing on a future implementation of a more uniform definition of 'misuse/fraud' and 'organised crime', a permanent uniform fraud prevention program in the EU institutions, a more uni form registration of cases for further analysis, a different focus from the EU ag encies and the possibility of more peer review. In addition, we be lieve it is recommended to further develop proactive review of beneficiaries of EU funds an d strive for increased transparency and accountability

Details: Brussels: Policy Department D Budgetary Affairs European Parliament, 2011. 124p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 11, 2016 at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/meetdocs/2009_2014/documents/cont/dv/crime_misuse_/crime_misuse_en.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: Europe

Keywords: Fraud and Corruption

Shelf Number: 139603


Author: Beke, Mike

Title: Research for PECH Committee - Social and Economic Impact of the Penalty Point System

Summary: This research study focuses on the social and economic impact of the penalty point system for serious fisheries infringements. Overall this study has identified challenges in relation to the penalty point system and its implementation. Stakeholders highlight concerns relating lack of transparency, problems of accountability, and lack of participation. Further, this report flags concerns that different implementation of the system on the national level negatively impacts smaller vessels and those fishing species with tight quotas or higher risk of bycatch.

Details: Brussels: Policy Department B: Structural and Cohesion Policies European Parliament, 2016. 84p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 11, 2016 at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2016/573413/IPOL_STU(2016)573413_EN.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Fisheries

Shelf Number: 139604


Author: Akkerman, Mark

Title: Border Wars: The Arms Dealers Profiting from Europe's Refugee Tragedy

Summary: The refugee crisis facing Europe has caused consternation in the corridors of power, and heated debate on Europe's streets. It has exposed fundamental faultlines in the whole European project, as governments fail to agree on even limited sharing of refugees and instead blame each other. Far-right parties have surged in popularity exploiting austerity-impacted communities in putting the blame for economic recession on a convenient scapegoat as opposed to the powerful banking sector. This has been most potently seen in the UK, where leaders of the 'Leave EU' campaign unscrupulously amplified fears of mass migration to successfully mobilise support for Brexit. Refugees fleeing terrible violence and hardship have been caught in the crossfire; forced to take ever more dangerous routes to get to Europe and facing racist attacks in host nations when they finally arrive. However there is one group of interests that have only benefited from the refugee crisis, and in particular from the European Union's investment in 'securing' its borders. They are the military and security companies that provide the equipment to border guards, the surveillance technology to monitor frontiers, and the IT infrastructure to track population movements. This report turns a spotlight on those border security profiteers, examining who they are and the services they provide, how they both influence and benefit from European policies and what funding they receive from taxpayers. The report shows that far from being passive beneficiaries of EU largesse, these corporations are actively encouraging a growing securitisation of Europe's borders, and willing to provide ever more draconian technologies to do this. Most perverse of all, it shows that some of the beneficiaries of border security contracts are some of the biggest arms sellers to the Middle-East and North-African region, fuelling the conflicts that are the cause of many of the refugees. In other words, the companies creating the crisis are then profiting from it. Moreover they have been abetted by European states who have granted the licences to export arms and have then granted them border security contracts to deal with the consequences. Their actions are also in the framework of an increasingly militarised response to the refugee crisis by the European Union. Under the banner of 'fighting illegal immigration', the European Commission plans to transform its border security agency Frontex into a more powerful European Border and Coast Guard Agency. This would have control over member states border security efforts and a more active role as a border guard itself, including purchasing its own equipment. The agency is backed up by EUROSUR, an EU system connecting member and third states' border security surveillance and monitoring systems. Militarisation of border security is also demonstrated by the military objectives of the 'European Union Naval Force - Mediterranean Operation Sophia' (EUNAVFOR MED) as well as the use of military on many borders, including Hungary, Croatia, Macedonia and Slovenia. NATO naval missions in the Mediterranean are already actively assisting EU border security. Meanwhile, countries outside the EU are being pushed to take up a role as outpost border guards to try to stop refugees from reaching the EU borders. The recent EU migration deals with Turkey, which have been severely criticised by human rights organisations, deny refugees access to Europe and have resulted in more violence against them. The report shows that: The border security market is booming. Estimated at some 15 billion euros in 2015, it is predicted to rise to over 29 billion euros annually in 2022 The arms business, in particular sales to the Middle-East and North-Africa, where most of the refugees are fleeing from, is also booming. Global arms exports to the Middle-East actually increased by 61 per cent between 2006-10 and 2011-15. Between 2005 and 2014, EU member states granted arms exports licences to the Middle East and North Africa worth over 82 billion euros The European policy response to refugees which has focused on targeting traffickers and strengthening its external borders (including in countries outside the European Union) has led to big budget increases which benefits industry Total EU funding for member state border security measures through its main funding programmes is 4.5 billion euros between 2004 and 2020 Frontex, its main border control agency's budget increased 3,688% between 2005 and 2016 (from $6.3m to $238.7m) EU new member states have been required to strengthen borders as a condition of membership, creating additional markets for profit. Equipment purchased or upgraded with External Borders Fund money includes 54 border surveillance systems, 22,347 items of operating equipment for border surveillance and 212,881 items of operating equipment for border checks Some of the arms sales permits to the Middle-East and North Africa are also intended for border control. In 2015, for example the Dutch government granted a 34 million euro export license to Thales Nederland for the delivery of radar and C3-systems to Egypt despite reports of human right violations in the country The European border security industry is dominated by major arms companies, who have all set up or expanded security divisions as well as a number of smaller IT and specialist security firms. Italian arms giant Finmeccanica identified "border control and security systems" as one of the primary drivers for increase in orders and revenues The big players in Europe's border security complex include arms companies Airbus, Finmeccanica, Thales and Safran, as well as technology giant Indra. Finmeccanica and Airbus have been particularly prominent winners of EU contracts aimed at strengthening borders. Airbus is also the number one winner of EU security research funding contracts Finmecannica, Thales and Airbus, prominent players in the EU security business are also three of the top four European arms traders, all active selling to countries in the Middle East and North Africa. Their total revenues in 2015 amounted to 95 billion euros Israeli companies are the only non-European receivers of research funding (thanks to a 1996 agreement between Israel and the EU) and also have played a role in fortifying the borders of Bulgaria and Hungary, and promote their expertise based on the West Bank separation wall and the Gaza border with Egypt. Israeli firm BTec Electronic Security Systems, selected by Frontex to participate in its April 2014 workshop on 'Border Surveillance Sensors and Platforms', boasted in its application mail that its "technologies, solutions and products are installed on [the] Israeli-Palestinian border" The arms and security industry helps shape European border security policy through lobbying, through its regular interactions with EU's border institutions and through its shaping of research policy. The European Organisation for Security (EOS), which includes Thales, Finmecannica and Airbus has been most active in lobbying for increased border security. Many of its proposals, such as its push to set up a cross European border security agency have eventually ended up as policy - see for example the transformation of Frontex into the European Border and Coastguard Agency (EBCG). Moreover Frontex/EBCG's biannual industry days and its participation in special security roundtables and specialist arms and security fairs ensure regular communication and a natural affinity for cooperation. The arms and security industry has successfully captured the 316 million euros funding provided for research in security issues, setting the agenda for research, carrying it out, and then often benefiting from the subsequent contracts that result. Since 2002, the EU has funded 56 projects in the field of border security and border control. Collectively the evidence shows a growing convergence of interests between Europe's political leaders seeking to militarise the borders and its major defence and security contractors who provide the services. But this is not just an issue of conflicts of interest or of profiteering from crisis, it is also about the direction Europe takes at this critical moment. More than a half century ago, then US President Eisenhower warned of the dangers of a military-industrial complex, whose power could "endanger our liberties or democratic processes". Today we have an even more powerful military-security-industrial complex, using technologies that point outwards and inwards, that right now are targeted at some of the most vulnerable desperate people on our planet. Allowing this complex to escape unexamined poses a threat to democracy and to a Europe built on an ideal of cooperation and peace. As Eisenhower put it: "Down the long lane of the history yet to be written... this world of ours, ever growing smaller, must avoid becoming a community of dreadful fear and hate, and be instead, a proud confederation of mutual trust and respect.

Details: Amsterdam: Transnational Institute, 2016. 60p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 11, 2016 at: https://www.tni.org/files/publication-downloads/border-wars-report-web.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Border Control

Shelf Number: 139605


Author: Joldersma, Cisac, ed.

Title: Final Report: Prisons of the Future

Summary: It is the year 2050. We travel around Europe. In every country, we look around for prisons. In our mind, we have the image of a traditional prison: a high secure building with fences, windows with bars, and cameras all around. We wonder why we cannot find these kinds of prisons. We ask people in the street where to find a prison. They look at us if they have never heard of such a building where offenders are staying together, excluded from society. We further discuss with them the crime rate in their country. They explain that in the last years the crime rate decreased a little, but still offences are taking place. They have no idea where we can find offenders living together; offenders are part of society. We interview experts of the criminal justice system, on what happened to their prisons. They tell us, that all around Europe, governments decided that new traditional prisons are not needed anymore. European criminal law has been changed and some offences are decriminalized, such as drug use and drunken driving. Drug users and drunk drivers are seduced to addiction treatment and urged to compensate victims. Research has also proved conclusively that detention is not effective and efficient to reduce recidivism. The longer offenders stay in traditional prisons, the higher the risk of recidivism, and the lower the chance of a successful reentry in society. Politicians have been convinced by researchers that traditional prisons primarily have a symbolic value to satisfy the public need. Traditional prisons appear to have deterrence effects on the public, but to some offenders they are - in a peculiar way - attractive. Consequently, other sanctions than regular imprisonment have become more common. More offenders stay at home, supervised by electronic monitoring. The use of community services has also increased, and offenders are supervised by layman probation officers. More offenders have been convicted by means of restraining and protecting orders. We like to know what happens when offenders breach the conditions, because traditional prisons are not available anymore as a last resort. New time-out facilities have been created. Offenders reside in an open, low secure setting. The time-out facilities are also accessible for ex-offenders who want to stay voluntarily because they feel they are at risk for relapse. We still wonder what happens to offenders who have been convicted for serious crimes and who used to stay in high secure prisons. They admit that there are still a few old prisons available for offenders of serious crimes. However, moral quality of life inside the old prisons changed a lot in comparison to the past. Offenders with (life)long prison sentences are quite busy during working days. They work four days a week within the prison or outside the prison area. Additionally, within certain limits, they are enabled to autonomously take decisions regarding their personal life. With regard to sex offenders, circles of support and accountability have been established. After a short stay in prison, they are offered the possibility of a prerelease option to live in community with support and supervision of volunteers. Volunteers are coached by professionals. The circles help to manage sex offenders' risk and support them in becoming part of the local community. Walking around, we follow the sign of a forensic care hospital. The lady at the reception tells us that in this hospital, partners, family, worried neighbors or care takers can register patients for psychiatric treatment. The forensic care hospital also treats patients who have not already committed a serious crime, but who need psychiatric treatment due to their high risk profile and mental illness. The forensic care hospital provides voluntary treatment as well as enforced treatment. We are curious what services can be provided to people who are in need of care, but avoid care at the same time. We think about homeless people with low secure risks, but socially unacceptable or deviant behavior. For these homeless people, tiny houses are available. The person who is not welcome anymore in a neighborhood, can register for renting such a 'tiny house'. The houses can easily be moved to another area in case of nuisance. We enter a community centre and ask if they know the offenders in the neighborhood. The neighborhood team confirms that there are some offenders living in their area. They try to support them on basic reintegration issues, such as housing, debts, relational issues, and basic social skills. They offer these services to inhabitants of the neighborhood, regardless of them being an offender or not. All clients are encountered respectfully; the client is 'in the lead' organizing as much as possible his of her own personalized trajectory. The scenario above elaborates on basic principles as normalization and reintegration. It makes clear that prisons of the future are related to all kind of sentences, sanctions, psychiatric treatments, and social services. Furthermore, the focus in the project prisons of the future is on what happens in practice. Therefore, in this report we preferably use the term 'prison and probation practice' instead of prison or prison policy. With regard to the scenario above, it is hard to believe that in the near future there are only a few prisons. On the contrary, other probable scenario's are possible. A scenario could be that, in the near future, differences between offenders and other citizens will be more and more emphasized and offenders are more and more excluded from society. Offenders can be gathered in warehouses that are located in large prison industry complexes, far away from local communities. Another probable scenario is more focus on risk assessments. A high risk offender will be controlled at more areas of life than a low risk offender. The high risk offender has to stay in a high secure setting as long as it is expected that the offender will be of a high risk to society. Another possible scenario is that of personalized sentencing. Personalized sentencing is, as personalized medicine for the individual patient, customized to the individual offender. Deprivations of liberty can be matched precisely with the expected experience and impact they have on the offender. In conclusion, there are different roads and routes to shape future prisons. It is hard to predict where we exactly are going to.

Details: The Hague: European Commission, 2016. 250p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 11, 2016 at: http://www.europris.org/resources_package/prisons-of-the-future-final-conference-presentations-and-summary-report-3-4-march-2016-2-2/

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Correctional Institutions

Shelf Number: 139610


Author: European Union Action to Fight Environmental Crime (EFFACE)

Title: Evaluation of the strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities associated with EU efforts to combat environmental crime

Summary: Since its inception in 2013, the EFFACE project has researched many different aspects of environmental crime. This report, 'Evaluation of the strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities (SWOT) associated with EU efforts to combat environmental crime,' brings together insights of the current approach of the EU and its Member States in combatting environmental crime, as a basis to later develop policy recommendations. The project identified nine relevant dimensions of the EU's current approach towards combatting environmental crime: The nine dimensions identified are: Data and information management (relevant for Member State and the EU level) Further harmonisation of substantive environmental criminal law at EU level (excluding sanctions) System of sanctions (administrative vs. criminal vs. civil proceedings (relevant for Member States/EU level) Functioning of enforcement institutions and cooperation between them (relevant for Member States/EU level) Trust-based and cooperation-based approaches: environmental crime victims and civil society External dimension of environmental crime - what can EU do (EU only) Use of environmental liability (relevant for Member States/EU level) Organised environmental crime Corporate responsibility and liability in relation to environmental crime Each theme is evaluated in a consistent way; the governance levels analysed include that of the Member States, the EU and the international level. In addition, the aspects above interact with each other; therefore the authors stress the importance of moving forward with policy recommendations that consider these different aspects as a whole and not in isolation. The final recommendations of EFFACE will build on the SWOT analysis.

Details: Berlin: EFFACE, 2016. 131p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 12, 2016 at: http://efface.eu/sites/default/files/publications/EFFACE_SWOT%20Analysis.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Corporate Crime

Shelf Number: 139619


Author: Environmental Crime Network

Title: Report on Environmental Crime

Summary: n February 2015 the IPEC T eam 1 finished its Report on Environmental Crime in Europe. This unique cooperation between Europol and the Environmental Crime Network started at the beginning of May 2014 and was scheduled to finish at the end of April 2015. The project was designed to research and therefore increase knowledge on the types of environmental crimes impacting on EU Member States (MS), their extent, and the obstacles that exist to fight these crimes. The project also aimed at identifying the involvement of organised crime groups (OCGs) and threats to the EU and at developing recommendations on how to improve the situation. Based on a review of existing and available materia l, interviews and meetings with experts in the field and a questionnaire sent to all EU MS and to a number of non - EU jurisdictions , the IPEC Report represents the main outcome of the project. However during the project , certain time related parameter s chan ged. As a result t he team decided to focus only on the actual survey , thus allowing for publication of the report at the end of February 2015. A large amount of material, provided to the project by numerous agencies, organisations, projects and persons, co uld therefore not be used as initially intended. This EnviCrimeNet R eport on Environmental Crime is primarily based on the unused materials provided to the project. The R eport is a companion to the IPEC Report providing a more in - depth overview on e nvironmental crimes and trafficking of endangered species, the problems and most relevant international legislation and treaties. As with the complimentary IPEC Report, th is E nviCrimeNet Report aims to increase awareness on this important subject .

Details: The Hague: EnviCrimeNet, 2016. 52p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 15, 2016 at: http://www.envicrimenet.eu/EN/images/docs/envicrimenet%20report%20on%20environmental%20crime.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Environmental Crime

Shelf Number: 139642


Author: Masin, Silvio

Title: Mafia Minors: Final Report

Summary: Mafia Minors, an expression that provokes reaction and curiosity for the impression of incompatibility of the two shown terms: from here the project was born, financed by the Program AGIS 2004 of the European union, from the desire to understand as these two words meet in the experience of organizations that work within the juvenile criminal justice in various Countries. A background verification has allowed the initial construction of the planning idea: more and more many minors and young people have involved, used in the circuits of the organized crime and in the mafias of the various Countries, as operators with full rights in illegitimate activity that asks for answers of contrast, guardianship and protection.

Details: Rome: Roma Societa Editoriale Grafiche AZ, 2004.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 18, 2016 at: http://www.giustiziaminorile.it/rsi/studi/Report_Mafia_Minors_UK.pdf

Year: 2004

Country: Europe

Keywords: Juvenile Gangs

Shelf Number: 139651


Author: European Institute for Gender Equality

Title: Estimation of girls at risk of female genital mutilation in the European Union

Summary: Female genital mutilation (FGM) is a violent form of subordination of women and girls that stands in gross contradiction to principles of gender equality. Following a request from the European Commission, the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) collected and processed first EU-wide data and information on the prevalence of female genital mutilation and then examined national FGM prevention approaches and finally published all the data in the report in 2013. This follow-up study proposing a methodology for the estimation of the number of girls at risk of female genital mutilation in the EU Member States was carried out in 2014. The countries chosen for pilot-testing the methodology were Ireland, Portugal and Sweden. This report analyses current legal and policy frameworks in the EU Member States, existing approaches to national FGM risk estimations in the EU and their methodological background. It presents quantitative and qualitative data analysis, including that of various focus groups, and carries out a comparative analysis of the selected Member States. The research highlights that strategies preventing female genital mutilation in the EU are effective and their success depends on cooperation between governments and the communities involved. The findings show that the female genital mutilation risk varies between the Member States according to the total number of first generation migrants originating from a country with high FGM prevalence. Methodology and indicators developed within the present study on FGM risk measurements give a better understanding of this harmful practice. Despite the difficulty to estimate exact numbers of girls at risk of female genital mutilation, the effectiveness of continuous prevention efforts and cooperation between concerned communities and regulatory bodies have been identified as influential factors. The report presents recommendations to the Member States on FGM risk assessment and policy development, including the adoption of the Istanbul Convention and effective implementation of the Victim's Rights Directive in national legal frameworks.

Details: Vilnius, Lithuania: European Institute for Gender Equality, 2015. 113p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 23, 2016 at: http://eige.europa.eu/sites/default/files/documents/MH0215093ENN_Web.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Female Cutting

Shelf Number: 139801


Author: O'Shea, Liam

Title: Police Reform and State-Building in Georgia, Kyrgyzstan and Russia

Summary: This dissertation provides an in-depth study of police transformation in Georgia, Kyrgyzstan and Russia since the collapse of the Soviet Union. It draws upon interviews with police, NGO workers, politicians and international practitioners, and employs a comparative-historical approach. Contra to democratic policing approaches, advocating the diffusion of police power and implementation of police reform concurrently with wider democratisation, reform was relatively successful in Georgia after the 2003 Rose Revolution because of state-building. The new government monopolised executive power, fired many police, recruited new personnel, raised police salaries and clamped down on organised crime and corruption. Success also depended on the elite's political will and their appeal to Georgian nationalism. Prioritisation of state-building over democratisation limited the reform's success, however. The new police are politicised and have served elites' private interests. Reform has failed in Kyrgyzstan because of a lack of state-building. Regional, clan and other identities are stronger than Kyrgyz nationalism. This has hindered the formation of an elite with capacity to implement reform. The state has limited control over the police, who remain corrupt and involved in organised crime. State-building has not precipitated police reform in Russia because of the absence of political will. The ruling cohort lacks a vision of reform and relies on corruption to balance the interests of political factions. The contrasting patterns of police reform have a number of implications for democratic police reform in transitioning countries: First, reform depends on political will. Second, institutionalising the police before democratising them may be a more effective means of acquiring the capacity to implement reform. Third, such an approach is likely to require some sort of common bond such as nationalism to legitimate it. Fourth, ignoring democratisation after institutionalisation is risky as reformers can misuse their power for private interests.

Details: St. Andrews, Scotland: St. Andrews University, 2014. 343p.

Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed July 23, 2016 at: https://research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk/handle/10023/5165

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Police Reform

Shelf Number: 139812


Author: Deutsche Sportjugend im Deutschen Olympischen Sportbund e.V.

Title: Prevention of sexual and gender harassment and abuse in sports Initiatives in Europe and beyond

Summary: Sport is currently a disputed social terrain: on the one hand it exposes individuals and society to positive values, but at the same time it also bears the potential to be harmful. Therefore, we believe that one of the main tasks of the European sporting movement is to work towards safeguarding the integrity of sport. Focusing on preventive measures and investing continuously into the education of European sportsmen and women, especially in our European youth sector, plays a vital role in accomplishing this long-term goal. Concerted European action is required to effectively promote the ethical values inherent to sport and in order to truly offer all individuals and groups in society equal opportunities to participate in and enjoy the benefits of sport. Bringing together a European project network and finding common denominators between various actors and bodies at different levels of the European sporting, social and scientific environments is a challenging task that is easily underestimated in terms of the resources necessary for such a project to run smoothly. Despite the fact that European coordination often means compromising, adjusting and adapting in previously unforeseen ways, initiating and being involved in projects such as this one always allows an organisation to grow and develop its capacities, networks and know-how. The November 2012 conference "Safer, better, stronger - Prevention of Sexual Harassment and Abuse in sports" is the final stage of the EU-funded project "Prevention of sexualised violence in sports - Impulses for an open, secure and sound sporting environment in Europe" and a contribution to provide a platform not only for strengthening transnational and crosssector cooperation, but also for sensitising and raising awareness at all levels of the complex social environment that surrounds the problem of harassment and abuse. Bringing together individuals and organisations with differing competences is an ideal occasion to foster networking among experienced actors and beginners alike, to link European resources, to learn from and support each other as well as to encourage future collaboration. As a main outcome of this project, this catalogue of initiatives from Europe and beyond will support this intercultural learning to develop

Details: Frankfurt am Main: Deutsche Sportjugend, 2012. 89p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 25, 2016 at: http://www.whiteribbon.at/documents/227622494.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Gender-Based Violence

Shelf Number: 139821


Author: Mitsilegas, Valsamis

Title: The End of the Transitional Period for Police and Criminal Justice Measures Adopted before the Lisbon Treaty. Who Monitors Trust in the European Justice Area?

Summary: Upon request by the LIBE Committee, this Study examines the legal and political implications of the forthcoming end of the transitional period for the measures in the fields of police and judicial cooperation in criminal matters, as set out in Protocol 36 to the EU Treaties. This Protocol limits some of the most far-reaching innovations introduced by the Treaty of Lisbon over EU cooperation on Justice and Home Affairs for a period of five years after the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon (until 1 December 2014), and provides the UK with special 'opt out/opt-in' possibilities. The Study focuses on the meaning of the transitional period for the wider European Criminal Justice area. The most far reaching change emerging from the end of this transition will be the expansion of the European Commission and Luxembourg Court of Justice scrutiny powers over Member States' implementation of EU criminal justice law. The possibility offered by Protocol 36 for the UK to opt out and opt back in to pre-Lisbon Treaty instruments poses serious challenges to a common EU area of justice by further institutionalising 'over-flexible' participation in criminal justice instruments. The Study argues that in light of Article 82 TFEU the rights of the defence are now inextricably linked to the coherency and effective operation of the principle of mutual recognition of criminal decisions, and calls the European Parliament to request the UK to opt in EU Directives on suspects procedural rights as condition for the UK to 'opt back in' measures like the European Arrest Warrant.

Details: Brussels: European Parliament, Directorate-General for Internal policies, 2014. 56p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 25, 2016 at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2014/509998/IPOL_STU(2014)509998_EN.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Police Cooperation

Shelf Number: 139828


Author: Siegel-Rozenblit, Dina

Title: Asian organized crime in the European Union

Summary: The note shows that Asian organized crime, which is a relatively new phenomenon, has entered the criminal area in a number of EU countries. It analyses how the activities of Asian criminal groups are linked to migrant communities and which fields are concerned. They include extortion, human smuggling/trafficking and money laundering. In collaboration with other non-Asian criminal groups, Asian organized crime is also active in the production and trade of illegal drugs, match-fixing and counterfeiting of consumer goods. This note proposes appropriate solutions on how to fight this particular form of organized crime.

Details: Brussels: European Parliament, 2011. 18p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 30, 2016 at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=IPOL-LIBE_NT(2011)453191

Year: 2011

Country: Europe

Keywords: Counterfeiting

Shelf Number: 139902


Author: International Committee on the Rights of Sex Workers in Europe

Title: Nothing About Us Without Us! Ten Years of Sex Workers' Rights Activism and Advocacy in Europe

Summary: This report identifies the main trends affecting sex workers in the region. In particular, it explores the increased criminalisation of sex work, targeting either sex workers, clients or third parties; the continued conflation of sex work, migration and trafficking; and the criminalisation of "vulnerabilities" and poverty. Each of these trends increase the vulnerability of sex workers to violence, including physical, psychological, sexual and structural violence and limit their access to health and justice. The report also explores the development of the sex workers' rights movement in the region with examples of sex workers-led organisations and the growing support for sex workers' rights in civil society and academia.

Details: Amsterdam: ICRSE, 2015. 46p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 29, 2016 at: http://www.sexworkeurope.org/sites/default/files/userfiles/files/ICRSE_10years%20report_Decemberr2015_photo_final.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Prostitutes

Shelf Number: 140069


Author: European Parliament. Directorate-General for Internal Policies. Policy Department C: Citizzen's Rights and Constitutional Affairs

Title: Cyberbullying Among Young People

Summary: his study provides an overview of the extent, scope and forms of cyberbullying in the EU taking into account the age and gender of victims and perpetrators as well as the medium used. Commissioned by the Policy Department for Citizens' Rights and Constitutional Affairs at the request of the LIBE Committee, the study illustrates the legal and policy measures on cyberbullying adopted at EU and international levels and delineates the EU role in this area. An analysis of legislation and policies aimed at preventing and fighting this phenomenon across the 28 EU Member States is also presented. The study outlines the variety of definitions of cyberbullying across EU Member States and the similarities and differences between cyberbullying, traditional bullying and cyber aggression. Moreover, it presents successful practices on how to prevent and combat cyberbullying in nine selected EU Member States and puts forward recommendations for improving the response at EU and Member State levels.

Details: Brussels: European Parliament, 2016. 196p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 7, 2016 at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2016/571367/IPOL_STU(2016)571367_EN.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Bullying

Shelf Number: 147855


Author: International Committee on the Rights of Sex Workers in Europe

Title: Exploitation: Unfair labour arrangements and precarious working conditions in the sex industry

Summary: The sex workers' movement in Europe and across the globe has a long and dynamic history. For decades, community members and their allies have been actively advocating for freedom from stigmatisation, violence and legal oppression, calling for sex workers' right to autonomy and selfdetermination, and requesting their unconditional access to justice and healthcare. One of the key demands driving collective mobilisation and activism among sex workers has been the recognition of sex work as labour, i.e. a legitimate occupation and way to earn one's livelihood. In consequence, sex workers shoud be entitled to the same labour rights and protections as any other workers. Although this demand has been repeatedly vocalised by the sex worker movement since the 1970s and found its way into sex work legislations of several countries,1 and into official documents of the International Labour Organisation (ILO),2 it is still downplayed or contested in some scholarly writing and, more frequently, in political debates. We refer here to the neo-abolitionist stance expressed (and enacted) in academia, public media, court rooms, and parliaments, which obstinately refuses to recognise sex work as work and, in turn, depicts it as indivisibly bound up with coercion, subjugation, and abuse. Some neo-abolitionist and anti-prostitution advocates go even further and state that regardless of the respective national setting, legal context or type of work environment in which it takes place, sex work represents in itself a form of violence, exploitation or even a manifestation of 'sexual slavery'.3 This conviction is not only untruthful and ideological but also very harmful and dangerous, as it spurs on attempts to eradicate sex work through legal developments, such as the criminalisation of third parties or clients, repressive policing of sex workers through municipal by-laws, or uneven anti-trafficking measures. In result, the neo-abolitionist stance contributes to the criminalisation of sex workers' workplaces and leads to their increasing victimisation as 'prostituted women' or 'sex slaves'. This community report aims to engage in the discussion over exploitation in the sex industry, while simultaneously challenging the neo-abolitionist definition of sex work (or 'prostitution') as 'sexual exploitation'. It argues that this approach obscures the complex realities of sex workers' lives and work arrangements, and in consequence fails to address the diversity of exploitative working practices that do occur in the sex industry. Both sex work, as form of work and income-generating activity, and exploitation in the sex industry, so labour arrangements that enable one person to take unfair advantage of the work of another person, belong to the realm of work and should be viewed and analysed through the lens of labour. Only by focusing on sex workers' working conditions, as well as employment practices and arrangements under which sexual services are sold and exchanged can we come to a better understanding of and challenge exploitation in sex industry

Details: Amsterdam: ICRSE, 2016. 25p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 7, 2016 at: http://www.nswp.org/sites/nswp.org/files/Exploitation%20Report,%20ICRSE%20-%20May%202016.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Prostitutes

Shelf Number: 140234


Author: Sex Workers' Rights Advocacy Network (SWAN)

Title: Failures of Justice: State and Non-State Violence Against Sex Workers and the Search for Safety and Redress

Summary: This report is about sex work, violence and HIV in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The report provides the results of an extensive community-led research in sixteen countries of the region. It shows the daily violence that sex workers experience from police and clients and documents how violence is associated with lower capacity for HIV risk reduction. It further examines whether and how sex workers may try to halt impunity of law enforcement and access to justice. The figures speak for themselves. Forty percent of respondents in the survey have been arrested in the last twelve months, one in five experienced physical violence and one in seven experienced sexual violence by police. Twenty percent of respondents reported extortion. The report tells us also how condoms are routinely used by police as "evidence of crime", how syringes are confiscated or destroyed on a daily basis, and how street-based workers are displaced from their work location as a consequence of arrests, extortion and fines. It contributes with evidence from the region to the published literature documenting how poor policing practices are causally associated with a lower capacity for risk reduction, poor access to services and increased exposure to HIV. It describes how the fear that someone's drug use or sex work may be reported to police or to child welfare authorities, would discourage sex workers from seeking services, HIV testing and entering the care system. Eastern Europe and Central Asia is the region of the world that has witnessed the largest increase in HIV prevalence over the last ten years and where the epidemic continues to expand. The number of people living with HIV now exceeds 1.4 million. The epidemic is concentrated in that it primarily affects vulnerable groups of the population. Access to HIV treatment remains particularly low in the region. Less than 50 % of people estimated to be infected with HIV know their serologic status and less than a third of the people who have been diagnosed with HIV access antiretroviral treatment. Epidemiological data on sex workers and on other vulnerable groups are scarce because of criminalization of these groups and lack of sentinel surveillance. Throughout the region, sex workers, people who inject drugs and other vulnerable groups are either 'illegal' or face discriminatory legislation and policies. There are high levels of stigma and discrimination, poor access to prevention and care services and an understandable distrust of affected groups towards the public system. Most support services directed to sex workers and people who inject drugs are provided by civil society and community groups who are doing remarkable work - often without adequate resources and in hostile environments. These services have been funded for years by the Global Fund. The Fund however, is now leaving the region, and no mechanisms are in place to allow for the NGO and community-based peer outreach to be funded from governmental budgets. The risk that many of the services will be discontinued and that discontinuation will result in further epidemic outbreaks of HIV, is real. Discriminatory laws, regulations and policies, including those that give a sense of impunity to perpetrators of violence against sex workers - need to be traded for supportive and stigma-free environments that allow sex workers to access crucial health care services, including sexual and reproductive health services and HIV prevention, treatment and care. In other words, we need above all to ensure that human rights are at the forefront of everything we do.

Details: Budapest, SWAN, 2015. 108p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 17, 2016 at: http://www.nswp.org/sites/nswp.org/files/Failures%20of%20Justice%20State%20and%20Non-State%20Violence%2C%20SWAN%20-%20September%202015.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: HIV

Shelf Number: 124629


Author: Forest Trends

Title: European Trade Flows and Risk

Summary: Illegal logging, as defined in the EU Timber Regulation (EUTR), is the harvesting of timber in contravention of the laws and regulations of the country of harvest. Illegal logging is a global epidemic with significant negative economic, environmental and social impacts. Recent studies indicate that illegal logging accounts for 50-90 percent of the volume of all timber production in key producer tropical countries in the Amazon Basin, Central Africa, and Southeast Asia, and 15-30 per cent globally. In economic terms illegal logging results in lost revenues from taxes and other duties that could be used by producer countries for sustainable development purposes and other benefits. In environmental terms illegal logging is associated with deforestation, water pollution, spread of disease, climate change and a loss of biodiversity due to habitat destruction. In social terms illegal logging can be linked to conflicts over land and other resources, the disempowerment of local and indigenous communities, the loss of lives and livelihoods, human rights violations, corruption, and armed conflicts. Illegal logging also undermines international security, supports organized crime and money laundering activities, and leads to unfair competition in the marketplace that negatively impacts the sincere efforts of responsible operators in Europe and other regions of the world to comply with the law.

Details: Washington, DC: Forest Friends, 2013. 28p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 17, 2016 at: http://forest-trends.org/documents/files/doc_4085.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Deforestation

Shelf Number: 140329


Author: Mandic, Sofija

Title: The Citizens' Opinion of the Police Force: The Comparative Analysis of Public Opinion Surveys Conducted in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo, Macedonia and Serbia

Summary: The second round of the public opinion survey "The Citizens' Opinion of the Police Force" was conducted in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo, Macedonia and Serbia. The questionnaire based on which the public opinion survey was conducted was devised by the regional network POINTPULSE to provide answers concerning the citizens' opinion of the police. The questionnaire included six groups of questions: 1. The level of citizens' trust and confidence in institutions; 2. The perception of the police as an institution, but also of policemen and policewomen as individuals; 3. The perception of corruption in the society and the police force; 4. Opinions of citizens regarding the fight against corruption; 5. Opinions of citizens on the work of civil society organisations; 6. Demographics. The field research was conducted in April 2016 by IPSOS Strategic Marketing, on a representative sample of 6,000 adult persons, male and female citizens of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo, Macedonia and Serbia. A questionnaire was used as a research instrument. In Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo and Serbia interviews were conducted using the "face to face" technique, which involves direct contact with respondents, while computer-assisted telephone survey was used in Macedonia. The report was published as part of the project titled "Western Balkans Pulse for Police Integrity and Trust", which aims to contribute to increasing the trust and confidence in the police by promoting its accountability and strengthening its integrity. For this reason, the following seven civil society organisations from the region came together to form the POINTPULSE network: Analytica from Skopje, Belgrade Centre for Security Policy (BCSP), Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN) from Belgrade, Centre for Security Studies (CSS) from Sarajevo, Alternativa Institute (IA) from Podgorica, Institute for Democracy and Mediation (IDM) from Tirana, and the Kosovo Centre for Security Studies (KCSS) from Pristina. Citizens of the Western Balkans have a high level of trust and confidence in the education system, the health system and the police. However, even in the case of institutions they trust most - such as the police, trusted on average by 58% of the population - many believe that they cannot be relied on. Representative bodies (the Parliament), the judiciary, the prosecutors' offices and the media are trusted the least. In comparison with the survey conducted in 2015, trust in most key institutions has increased. The respondents see the average policewoman first as polite and good looking, and only then as a professional ready to perform her job. Male members of the police force are associated primarily with their professional engagement - protection of citizens, someone who is strong and trustworthy - and to some extent with behaviour and method of communication, whereas assessments concerning their physical appearance are completely absent. Citizens of the Western Balkans believe that the dominant mode of employment in the police is through friends and relatives, political affiliation, or by giving bribes. Many of them also believe that police officers operate mainly to protect the interests of the government, political parties and police officials, and only then those of the citizens. Similarly, they believe that politicians have a strong influence on the operational decision-making in the police. Although more than half the citizens have confidence in the police, this institution is simultaneously also considered deeply corrupt. This suggests that corruption is percieved as something that is acceptable and normal. Awareness of corruption in the police thus persists together with a sense of trust, without these two perceptions excluding each other. Border and traffic police are believed to be the most corrupt, together with the close (political) associates of ministers of interior affairs. Special police units are viewed as least vulnerable to corruption. Citizens are divided in their opinions as to whether they would or would not report corruption, and those who would do it would first contact the local police station or its chief. Citizens believe that repressive measures would be most effective for preventing corruption. They also believe that the Government, the Minister of Interior Affairs and the internal police control should be the first to address this problem. Respondents recognise civil society as actors in the fight against corruption, but mostly as direct actors and associates of the state in this task. Only then do they recognise their contribution through research, documentation and protection of victims of corruption.

Details: Belgrade: Belgrade Centre for Security Policy, 2016. 33p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 26, 2016 at: http://www.bezbednost.org/upload/document/the_citizens_opinion_of_the_police_force_-_wb.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Police Effectiveness

Shelf Number: 140455


Author: Albrecht, Hans-Jorg

Title: National Reconviction Statistics and Studies in Europe

Summary: Recidivism belongs to the main categories of criminology, crime policy and criminal justice. If the target of preventing offenders from reoffending is taken seriously crime policy should be measured by success of certain penal sanctions in terms of relapses. Also institutions that deal directly with crime and offenders need to get basic information on the consequences of their actions; particularly when decisions have to be based on a prognosis they should refer to general knowledge about offender groups at risk of reoffending. All these are reasons why - besides the conventional crime and criminal justice statistics, that don't allow to follow further offending - representative recidivism studies are needed. In the last years the discussion in criminology and crime policy has shown a growing interest in recidivism. Meanwhile a lot of European countries gather systematic and comprehensive information on recidivism, periodically and on a national level. This volume presents an exemplary collection of such endeavors. In the first international part Hans-Jorg Albrecht introduces recidivism as a subject of criminological research and focuses on reconviction statistics as a knowledge base for crime policy and sanctioning practice. Papers on database, methods and outcome of national studies/statistics from different European countries follow: Germany (Jorg-Martin Jehle), Switzerland (Daniel Fink and Steve Ducommun-Vaucher), Austria (Arno Pilgram and Veronika Hofinger), France (Annie Kensey) and Estonia (Andri Ahven). Part one is completed by an international comparison of reconviction studies in England and Wales, Scotland and the Netherlands (Bouke S. J. Wartna, Ian Knowles, Ian Morton, Susan M. Alma and Nikolaj Tollenaar). Part two focuses on the German reconviction study. Jorg-Martin Jehle presents its basic concept and demonstrates examples of evaluation in terms of sanctions, offences and personal features of offenders. Carina Tetal describes the original data base of the criminal register and the complicated process for the electronic transformation and linking of data sets. Sabine Hohmann-Fricke outlines questions of validity which are connected to data selection and the length of observation period and demonstrates the possibilities of data evaluation, focusing on the interval of relapses. Further examples for evaluation of these reconviction data are presented: offence related studies (Stefan Harrendorf) and gender-based results of sanctioning and reconviction (Tanja Kohler). Finally the contribution of Volker Grundies deals with reconviction in relation to age and gender based on data of the Freiburg cohort study.

Details: Freiburg: Universitatsverlag Gottingen, 2014. 249p.

Source: Internet Resource: Gottingen Studies in Criminal Law and Justice: Accessed September 28, 2016 at: http://univerlag.uni-goettingen.de/handle/3/isbn-978-3-86395-187-0

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Recidivism

Shelf Number: 140486


Author: Jehle, Jorg-Martin

Title: Defining and Registering Criminal Offences and Measures Standards for a European Comparison

Summary: The study presented in this book is a direct response to the needs for defining and registering criminal and judicial data on the European level. Based upon work done by the European Sourcebook experts group in creating the European Sourcebook of Crime and Criminal Justice Statistics (ESB), the project intended to improve and complement the standards developed so far for definitions and statistical registration in four fields, in order to contribute to the picture of criminal justice in Europe. It utilized questionnaires filled by an established European network. Possibilities to improve the offence definitions used so far in the ESB context were explored. Also, further crime types, especially those subject to EU-harmonized definition, were tested and introduced. Based on the results of recent projects of one of the editors (Jorg-Martin Jehle), the prosecution chapter of the ESB questionnaire was changed and expanded. Data collection possibilities regarding compulsory measures in the investigatory stage were tested, and a more sophisticated approach for recording sanctions and measures had been developed, as well as for prison data. As overarching issues, ways to collect data on pre-trial detention and its surrogates and on aliens stemming from EU member states compared to those from other states were sought. The study explored how far national statistics can provide such data and developed a concept for collation on European level. The offence definitions and data collection instruments introduced and revised during the course of this project were tested and most of them were - albeit modified sometimes - included in the 4th edition ESB questionnaire. Thus, the 4th edition ESB is based on a questionnaire developed during this project. The ESB is publicized parallel to this book (Aebi et al, European Sourcebook of Crime and Criminal Justice Statistics, 4th edition, 2010, The Hague: Boom).

Details: Gottingen, Germany, Universitatsverlag Gottingen, 2010. 302p.

Source: Internet Resource: Gottingen Studies in Criminal Law and Justice: Accessed September 28, 2016 at: http://www.univerlag.uni-goettingen.de/bitstream/handle/3/isbn-978-3-941875-53-1/GSK10_jehle.pdf?sequence=1

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Crime Statistics

Shelf Number: 148779


Author: Villaveces-Izquierdo, Santiago

Title: Illicit Networks and Politics in the Baltic States

Summary: One of the biggest threats to democracy today is infiltration of political processes by transnational organized crime. It undermines constitutional frameworks and the rule of law, it violates the integrity of the electoral process, and it corrupts political parties and the very principle of democratic representation. This study explores how the Baltic States are affected by illicit interests. It looks into how illicit networks and political actors forge relations in this region, from illicit financing of political campaigns, to intimidation of voters, establishment of new political parties, joint economic enterprises and money laundering operations. The authors identify policy responses to this phenomenon, highlighting challenges in implementing them and proposing options on how to strengthen these responses.

Details: Stockholm, Sweden: International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA), 2013. 40p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 28, 2016 at: http://www.idea.int/publications/illicit-networks-and-politics/index.cfm

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Criminal Networks

Shelf Number: 146117


Author: Willcocks, Marcus

Title: Graffiti Vandalism in Public Areas and Transport Reprot and Categorisation

Summary: This report builds the starting point and fundament of the Graffolution research activities. It delivers information from an extensive literature review focusing on the extent of graffiti vandalism in Europe with specific concentration on public areas and transport. Early insights showed that the available data on the extent of graffiti vandalism is very fractured which makes a consistent European wide analysis challenging. The main problem is that there are very different forms of categorising graffiti vandalism based on very different views on the topic. The report provides critical insights about these existing categorisation models that are used to compare and understand graffiti vandalism. With an international perspective it reviews existing graffiti vandalism categorisations and from the literature a consistent categorisation model is developed thereby allowing the coherent restructuring of data and subsequent integration into the Graffolution platform. In contrast to the degenerative accounts of graffiti, the review also provides pertinent accounts of the prosocial regenerative effect and use of graffiti and street art. The following chapter describes the methodical approach that was chosen to gather and analyse the available data in a consistent way. The next section delivers essential insights of the reviewed sources and provides important background information on the gathered literature. The following state of the art chapter is divided into three subsections. Firstly, various existing categorisation models on graffiti vandalism are presented. Secondly concrete data (e.g. statistical data) is compiled for public areas as well as for public transport. Thirdly the gathered information was used to deduct a structured categorisation model. The implications chapter discusses main insights of the literature review and the conclusion section will finally give an outlook on the upcoming deliverables of Graffolution and how they will apply the insights gathered in this report.

Details: Vienna, Austria: Graffolution, 2015. 119p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 29, 2016 at: http://project.graffolution.eu/wp-content/uploads/deliverable/Graffolution_608152_D2%201-Graffiti-vandalism-in-public-areas-and-transport-report-and-categorisation-model.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Graffiti

Shelf Number: 146132


Author: De Witte, Iara

Title: Vulnerability of Bulgarian and Romanian Children to Trafficking in The Netherlands and in Brussels

Summary: The research "Vulnerability of Bulgarian and Romanian Children to Trafficking in The Netherlands and in Brussels (Belgium)" was conducted in the framework of the "Mario II Project", a European project aimed at improving the level of protection of migrant children from Central and South East European (C/SEE) countries who are vulnerable to abuse, exploitation and/or trafficking. This report presents the main findings of the research that consisted of a desk review, supplemented by interviews with stakeholders, case studies, and street observations. Due to limited data on the research target-group available in The Netherlands, field activities were expanded to include the neighbouring city of Brussels in Belgium. Children's involvement in begging-like activities in The Netherlands is very seldom reported, and seems to mostly relate to cases from the past (around the year 2007). There were also no indications of involvement of these children in other economic activities like selling souvenirs to tourists, or other forms of activities. Children's involvement in criminal activities appears to be a tangible problem, which raises several concerns in terms of child protection as well as crime control. However, due to the very nature of these activities (hidden and incidental), it was rather difficult to detect and approach the children involved during the field work. Apparently, most of the children identified in these situations were children from C/SEE countries who were not residing at a permanent address and/or who were (temporarily or permanently) deprived of parental care. Indeed, the research found no indications that children from C/SEE countries who come together with their parents (typically in the framework of general labour migration patterns) were involved or exploited in begging, economic activities or criminal activities. These children can find themselves in socially vulnerable situations, but not to the extent that they fall victim of exploitation. The large majority of children begging in the streets observed by the research team were found in Brussels (Belgium), where this phenomenon is much more visible and frequent than in The Netherlands. Therefore, the majority of children targeted by street observation were located in Belgium. One of the reasons that could explain the different prevalence of the phenomenon of child begging in the two countries targeted relates to a diverse approach undertaken by authorities among the two countries: in The Netherlands, the response from child protection and law enforcement authorities to cases of children begging with adults in the year 2007 was vigorous and apparently had a deterrent effect: by taking the children away from the streets, adults involving them could not rely on an additional source of income, and therefore might have moved to other locations outside the country. In Belgium, begging with children is generally tolerated by authorities, and there is a broader social acceptance of the phenomenon in general, facts that could explain the visible presence of children begging in the city of Brussels. Conversely, both Belgium and The Netherlands have a similar approach to children's involvement in criminal activities (although, however, the approach in Belgium was not subject of in-depth review in the framework of the present study). Similarly, the features and prevalence of this phenomenon appear to be comparable in Belgium and in The Netherlands. The research looked in greater depth at the responses to the involvement of children in begging, economic or criminal activities in The Netherlands. At national level, when it comes to adopting protection measures for migrant children from C/SEE countries, there is some degree of uncertainty about (and overlap among) the applicable child protection measures and competent authorities. Indeed, these children are both EU nationals (fact which triggers the application of protection measures designed for national children) and foreigners (their case thereby falling under the provisions of immigration law). At local level, some cities developed referral systems and standard operating procedures to deal with cases of children involved in begging, economic and criminal activities, entailing a cooperation among law enforcement and child protection authorities. However, several gaps have been identified, which leave many of these children without adequate protection. These gaps concern primarily: the practical and legal impossibility to adopt protection measures when the child's parents do not reside at a permanent address; difficulties in assessing the relationships between the child and his/her (alleged) parent(s); gaps in the identification (and treatment) of children who are trafficked for begging, economic or criminal activities as victims of that crime; children's disappearance from the child protection systems (particularly from temporary alternative care); and difficulties in timely appointing a guardian (and in ensuring a sufficient extension of guardianship provisions). The report recommends to adopt measures aimed to enhance the protection of children involved in begging, economic or criminal activities, to be always guided by rights-based, child-centred considerations. At local level, these measures mainly revolve around assessing in greater depth the relationships between the child and his/her parents or legal guardians, when doubts arise concerning the nature of such relationships. It is also recommended to systematically request the appointment of a guardian in cases of children deprived of adequate parental care. Legal and practical obstacles in intervening to protect children whose parents are not residing at a permanent address should be overcome, and this circumstance (along with the child's lack of school attendance) should be considered as an additional risk factor. At national level, among relevant recommendations, the need to enhance the protection of children involved in begging, economic or criminal activities from neglect and abuse, and particularly from exploitation, in cases where signs of these violations of fundamental children's rights are displayed is of utmost importance. In particular, cases of (potential) child trafficking for exploitation in the above-activities should be promptly detected and (potential) child victims should be referred to existing protection services and treated as children and as victims of a serious crime. The capacity of frontline professionals to identify these cases should be enhanced through regular training, in the framework of clear procedures embedded in the child protection system and in the (developing) national referral mechanisms for trafficked persons in The Netherlands. Children belonging to the most vulnerable groups, particularly those (temporarily) deprived of adequate parental care, and/or not residing at a permanent address in the country, should be effectively reached by child protection services. Clear procedures to identify a durable solution for each child concerned, based on his or her best interests, should be developed, with strict procedural safeguards and involving decision-makers with relevant areas of expertise, allowing a proper balancing of the different relevant factors to be considered. The process should facilitate adequate child participation and explore on equal grounds the possibilities to return the child to his or her country of origin, to allow the child to remain and integrate in The Netherlands, or to reunite the child with his or her family in a third country.

Details: Budapest: Mario Project, 2014. 81p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 29, 2016 at: https://www.defenceforchildren.nl/images/13/3733.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Child Prostitution

Shelf Number: 140515


Author: Europol

Title: Internet Organised Crime Threat Assessment. IOCTA 2016

Summary: The 2016 Internet Organised Crime Threat Assessment (IOCTA) is a law enforcement-centric threat assessment intended to inform priority setting for the EMPACT Operational Action Plans in the three sub-priority areas of cybercrime (cyber attacks, child sexual exploitation online and payment fraud). The IOCTA also seeks to inform decision-makers at strategic, policy and tactical levels on how to fight cybercrime more effectively and to better protect online society against cyber threats. The 2016 IOCTA provides a view from the trenches, drawing primarily on the experiences of law enforcement within the EU Member States to highlight the threats visibly impacting on industry and private citizens within the EU. The IOCTA is a forward-looking assessment presenting analyses of future risks and emerging threats, providing recommendations to align and strengthen the joint efforts of EU law enforcement and its partners in preventing and fighting cybercrime.

Details: The Hague: European Police Office, 2016. 72p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 6, 2016 at: https://www.europol.europa.eu/content/internet-organised-crime-threat-assessment-iocta-2016

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Child Sexual Exploitation

Shelf Number: 147825


Author: OECD

Title: Trade in Counterfeit and Pirated Goods: Mapping the Economic Impact

Summary: Trade in counterfeit and pirated goods is a major challenge in an innovation driven global economy. These practices have negative effects on the sales and profits of affected firms, while also having adverse revenue, economic, health, safety and security effects for governments, businesses and consumers. Organised criminal groups are seen as playing an increasingly important role in these activities, by benefiting significantly from profitable counterfeiting and piracy operations. The current study was conducted jointly by the OECD and the EU Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), to measure and analyse the scale of counterfeit and pirated trade in order to provide policymakers with robust empirical evidence about this threat. The results show that trade in counterfeit and pirated goods amounted to up to 2.5 % of world trade in 2013. This was even higher in the EU context where counterfeit and pirated goods amounted to up to 5 % of imports. This report builds on two equally valid policy concerns. The first is the impact of crime and illicit trade activities on good governance, public safety and the rule of law. The second is the negative effect that counterfeit trade has on legitimate competitive advantage of rights holders, and consequently on innovation, employment and long-term economic growth. This study was conducted under the aegis of the OECD Task Force on Countering Illicit Trade (TF-CIT), which is part of the OECD High Level Risk Forum (HLRF). The TF-CIT and HLRF focus on evidence-based research and advanced analytics to assist policy makers in mapping and understanding the market vulnerabilities exploited and created by illicit trade. This report was shared with other OECD committees that have relevant expertise in the areas of trade and innovation. The quantitative analysis shown in this report is based on a unique, global set of half a million customs seizure data over the period of 2011-13. It also benefitted from structured interviews with trade and customs experts. The main dataset on customs seizures of counterfeit and pirated products was provided on behalf of the global customs community by the World Customs Organization (WCO). It was complemented by the European Union data provided by the European Commission's Directorate-General for Taxation and Customs Union (DG TAXUD), and by the US data received from the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Economic and policy research on counterfeit and pirated trade will benefit from the significant investments made by this study. Both the dataset and the methodology developed for this report can be used for more detailed analyses in the future, for example at country or sector level. Currently, the OECD and EUIPO are embarking on further research, to develop more in-depth studies to understand its damaging impacts on firms, consumers and economies as a whole, as well as its implications for governments and for good public governance.

Details: Paris: OECD Publishing, 2016. 138p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 6, 2016 at: http://www.uibm.gov.it/attachments/Mapping_the_Economic_Impact_en.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Counterfeit Goods

Shelf Number: 140602


Author: Drost, Lisanne

Title: Restorative Justice in Cases of Domestic Violence: Best practice examples between increasing mutual understanding and awareness of specific protection needs

Summary: This project, Restorative Justice in Cases of Domestic Violence, Best practice examples between increasing mutual understanding and awareness of specific protection needs (JUST/2013/JPEN/AG/5487), financed by the European Commission and coordinated by the VerweyJonker Institute, aims at filling research gaps and getting together existing knowledge on using restorative justice (RJ) in cases of domestic violence (DV) or rather - more precise - intimate partner violence (IPV). The main question is: How can restorative justice practices like victim-offender mediation (VOM) or conferencing be of use in these specific cases of IPV. Furthermore it aims at exchanging risk points and best practice among practitioners and creating a network of practitioners to increase mutual understanding between different judicial systems and RJ practices in the member states. Partners in this project are from Austria, Denmark, Greece, Finland, the Netherlands and the UK (England & Wales). Current practices and regulations in these countries will be studied in depth, but the project aims to get better insights into the topic in the whole of Europe. This will result in a better understanding of the risks and potentialities of the use of restorative justice in cases of intimate partner violence. This again results in a better protection of victims and society at large in the European member states. This comparative report consists of an introductory chapter (chapter 1) in which we explain the definitions and the aims of the project. We also describe what the international and European legal instruments (conventions, guidelines and recommendations) say about the use of RJ in IPV cases. In the last paragraph we give insight into the more theoretical discussion about opportunities and risks of RJ in cases of IPV, including pro and contra arguments and - if appropriate - requirements. Chapter 2 gives a comparative overview of the situation in the six partner countries. Chapter 3 presents some first conclusions and discussion points. Definitions In this project domestic violence is understood as violence used by (former) adult intimate partners, i.e. intimate partner violence. Restorative justice is focused on reparation of harm in the aftermath of a crime or conflict. The most frequently used restorative justice practice in the context of IPV is victim-offender mediation (VOM). Sometimes conferencing is used. Therefore our main focus is on IPV cases that have been reported to the police and/or have led to criminal procedures and have been referred to VOM. Civil cases are not part of this research project. Aims and products Restorative justice practices have been developed over the last decades in various European countries in different legal and social contexts. Community based organizations, police, probation services or others provide RJ services for victims of violence committed in close relationships. In Finland and Austria, for example, crimes including intimate partner violence have been referred to VOM for many years, even though there are specific restrictions on when this can be done. The dynamics of IPV create particular challenges for the practice of RJ, especially what concerns achieving safety and voluntary participation. Suitability and inappropriateness of RJ for cases of IPV have remained largely unexplored in many countries, therefore in-depth research is needed, as well as the exchange of promising practices and difficulties or problems faced in practice and of regulations throughout Europe. The aim of this exchange and research project is to generate relevant knowledge on practices of RJ and to identify criteria for offering RJ to victims of IPV so that they can benefit to the maximum extent and in accordance with the EU Victims' Directive of 2012. Another objective is to set standards to guarantee the quality of the implementation of RJ practices. Based on this knowledge, a guide for practitioners will be developed and tested. This guide can be used in the training of VOM mediators, but also officials like police officers, prosecutors and court staff can benefit from such a guide. The main questions in order to achieve these objectives are: 1) What are the relevant RJ practices and policies concerning IPV in different European countries? 2) Can RJ be useful in case of IPV, and if so, under what circumstances or conditions? What do victims of IPV need in respect to RJ? 3) Can RJ in cases of IPV be offered at each stage of the criminal procedure (before, during and/or after) and/or should victim-offender mediation (VOM) (or other methods such as conferencing) be carried out by using a different (community) approach outside the criminal justice system? 4) Can networking with regard to IPV be stimulated between practitioners of RJ/mediation both at national and European level in order to support sustainable implementation of RJ in IPV cases?

Details: Utrecht: Verwey-Jonker Instituut, 2015. 38p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 7, 2016 at: http://www.verwey-jonker.nl/doc/2015/7388_restorative%20justice%20in%20cases%20of%20domestic%20violence.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Domestic Violence

Shelf Number: 145113


Author: Lunnemann, Katinka

Title: Victim Offender Mediation: Needs of victims and offenders of Intimate Partner Violence. 2nd Comparative report, interviews & focus groups

Summary: Can Restorative Justice (RJ) be used in cases of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV), and if so, under what circumstances? This question guides the European project on restorative justice in cases of domestic violence.1 This project, funded by the European Commission (EC), aims to investigate the research gaps and gather existing knowledge on the use of RJ in cases of IPV. Another objective is to gain a better understanding of the risks and potential of using restorative justice (in particular Victim Offender Mediation) in cases of IPV. Partners in this project are from Austria, Denmark, Greece, Finland, the Netherlands and England & Wales (here referred to shortly as the UK) and the European Forum for Restorative Justice (EFRJ). In 2014, under Workstream 1 of the project, a comparative report provided the legal and policy context and practice of restorative justice in cases of domestic violence. 2 In this report, we defined domestic violence as violence used by (former) adult intimate partners. We looked at intimate partner violence and RJ as focused on reparation of harm in the aftermath of a crime or conflict. Different forms of violence were described: situational couple violence and intimate terrorism or coercive control (Johnson, 2006). It was also highlighted that across the European countries, the most frequently used restorative justice practice in the context of IPV is victim-offender mediation (VOM). Therefore our main focus is on IPV cases that have been reported to the police and/or have led to criminal procedures and have been referred to VOM. It should be noted that civil cases are not part of this research project. International standards such as laid down in the EU Victim Directive of 20123 , the Istanbul Convention (2014) and recommendations and Principles on RJ are guiding the research. In this second comparative report we focus on the methodology of the research, the expectations, the experiences and needs of victims and offenders who have been involved in VOM. In addition to speaking to practitioners, we also held a focus group in each country for practitioners who are working in this field. The country reports that formed the basis for the comparative report are integrated as annexes in part 2 (addendum) of this report (Annex 1- 6). Information on experiences with RJ in IPV cases as used by the German institute Waage in Hannover, that hosted the first expert meeting, can be found in Annex 7. Structure of the report Chapter 1 gives background information on the situation of RJ and IPV in the different partner countries. Chapter 2 is focused on the research and the methodology employed for recruiting research participants. Chapter 3 and 4 present the results of the interviews with the participants. In chapter 3, we describe the background of the respondents and the level and type of violence in their relationship. In chapter 4, we describe why the respondents chose to join VOM, how they experienced VOM, what the results of the mediation procedure were and what happened after VOM. Chapter 4 ends with a conclusion on the needs of victims and offenders and analyses the potential variation in needs for each participant group. Chapter 5 examines the outcomes of the focus groups with professionals in the different countries. Chapter 6 presents the conclusions.

Details: Utrecht: Verwey-Jonker Institute, 2015. 35p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 7, 2016 at: http://www.irks.at/assets/irks/Publikationen/Forschungsbericht/Comparative_reportII.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Domestic Violence

Shelf Number: 145112


Author: Lauwaert, Katrien

Title: Desistance and restorative justice. Mechanisms for desisting from crime within restorative justice practices

Summary: The project 'Desistance and restorative justice. Mechanisms for desisting from crime within restorative justice practices' focuses on the benefit offenders can get in a desistance perspective from participating in a restorative justice (RJ) process. The research was developed as a complement of an earlier study the European Forum for Restorative Justice coordinated on 'Victims and restorative justice' and as a response to an increasing interest of in particular policymakers in knowing what the effect of participation in restorative justice processes is on offending behaviour. Recidivism research has looked into the link between RJ and reoffending. The results are not conclusive, but show that at least there is a potential for RJ to reduce crime. Recidivism research, with its mainly quantitative approach, does not, however, provide insight in why this influence occurs. Therefore this project has investigated 1) how participation in restorative justice processes influences the desistance journey of people who have offended, and 2) which factors within restorative justice practices support subjective and social changes that help initiate or maintain desistance from crime. A qualitative approach was used in order to answer the research questions. We interviewed 80 desisters who had taken part in a restorative justice process. The interviews were conducted in in Austria, Belgium, and Northern Ireland. In Austria the juvenile and adult desisters had participated in victim-offender mediation which is organised as a pre-trial diversion measure for not so serious offences. In Belgium the adult desisters had participated in victim-offender mediation which runs parallel to the criminal justice procedure and involves (rather) serious offences. In Northern Ireland the juvenile desisters had participated in diversionary and court-ordered conferencing for offences of varying seriousness as part of the regular procedure. The findings of the research confirm that victim-offender mediation and conferencing as practiced in Austria, Belgium and Northern Ireland have the potential to influence desistance; sometimes as a trigger for change, but more often as a support for an ongoing desistance process. The research uncovered a number of recurring factors and dynamics. However, every desistance account was highly individual and therefore no generalisations should be made. In all three countries the work of the mediator created an atmosphere of openness and respect, and this set the right context for other effects to happen. Adopting a non-judgmental attitude, showing a willingness to listen, and not labeling the participants as criminals was conducive to a constructive spirit and open communication in which participants felt comfortable to speak freely, to explain their whole story and to take responsibility. Although the flexibility of the restorative justice process differs in the three countries, it was clear that the possibility to tailor the process to the needs of the parties also helped to make it a useful experience for the desisting offender. The communication with the victim was a dominant element in terms of impact on change. Facing the situation of the victim, experiencing the sometimes constructive attitude of the victim, the fact that the offender could explain things, apologise, express regrets and show changes in his life since the offence, these had all been helpful elements. The restorative justice process enabled the offenders to change their perspective, to develop empathy with the victim, or to acknowledge the real impact of their behaviour. After the restorative justice process the offenders had felt relieved, they had felt courageous and proud or it had helped them to turn the page. In Northern Ireland in particular the rehabilitative elements in the reparation plans, which were prepared during the conference, were beneficial to many participants, especially to the juveniles who had been persistent offenders. Moreover, these young persons benefitted strongly from the relationship they were able to develop with the Youth Justice Agency worker who supervised the completion of their reparation plan, and from the ethos and humanising response they received from the Youth Justice Agency as a whole. Financial reparation as a result of a mediation, came to the fore as an element supporting desistance in a few Belgian narratives. How were these factors helpful for desistance? Through these factors, the restorative justice processes helped desisters to deal with emotions of shame, blame, guilt and culpability. They instilled hope, provided an opportunity to find closure or to confirm the desister's pro-social identity. In specific situations the restorative justice process helped repairing relationships. Furthermore, it was seen as (very) helpful by the participants that the restorative justice process prevented a case to go to court, or that the restorative justice process supported a positive decision for an early release from prison. Finally, the efficacy of victimless conferences and conferences with drug addicted offenders are areas which merit further attention, as our findings indicate that these situations may prevent restorative justice processes from influencing desistance.

Details: Leuven: European Forum for Restorative Justice, 2015. 190p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 7, 2016 at: http://www.euforumrj.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Research-report-desistance-and-RJ-total-doc-24-11-final.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Desistance

Shelf Number: 145115


Author: Bolivar, Daniela

Title: Victims and Restorative Justice: An empirical study of the needs, experience and position of the victim within restorative justice practices: Country Reports

Summary: This report covers the final findings of the two-year research project "victims and restorative justice" coordinated by the European Forum for Restorative Justice and implemented in The Netherlands, Finland and Austria. This research aimed to study the position of the victim in restorative justice (RJ). To do so, two main issues were addressed: on the one hand, the experiences of victims of crime who had participated (or not, for whatever reason) in victim-offender mediation and, on the other hand, the opinions and views of practitioners from the fields of victim support and RJ. This report focuses on the empirical findings on victims' experiences. Researchers from the three countries that took part in this study (Austria, Finland and The Netherlands) describe and analyse their findings through three informative chapters. Finally, some conclusions are drawn and some implications for practice and research are discussed (chapter 4). A more detailed and analytical account of specific aspects of our research in addition to other findings not included in this report can be found in the publication Vanfraechem, I., Bolivar, D. and Aertsen, I., eds., 2015. Victims and Restorative Justice. London: Routledge. This publication offers a theoretical and empirical overview of the position of the victim within European RJ practices so it can be considered as a necessary complement to this country reports.

Details: Utrecht: European Forum for Restorative Justice, 2015. 143p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 7, 2016 at: http://www.euforumrj.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/report_victimsandRJ-2.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Restorative Justice

Shelf Number: 145114


Author: Barabas, Tunde

Title: Responsibility-taking, Relationship-building and Restoration in Prisons. Mediation and Restorative Justice in Prison Settings

Summary: This publication includes the research studies, results, observations, experiences and proposals relating to the work carried out by the participating partners over the three years of the MEREPS project (JLS/2008/JPEN015-30-CE-0267156/00-39), co-funded by the Criminal Justice Programme 2008 of the European Commission. Following the introduction by Martin Wright, first the chapters written by Tunde Barabas and Szandra Windt presents the background of the empirical research of several years carried out by the National Institute of Criminology, the summary of the different target groups and methods of the survey and, on the basis of all this, the possibilities of mediation in Hungarian prisons. In the course of this, we will present the results of the examinations conducted in the penal institutions in Balassagyarmat and Tokol, you can get to know the feelings and circumstances of inmates as well as their attitude to repentance, what the Hungarian prison system has to offer and the attitude of those working in the prisons. You can also read about the needs of victims, based on victims' forums and the relevant research. This is followed by the evaluation study of Dora Szego and Borbala Fellegi (Foresee Research Group) of the one-year pilot project implemented in Hungary: the disclosure of the difficulties, (partial) successes and the tasks arising in the everyday life of prisons, which have to be addressed and solved and which will lay the foundation of the domestic application of prison mediation. The pilot project tested the applicability of the restorative justice (RJ) approach in the Hungarian prison system: how can practices representing restorative principles be introduced in prison settings? What are the institutional, legal and personal conditions that serve as supportive circumstances, and what are the specific challenging circumstances? Based on in-depth interviews and participant observations, the study shows a thorough picture about the internal dynamics and mechanisms of the prison, about the attitudes of staff and about the ways in which RJ can be integrated into this world. The Hungarian chapter ends with the evaluation of a practicing public prosecutor, Andras Szucs (High Prosecution Service) of the opportunities offered by the legal and institutional framework which are necessary for the application of penal mediation and which can be realised in the current legal framework. The presentation of the research carried out by our foreign partners begins with the study conducted in England, concentrating on juvenile offenders. According to this chapter, written by Theo Gavrielides, director of IARS, in Britain there are fewer legal barriers to the introduction and application of restorative practices (compared to the continent), and so they are significantly ahead of us in the field of introducing and applying restorative tools. This may facilitate the experiences of the British being regarded as exemplary when introducing penal mediation in Hungary. The essay, however, looks further ahead, and presents a much broader range of the programmes of a restorative approach applied in the different prisons of the world, primarily in respect of juvenile offenders. The essay mentions the research carried out among English experts and makes recommendations concerning the application of the restorative approach in prisons. After that you can read about the results achieved in the German study and pilot project, led by Arthur Hartmann (professor of the University of Bremen). You can become acquainted with the complex system of the German federal rules and the rules of the state of Bremen, as well as the general conditions and current practice of Restorative Justice in Germany. The chapter details the research carried out by the University of Bremen and the results of the model experiment subsequently conducted in the penal institution in Oslebshausen (Bremen). The closing study written by Ivo Aertsen (professor at the University of Leuven) in the volume describes the history and possibilities of prison mediation already implemented and operating efficiently in Belgium. On the one hand, it outlines the Belgian legislative environment and current regulatory framework; on the other hand it presents the structural barriers and difficulties as well as the good practices and other development trends. A special feature of the book is that its last part contains three case studies (a mediation case written by Els Gossens, mediator of the Belgian Suggnome, and two family group conferencing cases by Vidia Negrea (director of the IIRP Hungary) and by Dora Szego and Borbala Fellegi) that illustrate the resolution of "real-life", successfully closed and very serious cases, from preparation to closing, through a restorative approach. This seemingly small volume may represent an important milestone in the adaptation and introduction of restorative practices such as mediation and group conferencing in prison settings. We are hopeful that the studies in this book will contribute to the communication of the various programmes and models of a restorative approach. And maybe they can also make us reflect on programmes that make it possible to get those affected by a crime to sit down and discuss the issues that are important to them, so that they can develop a mutually acceptable solution together.

Details: Budapest: P-T Muhely: Commissioned by the National Institute of Criminology, 2012. 330p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 8, 2016 at: http://mereps.foresee.hu/uploads/tx_abdownloads/files/MEREPS_FinalPublication_EN.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Prisoners

Shelf Number: 145116


Author: Rummens, Anneleen

Title: Criteria for the evaluation of crime prevention practices

Summary: The European Crime Prevention Network (EUCPN) provides a platform for its members to discuss and disseminate best practices in crime prevention. Essential in identifying best practices in crime prevention, is the evaluation of crime prevention projects. A crucial step in any evaluation process is the identification and registration of indicators (EUCPN 2013, UNODC 2010, Morgan & Homel 2013). Indicators provide measurable information on the implementation, efficiency and effectiveness of a crime prevention programme. They can be applied to evaluate projects against specific criteria in an intersubjective and rigorous manner. Information on the identification and use of indicators in the evaluation process of crime prevention projects is nevertheless currently lacking. The EUCPN has therefore commissioned this study to provide an overview of relevant indicators and their application in the evaluation of crime prevention projects1 . The following central research questions will be addressed: 1. What are the most important indicators, both general and specific, for the identification of best practices in crime prevention? 2. How can those indicators be applied in a user-friendly evaluation model? 3. Which conditions need to be taken into account when applying the evaluation model? Each question will be elaborated on in a separate part. The objectives of the three parts are defined as follows: ● Part I: Identification of indicators -Provide an overview of the most important indicators, both general and specific per type of evaluation, type of prevention, type of group targeted by the prevention measure and type of crime; ● Part II: Development of an evaluation model -Develop specific criteria including the previously determined indicators; -Develop a practical evaluation model; -Provide a user-friendly evaluation tool (Excel score form) for applying the model. ● Part III: Testing and improving the evaluation model -Improve and tweak the evaluation model further based on feedback from practitioners; -Determine the conditions under which the evaluation model needs to be applied.

Details: Ghent: Institute for International Research on Criminal Policy, Ghent University, 2016. 100p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 12, 2016 at: http://eucpn.org/sites/default/files/content/download/files/2016_10_04_eucpn_evaluation_crime_prevention_practices_final.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Crime Prevention

Shelf Number: 145438


Author: Fasani, Francesco

Title: Immigrant Crime and Legal Status: Evidence from Repeated Amnesty Programs

Summary: Do general amnesty programs lead to reductions in the crime rate among immigrants? We answer this question by exploiting both cross-sectional and time variation in the number of immigrants legalized generated by the enactment of repeated amnesty programs between 1990 and 2005 in Italy. We address the potential endogeneity of the "legalization treatment" by instrumenting the actual number of legalized immigrants with alternative predicted measures based on past amnesty applications patterns and residential choices of documented and undocumented immigrants. We find that, in the year following an amnesty, regions in which a higher share of immigrants obtained legal status experienced a greater decline in non-EU immigrant crime rates, relative to other regions. The effect is statistically significant but relatively small and not persistent. In further results, we fail to find any evidence of substitution in the criminal market from other population groups - namely, EU immigrants and Italian citizens - and we observe a small and not persistent reduction in total offenses.

Details: Bonn: Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA), 2016. 53p.

Source: Internet Resource: IZA Discussion Paper No. 10235 : Accessed October 12, 2016 at: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2846326

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Illegal Immigrants

Shelf Number: 145422


Author: Idriss, Manar

Title: Understanding the damages of environmental crime. Review of the availability of data

Summary: This deliverable is the conclusion of Task 1 of work package (WP3) of the FP7 research project "European Union Action to Fight Environmental Crime" EFFACE. The aim of WP3 is to understand the impacts (quantitative and monetary) of environmental crime. The purpose of the first task of WP3, Task 1, was to review and collect data on the extent and impact of different types of environmental crime. It was not at this stage to produce estimates of the impact of environmental crime or otherwise quantify that impact - this is the subject of the subsequent tasks of WP3. Rather, Task 1 was to summarise the data sources available for different types of environmental crime and to summarise the type and extent of the data these sources contain. This review would, therefore, form the basis for determining the appropriate next steps in the WP. A standard table was completed for each report, data source, etc. The table asked for clear information about the data source (including links), its location, geographic and temporal scope as well as methodology used for collection. It also asked for information on whether it provides data on the extent of criminal activity (extent, individuals involved, etc.) and whether the data provide information on qualitative, quantitative and monetary impacts on the environment, society and/or economic impacts. In each case, comments were asked on data quality, etc., where possible. The survey of data sources within Task 1 of WP3 of EFFACE showed that the data on environmental crime are usually highly dispersed with limited detailed data collations. The most likely sources of consolidated data are international institutions (such as Conventions and the EU). However, even here data are often limited. For many Conventions data collation is limited to those data reported by Parties and such data are often limited, of uncertain quality and with significant gaps. At EU level there has been limited data gathering on environmental crime (in contrast to other data sets on environmental quality and pressures). Perhaps the best data set at EU level identified concerned fires. While consolidated data sets are uncommon, there are many examples of data on impacts in specific cases, such as for individual countries, individual instances, sites, etc. As a result it is not possible to provide a robust estimate of the overall impacts of environmental crime. There are simply too many gaps for this to be done with any confidence. Even doing this for certain areas of environmental crime is problematic. Therefore, it is important to focus on quantifying the impacts of environmental crime in areas where there are sufficient data for this to be done robustly and with confidence. Following the examination of the data sets described in this deliverable, the following areas were identified as being most suitable for quantitative and economy analysis, given the availability of data:  Waste shipment  Fisheries  Protected areas  Fires  Marine incidents This quantitative and economic analysis will form the next stages of work of WP3 and the results will be set out in the next WP3 deliverable in April 2015.

Details: Berlin: Ecologic Institute, 2014. 44p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 14, 2016 at: http://efface.eu/sites/default/files/EFFACE_3.1%20Final%20Report_0.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Crimes Against the Environment

Shelf Number: 144941


Author: Jaekel, Theo

Title: Far From Reality: How the EU falls short in preventing the illicit trade of conflict minerals

Summary: In recent years, international efforts have sought to address issues related to the illicit trade of conflict minerals fueling conflicts across the globe. One such initiative is reflected in Section 1502 of the U.S. Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Act, passed in 2010, which targets companies listed on the U.S. stock exchange using conflict minerals in their products. The provision requires such companies to carry out supply chain due diligence and to annually report on this issue. The Dodd-Frank Act has led to an increased application of various other international guidelines and norms, as well as new national legislation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), one of the most mineral rich countries in the world. Important developments in the DRC in recent years include: 1) requirements on mining operations to be validated in order to legally trade minerals, and 2) a traceability system designed to increase transparency in the supply chain. There are however severe challenges in the implementation of the new regulations, and much work remains to be done in order to establish functional and trusted frameworks. Miners interviewed by Swedwatch during a field trip to the DRC tell of harsh and dangerous working environments and dire economic conditions. Government officials experience problems in regards to insufficient funding, and therefore lack the capacity to validate and monitor mining activities, and enforce the rule of law. Mining companies lose a substantial share of minerals to smugglers who circumvent the legal requirements. And NGOs report widespread corruption among government authorities, compromising the traceability and validation systems, as well as lack of engagement and tax avoidance by large mining companies. Despite their differences, key stakeholders in the DRC agree that EU legislation is needed to tackle the systemic flaws within the mining industry. On 15 June 2016, after months of negotiations, the EU agreed an outline deal on a new regulation on conflict minerals due diligence. The agreement is a welcome step in the right direction, but the compromise fails to address key issues and this may undermine the purpose of the legislation itself. The main critical gap relates to the scope of the agreement only applying to upstream companies. The agreed scope covers only a fraction of minerals that end up in the EU - requiring only upstream companies, i.e. smelters/refiners, to conduct due diligence. Downstream companies, placing minerals on the EU market in the form of finished products, such as mobile phones, laptops and cars, are exempt. Already existing standards, such as the OECD Guidance, include clear provisions for both upstream and downstream companies to conduct on-going due diligence. Thus, the entire supply chain of minerals is covered and engages each actor in the chain. The EU agreement fails to live up to the existing standards. Legislation requiring all companies to conduct due diligence was an opportunity for the EU to address the severe and pressing human rights risks in global supply chains of conflict minerals. Instead, the negotiations reached only a partial solution.

Details: Stockholm: Swedwatch, 2016. 38p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 14, 2016 at: http://www.swedwatch.org/sites/default/files/tmp/80_kongo_enkelsidor.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Conflict Minerals

Shelf Number: 144865


Author: Wesseling, Mara

Title: An EU Terrorist Finance Tracking System

Summary: The idea for a European equivalent to the US's Terrorist Finance Tracking Program (TFTP) - an investigative tool for tracing and linking international financial transactions in order to detect terrorist plots and networks - was first proposed by members of the European Parliament and certain EU member states during the 2010 negotiations on the EU-US TFTP Agreement. Under this arrangement, the EU is not allowed direct access to the US system but may submit search requests. Critically, transactions conducted under the auspices of the EU's own pan-European payments initiative, the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA), which enables bank-to-bank payments within the Eurozone, are excluded from the TFTP, an omission that some refer to as 'the SEPA data gap'. SEPA is the EU-wide single market for payments made in euros that has been progressively established with adoption of the Payment Services Directive (PSD) of 5 December 2007 to facilitate cross-border payments. It refers to both a geographic space and a legal framework, providing a standardised payment format for credit transfers, debits, (credit) card payments and money remittance, as well as mobile and online payments. Financial services providers had to migrate to the SEPA format before 1 February 2014, while non-EU SEPA countries must comply with the SEPA framework by the end of 2016. Article 11 of the EU-US TFTP Agreement specifies that the possibility of introducing a socalled 'EU Terrorist Finance Tracking System (EU TFTS)' would be investigated and that the US would provide assistance and advice in establishing such a system, should this be the result of the investigation. The first impact assessment, produced in November 2013 and detailing the options towards this end, was not taken forward. Nevertheless, a renewed interest in a European system for tracking terrorist finance emerged after the terrorist attacks on the Paris offices of French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo in January 2015 and further Paris attacks in November of the same year. The latest EU 'Action Plan to Strengthen the Fight Against Terrorist Financing', published on 2 February 2016, demanded that by December 20165 the European Commission should undertake a new assessment of a possible EU TFTS, which would complement the existing EU-US TFTP Agreement. This paper is structured around two key issues. First, it studies past debates and negotiations concerning the US TFTP in order to highlight those issues of importance should an EU TFTS be created. Second, it examines previous and current proposals, as well as debates, concerning the creation of an EU TFTS, drawing out the differences between previous iterations and current demands. This paper is concerned with identifying the lessons that can be learned from previous experiences and with the analysis of past and current debates on the creation of an EU TFTS. The last section offers further food for thought regarding the possible creation of an EU TFTS.

Details: London: Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies, 2016. 42p.

Source: Internet Resource: Occasional Paper: Accessed October 17, 2016 at: https://rusi.org/sites/default/files/op_wesseling_an_eu_terrorist_finance_tracking_system.1.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Criminal Intelligence

Shelf Number: 140775


Author: European Forum for Urban Safety

Title: Innovative Strategies for the Prevention of Re-offending: Practices and recommendations for local players

Summary: The repetition of offences feeds European crime statistics in large part. The overall rise in prison populations is constant. Studies reveal that a limited number of persons commit three-fourths of offences in certain categories. Regardless of the organisation of criminal justice systems, re-offending rates range between 50% and 70% across Europe , and the human and economic costs resulting from this crime are increasing in all the member-states of the European Union. This is why the necessity of implementing strategies for the prevention of re-offending is recognised as a priority by international and European institutions. The Recommendations of the Council of Ministers to the member states concerning new methods of dealing with juvenile delinquency and the role of juvenile justice emphasise the leads to follow in this matter: ‘The principal objectives of juvenile justice and the associated measures aimed at juvenile delinquency should be the following: preventing the first offence and re-offending; (re)socialising and (re)integrating the delinquents…’. The objectives of the comprehensive strategies of the European Union in the areas of employment, the fight against discriminations and social inclusion, put the accent on a way of thinking that focuses on the importance of the social and economic re-integration of those being released from prison or young multiple-offenders. Along the same lines, the Council of Europe, in the framework of its integrated programme ‘Responses to daily violence’ , has identified twelve principles of action. It is indicated that an ‘integrated national policy aiming at reducing daily violence should include, in particular, prevention centred on offenders: eventually, re-adaptation and reintegration of offenders in society and the prevention of re-offending should be considered objectives worthy of a comprehensive prevention policy.’ Since the European Urban Charter, proclaimed in 1992 and setting forth in its articles devoted to urban security and crime prevention that ‘the prevention of re-offending and creation of alternative solutions to incarceration constitute essential objectives’, the European Union has made the prevention of re-offending one of its overall strategic objectives. The European penitentiary rules, adopted since 2006, are an example of the evolution of the attention of the European Union on this topic.

Details: Paris: The Forum, 2009. 72p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed october 26, 2016 at: http://www.stop-reoffending.org/fileadmin/recidive/Activities/PDF/Initiative__VA_.pdf

Year: 2009

Country: Europe

Keywords: Offender Rehabilitation

Shelf Number: 140840


Author: European Forum for Urban Security

Title: EU Street Violence: Youth Groups and Violence in Public Spaces

Summary: Street violence, to be understood as violence committed by groups of young people in public spaces, is often mentioned as a priority issue in terms of security in many European cities. This publication aims to give local decision makers a better understanding of the issues at stake and of the policy options developed in various EU countries, so that they can invest in holistic strategies for the inclusion of all young people, as individuals and members of groups.

Details: Paris: The Forum, 2013. 256p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 26, 2016 at: http://streetviolence.eu/files/2013/06/Street-Violence-ENG.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Gang-Related Violence

Shelf Number: 130016


Author: Lembovska, Magdalena

Title: Analysis of the national policies and practices dealing with illegal migration and asylum seekers

Summary: The past decade has seen rapid changes in the migration flows in, from and through the countries of the Western Balkans. Regular migration is very important for the country's socio-economic and demographic development; however, irregular migration also deserves special attention by the competent authorities. It is an issue of both state security and human security and is usually connected with serious and organized crime and the infringement of human rights. Following visa liberalization for the Western Balkans counties, the region is usually seen as the origin of illegal migration into the European Union. During the last few years all eyes were focused on asylum seekers from the Western Balkans countries. However, it is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore the fact that the region is also a transit area for migrants towards the EU. So far there has been little discussion about this phenomenon among researchers and policy makers, although the national and regional media are becoming more interested in the issue, bringing it closer to citizens. Macedonia, with its central location within the Balkan region, is vulnerable to illegal migration. Recent political and social developments in the Middle East and North Africa have had significant impact on migration flows and affect other regions, including ours. The number of illegal migrants from those regions is increasing from year on year, especially following the Arab uprisings that started in late 2010 and spread during 2011. From the evidence on the ground it can be concluded that in most of the cases Macedonia is not their final destination, but a transit route to the EU countries. However, they do spend certain period of time within the Macedonian borders, before they continue their journey towards Central and Western Europe. The fact that Macedonia, with its central location, represents a natural and geographical crossroads between Europe, Asia and Africa is acknowledged in the National Concept for Security and Defense, the basic strategic security document of the country, adopted in 2003. It is admitted that, from a security perspective, Macedonia is one of the main pathways of terrorism, illegal migration, illegal trafficking with drugs, weapons and human beings from Asia and Africa towards Western Europe. This paper examines the trends of illegal migration in the period 2009-2012, including data – when available - from the first months of 2013. It gives an account of the legal and institutional set up aimed at dealing with illegal migration and highlights the main challenges that national authorities are facing when using already established mechanisms at their disposal. Furthermore, the paper sheds light on the main factors that cause and enable illegal migration (push and pull factors) and link it with asylum seekers and criminal offenses, such as smuggling of migrants. However, due to time limitations and resource availability, not all aspects of illegal migration have been examined. Further studies, focusing on the role of the courts, public prosecution and the corruption within the border police, are therefore recommended. It should be noted that different authors and organizations are using different terms which, in essence, refer to the same phenomena – illegal, irregular or undocumented migration. In this text, the term "illegal migration" and "illegal migrants" will be used. Illegal migration is usually connected with illegal entry into a state, defined as "crossing borders without complying with the necessary requirements for legal entry into the receiving State". In the author’s opinion, irregular migration is a broader concept encompassing the irregularity of residence by other groups that are not subject of this analysis, such as foreigners that entered legally but had lost their regulated status due to circumstances like expired visa or passport, or "tourists" engaged in the grey economy etc. Moreover, the term "illegal migration" is also used by the National Commission for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings and Illegal Migration in Macedonia. It should be noted that the paper focuses on migrants using the so-called Balkan Route. The paper also examines the trends in asylum seeking in Macedonia. In this context, an 'asylum seeker' is a foreigner that seeks protection from the Republic of Macedonia and has submitted an application for recognizing the right of asylum, when there is no final decision and there is an ongoing procedure for recognition of the right of asylum. Very often there is a strong connection between illegal migration and asylum seeking trends. It should be noted that in the period when a person applies for asylum, he/she cannot be considered an illegal migrant. If the country decides to accept the claims, the person becomes a refugee or person under subsidiary protection, depending on the case, in line with the UNHCR Convention related to the status of refugees from 1951. The methodological apparatus is composed of qualitative and quantitative methods, including statistical information gathered utilizing the Law on free access to public information, analysis of the legal framework and national strategic documents, qualitative interviews with stakeholders and experts, as well as information from reports issued by relevant international organizations. In addition, field visits to the Reception Center for Asylum Seekers and to the village of Lojane have been conducted.

Details: Skopje, Macedonia: Analytica |Thinking Laboratory, 2013. 30p.

Source: Internet Resource: Policy Paper: Accessed October 26, 2016 at: http://www.analyticamk.org/images/stories/files/report/14055_illagal_migration.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Asylum Seekers

Shelf Number: 140845


Author: Council of Europe

Title: White Paper on transnational organised crime

Summary: Transnational organised crime (TOC) represents a major threat to global security. It threatens peace and human security, violates human rights and undermines the economic, social, cultural, political and civil development of societies worldwide. Because of its transnational character, TOC requires a targeted and comprehensive approach, including the swift application of international co-operation mechanisms. This white paper, drafted at the request of the Committee of Ministers, establishes five areas in which the Council of Europe could contribute to fighting TOC and identifies specific tasks that could be carried out better or more efficiently by the Organisation: 1. Problems related to police and judicial international co-operation, 2. The use of special investigative techniques, 3. The implementation of witness protection programmes and collaboration of state witnesses, 4. The need for increasing co-operation with administrative agencies and the private sector and 5. The essential need to target the proceeds of crime in order to discourage this type of crime and to improve the effectiveness of the fight against criminal organisations that operate in a transnational setting. With an innovative multidisciplinary approach and the choice to focus on improving the criminal response in a transnational setting, this White Paper is intended to become a helpful tool for policy makers and practitioners alike.

Details: Paris: Council of Europe, 2015. 49p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 26, 2016 at: https://edoc.coe.int/en/organised-crime/6837-white-paper-on-transnational-organised-crime.html

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Criminal Investigation

Shelf Number: 140852


Author: European Programme for Integration and Migration

Title: Forgotten: Administratively detained irregular migrants and asylum seekers

Summary: i. FINDINGS 1. The number of administratively detained irregular immigrants and asylum seekers is significantly reduced compared to the prior to 2015 period. 2. The detention conditions diverge from the relevant legislation, regarding not only the international standards and the CPT recommendations, but also the governmental declarations of February 17, 2015. In particular, we observed: - Use of detention areas that the CPT has deemed inappropriate for more than a few days detention as well as use of the Special Juvenile Detention Center in Amygdaleza which has been declared inappropriate for the detention of minors - Inadequate maintenance of the facilities - Lack of yard time - Inadequate healthcare - Lack of support by social workers and psychologists - Inadequate and poor quality feeding - Inadequate heating/ cooling conditions - Lack of provision in clothes, shoes and personal hygiene items - Lack of recreational activities - Lack of interpretation services - Lack of information to the detainees regarding: - their legal status; - the Rules of operation of the detention centers - the impending forced return - Lack of free legal aid 3. The procedures followed by the competent authorities regarding administrative detention diverge from provisions laid down in the legislation and from the governmental declarations of February 17, 2015. In particular, we observed that: In the Hellenic Police Departments there are serious long-standing systemic problems: - Lack of an individualized approach based on the characteristics, the situation and the needs of foreign nationals who are under arrest - Lack of use of alternatives to detention - Systematic, unjustified detention of dubious legitimacy on the grounds of public order - Detention of individuals whose removal violates the principle of non-refoulement - Detention for a period longer than six months - Re-arrest for the purpose of return despite prolonged and ineffective previous detention - Detention of seriously ill people - Failure to take into account data that arise over the period of detention regarding the health status of detainees and extension of the detention of vulnerable persons - Lack of interpretation services, indispensable to the detainees in order to fully understand their legal status, the decisions that concern them and the documents they are asked to sign - Lack of free legal assistance - Lack of information regarding an imminent enforcement of forced return

Details: s.l.: EPIM, 2016. 84p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 1, 2016 at: http://www.asylumineurope.org/sites/default/files/resources/forgotten.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Asylum Seekers

Shelf Number: 145008


Author: Esposito, Carolina

Title: Analysis of the local context report DELIVERABLE 5

Summary: SPRING project aims to fight recidivism of drug related crimes committed by young people in urban contests, through the identification of best practices in alternative measures and treatment programs to detention for drug addicted offenders and prevention campaigns. WP 4 (Analysis of the local context) will aim to perform the country analysis and to report the general knowledge framework about the issues tackled by the project in each participating country (at national and local level): prevention of and fight against recidivism of drug related crimes. The country analysis for each participating country will be based on a literature review of scientific publications, official documents, laws, agreements and guidelines with reference to drug phenomenon and drug addiction and to alternative treatment programs to detention for drug addicted offenders (paying particular attention to experiences with music therapy) This research will concern the following points:  Demographic and socio-cultural analysis and description of drug phenomenon with particular reference to anti-social behaviour;  Legal and regulatory framework on drug and drug addiction;  National data about drug related crimes and drug addicted offenders;  Legislation in force, national and local agreements on the topics of:  health interventions in the field of addiction  social and health practices in the field of addiction  National data about health and social practices in the field of addiction;  Alternative measures to detention for drug addicted offenders;  National data about alternative measures and treatment programs to detention for drug addicted offenders. In order to highlight most clearly the general framework of each participating country, a SWOT analysis (Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) will be perform to provide a summary of the strength and weaknesses to be considered in the future phases of the project

Details: Valenza (AL): Spring Project, 2016? 160p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 2, 2016 at: http://www.spring-project.eu/upload/documenti/deliverables_spring/WP4_final_report-ENG.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Abuse and Crime

Shelf Number: 145775


Author: Walby, Sylvia

Title: Study on comprehensive policy review of anti-trafficking projects funded by the European Commission

Summary: The Comprehensive Policy Review of Anti-Trafficking Projects, a study completed as a deliverable of the EU Strategy towards the Eradication of Trafficking in Human Beings (2012-2016). 321 anti-trafficking projects were directly funded by the Commission at a total of EUR 158.5 million during the period 2004-2015. This dataset does not include allocations in the context of the response to the migration crisis. 221 different principal grant holders received funding and ran activities in over 100 different countries worldwide. Two thirds of funded projects and funding was awarded to principal grant holders located in EU Member States and one third to principal grant holders located in non-EU countries. Just over half of funded projects were led by non-governmental organisations (57%). EC funding per project which was significantly higher than any of the other types of principal grant holder at EUR 1.1 million compared to less than EUR 500,000. Together DG International Cooperation and Development and DG Home Affairs and Migration contracted over 80% of the funded projects (43% and 38% respectively) and almost 90% (67% and 22% respectively) of EC funding. Funded projects on sexual exploitation received the lowest average funding per project (EUR 231,429). Funded projects on child trafficking were awarded EUR 30.5 million. Funded projects on Labour exploitation received the third highest level of EC funding, worth EUR 22 million. The Study examined how the projects contributed to the work against trafficking in human beings at the EU level and more precisely to the priorities of the Commission in this area.

Details: Brussels: European Commission, 2016. 107p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 2, 2016 at: https://ec.europa.eu/anti-trafficking/sites/antitrafficking/files/study_on_comprehensive_policy_review.pdf

Year: 20176

Country: Europe

Keywords: Child Trafficking

Shelf Number: 140988


Author: Eurofound

Title: Regulation of the labour market intermediaries and the role of social partners in preventing trafficking of labour

Summary: The right to free movement for workers within the European Union was enshrined in Article 48 of the EEC Treaty in 1957. Nowadays, private labour market intermediaries – such as temporary work agencies and employment placement agencies – contribute to facilitating this labour mobility in their role as mediator between individual workers and organisations in need of labour. However, due to loopholes in regulation, some workers and vulnerable groups run the risk of being exploited by fraudulent agencies. This report examines how public authorities are currently regulating labour market intermediaries across Member States, highlighting the effectiveness or otherwise of different registration or licensing schemes. It also examines activities by social partners aimed at preventing the trafficking of labour. The overall aim is to contribute to the development of a best practice guide for public authorities to encourage better monitoring and enforcement of regulations deterring trafficking for the purpose of labour exploitation. An executive summary is available - see Related content.

Details: Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2016. 62p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 2, 2016 at: http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/sites/default/files/ef_publication/field_ef_document/ef1603en.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Forced Labor

Shelf Number: 140993


Author: Kruithof, Kristy

Title: Study Alternatives to Coercive Sanctions as Response to Drug Law Offences and Drug-Related Crimes Final Report

Summary: This study aims to map alternatives to coercive sanctions (ACS) for drug law offences and drug-related crimes that are available under the law in each EU member state and describe the use of these sanctions in practice. This was complemented by a review of international research on the effectiveness of ACS in reducing reoffending and drug use. Building upon the EU Action Plan on Drugs 2013-2016, ACS were defined as measures that had some rehabilitative element or that constituted a non-intervention (for example, deciding not to charge or prosecute), as well as those used instead of prison or other punishment (for example, a suspended sentence with drug treatment). Further details of the measures included within the definition of ACS can be found in Section 1.2. This study builds upon a report produced by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) in 2015 on alternatives to punishment for drug-using offenders, widening the scope of that study by including a broader range of sanctions and by looking at practice in each member state in more detail.

Details: Luxembourg: Publications office of the European Union, 2016. 144p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 3, 2016 at: https://www.rand.org/pubs/external_publications/EP66607.html

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Alternatives to Incarceration

Shelf Number: 144995


Author: Laxminarayan, Malini

Title: Accessibility and Initiation of Restorative Justice

Summary: The project Accessibility and Initiation of Restorative Justice developed in response to the understanding that while restorative justice mechanisms provide a positive means of dealing with crime, both for the victim and the offender, such procedures are not often being utilised. Both international and national legislation on restorative justice has emerged in the past years, providing countries with a framework to look to as a guide for the implementation of restorative justice. Yet accessibility issues have existed for the past 20 years, hindering a greater number of cases from being dealt with through restorative justice approaches. This project aims to identify these barriers and investigate how to best deal with them, from a comparative perspective. The report answers two primary questions. First, when and under what conditions are restorative justice processes accessible to citizens? Factors related to accessibility include those that impede or assist parties in getting to a restorative procedure (i.e. those that can increase or prevent referrals). Therefore, important topics include the referral procedure, namely at what moment in time a referral is made and by whom parties are referred. A framework is designed based on international legislation, access to justice literature and existing empirical research on the topic. Subsequently, 10 factors are determined to conceptualise accessibility and are the focus of the empirical research: availability, legislation, exclusion criteria, awareness, attitudes, cooperation, trust, institutionalisation, good practices and costs. Second, how are restorative justice processes initiated under different jurisdictions and in different models? Factors related to initiation include those that stimulate or discourage beginning a restorative procedure by the parties, and are related to the moment a victim or offender is invited or informed about restorative justice. There are several important elements to consider when informing parties about the option to participate in a restorative justice programme. These include the level of influence and authority of the initiator, the information provided, the mode of the offer, the language of the offer and the frequency of the offer. To answer these questions, empirical research was conducted comprising several methods. A questionnaire was disseminated to both referral bodies and restorative justice practitioners to better understand barriers in their own countries. It was observed that numbers of cases are limited, ranging most often between a few hundred to roughly 10,000 per country. Exceptions included countries such as Austria, Germany and Finland (representing countries with higher cases). Perhaps unsurprisingly, all participants from the 17 countries who completed the questionnaire appeared to report similar issues. Most often mentioned was the lack of awareness and punitive attitudes that limited a greater number of referrals to restorative justice. Qualitative interviews were also conducted to examine the different initiation models that could be found in each of the five countries: Croatia, Ireland, the Netherlands, Poland and Romania. Interviews with 'initiators,' namely those who had some type of role in informing or inviting victims and/or offenders to participate in restorative justice illustrated the diverse methods used and the issues that arose during the initiation phase. Approaches included initiation through letters, phone calls, and face-to-face conversations. It may be the case, for example, that the judge adjourns a case while a probation officer informs the offender about the possibility for restorative justice (e.g., Ireland); employees of the prosecution service invite the juvenile offender to discuss how they will deal with his or her case, where one possible scenario is that he will be offered to participate in victim-offender mediation (e.g., Croatia); a selection table will filter out cases and send a letter to the parties that qualify, who may then get in touch with the mediator (e.g., the Netherlands); or police, prosecutors and judges may inform parties where they can go to get more information from the mediation service, often through information points in courts or leaflets (e.g., Romania). Interviews with victims and offenders were conducted to examine their perspective on the way the offer was made. Information was gathered on coercion, authority, manner of the offer, awareness, language of the offer, dealing with concerns and timing. It was found that, in some instances, offenders felt they had little choice about participating; the positive approach of the initiator had a direct influence on their decision to participate; parties were often unaware of restorative justice before they were provided with such information; support and flexibility when dealing with the parties' concerns was influential in the decision to participate in restorative justice programmes. The letter that is sent to victims and offenders was also given attention in the empirical research. Several aspects were identified as important in the letter: making the language easy to understand; avoiding certain terms (e.g., mediation); personalising the benefits of restorative justice; recognising the victim’s harm; being authoritative; making the letter interactive; providing examples of successful relevant mediations. Furthermore, a small-scale experiment with Criminology students examined whether two aspects in particular – authority and social norming – were associated with one’s decision to participate. The findings concluded that social norming, or the belief that similar others are involved in some type of behaviour (i.e., participating in mediation), does impact the likelihood of participating in mediation. The comparative nature of the project allowed for an assessment of different models, in addition to an examination of good practices. It is evident that countries adopt different approaches in their procedures surrounding restorative justice. Despite these differences, all countries face issues and aim to increase their referral procedures. Without making both the public and referral bodies aware of restorative justice, however, accessibility will remain limited. Attitudes also must change, where a restorative philosophy can be adopted in the best case scenario, and at the least legal authorities must begin to believe in the advantages of restorative justice. Undeniably, these two factors – attitudes and awareness – are largely intertwined. Greater awareness is likely to lead to more positive attitudes towards restorative justice. Furthermore, other elements such as cooperation, costs, legislation, and exclusion criteria must be given consideration.

Details: Leuven: European Forum for Restorative Justice, 2014. 190p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 7, 2016 at: http://euforumrj.org/assets/upload/Accessibility_and_Initiation_of_RJ_website.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Mediation

Shelf Number: 145396


Author: Veldhuis, Tinka M.

Title: Reintegrating Violent Extremist Offenders: Policy Questions and Lessons Learned

Summary: The presence of violent extremist offenders in prison can be a source of concern for prison authorities and policy officials. Not only is there fear of the spread of extremist ideologies among the inmate population, but also there is the worry that radicalized detainees will engage in extremist activities after being released. This paper highlights a number of issues and questions that policymakers will likely face when developing rehabilitation and reintegration programs for violent extremist offenders, and explores how these issues have been addressed in European countries.

Details: Washington, DC: George Washington University, Program on Extremism, 2015. 11p.

Source: Internet Resource: Occasional Paper: Accessed November 10, 2016 at: https://cchs.gwu.edu/sites/cchs.gwu.edu/files/downloads/VeldhuisPaper-Final%20(2).pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Extremist Groups

Shelf Number: 141065


Author: Carapic, Jovana

Title: Handgun Ownership and Armed Violence in the Western Balkans

Summary: In the 1990s, the countries and territories of the Western Balkans1 experienced several transformations: a transition from socialism to liberal democracy, widespread economic decline, and episodes of violent conflict in Bosnia and Croatia (1991–95) and in Kosovo (1999) (see Map). Since the turn of the 21st century, the region has witnessed increasing political stability and socioeconomic adjustment. Yet while the threat of armed conflict in the region has decreased, levels of handgun ownership and armed violence remain high. Throughout the region, which has an overall population of about 25 million (UNDESA, n.d.), an estimated 3.6–6.2 million firearms are in civilian possession. The high prevalence of civilian-held firearms has been linked to the rate of violent crime, with the homicide rate in the Western Balkans being higher than in the other countries of Southern Europe as well as in Western Europe (Alvazzi del Frate and Mugellini, 2012; Geneva Declaration Secretariat, 2011, p. 60). In addition, the high prevalence of firearms and violent crime in the region is linked to the activities of organized crime, which is largely perceived by both the international and the local population as one of the primary sources of insecurity in the Western Balkans. These findings call for an analysis of the dynamics of firearms possession and armed violence in the Western Balkans. This Issue Brief examines the historical aspects of firearms proliferation in the region in order to frame the issue. It also presents the results of a nationwide household survey conducted by Gallup Europe in the countries and territories of the Western Balkans in 2012. The Small Arms Survey had the opportunity to insert three questions relating to firearms possession and armed victimization into the 2012 Gallup Balkan Monitor (see Box 1). Where necessary, the data from the survey has been supplemented by information from other sources, such as international and national data, special reports, and policy and academic research. The main findings are as follows: The Western Balkans is home to an estimated 3.6–6.2 million registered and unregistered firearms. At least 500,000 and up to 1.6 million households own firearms in the Western Balkans. Since 1995, the average homicide rate in the region has decreased drastically, stabilizing at around 2.0 per 100,000 between 2007 and 2010. Nevertheless, the homicide rate is still significantly higher than in other European regions, and homicides are more frequently committed with firearms. About 1.2 per cent of all survey respondents reported that a household member was held at gunpoint in the 12 months prior to the administration of the survey. This Issue Brief is divided into three sections. The first section outlines the cultural and historical factors that have facilitated the spread of firearms among the population. The second section examines the post-conflict security dynamics, the role of organized crime in the proliferation of firearms, and the prevalence of registered and unregistered firearms in the region. The section ends with a focus on longitudinal trends in the homicide rate, as disaggregated by sex and firearms. Section three, which comprises the bulk of the analysis, presents region-wide household survey data obtained from the 2012 Gallup Balkan Monitor to generate an evidence-based understanding of armed violence in the Western Balkans. Specifically, the section unpacks issues relating to self-reported and perceived levels of handgun ownership, provides estimates of household firearms possession, and reflects on experiences of armed violence.

Details: Geneva: Small Arms Survey, 2014. 16p.

Source: Internet Resource: Issue Brief, no. 4: Accessed November 10, 2016 at: http://www.smallarmssurvey.org/fileadmin/docs/G-Issue-briefs/SAS-AV-IB4-Western-Balkans.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Firearms

Shelf Number: 146983


Author: Fair Trials International

Title: Detained without trial: Fair Trials International's response to the European Commission's Green Paper on Detention

Summary: 1. Fair Trials International welcomes this opportunity to respond to the European Commission‟s Green Paper on detention. Detention is a vast area and this report focuses solely on pre-trial detention. The European Council has rightly noted that: "Excessively long periods of pre-trial detention are detrimental for the individual, can prejudice judicial cooperation between the member states and do not represent the values for which the European Union stands." 2. We recognise that pre-trial detention offers important safeguards to ensure justice is served, evidence and witnesses are protected, and suspects do not escape prosecution. Yet depriving people of their liberty in the period before trial is supposed to be an exceptional measure, only to be used where absolutely necessary. Our cases, together with comparative research we have undertaken in collaboration with international law firm, Clifford Chance and FTI‟s Legal Experts Advisory Panel ("LEAP"), show there is a gulf between that legal theory and reality. 3. This report presents the case studies of 11 FTI clients whose rights (and whose families‟ rights) have been gravely infringed due to excessive and unjustified pre-trial detention. The report analyses the pre-trial detention regimes of 15 Member States: the Czech Republic, France, England and Wales, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Spain and Sweden. 4. Our report shows that:  across the EU, people who have not been convicted of any crime are being detained without good reason for months or even years, often in appalling conditions that make trial preparation impossible;  some countries‟ laws allow people to be detained for years before trial, others have no maximum period at all; few countries have an adequate review system;  non-nationals are far more likely than nationals to suffer the injustice of arbitrary and/or excessive pre-trial detention and be deprived of key fair trial protections;  growing numbers are being extradited under the European Arrest Warrant, only to be held for months in prison, hundreds of miles from home, waiting for trial;  Europe‟s over-use of pre-trial detention is ruining lives and costing EU countries billions every year; and  many EU countries‟ justice systems are not ready to make full use of the potentially valuable European Supervision Order ("ESO"), which could save resources4 and ease the severe overcrowding that blights prisons in over half of all Member States . Given the serious effects of detention on proper trial preparation and on family life, we have reached the view that legislation at EU level is required. This would clarify the standards set by the European Convention on Human Rights ("ECHR") and the European Court of Human Rights ("ECtHR") and provide more effective protection against the use of pre-trial detention in contravention of fundamental rights. There is both an urgent need and a proper legal base for this legislation. 6. This report makes four recommendations: 1) The EU should legislate to set minimum standards for the use of pre-trial detention in the EU; 2) Member States should implement the ESO in a way that ensures it represents a real alternative to pre-trial detention and operates consistently and effectively across the EU; 3) Deferred issue of EAWs and negotiated deferred surrender should be used to avoid unnecessary pre-trial detention post-extradition; and 4) The EU should take steps towards establishing a one year maximum pre-trial detention limit. The first step should be targeted research by the European Commission, to establish why practices differ so widely across Member States, both as to the amount of time defendants spend in detention awaiting trial and as to the way in which detention decisions are taken and reviewed.

Details: London: Fair Trials International, 2011. 95p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 10, 2016 at: http://ec.europa.eu/justice/newsroom/criminal/opinion/files/110510/fti_pre-trial_detention_report_en.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: Europe

Keywords: Detention

Shelf Number: 141070


Author: Bieber, Ivona

Title: Promoting the Reform of Pretrial Detention in CEE-FSU Countries – Introducing Good Practices

Summary: This study was compiled under the auspices of the project: "Promoting the Reform of Pre-Trial Detention in CEE-FSU Countries – Introducing Good Practices", supported by the Open Society Foundations. The purpose of this project is to undertake a regional capacity-building and network-building initiative on pre-trial detention (PTD) to encourage advocacy efforts to challenge PTD practices in Central and Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union (CEE-FSU) region, to produce comparative research on PTD in these countries and to facilitate an exchange of experiences among the NGOs participating in the project. The project is implemented by the Hungarian Helsinki Committee (HHC) with the assistance and supervision of the Steering Commitee (SC). The SC is an advisory body on whose expertise the HHC drew on while implementing project activities. The SC participated in establishing the scope of the project, formulating the questionnaire and also in processing the acquired data and writing the resulting study. The SC members are: Borislav Petranov, Senior Advisor, OSF- Rights Initiative; Martin Schöenteich, Senior Legal Officer, OSF - Open Society Justice Initiative; András Kádár, Co-Chair, Hungarian Helsinki Committee; Zaza Namoradze, Director, Budapest Office OSF - Open Society Justice Initiative; Herta Tóth, Senior Program Manager, Human Rights and Governance Grants; Dávid Vig, Program Coordinator, Human Rights and Governance Grants; Zsófia Moldova, Legal Officer, Hungarian Helsinki Committee. In the framework of this project the Hungarian Helsinki Committee, partnered with 15 NGOs and human rights defenders from the CEE-FSU region. They are: the Albanian Helsinki Committee – Ma.Av. Etilda Gjonaj (Saliu); Georgi Bankov member and coordinator - Bulgarian Helsinki Committee ; League of Human Rights (Czech Republic) – Maroš Matiaško; Georgian Young Lawyers Association – Ekaterine Popkhadze, Eka Khutsishvili, Maia Khutsishvili, Mikheil Ghoghadze, Tinatin Avaliani; Penal Reform International (Kazakhstan) – Zhanna Malayeva; The Kosova Rehabilitation Centre of Torture Victims – Alban Muriqim; Latvian Centre for Human Rights – Ilvija Pūce; Human Rights Monitoring Institute (Lithuania) – Karolis Liutkevičius; Institutul de Reforme Penale (Moldova) – Igor Dolea, Victor Zaharia; Human Rights Action (Montenegro) – Marko Ivković and Jelena Sapurić; Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights (Poland) – Maria Ejchart, Katarzyna Wiśniewska, Marcin Wolny; The Romanian Group for the Defence of Human Rights (GRADO) – Cristina Banciu; Public Verdict Foundation (Russia) – Natalia Taubina; Belgrade Centre for Human Rights – Jovana Zoric, Nevena Dicic Kostic, Nikola Kovacevic; Foundation for Society and Legal Studies (TOHAV), Turkey) – Sevgi Epçeli Arslan; Ukrainian Legal Aid Foundation – Aigul Mukanova. This project consists of both a research component and an advocacy one. The research component consists of a broadresearch project analyzing the legislation and practice governing pre-trial detention in the CEE-FSU region. The preliminary research results were presented at a three-day workshop held in Budapest, between 28-30th of November 2012. This event brought together the researchers who worked on the study, HHC staff, SC members and experts in the field of criminal justice. At this event, the preliminary research results were presented and discussed. Participants and experts provided their input and shared their expertise. This event also focused on developing concrete strategies to address human rights concerns presented by pre-trial detention. The research was carried out through a standardized questionnaire put together by a number of HHC experts. In developing the questionnaire, the HHC drew from previous research projects, such as “Promoting independent prison complaints mechanisms in CEE-FSU – Introducing good practices”, a study conducted by the HHC for which a questionnaire was also developed. The SC, OSF staff and a number of participating NGOs also contributed greatly to development of the questionnaire. They were consulted during the drafting process, and their input is reflected in the questionnaire. The questionnaire takes a holistic approach to analyzing PTD and alternatives to PTD. It looks at both the legislation and practice; it looks at statistics and opinions and incorporates desk research as well as field research. The questionnaire combines quantitative and qualitative types of data and gathers both snapshot and flow statistics. This allows for the clearest possible picture of the legislation and practice concerning PTD and alternatives to PTD in the countries examined. Furthermore, it is designed to highlight good practices as well as those practices that do not live up to applicable international standards. The questionnaire begins by presenting the scope of the research project and then defines the terminology used, in particular what is understood, for the purpose of this study, by PTD and alternatives to PTD. The principle objective of the questionnaire was to gather the following:  General information about the country, its legal system and most importantly, the costs of implementing PTD;  Statistical information for the years 2000, 2009, 2010 and 2011 concerning PTD and its alternatives; and  Specific safeguards provided in each country at different stages of PTD, namely when ordering placement in PTD, when executing PTD and during the judicial review process, if any. Furthermore, the questionnaire gives special consideration to particularly vulnerable groups. A number of other issues, such as state-funded legal aid, psychiatric detention and detention ordered for national security offences are also briefly considered. Based on NGO responses to the questionnaires, the HHC compiled the present study, which outlines the legislation and practices of countries in the CEE-FSU region with respect to pre-trial detention and its alternatives. This study examines the following aspects of pre-trial detention:  Living conditions while in detention  Rights while in PTD (access to a lawyer, translator)  Vulnerable groups  Procedural requirements when ordering PTD  Duration of PTD  Review of pre-trial detention  Appealing PTD  Deduction/compensation for time spent in PTD

Details: Budapest: Hungarian Helsinki Committee, 2013. 68p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 11, 2016 at: http://helsinki.hu/wp-content/uploads/Pre-trial_detention_in_CEE-FSU_countries.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Detention Facilities

Shelf Number: 130120


Author: Svenonius, Ola

Title: Sensitising Urban Transport Security: Surveillance and Policing in Berlin, Stockholm, and Warsaw

Summary: he city as a focal point of both domestic and international security policy is characteristic of the 21st century security landscape in Europe. Amidst the 'War on Terror' and the pan-European battle against organised crime, the city is the location where global processes are actually taking place. Urban security is the local policy response both to such global threats as terrorism and local ones, such as violent crime. Public transport systems in particular came under threat after the terrorist attacks in the United States in 2001, Madrid in 2004, and London in 2005. This doctoral thesis studies security policy in three public transport systems – Berlin, Stockholm, and Warsaw – from a comparative perspective focusing on the conditions that made new and very specific understandings of security possible. The study argues that urban transport security has undergone radical changes during the last ten years. While transport authorities and the police used to conceive security as related solely to crime rates, today the focus of security practices consists of passengers' perceptions. The study shows how this shift is paralleled by a new discourse of 'security as emotion', and how it came into being. It concentrates specifically on the central role that surveillance and private policing assumes as the security policy shifts objectives to the inner life of the passengers. Today, complex governance networks of both public and private actors manage security in the three cities. The analysis shows how passengers are constructed in the urban security policy as children, consumers, and citizens. These different 'roles' constitute the passenger in the eye of urban security governance characterised by technocracy, 'friendly security', and individual responsibility. The introduction of new governance models for public administration, the legacy of European communist regimes, and rising fear of crime are central conditions for this new, sensitised urban transport security.

Details: Stockholm : Department of Political Science, Stockholm University, 2011. 354p.

Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed November 11, 2016 at: https://bibl.sh.se/skriftserier/hogskolans_skriftserier/Sensitising_Urban_Transport_Security/diva2_480462.aspx

Year: 2011

Country: Europe

Keywords: Public Transport

Shelf Number: 130136


Author: Davey, Caroline L.

Title: Design Against Crime European Exchange Tool: Guidance for Designing Against Crime Across Europe

Summary: This guidance - a key output of the European Commission's AGIS 2006 project led by the University of Salford - aims to help local authorities, planners, police, academics, design professionals and developers identify methods of addressing crime prevention through design and planning, tailoring the approach to the European context. Guidance on addressing fear of crime and insecurity is also provided. The guidance is divided into the following sections: - Design-led Crime Prevention Approaches - Advice for European countries - Further information and references

Details: Salford, UK: University of Salford, Design Against Crime Solution Centre, 2008. 57p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 14, 2016 at: http://usir.salford.ac.uk/11481/1/DAC_European_Exchange_Tools.pdf

Year: 2008

Country: Europe

Keywords: CPTED

Shelf Number: 146644


Author: Legal Experts Advisory Panel

Title: Defence Rights in Europe: The Road Ahead

Summary: . Since 2009, the Legal Experts Advisory Panel (LEAP) – an EU-wide network of over 150 criminal justice experts from all 28 EU Member States coordinated by Fair Trials – has worked to inform the development and implementation of EU criminal justice law and policy and to ensure that the protection of fair trial rights remains a priority. LEAP members not only provide eyes and ears across the EU – identifying the underlying causes of unfair trials when they appear – but they also help explain to policy-makers what changes are really needed, and work to make sure that laws passed in Brussels have a real impact on the protection of fair trial rights in practice. This report provides an overview of LEAP's work during the past two years which, building on priorities identified in March 2014, has focussed on the following three areas: A. Contributing to EU policy and legislation 2. One of LEAP's strengths is the range and breadth of its members' knowledge and experience. Our NGOs, academics and lawyers work on fair trial rights issues every day, so are perfectly placed to inform the development of legislation. LEAP's contributions based on the practical challenges which suspects and accused persons face in accessing their fair trial rights in criminal proceedings across the EU are summarised as follows: i. Impact on the agreed texts of EU laws on fair trial rights: LEAP’s proposal for the inclusion of a provision prohibiting the presentation of suspects in court in ways which suggest their guilt was reflected in the agreed Directive on the presumption of innocence. Further, its suggestions for an expanded scope and purpose of the individual assessment informed the agreed text of the Directive on procedural safeguards for children suspected or accused in criminal proceedings; and ii. Informing ongoing negotiations: LEAP continues to inform the negotiations of the proposed directive on legal aid for suspects or accused persons deprived of liberty and legal aid in European arrest warrant proceedings, hoping that a measure is adopted which applies to all suspects and accused, not just those deprived of their liberty, and which ensures that there is an enforceable right to legal aid in the issuing state to ensure dual representation in European arrest warrant cases. LEAP has also provided input in relation to EU measures on the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, the European Criminal Records Information System and terrorism offences, each of which has potential impact on the enjoyment of fair trial rights. B. Making EU laws on fair trial rights work in practice 3. LEAP recognises that the adoption of legislation is only the first step towards improved fair trial rights protection, and EU-wide laws on fair trial rights will not have any impact unless they are implemented effectively. LEAP’s contribution in this area is guided by its implementation strategy – Towards an EU Defence Rights Movement – launched at the LEAP Annual Conference in Amsterdam in February 2015. Key examples of LEAP’s implementation activities include: i. Identifying implementation challenges arising in practice, through surveys on the implementation of the obligations relating to quality of interpretation in criminal proceedings under Directive 2010/64/EU on the right to interpretation and translation in criminal proceedings and the right to access the case-file under Directive 2012/13/EU on the right to information in criminal proceedings; ii. Informing developments in national legislation, through submissions on the transposition of EU directives in Lithuania, England and Wales, Spain and Bulgaria; iii. Providing training to defence practitioners, through six residential trainings which will reach 240 lawyers from all 28 EU Member States by April 2016 and an accompanying online training series (toolkits and videos) freely available on the Fair Trials website; and iv. Sharing expertise with national and regional courts, through the submission of comparative law analysis in support of cases brought by LEAP members in the domestic context, including in Estonia, Cyprus and Sweden, and through interventions before the European Court of Human Rights including in the notable case of AT v Luxembourg. C. Identifying emerging fair trial rights issues 4. In addition to reacting to and providing expert input on EU initiatives, LEAP’s contribution also includes the identification of emerging fair trial rights issues which should be on the agenda of legislators across the EU. Issues which LEAP is currently examining include: i. Plea bargaining: Most EU Member States have some form of plea bargaining operating within the criminal justice system, offering efficiency at a time when criminal justice systems are under increasing pressure. But plea bargains can lead to injustice, due to innocent people pleading guilty and cases being resolved behind closed doors, and these concerns have been raised by some LEAP members. LEAP is assisting Fair Trials with a scoping study to map the use of plea bargaining practices, with a view to developing recommendations which ensure that effective safeguards are guaranteed and unjust outcomes are prevented. ii. Migration and criminal justice: The arrival of large numbers of refugees since 2015 presents a significant challenge, but Member States choosing criminal justice responses presents a particular cause for concern. Refugees are being prosecuted for offences relating to illegal entry and use of false documents, and are thereby diverted away from the asylum process and into the criminal justice system. People outside their own country are more vulnerable to fair trial rights abuses yet too often inadequate safeguards are in place. iii. Evidence: LEAP members have highlighted a number of interconnected issues relating to evidence, including the admissibility of different types of evidence (eg. expert reports, eye-witness evidence and forensic evidence), the challenges which the expanding role of electronic evidence presents for defendants across the EU, and the problems associated with confidential evidence relied on in prosecutions for terrorism offences. iv. Pre-trial detention: With input from LEAP, Fair Trials will publish a report in May 2016 setting out the findings of research which it has coordinated into judicial decisionmaking on pre-trial detention and highlighting the need for EU legislation to address the excessive and unjustified use of pre-trial detention across the EU. As EU Member States face economic challenges in addressing overcrowding in prisons and the integrity of the mutual recognition system continues to be called into question as a result, LEAP hopes that the EU will recognise that action is now needed and bring forth a legislative proposal as a matter of urgency.

Details: London: Fair Trials, 2016. 195p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 14, 2016 at: https://www.fairtrials.org/wp-content/uploads/Defence-Rights-in-the-EU-full-report.pdf?platform=hootsuite

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Criminal Trials

Shelf Number: 141147


Author: Boda, Zsolt

Title: Report on an empirical assessment of fear of crime and Punitive Sentiment across Europe

Summary: The research project FIDUCIA (New European Crimes and Trust-based Policy) is funded primarily by the European Commission from the 7th Framework Programme for Research. FIDUCIA will shed light on a number of distinctively 'new European' criminal behaviors that have emerged in the last decade as a consequence of technology developments and in the increased mobility of populations across Europe. The central idea behind the project is that public trust in justice is important for social regulation, and proposes a 'trust-based' policy model in relation to emerging forms of criminality. Work package 4 reviews what is currently known about fear of crime, trust in justice and punitive attitudes of citizens across Europe. The theoretical assumption is that current public opinion about crime across Europe will shift in the wake of new forms of crime and new inter-ethnic tensions. Nurtured in part by tabloid media and radicalizing political discourse, "popular punitive" sentiments are characterized among other things by an emphasis on unexpected and growing crime, the blaming of certain social groups, distrust in the police and justice, and the endorsement of harsh, punitive measures. D4.3 reports on an empirical assessment of punitive sentiment across Europe using the European Social Survey Data. This analysis offers new and important insights into the phenomenon of ‘punitivity’ across Europe. We have examined two pairs of measures of punitivity: subjective measures of public opinion, and actual-penal-practice punitivity. We have labelled our two measures of subjective punitivity 'expressive' and 'considered'. Expressive punitivity reflects a desire for tougher penalties and considered punitivity reflects preferences for heavy sentences in a sentencing exercise. We have presented two measures of country-level punitivity in actual-penal-practice: numbers of prisoners per 100,000 population, and number of prisoners per 1,000 recorded crimes.

Details: Fiducia (New European Crimes and Trust-Based Policy), 2012. 38p.

Source: Internet Resource: accessed November 17, 2016 at: http://www.fiduciaproject.eu/media/press_releases/9/D4.3%20Report%20on%20an%20empirical%20assessment%20of%20fear%20of%20crime%20and%20punitive%20sentiment%20across%20Europe.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Fear of Crime

Shelf Number: 144859


Author: Europol

Title: IOCTA 2016: Internet Organised Crime Threat Assessment

Summary: The 2016 Internet Organised Crime Threat Assessment (IOCTA) is a law enforcement-centric threat assessment intended to inform priority setting for the EMPACT Operational Action Plans in the three sub-priority areas of cybercrime (cyber attacks, child sexual exploitation online and payment fraud). The IOCTA also seeks to inform decision-makers at strategic, policy and tactical levels on how to fight cybercrime more effectively and to better protect online society against cyber threats. The 2016 IOCTA provides a view from the trenches, drawing primarily on the experiences of law enforcement within the EU Member States to highlight the threats visibly impacting on industry and private citizens within the EU. The IOCTA is a forward-looking assessment presenting analyses of future risks and emerging threats, providing recommendations to align and strengthen the joint efforts of EU law enforcement and its partners in preventing and fighting cybercrime.

Details: Paris: EUROPOL, 2016. 72p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 22, 2016 at: https://www.europol.europa.eu/activities-services/main-reports/internet-organised-crime-threat-assessment-iocta-2016

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Computer Crimes

Shelf Number: 147314


Author: Johnston, Nick

Title: Cigarette Smuggling: Poland to Sweden

Summary: Cigarette smuggling is a multibillion dollar industry which directly feeds off government revenue. Within the European Union (EU) there are losses of around 11.3 billion euro in tax revenue each year as a result of this criminal activity. The unique socioeconomic environment of the EU coupled with the open borders policy provides smugglers with opportunities to make incredible profits. The demand for cheap tobacco products across Europe is high so the illicit production industry is a viable market for many to capitalize on. Attempts to curtail the trade are weighed down by ineffective legislation and limited resources. The limited legal repercussions and immense profit margins make the cigarette smuggling an incredibly attractive enterprise. Smugglers to convey their supply from Poland, Belarus and the Baltic states up to Sweden and Norway where they can make profit margins of up to 1000%. The methods used to transport the contraband can be as intuitive as they are audacious. Ranging from flying in small aircraft into abandoned Swedish airports to smuggling in thousands of cigarettes in a concrete segment of a bridge awaiting construction. This report explores the extent of the illegal tobacco trade within the EU, detailing how government institutions are affected. There is a special focus on cigarette trends in Poland, which is the prevailing origin of tobacco products within the EU. Through uncovering the plights of the system which allows for illicit trade to flow through, the report provides recommendations for all levels of law enforcement, from local to international, on addressing the growing issue.

Details: Stockholm: SWE: Institute for Security & Development Policy, 2016. 42p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 22, 2016 at: http://isdp.eu/content/uploads/2016/10/Cigarette-Smuggling-Report-2016.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Cigarette Smuggling

Shelf Number: 147312


Author: Muskat-Gorska, Zuzanna

Title: The Role of the Internet in Trafficking for Labour Exploitation

Summary: The report examines what role the internet plays in trafficking in human beings for labour exploitation. It considers in particular methods of online job recruitment and looks at cases studies from several EU Member States – Czech Republic, UK, Ireland, and Romania – and discusses to what extent the internet plays a role and if so, how significant the role of the internet is in facilitating human trafficking. The report provides examples of potential solutions.

Details: Brussels: International Trade Union Confederation, 2015. 28p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 28, 2016 at: https://www.ituc-csi.org/IMG/pdf/internet_and_labour_trafficking.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Forced Labor

Shelf Number: 147309


Author: Biffi, Emanuela

Title: IVOR report. Implementing Victim-Oriented Reform of the criminal justice system in the European Union

Summary: With many tens of millions of Europeans suffering from crime every year, the difficulties faced by victims of crime are a truly pan-European phenomenon. The Victims' Directive represents a milestone for the position of victims of crime in criminal proceedings across Europe, sought to improve the rights, support and protection of all victims of crime and thereby aid their recovery. The impact of the EU Directive on victims of crime and on the actual experience of crime victims across Europe largely depends on the way and the extent to which the Directive’s articles will be successful in reorienting victim policy in EU Member States. Domestic national experience shows that improving the plight of victims of crime can only to a limited degree be entrusted upon changes in the 'letter of the law'. Instead success is in large part contingent upon the practice at street-level: the extent to which rights are supported by sufficient services. Project IVOR - Implementing victim-oriented reform of the criminal justice system in the European Union (2014-2016) arises from the idea of providing a full overview of current research into and with victims’ rights and services, identifying lacunas and offering a vision towards a victim-oriented reform connected with the experience, victimological knowledge and the backdrop of the societal ecology. Translated into a further understanding of the manner in which victim-oriented reform in the diverse countries in Europe could succeed, Project IVOR findings expected to contribute to the development of practical recommendations and measures to promote the implementation of the EU Directive 2012/29/EU establishing minimum standards on the rights, support and protection of victims of crime.

Details: Lisbon: APAV - Associação Portuguesa de Apoio à Vítima, 2016. 240p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 7, 2016 at: http://www.apav.pt/ivor/images/ivor/PDFs/IVOR-Repot-WebVersion.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Victim Services

Shelf Number: 140337


Author: European Parliament. Directorate-General for Internal Policies. Policy Department A Economic and Scientific Policy

Title: Delivering and Enforcing the EU Action Plan against Wildlife Trafficking

Summary: This report summarises the presentations and discussions during the workshop 'Delivering and Enforcing the EU Action Plan against Wildlife Trafficking' held on 8th September 2016. The aim of the workshop was to provide background information to the ENVI Committee members on the EU Action Plan and open a debate about its implementation challenges between Committee members and established experts. The workshop and this report has been commissioned by Policy Department A at the request of the Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) of the European Parliament.

Details: Brussels: European Parliament, 2016. 83p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 10, 2016 at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2016/595326/IPOL_STU(2016)595326_EN.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Trafficking in Wildlife

Shelf Number: 140413


Author: SPRING (European Prevention Campaign for Youth)

Title: WP6 - Pilot action to validate the best practices identified in the project field and the use of music therapy applied in treatment programs

Summary: Drug addicts offenders suffer of a multi problematic situation: judicial, social and relational problems related to their addition. As any complex situation, the fight against drug related crimes requires the deployment of multidimensional resources and interventions that take into account both the social protection and the care and rehabilitation of the drug addict offender. Within this framework, an integrated intervention that allows the psychological and social arousal of the drug addict might have a positive impact not only on the management of addiction, but also on the control of antisocial impulses and crime recidivism. Many studies and researches have highlighted the need for the development of an effective drug related offences prevention and fight against strategy in which the focus can be shifted from imprisonment to treatment. Furthermore, an integrated treatment system is required to face the different aspects of the problem: addiction’s symptoms management, treatment of the psychopathological condition and social reintegration of the addict. The activation of processes of change during the recovery path of drug addicts involves internal aspects to the person and aspects related to the external environment. The alternative measures to detention can represent a new kind of treatment of addiction; however, the only external pressure is not enough unless it is sided by personal motivation and commitment (internal aspects). The identification of the treatment programmes (best practices) revealed music therapy as promoter of a process of awareness and activation of the change of the person. Music therapy technique in rehabilitation paths aims to guide the person to a better perception of his/her cognitive and emotional experiences. Music therapy during rehabilitation as an alternative to detention provides the drug addict with tools that will enable him/her to acquire adequate levels of awareness and ability to manage the emotions and relationships as well as the management of the behavioural impulses.

Details: Valenza, AL: SPRING Project, 2012? 62p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 15, 2016 at: http://www.spring-project.eu/upload/dvb/SPRING_Pilot_ACtion-Report-D10.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Offender Treatment

Shelf Number: 140487


Author: Eurojust

Title: Strategic project on environmental crime: report

Summary: Eurojust is pleased to present this report on the outcome of the Strategic Project (the 'Strategic Project') on Environmental Crime (the 'Report'). Eurojust launched the Strategic Project in spring 2013 on the basis of an intriguing paradox: there was growing evidence of an increasing understanding that environmental crime is a serious crime, often involving a cross-border dimension and organised crime groups (OCGs), while at the same time, statistics on prosecutions of environmental crime in the Member States did not appear to reflect the real impact of this crime. The number of cases referred to Eurojust, at that time, was also very low. A number of project activities carried out during the past year has enabled Eurojust to build significant expertise in the fight against environmental crime, to collect knowledge on the main obstacles as well as best practice when prosecuting environmental crime cases, and to look into possible solutions and the way ahead. This Report presents in its second chapter the project objectives, the methodology used to implement these objectives and the project activities undertaken to achieve these objectives. Based on the different sources of information available, the Environmental Crime Project Team (the Project Team) analysed the main issues in the prosecution and investigation of environmental crime, with a special focus on three topics: trafficking in endangered species, illegal trafficking in waste and surface water pollution. The first two are particularly important today at European Union level and are the focus of a number of EU and international initiatives. The analysis carried out on the three topics mentioned above is described in detail in three chapters. Two separate chapters are subsequently devoted to the national enforcement structure and access to expertise, and to possible solutions and best practice in tackling the challenges identified. In this context, it should be stressed that possibilities for enhanced cooperation among key stakeholders could assist Member States and Eurojust in supporting the investigation and prosecution of environmental crime cases more efficiently. Within this framework, it has already been proven that the partnership established through the Strategic Project between Eurojust and the European Network of Prosecutors for the Environment (ENPE) is particularly successful. In the conclusions, the main findings and challenges identified by the Project Team are presented. Eurojust hopes that the present Report will be instrumental in supporting the current developments and initiatives undertaken at EU and international level in the fight against environmental crime. Additionally, Eurojust believes that this Report could also contribute to raising awareness among practitioners, legislators and policy makers about the serious impact of this important crime phenomenon

Details: The Hague: Eurojust, 2014. 96p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 15, 2016 at: http://www.eurojust.europa.eu/doclibrary/eurojust-framework/casework/strategic%20project%20on%20environmental%20crime%20(october%202014)/environmental-crime-report_2014-11-21-en.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Environmental Crime

Shelf Number: 146122


Author: Duffy, Rosaleen

Title: EU Trade Policy and the Wildlife Trade

Summary: The wildlife trade is one of the most lucrative trades in the world. The legal trade into the EU alone is worth EUR 100 billion annually, while the global illegal wildlife trade is estimated to be worth between EUR 8 and 20 billion annually. The trade is highly complex and its legal and illegal forms are often connected. The illegal wildlife trade cannot be tackled via the use of trade policy alone; instead trade instruments need to be used in conjunction with broader means of addressing the wide range of reasons why wildlife is traded illegally first place. This includes the need to reduce poverty and inequality in source countries, demand reduction in consumer countries and tackling corruption, organised crime, poor enforcement and low penalties in many source, transit and end user markets. The EU is also facing some new challenges in the legal and illegal wildlife trade, emanating from the growth of e-commerce, expansion of private mailing centres and the growth of containerisation. The EU already has a strong track record in promoting a legal and sustainable trade, while also attempting to tackle the illegal wildlife trade. The EU already has a legal framework (EUWTR) which sets out stricter arrangements than CITES for trading in wildlife products. It has played an active role at CITES since it joined as a member in 2015, and all 20 EU proposals were accepted at CITES CoP17 in 2016. It now has an opportunity to use trade policy to embed and develop this track record further.

Details: Brussels: European Parliament, 2016. 45p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 16, 2016 at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2016/578025/EXPO_STU(2016)578025_EN.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Illegal Wildlife Trade

Shelf Number: 146127


Author: Carrera, Sergio

Title: Irregular Migration, Trafficking and Smuggling of Human Beings: Policy Dilemmas in the EU

Summary: While the current migration and refugee crisis is the most severe that the world has known since the end of the Second World War (with over 60 million refugees worldwide, according to the UNHCR), it may turn into the norm, because the reasons to migrate keep on multiplying. These reasons range from long-lasting political crises, endemic civil wars, atrocities committed against ethnic or religious groups by extremist organisations to the lack of economic development prospects and climate change. The European Union has a duty to welcome some of these people – namely those who need international protection. With over a million irregular migrants crossing its external borders in 2015, the European Union has to engage in a deep reflection on the rationale underpinning its policies on irregular migration and migrant smuggling – and their effects. At such a strenuous time, the challenge before us is “to work closely together in a spirit of solidarity” while the “need to secure Europe’s borders” remains an imperative, to recall President Juncker’s words. Of particular relevance in this framework is the issue of migrant smuggling, or facilitation of irregular entry, stay or transit. Addressing migrant smuggling – located at the intersection of criminal law, which sanctions organised crime, the management of migration and the protection of the fundamental rights of irregular migrants – has become a pressing priority. But the prevention of and fight against migrant smuggling is a complex process, affected by contextual factors, including a high level of economic and social disparity between the EU and several third countries, difficult cooperation with source and transit countries and limited legal migration channels to the EU. In this framework, the European Commission tabled two agendas prioritising the fight against migrant smuggling. The European Agenda on Security, adopted in April 2015, and the European Agenda on Migration, presented in May 2015, both attach major importance to cooperation against the smuggling of migrants inside the EU and from third countries. Shortly afterwards, to operationalise these frameworks, the European Commission presented the EU Action Plan against Migrant Smuggling, in May 2015. It foresees a comprehensive, multidisciplinary response against migrant smuggling involving relevant stakeholders and institutions at all levels. The Action Plan covers all phases and types of migrant smuggling and all migratory routes, including the facilitation of secondary movement, unauthorised residence within the EU and the necessity to enforce return and readmission procedures. It endorses a comprehensive approach ranging from preventive action targeting potential migrants in countries of origin and transit to measures against smuggling rings operating along the migratory routes, while ensuring the full respect of the human rights of migrants. The implementation, involving different actors and organisations at local, regional, national and international levels, as well as EU agencies, is coordinated by the Commission. The Action Plan sets out both short-term and long-term objectives around four main priorities: reinforcing investigation and prosecution of smugglers; improved information gathering, sharing and analysis; better prevention of smuggling and assisting vulnerable migrants and enhancing cooperation with third countries. The Action Plan underlines the critical need to collect and share information on the modus operandi, routes and economic models of smuggling networks in order to understand the business model of criminal networks and design adequate responses. In this framework, full use should be made of the available risk analyses and monitoring of pre-frontier areas. The dissemination of information related to the external borders will be increased with the support of Eurosur, while further research on the phenomena and on the links with other crimes needs to be initiated. The relevant EU agencies must scale up their work on migrant smuggling. Their resources devoted to migrant smuggling have been increased substantially. Europol’s new European Migrant Smuggling Centre should become the EU information hub in the fight against migrant smuggling. The presence of both Europol and Frontex in the hotspots of frontline member states is crucial for gathering and processing information – and for launching investigations leading to prosecutions. Funded by the European Commission’s Seventh Framework Programme for Research, the FIDUCIA project has promoted research on the role of trust-based policies in legal compliance in the field of migration, through the work done by the Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS) and a group of academics. The initiative aims to stimulate evidence-based policy-making and to bring fresh thinking to develop more effective policies. The European Commission welcomes the valuable contribution of this initiative to help close the wide gap in our knowledge about the smuggling of migrants, and especially the functioning of smuggling networks.

Details: Brussels: Centre for European Policy Studies, 2016. 112p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 19, 2016 at: https://www.ceps.eu/system/files/Irregular%20Migration,%20Trafficking%20and%20SmugglingwithCovers.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Border Security

Shelf Number: 147762


Author: Omega Research Foundation

Title: Grasping the Nettle: Ending Europe's Trade in Execution and Torture Technology

Summary: In 2006 the European Union (EU) introduced the world's first multilateral trade controls to prohibit the international trade in equipment which has no practical use other than for the purposes of executions, torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment; and to control the trade in a range of policing and security equipment misused for such violations of human rights, 'Council Regulation (EC) No 1236/2005 of 27 June 2005 concerning trade in certain goods which could be used for capital punishment, torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment' (the Regulation). In January 2014 the Commission presented proposals to the Council of Member States and the European Parliament for strengthening the Regulation. Whilst the Commission proposals focused on certain long-standing limitations, they failed to effectively address a number of crucial weaknesses and loopholes in the Regulation and its attendant control regime. If these issues are not tackled directly now by EU Member States and the European Parliament, this rare opportunity to comprehensively strengthen the control regime and close loopholes exploited by unscrupulous traders will be missed. It is now time for the European Union to "grasp the nettle" and end Europe's trade in execution and torture technology for good. This report, co-authored by Amnesty International and the Omega Research Foundation, is intended to inform this process by highlighting existing failings of the control regime through contemporary case studies and by providing realistic and workable policy solutions to these often complex technical issues.

Details: London: AI, 2015. 59p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 20, 2016 at: https://omegaresearchfoundation.org/sites/default/files/uploads/Publications/Grasping%20the%20Nettle%20Ending%20Europes%20Trade%20in%20Execution%20and%20Torture%20Technology.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Executions

Shelf Number: 147784


Author: Policy Research Corporation

Title: The impact of 100% scanning of U.S.-bound containers on maritime transport

Summary: On the 3rd of August 2007 former President Bush signed into law the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act which requires the scanning of all U.S.-bound containers by radiation detection and non-intrusive inspection equipment at a foreign port before being loaded on a vessel. At the European Commission level it was agreed to prepare a "long-term assessment of the impact of 100% scanning in order to be ready for the discussion with the new U.S. Congress and administration". The study ‘The impact of 100% scanning of U.S.-bound containers’ was awarded to Policy Research Corporation and analyzes the impact of the obligation of 100% scanning of U.S.- bound containers before shipping: - on port facilities and ports, including their competitiveness; - on transport towards ports and on adjacent regions; - and finally also on the U.S. production using components shipped via European ports. The study started in October 2008 with an extensive literature search, in particular legal documents and papers considering the operation and economic impact of the 100% scanning rule. In a second phase data collection was combined with a series of interviews and field trips, directed to Port Authorities, Terminal Operating Companies, transport operators, professional associations, forwarders and any other stakeholders. For these interviews and field trips a selection was made of 14 European ports including the main U.S.-bound containerized cargo.

Details: Antwerp: European Commission, Directorate-General Energy and Transport, 2009. 83p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 21, 2016 at: http://ec.europa.eu/transport/sites/transport/files/themes/security/studies/doc/2009_04_scanning_containers.pdf

Year: 2009

Country: Europe

Keywords: Cargo Security

Shelf Number: 147790


Author: Fair Trials International

Title: A Measure of Last Resort? The practice of pre-trial detention decision making in the EU

Summary: 1. Pre-trial detention (depriving suspects and accused people of their liberty before the conclusion of a criminal case) is intended to be an exceptional measure, only to be used as necessary and proportionate and in compliance with the presumption of innocence and the right to liberty. Its use is only acceptable as a measure of last resort, in very limited circumstances. Unfortunately, in the EU as around the world, these strict limitations are not always respected. 2. The EU is facing a long-standing crisis in prison overcrowding that threatens to undermine mutual trust and the functioning and legality of mutual recognition instruments like the European Arrest Warrant. Overcrowding, and the rights violations it causes, is driven in part by excessive use of pre-trial detention, in contravention of regional and international standards. The European Commission and Parliament have, for the past five years, repeatedly recognised the need for improved standards of pre-trial detention. Recent decisions from the Court of Justice of the European Union have again pushed the need for regional legislation to the fore. 3. Given the concern expressed about excessive use of pre-trial detention in the EU, there is a surprising lack of information on the practical operation of procedural rules designed to ensure that detention is only used when strictly legal and necessary. In order to gain a realistic view of problems in practice on which to develop targeted national and regional solutions, Fair Trials has coordinated research in ten EU Member States (England and Wales, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Ireland, Lithuania, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, and Spain) to analyse the practice of pre-trial detention decision-making and the use of alternatives to detention. The research consisted of legal and statistical analysis, hearing monitoring, case-file reviews, a survey of defence lawyers, and qualitative interviews with prosecutors and judges, resulting in detailed reports. This report provides a high-level overview of the research and analysis from an EU regional perspective..."

Details: London: Fair Trials, 2016. 84p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 23, 2016 at: https://www.fairtrials.org/wp-content/uploads/A-Measure-of-Last-Resort-Full-Version.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Detention

Shelf Number: 144813


Author: Calderoni, Francesco

Title: The Eastern Balkan Hub for Illicit Tobacco

Summary: Key hubs are crucial sets of countries on the regional, continental or global map of the illicit trade in tobacco products. Analysis of key hubs instead of single countries enables a more comprehensive understanding of the factors determining the transnational illicit flows and a more effective identification of the strategies to fight and prevent the ITTP (Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products). The following elements often characterise key hubs: • medium to high levels of the ITTP in the hub, • significant price differentials of tobacco products across the hub, • extensive engagement of local manufacturers in the ITTP, • substantial flows of illicit tobacco to, within or from the hub to other countries. This report focuses on the Eastern Balkan hub for illicit cigarettes. Bulgaria is the most relevant country in the hub because it has significant inflows and outflows of illicit tobacco products. The sorrounding countries (Greece, Macedonia, Romania, Serbia and Turkey) are included because they enables and facilitate these flows. The report takes the name from the geographical area of the countries included.

Details: Milano: Transcrime – Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 2016. 53p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 23, 2016 at: http://www.transcrime.it/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/TheEasternBalkanHubforIllicitTobacco.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Cigarettes

Shelf Number: 147806


Author: Carneiro, Roberto, ed.

Title: Youth, Offense and Well-Being. Can Science Enlighten Policy?

Summary: Contemporary societies are confronted with numerous difficult decisions, and complex choices, concerning the plethora of social services expected by their taxpayers. When it comes to Young Offenders however, rather than rendering a rehabilitative service to this minority group of citizens, the trend in most western countries is to treat them punitively. This policy preference goes very much in line with a late modernity tendency for all offenders, regardless of age, gender, social condition or ethnic group to be held accountable for their acts. An increased accountability as an integral part of the enhanced responsibility inherent to the fundamental duties and obligations of citizenship is laudable or is beyond criticism. However, in the majority of our societies, we are speaking of an age group 12-16, which is over-represented in terms of high-risk criminogenic youths: ethnic minorities, poverty stricken households, single parent and/or dysfunctional families, youth gangs proximity, substance abuse practices, and early school dropouts. In other words, we are speaking of heavily victimised – socially handicapped – segments of our younger population, a reality that opposes the oversimplified picture of early criminals with reproachable behaviours, one that is as we see in the cliché portrait often depicted in the popular media. As with any other human being, a rehabilitation programme guided toward young offenders, especially when condemned into custodial internship, requires a caring environment to be effective. The bricolage involved in the delicate reconstruction of a deeply wounded personality demands the achievement of sustainable levels of well-being; achieving this minimum level of well-being is a sine qua non precondition that lies at the heart of the re-acquisition of self-esteem, self-control, and self-confidence thresholds, which are enablers of a new and fresh start. Indeed,unless a minimum state of well-being, both exogenous and endogenous, can be attained, it is impossible for such a young person to overcome a feeling both of personal frustration and social exclusion. Moreover, a negative sense of self-worth is a critical barrier to the restoration of engines of right choices, namely those concerning the formation of a free and responsible will, in order to be able to undertake a regenerative route: nurturing a new dream and forging a constructive purpose in life. This is the business of this book: to elicit evidence from emerging research and new knowledge, which is most relevant for both policy and decision making, on the apparently contradictory trilogy – and research question – that forms our point of departure, Offense, (Re)Integration and Well-Being. It is our firm belief, having researched over years the difficult dialogue between research and policy, that a new era is now in the making, to which this book bears witness. Never before, has so much rhetoric been assigned to evidence-based policies. We see this banner equally heralded by international organisations, schools of public policy and public management gurus, whose voices have nurtured an increasing awareness toward the urgency of building robust bridges between these two worlds: the universe of researchers and that of politicians/policy makers/administrators of public goods. Hence, the context seems favourable for producing a flagship publication that aims at collecting the mainstream state of the art on the subject under consideration: Youth, Offense, and Well-Being: Can Science Enlighten Policy?

Details: Lisbon: CENTRO DE ESTUDOS DOS POVOS E CULTURAS DE EXPRESSÃO PORTUGUESA, 2015. 460p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 25, 2017 at: http://www.fch.lisboa.ucp.pt/resources/Documentos/CEPCEP/Youth_VERSAO%20FINAL.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Evidence-Based Practices

Shelf Number: 140669


Author: Innocenti Insight

Title: Child Trafficking in Europe: A Broad Vision to Put Children First

Summary: The UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre Insight entitled Child Trafficking in Europe: A broad vision to put children first examines how the European region is responding to child trafficking. It assesses the legal, policy and implementation frameworks in place to address this phenomenon, which affects the lives of untold numbers of children and families in the region and beyond. Children are trafficked within and across borders in Europe. They are trafficked into hazardous labour, sexual exploitation, domestic servitude, begging, criminal activities – including petty crime – and other exploitative situations. Many children suffer profound and sometimes permanent damage. Child trafficking is a serious violation of human rights that threatens children’s survival and development. It denies children their fundamental rights, including the right to education, health and protection from exploitation and abuse. This report adheres to the international definition of trafficking in human beings and child trafficking, as provided by the UN Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Human Beings, Especially Women and Children (the 'Palermo Protocol'). This study covers 51 countries/entities in Western and Eastern Europe and Central Asia (see Annex, page 47). It investigates the complexity of child trafficking from its origin to destination and maps trafficking patterns as well as targeted law and policy responses in the wide European region. The report addresses child trafficking in the framework of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and focuses on prevention, protection and empowerment. It promotes a child-centred approach that encourages child participation and ensures that children’s views are taken into account for more effective prevention of all forms of child exploitation and abuse. What emerges in the study is a sense of the complexity and dynamics of child trafficking and an understanding that no country or region is immune. The study highlights a number of concrete measures taken by European governments that show that increasing attention is being paid to the special situation and vulnerability of children affected by trafficking. At the same time, the study makes clear that although potentially influential international standards have been adopted, the extent to which such instruments and initiatives have actually been implemented across Europe or used to frame policies and actions is varied, inconsistent and uncoordinated. Some countries have not yet ratified important legal instruments, thus compromising the effectiveness of child protection. Trafficking in human beings is often considered in the broader context of controlling irregular migration, organized crime and sexual exploitation, and insufficient attention is paid specifically to preventing child trafficking and ensuring the rights of affected children. The Insight illustrates that a child-centred strategy to address child trafficking is long overdue. This strategy must place children's rights at the centre of international, regional and national policies and initiatives. It must focus on the prevention of exploitation and abuse of children, as well as on the protection and empowerment of all vulnerable children and child victims. The strategy has to acknowledge children’s evolving capacity for engagement and their right to be heard and to have their views taken into account in all matters concerning them. Child Trafficking in Europe is part of a broader UNICEF IRC research initiative on child trafficking. It follows an earlier analysis of the situation in Africa, including a review of law and policy responses. UNICEF IRC research on child trafficking is also focusing on South Asia. Future research will enhance a global perspective on child trafficking. It will investigate the links to other complex child protection issues, such as the rights of children who move or migrate on their own. The UNICEF IRC Insight also builds on studies completed by the UNICEF Regional Office for Central and Eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CEE/CIS). In fact, UNICEF IRC research findings substantiate many conclusions from that region, and confirm their relevance and validity for the wider European region, including within the European Union and other Western European countries.

Details: Florence, Italy: UNICEF, UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre, 2008. 68p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 28, 2017 at: https://www.unicef-irc.org/publications/pdf/ct_in_europe_full.pdf

Year: 2008

Country: Europe

Keywords: Child Protection

Shelf Number: 147291


Author: European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA)

Title: Current migration situation in the EU: hate crime

Summary: Asylum seekers and migrants face various forms of violence and harassment across the European Union (EU). As this month's report on the migration situation underscores, such acts are both perpetrated and condoned by state authorities, private individuals, as well as vigilante groups. They increasingly also target activists and politicians perceived as 'pro-refugee'. Meanwhile, a lack of relevant data is hampering efforts to develop effective measures to prevent these incidents. Outlining recent attacks in 14 EU Member States, this focus of the November report also examines the diverse factors that undermine the reporting of such incidents and highlights promising practices seeking to counter them.

Details: Vienna: FRA, 2016. 19p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 30, 2017 at: http://fra.europa.eu/sites/default/files/fra_uploads/fra-2016-november-monthly-focus-hate-crime_en.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Asylum Seekers

Shelf Number: 145998


Author: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA)

Title: Drug supply reduction: an overview of EU policies and measures

Summary: The operation of illicit drug markets is dependent on a chain of events with a global span. At each stage of the process, from the production to the trafficking through to the consumption and the derived profits, the health and security of different countries is compromised by organised crime groups. This paper looks at EU policies and responses to the production and trafficking of illicit drugs, set within the global context. It considers the different strategic areas where these challenges are addressed, the EU structures involved, and some of the key measures currently being implemented by the EU and its international partners. Drug supply reduction issues arise in many policy areas, including illicit drug policy, security, organised crime, and maritime and regional cooperation policy. Issues related to drug production and trafficking arise in the work of several institutions, bodies and EU agencies. The operation of smuggling routes challenges the security of the EU in different ways and measures have been adopted to counteract these problems. These include developing intelligence-led policing and improved border management and surveillance as well as legislative tools to target criminal profits. The EU is involved in a range of projects and initiatives around the world designed to reduce the supply of illicit drugs, including capacity-building initiatives targeting smuggling routes and measures to support economic, legislative and monitoring infrastructural development.

Details: Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2017. 24p.

Source: Internet Resource: EMCDDA Papers: Accessed February 1, 2017: http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/system/files/publications/3633/TDAU16002ENN_web_file.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Policy

Shelf Number: 145072


Author: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA)

Title: Drug trafficking penalties across the European Union: a survey of expert opinion. Technical report

Summary: The results of a study on national drug trafficking laws and their application in the Member States of the European Union are presented in this report. It is based on an analysis of the national laws and on the opinions of legal practitioners — judges, prosecutors and defence lawyers — from 26 countries. The penalties set out in national laws for trafficking cannabis, amphetamine, cocaine and heroin are compared with the sentencing outcomes expected by the legal practitioners, including penalties imposed and the estimated time likely to be spent in prison.

Details: Lisbon, Portugal: Praca Europa, 2017. 132p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 1, 2017 at: http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/system/files/publications/3573/Trafficking-penalties.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Enforcement

Shelf Number: 140778


Author: European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA)

Title: Criminal detention and alternatives: fundamental rights aspects in EU cross-border transfers

Summary: This report deals with fundamental rights issues related to three European Union (EU) instruments: the Framework Decision on transfer of prisoners (Council Framework Decision 2008/909/JHA),the Framework Decision on probation and alternative sanctions (Council Framework Decision 2008/947/JHA),and the Framework Decision on the European Supervision Order (ESO) (Council Framework Decision 2009/829/JHA). The Framework Decision on transfer of prisoners outlines rules on the recognition of judgments "imposing custodial sentences or [other] measures involving the deprivation of liberty". By providing for such transfers across Member States, the Framework Decision has the overall purpose of facilitating social rehabilitation. This is also the overall purpose of the Framework Decision on probation and alternative sanctions, which additionally aims to improve the protection of victims as well as the general public. It applies to a variety of probation measures or alternative sanctions. As specified in Article 4 of the instrument, these include "an obligation for the sentenced person to inform a specific authority of any change of residence or working place"; "an obligation not to enter certain localities, places or […] areas"; “an obligation containing limitations on leaving the territory”; instructions on "behaviour, residence, education and training, leisure activities", etc.; "an obligation to compensate financially for the prejudice caused by the offence"; “an obligation to carry out community service”; "an obligation to cooperate with a probation officer"; and “an obligation to undergo therapeutic treatment or treatment for addiction". Improving victim protection is also one of the main objectives of the third instrument analysed in this report – the Framework Decision on the European Supervision Order. This instrument aims to facilitate the "recognition of decisions on supervision measures as an alternative to […] detention". Article 8 specifies that it applies to measures such as "an obligation to inform [authorities] of any change of residence"; “an obligation not to enter certain localities or defined areas”; "an obligation to report at specified times to specific authorities"; or "an obligation to avoid contact with specific persons". Social rehabilitation is a relatively open-ended term. The Framework Decisions do not offer an explicit definition, but Recital 9 of the Framework Decision on transfer of prisoners refers to social rehabilitation as including elements such as "the person’s attachment to the executing State, whether he or she considers it the place of family, linguistic, cultural, social or economic and other links to the executing State". The EU’s and its Member States’ actions must be consistent with international standards. The leading global instrument – the United Nations (UN) Standard Minimum Rules for Treatment of Offenders, as revised in December 2015 – stresses that the purpose of prison sentences “can be achieved only if the period of imprisonment is used to ensure, so far as possible, the reintegration of such persons into society upon release so that they can lead a law-abiding and self-supporting life.” Accordingly, Rules 4 (2) and 59 state that "[p]risoners shall be allocated, to the extent possible, to prisons close to their homes or their places of social rehabilitation." It thus appears that social rehabilitation – or at least the similar concept of 'reintegration', in the language of the rules – entails a process that starts during detention and is facilitated by being detained as close to 'home' as possible. The three Framework Decisions supplement each other by covering different aspects of cross-border transfers: • The Framework Decision on the European Supervision Order encourages using and transferring alternatives to pre-trial detention to permit individuals to maintain 'social connections' (such as family, work, or education) in an EU Member State while awaiting trial – by way of monitoring them with means other than detention in that Member State, typically the 'home' state. • The Framework Decision on probation and alternative sanctions encourages monitoring of early releases and using alternatives to post-trial detention, for reasons similar to those underlying the ESO (i.e. family, work, or education). • The Framework Decision on transfer of prisoners encourages having post-trial detainees serve their sentences 'closer to home'. This report aims to identify barriers to, and opportunities for, the protection, promotion and fulfilment of fundamental rights in the implementation and application of the three Framework Decisions. This is achieved by taking as a base the existing standards in international human rights law and the jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) and the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), as they apply to transfers under the three Framework Decisions and related issues. The national laws and practices in effect in the 28 EU Member States are also considered, showing how states are implementing common standards, and how promising practices have developed. The research was undertaken based on a request from the European Commission to better understand the fundamental rights challenges and opportunities the three Framework Decisions entail. For this reason, the report reviews the application of the three instruments and explores aspects that are of particular relevance from a fundamental rights-perspective – both problems and potentially positive impacts. While the report underscores the importance of EU Member States’ mutual trust in each other’s judicial systems, and what is needed to improve such trust, it does not address in detail how this could be achieved. Thus, the report does not discuss aspects such as how detention could be reduced or how alternatives to detention should be used more frequently. The report is intended to be particularly useful for practitioners in EU Member States who may apply the three instruments. It hopes to help avoid the development of fundamental rights concerns in the application of the Framework Decisions – but also to encourage their use, given their inherent potential to strengthen fundamental rights. A range of other actors are looking at the implementation and practical application of one or more of the three instruments, focusing on various aspects thereof. FRA’s report contributes to these efforts by presenting a fundamental rights perspective on all three Framework Decisions. The data and information on EU Member States presented in this report cover the period up to 1 June 2015, which is 2–3 years after the three Framework Decisions’ implementation deadlines. The information was obtained through desk research and consultations with government officials, judges, and other professional groups involved in the criminal justice process to get a comprehensive picture of both law and practice.

Details: Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2016. 116p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 1, 2017 at: http://fra.europa.eu/sites/default/files/fra_uploads/fra-2016-criminal-detention-and-alternatives_en.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Detention

Shelf Number: 130780


Author: Hawley, Jo

Title: Prison Education and Training in Europe: Current State-of-Play and Challenges

Summary: ECUTIVE SUMMARY Education and training can be provided in a multitude of arenas, prisons being one of them. Prisons form a very specific learning environment with distinct challenges differing from those faced in the mainstream education and training sector. Firstly, prison education and training is provided in overcrowded institutions with an average occupancy rate of 105% across the EU-27. Secondly, the prison populations are becoming increasingly diverse. For example, in countries such as Greece and Belgium over 40% of prisoners are foreign-born. However, in spite of these challenges, there is evidence that investing in prison education and training is worthwhile. For instance, a study assessing the costs and benefits of in-prison education to UK society found that the benefits were more than double the investment made. It is thus important to explore the quality and efficiency of current learning provision in European prisons. Among the c. 640,000 strong prison population in the EU there is a significant proportion of low-skilled Europeans. Even though there is no exact data on the qualification levels of prisoners, it has been estimated that only 3-5% of them would be qualified to undertake higher education, and in many countries there is a high instance of early school leaving among prisoners. Low levels of qualifications have important negative effects on prisoners' employment prospects upon release, which has been found to be one of the key factors influencing whether or not ex-prisoners re-offend. Thus, the provision of basic skills education, and particularly, vocational training, in prisons has an important role to play in the reintegration process of prisoners. However, as noted by the European prison rules, it is important to provide educational opportunities, which meet the needs of individual prisoners. This includes providing education and training also for those who have higher prior educational attainment. In spite of the potential benefits of education and training for prisoners, such as improving their employability, social inclusion and re-integration into society, they tend to participate in learning relatively little. A recent survey provides comparable insight for the first time into the scale of participation in learning by adult prisoners. The large majority of countries (15 out of 20, including for example AT, BE(nl), CY, FI, GR, HU, NL, PL, SK, UK-Scotland & UK-Wales) reported that less than a quarter of prisoners participate in education and training. Exceptions include countries such as Germany, where between a half and three quarters participate in education and training. There are a number of ways in which the attractiveness, quality and efficiency of prison education and training can be improved. These include increasing cooperation inside the prison between different actors as well as between prisons and local communities in order to ensure that the education and training provided in prisons is supported and can continue post-release. Innovative learning methods, which put the emphasis on the learner and build on their knowledge and experience, are needed to attract prisoners into learning. This can include the use of ICT and distance learning, which not only expand the scope of learning opportunities but also ensure that learning can continue even in situations where the prisoner changes prisons. The use of innovative learning methods requires skilled teachers and trainers with sound pedagogic skills and a good understanding of the demands and limitations of providing education in prisons. This highlights the importance of both initial and in-service training of prison educators. The report shows how education and training for prisoners help reduce the social costs of crime and support the rehabilitation of prisoners and their reintegration into society. It further provides an overview of key European policies and funding programmes related to prison education and training, highlighting their added value and contribution to the development of innovative and new approaches to education provision in prisons. It then looks into the current 'state-of-play' with regard to provision in prisons across Europe, providing some concrete examples from individual Member States. The conclusions identify key elements for efficient and effective education and training provision in prisons as well as specific needs for further research on the complex interplay between education and criminal behaviour.

Details: Brussels: European Commission, 2013. 62p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 3, 2017 at: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/education_culture/repository/education/library/study/2013/prison_en.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Correctional Programs

Shelf Number: 140807


Author: Carrera, Sergio

Title: The European Border and Coast Guard: Addressing migration and asylum challenges in the Mediterranean?

Summary: The humanitarian refugee crisis in Europe of 2015-2016 has revealed several unfinished elements and shortcomings in current EU policies and approaches to migration, asylum and borders, particularly those applying in southern EU maritime borders and frontier states in the Mediterranean. This book provides a critical examination of the main issues and lessons learned from this crisis and gives an up-to-date assessment of the main policy, legal and institutional responses that have been put in place at the EU level. It further examines the extent to which these responses can be expected to work under the current system of sharing responsibilities among EU member states in assessing asylum applications and ensuring a consistent implementation of EU legal standards that comply with the rule of law and fundamental rights. This report is based on original research and draws upon the existing literature, along with the discussions of a CEPS Task Force that met over six months, under the chairmanship of Enrico Letta, President of the Jacques Delors Institute, Dean of the Paris School of International Affairs (PSIA) at Sciences Po and former Prime Minister of Italy. The rapporteurs offer specific recommendations and possible scenarios for policy optimisation and assess the extent to which the establishment of a European Border and Asylum Service (EBAS) could address the current gaps and challenges in EU and member states' migration policies.

Details: Brussels: The Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS), 2016. 74p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 4, 2017 at: https://www.ceps.eu/system/files/TFR%20EU%20Border%20and%20Coast%20Guard%20with%20cover_0.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Asylum

Shelf Number: 145880


Author: Mesnard, Alice

Title: To Control Migration Flows and Defeat Human Smuggling, Sell Visas

Summary: Policymakers in most OECD countries face the challenge that they must fight people smuggling while retaining control of migration flows. Policies designed to increase border controls are not sufficient on their own; the level of enforcement that would eliminate people smuggling entirely would be extremely costly. Further, these policies have unintended consequences in the people smuggling market; they increase the fees charged by smugglers, increase reliance on their services, and increase their cartellization. By contrast, a visa-selling policy can weaken smugglers by decreasing their prices and squeezing their profits. However, eliminating people smuggling only in this way requires cheap visas and necessarily leads to a rise in the numbers of people migrating. An innovative policy of selling visas combined with enforced sanctions on employers and employees for illegal working can control migration flows and put smugglers out of business. Using the revenue generated to finance enforcement allows visa prices to be set at a high level that controls migration flows.

Details: Washington, DC: Center for Global Development, 2016. 20p.

Source: Internet Resource: CGD Policy Paper 092: Accessed February 7, 2017 at: http://www.cgdev.org/sites/default/files/control-migration-%EF%AC%82ows-and-defeat-human-smuggling-sell-visas.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Human Smuggling

Shelf Number: 140848


Author: European Parliament. Directorate-General for Internal Policies. Policy Department C Citizens' Rights and Constitutional Affairs

Title: A Review and Assessment of EU Drug Policy

Summary: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The challenges facing Europe in the field of drugs are still significant and have increased in complexity in recent years. In addition to the key issue of mortality and morbidity as a result of opioid use, new and emerging problems are being experienced across the EU. These include the creation of new psychoactive substances and the increasing dynamism of illicit drug markets. This study aims to provide evidence on international and EU approaches to drug policy, including these challenges and focusing on several case study countries. This evidence has been used to identify and develop policy proposals. Drug policy at the UN and EU levels The main tenets of the UN's approach to drugs are the 1961 UN Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, the 1971 UN Convention on Psychotropic Substances and the 1988 UN Convention against illicit traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances. A key UN policy document is the 2009 'Political Declaration and Plan of Action on International Cooperation towards an Integrated and Balanced Strategy to Counter the World Drug Problem'. This document details a set of goals to be achieved by 2019, including significant and measurable progress in eliminating the illicit cultivation of opium poppy, coca bush and cannabis plant, as well as actions to be implemented by countries across three main pillars. In April 2016, the UNGASS on the World Drug Problem was convened; a UN General Assembly special session seen as an important milestone in achieving the goals set out in the 2009 policy document. The UNGASS resulted in the adoption of the outcome document 'Our joint commitment to effectively addressing and countering the world drug problem. This document provided a range of operational recommendations and broadened the original pillar structure to 7 pillars (see chapter 2). Several new themes were added including drugs and health, drugs and human rights, new drug related challenges such as NPS and use of the internet, and international and development related cooperation. At the EU level, although the primary onus for developing drug policy and legislation remains with the Member States, there are a several legal bases for EU action, as stipulated in the Treaty of Lisbon. These cover the context of adopting minimum rules on the definition of criminal offences and sanctions on serious organised crime (Article 83 TFEU), public health (Article 168 TFEU), the internal market (Article 114 TFEU) and judicial cooperation in criminal matters (Articles 82-86 TFEU). In terms of EU policy, the most prominent current instrument is the EU Drugs Strategy 2013-2020. The Strategy provides the overarching political framework and priorities for EU drug policy. The EU Drugs Strategy has 5 main objectives, namely to reduce demand and harm, disrupt the drugs market, discourse and analysis, cooperation, and research and monitoring. The implementation of the Strategy's long-term objectives have been operationalised in 4- year Action Plans. In November 2015, the Commission adopted a report on the progress of the implementation of the EU Drugs Strategy and Action Plan. The mid-term evaluation of the first Action Plan (2013-2016) is due to be completed by the end of 2016 or, at the latest, early 2017. The findings from the mid-term evaluation and the Public Consultation, which was launched by the European Commission in March 2016, will inform the Commission's decision to propose a new Action Plan for 2017-2020. Recent EU legislative developments relate to a package of two proposals regarding new psychoactive substances. These proposals were put forward by the European Commission is 2013. As Member States expressed doubts in the Council concerning the choice of Article 114 TFEU as the legal basis for the proposed Regulation, inter-institutional negotiations of this legislative package were ongoing for more than two years. As a result, the Commission withdrew its proposal on 29 August 2016 and tabled a proposal amending the founding Regulation of the EMCDDA (Regulation (EC) No 1920/2006 on the EMCDDA). Under this proposal, deadlines for decision-making on NPS will be significantly reduced and Europol will take on a more active role in the risk assessment procedure and the Early Warning System (EWS), with a view to quicker identification and assessment of the involvement of criminal groups. The new proposal was welcomed by all Member States and was backed by the European Parliament's LIBE Committee on 17 November 2016.

Details: Brussels: European Parliament, 2016. 224p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 8, 2017 at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2016/571400/IPOL_STU(2016)571400_EN.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction

Shelf Number: 144946


Author: Benelux Secretariat General

Title: Tackling Crime Together: The Benelux and North Rhine-Westphalia Initiative on the Administrative Approach to Crime Related to Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs in the Euregion Meuse-Rhine. Program Report

Summary: In September 2015, Belgium presented a proposal to the Standing Committee on Operational Cooperation on Internal Security (COSI) within the EU, in order to put the administrative approach, in particular with regard to the issue of outlaw motorcycle gangs (OMCG), on the agenda of the Network of Contact Points on the Administrative Approach to Prevent and Fight Organised Crime. At present, the Dutch EU Council Presidency 2016 is working towards the further development of an integrated approach to organised crime, focusing on the introduction of administrative measures and information exchange between administrative authorities and law enforcement agencies both at Member States and EU level. In the ISEC funded study (published in 2015) 'Administrative measures to prevent and tackle crime' the following definition of the administrative approach was used: "an administrative approach to serious and organized crime involves preventing the facilitation of illegal activities by denying criminal' the use of the legal administrative infrastructure as well as coordinated interventions 'working apart together' to disrupt and repress serious and organized crime and public order problems". The fight against organised crime is not only a major concern for police forces and judicial authorities; local and supra-local administrations and tax and inspection agencies also have an important role to play in detecting, undermining and repressing a wide range of organised crime phenomena, like corruption, money laundering, fraud, human trafficking and forced labor. Although classic methods used by investigation services within police services and judicial authorities remain essential, Member States in the European Union should introduce a more intensive monitoring and screening, a more restrictive permit policy and more repressive administrative operations, in order to maintain a fair financial, economic and social system in European cities and municipalities. Administrative actions against organised crime do not replace police operations or criminal trials, but they act as complementary, and they strengthen the law enforcement system. We also want to underline that an administrative approach to organised crime unequivocally implies a repressive as well as a preventive component. Pressure points to be considered for the expansion of an administrative approach to organised crime, in EU Member States as well as at the EU level, are for instance privacy intrusion concerns, professional confidentiality and competence restrictions.

Details: Brussels: General Secretariat of the Benelux Union, 2016. 32p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 11, 2017 at: http://www.benelux.int/files/7014/5856/5150/487-Crime-Uk-web.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Motorcycle Gangs

Shelf Number: 144827


Author: European Parliament. Directorate-General for Internal Policies. Policy Department D Budgetary Affairs

Title: Proceedings of the Workshop on Cigarette Smuggling

Summary: This report analyses the relationship between EU policy and the illicit trade in tobacco products. We consider three EU policies: (1) the EC Strategy and the Action Plan to tackle the illicit trade in tobacco products, (2) the revised Tobacco Products Directive, and (3) the Agreements between the European Community, individual Member States and the four major tobacco companies.

Details: Brussels: European Parliament, 2014. 132p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 11, 2017 at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/workshop/join/2014/490681/IPOL-JOIN_AT(2014)490681_EN.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Cigarette Smuggling

Shelf Number: 145019


Author: Hicks, Tristram

Title: Model Approach for Investigating the Financing of Organised Crime

Summary: The financing of organised crime is a horizontal issue for all criminal markets, although it rarely falls in the focus of law enforcement agencies. The intelligence gathering of law enforcement agencies has traditionally been focused on uncovering the members of crime groups and tracing the illicit goods or services. Financial transactions are traced mainly for the purposes of money laundering investigations, where the focus is on the proceeds and not on the investments related to the criminal activities. The reason for this is that currently criminal prosecution procedures in all Member States are entirely focused on collecting evidence in regards to possession, transporting, manufacturing or sale of illicit products or services. Financing of organised crime is also often passed over in threat assessments and strategic analyses of organised crime.

Details: Sofia, Bulgaria: Center for the Study of Democracy, 2015? 16p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 13, 2017 at: http://www.csd.bg/artShow.php?id=17318

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Criminal Investigation

Shelf Number: 145770


Author: Bakker, Anne

Title: At the Gate: Civil and military protection of Europe's Borders

Summary: The migratory pressures on Europe's borders present the EU with an enormous challenge to get its act together. While the objectives and mandates of internal and external security actors increasingly overlap, these actors often still live in separated worlds. This Policy Brief analyses how the EU’s border security can be strengthened through a more joined-up approach between internal and external security actors. Furthermore, it looks into how civil-military connectivity in border security can be changed from the existing ad hoc nature to more structural cooperation. Despite the EU deal with Turkey in early 2016, the migration pressure on Europe's borders persists. The Syrian war lingers on, while instability and conflicts in Northern Africa continue to offer human traffickers ample opportunities to conduct their dirty business. Many politicians earmarked 2016 as the political breakthrough year in halting massive migration flows to Europe. Stepping up the protection of Europe's borders can certainly help to better manage migration flows. Yet, gatekeeping alone will not solve the problem. Cooperations agreements have been signed, but further steps are needed to translate this into action. With so many actors involved in mapping the routes and modus operandi of smugglers, sharing information is crucial to ensure the complementarity of action and to avoid any duplication of efforts. This also requires an increase in civil-military cooperation concerning capablities.

Details: The Hague: Clingendael, 2017. 10p.

Source: Internet Resource: Policy Brief: Accessed February 15, 2017 at: https://www.clingendael.nl/sites/default/files/PB_At_%20the_%20gate.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Border Security

Shelf Number: 145397


Author: Verleysen, Cindy

Title: Preventing Illegal Trafficking of Firearms - Policies and Practices

Summary: We believe that illicit trafficking of firearms has not deserved the attention that it should. Even though it is obvious that the illicit trafficking of firearms is a threat to the security of Europe, not much has yet been done to prevent it. By writing this toolbox we would like to mitigate this by recommending certain actions to get started with the prevention. Overall, the research confirms that Europe faces a serious illicit firearms trafficking problem. This is a problem in its own right but also as an important factor contributing to other criminal activities, such as human trafficking, drugs smuggling and terrorist-related activities all of which threaten the security of EU Member States and their citizens. Additionally, trafficking in firearms make firearms more available, which then, contributes to the increased lethality of criminal violence.

Details: Brussels: European Crime Prevention Network, 2016. 70p.

Source: Internet Resource: EUCPN Tool Box Series, No. 9: Accessed February 16, 2017 at: http://eucpn.org/sites/default/files/content/download/files/toolbox_9_-_preventing_illegal_trafficking_of_firearms.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Crime Prevention

Shelf Number: 141041


Author: Verleysen, Cindy

Title: Preventing Cybercrime: Policies & Practices

Summary: Cybercrime is a borderless problem, consisting of criminal acts that are committed online by using electronic communications networks and information systems - such as crimes specific to the Internet, online fraud and forgery and illegal online content. Whilst the value of the cyber-criminal economy as a whole is not precisely known, the losses are thought to represent billions of euros per year. The scale of the problem is itself a threat to law enforcement response capability – with more than 150,000 viruses and other types of malicious code in circulation and a million people victims of cybercrime every day. The toolbox is primarily written for local policy-makers and practitioners who may be confronted with this in their daily work. In the third part some examples of practices implemented in various Member States are further explored. By doing this, the toolbox aims to build up and exchange practical knowledge and know-how and to inspire people working in the field of preventing cybercrime to learn from each other.

Details: Brussels: European Crime Prevention Network, 2016. 116p.

Source: Internet Resource: EUCPN Tool Box Series, No. 8: Accessed February 16, 2017 at: http://eucpn.org/sites/default/files/content/download/files/toolbox_8.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Computer Crimes

Shelf Number: 141042


Author: Bulanova-Hristova, Gerganga, ed.

Title: Cyber-OC-Scope and Manifestations in Selected EU Member States

Summary: The threats arising from different types of cybercrime are real and constantly evolving, as the internet with its anonymity and borderless reach provides new opportunities for physical and virtual criminal activities. We can see complex cybercriminal networks connecting subgroups and also single individuals that are active on, through and against the internet. At the same time there are also 'offline' criminal organisations using the internet to facilitate their activities and to increase their profit. Even so-called 'traditional' organised crime groups are widening their criminal portfolios by committing cybercrime. By constantly evolving online opportunities, their acts of 'traditional crimes' become even more far-reaching and damaging, thus benefiting the criminal organisation. It is not only the involvement of organised crime in cybercrime that is dangerous, but also cybercrime committed in an organised manner. Cyber-OC represents the convergence of these two phenomena. Despite the huge threat arising from its cumulative character, Cyber-OC is frequently underestimated and differently defined even by law enforcement authorities.

Details: Wiesbaden: Bundeskriminalamt, 2016. 298p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 16, 2017 at: http://eucpn.org/sites/default/files/content/download/files/52._cyber-oc_-_scope_and_manifestations_in_selected_eu_member_states.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Computer Crime

Shelf Number: 141043


Author: European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA)

Title: Rights of suspected and accused persons across the EU: translation, interpretation and information

Summary: Protecting the human rights of individuals subject to criminal proceedings is an essential element of the rule of law. Persons who are suspected or accused of crimes in countries other than their own are particularly vulnerable, making appropriate procedural safeguards especially crucial. This report reviews Member States’ legal frameworks, policies and practices regarding the important rights provided in these directives, including with respect to individuals whose needs may require additional attention, such as persons with disabilities and children.

Details: Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2016. 116p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 16, 2017 at: http://fra.europa.eu/sites/default/files/fra_uploads/fra-2016-right-to-information-translation_en.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Accused Persons

Shelf Number: 141045


Author: European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA)

Title: Current migration situation in the EU: separated children

Summary: Although official figures on the phenomenon are lacking, it is clear that children arriving in the European Union (EU) are often accompanied by persons other than their parents or guardians. Such children are usually referred to as "separated" children. Their identification and registration bring additional challenges, and their protection needs are often neglected. On arrival, these children are often "accompanied", but the accompanying adult(s) may not necessarily be able, or suitable, to assume responsibility for their care. These children are also at risk of exploitation and abuse, or may already be victims. Their realities and special needs require additional attention. The lack of data and guidance on separated children poses a serious challenge. This focus section outlines the specific protection needs of separated children, and highlights current responses and promising practices among EU Member States.

Details: Vienna: European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, 2016. 21p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 16, 2017 at: http://fra.europa.eu/sites/default/files/fra_uploads/fra-december-2016-monthly-migration-report-separated-childr.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Asylum Seekers

Shelf Number: 146279


Author: Duquet, Nils

Title: Firearms and Violent Deaths in Europe: An Exploratory Analysis of the Linkages Between Gun Ownership, Firearms Legislation and Violent Death

Summary: On a regular basis, news stories appear in the media about public shootings where shooters use their guns to open fire and kill people in shopping malls or on school campuses. Mostly these stories deal with incidents in the United States. Over the last years, however, a number of European countries have experienced similar public shooting incidents. Notable cases were the shootings at Tuusula and Kauhajoki in Finland (2007 and 2008), the killings in Cumbria in the UK (2010), the Utøya attacks by Anders Breivik in Norway (2011), and the shootings at Alphen aan den Rijn in the Netherlands and Liège in Belgium in 2011. Public shootings draw a high level of media attention. Less striking in the public eye, but not less significant – not least in quantitative terms –, are the numbers of people in Europe killed by firearms in the context of gun-related crime or in domestic shootings. It is estimated that between 2000 and 2010, over 10,000 victims of murder or manslaughter were killed by firearms in the 28 Member States of the European Union (EU). Every year, over 4000 suicides by firearm are registered in the EU. This means that, on average, there are 0.24 homicides and 0.9 suicides by firearm per 100,000 population in Europe every year. Compared with the US or other countries around the globe, the rates of gun-related violent death in Europe are rather low, certainly where the homicide rates are concerned. This does not mean, however, that the problem of gun violence has not appeared on the European policy radar in recent years. On the contrary, the attention devoted to the problem by law enforcement agencies and policy-makers has been growing. Reacting not only to shooting incidents such as those mentioned above, but also to warnings by police and law enforcement agencies that criminals are increasingly willing to use (heavy) firearms and that illegal trafficking in firearms is on the rise, a number of European countries have announced policy interventions targeted at reducing levels of gun-related violence and crime. The European Commission has also become an active actor in firearms policy. In October 2013 it announced a plan to reduce gun violence in Europe, in which it defined the misuse of firearms, whether legally-owned or illicitly manufactured or acquired, as "a serious threat to the EU's security from both an internal and an external perspective". One of the major problems the Commission identified in its initial policy papers was the problem of a lack of sound and adequate knowledge about firearms in Europe. The commission noted that "a lack of solid EU-wide statistics and intelligence hampers effective policy and operational responses". One of the ambitions of the EU’s firearms policy is, therefore, to address the gaps in knowledge concerning gun violence. An additional problem is that the lack of reliable and comprehensive information on firearms in Europe is not limited to the sphere of law enforcement and policy-making. European scholarly research focusing specifically on firearms availability, gun control and gun-related violence is scarce. There is a research community in Europe focusing on small arms and light weapons (SALW), but it is predominantly concerned with the export of firearms and the connections between these arms flows and violence in developing, transitional or fragile states outside Europe. Scientific research on firearms and gun-related violence in the domestic European context is much less advanced. The scanty research efforts made in this field by epidemiologists, criminologists and legal scholars remain fragmented, and suffer from the fact that there is no integrated scholarly community dealing with gun-related issues. Language barriers, moreover, often prevent the wider dissemination of research results. Given this relative lack of European firearms research, American studies are still clearly dominant at present in research on the links between the availability of firearms and gun-related violence. Greene and Marsh have calculated that out of the 665 studies on firearms and violence that they reviewed, 64% were about the USA. Of the remaining studies not on the USA, 13% concerned cross-national comparisons or articles in which the geographical focus was unspecified (such as reviews), while 8% were about developing countries. Only 15% concerned other developed countries such as Canada, Australia, the UK and Germany. Given the particularities of the American context, and more specifically the fact that the US has one of the highest rates of gun-related deaths and crime among industrialized democracies, simply transposing the results of American research to the European context is problematic. What are the levels of firearms availability in Europe? Are there links between the levels of gun ownership in European countries and these countries’ rates of violence and violent death? And what is the impact of European gun laws on public safety and health? The absence of evidence specifically for the European context makes it difficult for policy-makers and researchers to find impartial and unbiased answers to these questions. Hence the pressing need for research that specifically focuses on gun-related violence in the European context: and with the present report, we would like to make a contribution to that effort. As we are moving into largely uncharted territory, our analysis of the European situation will necessarily be exploratory. Our primary ambition is to collect and take stock of the fragmented evidence that is available on gun-related violence in Europe. Our geographical coverage will be broader than the EU and encompasses a group of approximately 40 European countries, although in some instances we will limit our analyses to the EU28.

Details: Brussels: Flemish Peace Institute, 2015. 83p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 16, 2017 at: http://www.vlaamsvredesinstituut.eu/sites/vlaamsvredesinstituut.eu/files/wysiwyg/firearms_and_violent_deaths_in_europe_web.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Gun Control

Shelf Number: 141048


Author: Liagre, Febe

Title: Trafficking in Human Beings within the EU: Policies & Practices

Summary: Trafficking in human beings is a phenomenon which is discussed in many international agencies and institutions. As a consequence, it can be said that there already exists an extensive framework to tackle the phenomenon. Nevertheless it stays a hidden crime; there are reliable data but it is considered only the top of the iceberg. There are still too many victims in all parts of the world. Therefore, it is not enough to purely use reactive measures; more attention needs to be paid to the prevention of trafficking in human beings. Therefore this toolbox is being developed to bring together the efforts made at the EU, national, and local level to prevent and combat trafficking in human beings. These include the legislative and policy measures which set the framework in which national and local actors (NGOs, civil society, government administrations,…) need to work. At the same time, the toolbox wants to disseminate and promote the important work which is being done by the EU Member States. As usual, the toolbox is primarily written for local policy-makers and practitioners who may be confronted with these issues in their daily work. In part 3 and 4 some examples of practices implemented in various Member States are further explored. By doing this, the toolbox aims to build up and exchange practical knowledge and know-how and to inspire people working in the field of trafficking in human beings to learn from each other.

Details: Brussels: European Crime Prevention Network, 2015. 88p.

Source: Internet Resource: EUCPN Tool Box Series, No. 6: Accessed February 16, 2017 at: http://eucpn.org/sites/default/files/content/download/files/toolbox_vi_final_version.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Human Trafficking

Shelf Number: 141050


Author: Wijckmans, Belinda

Title: Tackling domestic violence in the EU: Policies & practices

Summary: This toolbox is being developed to bring together the efforts made at the EU, national, and local level to prevent and combat (domestic) violence against women. These include the legislative and policy measures which set the framework in which national and local actors (NGOs, civil society, government administrations,…) need to work. At the same time, the toolbox wants to disseminate and promote the important work which is being done by other European organizations, such as the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE), the European Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) and the Women against Violence Europe (WAVE)

Details: Brussels: European Crime Prevention Network, 2017. 69p.

Source: Internet Resource: EUCPN Toolbox Series, No. 4: Accessed February 16, 2017 at: http://eucpn.org/sites/default/files/content/download/files/eucpn_toolbox_4_-_tackling_domestic_violence_in_the_eu_-_policies_practices_webversion_0.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Domestic Violence

Shelf Number: 141051


Author: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA)

Title: New psychoactive substances in Europe: legislation and prosecution — current challenges and solutions

Summary: The European new psychoactive substances (NPS) market has increased at a speed that established drug control laws struggle to match. Various countries have therefore introduced new legal responses to this phenomenon, based either on existing laws that focused on consumer or health protection or medicinal products, or by developing innovative new legislation. In 2014, the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled that substances are not medicinal products if they do not have beneficial effects on human health, thus restricting the use of such laws for NPS control. This joint report prepared with Eurojust combines the EMCDDA's top level monitoring activities with Eurojust’s operational experience in transnational prosecutions. The first part of the report is aimed at policymakers, and lists the challenges in NPS control and the solutions adopted in selected Member States. The second part is for legal practitioners, and focuses on the judgment of the Court of Justice and its practical effects on the transnational prosecution of NPS cases, describing the responses of some of the Member States most affected by the ruling.

Details: Lisbon: EMCDDA, 2016. 30p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 17, 2017 at: http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/system/files/publications/3353/TD0416736ENN.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addition

Shelf Number: 141082


Author: World Wildlife Fund

Title: Illegal Logging & the EU: An Analysis of the EU Export & Import Market of Illegal Wood and Related Products

Summary: Illegal logging and illegal wood trading are a form of organised crime. As with other forms of smuggling, trading in wood, wood products, paper and pulp from illegal sources takes place in mafiastyle structures and in hidden circumstances. This is why no one can calculate the quantity of wood of illegal origin in international trade exactly. This study thus aims to give a practical estimate of the orders of magnitude in the European wood trade. All products in which wood was used as a raw material were included for this purpose. The European Union foreign trade data from 2006, calculated back to the quantity of raw timber that was needed to produce the imported products (raw timber equivalent), is used as a basis. The share of illegal logging in global wood production is estimated at 20% to 40%, and the economic loss through lost receipts for the state, industry and forest owners is estimated at US$ 15 billion (9, 5 billion euro) per year. Illegal logging pushes wood prices down worldwide by 7% to 16%. This economic loss for companies operating legally is compounded by the damage to the image of wood as a raw material and the entire forestry sector.

Details: Brussels: WWF European Policy Office, 2008. 29p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 18, 2017 at: http://assets.wnf.nl/downloads/eu_illegal_logging_april_2008.pdf

Year: 2008

Country: Europe

Keywords: Environmental Crimes

Shelf Number: 141095


Author: World Wildlife Fund

Title: Failing the Forests: Europe's Illegal Timber Trade

Summary: Illegal timber and its global trade are now widely recognised as key threats to forest survival throughout the world. Not least among the players is the European Union (EU), which is now a major importer of such timber. Based on trade data for six key timber-producing regions – the Amazon Basin, the Baltic states, the Congo Basin, east Africa, Indonesia and Russia – this report explores how the EU is driving the illegal timber trade worldwide, and assesses its potential to limit illegal logging over the next 10 years. Presenting a league table of the EU’s top importers of illegal timber (Table 1), and combining up-to-date information on both timber imports and EU policy, the report predicts that the main factor limiting illegal logging in the near future will be the exhaustion of forest resources. The implications are farreaching: biodiversity, human health and national economies across the world will all be affected. The report concludes with a series of recommendations which address the need for the EU and its member states to take more proactive steps to halt the practice of illegal logging and the trade in illegal timber. It also highlights the urgent need for meaningful cooperation from other major importing countries including China, Japan and the US.

Details: Surrey, UK: WWF, 2005. 102p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 18, 2017 at: http://www.wwf.se/source.php/1120070/FailingForests.pdf

Year: 2005

Country: Europe

Keywords: Environmental Crime

Shelf Number: 141096


Author: Institute of Race Relations

Title: State intelligence agencies and the far right: A review of developments in Germany, Hungary and Austria

Summary: Far-right and neo-Nazi violence – on the increase across Europe – is the subject of ongoing research by the Institute of Race Relations which releases today an interim report on the security services’ approach to the far Right in Austria, Hungary and Germany. This timely report, State intelligence agencies and the far Right: A review of developments in Germany, Hungary and Austria, is issued just two weeks before the largest trial on far-right extremism in the history of the Federal Republic of Germany opens in Munich. Beate Zschäpe, the sole surviving member of the National Socialist Underground and four co-defendants face charges relating to ten murders that took place between 2000 and 2007. Of the victims, shot in the head at close range, eight were Turkish or of Turkish origin, one was a Greek citizen, one a female German police officer. While the Munich trial is guaranteed international attention, the most significant trial on far-right extremism in eastern Europe in recent years has been ongoing since March 2011 at the Pest County High Court in Hungary, with barely any coverage. Four neo-Nazis face charges relating to the serial killing of six Roma and many other violent crimes. Austria faces its own neo-Nazi scandal too, since Nazi propaganda, sawn-off shotguns, machine guns and explosives were seized during a raid on the headquarters of the neo-Nazi criminal fraternity, Objekt 21 in January 2013. The IRR’s research into intelligence services’ methods suggests that far from clamping down on growing fascism, some of the tactics of security services are enhancing conditions for its growth. The report also reveals evidence of: a generalised failure to recognise the danger posed by the far Right; institutional racism and institutional negligence; a failure to interact with police murder investigations; a will to protect neo-Nazi informers at the expense of law enforcement. ‘There has systematic betrayal of minority communities’, concludes Liz Fekete, author of the report and Director of IRR. ‘The sad truth is that the families of the Roma in Hungary and those men of Turkish origin killed by the NSU in Germany carry permanent scars, the result of botched investigations that in some cases treated them not as grieving relatives but potential suspects. Given the harmonisation of so much of European police and security policies, I am seriously concerned that what has happened in Austria, Germany and Hungary could represent the European norm. On the evidence I have seen, BME communities cannot trust security services to protect them from the murderous violence of the far Right. A thorough audit of all European intelligence services’ programmes to counter far-Right violence is overdue.’

Details: London: Institute of Race Relations, 2013. 11p. Accessed February 28, 2017 at: http://www.irr.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/ERP_BP6_State_intelligence.pdf

Source: Internet Resource: Briefing Paper No. 6

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Extremist Groups

Shelf Number: 141106


Author: Fekete, Liz

Title: Exit from White Supremacism: the accountability gap within Europe's de-radicalisation programmes

Summary: In a timely report, the IRR cautions against the importation to the UK of Scandinavian-style Exit programmes for dealing with far-right extremists. It was one of the big news stories of October 2013 and something of a coup for 'counter-radicalisation', when Tommy Robinson and Kevin Carroll quit the EDL - and think-tank Quilliam claimed the credit for choreographing their exit. Ever since then, a head of steam has built up in favour of a UK deradicalisation programme for the far Right. But in Exit from White Supremacism: the accountability gap within Europe's de-radicalisation programmes, the IRR reveals the problems of such existing Exit programmes across Europe. The IRR suggests that: Considerable resources are being invested in Exit, but there has been scant evaluation of its methodology or statistical analysis of its vaunted success rate; There needs to be more critical evaluation of Exit's methods. Programmes, often run and designed by 'formers' ignore questions of political ideology and past racist activity, but focus instead on the social alienation and psychological problems of 'clients'; In Sweden, past failures and bitter controversies about lack of oversight within Exit have been airbrushed from the official record; In Norway, Exit practitioners have been accused of claiming credit for work done outside Exit, principally by dedicated police and youth workers; In Germany, victim support groups show concern that some 'formers' have been faking political conversion to reduce a sentence, secure probation or otherwise manipulate the security services which, in turn, has its own agenda of recruiting neo-Nazis to act as paid informants. One German 'former' who was helped by federal intelligence services to write a confessional account of his disengagement from the neo-Nazi scene, went on to become a leading light within the counter-jihadi movement. Liz Fekete, Director of the IRR and author of the report said today: 'After months of research into these Exit programmes, I am quite frankly baffled by the lack of official acknowledgement of its many manifest failures. I hope that this report will act as a wake-up call to all those hitherto seduced by the Exit brand that the total lack of transparency and accountability within Exit is not only unacceptable but potentially dangerous.'

Details: London: Institute for Race Relations, 2014. 8p.

Source: Internet Resource: http://www.irr.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/ERP-Briefing-No-8-Exit.pdf: http://www.irr.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/ERP-Briefing-No-8-Exit.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Counter-Radicalization

Shelf Number: 146688


Author: Pring, Coralie

Title: People and Corruption: Europe and Central Asia

Summary: Europe has seen a surge in recent years of support for populist and nationalist movements – from Spain to the UK to Turkey. The reasons are manifold and complex, but are driven to a large degree by the belief that traditional democratic institutions – governments, political parties – are failing to deliver on promises of prosperity and equal opportunity and that they cannot be trusted. Corruption is central to this story – both the failure of governments to properly address corruption and their complicity in corrupt or clientelist schemes. It has become impossible to ignore systemic corruption in the way business influences politics, as shown by the on-going trial of 37 executives and politicians in Spain who are alleged to have been involved in a "kickbacks-for-contracts" scheme for nearly a decade.ii Examples such as this can give ordinary citizens the impression that public spending and public policy is distorted to favour the few over the many.

Details: Berlin: Transparency International, 2016. 40p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 22, 2017 at: https://www.transparency.org/whatwedo/publication/7493

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Fraud and Corruption

Shelf Number: 114179


Author: European Parliament. Directorate-General for External Policies. Policy Department

Title: Counter-terrorism cooperation with the Southern Neighbourhood

Summary: Since the EU adopted its Counter-Terrorism Strategy in 2005, it has focused on forging closer ties with third countries in the fight against terrorism. Cooperation with the Southern Neighbourhood in this field is particularly important. Every single country within this region is affected by terrorism to different degrees and terrorist attacks on European soil are increasingly linked with the Middle East and North Africa. The EU adopted a wide-ranging counter-terrorism approach in the South including actions that go beyond the strictly military and security interpretations of counter-terrorism. In line with the UN's 4-pillar approach, the EU’s counter-terrorism measures can be broadly subdivided into four fields: (i) building state capacity (particularly in the areas of border control, criminal investigation and prosecution, and countering the financing of terrorism); (ii) strengthening the rule of law and respect for human rights; (iii) fostering regional cooperation; and (iv) preventing and combating terrorism. This study outlines and contextualises current counter-terrorism activities in the region.

Details: Brussels: European Union, 2017. 27p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 28, 2017 at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/IDAN/2017/578013/EXPO_IDA(2017)578013_EN.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Counter-Terrorism

Shelf Number: 141255


Author: Di Nicola, Andrea

Title: Fakecare: Developing expertise against the online trade of fake medicines by producing and disseminating knowledge, counterstrategies and tools across the EU

Summary: This project seeks to develop expertise in the online trade of counterfeit medicines, and develop strategies for the detection of illegal online pharmacies. The aim of the project is to develop expertise in tackling the trade of fake medicine through the Internet. It will do this by: developing in-depth knowledge of this criminal market, through innovative methods producing counterstrategies and tools (including an ICT tool) to disrupt such a trade, based on this knowledge disseminating knowledge, counterstrategies and tools to relevant stakeholders across the EU.

Details: Trento, Italy: eCrime, University of Trento, 2015. 122p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed march 2, 2017 at: http://www.fakecare.com/images/pdf/eCrime_Research_Reports_02.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Consumer Fraud

Shelf Number: 141262


Author: Hall, Alexandra

Title: Search and Stop: Guidelines to tackle the online trade of falsified medicinal products

Summary: In Europe, the online market in falsified medicinal products in expanding at a rapid rate, Tackling the online trade of falsified medicinal products is a challenge for law enforcement agencies. This report offers a series of guidelines which aims at producing and disseminating knowledge, counterstrategies and tools across the EU to solve and mitigate this online trade.

Details: Trento, Italy: eCrime, University of Trento, 2015. 36p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 2, 2017 at: http://www.fakecare.com/images/pdf/FAKECARE-Guidelines_for_LEAs.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Consumer Fraud

Shelf Number: 144430


Author: KPMG

Title: Project Sun: A study of the illicit cigarette market in the European Union, Norway and Switzerland. 2014 Results

Summary: EXECUTIVE SUMMARYKEY FINDINGS• C&C consumption declined from 58.6 billion to 56.6 billion, equating to 10.4% of total consumption in 2014• C&C remained high in countries which border lower-priced non-EU markets• The UK, Greece and Italy all saw significant C&C growth• Flows from outside the EU grew by 10% in 2014 largely offsetting an intra-EU decline• Prices within the EU, especially in the Eastern EU, grew rapidly in order to meet the EU minimum exciserequirements by latest 2018• Flows of C&C between countries within the EU has fallen, equating to less than 15% of total illicit flows• IllicitWhites brand flows grew by 8% to 21.2 billion cigarettes in 2014 and accounted for 37% of totalC&C• Fest, American Legend and Jin Ling are the most prevalent IllicitWhite brand flows• IllicitWhites brand flows consumption was most prevalent in Poland, Italy, Spain and Greece

Details: London: KPMG, 2015. 336p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 7, 2017 at: http://kpmg.co.uk/creategraphics/2015/06_2015/CRT026736/files/assets/common/downloads/CRT026736%20Project%20SUN%20COMBINED%20v10.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Black Markets

Shelf Number: 137584


Author: KPMG

Title: Project Sun: A study of the illicit cigarette market in the European Union, Norway and Switzerland. 2015 Results

Summary: Key findings • Counterfeit and Contraband (C&C) as a proportion of total consumption declined marginally from 10.4% in 2014 to 9.8% in 2015 • The total volume of C&C consumed in the EU was 53.0 billion cigarettes with France and Poland experiencing the highest volumes • If the C&C volume in the EU had been consumed legally, an additional tax revenue of €11.3 billion would have been raised • By 2010 all four participants had signed agreements with OLAF committing to additional supply chain controls. C&C from lower priced countries within the EU has since declined from 22.2 billion to 6.5 billion cigarettes • Legal domestic consumption remained stable against a backdrop of improved economic conditions in many countries, whilst non-domestic legal (ND(L)) increased, supported by travel trends • Increased anti-illicit trade activity and border security reflected by a doubling in the volume of OLAF supported seizures, contributed to this overall decline of C&C • Illicit Whites brand flows, with limited or no legal distribution in the EU, again accounted for over one third of C&C, of which 5.3 billion cigarettes had Belarusian labelling • Counterfeit identified by the four participating tobacco manufacturers increased by 28% but remains less than 9% of illicit cigarette consumption in Europe • The changing mix of source countries and the increasing number of Illicit Whites brands demonstrates the flexibility of illicit cigarette flows Counterfeit and Contraband (C&C) declined by 6% against a backdrop of improved economic conditions and increased anti-illicit trade activities • Personal Disposable Income (PDI) increased by an average of 2.6%(2) across all EU member states, which may have contributed to a stabilisation of Legal Domestic Sales, reversing a five year trend • Many countries, especially in the Eastern EU, experienced more stable prices compared with 2014 when tobacco taxes increased to meet minimum EU excise requirements • Increased anti-illicit trade activity, as evidenced by a rise in the number of seizures made across Europe, may also have contributed to the C&C decline C&C remained at around 10% of total consumption, with Illicit Whites and counterfeit representing a greater share of illicit consumption Sources: (1) EU Flows Model 2009 – 2015 Share of consumption (%) 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 3.7% 3.7% 3.7% 8.9% 9.9% 4.2% 5.0% 10.4% 12.6% 5.4% 14.1% 13.5% 15.2% 15.5% 15.8% 11.1% 10.5% 10.4% 5.9% 15.7% 9.8% Counterfeit and Contraband (C&C) Non-domestic legal (ND(L)) • Flows of C&C from outside of the EU were the largest component of C&C identified in the study • The overall proportion of Illicit Whites brand flows and counterfeit has grown to 44.3% in 2015 • The increased volume of seizures in Europe mainly identified counterfeit and Illicit Whites brand flows. Seizures of Duty Paid product from both within and outside the EU were limited  C&C as a percentage of consumption was often highest in EU countries bordering lower priced non-EU countries  • Eastern EU countries with high levels of C&C mainly bordered non-EU countries where average prices were 4 times lower • C&C as a percentage of consumption was also high in Greece, Norway, UK and Ireland, which also have the highest prices within Europe • Whilst not having the highest level of C&C as a proportion of consumption, the highest volume of C&C was identified in France Non-domestic legal (ND(L)) continued to increase against a backdrop of travel trends and price incentives Non-EU source products and counterfeit contributed an increasingly greater proportion of C&C The largest C&C source countries were those with the lowest prices on the Eastern EU border Illicit Whites brand flows continued to represent over one third of C&C in the EU, equating to 3.5% of total cigarette consumption Counterfeit experienced a 28% increase in volume, representing 9% of C&C consumption

Details: London: KPMG, 2016. 208p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 8, 2017 at: https://assets.kpmg.com/content/dam/kpmg/pdf/2016/06/project-sun-report.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Black Markets

Shelf Number: 141381


Author: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)

Title: Trafficking in Persons to Europe for sexual exploitation

Summary: What is the nature of the market? A greater variety of nationalities has been found among human trafficking victims in West and Central Europe than in any other part of the world, and most of these victims (84%) were trafficked for the purpose of sexual exploitation. Both the detection rate and the type of exploitation detected are affected by enforcement patterns, however. In 2006, the entire Western Hemisphere only recorded some 150 convictions for human trafficking, which is about the same number as Germany alone. It is difficult to say to what extent this is indicative of a greater problem or whether it is simply a matter of greater vigilance. In recent years, the majority of human trafficking victims detected in Europe have come from the Balkans and the former Soviet Union, in particular Romania, Bulgaria, Ukraine, the Russian Federation and the Republic of Moldova. Victims from at least some of these five countries have also been located in all parts of Europe. But the dominance of these groups appears to be changing as new source countries emerge on the European scene. Although trafficking from South America occurs in a smaller number of countries, it is often severe in the places where it does occur. The main destinations for South American victims are Spain, Italy, Portugal, France, the Netherlands, Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Almost all of this trafficking is for the purpose of sexual exploitation and it includes transgender victims. Among South Americans, Brazilian victims have been increasingly detected in Europe. Trafficking originating in this country mainly affects the poor communities of the north (such as Amazonas, Pará, Roraima and Amapá), rather than the richer regions of the south. Trafficking from Africa affects mainly West African communities, in particular Nigerian women and girls. Trafficking originating from North Africa (Morocco and Tunisia) is still very limited, but may be increasing. Trafficking from East Africa (Uganda and Kenya) is found mainly in the United Kingdom.5 Trafficking from East Asia has traditionally involved mainly Thai women. More recently, Chinese nationals are also affected, as are women from Viet Nam and Cambodia. These women are normally exploited in indoor prostitution, such as massage parlours, saunas or beauty centres.

Details: New York: UNODC, 2017. 17p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 10, 2017 at: http://globalinitiative.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/unodc-trafficking-in-persons-to-europe-for-sexual-exploitation.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Child Sex Trafficking

Shelf Number: 144452


Author: Hemert, Dianne van

Title: Synthesis report on the state-of-the-art in evaluating the effectiveness of counter-violent extremism interventions

Summary: Objectives This report describes the results of the second part of work package two (WP2) of IMPACT Europe, i.e. the synthesis of the state-of-the-art in evaluating the effectiveness of counter violent extremism interventions in the radicalisation domain. The main objective of WP2 is to analyse the state-of-the-art in terms of radicalisation leading to terrorism and violent extremism factors, programmes tackling radicalisation leading to terrorism and violent extremism, and methods to evaluate their effectiveness. Specifically, it produces a WP2 database indicating which type of evaluation methodology and metric is appropriate for particular types of intervention programmes. This database will provide input for the IMPACT evaluation toolkit to be developed in WP3 and the user manual to be developed in WP4. Description of work We describe how we collected and coded the data for the three sub data files that are part of the WP2 database, i.e., on radicalisation factors, interventions, and evaluation methods. In explorative analyses we show what information can be extracted from these data, how the data files were synthesized and what information can be extracted from the combined data files. Results and conclusions The different data files that constitute the WP2 database structure, i.e. radicalisation factors, interventions, evaluation methods, and relations between these factors, are presented and described. A synthesis of these three sub files is conducted and sample findings from this interactive relational database are presented. The ultimate goal of WP2 is to provide a classification of methods that professionals and evaluators can easily query from different perspectives and with different purposes, such that they can study, compare, and eventually deploy the best evaluation methods in the field of deradicalisation interventions.

Details: s.l.: Impact Europe Consortium, 2014. 153p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed march 13, 2017 at: http://impacteurope.eu/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/D2.2-Synthesis-Report.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Deradicalization

Shelf Number: 144455


Author: Focus on Labour Exploitation (FLEX)

Title: Improving the Identification and Support of Victims of Trafficking for Labour Exploitation in the EU

Summary: Human trafficking for the purpose of labour exploitation is a serious crime and a human rights violation. Despite its pervasiveness across Europe and its harmful effects on victims, limited attention has been paid to the identification and support of victims of trafficking for labour exploitation. The ProAct project (Pro-active Identification and Support of Victims of Trafficking for Labour Exploitation in the EU) seeks to address this by improving responses to trafficking for labour exploitation throughout the European Union. The conclusions and recommendations presented in this briefing are the result of a 2-year project combining both extensive research and practical experience components. This policy brief presents three key issues identified through the project: 1. the need for sustainable support and access to accommodation for victims of trafficking for labour exploitation; 2. the increasing conflation of labour inspection and immigration control and the need for more proactive and victim-centred identification efforts; 3. the lack of access to legal remedies for victims of trafficking for labour exploitation. This paper highlights the concerning position that, in many European countries current responses to trafficking fall short of international and European obligations, and that more needs to be done both to effectively prevent trafficking for labour exploitation, and to support and protect its victims from further victimization. It proposes a set of recommendations in order to ensure a sustainable and comprehensive approach to human trafficking for labour exploitation in the EU. It calls for the effective and full implementation of European obligations by Member States, and seeks to provide input to the post-2016 EU strategy on Trafficking in Human Beings.

Details: London: FLEX, 2016. 12p.

Source: Internet Resource: PRO-ACT Policy Paper: Accessed March 21, 2017 at: http://www.labourexploitation.org/sites/default/files/publications/PROACT%20Policy%20Paper.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Forced Labor

Shelf Number: 144523


Author: Shentov, Ognian

Title: Shadow Power: Assessment of Corruption and Hidden Economy in Southeast Europe

Summary: The current report, prepared by the Southeast European Leadership for Development and Integrity (SELDI) – the largest indigenous good governance initiative in SEE – makes an important contribution to the regional approach to anticorruption. It provides a civil society view of the state of corruption and comes in the wake of the 2014 SELDI comprehensive assessment of the various aspects of the legal and institutional anticorruption environments of nine SEE countries. In 2016, SELDI followed up on these assessments with an update of corruption monitoring and a special focus on state capture in the energy sector and the corruption– hidden economy nexus. The report underscores the need for broader political action for reform, which seems blocked or narrowing across the region. Inside pressure for such action has been suffocated by economic necessity and/or ethnic divisions, and the ossification of political and economic establishments. Outside pressure, delivered mostly by the European Union, has been seen as wanting in relation to the size of the problems in the past couple of years due to a succession of internal and external crises. In none of the countries in the region has there been a clear and sustained policy breakthrough in anticorruption, although efforts to deliver technical solutions and to improve the functioning of the law enforcement institutions, mostly with support from the EU, have continued and even intensified in some cases. This has led to further slow decline in administrative corruption levels but at the expense of waning public support for reforms and of declining trust in national and European institutions. SELDI's Corruption Monitoring System (CMS) – its analytical tool for measuring corruption – has identified three trends in the dynamics of corruption in the region: • Since the early 2000s when SELDI started its monitoring the overall levels of corruption in the SEE countries have gone down, and the public has become more demanding of good governance. • Yet, progress has been slow and erratic, and corruption continues to be both a major preoccupation for the general public and a common occurrence in the civil service and senior government. Specifically, in the 2014 – 2016 period corruption pressure – the primary quantitative indicator for the levels of corruption in a country – has relapsed in some countries, but the overall improvement in the region was negligible. • The combination of stubbornly high rates of rent-seeking from corrupt officials and rising expectations for good governance related mostly to EU accession aspirations in SEE have shaped negatively public expectations about potential corruption pressure. More than half of the population of the SELDI countries believe it is likely to have to give a bribe to an official to get things done. This indicates that the restoration of trust in institutions would be much more difficult than the mere reduction in the levels of administrative corruption. As a result, public trust in the feasibility of policy responses to corruption – a critical ally to successful anticorruption reforms – which reflects the share of the population who believe in the anticorruption efforts of their governments has stayed below the 50% threshold in 2016 for all SEE countries but Montenegro and Turkey. This further exacerbates the unwillingness of politicians to engage in anticorruption policies, and shows the need for a broad-based social movement to sustain an anticorruption focus. The overall conclusion from the 2016 round of the SELDI CMS is that the policies which target corrupt behaviour at administrative level and those seeking to change trust in government need to be pursued in concert. If not complemented by strengthened public demand for integrity in government and sustained improvement in economic well-being, stricter enforcement of penal measures cannot have a sustainable effect. Law enforcement would likely be seen either as useless repression when targeting lower government levels alone or as political witch-hunt when intermittently directed at higher levels. Conversely, intensifying awareness-building measures would only fuel cynicism and resignation in the public if it is not accompanied by visible efforts for cracking down on (high-level) rent-seeking officials

Details: Southeast Europe Leadership for Development and Integrity (SELDI); Sofia: Center for the Study of Democracy, 2016. 82p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 24, 2017 at: http://www.clds.rs/newsite/SHADOW_POWER_final.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Anticorruption

Shelf Number: 144577


Author: Environmental Justice Foundation

Title: Improving Performance in the Fight Against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing: The EU IUU Regulation carding process: A review of European Commission carding decisions.

Summary: Under the IUU Regulation, non-EU countries identified as having inadequate measures in place to prevent and deter this activity may be issued with a formal warning (yellow card) to improve. If they fail to do so, they face having their fish banned from the EU market (red card) among other measures. This briefing provides an overview of the key factors that have influenced the European Commission's carding decisions to date. Its purpose is to assist non-EU countries in: a) evaluating their fisheries management and monitoring, control and surveillance (MCS) procedures against their international obligations as flag, coastal, port or market States; b) assessing the adequacy of their systems with respect to EU IUU Regulation requirements, specifically regarding implementation of the Regulation’s catch certification scheme; and c) identifying key gaps or weaknesses in their frameworks and/or systems requiring further attention. Twenty carding decisions were reviewed to identify the most commonly cited shortcomings in country systems and frameworks to combat IUU fishing. The shortcomings were grouped into five broad categories and, for each category, a set of actions were identified that may be taken by a country to improve performance in the fight against IUU fishing. All actions are based on the international legal obligations cited in the decisions, and on which the EU IUU Regulation is based. Of these actions , a set of priority measures were identified that may be considered as the minimum standard to effectively fight IUU fishing. The suggested actions should be treated as general guidance only and should not be construed as official or legal advice.

Details: London: EJF, 2016. 20p.

Source: Internet Resource: Issue Brief: Accessed March 27, 2017 at: http://ejfoundation.org/sites/default/files/public/IUU_Carding_Brief_FINAL.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Fishing Industry

Shelf Number: 144593


Author: Aebi, Marcelo

Title: Council of Europe Annual Penal Statistics. SPACE 1 -- Prison Populations. Survey 2015

Summary: 1. The participation rate in the 2015 SPACE I Survey was 87%: 45 out of the 52 Prison Administrations of the 47 Member States of the Council of Europe answered the questionnaire. 2. The median European Prison Population Rate [PPR] was 115.7 inmates per 100 000 inhabitants. There was noted a decrease of almost 7% compared to 2014 (124.0 inmates per 100 000 inhabitants). As median calculated values are less sensitive to the extreme figures (i.e. very low prison population rates in small countries with less than 1mln inhabitants), it is preferable to use these values as a more reliable alternative to the average figures. Therefore, all the figures presented in the Key points section refers to median values (unless indicated) 3. On 1st September 2015, there were 1 404 398 inmates held in penal institutions across Europe (this total does not include figures for Bosnia & Herzegovina Fed. And State, Iceland, Malta, Monaco, Iceland and Ukraine, as they were not available). On the same date in 2014, there were 1 507 278 inmates (for the exactly same prison adinistrations and, in 2013 there were 1 529 447 inmates. The total number of inmates has been decreasing. 4. On 1st September 2015, European prisons were at the top of their capacity, holding almost 94 inmates per 100 places (average: 91). In particular, 33.3% of the Prison Administrations were experiencing overcrowding. Since 2009, the European prison density remains close to full. 5. The median age of the European prison population was 35 years, which is higher than in 2014, 2013 and 2012, when it was 34. 6. The median proportion of female inmates was 5.2% of the total prison population. Compared to the same indicator in 2014 (5.0%), there is no significant difference. 24% of female inmates were pre-trial detainees, compared to 22% in 2014. 7. The median proportion of foreign inmates was 10.8% of the total prison population. The average value being of 22.6%. Yet, there are very big differences between countries, from 0.9% in Romania to 100% in San Marino. In 2014, the same indicator was 13.3%. 8. Length of custodial sentences: a. The median proportion of sentenced prisoners who were serving sentences shorter than one year was 13.5%, which is lower compared to 2014 (15.2%). b. The most common category of lengths of sentences was the one lasting from one to less than three years (the median percentage of such inmates was 24.2%). c. Around 11% of inmates were serving very long sentences of 10 years and over. This proportion remained close to the one of 2014 (12%) and 2013 (11%). 9. Inmates were sentenced mainly for the following types of criminal offences: drug offences (18.7%), theft (16.2%), homicide (13.2%) and robbery (12.6%). 10. The average length of imprisonment in 2014 was in median 7 months, which is the same value as in 2013. The median duration of the pre-trail detention remained the same as in 2013 and 2012 (about 4 months). 11. The median mortality rate in 2014 was 27 deaths per 10 000 inmates,less than in 2013 and 2012 (28 deaths per 10 000 inmates). 12. The median amount spent per day and per inmate in 2014 was 52 Euros. It is 7 more Euros than in 2013 ( 45 Euros). On the other hand, the average amount is 101 Euros, 2 more Euros than in 2013 (99 Euros). The amounts vary widely across Europe: from almost 6 to more than 480 Euros per day and per inmate. The 44 Prison Administrations that provided data on this item had spent more than 26 billion Euros in 2014 for the penitentiary needs 13. There were about 3 inmates per one custodian in 2015. This ratio remained the same as in 2014 and 2013.

Details: Strasbourg: Council of Europe, 2017. 143p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 28, 2017 at: http://wp.unil.ch/space/files/2017/03/SPACE_I_2015_Report_170314.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Correctional Institutions

Shelf Number: 144597


Author: European Security Research and Innovation Forum (ESRIF)

Title: ESRIF Final Report

Summary: The European Security Research and Innovation Forum (ESRIF) has published its Final Report. ESRIF was established in September 2007 aiming at developing a mid and long term strategy for civil security research and innovation through public private dialogue by 2009. EDA staff have joined this Forum and have contributed to the ESRIF work The European Security Research and Innovation Forum (ESRIF) has published its Final Report. ESRIF was established in September 2007 aiming at developing a mid and long term strategy for civil security research and innovation through public private dialogue by 2009. EDA staff have joined this Forum and have contributed to the ESRIF work. Utimia Madaleno, EDA’s Deputy R&T Director, chaired the Working Group 7 on Situation awareness and the role of Space. The European Defence Agency promotes synergies between the military and civilian domains. For projects like Software Defined Radio and Unmanned Aerial Systems the EDA is coordinating with the European Commission and with the European Space Agency in order to increase civil-military standardisation and interoperability as well as to spend European taxpayer’s money most effectively. In November 2009, Ministers of Defence launched the European Framework Cooperation for Security and Defence Research, which aims at a systematic synchronisation between R&T investment under the EDA umbrella, by the Commission and by the European Space Agency - thus maximising complementarity of civilian security, space and defence-related research programmes. EDA has been tasked to set up, together with the Commission and the European Space Agency, the details of the coordination scheme and to develop proposals for possible subjects for this cooperation, 2.1 Societal Security 2.2 Societal Resilience 2.3 Trust 2.4 Interoperability 2.5 A systematic approach to capability development 2.6 Industrial policy 2.7 Innovation 2.8 Security by design . 2.9 Awareness raising through education and training

Details: Strasbourg: ESRIF, 2009. 324p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed march 28, 2017 at: https://www.kowi.de/Portaldata/2/Resources/fp7/coop/esrif-final-report.pdf

Year: 2009

Country: Europe

Keywords: Citizen Security

Shelf Number: 144598


Author: European Union Action to Fight Environmental Crime (EFFACE)

Title: Environmental Crime and the EU. Synthesis of the Research Project "European Union Action to Fight Environmental Crime" (EFFACE)

Summary: he final synthesis of the 40 month long EFFACE research project is now available. The report is addressed at decision-makers and presents core findings from the EFFACE project in an accessible language. The final synthesis is available for download. Drawing on the EFFACE work on data and impacts, the report highlights the often incomplete nature of data on environmental crime. It shows the difficulties in estimating the impacts of environmental crime in a quantitative manner. This is illustrated using the examples of poaching, illegal waste exports from the EU to China and forest fires. Summarising EFFACE research on actors, instruments and institutions, the report describes the most important instruments at the EU level dealing with environmental crime. With regard to the Member States it sheds light at national legal frameworks on environmental crime as well as the functioning of enforcement institutions. A further section is dedicated to weaknesses in the EU's efforts to address environmental crime in nine areas, including e.g. the system of sanctions or the role of NGOs. This section is based on the EFFACE report on strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (link is external)related to the EU's approach in combatting environmental crime. In the final section, the report presents the most important policy recommendations developed by EFFACE; a more extended version of these recommendations is published in a self-standing report. Throughout the report, boxes highlight important insights from the EFFACE case studies.

Details: Berlin: EFFACE, 2016. 47p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 28, 2017 at: http://ecologic.eu/sites/files/publication/2016/efface_synthesis-report_final_online.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Environmental Crime

Shelf Number: 144606


Author: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA)

Title: Communities That Care (CTC): A comprehensive prevention approach for communities

Summary: Community coalitions are a strategy to coordinate activities and resources to prevent adolescent substance use and delinquent behaviour. They can help mobilise communities in prevention and health promotion initiatives. The Communities That Care (CTC) approach sets out to reduce adolescent health and behaviour problems. It does so by identifying strong risk factors and weak protective factors experienced by this group and then selecting tested and effective prevention and early intervention programmes to address them. In this EMCDDA Paper we make an analysis of five studies evaluating the effectiveness of CTC, mainly from outside the EU. The results of our analysis lead us to conclude that further investigation of this prevention model within the European context appears to be merited.

Details: Luxembourg: EMCDDC Papers, Publications Office of the European Union, 2016. 28p.

Source: Internet Resource: EMCDDA Papers: Accessed March 29, 2017 at: http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/system/files/publications/3934/TI_PUBPDF_TDAU17001ENN_PDFWEB_20170224164629.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: At-Risk Youth

Shelf Number: 144619


Author: Devis-Devis, Jose

Title: Sport and physical activity in European prisons: A perspective from sport personnel

Summary: This report is elaborated with the literature review on physical activity and sport in prison and data from a survey study addressed to prisons sport personnel of five European Union (EU) countries (Belgium-Flanders, Denmark, Romania, Spain and The Netherlands). The report is developed by the partner Universitat de València-Estudi General (UVEG), as part of the 'Prisoners on the move' project. The comparative nature of the survey study requires acknowledging that each European country has its own history and their own penitentiary system has been organized in keeping with the development of every country. It means that commonalities and differences among countries would emerge and previous comments on several issues will be needed in order to make comparisons among the five countries of this study. Three issues are of special interest in this project, especially developed from a sport personnel perspective: 1) the centralization-decentralization of penitentiary systems organization; 2) the possible participation of institutions from outside of the penitentiary system; and 3) the role of physical activity and sport in the laws and regulations of these systems. The degree of centralization or decentralization of penitentiary systems in European countries affects to the way sport professionals can be employed and the institution in charge of personnel’s employment. For instance, Denmark and Romania have a centralized system and it means that sport personnel’s employment has the same characteristics in the whole country and is strictly controlled by the institution in charge of prisons. On the contrary, Belgium presents a decentralized system in which the different landers have the sport activities and sport personnel under their own control and organization. Spain is under a decentralization process of its penitentiary system, started in Catalunya as the first region with responsibilities in the management of penitentiary system, which includes the control of sport activities and the employment of sport personnel. Participation of other institutions from outside of the penitentiary system is linked to the centralization-decentralization issue, since countries with a centralized organization, such as Denmark and Romania, do not allow the collaboration of private institutions, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) or volunteers within the activities in prisons. On the contrary, more decentralized systems, such as the ones from Belgium and Spain, allow the participation of institutions from outside the prisons in the development of activities for inmates. The role of physical activity and sport in the laws and regulations related to penitentiary system also differ among the countries under study. In this case, Belgium-Flanders and Denmark mainly assign a recreational role to physical activity and sport since their regulations assure two hours of physical activity and sport in the spare time of prison regimentation. Romania and Spain also concede an educational role to physical activities. Sport and physical activities become an official programme within the prison system and coexist with the same status as inmates' formal education/school. Although sport can also be part of school or formal education, for instance in Denmark, it is mainly understood as informal and entertaining activity to take a break or rest from the educational activities.

Details: Valencia, Spain: Universitat de València, 2014. 54p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed march 30, 2017 at: http://www.prisonersonthemove.eu/prisoners-on-the-move/reports1/final-reports

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Correctional Programs

Shelf Number: 144634


Author: Dottridge, Mike

Title: Emerging Good Practice by State Authorities, the Business Community and Civil Society in the Area of Reducing Demand for Human Trafficking for the Purpose of Labour Exploitation

Summary: This report describes examples of initiatives to prevent trafficking in human beings for the purpose of what in Europe is known as 'labour exploitation'. It focuses on efforts to discourage the exploitation that leads to trafficking in human beings. The term 'labour exploitation' refers to purposes of human trafficking that do not involve the exploitation of the prostitution of others, or other forms of sexual exploitation or the removal of organs. In article 4 of the Council of Europe’s Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (2005), these purposes are specified as "forced labour or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, [and] servitude". The report sets out to identify methods that, on the basis of the information currently available, represent good practice. It presents, in turn, examples of initiatives by governments, businesses and civil society organisations. It reviews their strengths and weaknesses in terms of their effectiveness at preventing human trafficking in business practices and supply chains (which are also known as product and value chains). It also aims at encouraging other governments, businesses and civil society organisations to review these examples with a view to developing similar methods of their own. The report includes some examples of initiatives taken from Europe and elsewhere, all of which are reckoned to be replicable within Europe.

Details: Strasbourg: Council of Europe, 2016. 44p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 30, 2017 at: https://rm.coe.int/CoERMPublicCommonSearchServices/DisplayDCTMContent?documentId=09000016806846be

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Collaboration

Shelf Number: 144645


Author: European Parliament. Directorate-General for Internal Policies. Policy Department C Citizens' Rights and Constitutional Affairs

Title: The European Union's Policies on Counter-Terrorism: Relevance, Coherence and Effectiveness

Summary: This study, commissioned by the European Parliament's Policy Department for Citizens' Rights and Constitutional Affairs at the request of the LIBE Committee, identifies (counter-) terrorism trends, threats and policies in the EU, focussing particularly on seven themes, including database access and interoperability, measures on border security, criminal justice and prevention of radicalisation. It also analyses the coherence and effectiveness of the counter-terrorism policy (architecture), and issues of cooperation, oversight and implementation, in particular of seven focus Member States: Belgium, Bulgaria, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Slovakia and Spain. Moreover, this study addresses future scenarios and formulates concrete policy options and recommendations.

Details: Brussels: European Union, 2017. 224p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 31, 2017 at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2017/583124/IPOL_STU(2017)583124_EN.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Border Security

Shelf Number: 144649


Author: Ellis, Clare

Title: On Tap Europe: Organised Crime and Illicit Trade in Tobacco, Alcohol and Pharmaceuticals

Summary: An official quietly stamping paperwork; a lorry passing across internal EU borders; an innocuous parcel in a postman’s van: this is what organised crime looks like in Europe. It is, of course, only one side of a multifaceted threat, but while the more violent elements of organised crime demand our attention, illicit trade is quietly capitalising: infiltrating our economies, bringing dangerous goods into our communities and diverting billions of euros away from EU governments. The illicit trade is the epitome of modern organised crime in its reflection of legitimate business: groups are quick to recognise and respond to opportunities; they diversify their activities to minimise risk and maximise investment; they capitalise on new technologies; they build a network of contacts with varied expertise; and they cooperate with international partners. Across Europe, this is not the organised crime threat that law enforcement was designed to tackle. Law enforcement is used to fighting strict hierarchical groups, but organised crime groups (OCGs) no longer have this structure; they are becoming 'loose, undefined and flexible networks'. But while law enforcement needs to evolve, there are also new allies to support them in their task. International bodies, industry regulators and affected sectors all have a role to play in reducing organised crime; as technology, infrastructure and regulation have advanced to facilitate legitimate business and cross-border trade, OCGs have found ways to similarly utilise these mechanisms, making them unintentional enablers of the illicit market. Efficient global commerce is an integral part of modern life, but the balance has not yet been found between facilitating trade and ensuring security. The approach to prosecution and sanction across the EU also requires reform. At present, member states are ineffective in deterring both new entrants to illicit trade and repeat offenders. Fundamentally, the rewards are too high and the risks are too low. Until this balance can be altered illicit trade will remain a key aspect of organised crime activity and continue to be a threat across the EU. This report is the culmination of an eighteen-month study conducted across five EU member states: Greece, Italy, Poland, Romania and Spain. The research team worked closely with law enforcement agencies, gaining some operational experience of both the threat and the methods undertaken to tackle it. In addition to desk research and fieldwork interviews with experts from the public and private sector, five workshops were held in the countries selected as case studies (see map below). The country-level research has also been supplemented by further work to examine assessments of, and responses to, illicit trade at the European level. This included a two-day conference in Brussels, examining the major themes raised by the research with representatives from law enforcement agencies, research organisations and European institutions, as well as the tobacco, alcohol and pharmaceutical industries. The report identifies key enablers of illicit trade, including: Corruption at European borders. Corrupt officials can undermine otherwise strict controls, and enable the EU’s outer defences to be easily breached by organised crime groups importing counterfeit or unlicensed goods. Free-trade zones are exploited by organised crime groups around the world, taking advantage of their limited oversight to re-document shipments and conceal their true origin, or even to conduct parts of the manufacturing process (see map below for locations of these zones). Postal and courier services are used by organised crime groups to transport illicit products, sending lower volumes of goods with greater frequency. Small courier companies represent a growing risk, with small vans regularly transporting hundreds of parcels across borders after only collecting minimal details from senders. The internet and social media enable the sale of illicit goods across Europe, in particular pharmaceutical products. While many consumers intentionally purchase goods in this manner, others are deceived into believing they are making a genuine purchase, with OCGs creating increasingly professional websites. Social acceptability is an important enabling factor for illicit trade across the EU, creating an environment in which demand for illicit products is tolerated.

Details: London: Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies (RUSI), 2017. 75p.

Source: Internet Resource: Whitehall Report 2-17: Accessed April 1, 2017 at: https://rusi.org/sites/default/files/201703_rusi_whr_2-17_on_tap_europe_updated_low-res.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Criminal Networks

Shelf Number: 144589


Author: Dencik, Lars

Title: Different Antisemitisms: Perceptions and experiences of antisemitism among Jews in Sweden and across Europe

Summary: In this paper we combine and compare the results of two major but differently focused cross-national surveys on antisemitism. On the one hand, we have data from the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) survey of Jewish people’s perceptions and experiences of antisemitism in eight EU member states – Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Sweden and the United Kingdom (FRA, 2013). This survey was carried out in the second half of 2012. On the other hand, we use the results from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) survey of attitudes towards Jews, with representative samples of each countries’ population, carried out at the end of 2013. This study covers 102 countries all over the world.1 In this article we will focus only on the same eight EU countries that were included in the FRA study. By way of conclusion, we will elaborate on some more general implications for the understanding of the character of antisemitism in contemporary Europe and on the basis of that, present some perspectives on the development of three distinct antisemitisms in contemporary Europe. In this presentation a special focus will be on Sweden. This is partly because it is in Sweden that we have carried out most of our own empirical studies, but also because the situation in Sweden concerning antisemitism and the reaction of the Jewish population to perceived antisemitism are particularly illustrative of some of the main points we can make based on our investigations

Details: London: Institute for Jewish Policy Research, 2017. 35p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 3, 2017 at: http://archive.jpr.org.uk/download?id=3149

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Antisemitism

Shelf Number: 144693


Author: Wilsher, Daniel

Title: Immigration Detention, the Right to Liberty, and Constitutional Law

Summary: The right to personal liberty is one of the oldest recognized rights in liberal democracies, which raises fundamental constitutional questions about the use of detention as an immigration measure. Nevertheless, in the United Kingdom and other common law countries, lengthy immigration detention on a large scale has become the norm and is largely regarded as constitutional. Because migration power in these countries is framed as a power to detain pending expulsion, courts have struggled to draw clear boundaries around detention, thereby enabling the expansion of detention systems. Constitutions in continental Europe, on the other hand, have viewed immigration detention as a heterodox exercise of police power requiring greater judicial control and legislative time limits. For those in common law countries seeking to prevent excessive immigration detention, the legislative route appears to offer the most promise.

Details: Geneva, SWIT: Global Detention Project, 2017. 14p.

Source: Internet Resource: Global Detention Project Working Paper No. 22: Accessed April 3, 2017 at: https://www.globaldetentionproject.org/immigration-detention-the-right-to-liberty-and-constitutional-law

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Illegal Immigrants

Shelf Number: 144697


Author: Mireanu, Manuel

Title: Vigilantism and Security: State, violence and politics in Italy and Hungary

Summary: This thesis explores the relationship between the state and vigilante groups in two situations from Italy and Hungary. It asks the question of the possibility of successful security articulations that emerge from actors endowed with lower levels of social capital. Vigilantism is one such possible security practice. The practices of the vigilante groups that I look at cannot be fully captured if we focus on either state-centred security, or on socially dispersed security practices. Their practices are performed by agents with lower levels of securitising capital than state elites, but with sufficient legitimacy and capabilities to enact security successfully. These practices are not dispersed through 'society', but they are concentrated in groups and patrols with explicit programs, hierarchies and purposes. I argue that vigilante groups can practice security autonomously from the state - even if they have the state's 'blessing'. I argue that vigilantism is an instance of everyday security. Vigilantism illustrates practices of security with clear goals of providing services to a target audience. Vigilantism fulfils a security demand. Vigilante groups have clearly-defined goals, which are influenced by a guiding ideology. Such programmatic security acts do not sit well with the established literature on everyday security, which diverges from a decisionistic model, and posits the non-intentionality of security practices. I diverge from this position and argue that vigilantism shows how security can be at the same time non-elitist and intentional. This thesis uses participatory methods to achieve as much proximity as possible to the actants of vigilante security practices. Analysing situations enables me to have a better negotiation of the interplay between local and daily routines and practices on the one hand, and global discourses and narratives on the other hand. For these reasons, I use the concept of security-scape, to delineate situations of security in which my analysis moves constantly between the particular and the general. The two security-scapes I focus on in this thesis are the Milan Central train station and the Hungarian village of Gyongyospata. Through these two instances of vigilantism in Europe, I illustrate non-state and intentional acts of security. Both the City Angels and the far-right patrols of Gyongyospata perform acts of security in the absence of state capacities. Both situations illustrate an ambiguous relationship with the state, in the sense that their relative autonomy coincides with a reinforcement of state practices and discourses. And both are situations of programmatic and intentional security, where the decision to act is based on the clear articulated intention to respond to a security demand.

Details: Budapest: Central European University, 2014. 268p.

Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed April 8, 2017 at: http://pds.ceu.edu/sites/pds.ceu.hu/files/attachment/basicpage/478/mireanumanuelir.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Far-right Groups

Shelf Number: 144760


Author: Baldo, Suliman

Title: Border Control from Hell: How EU's migration partnership legitimizes Sudan's "militia state"

Summary: Large-scale migration to Europe has precipitated a paradigm shift in relations between the European Union (EU) and the government of Sudan, and closer ties between both entities. This new partnership has resulted in the EU disbursing millions of euros to the Sudanese government for technical equipment and training efforts geared toward stopping the flow to Europe of migrants from Sudan and those from Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia, and other countries in sub-Saharan Africa who come through Sudan. The EU's action plan will involve building the capacities of Sudan's security and law enforcement agencies, including a paramilitary group known as the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which has been branded as Sudan's primary "border force." The EU will assist the RSF and other relevant agencies with the construction of two camps with detention facilities for migrants. The EU will also equip these Sudanese border forces with cameras, scanners, and electronic servers for registering refugees. There are legitimate concerns with these plans. Much of the EU-funded training and equipment is dual-use. The equipment that enables identification and registration of migrants will also reinforce the surveillance capabilities of a Sudanese government that has violently suppressed Sudanese citizens for the past 28 years. Sudan's strategy for stopping migrant flows on behalf of Europe involves a ruthless crackdown by the RSF on migrants within Sudan. Dogged by persistent armed uprisings led by opponents protesting chronic inequalities in the distribution of national wealth and political power in its periphery regions, the Sudanese government has always relied on a plethora of militia groups to counter insurgencies. The RSF is one of these militia groups. It evolved from the disparate Janjaweed militias that carried out the genocidal counterinsurgency policy of the Sudanese regime in Darfur that began in 2003. However, in its functions and evolution, the RSF differs significantly from other militia groups employed by the government. The RSF first evolved from a strike force deployed against insurgents in Darfur into a national counterinsurgency force under the operational command of Sudan's National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) that was tasked with fighting the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army-North (SPLM/A-N) in South Kordofan and Blue Nile states. Then, in September 2013, the RSF was deployed against peaceful demonstrators who were protesting the Sudanese government's removal of subsidies on basic commodities. More than 170 people were killed in September 2013, in incidents that unmasked the Sudanese regime's dependence on the militia to quell political dissent and marked a new evolution in the role of the RSF. Starting in 2015 and 2016, and convinced of the RSF's effectiveness as a counterinsurgency force, the regime designated the RSF as Sudan's primary force tasked with patrolling Sudanese borders to interdict migrants' movement. The Sudanese government made this designation within the framework of its partnership with the EU for the control of migration. As such, the RSF is positioned to receive EU funds for reducing the flows of migrants from Sudan to Europe. The Sudanese government enacted a law in January 2017 that integrated the RSF into the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF, national army). The 2017 law (conflictingly) made the RSF autonomous, integrated into the army, and under the command of President Omar al-Bashir. The EU and the EU member states that are most engaged with Sudan in the actual programmatic partnership on migration flows should scrutinize the record and conduct of the RSF as the partnership unfolds. By "building the capacity" of Sudan's newly minted border force with funding and training, the EU would not only be strengthening the hand of the RSF but also could find itself underwriting a complex system of a "militia state" that Sudan has evolved into since the current regime came to power in 1989. In so doing, the EU contradicts and undermines the overriding objectives of its own founding treaty. EU members cannot advance peace, security, and human rights and they cannot stem irregular migration from Sudan and the Horn of Africa by directly funding a government that deploys a militia group that stokes violent conflict, commits atrocities, and creates massive displacement of populations within Sudan. The remainder of this paper synthesizes public information about the RSF's activities and argues how EU support for this group could ultimately worsen irregular migration to Europe, escalate violent conflict within Sudan and the Horn of Africa, and embolden a regime and militia force that acts with impunity and now faces even fewer checks on its criminal behavior. This paper aims to highlight the latest developments from Sudan and examine the record of earlier engagements of the RSF, lest one or all of Sudan's EU partners claim, at a later date, that they were unaware of the perverse incentives at play.

Details: Washington, DC: Enough Project, 2016. 27p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 10, 2017 at: http://www.enoughproject.org/files/BorderControl_April2017_Enough_Finals.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Border Control

Shelf Number: 144768


Author: Eurojust

Title: Foreign Terrorist Fighters: Eurojust's Views on the Phenomenon and the Criminal Justice Response

Summary: Over the past year, Europe has experienced severe terrorist attacks claiming hundreds of lives. The attacks were committed by returning FTFs, JSJS sympathisers and followers, some of whom were previously convicted of terrorist or other offences. Several other attacks have been thwarted. As the threat of FTFs and ISIS followers has become more visible, the European Union and the Member States have adapted their policies, legislation and practices, seeking to address the evolving threat and its consequences in a proactive and efficient manner; measures to reinforce the criminal justice response to FTFs, their recruiters, facilitators and supporters have also been implemented. In addition to criminalising certain types of conduct, e.g. self-training to commit terrorist offences, preparatory acts of terrorists acting alone, financing of individual terrorists not linked to a specific terrorist act, unlawful participation in an armed conflict abroad, etc., Member States have also amended their procedural law provisions applied to terrorism proceedings to render them more efficient. In view of the difficulty of maintaining working MLA relations with Syria and Jraq, information collected by intelligence services is deemed crucial to gaining insights on structures and members of terrorist organisations active in that region. The scale and widespread nature of terrorist threats require national authorities to bridge the existing gaps among intelligence, law enforcement and prosecution services. None of the latter should work in isolation and intelligence gathered in terrorism matters should eventually support investigations and prosecutions of terrorist suspects. Nonetheless, no uniformed approach exists across the Member States towards the evidentiary use of intelligence. As jurisprudence experience in FTF cases across Europe is growing, courts must address more diverse and complex issues. In a number of cases, the scope and definition of terrorist offences and the classification of certain conduct as terrorist in nature was deliberated. While Member States have implemented a number of recent international instruments designed to align the definition of terrorism, differences still exist in the type of conduct that is considered terrorist in nature. The policies and practices adopted in the Member States concerning alternatives to prosecution and detention also vary. In some cases, custodial sentences as well as alternatives to imprisonment have been imposed in respect to FTFs, often accompanied by specific conditions for rehabilitation, disengagement and/ or de-radicalisation. Member States increasingly report links between terrorism and organised crime, especially regarding illicit trafficking in firearms and explosives, illegal immigrant smuggling and document counterfeiting. Acknowledging the close connection between terrorism and organised crime, and recognising the need to improve the ability to effectively counter those two criminal phenomena, a number of Member States have recently passed legislation to broaden the applicable investigative techniques and prosecutorial tools. Member States continue to seek Eurojust's assistance to support their investigations and prosecutions. Eurojust's coordination tools, experience and expertise assist national authorities in coordinating in a more efficient manner, defining and pursuing common strategies and building synergies in addressing the terrorist threat, thus leading to concrete operational results. The crucial importance of information sharing between Member States, and also with relevant EU agencies, makes the use of existing platforms and services in a consistent and systematic manner essential. Ensuring that information shared can be used as evidence is of great importance in judicial cooperation, and Eurojust plays a major role in assisting the Member States in this respect. For Eurojust, judicial cooperation with key third States, particularly in the Western Balkans and the MENA region, also remains a priority and possibilities for posting Eurojust Liaison Magistrates to third States are currently being considered. Eurojust's analysis of the evolving criminal justice response to the FTF phenomenon confirms the need to continue seeking more efficient ways to address the growing threat and tackle its changing nature in a proactive manner. Renewed legal frameworks, efficient cooperation, and timely and comprehensive exchange of information are key components of this approach and should remain a priority for the Member States and the European Union.

Details: The Hague: Eurojust, 2015. 40p.

Source: Internet Resource: Fourth Eurojust Report: Accessed April 11, 2017 at: http://statewatch.org/news/2017/mar/eu-eurojust-foreign-fighters-legal-response-report-restricted-11-16.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Foreign Terrorist Fighters

Shelf Number: 144794


Author: Frontier Economics

Title: The Economic Impacts of Counterfeiting and Piracy. Report prepared for BASCAP and INTA

Summary: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Counterfeiting and piracy are highly pervasive across countries and sectors, representing a multi-Billion-dollar industry globally that continues to grow. Measuring the scale of counterfeiting and piracy helps us to understand the size of the problem, and the related social costs. It also helps inform policymakers so that they can target resources appropriately towards combating counterfeiting and piracy. 1.1 Extending the findings of the OECD/EUIPO Our starting point is the recent work undertaken by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) to measure the extent of piracy and counterfeiting in international trade. The OECD/EUIPO Report builds on a previous, ground-breaking study by the OECD in 2008. Since the publication of the initial report, researchers at the OECD have been able to bring significant enhancements to their research methodology, including improved econometric modelling, greater magnitudes of data and increased primary data from customs experts. The OECD/EUIPO estimates that trade in counterfeit and pirated products accounted for as much as 2.5% of the value of international trade, or $461 Billion, in 2013.2 Notably, this figure represents an increase of more than 80% over the OECD's findings in 2008. Our report seeks to quantify the global value of counterfeiting and piracy and related economic and social costs. As revealing as the OECD/EUIPO Report is, its focus is on one specific aspect of counterfeiting and piracy: the international trade of counterfeits across borders. We therefore draw on and extend the OECD/EUIPO Report to include additional types and impacts of counterfeiting and piracy delineated, but not quantified, in their analysis. Specifically, this study quantifies three additional categories of losses: (i) the value of domestically produced and consumed counterfeit goods, (ii) the value of digital piracy, and (iii) wider economic impacts. Our approach and analysis is a follow-on study from our 2011 report for BASCAP, which built on the OECD's 2008 analysis. Our analysis consists of the following four dimensions. - Quadrant 1: Internationally traded counterfeit and pirated goods. We reprise the OECD/EUIPO's recent estimates of the value of counterfeit and pirated physical goods in international trade. This captures the value of counterfeit goods that cross international borders. We also develop projections of this value to 2022. - Quadrant 2: Domestically produced and consumed counterfeit and pirated goods. We estimate the value of domestically produced and consumed counterfeit and pirated goods using the findings of the OECD/EUIPO Report as a starting point. This captures the value of counterfeits that are produced and consumed within the borders of a country. - Quadrant 3: Piracy distributed through the Internet, mainly by peer-to-peer (P2P) sharing and streaming. We estimate the value of digital piracy in film, music, and software, which is not captured in the OECD/EUIPO Report as it is based on physically traded goods. Our analysis draws on industry data and studies. - Quadrant 4: Wider economic and social impacts. Building on the magnitudes calculated in quadrants 1-3, we measure related economic and social impacts of counterfeiting and piracy. Specifically, we: - Develop an econometric estimate of the impact of counterfeiting and piracy on foregone economic growth. □ Present effects of the displacement by counterfeiting and pirating activities of legitimate activities on employment, FDI, and sales tax revenues. - Estimate costs of criminality related to counterfeiting and pirating activities 1.2 Key findings Our analysis shows that the scale of counterfeiting and piracy globally is large, that it has grown since previous estimates, and that this growth is expected to continue. Our estimates of these values across all four quadrants are shown in Table 1.S below. We estimate that the value of international and domestic trade in counterfeit and pirated goods in 2013 was $710 -$ 917 Billion. We estimate that, in addition to this, the global value of digital piracy in movies, music and software in 2015 3 was $213 Billion. We estimated wider economic costs associated with the effects of counterfeiting and piracy on the displacement of legitimate economic activity. This estimate also provides a starting point for inferring fiscal losses. We also estimated the effects of counterfeiting and piracy on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and crime. We find significant effects on the job market through the displacement of legitimate economic activity by counterfeiting and piracy. We estimate net job losses in 2013 to lie, globally, between 2 and 2.6 million, and we project net job losses of 4.2 to 5.4 million by 2022. We also estimated the effects of changes in the incidence of counterfeiting and piracy on economic growth. Our econometric model, estimating the impact of changes in the intensity of counterfeiting and piracy on economic growth, suggests that a percentage point reduction in the intensity of counterfeiting and piracy would be worth between $30 Billion to $54 Billion in 2017 for the 35 OECD countries. Our forward projections begin with OECD/EUIPO's estimates of international trade in counterfeit and pirated goods, augmented by forecasts of growth in import volumes and the ratio of customs seizures to real imports. Using these, we forecast that the value of trade in counterfeit and pirated goods could reach $991 Billion by 2022. We carry out a similar exercise to illustrate how the size of domestic production and consumption of counterfeit and pirated goods may change over time. We use data on recent and forecast rates of growth in global trade and GDP, and projected growth in the rate of counterfeiting. Using this approach, we forecast that the value of domestically produced and consumed counterfeit and pirated goods could range from $524 - $959 Billion by 2022. Applying the methodology used in our previous study, we combine two different approaches to project digital piracy into the future. The first approach assumes that digital piracy will maintain its share of total counterfeiting and piracy over time. The second approach assumes that digital piracy grows proportionally to global IP traffic. Combining these two approaches, we forecast that the value of digital piracy in movies, music and software could reach from $384 - $856 Billion by 2022.

Details: Brussels: Frontier Economics, 2017. 61p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 14, 2017 at: http://www.inta.org/Communications/Documents/2017_Frontier_Report.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Counterfeit Goods

Shelf Number: 144910


Author: Smoyer, Amy B.

Title: Food systems in correctional settings A literature review and case study

Summary: Food is a central component of life in correctional institutions and plays a critical role in the physical and mental health of incarcerated people and the construction of prisoners' identities and relationships. An understanding of the role of food in correctional settings and effective management of food systems may improve outcomes for incarcerated people and help correctional administrators to maximize the health and safety of individuals in these institutions. This report summarizes existing research about food systems in correctional settings and provides examples of food programmes in prison and remand facilities, including a case study of food-related innovation in the Danish correctional system. Specific conclusions are offered for policy-makers, administrators of correctional institutions and prison food services professionals, and ideas for future research are proposed.

Details: Copenhagen: WHO Regional Office for Europe, 2015. 30p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 21, 2017 at: http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/292965/Food-systems-correctional-settings-literature-review-case-study.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Correctional Administration

Shelf Number: 145069


Author: Basra, Rajan

Title: Criminal Pasts, Terrorist Futures: European Jihadists and the New Crime-Terror Nexus

Summary: About this Study - The presence of former criminals in terrorist groups is neither new nor unprecedented. But with Islamic State and the ongoing mobilisation of European jihadists, the phenomenon has become more pronounced, more visible, and more relevant to the ways in which jihadist groups operate. In many European countries, the majority of jihadist foreign fighters are former criminals. - The purpose of this report is to describe the nature and dynamics of the crime-terror nexus, and understand what it means. To do so, a multi-lingual team of ICSR researchers compiled a database containing the profiles of 79 recent European jihadists with criminal pasts. - What we have found is not the merging of criminals and terrorists as organisations but of their social networks, environments, or milieus. Criminal and terrorist groups have come to recruit from the same pool of people, creating (often unintended) synergies and overlaps that have consequences for how individuals radicalise and operate. This is what we call the new crime-terror nexus. Radicalisation and Recruitment - The profiles and pathways in our database suggest that the jihadist narrative - as articulated by the Islamic State - is surprisingly well-aligned with the personal needs and desires of criminals, and that it can be used to curtail as well as license the continued involvement in crime. - For up to ten of the individuals in our database, we found evidence for what we termed the 'redemption narrative': jihadism offered redemption for crime while satisfying the same personal needs and desires that led them to become involved in it, making the 'jump' from criminality to terrorism smaller than is commonly perceived. - Whether or not jihadist groups are reaching out to criminals as a deliberate strategy remains unclear. Prisons - Fifty-seven per cent of the individuals in our database (45 out of 79 profiles) had been incarcerated prior to their radicalisation, with sentences ranging from one month to over ten years, for various offences from petty to violent crime. More significantly, at least 27 per cent of those who spent time in prison (12 out of 45 profiles) radicalised there, although the process often continued and intensified after their release. - Our database highlights different ways in which prisons matter: (1) they are places of vulnerability in which extremists can find plenty of 'angry young men' who are 'ripe' for radicalisation; (2) they bring together criminals and terrorists, and therefore create opportunities for networking and 'skills transfers'; and (3) they often leave inmates with few opportunities to re-integrate into society. - Given the recent surge in terrorism-related arrests and convictions, and the rapidly expanding number of convicted terrorists in custody, we are convinced that prisons will become more - rather than less - significant as 'breeding grounds' for the jihadist movement. 'Skills Transfers' - There are many 'skills' that terrorists with criminal pasts may have developed. For example, criminals tend to have experience in dealing with law enforcement, and more importantly, may be familiar with the limits of police powers. Criminals are also innovative, and often have an ability to control nerves and handle pressure. - Beyond these, there are three 'skills' which our database provides evidence for: (1) that individuals with a criminal past tend to have easier access to weapons; (2) that they are adept at staying 'under the radar' and planning discreet logistics; and (3) that their familiarity with violence lowers their (psychological) threshold for becoming involved in terrorist acts. Financing - The vast majority of terrorist attacks in Europe does not require large sums of money or rely on the largesse of Islamic State's leadership or central command. Whether small-scale or sophisticated, as part of its wider strategy, Islamic State and other jihadist groups are trying to keep financial barriers to entry low, making it possible for all their supporters - no matter how rich or poor - to participate. - Jihadists not only condone the use of 'ordinary' criminality to raise funds, they have argued that doing so is the ideologically correct way of waging 'jihad' in the 'lands of war'. Combined with large numbers of former criminals in their ranks, this will make financing attacks through crime not only possible and legitimate but, increasingly, their first choice. - Already, up to 40 per cent of terrorist plots in Europe are at least part-financed through 'petty crime', especially drug-dealing, theft, robberies, the sale of counterfeit goods, loan fraud, and burglaries. Based on our database, jihadists tend to continue doing what they are familiar with, which means that terrorist financing by criminal means will become more important as the number of former criminals is increasing.

Details: London, United Kingdom : International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation and Political Violence, 2016. 56p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 21, 2017 at: http://icsr.info/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/ICSR-Report-Criminal-Pasts-Terrorist-Futures-European-Jihadists-and-the-New-Crime-Terror-Nexus.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Extremism

Shelf Number: 145139


Author: Europol

Title: Serious and Organised Crime Threat Assessment: Crime in the age of technology

Summary: The SOCTA 2017 is the most comprehensive study of serious and organised crime in the EU ever undertaken. It is the outcome of a detailed analysis of the threat of serious and organised crime facing the EU providing information for practitioners, decision-makers and the wider public. As a threat assessment, the SOCTA is a forward-looking document that assesses shifts in the serious and organised crime landscape. The SOCTA 2017 sets out current and anticipated developments across the spectrum of serious and organised crime, identifies the key criminal groups and individuals active in criminal activities across the EU and describes the factors in the wider environment that shape serious and organised crime in the EU. The SOCTA 2017 also describes the dynamics that drive organised crime in the age of technology and reflects on how OCGs and individual criminal entrepreneurs seek to exploit the latest technological innovations. The SOCTA is the product of close cooperation between Europol, the law enforcement authorities of the Member States and third parties such as EU agencies, international organisations and countries outside the EU with strategic or operational agreements with Europol. The involvement of these crucial stakeholders is also reflected in the SOCTA's role as the cornerstone of the EU Policy Cycle for Serious and Organised Crime in the EU. Some of the main findings: More than 5 000 international Organised Crime Groups (OCGs) with more than 180 nationalities are currently under investigation in the EU. The number of organised crime groups that are involved in more than one criminal activity (poly-criminal) has increased sharply over the last years (45% compared to 33% in 2013. For almost all types of organised crime, criminals are deploying and adapting technology with ever greater skill and to ever greater effect. This is now, perhaps, the greatest challenge facing law enforcement authorities around the world, including in the EU. Cryptoware (ransomware using encryption) has become the leading malware in terms of threat and impact. It encrypts victims user generated files, denying them access unless the victim pays a fee to have their files decrypted. Document fraud has emerged as a key criminal activity linked to the migration crisis. Document fraud, money laundering and the online trade in illicit goods and services are the engines of organised crime.

Details: The Hague: Europol, 2017. 60p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 22, 2017 at: https://www.europol.europa.eu/newsroom/news/crime-in-age-of-technology-%E2%80%93-europol%E2%80%99s-serious-and-organised-crime-threat-assessment-2017

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Computer Crime

Shelf Number: 145154


Author: Dzhekova, Rositsa

Title: Monitoring Radicalisation: A Framework for Risk Indicators

Summary: Radicalisation processes impacting on disaffected and indoctrinated persons and the later involvement of some of them in acts of terrorism are of growing concern for European citizens, their governments and the wider international community. Addressing this threat requires effective prevention policies which some EU member states have been proactive in developing. Effective policies need reliable diagnostic tools designed to identify individuals and groups who might pose a threat. The publication provides a review of existing approaches and tools to identifying, monitoring and assessing radicalisation in Europe and beyond. It further offers a conceptual framework of radicalisation risk and vulnerability indicators and their interpretation as a basis for developing early-warning mechanisms for frontline practitioners in countries which are yet to develop specific prevention and counter-radicalisation policies. The target group of the guide are policymakers at national and EU levels, as well as practitioners directly involved in the prevention of radicalisation in Central and Eastern Europe and beyond.

Details: Sofia: Center for the Study of Democracy, 2017. 102p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 29, 2017 at: http://www.csd.bg/artShow.php?id=17916

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Counter-Radicalization

Shelf Number: 145207


Author: Reitano, Tuesday

Title: Examining the Nexus between Organised Crime and Terrorism and its implications for EU Programming

Summary: The evolving relationship between terrorism and crime poses significant challenges to the international community, and is contingent on definitions of terrorism, petty crime and organised crime, which are often contested. In Europe there is evidence that there is a link between petty crime and terrorism, where individuals on the margins of society and the formal economy or in prison are most vulnerable to radicalisation. In other areas of the world, the relationship between organised crime and terrorism has transformed to one of symbiosis and convergence, in which it has become increasingly difficult to draw a meaningful distinction. Activities of terrorists and organised criminals frequently reinforce each other, where terrorists engage either directly or indirectly in organised crime activities such as trafficking, smuggling, extortion, kidnapping for ransom and the illicit trade of natural resources, for financial and/or material benefits. Such benefits contribute to undermining state security, stability and social and economic development, which in turn may create or maintain the conditions for organised criminal groups to flourish. On the other side, organised crime groups may employ terrorist tactics, including the strategic use of violence, to enable their objectives. In designing an appropriate policy response, there is value to recognising that there is a strategic distinction to be made between those situations where causal and enabling conditions for organised crime and/or violent extremism converge and where monitoring and preventive action is possible, versus those situations where the relationship is already in place, and where situation specific approaches are required.

Details: The Hague: International Centre for Counter Terrorism, 2017. 28p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 1, 2017 at: https://icct.nl/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/OC-Terror-Nexus-Final.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Organized Crime

Shelf Number: 145214


Author: European Commission. Eurostat

Title: Trafficking in human beings. 2015 edition

Summary: In 2013 Eurostat published the first working paper on Trafficking in Human Beings in Europe. This publication constitutes the second working paper at the EU level on statistics on trafficking in human beings and contains data for the years 2010, 2011 and 2012. This second working paper includes statistical data from all 28 EU Member States and the following EU Candidate and EFTA/EEA (Iceland, Norway) countries: Montenegro, Norway, Serbia, Switzerland and Turkey. The totals and percentages in the working paper are based on data from the EU Member States. Where relevant, the number of Member States providing data, and on which the statistics are based, is also given. Data from the non-EU countries have been highlighted separately in some sections. This is a working paper looking at statistical data at EU level as gathered and submitted by national authorities. In this respect, it is a unique undertaking in this field at EU level. The data have been collected from official sources, and provide information on registered victims, suspects, prosecutions and convictions, as recorded by the authorities. As such, this working paper differs from other reports which have looked at estimates of the prevalence of trafficking in human beings, for example. There may also be studies at national or regional level which provide greater detail about a specific subset of the phenomenon or which look at a narrower geographical area. This report should be considered alongside such studies to gain maximum benefit from the full evidence base available. Since the first working paper, encouraging progress has been achieved in terms of availability of data. This working paper reaffirms the need for further improvement, as more comprehensive and comparable data will allow for a more accurate assessment of the nature of the problem, as well as more accurate conclusions at EU level. Not all Member States have provided comprehensive data on all indicators. In view of this, and the differences between national definitions and recording systems, figures should be interpreted with caution, and with careful consideration of the methodological notes provided. A higher number of reported cases does not necessarily mean that a country has more victims than another country. Nor is it necessarily an indication of a better identification or recording system. Sudden increases or decreases may merely reflect legislative modifications, changes in statistical procedures and counting rules, or be the result of specific law enforcement initiatives. Careful analysis of the information provided in the country notes is required to allow for a comprehensive understanding of the values reported, and comparisons between Member States should be avoided.

Details: Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2015. 142p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 2, 2017 at: https://ec.europa.eu/anti-trafficking/sites/antitrafficking/files/eurostat_report_on_trafficking_in_human_beings_-_2015_edition.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Forced Begging

Shelf Number: 145240


Author: Castiglioni, Sara, ed.

Title: Assessing illicit drugs in wastewater: Advances in wastewater-based drug epidemiology

Summary: Assessing illicit drugs in wastewater: advances in wastewater-based drug epidemiology reviews a new approach to estimating drug use in populations, based on the detection and quantification of drugs and their metabolic products in community wastewater. Strengths of the wastewater-based approach include avoiding the problems associated with questionnaire-based research, better identification of the drugs being used and being able to provide near-real-time results, with the power to identify trends in drug use patterns, over time and geographically. Novel uses of the approach are explored, such as the early detection of new psychoactive substances on the drug market. The report also looks at the limitations to the approach and how these can be overcome for this new tool to take its place in the drug epidemiologists toolkit.

Details: Lisbon: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, 2016. 82p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 6, 2017 at: http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/system/files/publications/2273/TDXD16022ENC_4.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction

Shelf Number: 145326


Author: Frontex

Title: Risk Analysis for 2017

Summary: Risk analysis is the starting point for all Frontex activities, from high level strategic decision-making to planning and implementation of operational activities. Frontex collects a wide range of data from Member States, EU bodies, its partner countries and organisations, as well as from open sources on the situation at and beyond Europe's borders. The data is analysed with the aim of creating a picture of the situation at the EU's external borders and the key factors influencing and driving it. Beyond establishing trends and identifying risks, Frontex also provides advice on appropriate operational responses to various challenges, including cross-border crime, at the EU external borders. This helps optimise the use of available resources and maximise the effectiveness of actions taken. The agency's risk analysis is used to advise high level decision-making as well for daily coordination of joint operations. In 2016, a drop in detections reported at the external borders with Turkey and Western Balkan countries led to an overall decrease in detections of illegal border-crossing at EU level. However, with over half a million detections (511371), the figure is still significantly higher than any yearly total between 2010 (104060) and 2014 (282933). This means that the pressure on the external borders of the EU remained exceptionally high in 2016. The migratory pressure at the EU's external borders with Turkey has been easing since October 2015. An important factor in this regard is the EU-Turkey statement, which came into force in March 2016, in which Turkey agreed to secure its maritime and land borders and accept the return of irregular migrants from Greece. The statement has largely removed the incentive for migrants to take irregular migration routes to Greece and has undermined the business model of people-smuggling networks. Several measures introduced to prevent illegal border-crossing along the Western Balkan route have also discouraged many irregular migrants from making the dangerous sea crossing to the Greek Eastern Aegean Islands. Nevertheless, Greek Hotspots saw several riots last year resulting in injuries and material damage. Similar security problems and overcrowding in Bulgaria reflected persistent tensions in reception facilities and the precarious situation of migrants and refugees. Never before had detections been so high in the Central Mediterranean area, with 181459 in 2016, which is 18% more than in 2015. For the third consecutive year, detections in the Central Mediterranean Sea have exceeded 100000. At the same time, IOM data show that the number of deaths and missing persons a rough estimate due to the absence of passenger lists and the few bodies actually recovered increased from 3175 in 2015 to over 4500 in 2016. The increase in fatalities occurred despite enhanced operational efforts and the fact that most rescue operations took place close to, or sometimes within, Libyan territorial waters. A staggering 96% of newly-arrived migrants interviewed in the Central Mediterranean region stated that they had used the services of smuggling networks to illegally enter the EU. This suggests that irregular migration via Libya is entirely dependent on the services of the smuggling networks. Therefore, any activity that would disrupt or deter these groups could significantly curb the flow of irregular migrants into the EU. The increasing number of vulnerable persons moving through the Central Mediterranean, in particular Nigerian women, makes it very clear that effective detection of people trafficked for sexual exploitation, forced labour and other purposes remains a major challenge for border authorities. The establishment of Hotspots in southern Italy helped to considerably improve the registration of new arrivals. However, many arriving migrants were also disembarked outside Hotspot areas, which undermined the uniform application of registration rules. Moreover, after having been registered in the Hotspots, many migrants simply left the reception centres without notification or proper documentation. It should be stressed that movement of people without proper documentation within the EU carries serious implications for internal security. As in the case of the Central Mediterranean, never before had detections on the Western Mediterranean route been as high as in 2016, with more than 10000 detections. This is 46% more than in 2015 on the same route, and 21% more than in 2011, the previous record-breaking year. As in the Central Mediterranean, most migrants were from Africa, which indicates the growing pressure of illegal immigration from this continent towards the EU.

Details: Warsaw, Poland: Frontex, 2017. 64p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 6, 2017 at: http://frontex.europa.eu/assets/Publications/Risk_Analysis/Annual_Risk_Analysis_2017.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Asylum Seekers

Shelf Number: 145346


Author: Tavares, Cynthia

Title: Money laundering in Europe Report of work carried out by Eurostat and DG Home Affairs

Summary: Statistics on crime and criminal justice represent one of the newest areas of Eurostat's activities. The collection of data on this subject from the Member States began in response to the mandate issued by the European Council in the Hague Programme in 2004: ... the European Council welcomes the initiative of the Commission to establish European instruments for collecting, analysing and comparing information on crime and victimisation and their respective trends in Member States, using national statistics and other sources of information as agreed indicators. Eurostat should be tasked with the definition of such data and its collection from the Member States1. In response to this challenge, Eurostat has established contact with the organisations principally responsible for crime statistics in each of the European Union Member States. These organisations have contributed substantially to the development of an international collection of crime statistics within the framework of the European Statistical System. Eurostat wishes to thank the colleagues concerned in these organisations for their co-operation in this field. The progress made to date may be followed on the Eurostat website and in successive issues of the series Statistics in Focus. It has always been evident that comparable information on 'traditional' types of crime such as theft and assault would be easier to obtain than in so-called 'new areas' such as for example cybercrime, human trafficking, fraud and corruption. For such types of offence (which are often associated with the concept 'organised crime') the absence of an international framework of methods and definitions has necessitated a far more intensive process of conceptual development. This process has been undertaken in active collaboration with the Member States and according to the strategy set out in the Action Plan adopted by the Commission to implement the Hague Programme. The present publication represents the first fruits of this process. The specific crime of money-laundering is among the priority areas identified in the Action Plan and data has been collected by Eurostat from the Member States in several stages, followed each time by a careful analysis of the figures received and subsequent adjustment of the methodology. The contribution to this process of the Commission's Directorate-General for Home Affairs is gratefully acknowledged. It is recognised that the current state of the results does not entirely comply with the stringent requirements of the European Statistics Code of Practice. Further development is planned to improve data quality in future collections. Nevertheless the political demand for this information is such that it seems opportune to make it available at this stage in the form of a Eurostat Working Paper. This implies that suitable caution should be exercised in interpreting the figures, and that the methodological notes and caveats provided should be rigorously taken into account in all subsequent analysis.

Details: Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2010. 92p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 10, 2017 at: http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/documents/3888793/5846749/KS-RA-10-003-EN.PDF/d6540680-3944-4c22-9b8b-8109ec0b6d92?version=1.0

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Crime Statistics

Shelf Number: 145400


Author: European Commission. Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs

Title: Mid-term assessment of the EU drugs strategy 2013-2020 and final evaluation of the action plan on drugs 2013-2016

Summary: This evaluation assesses the degree of implementation of the EU Drugs Strategy 2013-2020 and the Action Plan 2013-2016 in terms of outputs and, to the extent possible, impacts. It looks at the extent to which the objectives of the EU Drugs Strategy have been achieved, highlighting the areas where progress has been made and those where progress is lagging. In addition, the evaluation aims to provide evidence to support the Commission's decision about whether to propose a new Action Plan for the period 2017-2020, and if so, what changes would be needed compared to the current plan. In accordance with the Better Regulation guidelines, the evaluation addresses 13 research questions that relate to the criteria of effectiveness, efficiency, relevance and coherence of the EU Drugs Strategy and the Action Plan as well as their EU added value. The evaluation addresses all parts of the Strategy; the two policy areas (or 'pillars') of drug demand and drug supply reduction, and the three cross-cutting themes of coordination, international cooperation, and information, research, monitoring and evaluation. This summary describes how the data were collected for the evaluation (and the limitations to those data), sets out the main findings in relation to each of the 13 research questions and presents some cross-cutting conclusions which highlight key messages from across the evaluation criteria. Lastly, it lists the 20 recommendations made by the evaluation

Details: Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2016. 280p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 11, 2017 at: https://bookshop.europa.eu/en/search/Filter?SearchParameter=%26%40QueryTerm%3D*%26Author%3DEmilie%2BBalbirnie

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Enforcement

Shelf Number: 145413


Author: International Organization for Migration

Title: Enhancing the Safety and Sustainability of the Return and Reintegration of Victims of Trafficking: Lessons Learnt from the CARE and TACT Projects

Summary: This report follows on from the implementation of two distinct but complementary projects implemented by IOM: Coordinated Approach for the Reintegration of victims of trafficking returning voluntarily to any third country (CARE project) and Transnational Action - Safe and sustainable return and reintegration for victims of Trafficking returning voluntarily to priority countries: Albania, Morocco and Ukraine (TACT project). The two projects involved a total of 9 European Union Member States (EU MS) - Austria, Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom - committed to improving the return and reintegration programmes available for Victims of Trafficking (VoTs), in order to make the process safer and more sustainable, and to reduce the risks of re-trafficking. Bearing this objective in mind, IOM endeavored through the implementation of both projects to develop, implement, and fine-tune Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the Return and Reintegration of Victims of Trafficking, ensuring a continuum of care. This joint report aims to gather and share the lessons learnt through the implementation of both projects, suggesting a way forward for the establishment of transnational referral mechanisms between EU MS and third countries. The issue of transnational referral mechanisms is a key priority in the current EU anti-trafficking efforts, as mentioned in the EU Anti-trafficking Strategy for the period 2012-2016. . As part of the introduction, this report will start with an overview of the key concepts and legal framework relating to trafficking and voluntary return, analyzing their linkage, and a brief explanation of the content of the EU Anti-trafficking Strategy, in the framework of which both the CARE and TACT projects are implemented. The first section will present in detail the CARE and TACT projects objectives and activities. The second section will go through the lessons drawn from the implementation of the CARE project and propose recommendations to enhance the assistance and protection provided to returning VoTs. The third and final section will go a step further, presenting some reflections in turn on the concept of the Transnational Referral Mechanism (TRM) and its possible concrete implementation throughout the EU and third countries. The international legislative framework on human trafficking is governed by the United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime and its two Additional Protocols. The Convention, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly through resolution 55/252 on 15 November 2000, entered into force on 29 September 2003. It is complemented by the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children , also known as the Palermo Protocol (entered into force on 25 December 2003) and the Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air , which entered into force on 28 January 2004. According to Article 3 (a) of the Palermo Protocol, "Human trafficking" can be described as "the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation. Exploitation shall include, at a minimum, the exploitation of the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labour or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude or the removal of organs".

Details: Paris, France: IOM, 2014. 126p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 15, 2017 at: http://iomfrance.org/sites/default/files/Enhancing%20the%20Safety%20and%20Sustainability%20of%20the%20Return%20and%20Reintegration%20of%20VoTs.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Forced Labor

Shelf Number: 145474


Author: Dusek, Libor

Title: The Trade-offs of Justice: A Theory of the Optimal Use of Alternative Criminal Procedures

Summary: Criminal cases can be adjudicated via court trials or alternative criminal procedures, such as plea bargaining and penal order. We develop a model of optimal allocation of cases across these alternatives based on offense severity and available evidence. The model predicts that the evidence standards - and thus the number of wrongful convictions and wrongful acquittals - fundamentally depend upon the cost structure of the criminal process as well as on the budget resources allocated to the criminal justice system. We call this phenomenon the marginal cost of justice. Our model offers explanations why the scope of plea bargaining in the United States has been traditionally broader than the scope of alternative procedures in Europe and why their use in Europe has recently expanded.

Details: Working paper, 2016. 48p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 17, 2017 at: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2812559

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Criminal Procedure

Shelf Number: 145557


Author: Radicalisation Awareness Network

Title: Preventing Radicalisation to Terrorism and Violent Extremism: Exit Strategies

Summary: This approach involves setting up de-radicalisation or disengagement programmes aimed at reintegrating violent extremists (de-radicalisation), or at least dissuading them from violence (disengagement). Even after the very best of prevention efforts, some individuals still go on to become (violent) extremists. While en route to that stage, they may fall under the responsibility of security services/police, and - in some cases - of judicial and prison services. However, there will (most likely) come a day when the individual - perhaps after finishing a prison sentence, or when he or she is tired of the movement or is pushed by loved ones to change - needs to be re-integrated into society. For successful re-integration into society it is important to offer de-radicalisation or disengagement programmes to prisoners charged with violent extremist offences . But "Exit" programmes should not only be offered to individuals who have faced imprisonment. Ideally, imprisonment should be prevented by offering this kind of programmes before the individual undertakes illegal activities. These programmes might therefore be targeted towards individuals in different advanced stages of the radicalisation process: from those that have strong views and legitimise the use of violence, those aligned with extremist groups but who have not yet undertaken violent extremist activities, to those that have themselves executed violent extremist or even terrorist attacks.

Details: Brussels: European Commission, 2017. 49p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 18, 2017 at: https://ec.europa.eu/home-affairs/sites/homeaffairs/files/what-we-do/networks/radicalisation_awareness_network/ran-best-practices/docs/exit_strategies_en.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: De-radicalization

Shelf Number: 145563


Author: Radicalisation Awareness Network

Title: Preventing Radicalisation to Terrorism and Violent Extremism: Educating young people

Summary: This approach entails educating young people on citizenship, stereotypes, discrimination, extremism, democratic values, media literacy, critical thinking and cultural diversity in order to strengthen their democratic citizenship and resilience to radicalisation. The focus is on young people who are more vulnerable or at risk of being targeted by extremist recruitment and propaganda. For the approach to work, it is necessary to raise awareness of radicalisation among the educators and their institutions. The growing threat of violent extremism and terrorism has led to new challenges in several sectors, and in particular for schools and educators, who find themselves confronted with expressions and sentiments on a scale they could never have anticipated, ranging from personal identity conflicts to complex societal issues. Recent attacks, as well as growing polarisation and tensions in society because of the refugee and migrant crisis, are just a few examples of developments and challenges to which young people and educators are exposed. While the reasons children and students are vulnerable to being radicalised may vary, it is worth highlighting that the ramifications of terrorist attacks can also exacerbate the situation. These incidents scare, frustrate or anger people, leading to provocation, ridicule, tensions and protest in the classroom. Schools and educators are on the front line to challenge and prevent misplaced retaliatory abuse, as well as to identify and safeguard those deemed vulnerable to radicalisation. They must partner in preventative efforts at an early stage

Details: Brussels: European Commission, 2017. 87p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 18, 2017 at: https://ec.europa.eu/home-affairs/sites/homeaffairs/files/what-we-do/networks/radicalisation_awareness_network/ran-best-practices/docs/educating_young_people_en.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: De-radicalization

Shelf Number: 145564


Author: Radicalisation Awareness Network

Title: Preventing Radicalisation to Terrorism and Violent Extremism: Community engagement and empowerment

Summary: Although governments and public authorities must do all they can, the prevention of extremism and radicalisation is most effectively addressed by communities. Extremism is able to thrive when communities themselves do not challenge those who seek to radicalise others. In some communities, particularly minority communities, there is a profound lack trust and confidence in the government, police and public authorities. This can make it harder for them to achieve success. It is therefore important to invest in community engagement and community empowerment. Community engagement should be in place routinely and not just implemented after a problem arises. Communities can play an essential role in preventing radicalisation and providing support to affected community members. They can also be a wealth of knowledge when it comes to people at risk of radicalisation. This approach can take different forms, such as community policing, but can also include empowering key people within the community to stand up against violent extremism. Engaging with communities in many cases will also go hand in hand with family engagement. Therefore the community's chapter closely mirrors that of engaging with families and the two should be read in tandem.

Details: Brussels: European Commission, 2017. 70p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 18, 2017 at: https://ec.europa.eu/home-affairs/sites/homeaffairs/files/what-we-do/networks/radicalisation_awareness_network/ran-best-practices/docs/community_engagement_and_empowerment_en.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Community Engagement

Shelf Number: 145565


Author: Radicalisation Awareness Network

Title: Preventing Radicalisation to Terrorism and Violent Extremism: Delivering counter- or alternative narratives

Summary: This approach involves the delivery of counter- or alternative narratives to challenge or offer alternatives to extremist ideas, either online or offline. Exposure to extremist propaganda - both online and offline - is critical to the process of radicalisation. Extremist narratives are effective because of their simplicity, their use of scapegoating, and their emotional appeals to fear, anger, shame and honour. Their messages are crafted to exploit identity issues that many young people may experience. It is upon this scaffolding that their violent and exclusionary ideologies are built. But the manner of transmission is equally vital. Popular extremist propaganda often includes: high production value, the use of fast-paced editing, music and a charismatic narrator, and a call to action. The professional and sophisticated use of social media by Daesh in particular has been a game-changer. Propaganda spread by terrorists and violent extremists is easily accessible. While they are increasingly making use of the so-called 'Dark Net', the majority of their efforts are focused on mainstream platforms. Extremists are also populating the spaces where young people consume and share information, socialise and are socialised. It is harder to predict and detect violent extremist actions, as extremist messages are spread more widely, rapidly and effectively via the internet and social media, and authorities are often not able to hold people accountable for this propaganda. Reducing accessibility to online terrorist material is important, as is acknowledging the difficulties in ridding the internet of all terrorist material. Whilst efforts to reduce accessibility to terrorist content are important, they, on their own, will not deter those looking for information. It has become increasingly apparent that preventing and tackling radicalisation leading to terrorism and violent extremism is not only a security issue. It is also about addressing public opinion and countering and challenging extremist ideologies - a strategy also known as 'winning the hearts and minds'

Details: Brussels: European Commission, 2017. 44p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 18, 2017 at: https://ec.europa.eu/home-affairs/sites/homeaffairs/files/what-we-do/networks/radicalisation_awareness_network/ran-best-practices/docs/delivering_alternative_narratives_en.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: De-radicalization

Shelf Number: 145566


Author: Radicalisation Awareness Network

Title: Preventing Radicalisation to Terrorism and Violent Extremism: Family support

Summary: This approach aims to support families vulnerable to and dealing with radicalisation and violent extremism. The role of families in the process or radicalisation has become central to the debate on the prevention of radicalisation leading to violent extremism. Many believe that one of the keys to stopping the process at an early stage lies behind the door of the family home. Proponents of this approach believe that building resilience and creating awareness for parents and other family members will mean that young people are better protected from extremist influences. In reality, families may be both helpful and harmful in radicalisation processes. A distinction should be made between families' intentions and their behaviour. Family members may sometimes do more harm than good because they are unsure how to talk to a relative who they may fear is becoming radicalised. Family members may also explicitly encourage a relative to take an extremist path, as they believe this is the right direction. Families can however also be the key to creating a safety net and be instrumental in helping someone leave an extremist movement and mind-set. Each scenario and family's involvement will be different and requires tailored solutions. Although we talk about families as a whole, the dynamics within families and the roles of each family member will impact radicalisation processes differently. It is therefore important to understand who constitutes the family? Who is part of this group or network of people that considers itself a family? This may differ quite substantially across different cultural backgrounds. Honorary culture within families might also play an important role in both directions. Once there is an understanding as to who is part of the family, dynamics between these individuals can be observed and analysed. For this to happen, a family's cooperation is of utmost importance. Without a family's commitment it will be very difficult for 'outsiders', whether police, family counsellors, social workers or other actors, to build trust and help build resilient family engagement. A family's connection to the wider environment (other families, the community they are part of, institutions) is also a crucial element in family support.

Details: Brussels: European Commission, 2017. 49p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 18, 2017 at: https://ec.europa.eu/home-affairs/sites/homeaffairs/files/what-we-do/networks/radicalisation_awareness_network/ran-best-practices/docs/family_support_en.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: De-radicalization

Shelf Number: 145567


Author: Radicalisation Awareness Network

Title: Preventing Radicalisation to Terrorism and Violent Extremism:: Multi-agency approach

Summary: The multi-agency approach focuses on creating Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) infrastructures that ensure people at risk are provided with early-stage support from different authorities and organisations across multiple levels. This is referred to as multi-agency, as it involves support from different sectors across the public and private domains, both at national and local level. Governments cannot counter radicalisation on their own. In some cases, violent extremism could have been prevented had practitioners worked together and shared information across hierarchies and sectors. What is needed is a multi-partner approach in which relevant players have the ability, the knowledge and the capacity to identify and support individuals at risk. Practitioners working in organisations where individuals at risk could be identified should get to know each other, be able to share concerns and information, and develop a combined approach to support individuals at risk. In short, a multi-agency approach is a system in which information can be shared, which is crucial for identifying and dealing with vulnerable, at-risk individuals.

Details: Brussels: European Commission, 2017. 23p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 18, 2017 at: https://ec.europa.eu/home-affairs/sites/homeaffairs/files/what-we-do/networks/radicalisation_awareness_network/ran-best-practices/docs/creating_counter_violent_extremism_infrastructures_en.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: De-radicalization

Shelf Number: 145568


Author: Jeffray, Calum

Title: Fractured Europe: The Schengen Area and European Border Security

Summary: The simultaneous 'crises' of irregular migration and terrorism have demonstrated the continued importance of border security for Schengen member states and the EU as a whole. The principles of the EU have become closely aligned with the existence of the Schengen Area, which created a distinction between 'internal' and 'external' borders in Europe; it also created a tension between the goals of European integration and the core Westphalian principle of state sovereignty. This paper assesses some of the factors behind member states resorting to national over collective action in response to recent challenges, exploring the role of intelligence and institutions such as Frontex, before ultimately arguing for the creation of a European Agenda on Border Security to provide a strategic framework for border security in Europe

Details: Barton ACT, Australia: Australian Strategic Policy Institute, 2017. 36p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 19, 2017 at: https://www.aspi.org.au/publications/fractured-europe-the-schengen-area-and-european-border-security/SR105_Fractured-Europe.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Border Security

Shelf Number: 145640


Author: Radicalisation Awareness Network

Title: Preventing Radicalisation to Terrorism and Violent Extremism: Approaches and Practices

Summary: In recent years, the processes of radicalisation leading to violent extremism have greatly evolved. The variety of ideologies that provide inspiration for extremist groups is growing and include religious inspired extremism, left wing, anarchist and right wing ideologies as well as nationalist and separatist ideologies. Extremists are also no longer acting only as part of organised, hierarchical organisations but also within smaller cells and sometimes as lone wolves. All forms of extremism have become more globalised taking full advantage of the opportunities of the interconnected world. Consequently, terrorist or violent extremist actions are becoming harder to detect and predict by the authorities, making traditional law enforcement techniques alone insufficient to deal with these evolving trends, particularly in relation to tackling the root causes of the problem. A broader approach is needed, aimed at earlier intervention and prevention, and engaging a wide spectrum of actors from across society. Within the EU, Member States are facing a variety of challenges. European societies are increasingly confronted with home-grown terrorism - radicalised individuals, born and raised in the West were involved in or responsible for the Madrid bombings in March 2004, the assassination of filmmaker Theo van Gogh in Amsterdam in November 2004, the London 7/7 attack, the massacre committed by Anders Breivik, the Jewish Museum attack in Brussels, the assassination of satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo editors and other staff in Paris and the atrocities committed in the same city on 13 November 2015. On- and offline support for terrorist organisations such as Daesh shows an increase in radicalisation among young people on EU territory. It is clear that all available counter terrorism tools need to be enhanced. Prevent efforts are also needed more than ever before. Following such attacks, there is always a risk of copycat style attacks, and attacks against those communities wrongly perceived as being responsible. Preventing radicalisation is key - fighting terrorism can only be successful if we remove the soil out of which it grows. Radicalisation of EU citizens is connected with global issues. The form and intensity with which radicalisation manifests in the streets and neighbourhoods of Europe often follows on from armed conflict in third countries. The rise of foreign terrorist fighters (FTFs) is among the clearest examples. The armed conflicts in Syria and Iraq have motivated thousands of EU citizens to join those battle fields, often due to recruitment activities by terrorist groups such as Daesh. There are now believed to be thousands of Europeans within the region. Apart from their potentially violent acts abroad, the threat posed by radicalised returnees, who may be traumatised, skilled in combat and/or brainwashed to hate European values and commit acts of violence in Member States, has been revealed all too painfully in terrorist atrocities within the EU. In addition to the risk of uncoordinated attacks by lone actor returnees, Daesh and al-Qaeda recently called upon their followers to bring the terror to the West. So terrorist groups are not only recruiting EU citizens to join their battles abroad, but are also motivating young people vulnerable to radicalisation to commit acts of terrorism at home. Daesh and al-Qaeda are competitors in the recruitment of EU fighters, and successful attacks against European values and societies seem to be among their recruitment tools. In Eastern parts of Europe, right-wing and nationalist extremism is growing and more people are leaving for Ukraine to engage in the conflict there. Southern European countries often serve as transit-countries, and may as a consequence experience home-grown extremism in the long run. In reaction to the foreign terrorist fighter phenomenon, a rise in Islamist extremism and domestic extremism are creating a breeding ground for increased polarisation and intolerance throughout Europe.

Details: Brussels: European Commission, 2017. 362p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 19, 2017 at: https://ec.europa.eu/home-affairs/sites/homeaffairs/files/what-we-do/networks/radicalisation_awareness_network/ran-best-practices/docs/ran_collection-approaches_and_practices_en.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Extremist Groups

Shelf Number: 145657


Author: Council of Europe. Lanzarote Committee

Title: Protecting Children Affected by the Refugee Crisis from Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse

Summary: 1. This Special Report is the outcome of an urgent monitoring round launched by the Lanzarote Committee to focus on how Parties to the Lanzarote Convention are protecting children affected by the refugee crisis from sexual exploitation and sexual abuse. It covers the situation in the 41 States which were Parties to the Convention at the time the urgent submission for a report was called for by the Lanzarote Committee. 2. The Special Report draws on replies from the Parties to the Lanzarote Convention and other stakeholders to a focused questionnaire. This questionnaire sought to evince answers that would allow the mapping of the Parties' responses to the increased risks of sexual violence that confronts children affected by the refugee crisis. Information was sought on four broad topics: 1) Data; 2) Prevention; 3) Protection; and 4) Co-operation. 3. A number of the systemic challenges that have been brought into sharp focus by the increased numbers of people arriving in Europe looking for international protection are raised by the Report. These challenges can have particularly worrying consequences for children affected by the refugee crisis, exposing them to a risk of sexual exploitation and sexual abuse. They are particularly pertinent for both those children who arrive in Europe unaccompanied, and those who go missing after arrival, with their heightened vulnerability posing an increased risk of them falling victim to sexual violence. The Lanzarote Committee commends Parties who have put in places procedures to address such challenges. 4. The Special Report regrets that it remains the case that data collection is sporadic and non-comprehensive across Parties. It is probable that the number of instances of sexual exploitation and abuse is significantly underreported. There are no specific data collection mechanisms or focal points tasked with collecting data on child sexual exploitation and abuse within the context of the refugee crisis. Reasons explaining the difficulties in capturing such data cut across a number of sectors such as limited capacity, insufficient training, abuse not reported due to linguistic or trust issues, or practical difficulties in establishing the number of migrant children on the territory. It is clear that more accurate data would help all relevant actors and stakeholders frame, adjust, and evaluate policies in this field. 5. The uneven distribution across the continent of children affected by the refugee crisis is stark, with some Parties reporting very few or no such children on their territories, whereas other Parties are receiving thousands of such children. Therefore some Parties' child support services are bearing a disproportionately large burden, while others have not tested the implementation of their child protection approaches in this context. 6. Reception centres need to provide adequate protection for children, with prolonged stays in inappropriate conditions increasing a child's risk of exposure to sexual exploitation or sexual abuse. Parties have taken steps to improve the available facilities and lodging solutions for children, and work in this sphere must continue to ensure that children can be helped and assisted in a non-traumatising environment. It is reiterated that unaccompanied children should be separated from adults in reception centres, and that robust complaint mechanisms to report abuse must be effective.

Details: Strasbourg: The Committee, 2017. 55p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 23, 2017 at: http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/Lanzarote%20Committee.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Child Protection

Shelf Number: 145666


Author: Hughes, Brendan

Title: Cannabis Legislation in Europe: An Overview

Summary: Cannabis is the drug most often mentioned in reports of drug law offences in Europe. In 2014, the drug accounted for 57% of an overall estimate of 1.6 million offences (EMCDDA, 2016). Cannabis is also Europe's most commonly used illicit drug. It is estimated that at least one in every eight young adults (aged 15-34 years) used cannabis in the last year across the European Union. At the national level, these rates range from less than 1% to over 20% of young adults. The most recent data suggest that 1% of the adult population (aged 15-64 years) of the European Union and Norway, or about 3 million individuals, are smoking cannabis on a daily or near- daily basis. The trends in use also vary between countries. In surveys since around 2005, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom have shown decreasing or stable trends in reported use, while upward trends can be observed in Bulgaria, France and three of the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland and Sweden). A renewed debate about the laws prohibiting or permitting cannabis use and supply around the world has been fuelled by the legalisation of supply and use of cannabis for 'recreational' purposes in some US states and Uruguay since 2012. Proposals to legalise the drug have raised concerns they may lead to increases in cannabis use and related harms, and questions about the ways in which cannabis for non-medical purposes could be regulated to mitigate these concerns. In the European Union, a system of unlimited distribution has evolved in the Netherlands since the 1970s, and this has seen further developments in the last few years. The advantages and disadvantages of these regulated systems are being closely observed. The model of 'cannabis social clubs' has been increasingly mentioned in drug policy debates. Its advocates argue that the decision to not prosecute individuals for cannabis use in some countries can also be applied to registered groups of individuals, in order to permit a closed system of cannabis production and distribution. At present, the model is rejected by national authorities in Europe. Throughout Europe there is media and public discourse on the issue of changing cannabis laws. However, national administrations are concerned about the public health impact of cannabis use and generally oppose the decriminalisation or legalisation of cannabis for recreational use. Nonetheless, cannabis laws and the medical and scientific research that informs policy-making can be regarded as entering a period of change, the direction of which is still unclear. It is with this background in mind that the EMCDDA has decided to produce this report. Incorporating and building on earlier EMCDDA work (see Resources, page 30), the present study outlines the legislation relating to cannabis around the European Union (with a focus on 'recreational' use, rather than production and use for medical or industrial purposes). Written for a broad audience, the report aims to give brief answers to some of the more frequently asked questions raised in the discussions about cannabis legislation. These have been grouped into four parts: 1. What is cannabis and what are countries' obligations to control it? 2. What do the laws and associated guidelines say? 3. What happens to cannabis offenders in practice? 4. Where is cannabis legislation going?

Details: Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2017. 32p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 25, 2017 at: http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/system/files/publications/4135/TD0217210ENN.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Cannabis

Shelf Number: 145791


Author: Gaub, Florence

Title: The Crime-Terrorism Nexus

Summary: That there is a link between terrorism and crime is common knowledge: terrorism itself is a crime, often funded by organised criminal activity. But in the case of Daesh, the link goes much further. The organisation recruits more former criminals, and funds itself more through petty - not organised - criminal activities than other groups. Yet this also offers law enforcement officials an opportunity to pursue it from another angle beyond the usual radicalisation narrative. This requires a zeroing in on hitherto neglected petty criminals, however.

Details: Brussels: European Union Institute for Security Studies, 2017. 4p.

Source: Internet Resource: Brief Issue no. 10: Accessed May 27, 2017 at: http://www.iss.europa.eu/uploads/media/Brief_10_Terrorism_and_crime.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Financing Terrorism

Shelf Number: 145827


Author: Savona, Ernesto U.

Title: Assessing the risk of money laundering in Europe: final report of project IARM

Summary: Project IARM develops an exploratory methodology for assessing the risk of money laundering (ML). In particular, it develops a composite indicator of money laundering risk: - at geographic area level - at business sector level The methodology is tested in three pilot countries (Italy, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom) and follows 7 methodological steps, which include: - identifying ML risk factors across areas and sectors; - operationalising risk factors into a set of proxy variables to allow measurement; - combining the variables, through various statistical techniques, into a final indicator of ML risk; - validating the indicator through a sensitivity analysis and comparison with other measures of ML. IARM adopts a quantitative approach which complements the qualitative perspective of most existing national and supranational ML risk assessments (NRA and SNRA). It responds to the need, stressed by regulatory developments at both EU and national level, to develop objective and robust methodologies for ML risk assessment. Risk factors In each of the three pilot countries, a country-specific set of risk factors is identified on the basis of: - the relevant international and national literature (e.g. FATF guidelines, FIU reports, judiciary evidence, academic literature); - interviews with experts (e.g. FIU officers, investigators, policy-makers, private sector); - data availability: because it is not possible to find the same data and variables in all the three countries. Risk factors are distinguished between ML threats and vulnerabilities, as suggested by FATF and as depicted in Figures 1 and 2.

Details: Milano: Transcrime - Universita Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 2017. 184p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 13, 2017 at: http://www.transcrime.it/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/ProjectIARM-FinalReport.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Financial Crimes

Shelf Number: 1406083


Author: European Network of Statelessness

Title: Protecting Stateless Persons from Arbitrary Detention: Agenda for Change

Summary: The increasing use of immigration detention and the growing criminalisation of irregular migration are concerning global and European trends, which result in more people being detained for reasons that are unlawful or arbitrary. These trends are particularly concerning for stateless people or those who may be at risk of statelessness, as they are often trapped in systems that criminalise their irregular migration status and subject them to ongoing detention without offering them any real prospects for adjusting their status or availing themselves of a nationality. While immigration detention is a significant area of general concern to stateless people, the unique barriers to removal faced by stateless people and those at risk of statelessness, put them at particular risk of unlawful or arbitrary detention in the context of removal procedures. As the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) held in Kim v Russia, a stateless person is highly vulnerable to being "simply left to languish for months and years...without any authority taking an active interest in [their] fate and well-being". Although there are other important circumstances in which stateless persons may be detained, which merit further attention (for example under criminal law, national security, or in asylum procedures), the research findings emerging from this project shone a light on the specific vulnerabilities faced by stateless people in removal procedures. This is therefore the focus of this agenda for change. It is hoped that reform in this area can act as a catalyst for change more widely, leading to effective mechanisms for the prevention of arbitrary immigration detention and contributing to a shift towards alternatives to detention across the region. Stateless people will only be protected from arbitrary detention if authorities recognise and act upon the specific rights of the stateless in international law on the one hand, and the fundamental right to liberty and security of the person, on the other. The research found that states are largely failing to acknowledge the vulnerabilities associated with statelessness, to put in place effective procedures to identify statelessness and to protect stateless people, leading to a failure to prevent their arbitrary detention. Recognising these rights and vulnerabilities, and taking steps to identify statelessness, will help to guard against arbitrary deprivation of liberty. Europe urgently needs to foster change on the issue of immigration detention. Regional advocacy is shifting towards recognising the harm inflicted by immigration detention and a consensus is emerging among civil society actors as well as UNHCR, the Council of Europe, and national governments, that there is a need to expand and improve alternatives to detention. The output from this project serves as a further indictment of the failings of Europe's detention regimes. Drawing on evidence from two years of research into statelessness and immigration detention in the region, and the law, policy, and practice in six diverse countries (Bulgaria, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, the UK and Ukraine), this report now presents an agenda for change at national and regional levels. Promoting both the protection of individuals' human rights and the development of fairer and more efficient systems, this report is intended as a tool for civil society to advocate for change and for policy makers to effect sustainable reform. Part I reflects on the current reality in Europe, highlighting the most fundamental challenges that emerged from the research and which need to be addressed. Part II looks ahead and further explores the change that needs to happen in key areas to achieve the goal of ending the arbitrary detention of stateless persons or those at risk of statelessness in Europe. Part III summarises the key recommendations and sets out an advocacy agenda. At the end of the report there is a short glossary of key terms and a list of key resources including links to each of the country reports and the Regional Toolkit for Practitioners, where more detailed analysis of the relevant legal and policy frameworks can be found, as well as other useful external resources on detention and statelessness. If achieved, the reforms set out here will not only bring law, policy, and practice in Europe more in line with international human rights standards, but it will also bring the wider benefits of fairer and more efficient systems to governments and communities across the region.

Details: London: European Network on Statelessness, 2017. 24p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 15, 2017 at: http://www.statelessness.eu/sites/www.statelessness.eu/files/attachments/resources/ENS_LockeInLimbo_Detention_Agenda_online.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Arbitrary Detention

Shelf Number: 146184


Author: Reitano, Tuesday

Title: Integrated Responses to Human Smuggling from the Horn of Africa to Europe

Summary: In the period 2013-16, more than 1.5 million people have converged towards Europe from across Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Some seek asylum from conflict, violence and humanitarian need; others are migrant workers taking the opportunity of a confluence of political instabilities and circumstance that has made migration to Europe more affordable and accessible than ever before. The rapid acceleration of this mass movement, and the diversity of motivations behind each individual journey have together overwhelmed the capacity of European policymakers to respond. It has invalidated the repertoire of existing migration management measures as well as the lexicon typically used to describe migration, asylum and protection. Migrants now come from and traverse along routes that inevitably cross the weakest of states, ratcheting up criminality, instability and human misery along their journey. This has resulted in an urgent effort to understand the phenomena and the vectors propelling people toward Europe, and by doing so to design a better set of responses. One such vector that has risen to prominence are human smugglers, who have been universally vilified for their callous profit taking, practices of abuse and carelessness with the lives with which they were entrusted. Sacrificed to an industry that is now estimated to be worth more than L6billion a year, 10,000 people are known to have died seeking passage to Europe. Heralding from a region characterised by intense insecurity, with ongoing violent conflicts and widespread food insecurity, citizens from the Horn of Africa, most namely Eritrea, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan and Ethiopia, have been amongst the highest arrivals to Europe in the past five years, but of greater concern, Horn of Africans have consistently represented a disproportionate share of those whose lives were lost attempting this journey. While many nationalities remain unknown, and the exact percentages for each source country consequently impossible to calculate, of those identified as having died between 2014-15, 10% were from the Horn of Africa. In the contemporary context, the complexity of addressing the challenge of irregular migration is compounded. Mobility is a source of resilience in a troubled and fragile region. Political, humanitarian and economic motivations for migration interweave, and the political reality of authoritarian source and transit states limits the leverage wielded by European states and the international community, leaving them struggling to find partners with which to cooperate. This context highlights the urgent need to move away from traditional perspectives focussing on border security and support to state security institutions, and rethink ways of working to focus on improving and reinforcing stability, governance and development for the people of the region. This report presents the major findings of research conducted between July and September 2016 over eight major smuggling hubs between the Horn of Africa and Europe. The research methodology was a broad selection of key informant interviews - more than 600 individual interviews - with national government officials, civil society actors, international officials, think tanks and policy bodies, but most importantly with migrants and traffickers themselves. This was supplemented with a review of the growing body of literature on mixed migration in the region and towards Europe. In doing so, the study adopts an innovative approach, situating human smuggling within its local political economy, and proposing context relevant approaches in response.

Details: Geneva, SWIT: Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime, 2017. 83p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 16, 2017 at: http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/global-initiative-human-smuggling-from-the-horn-of-africa-may-2017-web.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Border Security

Shelf Number: 146195


Author: Young, Holly F.

Title: A Review of Literature on Radicalisation: and What it Means for TERRA

Summary: TERRA is funded by the European Commission Directorate General of Home Affairs, and undertaken by Impact (the Netherlands), the Network of Associations of Aid to Victims of Terrorism (NAVT) and the Association of Aid to Victims of March 11 (Spain). It aims to support prevention and de-radicalisation through producing tools which can be used by professionals, such as for example police workers, teachers, or religious leaders, whose work brings them into contact with vulnerable groups or individuals. The literature review, an initial phase in the TERRA research, is described in this report. After a brief introduction of TERRA, its goals and aims, the methodology section describes how Impact researchers developed search terms and carried out a literature search. Terms relating to radicalisation and terrorism are defined according to current literature. Various authors have attempted to formulate a model to express the process of radicalisation, and these models are explored. The decision of TERRA researchers to used Moghaddam's Staircase to Terrorism model as the basis for its research is discussed. Finally, some initial recommendations for TERRA's follow up research, and for its target groups are derived from the literature

Details: Diemen, The Netherlands: TERRA (Terrorism and Radicalisation), 2013. 38p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 17, 2017 at: http://www.terra-net.eu/files/publications/20140227160036Literature%20review%20incl%20cover%20in%20color.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: De-radicalization

Shelf Number: 146252


Author: Williams, Ryan J.

Title: Approaches to violent extremist offenders and countering radicalisation in prisons and probation

Summary: This paper aims to provide policy-makers, prison governors and prison and probation staff with information on current practice and issues relevant to managing Violent Extremist Offenders (VEOs) and individuals considered at risk of engaging in violent extremism in a prison and probation context. The paper is structured around these two contexts. While in practice this distinction may not exist in some EU Member States, it serves to identify key issues: prison conditions and reintegration strategies, risk assessment, prison regime choices, rehabilitation and reintegration initiatives, and staff training

Details: Utrecht The Netherlands: Radicalisation Awareness Network, Confederation of European Probation, 2016. 27p.

Source: Internet Resource: RAN Working Paper Second Edition: Accessed June 19, 2017 at: http://www.cep-probation.org/wp-content/uploads/PP_working_paper_second-edition_2016.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Prisoner Radicalization

Shelf Number: 146267


Author: Carrera, Sergio

Title: Combating Institutional Anti-Gypsyism: Responses and promising practices in the EU and selected Member States

Summary: he notion of 'anti-Gypsyism' aims to refocus public policies addressing Roma discrimination in order to place responsibility for combating structural, historically-embedded and systemic forms of racism, discrimination and exclusion towards Roma squarely on state institutions and actors. This report examines the ways in which policies and funding combat 'anti-Gypsyism' in the European Union and selected Member States and assesses the added value of the 'anti-Gypsyism' concept, with particular reference to its institutional forms. It explores ways in which these institutional forms could be combated by identifying some "promising practices or experiences' found in five selected EU Member States (Germany, Romania, Spain, Sweden and the UK). These 'promising practices' include reactive and proactive measures organised around four main themes: i) national, regional and local institutional responses; ii) training and education activities; iii) access to justice and effective remedies; and iv) media, public attitudes and political discourse. The report further draws conclusions and provides a set of policy recommendations for EU and national policy-makers to effectively combat anti-Gypsyism. The authors highlight that discussions on anti-Gypsyism should focus not only on its definition, but on the actual outputs of current national and EU policies and a more robust application of EU rule of law and fundamental rights monitoring and reporting mechanisms. A key proposal put forward is to expand the scope of the EU Framework for National Roma Integration Strategies to become the EU Framework for National Roma Inclusion and Combating Anti-Gypsyism and to equip it with the necessary authority and means to tackle systematic and institutional manifestations of anti-Gypsyism.

Details: Brussels: Centre for European Policy Studies, 2017. 101p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 22, 2017 at: https://www.ceps.eu/publications/combating-institutional-anti-gypsyism-responses-and-promising-practices-eu-and-selected

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Bias

Shelf Number: 146338


Author: Dzhekova, Rositsa

Title: Situational Assessment of Extremist Trends

Summary: Violent extremism is one of the major challenges Europe is currently facing. The threat is both external as well as internal as indicated by the rise in home-grown Islamist terrorists, as well as of nationalistic and anti-immigrant movements and far-right aggression. An accurate picture of the spread, nature and trends in the extremist and terrorist activity and actors is paramount to formulating strategic policy approaches and effectively allocating available resources. This publication provides a methodological framework for the establishment of a viable mechanism for monitoring and assessment of the state and developments over time in extremist acts and actors on the national level. The situational assessment is an instrument for systematic collection and analysis of statistical data, open source data and intelligence information pertaining to extremist actors and activities, for the purposes of developing regular situational reports of the spread, nature and trends in extremism and violent radicalisms. Following the application of the situational assessment tool, the publication presents main findings on extremist trends and monitoring capacities in three countries from Central and Southeast Europe: Bulgaria, the Czech Republic and Greece.

Details: Sofia: Center for the Study of Democracy, 2017. 86p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 1, 2017 at: http://www.csd.bg/artShow.php?id=17917

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Extremist Groups

Shelf Number: 146495


Author: Salcedo-Albaran, Eduardo

Title: The "Medicus Case": Organ Trafficking Network in Kosovo

Summary: One of the most relevant and recent cases of organ trafficking took place in Pristina, Kosovo, in 2008, at the Medicus Clinic. With the purpose of understanding the structure of a criminal network focused in organs trafficking, in this document we present a model and analysis of the transnational criminal network that represents the Medicus specific case. The document has 4 parts. In the first part we present the methodology and concepts related to Social Network Analysis. In the second part we discuss the modeled judicial case and the sources gathered and analyzed. The third part includes characteristics of the modeled criminal structure, such as types of nodes/agents, interactions established and the nodes/agents with the highest indicators of direct centrality and betweenness. In the last section, conclusions are presented and discussed.

Details: Bogota: Vortex Foundation, 2017. 26p.

Source: Internet Resource: The Global Observatory of Transnational Criminal Networks - Research Paper No. 14.; VORTEX Working Papers, No. 28: Accessed July 5, 2017 at: http://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/522e46_93f73ba35e8d4480bc7fb7ecfdaba0ae.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Organ Trafficking

Shelf Number: 146501


Author: Europol - European Police Office

Title: Online sexual coercion and extortion as a form of crime affecting children. Law enforcement perspective

Summary: Offenders may try and approach you online to get sexual photos or videos of you. To achieve this, they will try to make you feel special by pretending to be your friend. They might say nice things to you to gain your trust. They may also lure you into sexualised conversation and performing sexual acts online. Once they get hold of your sexual photos or videos, they may demand you send more, or ask you for money, threatening to post the images on the internet or share them with your friends and family if you don't do as they say. They can be very clever at making you feel guilty about what has happened to stop you from getting help. Although this behaviour can also exist in a peers' environment, this advice focuses on criminal activities conducted by adults. This person is not someone you should trust. This is an offender and should be prosecuted. Many victims don't seek help or report it to the police as they are embarrassed about the material the perpetrator has, or because they are unaware that they are victims of crime.

Details: The Hague: EUROPOL, 2017. 24p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 27, 2017 at: https://www.europol.europa.eu/publications-documents/online-sexual-coercion-and-extortion-form-of-crime-affecting-children-law-enforcement-perspective

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Child Sexual Exploitation

Shelf Number: 146523


Author: Paoli, Giacomo Persi

Title: Behind the curtain: The illicit trade of firearms, explosives and ammunition on the dark web

Summary: The potential role of the dark web in facilitating trade in firearms, ammunition and explosives has gained increased public attention following recent terrorist attacks in Europe. However, the hidden and obscure parts of the web are used also by criminals and other types of individuals to procure or sell a wide range of weapons and associated products through cryptomarkets and vendor shops. While the use of these platforms as facilitators for illicit drug trade has been increasingly researched by a number of academics, little has been done to investigate the role of the dark web in relation to the illegal arms trade. To address this gap, and with a view to supporting policy and decision makers, RAND Europe and the University of Manchester designed this research project to explore the worldwide illegal arms trade, with a focus on the role played by the dark web in fuelling and/or facilitating such trade. The research was funded by the UK Partnership for Conflict, Crime and Security Research (PaCCS) under the Transnational Organised Crime theme, which is led by the Economic and Social Research Council on behalf of the Partnership. The overall aim of the study was to estimate the size and scope of the trade in firearms and related products on cryptomarkets, including the number of dark web markets listing firearms and related products and services for sale, and the range and type of firearms and related products advertised and sold on cryptomarkets. Key Findings - The dark web is an enabler for the circulation of illegal weapons already on the black market, as well as a potential source of diversion for legally owned weapons. - The dark web is increasing the availability of better performing, more recent firearms for the same, or lower, price, than what would be available on the street on the black market. - The US appears to be the most common source country for arms that are for sale on the dark web. Almost 60 per cent of the firearms listings are associated with products that originate from the US. However, Europe represents the largest market for arms trade on the dark web, generating revenues that are around five times higher than the US. - Firearms listings (42 per cent) were the most common listings on the dark web, followed by arms-related digital products (27 per cent) and others, including ammunition (22 per cent). - The dark web has the potential to become the platform of choice for individuals (e.g. lone-wolves terrorists) or small groups (e.g. gangs) to obtain weapons and ammunition behind the anonymity curtain provided by the dark web. In addition, the dark web could be used by vulnerable and fixated individuals to purchase firearms. - The illegal arms trade presents further challenges for law enforcement agencies and national governments. These challenges largely derive from the anonymity of individuals that use the dark web to purchase arms.

Details: Santa Monica, CA; Cambridge, UK: RAND Europe, 2017. 148p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 27, 2017 at: https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR2091.html

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Cybercrime

Shelf Number: 146585


Author: Pearce, Jenny

Title: Challenging Sexual Violence in Europe: Using participatory methods with children

Summary: This desktop review is an initial scoping exercise, aiming to take stock of activities across Europe that involve young people as participants in efforts to prevent sexual violence against children. The desk top review was initiated and supported by the Council of Europe (CoE) Programme "Building a Europe for and with Children" with the Institute of Applied Social Research, University of Bedfordshire, UK, and contributes to the aims of the CoE ONE in FIVE Campaign to stop sexual violence against children which was launched in November 2010 in Rome, Italy. The CoE also has launched a new Strategy on the Rights of the Child for 2012-2015. This desk top review contributes to priorities within the new strategy on the Rights of The Child, in particular priority 3 (preventing violence) and 4 (promoting participation). The CoE is also currently developing a self-assessment tool on the participation of children and young people to support governments in ensuring the child's right to participate in all relevant sectors. This desk top review will help feed such evaluations with quantitative and qualitative data. On the one hand, the CoE ONE in FIVE Campaign priorities are to achieve further signature, ratification and implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse (Lanzarote Convention, CETS No. 201); and, on the other hand, the campaign aims to equip children, their families/caregivers and societies at large with the knowledge and tools to prevent and report sexual violence against children. One of the overall objectives of this desktop review is to ensure that the work done in the CoE member states to engage children and young people is better known, shared and further developed and implemented at the European level. This review keeps this in mind and aims to inspire all stakeholders and Council of Europe member States to continue the hard work in fighting sexual exploitation and sexual abuse of children. Article 9 of the Lanzarote Convention recommends States Parties to Article 9 of the Lanzarote Convention recommends States Parties to involve and listen to the experiences and views of children, as well as to engage the private sector, the media and civil society in the prevention and protection of all forms of sexual violence against children. It is recommended that each State Party to the Convention should encourage the participation of children when developing and implementing policies, programmes and other initiatives to stop sexual exploitation and sexual abuse of children. To advance the engagement and involvement of children, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe Member States adopted in March 2012 the Council of Europe Recommendation CM/Rec (2012)2 on the participation of children and young people. This recommendation, which is based on Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), is guiding the Council of Europe member states to a co-ordinated approach in strengthening children's and young people's meaningful participation on local, national and regional level.

Details: Luton, UK: University of Bedfordshire, 2012. 75p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 31, 2017 at: https://www.our-voices.org.uk/assets/documents/desk-top-review-oct-2012-final.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Child Protection

Shelf Number: 146622


Author: KPMG

Title: Project Sun: study of the illicit cigarette market in the European Union, Norway and Switzerland

Summary: Project SUN is KPMG's annual study that estimates the scale and development of the illicit cigarette market in the EU, Norway and Switzerland, commissioned by the Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Services. Key findings: Counterfeit and contraband (C&C) declined by 8.8%, to 48.3 billion cigarettes in 2016, but still accounted for over 9% of total consumption C&C continued to account over 9% of total consumption, representing a tax loss of up to L10.2 billion, making illicit trade one of the largest major competitors within the cigarette market In many cases illicit trade hotspots remained while the brands and countries of origin changed, demonstrating how local demand for illicit cigarettes continued despite the changing routes and sources used by cigarette smugglers Organised crime groups engaged in the illicit cigarette trade are increasingly diverse in the routes and methods they employ and in the products they manufacture, transport and sell.

Details: London: KPMG, 2017. 234p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 4, 2017 at: https://assets.kpmg.com/content/dam/kpmg/uk/pdf/2017/07/project-sun-2017-report.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Black Markets

Shelf Number: 146716


Author: Europe. House of Lords. European Union Committee

Title: Operation Sophia: A failed mission

Summary: Judged against its mandate, the EU's naval mission, Operation Sophia, has failed to achieve its objective of "contributing to the disruption of the business model of human smuggling and trafficking networks in the Southern Central Mediterranean". Irregular migration into Europe on the central Mediterranean route increased by 18% in 2016, and by another 19% in the first six months of 2017 compared to 2016. As we concluded in our report of May 2016, the mission faces "an impossible challenge". Faced with rising migration across the central Mediterranean, there is considerable pressure on EU governments to 'do something'. But a naval mission is the wrong tool to tackle irregular migration which begins onshore: once the boats have set sail, it is too late to undermine the business of people smuggling. An unintended consequence of Operation Sophia's destruction of vessels has been that the smugglers have adapted, sending migrants to sea in unseaworthy vessels. This has led to a tragic increase in deaths - 2,150 in 2017 to date. The existence of a unified government in Libya, able to provide security across the country and work with the EU on migration, is a precondition for meaningful action against people smuggling networks onshore. The Government of National Accord cannot, at present, fulfil this role. We are encouraged by the recent discussions towards modifying the Libyan Political Agreement (LPA) - to secure the support of the House of Representatives - and welcome renewed UK and EU support to the political process. Nonetheless, political and security conditions in Libya are unlikely to improve sufficiently to allow onshore operations by the EU any time soon. We therefore see little reason to renew the mandate of Operation Sophia in its current form beyond July 2017. This is not an argument for doing nothing. Search and rescue is a vital humanitarian obligation, which the EU must continue to fulfil, using more suitable vessels than the high-end air and naval assets of Operation Sophia. It is too early to assess the effectiveness of recent efforts by the EU to train the Libyan coastguard, but we note that this training could be maintained outside the mandate of Operation Sophia. The EU and the UK should also maintain their counter-migration efforts across Sub-Saharan Africa, including outreach and development work in source and transit countries, law enforcement co-operation, and assisting the voluntary repatriation of migrants from Libya. Although we did not investigate this in detail, supporting economic development and good governance in these countries is the only way that mass migration can be addressed in the long term. Meanwhile, should there be more propitious security conditions in Libya following negotiations on the LPA, the EU may be able to secure political agreement with the Libyan Government for a new Common Security and Defence Policy mission to combat irregular migration on the southern border. Planning for such a mission should be undertaken, for implementation as and when the political and security conditions in Libya allow

Details: Brussels: European Parliament, 2017. 31p.

Source: Internet Resource: HL Paper 5: Accessed August 7, 2017 at: https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201719/ldselect/ldeucom/5/5.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Human Smuggling

Shelf Number: 146758


Author: Ricard-Guay, Alexandra

Title: Addressing demand in the context of trafficking in the domestic work sector: perspectives from seven European countries

Summary: Trafficking in human beings covers various forms of coercion and exploitation of women, men and children. Responses to trafficking have traditionally focused on combating the criminal networks involved in it or protecting the human rights of victims. However, European countries are increasingly exploring ways in which to influence the demand for services or products involving the use of trafficked persons or for the trafficked persons themselves. DemandAT aims to understand the role of demand in the trafficking of human beings and to assess the impact and potential of demand-side measures to reduce trafficking, drawing on insights on regulating demand from related areas. DemandAT takes a comprehensive approach to investigating demand and demand-side policies in the context of trafficking. The research includes a strong theoretical and conceptual component through an examination of the concept of demand in trafficking from a historical and economic perspective. Regulatory approaches are studied in policy areas that address demand in illicit markets, in order to develop a better understanding of the impact that the different regulatory approaches can have on demand. Demand-side arguments in different fields of trafficking as well as demand-side policies of selected countries are examined, in order to provide a better understanding of the available policy options and impacts. Finally, the research also involves in-depth case studies both of the particular fields in which trafficking occurs (domestic work, prostitution, the globalised production of goods) and of particular policy approaches (law enforcement and campaigns). The overall goal is to develop a better understanding of demand and demand-factors in the context of designing measures and policies addressing all forms of trafficking in human beings. The research is structured in three phases: Phase 1: Analysis of the theoretical and empirical literature on demand in the context of trafficking and on regulating demand in different disciplines, fields and countries. From January 2014-June 2015. Phase 2: Three in-depth empirical case studies of different fields of trafficking - domestic work, prostitution, imported goods - and two studies on different policy approaches: law enforcement actors and campaigns. From September 2014- December 2016. Phase 3: Integrating project insights into a coherent framework with a focus on dissemination. From January 2017-June 2017. This report examines the demand-side of trafficking in the domestic work sector based on seven country studies (Belgium, Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, and the UK). The report i) provides an overview of the phenomenon of trafficking in domestic work, ii) examines the factors influencing the demand in the context of trafficking, and iii) discusses key challenges in responding to and tackling this issue. The paper argues that measures addressing the demand-side (employers/labour market) can hardly be separated from tackling the 'supply' side, namely addressing the workers' situations. Domestic workers face vulnerabilities to exploitation: the work is performed in private homes within intimate relationships characterised by dependency and power imbalance, very often within informal and live-in arrangements. Some policies may also foster the precariousness of migrant domestic workers. Preventing trafficking from occurring and discouraging inappropriate demand includes the reduction of vulnerability to abuse on the side of workers and the limitation of the opportunities for exploitation on the side of employers. Thus, a holistic approach must be adopted to address the demand-side of trafficking. Establishing stronger regulations for domestic work is crucial, but it is not sufficient without simultaneously seeking ways of empowering domestic workers and fostering change in social norms and employers' behaviour, beliefs, and attitudes that tend to undervalue domestic work.

Details: Vienna, Austria: DemandAT, 2016. 71p.

Source: Internet Resource: DemandAT Working Paper no. 7: Accessed August 8, 2017 at: http://www.demandat.eu/sites/default/files/DemandAT_WP7_RicardGuay_DomesticWork_Trafficking_Final_0.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Domestic Workers

Shelf Number: 146778


Author: Jones, Adele D.

Title: Children of Prisoners: Intervention and mitigations to strengthen mental health

Summary: Worldwide, unprecedented numbers of people are being imprisoned and in many countries incarceration is on the increase (Walmsley, 2009); indeed 'more parents than ever are behind bars' (Murray et al., 2012) and each year, an estimated 800,000 children within the newly-expanded European Union are separated from an incarcerated parent. Despite this, the psychosocial impact on children is little known and rarely considered in sentencing even though the evidence to date suggests that children whose parents are imprisoned are exposed to triple jeopardy through break-up of the family, financial hardship, stigma and secrecy, leading to adverse social and educational repercussions. The rationale for the study of the impact of parental imprisonment is underscored by the findings of a recent meta-analysis of studies of children of prisoners (Murray et al. 2012). This systematic review synthesized empirical evidence on the associations between parental incarceration and children's later behavioural, educational and health outcomes from 40 studies involving a total of over 7,000 children of prisoners.

Details: Huddersfield, UK: University of Huddersfield, 2013. 336p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 21, 2017 at: http://childrenofprisoners.eu/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/COPINGFinal.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Children of Prisoners

Shelf Number: 146799


Author: Jesuit Refugee Service Europe

Title: From Deprivation to Liberty: Alternatives to detention in Belgium, Germany and the United Kingdom

Summary: The negative effects of detention upon various categories of migrants - asylum seekers, the undocumented, families, minors - has been observed and well documented by medical researchers, non-governmental organisations and even policymakers and politicians. Our 2010 study found that detention systematically deteriorates the physical and mental condition of nearly everyone who experiences it. Symptoms related to depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder are common. Prolonged detention deepens the severity of these symptoms, but they are already noticeable in the first weeks of detainment. The financial cost of detention, together with the severe damage it inflicts on migrants, begs a fundamental question: is detention truly worth implementing, considering all of its associated harms? Better yet is the question: are there not more cost-effective and humane ways for states to manage migration flows into their territories? The purpose of this study is to examine alternatives to detention in Belgium, Germany and the United Kingdom through the perspective of those who most closely experience it: migrants themselves. A good deal of research has been done on alternatives from an institutional perspective, namely that of NGOs and governments. The absence of migrant voices in these studies has had less to do with their purposeful exclusion than it has had with the difficult of finding target samples. Far too few European Union member states implement alternatives; for those who do, migrants may be understandably reluctant to speak to researchers given their vulnerable situation. And compared with interviewing migrants in closed detention facilities, it is harder to interview migrants participating in alternatives because they are usually dispersed in communities. Among the reasons we chose to conduct research in Belgium, Germany and the UK is because each has distinct and identifiable alternatives to detention. Belgium operates lieux d'hebergement for undocumented families who have been living in the country, for families who apply for asylum at the border and for families in Dublin Regulation procedures. Families are accommodated in government-designated private housing, and are attached to a case manager. Few restrictions are imposed on families, and they are provided with a range of social services, including food vouchers. We interviewed six families staying in three of the four towns where the houses are located

Details: Brussels: Jesuit Refugee Service Europe, 2011. 56p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 22, 2017 at: http://lastradainternational.org/lsidocs/from%20deprivation%20to%20liberty.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: Europe

Keywords: Alternatives to Incarcerations

Shelf Number: 131734


Author: Prieger, James E.

Title: Cigarette Taxes and Illicit Trade in Europe

Summary: Cigarettes are highly taxed in Europe to discourage tobacco use and to fund public-health measures to mitigate the harms from tobacco consumption. At higher prices (more precisely, at higher differentials between licit and black-market prices) consumers substitute more toward illicit cigarettes. Illicit retail trade in cigarettes (IRTC) includes counterfeiting and smuggling - either of legally purchased products, from lower-tax to higher-tax jurisdictions, or of entirely non-tax-paid cigarettes. The existing literature includes claims that taxes are not an important factor determining the scale of IRTC. We investigate these claims with data from 1999-2013 in the European Union. We find that while the simple correlation between licit cigarette prices and the market share of illicit cigarettes in consumption is negative, raising prices in any one country would, on average, lead to substantial increases in the expected illicit market share and volume in that country. A one euro increase in tax per pack in a country is expected to increase illicit market share by 5 to 12 percentage points and increase illicit cigarette sales by 25% to 120% of the average consumption. We also find that the role of prices in stimulating IRTC is, empirically, far more important than the role of corruption. The results are robust to a host of alternative specifications and sources of data.

Details: Pepperdine University, School of Public Policy Working Papers, 2016. 77p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 29, 2017 at: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2718519

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Cigarettes

Shelf Number: 146934


Author: Kemp, Walter

Title: Crooked Kaleidoscope: Organized Crime in the Balkans

Summary: The Balkans is back in the spotlight. A coup attempt in Montenegro, tensions between Belgrade and Pristina over the status of northern Kosovo, a wire-tapping scandal followed by political unrest in Macedonia, rivalries in Bosnia about the future status of Republika Srpska, as well as the impact of the refugee crisis have started to ring alarm bells. A region which had been out of the limelight for a decade and considered to be on a path towards peace and prosperity is once again looking vulnerable. This can be attributed in part to the failure of the region - and its friends - to come to terms with organized crime and corruption. The report urges countries and organizations that have invested so much economically and politically over the past 25 years to stay engaged in the region and help it avoid back-sliding. In particular, it calls for stronger measures to fight corruption, enhance justice, and go after the proceeds of crime rather than just focusing on police reform. It recommends a more joined-up approach to looking at and responding to organized crime in the Balkans, as well as for enhancing networks to strengthen resilience to this threat. This report looks at organized crime in the Western Balkans. In particular, it focuses on the impact of organized crime on politics and stability. It warns about the impact of relations between political, business and criminal elites, and the spill-over effect of illicit activity in areas of weak governance. Chapter 1 provides an overview of the current situation, and asks why the Balkans is vulnerable to organized crime. Chapter 2 looks at the main types of organized crime in the region, particularly drugs, weapons and the smuggling of migrants. Chapter 3 looks at the relationship between crime and governance. It asks if organized crime is a transitory phase of state-building, or if there is a more deep-seated relationship between crime and politics in the Balkans that results in criminalized states. Montenegro is used as an illustrative case study. The dangerous nexus between crime and ethnicity is looked at in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Chapter 4 looks at responses of the international community to organized crime in the Balkans. Chapter 5 concludes by warning that the international community, particularly Western European institutions, should pay greater attention to the impact of organized crime in the Balkans. It also provides recommendations of what can be done to more effectively prevent and combat organized crime. This report illustrates that in the Balkans things are not always what they seem. When first looking through the hole of the kaleidoscope, certain shapes appear. Turn the kaleidoscope, and while some of the figures may be the same, the impression changes. Such is the Balkans: what might look like an ethnic conflict is actually a diversion from high-level bi-ethnic collusion. Someone who looks like a businessman one day may be a politician or a crook the next. With one quick twist, a calm image can fracture into myriad pieces. Friends may betray you, while enemies may assist you. This is the crooked kaleidoscope of organized crime in the Balkans.

Details: Geneva, SWIT: Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime, 2017. 44p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 30, 2017 at: https://globalinitiative.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/OC_balkans.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Organized Crime

Shelf Number: 146952


Author: Johnson, Olivia

Title: Policing Bodies in Transit: Borders, Detention and Migrant Narratives Along the Balkan Route

Summary: In summer 2016, I travelled along the Balkan route conducting semi-structured interviews with local organizations (n=24) and refugees (n=16) in an effort to explore the consequences of stasis within mobility. Through hearing about the personal impacts of closed borders, marginalization and deportations I realized that the policies in place to aid refugees instead contributed to a larger system of confinement and detention. In this thesis I explore the expansion of the carceral state through the criminalization of asylum seekers and the consequent detention and deportation they face. I look at the role of surveillance technology and physical barriers (i.e. fences) as potential inhibitors to accessing asylum. I theorize how EU asylum policy facilitates this process and incorporate narratives from asylum seekers along the Balkan route to humanize this analysis

Details: Durham, NC: Duke University, 2017. 96p.

Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed September 1, 2017 at: https://dukespace.lib.duke.edu/dspace/bitstream/handle/10161/15350/thesis_JohnsonOlivia%20.pdf?sequence=1

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Asylum Seekers

Shelf Number: 146997


Author: Mossou, Sylvain

Title: Child Immigration Detention in Europe

Summary: Among the people seeking sanctuary in Europe, the number of children has substantially increased (32 percent of European Union asylum applications in 2016). European countries seek to substantially reduce the number of migrants entering Europe and increase the number of people returned. Interior ministers are increasingly influencing a wide range of government policy, and shaping the common European policy negotiated in Brussels. They have prioritised returning asylum seekers to their country of origin, and an increased use of immigration detention to manage this process. This is even becoming visible on the European landscape, due to detention centre building projects, especially on both the European and African sides of the Mediterranean. However, detention is costly, ineffective and, more often than not, infringes human rights standards and refugee protection.

Details: Brussels: Quaker Council for European Affairs, 2017. 28p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 2, 2017 at: http://www.qcea.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Child-immigration-detention-in-Europe.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Asylum Seekers

Shelf Number: 147029


Author: Logar, Rosa

Title: Emergency Barring Orders in Situations of Domestic Violence: Article 52 of the Istanbul Convention

Summary: After the in-depth analysis of articles 11 (ensuring data collection and research on violence against women and domestic violence), 12 (preventing violence against women), 13 (raising awareness of violence against women), 16 (domestic and sexual violence perpetrator programmes) and 17 (encouraging the participation of the private sector and the media in the prevention of violence against women and domestic violence), article 52 is integrating the Collection of papers aimed at facilitating the implementation of articles of the Istanbul Convention. Article 52 of the Istanbul Convention concerns emergency barring orders in situations of domestic violence. The paper details the scope and obligations of Article 52 before clarifying the necessary balance of the rights and legal safeguards in the context of emergency barring orders and its implementation in some Council of Europe member States. It concludes with a checklist to facilitate the application of these orders.

Details: Strasbourg Cedex: Council of Europe, 2017. 54p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 7, 2017 at: https://rm.coe.int/article-52-convention-istanbul-english-version/168073cae6

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Domestic Violence

Shelf Number: 147147


Author: Byrne, Jonny

Title: Police Oversight Mechanisms in the Council of Europe Member States

Summary: The following document sets out to provide an update to the main findings from a comprehensive review of policing oversight across the forty-seven Council of Europe States first set out in September 2015. The update reflects the position of police oversight mechanisms cross the forty-seven States as of 20 February 2017. In addition to the update this introductory chapter explores the recent history of police oversight in the Council of Europe, its origins in legislative and other supporting instruments, and its development in case law. The remainder of this chapter sets out the aims and objectives and the methodology employed to conduct the original research and that undertaken to inform the update. The remaining two chapters incorporate a revised country-by-country review of police oversight mechanisms, along with a critique of these approaches and an assessment of progress with a series of recommendations made in the original document.

Details: Strasbourg, Cedex: Council of Europe, 2017. 74p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 7, 2017 at: https://rm.coe.int/police-oversight-mechanisms-in-the-coe-member-states/16807175dd

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Police Accountability

Shelf Number: 147148


Author: Perry, Joanna

Title: Policing Hate Crime against LGBTI Persons: Training for a Professional Police Response

Summary: In cooperation with the Cypriot Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers, the SOGI Unit is organizing a roundtable of government representatives in Nicosia on February 1st, 2017, on the occasion of the launching of the new manual on "Policing Hate Crime against LGBTI persons: Training for a Professional Police Response". This manual is designed for police trainers, investigators, managers, hate crime officers and frontline police officers working in countries across the Council of Europe. It builds on Council of Europe standards and its purpose is to provide assistance, information and appropriate tools for conducting trainings on hate crime against LGBTI persons, to help improve law enforcement officials' substantive knowledge on hate crime against LGBTI people and strengthen their capacity and practical skills to investigate such hate crimes. The event will bring together representatives of 10 member states that have committed to train law enforcement on hate crime against LGBTI people, and discuss the piloting of the new training manual in the framework of the SOGI Unit's cooperation and assistance activities.

Details: Strasbourg Cedex, France: Council of Europe, 2017. 112p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 7, 2017 at: https://rm.coe.int/prems-030717-gbr-2575-hate-crimes-against-lgbti-web-a4/1680723b1d

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Bias Crimes

Shelf Number: 147149


Author: European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA)

Title: European legal and policy framework on immigration detention of children

Summary: Children have represented up to a third of migrant arrivals in the European Union (EU) since the summer of 2015. Upon arrival, they need and have a right to protection, in line with EU and international law. Detaining children for migration management or asylum reasons - with or without family members - is difficult to justify, practically very challenging to implement in line with fundamental rights and clearly not in the child's best interests. Current efforts to speed up asylum processing and make returns more effective may prompt an increased use of immigration detention, possibly also affecting children. This can entail serious risks of violating children's right to liberty and security if the strict safeguards protecting children from arbitrary detention are disregarded. Children should be placed in open centres that provide for the necessary protection and care to which they are entitled, and which promote their best interests. This report takes the rights of the child to protection and care set forth in Article 24 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights as a starting point when examining the content of the right to liberty and security. It outlines the main fundamental rights safeguards provided for in EU and human rights law to prevent unlawful and arbitrary detention. It also describes practical examples from the Member States, drawing on promising practices wherever possible. In so doing, it aims to assist asylum and migration practitioners in implementing policies in line with the law, so that immigration detention of children ends or becomes truly exceptional.

Details: Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2017. 112p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 9, 2017 at: http://fra.europa.eu/en/publication/2017/child-migrant-detention

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Asylum Seekers

Shelf Number: 147173


Author: Raymakers, Caroline

Title: Study on the Social and Economic Aspects of Illegal Fishing in the Caspian Sea

Summary: One of the mandates of the Caspian Environment Programme (CEP), funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and TACIS of the European Union, is to formulate a Transboundary Diagnosis Analysis (TDA). The TDA is a document that describes the environmental conditions and related issues throughout the Caspian Sea and its coastal area. It proposes a wide range of initiatives as well as adequate targets to be aimed at for each issue identified. The present study is a component of this analysis, focussing on fisheries, including related illegal activities and their socio-economic context. In most instances it has been possible to draw close relationships between environment or nature conservation issues and socio-economic factors that arose in various regions around the world (Roe, 2001). Recent geo-political changes that occurred around the Caspian Sea, particularly in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS, former Soviet Union -or New, Independent States, NIS), destabilised regime in which most Caspian countries evolved since the mid 1980s and the subsequent poor socio-economic conditions in which the population was pulled are being considered. The aim of such assessment is to contribute in designing strategies that offer possible ways to reduce destructive impacts and damages of human activities on the environment. The present document intends to provide useful data and information on socio-economic aspects of coastal communities, particularly of the fisheries sector in the Caspian Sea region. Due to the precarious situation of sturgeon in the Caspian Sea (De Meulenaer and Raymakers, 1996), focus was put on the sturgeon fishery and trade. International trade in caviar, legal provisions adopted by CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of wild fauna and flora) to tackle uncontrolled exports and imports of illegally acquired (e.g. poached) sturgeon specimens, artificial breeding challenges and sturgeon aquaculture development in the world were included to integrate the Caspian Transboundary Diagnosis Analysis in a global context.

Details: Brussels: TRAFFIC Europe, 2002. 48p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 9, 2017 at: http://www.traffic.org/publications/study-on-the-social-and-economic-aspects-of-illegal-fishing.html?no_redirect=true

Year: 2002

Country: Europe

Keywords: Environmental Crime

Shelf Number: 147175


Author: Cocq, Celine C.

Title: The Use of Technologies for the Prevention, Investigation and Prosecution of Serious Crime

Summary: This Working Paper is based on two research reports that were the outcome of the research carried out by the team of the Universite Libre de Bruxelles within the FP7 project SURVEILLE. Such research focused on the use of surveillance technologies for the prevention, investigation, and prosecution of serious crime. Taken together, the two reports developed a comparative analysis of a number of surveillance technologies and techniques used at different stages of the criminal procedure within selected national jurisdictions. The first project deliverable, finalised in October 2012 and entitled "The use of surveillance technologies for the prevention and investigation of serious crime" (D4.1), addressed the use of the interception of telecommunications and video-surveillance in three countries, namely France, Italy and the United Kingdom. The second deliverable, finalised in April 2013 and entitled "Comparative law paper on data retention regulation on a sample of EU Member States" (D4.3), examined the rules governing the retention of data by telecommunications companies and internet service providers for criminal justice purposes in nine countries (i.e. Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Spain and the United Kingdom). The two reports test the existence of what the authors call a double shift: the means at the disposal of competent national authorities (intelligence services and law enforcement agencies) in the fight against serious crime are evolving in such a way that the share of tasks and competences is now increasingly blurred. The fundamental rights dimension was the normative background of the legal dimensions of the SURVEILLE project as a whole, and thus also of the present work. The impact of evolving trends in the use of surveillance upon the right to privacy and the right to the protection of personal data are at the core of this research undertaking. The authors wish to highlight that legislation is changing very quickly in this domain both at the national level and at the EU level. In particular, the January 2015 attacks in Paris against Charlie Hebdo, the February 2015 attacks in Copenhagen and the increasing threat resulting from the foreign fighters phenomenon are significantly challenging the effectiveness of means used by States to prevent, investigate, detect and prosecute terrorist offences. Recent legislative developments deepen the blur between the tasks and functions of intelligence services and law enforcement agencies as well as the blur between administrative and criminal law measures. Furthermore, with the ruling by the Court of Justice of the European Union on 8 April 2014 in the Digital Rights Ireland case -- partially reaffirmed in Schrems, EU Member States together with EU institutions have to rethink the legal framework concerning the use of surveillance technologies and techniques in order to ensure a coherent relationship between on the one hand safeguarding the right to privacy and the protection of personal data, and on the other hand developing effective means to prevent, investigate, detect and prosecute serious crime. Despite the fact that the two papers were written at least two years ago, the information remains largely up to date. These papers analyse a trend that has been occurring for some years and that is not over yet: a massive use of surveillance technologies and techniques by an increasing number of competent authorities leading to an exponential gathering of information by EU Member States aiming to fight more effectively against serious crime -- often at the expense of fundamental rights.

Details: European University Institute, Department of law, 2015. 69p.

Source: Internet Resource: EUI Department of Law Research Paper No. 2015/41: Accessed September 9, 2017 at: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2695091

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Crime Prevention

Shelf Number: 147203


Author: Alstadsaeter, Annette

Title: Tax Evasion and Inequality

Summary: This paper attempts to estimate the size and distribution of tax evasion in rich countries. We combine random audits - the key source used to study tax evasion so far - with new micro-data leaked from large offshore financial institutions - HSBC Switzerland ("Swiss leaks") and Mossack Fonseca ("Panama Papers" ) - matched to population-wide wealth records in Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. We find that tax evasion rises sharply with wealth, a phenomenon random audits fail to capture. On average about 3% of personal taxes are evaded in Scandinavia, but this figure rises to close to 30% in the top 0.01% of the wealth distribution, a group that includes households with more than $45 million in net wealth. A simple model of the supply of tax evasion services can explain why evasion rises steeply with wealth. Taking tax evasion into account increases the rise in inequality seen in tax data since the 1970s markedly, highlighting the need to move beyond tax data to capture income and wealth at the top, even in countries where tax compliance is generally high. We also find that after reducing tax evasion - by using tax amnesties - tax evaders do not legally avoid taxes more. This result suggests that fighting tax evasion can be an effective way to collect more tax revenue from the very wealthy.

Details: Cambridge, MA: National Bureau of Economic Research, 2017. 56p.

Source: Internet Resource: NBER Working Paper No. 23772: Accessed September 11, 2017 at: http://www.nber.org/papers/w23772.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Financial Crime

Shelf Number: 147208


Author: Persi Paoli, Giacomo

Title: Against the rising tide: an overview of the criminalisation of the Mediterranean region

Summary: New challenges are reshaping the international order, requiring government leaders to consider new strategies and tools that integrate diplomatic, economic, and military instruments of power. Nowhere is this more evident than around the Mediterranean Sea, which has progressively returned as a region of global strategic interest where political tensions, armed conflict, economic and social instability and transnational criminal networks demand solutions that cross traditional institutional boundaries of domestic and international policy-making. The geo-political situation on the southern coast of the Mediterranean has radically changed and new challenges have emerged for the European Union, United States, and beyond. Long-lasting issues such as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, or the tensions between Turkey and Greece, continue to be present, but new destabilising factors have emerged in the region following the Arab spring of 2011. The US, EU and NATO continue to maintain a significant military presence in and around the Mediterranean, but military capabilities must be nested within a whole-of-government, international approach. The challenges in this region demand unprecedented levels of civil-military and intergovernmental cooperation. In this context, RAND established the Mediterranean Foresight Forum (MFF) in 2015 to support the development of comprehensive, integrated civil-military responses to complex regional challenges through an innovative combination of research, scenario-based sensitivity analysis and strategic-level exercises. This publication is part of a series of four RAND Perspectives (PE) each focusing on different challenges in the Mediterranean region. Other Perspectives cover the issues of Foreign Policy and Diplomacy, Defence and Security and Cross-cutting issues.

Details: Cambridge, UK: RAND Europe, 2017. 39p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 13, 2017 at: https://www.rand.org/pubs/perspectives/PE220.html

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Trafficking

Shelf Number: 147229


Author: Beddoe, Christine

Title: An independent inquiry into the situation of separated and unaccompanied minors in parts of Europe

Summary: Over the last few years the UK Government has shown significant leadership in response to the refugee crisis into Europe and more broadly to the various migration crises globally. This is reflected in its aid commitment to Syria and the surrounding regions, in the previous deployment of UK assets for search and rescue operations, the expansion of the Syrian Vulnerable Person's Resettlement Scheme, accepting vulnerable children and their families from the Middle East and North Africa region under the Vulnerable Children's Resettlement Scheme and in enacting legislation to relocate vulnerable unaccompanied children from within Europe in what has become known as the "Dubs Amendment" after Lord Alf Dubs who has long championed the protection of refugee children. The migrant crisis of 2016 brought into sharp focus the many thousands of children fleeing from desperate situations. A significant percentage travel alone, others start the journey with family but can easily became separated en route leaving them alone without a responsible family member. UNHCR recorded that between 1st January and 31st December 2016 100,264 children arrived in Greece, Italy, Spain and Bulgaria, of whom 33,806 (34%) were unaccompanied or separated children. These children arrived through three principle routes: via Turkey to Greece and Bulgaria by sea; by sea to Italy; and by sea to Spain and overland. In Italy an estimated 92% of the children were unaccompanied. The Refugee Rights Data Project (RRDP) conducted a survey in Calais between 5th - 9th April, 2017 and their researchers interviewed 86 children under 18. The results concluded that of the 86 children: - 97.7% were boys and 2.3% girls - 28.2% of children said they had previously stayed in French Government run CAOMIE centres - 37.2% had relatives in UK - 96.5% had experienced police violence in the area and 79% had experienced tear gas - 75.3% had been arrested or detained - 85.9% of children said they did not feel safe in and around the Calais area - 63.1% had experienced health problems and only 52.8% had received medical assistance - Only 16.9% said they access to information about their rights and possibilities to change their situation and only 4.8% said they had access to information about European immigration laws.

Details: London: Human Trafficking Foundation, 2017.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 14, 2017 at: http://humantraffickingfoundation.org/sites/default/files/HTF%20Separated%20%26%20Unaccompanied%20Minors%20Report%20%5BHi-Res%5D.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Child Migrants

Shelf Number: 147249


Author: Tzanetakis, Meropi

Title: A case study on an Austrian upper-level drug dealing network

Summary: Many studies have been published for the US and Latin America, analyzing systematically how drug cartels operate. Nevertheless, equivalent studies on upper-level drug dealing are missing for Europe (Dorn/ Levy/ King 2005). There is a lack of empirical data, plus a lack of theoretical concepts explaining organizational dynamics of upper-level drug dealing. Moreover, there are different definitions on European upper-level drug dealing, each capturing only certain aspects. This study is aiming to close this research gap and it is consequently focusing on upper-level drug dealing in Europe. Therefore, an explorative case study on an upper-level drug dealing network finally convicted according to 28 Abs. 4 SMG (Austrian narcotics act) was chosen (buying tons of illicit drugs in Spain and the Netherlands, smuggling and selling them in special bars in Austria). Two research questions are guiding the study: How do upper-level drug dealing networks operate in the European Union? A second research question is looking for a definition on upper-level drug dealing based on the case study. Data was gained though copies of court files including investigation records, phone tapping protocols, accusations, trial protocols and verdicts; all in all about 2000 pages of data. Additionally, qualitative and semi-structured interviews with an imprisoned drug dealer were conducted and transcribed. This person was sentenced to 15 years of prison in Austria. Furthermore, semi-structured interviews with experts from the Federal Criminal Agency in Austria (dep. of money laundering, drug-related crime and international police cooperation) were conducted. The data is being analyzed with Qualitative Content Analysis (Schreier, according to Mayring). This methodology serves the purpose of looking systematically what is in the data. For this reason, MAXQDA is used to organize and analyze the data. Preliminary results show that network members were not mainly hierarchical organized, the existence of a division of labour and more or less cooperation and competitiveness between illicit drug dealing networks. Nevertheless, one of the main challenges of doing research on a legally limited area is the so called confirmation bias: what one finds depends on where and how one looks.

Details: Paper presented at the Sixth Annual Conference of the International Society for the Study of Drug Policy Canterbury, UK, 30-31 May 2012. 17p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 14, 2017 at: http://www.issdp.org/conference-papers/2012/2012_papers/Tzanetakis%20M%20-%20A%20case%20study%20on%20an%20Austrian%20upper-level%20drug%20dealing%20network.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Cartels

Shelf Number: 147262


Author: Europol

Title: From Suspicion to Action: Converting financial intelligence into greater operational impact

Summary: The structure of Financial Intelligence Units (FIUs), their activities, working practices, and methods of recording and analysing information vary considerably across the EU. There is limited harmonisation among EU Member States (MS) beyond the obligation to establish an FIU. This makes any comparison of the implementation and effectiveness of the EU antimoney laundering directives and the effectiveness of suspicious transaction reporting difficult, if not impossible. - Just 10% of suspicious transaction reports (STRs) are further investigated after collection, a figure that is unchanged since 2006. - Over 65% of reports are received by just two Member States - the UK and the Netherlands. - The overall number of reports sent by the regulated sector continues to increase. In 2014, the EU FIUs received almost 1 million reports. Volumes are likely only to increase, in particular as virtual currency providers come into regulatory scope and services using distributed ledger technology (DLT) enter the mainstream. - Between 0.7-1.28% of annual EU GDP is detected as being involved in suspect financial activity. - Together banks and MSBs are the source of the majority of STRs sent to the FIUs. Certain sectors are noted for their low levels of reporting, in particular high value goods dealers and bureaux de change. - Reporting on terrorist financing accounted for less than 1% of reports received by FIUs in 2013-14. - The use of cash is the primary reason triggering reporting entities to report suspicion, however in Luxembourg, where cash issuance is almost double its GDP, the use of cash is not a common reason for reporting. - The 'symmetrical' exchange of information between FIUs may prevent crucial information contained in STRs reaching authorities tasked with criminal investigations. Europol could assist in overcoming this barrier through acting as a pan-European hub for STRs enabling integration with other sources of information stemming from multiple agencies across Europe and beyond. - New technology presents challenges to the current antimoney laundering framework. The increasing digitalisation of financial services results in growing volumes of transactions and extremely large data sets requiring computational analysis to reveal patterns, trends, and associations. The use of analytics is therefore becoming essential for both reporting entities and FIUs to cope with information and fully exploit its potential. - The growing demand for online services and related internet payment systems poses considerable challenges to the EU policies concerning money laundering and terrorist financing. The development of borderless virtual environments call for reflection on how to adapt policies which are meant to be supervised only at national level, while the underlying business is already transnational and globalised in its own nature: there is an urgent need for a supranational overview. - The embedment of the FIU.net project at Europol presents an opportunity for greater operational cooperation bet.

Details: Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2017. 44p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 16, 2017 at: https://www.europol.europa.eu/publications-documents/suspicion-to-action-converting-financial-intelligence-greater-operational-impact

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Economic Crime

Shelf Number: 147357


Author: Jones, Chris

Title: Market Forces: The development of the EU Security-Industrial Complex

Summary: Despite the economic crisis, EU funding for new security tools and technologies will double in the 2014-20 period compared to the previous 6 years. The biggest winners have been the "homeland security" industry whose influence on European policy continues to grow, constructing an ever more militarised and security-focused Europe. While the European Union project has faltered in recent years, afflicted by the fall-out of the economic crisis, the rise of anti-EU parties and the Brexit vote, there is one area where it has not only continued apace but made significant advances: Europe's security policies have not only gained political support from across its Member States but growing budgets and resources too. The increased securitisation of the European Union has relevance not only for its Member States but for the world which will be affected by the measures, technologies and strategies being developed, sold and deployed. The emergence of 'security' as the EU's increasingly default response to complex social and ecological crises is also significant given the current political context of rising authoritarian parties and governments all-too-willing to use the latest security tools to maintain and extend power. This report digs deep into the EU's funding of its security strategy. It shows that between 2014 and 2020, a total of at least L11 billion has been allocated to budgets directed towards security measures - L3.8 billion to the Internal Security Fund (ISF), L1.7 billion to the European Security Research Programme, L3.1 billion to the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (which has numerous uses in the context of security policy) and some L2.4 billion for EU home affairs agencies such as Europol and Frontex. While still a small amount in comparison to the EU's total budget of "1 trillion between 2014 and 2020, it is a significant development given that a decade ago the bloc had no dedicated budgets for security, justice or home affairs. The report's investigation of the different budgets also draws out the big picture of where the funding is going and what it is helping to construct: an all-encompassing vision of security that seeks to combat a seemingly limitless number of "threats" ranging from terrorism to petty crime, and which displays a marked tendency of treating the entire population (European and especially non-European) as potential objects of suspicion that must be surveyed and if necessary detained, obstructed or even killed. This vision has been propelled by military and security corporations whose profits depend on a world of suspicions, fears and threats - and who have not only been major beneficiaries of EU security spending, but have also been given an unprecedented role in designing the security research programme. In a 2009 report by Statewatch and TNI, we warned that EU's security, research and development policies were "coalescing around a high-tech blueprint for a new kind of security". We summed up the vision in the title of the report, NeoConOpticon, to capture the metaphor of an all-seeing prison combined with the increasingly neoconservative, corporate-led vision of the EU's security and defence policies. It warned that we were "turning a blind eye to the start of a new kind of arms race, one in which all the weapons are pointing inwards". That report examined the early years of EU security strategies, from 2003 to 2008, and focused on the beginnings of the European Security Research Programme (ESRP) and the 85 projects it had funded up to that point. Market Forces focuses on the development of EU security policies and budgets through the 2007-13 period and their successors, which were launched in 2014 and will run until 2020. These include the ESRP, which funds research to develop new technologies for law enforcement, border control, cybersecurity and critical infrastructure protection and leans heavily towards technologies and techniques initially deployed or favoured by military forces: drones, data-mining tools, large-scale surveillance systems, biometric recognition and automated behaviour analysis tools. It also explicitly seeks to develop "dual-use" technologies for both civil and military use. The report also analyses the Internal Security Fund (ISF), distributed to EU Member States to enhance the powers of law enforcement and border control agencies (including through numerous new surveillance and analysis systems). The aim - albeit not yet realised - is that EU funds pay for both the development of new technologies and their subsequent purchase at EU or national level, creating a self-fulfilling loop of supply and demand. Despite warnings and public concerns over the direction of the EU's security strategy, the journey towards a world of ubiquitous public-private surveillance and control systems continues, for the time being, largely unabated. The report is divided into three sections: the first provides a summary of the early development of the European Security Research Programme, its incorporation into the EU's formal research agenda, and the concurrent development and implementation of EU policies and budgets in the area of justice and home affairs from 2007 to 2013. The second section looks at the institutions, corporations and organisations involved in the development and ongoing implementation of the EU's security research agenda and security policies, and the ways in which private interests have long-managed to successfully shape the public policy and research agenda. The third section looks at current EU security policies and budgets. It seeks to provide a general overview of aims and objectives of current policies, the funds available for implementing them, and which organisations have so far been the chief beneficiaries. The EU's security agenda is now so sprawling and complex that no one report can cover every aspect of it, but there are a few key themes that are worth drawing out here.

Details: Amsterdam: Transnational Institute, 2017. 90p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 18, 2017 at: https://www.tni.org/files/publication-downloads/marketforces-report-tni-statewatch.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Border Security

Shelf Number: 147371


Author: Stakic, Isidora

Title: Perceptions of Personal Safety and Perceptions of Security Threats at the Local Level: A Comparative Overview of Serbia, Kosovo and Albania

Summary: This comparative analysis of the results of public opinion surveys in Serbia, Kosovo and Albania indicates a relatively strong feeling of personal safety among respondents from all three communities. However, respondents do not see that state institutions contribute to this situation, and they are mostly dissatisfied with the performance of security institutions. Human security concerns are similar in all three communities, but their different ranking shows the different priorities of the three communities. Another important finding is that the Serbian community living in North Kosovo has different security perceptions from the rest of Kosovo's population. The paper written by Isidora Stakic presents comparatively citizens' views of their personal safety and security at the local level, as surveyed in Albania, Kosovo and Serbia in October 2013. The survey was conducted using the same questionnaire in all three communities, taking a representative sample of citizens. In Serbia, 1200 citizens were interviewed, including a sub-sample of 200 citizens in Southern Serbia (the municipalities of Presevo, Bujanovac and Medvedja). The survey in Kosovo encompassed 1119 respondents, including 100 ethnic Serbs residing in North Kosovo. In Albania, 1100 citizens were interviewed. The analysis is complemented by data from 2014 and 2015 in order to show the trends in citizens' perceptions of personal safety and local security. The publication is a part of the joint initiative "Security Research Forum Belgrade-Prishtina-Tirana", run by the Belgrade Centre for Security Policy (BCSP), the Kosovar Centre for Security Studies (KCSS) and the Institute for Democracy and Mediation (IDM) from Tirana.

Details: Belgrade : Belgrade Centre for Security Policy ; Prishtina : Kosovar Center for Security Studies ; Tirana : Institute for Democrarcy and Mediation, 2016 (Beograd : Unagraf, 2016. 13p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 18, 2017 at: http://www.bezbednost.org/upload/document/perceptions_of_personal_safety_in_serbia_kosovo_an.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Fear of Crime

Shelf Number: 147381


Author: Iganski, Paul

Title: Understanding the Needs of Persons Who Experience Homophobic or Transphobic Violence or Harassment: The impact of hate crime

Summary: In 2015 the Hate No More campaign commissioned a study of homophobic and transphobic violence and harassment in five countries: Croatia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland. Past research by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights had shown that compared to the EU average LGBTQI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex) persons in these EU Member States appeared to face a greater risk of hate violence - physical or verbal assault or harassment due to their LGBTQI identity. The campaign involved a partnership of NGOs from each of the five countries, led by the Polish NGO Campaign Against Homophobia, and was financed by the Fundamental Rights and Citizenship programme of the European Commission. The study was prepared and conducted by the Center for Research on Prejudice at the University of Warsaw. The study consisted of two parts: (1) an online survey of a self-selected sample of 1818 LGBTQI respondents aged 18 years and above across the five countries combined who completed a survey questionnaire, and (2) semi-structured face-to-face interviews with fifty individuals who had experienced homophobic or transphobic violence or harassment in the preceding five years and had made a report to the police. Thirty of the interviews were conducted in Poland with the rest divided evenly between Croatia, Hungary, Latvia and Lithuania. The full reports of the study can be read on the Hate No More project website at: hatenomore.net/ This report is presented in two parts: PART 1: provides key findings about the prevalence, location, perpetrators, and the impact of homophobic and transphobic violence and harassment reported by the survey respondents to set the context for the discussion of the needs of those who experience such violence and harassment. PART 2: explains the needs of persons who experience homophobic and transphobic violence and harassment and provides key findings about the criminal justice system response to such violence and harassment across the five countries combined. An evaluation is provided of the extent to which victims' needs were satisfied. Based on the evaluation of the extent to which victims needs were addressed by the criminal justice system, the report highlights a number of failings of the police in responding to the needs of victims of homophobic and transphobic violence and harassment and indications of victims' dissatisfaction with the prosecution services and the courts - as evidenced by the Hate No More study. These failings present a potential deterrent to reporting incidents to the police and for those who do get involved with the criminal justice system there is a strong likelihood of secondary victimization.

Details: Warsaw: Campaign Against Homophobia, 2016. 80p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 18, 2017 at: http://hatenomore.net/publ/06-summary-en/06-summary_EN.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Bias-Related Crime

Shelf Number: 147384


Author: European Commission

Title: Progress Report on implementation of Strategy to fight cigarette smuggling and other forms of illicit trade in tobacco products

Summary: Cigarette smuggling has been a major concern in Europe for some time. The illicit tobacco trade makes cigarettes available at prices lower than those set to discourage smoking. At the same time, illicit products typically do not comply with product regulation, such as labelling. The illicit tobacco trade also causes considerable losses to public revenue: if all cigarettes sold on the black market were sold legally, the budget of the EU and its Member States would receive above EUR 10 billion annually. Last but not least, cigarette smuggling is a source of revenue for organised criminal groups from Europe and beyond, and there are indications that in some instances it is also linked to financing terrorism. Fighting the illicit tobacco trade is therefore also key to protecting the security of the EU. In 2013, the Commission presented a comprehensive Strategy to step up the fight against the illicit tobacco trade. Based on a detailed analysis of the phenomenon of smuggling in the EU and the factors driving it, the Strategy proposed ways to counter the illicit tobacco trade, building on an earlier Action Plan to fight the smuggling of cigarettes and alcohol along the EU's eastern border. The 2013 Strategy was accompanied by a new Action Plan with 50 items to be implemented by the Commission and/or Member States. Strategy and Action Plan were endorsed by the Council through conclusions on 10 December 2013. The European Parliament has recently underlined the need to intensify the fight against the illicit tobacco trade, in particular with regard to cheap whites. This report fulfils a 2013 commitment by the Commission to monitor implementation of the Strategy and the Action Plan, with special regard to the specific factors driving the problem. Section B of the report offers an overview of the main initiatives taken since the presentation of the 2013 Strategy. Section C briefly describes the current situation with the illicit market. Section D discusses lessons learned since then and makes some suggestions for further reflection.

Details: Brussels: European Commission, 2017. 13p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 25, 2017 at: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52017DC0235&from=EN

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Cigarette Smuggling

Shelf Number: 147436


Author: Women's Refugee Commission

Title: Falling Through the Cracks: Refugee Women and Girls in Germany and Sweden

Summary: Germany and Sweden have welcomed unprecedented numbers of refugees in the face of ambivalence or outright objections from other European countries. The magnitude and speed of the migration led to short-term solutions that do not address, and in some cases perpetuate, the risks of violence women and girls experience along the route. The needs of women and girls often go unaddressed in accommodation centers in Germany and Sweden, where asylum seekers must live while their claims are processed. Often there are no separate living spaces for women and families and no sex-separated latrines or shower facilities. Women and girls are vulnerable to rape, assault, and other violence in these facilities. There are no standard processes to identify and support GBV survivors. While asylum seeking women and girls can access emergency health care in both Germany and Sweden, whether post-rape care is considered as such is at the discretion of the individual doctor. Psychosocial support and access to safe shelters is even more complex, particularly in Sweden, where there are not always social workers in accommodation centers. Current policies and asylum procedures also exacerbate the risks to women and girls. While Germany and Sweden recognize gender-based persecution as grounds for asylum, women and girls must navigate increasingly complicated legal and bureaucratic processes without sufficient support. Finally, restrictions to family reunification, and the absence of a coordinated EU response, either continue to leave women and their children stranded in conflict zones or encourage the dangerous journey across the Aegean and through Europe to reunite with husbands, fathers, and brothers who went ahead in 2015.

Details: New York: Women's Refugee Commission, 2016. 14p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 25, 2017 at: https://www.womensrefugeecommission.org/gbv/resources/1308-protection-germany-sweden

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Asylum Seekers

Shelf Number: 147444


Author: Institute of Race Relations

Title: Accelerated removals: a study of the human cost of EU deportation policies, 2009-2010

Summary: This briefing paper and list of thirty-eight asylum- and immigration-related deaths examines developments over eighteen months which suggest that, in the countries of northern and eastern Europe the scale and pace of deportations is accelerating, even as the number of new arrivals declines. Speedier removals have been accompanied by the increased use of force, as well as measures that both deny asylum seekers access to justice and limit the ability of NGOs to scrutinise the system and provide independent oversight. There is evidence that speeding up the pace of removal puts individuals under abnormal levels of stress that are deleterious to health and can even undermine the will to live. This briefing also attempts the difficult task of quantifying the human cost of deportations.

Details: London: The Institute, 2010. 29p.

Source: Internet Resource: Briefing Paper no. 4: Accessed September 25, 2017 at: https://www.bl.uk/collection-items/accelerated-removals-a-study-of-the-human-cost-of-eu-deportation-policies-20092010#

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Asylum Seekers

Shelf Number: 147450


Author: Fekete, Liz

Title: They are Children Too: A study of Europe's deportation policies

Summary: Liz Fekete shows how unaccompanied minors, children in families of asylum seekers and those whose parents are without the requisite papers, are being damaged by harsh target-driven deportation systems. The young people may be sick, traumatised, separated from family members, about to sit exams or still breast-fed, but they are all considered unwanted illegals first and vulnerable children second. Pulling together evidence from 150 cases involving arrest, deportation, detention and destitution from a range of European NGOs and professionals, the report from the IRR's European Race Audit reminds us what governments have forgotten: that 'they are children too'. It is an understanding that some new, popular forces in Europe already have. For, according to Liz Fekete, there are two Europes today. The bureaucratic, heartless, vicious Europe (which seizes children on their way to school, terrorises them in police raids, renders them destitute, incarcerates and deports them) is gradually being counterbalanced by a second Europe of ordinary people, 'acting in defiance of the law and with great courage, reminding governments what humanitarianism and social solidarity mean in practice'. Parents are hiding foreign children, schoolchildren are campaigning for their friends, faith organisations, doctors, social workers, teachers and child protection agencies are all calling authorities to account.

Details: London: Institute of Race Relations, 2007. 77p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 25, 2017 at: http://s3-eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/wpmedia.outlandish.com/irr/2017/04/26154808/ERB_58_TheyAreChildrenToo.pdf

Year: 2007

Country: Europe

Keywords: Child Protection

Shelf Number: 147451


Author: European Parliament. Directorate-General for Internal Policies. Policy Department C Citizens' Rights and Constitutional Affairs

Title: Preventing and Countering Youth Radicalisation in the EU

Summary: Upon request by the LIBE Committee, this study focuses on the question of how to best prevent youth radicalisation in the EU. It evaluates counter-radicalisation policies, both in terms of their efficiency and their broader social and political impact. Building on a conception of radicalisation as a process of escalation, it highlights the need to take into account the relation between individuals, groups and state responses. In this light, it forefronts some of the shortcomings of current policies, such as the difficulties of reporting individuals on the grounds of uncertain assessments of danger and the problem of attributing political grievances to ethnic and religious specificities. Finally, the study highlights the ambiguous nature of pro-active administrative practices and exceptional counter-terrorism legislation and their potentially damaging effects in terms of fundamental rights

Details: Brussels: European Unioin, 2014. 41p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 26, 2017 at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/etudes/join/2014/509977/IPOL-LIBE_ET(2014)509977_EN.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Counter-Terrorism

Shelf Number: 147454


Author: Carrera, Sergio

Title: Pathways towards Legal Migration into the EU: Reappraising Concepts, Trajectories and Policies

Summary: Finding that EU migration policies are still subject to inconsistency, legal uncertainty and discriminatory treatment, scholars call for the creation of new legal pathways. Over the past 15 years, the 'Europeanisation' of policies dealing with the conditions of entry and residence of third-country nationals has led to the development of a common EU acquis. Yet questions related to policy consistency, legal certainty and fair and non-discriminatory treatment in working and living standards still characterise the EU's legal framework for cross-border mobility. This book critically explores the extent to which EU legal migration policies and their underlying working notions match the transnational mobility of individuals today. It addresses the main challenges of economic migration policies, both within the EU and in the context of EU cooperation with third countries. Special consideration is given to the compatibility of EU policies with international labour standards along with the fundamental rights and approach to fairness laid down in the EU Treaties. The contributions to this book showcase the various uses and potential of social science and humanities research in assessing, informing and shaping EU migration policies. Leading scholars and experts have brought together the latest knowledge available to reappraise the added value of the EU in this area. Their reflections and findings point to the need to develop a revised set of EU policy priorities in implementing a new generation of legal pathways for migration.

Details: Brussels: The Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS), 2017 231p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 26, 2017 at: http://aei.pitt.edu/89777/1/PathwaysLegalMigration.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Immigration Policy

Shelf Number: 147462


Author: Confederation of European Security Industries (CoESS)

Title: The socio-economic added value of private security services in Europe

Summary: It gives me great pleasure once again to pronounce the Fourth CoESS White Paper, 'The socio-economic added value of private security services in Europe', another success in the tradition of the launch of our White Papers at the occasion of the 'summits on private security services in Europe', organised by CoESS. After Paris, 15 December 2008, Stockholm, 8 December 2009, and Brussels, 10 December 2010, it is now Madrid's turn on 14-15 March 2013. This Fourth CoESS White Paper builds on the earlier impetus of those that have preceded it: 'La participation de la securite privee a la securite generale en Europe - Private security and its role in European security', - Private and public security in the Nordic countries' and - Private security in Belgium, a source of inspiration for Europe?'. The content of this Fourth CoESS White Paper does not break with the themes of its predecessors. This time we focus more, mostly from an economic perspective, on the added value of private security services in Europe. The core of this White Paper refers to the need for new ideas that are legitimately supported by existing scientific literature. The first part of the theoretical framework addresses the underlying discourse such as the risk society, integral security concern and nodal orientation, the concept of added value, supply-side and demand-side economics and the added value of private security services that embeds the latter's position in current security strategies adopted in and outside of Europe. The second part provides an update of the socio-economic added value of private security services. This is compiled using the morphology of private security services in clearly defined market segments as well as those still to be developed. The 'cost of crime' and the 'value selling' approach are explained in the context of the cost of crime and private security services. Furthermore, private security services invest in its employees as well as in technological developments, which means that the 'combined contract' strategy is becoming a reality. It is and continues to be obvious that this sector prioritises the vital importance of the human element. In this respect, we consider age, gender and salary policy as well as employment and economic growth. The value of education, training and/or lifelong learning is also discussed. We also address the added value of private security services and the public goods theory.

Details: Wemmel, Belgium: CoESS, 2013. 27p.

Source: Internet Resource: Fourth White Paper: Accessed September 27, 2017 at: www.coess.org

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Economic Analysis

Shelf Number: 147481


Author: Confederation of European Security Industries (CoESS)

Title: The New Security Company: integration of services and technology responding to changes in customer demand, demography and technology

Summary: Security is the foundation of our free model of society. Our political, personal and economic freedom is currently under attack from all sides, as the recent developments throughout the world sadly and all too painfully keep reminding us. The security industry, in cooperation with national security authorities, has come to play a crucial role in the joint task of ensuring the protection of citizens and businesses. Our common goal must be to safeguard the security and the freedom of Europe's citizens as effectively as possible. For example, private security firms at airports are now responsible for what used to be sovereign tasks and have thus become a central pillar of our security architecture. This places an extremely high degree of responsibility on each individual company and their staff. For this very reason we have to impose high standards when selecting and training security personnel. Quality standards must be defined and compliance with them monitored. That is the only way in which we can reliably guarantee the security of our citizens. At the same time, it forms the basis for the economic success of private security enterprises. In all this it is vital to coordinate regulations across national borders so that all the citizens of the European Union can enjoy the highest possible level of security and with it, freedom. At the moment most measures designed to protect business have a national focus. Yet many security threats are increasingly assuming global dimensions. It is therefore crucial that we within Europe share our experiences - both good and bad - as well as the steps we are taking to protect the business sector. As mediators between business, politics and authorities, associations in all countries have a central role to play. For this reason I welcome the fact that the national security industry associations are engaging in intensive dialogue with their European partners and have been organising joint events for many years now. The continued interest in these events testifies to the success of this concept. I regard this as an important factor in actively fostering European security cooperation. In this way we can join forces to confront the challenges facing freedom and prosperity in Europe.

Details: Paris: CoESS, 2015. 52p.

Source: Internet Resource: Fifth White Paper: Accessed September 27, 2017 at: http://www.coess.org/newsroom.php?page=white-papers

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Private Security

Shelf Number: 147482


Author: European Parliament. Directorate-General for Internal Policies. Policy Department C Citizens' Rights and Constitutional Affairs

Title: Towards A Comprehensive EU Protection System for Minorities

Summary: This study, commissioned by the European Parliaments Policy Department for Citizens Rights and Constitutional Affairs at the request of the LIBE Committee, examines the added value of developing a democratic rule of law and fundamental rights-based approach to the protection of minorities in the EU legal system, from an intersectional viewpoint. It presents the state of play regarding the main challenges characterising the protection of ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities in a selection of 11 European countries, in light of existing international and regional legal standards. Minority protection has been an EU priority in enlargement processes as a conditional criterion for candidate countries to accede to the Union. Yet a similar scrutiny mechanism is lacking after accession. The study puts forward several policy options to address this gap. It suggests specific ways in which a Union Pact for democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights, could help to ensure a comprehensive EU approach to minority protection.

Details: Brussels: European Parliament, 2017. 182p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 29, 2017 at: https://www.ceps.eu/system/files/ProtectionSystemForMinorities.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Bias-Motivated Crime

Shelf Number: 147507


Author: Confederation of European Security Industries (CoESS)

Title: Private security and its role in European security

Summary: This White Paper was prepared at the initiative of two institutions, the CoESS (Confederation of European Security Services) and the INHES (National Institute for Advanced Security Studies), with support from all trade organisations representing private security companies in the different European countries as well as from numerous contributors: representatives from the European Commission, professionals, academics, researchers and experts. The primary objective of this document is to promote awareness on a large scale and, for the first time, across all of Europe. Private security has become an important sector, one that is now mature but still expanding. Often invisibly, it accounts for a large and ever growing share of security in our society, thanks to the qualified men and women who are dedicated to this profession and to the companies that are striving to improve the quality of their services. That being said, not enough people know us or acknowledge our contribution. This is especially true of authorities, both European and national. This White Paper thus seeks first and foremost to highlight the value added that private security provides today, to build awareness that the sector delivers vital services and plays a key role in national and global security policy. The CoESS and private security companies have a real vision for the future of the sector in Europe. A White Paper is one of the best ways to share this vision with national and European authorities and the customers, employees and owners of private security firms. Our aim is not only to outline this vision to different players, but also to have it validated as an approach that can make a real contribution to the construction of a single European private security sector. Our goal is thus an ambitious one: to have our vision, our point of view, taken into account and translated into real initiatives at EU level, to everyone's benefit. When it comes to defining security strategies, political decisions in the EU are often contradictory, with content changing depending on the institution taking the initiative or the stated objectives.

Details: Paris: CoESS, 2008. 98p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 30, 2017 at: http://www.coess.org/newsroom.php?page=white-papers

Year: 2008

Country: Europe

Keywords: Private Security

Shelf Number: 147514


Author: Confederation of European Security Industries (CoESS)

Title: Critical Infrastructure Security and Protection: The Public-Private Opportunity

Summary: Critical infrastructure in Europe is owned, operated, regulated and protected by a complex mixture of public and private organisations. While most of the critical infrastructure remains national or local, there is a European Directive on Critical Infrastructure, which provides for identification of EU sites of critical importance. The Confederation of European Security Services (CoESS), as the representative organisation for European private security services, observes that its members are playing an increasing role in protecting critical infrastructure and expects that this trend will be reinforced, as the benefits are clearly demonstrated to all the parties - the responsible authorities, the infrastructure owners and operators, the end-users of critical infrastructure, the private security companies and the general public at large. This is supported by good examples in Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and the UK, where public-private cooperation is functioning to the benefit of all stakeholders involved and highlighted in this paper. The document also contains suggestions on how these examples could be used as best practice and followed and implemented elsewhere. Based on best practices and efficient public-private cooperation, CoESS wishes to see the security and protection of critical infrastructure maximised through an explicit recognition by policymakers of the complexity of the issue, involving as it does public, private and in some cases hybrid actors. CoESS advocates for explicit allocation of roles and responsibilities for protection along with common standards of risk assessment to be adopted, so that best practice is used to apply appropriate levels of security. Security must be built into the design and operation of critical infrastructure in order to reduce security costs as well as improve security effectiveness, and not be added on as afterthought. Furthermore, this document also provides guidelines and a checklist for all parties involved on how to best secure and protect critical infrastructure. The main elements of the checklist include: inspection/ approval; standards; corporate governance; financial provisions; insurance; staff employment and training; critical infrastructure; contract infrastructure. Responsible decisionmakers should pay particular attention to quality of private security services for the protection of critical infrastructure. CoESS therefore recommends that national legislations regarding private security include a special licence when critical infrastructure protection is concerned. Hence, it is crucial that the private security sector is consulted at the very early stages of conceptualisation of approaches and possible strategies.

Details: Wemmel, Belgium: CoESS, 2016. 27p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 30, 2017 at: http://www.coess.org/newsroom.php?page=white-papers

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Infrastructure Protection

Shelf Number: 147633


Author: Nellis, Mike

Title: Standards and Ethics in Electronic Monitoring: Handbook for professionals responsible for the establishment and the use of Electronic Monitoring

Summary: The handbook is conceived as a policy guide and a management tool for professionals responsible for the establishment and the use of electronic monitoring. The text highlights important ethical standards in line with the Recommendation of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe CM/Rec (2014)4 on electronic monitoring and other Recommendations in the field of prisons and probation, and suggests responses to a number of ethical dilemmas. The handbook is a result of a multilateral meeting on electronic monitoring, held in Strasbourg in November 2014, as part of the co-operation activities in the penitentiary field implemented by the Criminal Law Co-operation Unit.

Details: Strasbourg: Council of Europe, 2015. 68p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 3, 2017 at: https://rm.coe.int/handbook-standards-ethics-in-electronic-monitoring-eng/16806ab9b0

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Alternatives to Incarceration

Shelf Number: 147538


Author: Lehtmets, Andres

Title: Prison health care and medical ethics. A manual for health-care workers and other prison staff with responsibility for prisoners' well-being

Summary: This manual is addressed to prison health‑care workers and other prison staff with responsibility for prisoners' well‑being. It provides practical information about a range of issues related to psychiatric care, prevention of the spread of transmissible diseases (such as acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, hepatitis and tuberculosis), psychoactive drugs and the medical management of drug‑addicted prisoners. The text highlights important ethical standards and suggests responses to ethical dilemmas related to access to a doctor, equivalence of care, patient's consent and confdentiality, preventive health care, humanitarian assistance, professional independence and competence.

Details: Strasbourg: Council of Europe, 2015. 84p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 3, 2017 at: https://book.coe.int/eur/en/penal-law-and-criminology/6882-pdf-prison-health-care-and-medical-ethics.html

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Health Care

Shelf Number: 147539


Author: European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA)

Title: Second European Union Minorities and Discrimination Survey. Muslims - Selected Findings

Summary: Muslims living in the EU face discrimination in a broad range of settings - and particularly when looking for work, on the job, and when trying to access public or private services. The report examines how characteristics - such as an individual's first and last name, skin colour and the wearing of visible religious symbols like a headscarf, for example - may trigger discriminatory treatment and harassment. These are just some of the findings outlined in this report, which examines the experiences of more than 10,500 Muslim immigrants and descendants of Muslim immigrants in 15 EU Member States. In addition to discrimination - including police stops based on ethnic background - it explores issues ranging from citizenship, trust and tolerance, through harassment, violence and hate crime, to rights awareness. The report is based on data collected in FRA's second European Union Minorities and Discrimination Survey, which surveyed around 26,000 people with immigrant or ethnic minority backgrounds living in the EU. It provides a unique insight into the experiences and perceptions of the EU's second largest religious group, representing about 4 % of the EU's total population. Taken together, the survey findings and the recommendations can provide a good basis to support the effectiveness of a wide range of measures in the areas of integration and non-discrimination, as well as internal security policy.

Details: Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2017. 70p.

Source: Internet Resource: EU-MIDIS II: Accessed October 4, 2017 at: http://fra.europa.eu/en/publication/2017/eumidis-ii-muslims-selected-findings

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Discrimination

Shelf Number: 147543


Author: European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA)

Title: Second European Union Minorities and Discrimination Survey (EU-MIDIS II) Roma - Selected findings

Summary: Highlighting persisting barriers to employment, education, housing and health services, this report also reveals that four out of 10 Roma surveyed felt discriminated against at least once in the past five years - yet only a fraction pursued the incident. While sobering, this report presents vital information that can serve as a unique resource for policymakers committed to ensuring that Roma are treated equally with respect to their fundamental rights. The report is based on a survey that collected information on almost 34,000 persons living in Roma households in nine European Union (EU) Member States, derived from nearly 8,000 face-to-face interviews with Roma. It presents a selection of results from FRA's Second European Union Minorities and Discrimination Survey (EU-MIDIS II), which surveyed around 26,000 people with immigrant or ethnic minority background living in the EU. The European Union Minorities and Discrimination Survey is a major part of the agency's commitment to collecting and publishing data on groups not covered in general population surveys. It is the third survey of the agency to focus on Roma.

Details: Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2016. 52p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 5, 2017 at: http://fra.europa.eu/en/publication/2016/eumidis-ii-roma-selected-findings

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Discrimination

Shelf Number: 147560


Author: Shapland, Joanna

Title: Developing restorative policing: using the evidence base to inform the delivery of restorative justice and improve engagement with victims. Learning lessons from Belgium and Northern Ireland

Summary: Restorative justice (RJ) is well established in Belgium where interventions are widely available for both adults and juveniles with regard to both pre-court and post-court provision. There is a particularly well-embedded recent history of restorative justice in the Flemish-speaking region of Belgium, most notably in the city of Leuven dating back (at least) to the late 1980s. With the support of the Catholic University of Leuven (KU Leuven), a scheme of restorative mediation was set up with the explicit focus on providing restorative justice for more serious crimes where the public prosecutor had already made a decision to prosecute. It was felt that much of the international success in restorative justice - from New Zealand and Australia notably - had focused more directly on less serious crime and on juveniles. So, the aims of the new initiative in Leuven at the time were: first, to elaborate and develop a model of (victim/offender) restorative mediation in cases of adult serious crimes; and secondly, to explore the implications for the wider criminal justice system of the operation of the two different processes; namely restorative justice on the one hand and criminal prosecution on the other hand. In particular, the scheme's proponents were interested in the ways in which restorative principles might influence and prompt key actors - notably judges, prosecutors and police - 'to rethink in some way the objectives and rationales of the criminal justice system' (according to one of the KU Leuven proponents interviewed). This initial approach has influenced many of the developments, informing policy and practice both within and beyond Leuven, over the ensuing years. Examples of this include the establishment of a pilot project in 1998 in six prisons (in collaboration with the universities of Leuven and Liege) (Robert and Peters 2003; Aertsen 2005). In 2000, the Minister of Justice decided to implement the model across all prisons in Belgium supported by the appointment of a full-time 'restorative justice advisor' in each prison operating at the level of prison management to develop a culture, skills and programme to support victims' needs and restorative responses. Similarly, in the field of juvenile justice, the university was instrumental in establishing an action research conferencing pilot project in 2000 in four locations. The pilot was based on the experiences of the New Zealand model of Family Group Conferencing, but as well as the above mentioned adult scheme, it focused specifically upon more serious crimes (Vanfraechem 2005; Vanfraechem and Walgrave 2004). In many ways, Leuven has been a generator and beacon of good practice in the field of restorative justice over a number of years, with models of practice developed in Leuven being adopted and adapted elsewhere in the country. The role of the university has been quite pivotal in this, serving as an international hub of research and theorisation in the field of restorative justice and as a key centre for the diffusion of evidence-based practice and application of practical innovations. For instance, the European Forum for Restorative Justice, which promotes the application of restorative practices across Europe, has its base and its secretariat in the Department of Criminal Law and Criminology at KU Leuven (since it was established in 2000). The university has played an important role in stimulating practice-based and policy innovations as well as informing citywide multi-agency partnerships in promoting restorative approaches. In 1996 the mediation service of Leuven (Bemiddelingsdienst arrondissement Leuven - BAL) was established as a cooperation between the office of the Counsel for the Prosecution (the public prosecutors), the police, the city board of Leuven (municipal authority), the board of lawyers, the local Judicial Welfare Service and the probation service (working with offenders), Victim Support, a NGO juvenile justice service provider (then Oikoten, but subsequently Alba), a mediation service provider for adults (then Suggnome but subsequently renamed Moderator), the prison service and the university. Consequently, developments in Leuven have benefited from this longstanding history of inter-organisational collaboration informed by an acute awareness of the evidence-base and conceptual clarity regarding the principles of restorative justice.

Details: Sheffield, UK: Centre for Criminological Research, University of Sheffield, 2017. 49p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 5, 2017 at: https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/polopoly_fs/1.714948!/file/Comparative-report-publication.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Mediation

Shelf Number: 147561


Author: TNS Opinion & Social

Title: Corruption. Special Eurobarometer 397

Summary: Corruption, whether it takes the form of political corruption, corrupt activities committed by and with organised criminal groups, private-to-private corruption or so-called petty corruption, continues to be one of the biggest challenges facing Europe. While the nature and scope of corruption varies from one EU Member State to another, it harms the EU as a whole by reducing levels of investment, obstructing the fair operation of the Internal Market and having a negative impact on public finances. The economic costs incurred by corruption in the EU are estimated to amount to around EUR 120 billion annually. Corruption can also undermine trust in democratic institutions and weaken the accountability of political leadership. Moreover, it enables organised crime groups to use corruption to commit other serious crimes, such as trafficking in drugs and human beings. The EU is strongly committed to fighting corruption. The 2003 Framework Decision on combating corruption in the private sector aims to criminalise both active and passive bribery in all Member States. With the adoption of the Stockholm Programme, the Commission has been given a political mandate to measure efforts in the fight against corruption and to develop a comprehensive EU anti-corruption policy. In June 2011, the Commission set up a mechanism for the periodic assessment of EU States' efforts in the fight against corruption ('EU Anti-Corruption Report'), which could help create the necessary momentum for firmer political commitment by all decisionmakers in the EU. The reporting mechanism assesses the anti-corruption efforts of EU Member States and encourages peer learning and exchanges of good practice. Previous Eurobarometer surveys (in 2005 , 2007 , 2009 and 2011 ) highlighted the fact that the majority of Europeans believed that corruption was a major problem for their country and existed in institutions at every level. The majority also felt that EU institutions had a problem with corruption. The financial crisis that first hit the global economy in 2007 and plunged Europe into financial crisis in early 2008 threatens heavily debt-ridden countries such as Greece, Portugal and Spain. The worsening debt crisis has forced EU governments to adopt harsh austerity measures and tough economic reforms. Many Europeans have lost their jobs and unemployment is particularly acute among young people.

Details: Brussels: European Commission, 2014. 230p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 20, 2017 at: http://ec.europa.eu/commfrontoffice/publicopinion/archives/ebs/ebs_397_en.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Corruption

Shelf Number: 131985


Author: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA)

Title: Health and social responses to drug problems: A European guide

Summary: This guide and the associated package of online materials provides a reference point for planning or delivering health and social responses to drug problems in Europe. The most appropriate responses will depend on the specific drug problems, the contexts in which these occur and the types of intervention that are possible and socially acceptable. By providing key information on some of the most important drug issues for Europe and the responses available, this guide aims to assist those involved in tackling these challenges to develop new programmes and improve existing ones. Table of contents Introduction Chapter 1: A framework for developing health and social responses to drug problems Chapter 2: Problems arising from particular types or patterns of drug use Chapter 3: Responding to the needs of particular groups Chapter 4: Responding in particular settings Chapter 5: Supporting successful implementation Moving on: responding effectively to drug problems in Europe

Details: Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2017. 184p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 27, 2017 at: http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/publications/manuals/health-and-social-responses-to-drug-problems-a-european-guide_en

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction

Shelf Number: 147836


Author: CityRisks

Title: Analysing factors influencing the fear of crime from the Citizens' Perspective

Summary: Introduction In this task we aimed to gain greater insight into and a better understanding of the multiple macro- and micro-level factors that influence citizens' perceptions and experiences of crime and the criminal justice system in their local area. In addition, we set out to investigate the readiness of citizens to adopt new technologies which are designed to address fears, perceptions and experiences of crime in the city. To achieve this, existing information on levels and experiences of crime were collected and reviewed and surveys of citizens who live and/or work in three European cities (The London Borough of Waltham Forest, UK; Sofia, Bulgaria; and Rome, Italy) were undertaken. A total of 22,632 questionnaires were successfully completed across the three pilot sites. Survey Findings Perception of local crime rates and the criminal justice system - Most respondents perceived crime rates in their city to be average when compared with the rest of their country. Whilst in Sofia, respondents felt that crime rates had not changed in the time they had been living and/or working in the area, those in Waltham Forest and Rome felt crime rates had risen. - The level of confidence in the ability of local criminal justice agencies to adequately deal with crime varied considerably across the three sites. Broadly, those in Waltham Forest and Sofia expressed greater confidence in the police and criminal justice agencies, in comparison to those in Rome. - Overall, women were more confident in the ability of the police and criminal justice agencies to protect their citizens in the pilot cities than men. Fear of crime and impact of fear on behaviour - Respondents in all three pilot sites reported being 'worried to some extent' about crime. However, those in Sofia and Rome expressed more concern than respondents from Waltham Forest. On the whole, women in the three cities were more fearful of becoming a victim of crime than men. - For almost all in Sofia, the quality of their lives had been affected by their fear of crime. Fewer respondents stated that this was the case in Waltham Forest and Rome. - In Sofia, the same proportion of respondents reported feeling safe walking alone in the day and after dark, fewer respondents from Waltham Forest and Rome felt safe walking alone after dark in their local area. - Across the three sites, respondents reported modifying or changing behaviours because of the fear of being the victim of a crime. This was most likely to be the case in Rome. - Respondents from Sofia expressed very high levels of concern for being a victim of all of the crimes types listed. Comparatively, those in Rome and Waltham Forest were less concerned about being the victim of a crime. Across the three sites, burglary was the crime most commonly feared by respondents. Levels of victimisation - The majority of respondents across the three pilot sites had not been a victim of crime in the last 12 months. - In Waltham Forest and Rome, the crime most commonly experienced by respondents was vehicle damage. - Respondents across the three sites tended to report crime(s) either in person at a police station or by phoning the police. Fewer respondents used textbased or online methods of reporting crimes. - Greater satisfaction was reported by respondents from Waltham Forest when discussing how their crime report was dealt with than respondents in Rome. - Fewer respondents from Rome than Waltham Forest were interested in seeking alternative ways (e.g. via a mobile phone or online) of reporting a crime. The role of citizens in community safety - In all the pilot sites, respondents believed that conducting citizen consultations about crime and community safety issues was a worthwhile process. - Whilst respondents in Rome and Waltham Forest perceived there to be a high degree of willingness amongst citizens in their local area, less shared this willingness in Sofia. The readiness to use new technologies - Across the three sites, most people owned a smart phone (e.g. iPhone). Higher proportions reported ownership of a tablet (e.g. an iPad) than a smart TV. - Social networking apps were the most commonly used apps in Waltham Forest and Rome. - Willingness to report crime via an app, if it was possible, was high across all sites, in particular Sofia. There were similar levels of interest in obtaining and sharing information about a crime in their local area in real-time via an app. Conclusions and implications for the development of technological solutions An (app)etite The survey findings show that there is an appetite amongst citizens in the three European cities to engage with technologies aimed at mitigating risks. Our findings provide support for the development of an app that allows users to report a crime they have witnessed or have been victim to, with speed, ease and one that yields a satisfactory response from the police. Police involvement In developing a technological solution, the police and other criminal justice agencies need to be both central to its development but also, its operation. Targeted citizen consultations Most of those surveyed have lived and/or worked in the area for 10 years or over and utilising their local knowledge and experiences would be valuable to the technological project. Greater, targeted consultation and delivered using a variety of methods is pivotal to the development of a technological app. Information-sharing to address avoidance behaviour Across the three sites, the fear of becoming a victim of crime was quite high. An app that provides accurate and 'live' information about crime and other incidents in local areas has the potential to reduce the fear of crime amongst citizens.

Details: Athens: City.Risks, 2016. 56p,

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 2, 2017 at: http://project.cityrisks.eu/wp-content/uploads/deliverables/City.Risks_D2.2-Analysing-factors-influencing-the-fear-of-crime-from-the-citizens-perspective.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Crime Prevention

Shelf Number: 147975


Author: CityRisks

Title: Fine-grained analysis of security threats in large urban environments

Summary: Crime is one of the greatest threats to urban security. This report aims to examine urban crime by analysing criminological research on spatial, temporal and individual patterns of crime and criminal victimisation. However, as crime is a wide-ranging concept, this report is limited to analyses of offences between strangers that mainly occur at public places, such as robberies, thefts, and assaults. The main finding in this report is that a large proportion of all crime occurs at a few places, and only a few people account for a great amount of all criminal victimisations. Places at risk for hosting crime are characterised by a high density of people, weak social cohesion, low socio-economic status among the residents, and located in innercity areas. The presence of alcohol outlets and public transportation nodes are also expected to increase the risk of crime. Unsurprisingly, places already known for high crime rates are also at risk for subsequent crime. Individual risk factors for victimisation encompass many different characteristics and are highly dependent upon what kind of offence that is analysed. However, men, young people (under the age of 25), individuals with low socio-economic status, ethnic minorities, and single/divorced/widowed persons generally suffer from higher risks of victimisation. Tourists may also be at elevated risk for victimisation due to their often reckless behaviour in search for authentic experiences. Also, persons previously victimised are at higher risk for repeat victimisation The practical implementation of risk factors for assessing risks of crime is in this project mainly a matter of crime mapping. Some mapping methods are rather simple, using historical crime data for assessing the risk for future crime at different locations. Other methods are more advanced, based on analyses of the characteristics of urban areas (e.g. the built environment) in relation to crime. The prevention efforts of City.Risks should be based on a situational approach, centred on reducing crime opportunities. This may include route planning for the safest route, and information to individuals in order to modify their behaviour. The latter is situational because making people aware of risks may render behaviour changes, which in turn may put people in safer situations. The SARA-model, a methodological approach for working systematically with situational crime prevention, should be employed for ensuring an analytical approach in the project. Fear of crime is another dimension of urban security, which may be defined as an umbrella term for all subjective aspects of crime, such as emotional reactions to crime, worry about crime, and perceived risk for victimisation. Importantly, not only actual crime levels affect individuals' fear of crime. For instance, media crime reporting, places' physical characteristics, and individual characteristics all play an important role in people's feelings of security. In general, places with signs of social and physical disorder, poor lighting, and features that enable hiding, such as shrubs and trees, make people become more fearful. In terms of individual characteristics, women are often portrayed as more fearful compared to men. In City.Risks, terrorist attacks have been proposed as urban security threats that could be targeted by the projects technical solutions. However, the review of the terrorism literature suggests that predicting terrorist attacks is difficult and that it is mainly a matter of intelligence work carried out by governmental organisations. Therefore, City.Risks should mainly focus on common crimes and focus less on rare criminal activities such as terrorism. Finally, there are several ethical issues regarding the project's approach to mitigate and avoid urban security threats. For instance, the focus on people as potential victims and their presumed responsibility to protect themselves from criminal victimisation may result in so-called victim blaming in which people are perceived as responsible for their own victimisation. Individuals' privacy when using social networks in the end user product is another ethical issue. Users need to be protected in order to ensure that potential offenders do not get access to information that can facilitate offending. Stigmatisation of neighbourhoods may be a problem related to the work in City.Risks but efforts to ensure transparency and restrictions of data provided to the end-users of the City.Risks technical solutions may render a smaller risk for stigmatisation than anticipated. The pilot studies will address the issue of stigmatisation in order to understand how City.Risks may affect the pilot users' view on neighbourhoods in relation to the information provided to them through the final technical solutions. Finally, the various potential forms of misuse of the technical solutions, such as some tourists' possible wish to find information on drug and prostitution locations, must be analysed in order for the project stakeholders to not be held liable if misuse occurs.

Details: Athens: CityRisks, 2015. 92p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 2, 2017 at: http://project.cityrisks.eu/wp-content/uploads/deliverables/CityRisks_D2.3-Fine-grained-analysis-of-security-threats-in-large-urban-environments.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Crime Analysis

Shelf Number: 147976


Author: CityRisks

Title: Gaps and challenges for addressing security threats in urban environments

Summary: This document surveys the state-of-the-art in the areas related to the City.Risks project. Our analysis starts by reviewing relevant complete and integrated solutions in the urban security landscape. A total of 22 projects and 46 software and hardware solutions have been analyzed. Most of these solutions constitute results of completed and ongoing research projects. The survey focuses on the use cases, target audience, solution types, software platforms and data sources employed in the analyzed solutions. Then, we look into individual areas of research that are of relevance to City.Risks. This analysis focuses on highlighting the current advances and identifying relevant research that can be exploited or extended within the scope of the project. For every research area of focus, we outline the most important recent advances in relation to the City.Risks tasks. Furthermore, based on identified gaps and challenges in the state-of-the-art, we present research directions that can be exploited within the scope of the project. The first relevant area of research we review is Emergency Response and Risk Management. More, specifically, we present the recent advances in emergency alerting and response, augmented reality, and risks management for decision support within the operation center. Then, we outline the most important work related to Data Management that is of relevance to City.Risks. We focus on data acquisition and mining, query processing, privacy and anonymization, data analytics and route planning. Our analysis continues with the areas of Mobile Sensors and Sensor Communication. We overview recent advances on sensor technologies and communications, we present current work in ground monitoring and theft detection, and we discuss relevant approaches for theft detection. Finally, we outline the state-of-the-art in software development methodologies, platform architectures, design process models and theories, and we overview platform architectures for emergency management systems.

Details: Athens: CityRisks, 2015. 116p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 2, 2017 at: http://project.cityrisks.eu/wp-content/uploads/deliverables/City.Risks_D2.1_Gaps_and_Challenges.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Crime Analysis

Shelf Number: 147977


Author: Victim Support Europe

Title: Operating Networks for Victim Support Services

Summary: The present report is looking into two examples - those of Finland and France, of how to organise comprehensive victim support services at the national level. Both countries were chosen based on findings of previous research carried out under the MDTF JSS, Analysis of victims' rights and services in Serbia and their alignment with EU Directive 2012/29/EU. That research showed in particular that Serbia had some level of existing infrastructure for the delivery of victim services. Though many of these were focused on specific groups of victims, a number had indicated an interest to widen the scope of their activities. At the same time, the Serbian State had indicated that where possible they wanted to use existing resources, rather than create an wholly new system, which would be an inefficient and non-inclusive approach. Both France and Finland are examples of long and well established national services, meeting criteria in the EU Victims Directive which used existing infrastructures and organisations to deliver a national system.

Details: Brussels: Victim Support Europe, 2017. 76p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 4, 2017 at: http://victimsupport.eu/activeapp/wp-content/files_mf/1506075235WB_networkoperationsreport_final.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Victim Services

Shelf Number: 148031


Author: Skoutas, Dimitrios

Title: Crime data collection, contextualization and mining

Summary: In this document, we present the methodology regarding collection, integration and analysis of crime and other safety-related data in the City.Risks content repository. By developing a suite of ETL tools, we have been able to acquire information from various official sources and open data catalogues for diverse categories of content, which will be kept up-to-date throughout the project. These include historical crime incidents (from Law Enforcement services), area demographics (from Census statistics), city maps (from OpenStreetMap), points of interest (from OpenStreetMap, Wikimapia and Foursquare), as well as mobility and transportation data. In addition, we have developed a module that can monitor and analyse data from the Web, particularly crime-related articles from news agencies and geotagged photos, which may offer more insights about the characteristics of urban areas in terms of safety. All this information is highly useful for providing context to various entities and tasks (e.g., to find points of interest nearby a given incident or crime hotspot), so as to examine potential safety measures or to determine how to respond to an emergency situation. However, integrating data must cope with various types of inherent heterogeneity, as we explore in a typical scenario involving points of interest from multiple sources. Most importantly, in order to serve the needs of the City.Risks engine and applications, we propose a suite of data mining algorithms. These techniques can extract patterns and knowledge from data, in terms of descriptive statistics and area classifications based on historical data. Furthermore, they can also offer estimated analytics about the level of crime within an area in the future based on machine-learning predictive models. The wide spectrum of such data analytics take full advantage of the current bulk of collected data and can be further used to drive the functionality of services and applications in forthcoming stages of the project.

Details: Athens: City.Risks, 2016. 67p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 10, 2017 at: http://project.cityrisks.eu/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/City.Risks_D3.4_Data_Analytics.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Crime Analysis

Shelf Number: 148124


Author: Conway, Maura

Title: Disrupting Daesh: Measuring Takedown of Online Terrorist Material and Its Impacts

Summary: This report seeks to contribute to public and policy debates on the value of social media disruption activity with respect to terrorist material. We look in particular at aggressive account and content takedown, with the aim of accurately measuring this activity and its impacts. Our findings challenge the notion that Twitter remains a conducive space for Islamic State (IS) accounts and communities to flourish, although IS continues to distribute propaganda through this channel. However, not all jihadists on Twitter are subject to the same high levels of disruption as IS, and we show that there is differential disruption taking place. IS's and other jihadists' online activity was never solely restricted to Twitter. Twitter is just one node in a wider jihadist social media ecology. We describe and discuss this, and supply some preliminary analysis of disruption trends in this area.

Details: Dublin, Ireland: VOX-Pol Network of Excellence, 2017. 47p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 10, 2017 at: http://www.voxpol.eu/download/vox-pol_publication/DCUJ5528-Disrupting-DAESH-1706-WEB-v2.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Daesh

Shelf Number: 148131


Author: Graham, David

Title: Understanding Antisemitic Hate Crime: Do the Experiences, Perceptions and Behaviors of Jews Vary by Gender, Age and Religiosity?

Summary: This study was commissioned by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR). The OSCE - the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe - is the world's largest regional security organisation, working for stability, peace and democracy for more than a billion people around the world, through political dialogue about shared values and other practical work that aims to make a lasting difference. ODIHR is one of the world's principal human rights bodies, promoting democratic elections, respect for human rights, tolerance and non-discrimination, and the rule of law. It has been written by Dr Daniel Graham and Dr Jonathan Boyd, two senior researchers at the Institute for Jewish Policy Research (JPR) in London. JPR is committed to investigating a wide range of issues relating to Jewish populations in the UK, across Europe and the wider world, in order to provide an empirical basis for Jewish and non-Jewish organisations to develop policy to support and protect individual Jews and Jewish communal life. In commissioning this report, the OSCE was particularly interested to understand more about how different types of Jews perceive, experience and respond to antisemitism, with a particular focus on three areas: gender (i.e. differences between men and women); age (difference between different age bands); and religiosity (differences between more observant and less observant Jews, who are also likely to be more or less identifiably Jewish based on the type of clothing they wear). In seeking to investigate these issues, we needed to identify an existing data source that was sufficiently detailed to be able to provide some answers. By far and away the best candidate was the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) survey of Jewish perceptions and experiences of antisemitism, undertaken in 2012 and published in 2013.1 With a sample size of close to 6,000, this remains the largest ever survey about European Jews on any topic, and is thus the ideal source for an investigation of this kind. In addition, the research for that study was conducted by JPR in partnership with the international polling agency, Ipsos MORI, so the researchers already had a strong degree of familiarity with it. Indeed, since the publication of the survey results by the FRA, JPR has published three further reports drawing on this data, with two further studies in the pipeline. The FRA survey covered Jews aged 16 and above living in nine EU Member States: Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Romania, Sweden and the United Kingdom. The Jewish populations of these eight countries together represent approximately 90% of the total Jewish population of Europe. The survey explored a range of issues, including experiences of antisemitic hate crime, levels of anxiety about it, tendency to report incidents and perceptions of what does and does not constitute antisemitism. In addition, it recorded the sex and age of all respondents, as well as several measures of their Jewish identity. Thus, all quantitative data within this report are drawn from the FRA survey, providing an analysis of that dataset which has never previously been undertaken. The findings are for the full sample, rather than for specific Member States as in previous publications, thereby presenting a picture of the situation for European Jews as a whole. In addition, this study involved a series of qualitative interviews with experts in hate crime in general, and antisemitic hate crime in particular, in order to deepen our understanding of the quantitative findings. These interviews were conducted in January and February 2017, and extracts from them are included throughout the report. The report is divided into three main sections, focusing, in turn, on gender, age and religiosity. We have only included findings where we have identified notable distinctions by each of these categories. In the cases where particular perceptions, experiences or responses to antisemitism are not included, one can assume that no significant distinctions were found.

Details: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, 2017. 45p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 13, 2017 at: http://www.osce.org/odihr/320021?download=true

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Antisemitic Hate Crime

Shelf Number: 148157


Author: OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights

Title: Understanding Anti-Semitic Hate Crimes and Addressing the Security Needs of Jewish Communities: A Practical Guide

Summary: Anti-Semitic harassment, violence or discrimination targets Jewish women, men, boys and girls and people perceived to be Jewish across the OSCE region. Jewish institutions, including synagogues, schools and cemeteries, as well as entities or events related to Israel, are also targeted for violence and vandalism. Hate crimes and threats motivated by anti-Semitism have a profound impact, not just on the victims of specific attacks, but also on the daily lives of Jewish individuals and communities in a range of ways: - Fear of attending worship services, entering synagogues or wearing distinguishing religious attire or symbols negatively affects the right of individuals and communities to manifest their religion or belief; - Out of fear, Jewish individuals may abstain from identifying publicly as Jews, expressing their cultural identity or attending Jewish cultural events - practically excluding Jews from public life; - In school, the workplace, social settings or on social media, Jewish people often self-censor and could cause them to be reticent to express empathy or support for Israel to avoid being stigmatized; - Anti-Semitic violence has forced Jewish schools and youth activities in many OSCE participating States to operate under heavy security measures. Even the youngest children grow up with a sense of fear and a consciousness of their vulnerability; and - The need to build or harden security perimeters is a financial burden often borne by Jewish institutions instead of governments, diverting funds from religious, cultural and educational activities. As a result, anti-Semitic violence threatens both the physical security of Jewish communities and infuses a sense of fear and insecurity among individuals within those communities.

Details: Warsaw, Poland: OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), 2017. 89p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 15, 2017 at: http://www.osce.org/odihr/317166?download=true

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Anti-Semitic Violence

Shelf Number: 148183


Author: Save the Children Romania

Title: Child Trafficking in Central, South Eastern Europe and Baltic Countries: Regional Report - 2003

Summary: This Regional Report is a synthesis of the National Reports from the following countries: Albania, Bulgaria, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia, Estonia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Romania, Serbia and Montenegro, and Slovenia. The report intends to offer a picture of the current situation (forms of trafficking, profile of the victims, routes of trafficking) and the existing responses at different levels: governmental, NGOs, international organizations. The data was collected since 2002 until 2003, and updated with the most important legislative changes made at the beginning of 2004. The report is finalized with a set of recommendations for different stakeholders.

Details: Bucharest, Romania: Salvati Copiii, 20014. 78p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 18, 2017 at: https://childhub.org/sh/child-protection-online-library/child-trafficking-central-south-eastern-europe-and-baltic-countries

Year: 2004

Country: Europe

Keywords: Child Trafficking

Shelf Number: 104027


Author: Four Paws International

Title: Puppy Trade in Europe: Research on the impact of illegal businesses on the market, on consumers, on the one-health concept and on animal welfare

Summary: The puppy trade business (with mostly breed puppies) grew more professional and more industrial in the last 5 years. The profit margin all through the trade chain and the little to none existent law enforcement seems to make it an easy gamble with a lot of wins. They drug the puppies and drive with them through the whole of Europe. This industrial scale of puppy trade needs to be targeted. Stronger law enforcement needs to be put in place to control known traders and their veterinarians. In the frame of its 2013 Puppy Trade Campaign, FOUR PAWS has mandated an investigator to lead a field investigation to identify puppy trade networks in Europe. The goal was to identify the biggest puppy traders likely to be illegal traders using harmful or illegal practices and breaching current puppy trade, transport and animal welfare legislation. Out of a range of identified targets, several puppy traders were chosen to be investigated more in detail. During its 8 month inquiry, the investigator visited around 50 places. This permits to shed light on how puppy trade businesses are operating today. The interviews, collected documents and detailed observation led to identify around 30 international trade links that appear to be operational. In parallel to this investigation, FOUR PAWS has lead several actions against illegal puppy trade. Among other, the organisation has created a platform (www.stoppuppytraders.org) to gather testimonies of people who bought a puppy that was sold through illegal practices, got seriously ill or died. Moreover, a collaboration with several two online websites of classified adds in Germany and Austria has contributed to raising consumer awareness on illegal puppy trade. The identified practices and collected information might contribute to understand how the puppy trade market could be controlled in a better way. This summary report will present the results of FOUR PAWS's investigation and actions on the puppy trade market. It will give an overview on the European Puppy Market and in more detail, it will permit to understand the puppy production and distribution process, and all the welfare, and health consequences arising from it.

Details: Brussels: Four Paws International, 2013. 20p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 18, 2017 at: http://www.vier-pfoten.eu/files/EPO/Materials_conf/Puppy_Trade_in_Europe/REPORT_EUROPEAN_PUPPY_TRADE.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Animal Smuggling

Shelf Number: 148260


Author: Europol

Title: Internet Organised Crime Threat Assessment: 2017

Summary: The 2017 Internet Organised Crime Threat Assessment (IOCTA) reports how cybercrime continues to grow and evolve. While many aspects of cybercrime are firmly established, other areas of cybercrime have witnessed a striking upsurge in activity, including attacks on an unprecedented scale, as cybercrime continues to take new forms and new directions. A handful of cyber-attacks have caused widespread public concern but only represented a small sample of the wide array of cyber threats now faced.

Details: The Hague: Europol, 2017. 80p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 28, 2017 at: https://www.europol.europa.eu/activities-services/main-reports/internet-organised-crime-threat-assessment-iocta-2017

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Computer Crime

Shelf Number: 148512


Author: Bachinger, Almut

Title: The Role of Labour Inspection in Addressing Demand in the Context of Trafficking in Human Beings for Labour Exploitation

Summary: The present working paper examines law enforcement in labour markets with regards to reducing demand in the context of trafficking in human beings for labour exploitation in five EU member-states. Four case studies in Austria, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands and the UK and a less-intensive case study in Germany were conducted between June 2015 and May 2016. In all the countries we investigated bodies tasked to monitor labour conditions and compliance with labour standards and to enforce the relevant labour, social security and other laws, labour inspection services - in principle - have an important role in addressing trafficking for labour exploitation. Although labour inspectorates do not operate explicitly according to a concept of demand, there is consensus among the actors involved that the authorities tasked with the monitoring of labour standards and conditions influence employers' behaviour with regards to trafficking for labour exploitation and thus address employer demand. Stakeholders view labour inspectors' as an effective measure through which to tackle trafficking for labour exploitation. At the same time, monitoring of labour conditions and of breaches of labour standards as well as trafficking is constrained due to limited resources and, simultaneously, an increase in the tasks which labour inspectorates have to fulfil and the growing complexity of labour relations and conditions.

Details: Vienna: Demand-Side Measures Against Trafficking, 2017. 82p.

Source: Internet Resource: DemandAT Working Paper no. 12: Accessed November 29, 2017 at: http://demandat.eu/sites/default/files/WP11_WorkingPaper12_Labour%20Inspection_FINAL_0.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Forced Labor

Shelf Number: 148527


Author: Rogoz, Madalina

Title: Demand Arguments in Different Fields of Trafficking in Human Beings

Summary: The present paper aims to critically engage with the explanatory framework of demand as it is employed in various debates and to shed light on main demand-side arguments put forward in the context of various forms of trafficking in human beings. This paper delivers mainly a positive analysis, in the sense that it seeks to clarify 'what is there' - which arguments are used in which debates -, rather than to identify what action should be taken - which would subscribe to a normative analysis (Robert & Zeckhauser 2011). It is a stocktacking exercise of main demand-side arguments in debates on various types of trafficking in human beings. The paper critically engages with the normative side of demand-side arguments only in as much as this is required to reconstruct the arguments for a better understanding of policy measures proposed. The general argument identified in debates is that there is a demand that fosters exploitation related to trafficking in human beings. The paper aims to retrace the arguments used in debates on demand in particular areas of trafficking in human beings - for sexual exploitation, for labour exploitation, for the exploitation of begging, for illegal adoption, trafficking for forced and servile marriages and trafficking for the removal of organs - in order to better understand the assumptions behind demand-side arguments, the way demand is understood and contextualised and how it is considered relevant in addressing various types of trafficking in human beings. One of the main findings is that although 'demand' is mostly referred to in its economic understanding - the willingness and ability to purchase a good or a service - the way in which the notion of demand is being employed varies and is often inconsistent.

Details: Vienna: Demand-Side Measures Against Trafficking, 2017. 49p.

Source: Internet Resource: DemandAT Working Paper No. 13: Accessed November 29, 2017 at: http://demandat.eu/sites/default/files/WP6_WorkingPaper13_Demand_Arguments_in_Different_THB_Fields_FINAL.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Forced Labor

Shelf Number: 148528


Author: Hempel, Leon

Title: The Urbaneye Working Papers Series

Summary: Publications: The Urbaneye Working Papers Series No. 1: Inception Report by Leon Hempel and Eric Topfer (January 2002) The Inception Report presents a brief overview of the rise of CCTV in Europe, the political discussions and regulatory frameworks at the European level, and suggests a draft programme for the assessment of CCTV. No. 2: Literature Review by Michael McCahill and Clive Norris (March 2002) This paper reviews the literature on CCTV surveillance and provides an overview of the main thoughts on the rise of CCTV from the perspectives of sociology, critical criminology and urban geography. No 3: CCTV in Britain by Michael McCahill and Clive Norris (March 2002) This country report outlines the history of CCTV in the "maximum surveillance society" Great Britain, analyses the current debate and provides an overview of the legal framework. No. 4: Video Surveillance in Norway and Denmark by Carsten Wiecek and Ann Rudinow Saetnan (March 2002) No 5: Video Surveillance in Oslo and Copenhagen by Carsten Wiecek and Ann Rudinow Saetnan (July 2002) No. 6: CCTV in London Michael McCahill and Clive Norris (June 2002) This paper presents the results of a survey in London. The authors "guesstimate" that 500,000 surveillance cameras monitor public and public accessible space in the British capital. Most of these systems seem to be small operations with very little technological sophistication. However, their findings suggest that the majority of them are illegal due to their non-compliance with the UK Data Protection Act. No. 7: Video Surveillance in Austria by Steven Ney and Kurt Pichler (April 2002) This country report provides an overview of the state of affairs, the legal framework and a brief policy analysis for Austria. The authors report that CCTV surveillance by public authorities is subject to strict statutory control, while no explicit regulation exists for private surveillance. No. 8: Islands and Networks of Visual Surveillance in Berlin by Eric Topfer, Leon Hempel and Heather Cameron (December 2003) This paper presents the findings of a detailed research on CCTV in Berlin. It traces plans and the successful resistance to the installation of open street CCTV, and shows how nevertheless the city is put under increasing surveillance. No. 9: Surveillance operations in Norwegian and Danish organisations by Heidi Mork Lomell, Ann Rudinow Saetnan and Carsten Wiecek (September 2003) No. 10: Four CCTV Systems in London by Michael McCahill and Clive Norris (April 2003) No. 11: CCTV in Berlin Shopping Malls by Frank Helten and Bernd Fischer (April 2003) This paper provides a survey of video surveillance in Berlin shopping malls and studies the practices of visual surveillance in selected systems. No. 12: Public opinion on CCTV in the Norwegian capital Oslo by Ann Rudinow Saetnan, Johanne Yttri Dahl and Heidi Mork Lomell (January 2004) This paper presents the findings of a high street survey in which 218 people in the centre of Oslo were asked for their knowledge of and their attitudes towards CCTV. No. 13: What people think about CCTV in Berlin by Frank Helten and Bernd Fischer (February 2004) The paper presents the findings of a quantitative and qualitative survey in which people in Berlin where asked for their knowledge and opinions about CCTV, and finally discusses the question whether CCTV affects the everyday behaviour of the urban population.

Details: Berlin: Centre for Technology and Society, Technical University Berlin, 2002-03. 13 Working papers.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 1, 2017 at: http://www.urbaneye.net/results/results.htm

Year: 2002

Country: Europe

Keywords: CCTV

Shelf Number: 122534


Author: Sempere, Carlos Marti

Title: A survey of the European security market

Summary: This document synthesizes the results of the research made on the European security market. It deals with questions of interest regarding the provision of security goods and services for protecting society from terrorism and organised crime. It explores issues such as market revenues, demand and supply, industrial capabilities, technology, research and development, innovation, business strategies, competition as well as market structure, agents' conduct and economic performance. The research has been based upon desk analysis of open source information related to the security market. Economic theory and critical analysis has been applied to understand the gathered information, derive knowledge, point out key issues and assess trends and drivers that will likely shape the sector's future.

Details: Berlin: Economics of Security, 2011. 185p.

Source: Internet Resource: Economics of Security Working Paper 43: Accessed December 4, 2017 at: http://www.diw.de/documents/publikationen/73/diw_01.c.369424.de/diw_econsec0043.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: Europe

Keywords: Economics of Crime

Shelf Number: 148689


Author: Hempel, Leon

Title: CCTV in Europe

Summary: The final report summarises the results of the Urbaneye project, compares the case studies and devises policy recommendations. It concludes, that given the combination of opaque surveillance practices and uninformed citizens, the "black box" of increasingly networked CCTV should be opened to ensure democratic control. The extent of surveillance should be made transparent by registration; the proportionality of deployment and its fitness for purpose should be assessed by a licensing system; managers and operators should be made accountable and regular inspection should guarantee compliance with a common and consistent set of codes of practice.

Details: Berlin: Centre for Technology and Society, Technical University Berlin, 2004. 72p.

Source: Internet Resource: Working paper No. 15: Accessed December 4, 2017 at: http://www.urbaneye.net/results/ue_wp15.pdf

Year: 2004

Country: Europe

Keywords: CCTV

Shelf Number: 148690


Author: Haxhi, Stela

Title: The Role of Security Sector Actors in Addressing the Demand-Side of Human Trafficking

Summary: The security sector approach to criminal justice is integrated into legal framework and strategies, which guide their activities and enable the security sector to carry out functions related to areas such as apprehension, investigation, confiscation and conviction. Yet, as this working paper finds a clear definition of the term 'demand' and demand-side measures is lacking in the security sector's legal frameworks, mandates and strategies. As security sector role is very much tied to its governing legislation, the security sector therefore seems unable to act proactively in 'addressing demand' without a clear definition of the demand-side. It is therefore suggested that for this sector not only is a definition needed, but also a legal framework for action.

Details: Vienna: International Centre for Migration Policy Development, 2017. 47p.

Source: Internet Resource: DemandAT Working Paper No. 11: http://www.demandat.eu/sites/default/files/WP11_TheRoleOfSecuritySectorInAddressingTheDemandSideOfTrafficking_25092017DCAF.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Domestic Labor

Shelf Number: 148714


Author: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA)

Title: Drugs and the darknet: Perspectives for enforcement, research and policy

Summary: This joint report prepared by the EMCDDA and Europol considers the latest findings from international research, fresh empirical data, and operational information and intelligence in order to illuminate how darknet markets function and how they relate to criminal behaviour. The publication adopts an EU focus of what is a global phenomenon. It is comprehensive but accessible and policy-oriented, intended to facilitate discussions at EU-level on how to respond to darknet drug markets, whilst identifying key priority areas that require attention and where activities are likely to have most impact. This report has three main chapters. The first reviews the key concepts necessary to understand the development of darknet markets. The second chapter highlights the growing importance of this area for drug sales within the EU through the presentation of an analysis of market activity. This includes an analysis of drug supply on global darknet markets (2011-2015). The analysis focuses on drug supply originating from the EU, and includes an assessment of the relative significance of EU suppliers in both the global darknet drug trade and the overall European retail drug market. This second chapter then also considers non-English language darknet markets for specific European countries, before providing an analysis focused on AlphaBay - one of the largest markets to have existed thus far - from its original emergence to its recent closure (2015-2017). In the third chapter, the darknet phenomenon is reviewed from a law-enforcement perspective. Not only are the challenges for law enforcement elaborated, but examples of successful recent actions are also provided, which are useful for informing discussions on future interventions in this area. Taken together, this analysis provides a comprehensive but accessible policy-orientated review, intended to facilitate discussions at EU level on how to respond to the growth of darknet drug markets. This is accompanied by the identification of key priority areas that require attention and where activities are likely to have most impact. When interpreting the findings from any analysis of this topic, the considerable difficulties of collecting data on an area of activity that is, by definition, designed to remain hidden needs to be borne in mind. Notwithstanding this, some key findings and recommendations for action emerge from this report.

Details: Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2017. 90p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 7, 2017 at: http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/system/files/publications/6585/TD0417834ENN.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Darknet

Shelf Number: 148754


Author: Bretteville-Jensen, Anne Line

Title: Costs and Unintended Consequences of Drug Control Policies

Summary: Evaluation is an integral part of a good governance approach to public policy. This principle applies equally to the component of drug policy designed to counter the availability of and access to illicit drugs. Estimation or full costing of drug-related public investment - including both direct expenditure and also indirect costs and impact on public resources should therefore be a key objective of any evaluation. To evaluate and improve drug policy, it is imperative to know and take note of all possible effects of different interventions and actions. All policies, regardless of purpose or intention, come with a risk of unintended consequences. Public expenditure estimates can be used as a tool for assessing whether the expected or desired results of the policy in question are actually reflected in action, and they constitute a necessary tool for implementing thorough policy evaluations. Public expenditure studies should mirror all relevant activities and policy approaches and may be particularly appropriate in times of austerity. Accurate estimates of public spending will help policymakers plan relevant interventions and allocate necessary funds to authorities in charge of specific aspects of the policys implementation. A thorough assessment of drug policy expenditures will also contribute to improved transparency and accountability of public institutions. This publication brings together the findings of wider study conducted by the Pompidou Group in cooperation with the EMCDDA seeking to identify the unintended effects and associated costs of drug control policies. The aim of this publication is threefold. First, increase international awareness about the importance of estimating public expenditure on supply reduction initiatives. Second, stress the importance of harmonizing definitions and increasing availability, comparability and reliability of data as well as methods for sound estimates. Third, contribute to developing sound estimation practices to obtain accurate, complete and reliable drug policy evaluations.

Details: Strasbourg Cedex, France: Council of Europe, 2017. 70p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 17, 2018 at: https://rm.coe.int/rma/drl/objectId/09000016807701a9

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Costs of Criminal Justice

Shelf Number: 148789


Author: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA)

Title: Drug squads: units specialised in drug law enforcement in Europe: Situation in the EU Member States, Norway and Turkey in 2015

Summary: In 2014, the EMCDDA took the decision to carry out a limited follow-up study of the EMCDDA Paper Drug squads: units specialised in drug law enforcement in Europe (EMCDDA, 2013), with the aim of monitoring possible changes and trends in drug supply reduction resulting from law enforcement activities. An abbreviated version of the data collection questionnaire employed in the original study was used for reporting by reference persons from the 28 EU Member States, Norway and Turkey. The reference persons were also given the opportunity to provide additional information and comments. The European drug law enforcement landscape in 2015 is broadly similar to the situation in 2012. The total number of drug squads in Europe has remained stable (1 187 squads in 2012 versus 1 133 in 2015), as has the number of staff allocated to drug squads. Although the number of law enforcement officers decreased by 10 % between 2012 and 2015 (from 17 720 to 15 870), the total number of staff employed in European drug squads increased slightly (from 19-490 to 20-515 staff members).

Details: Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2017. 14p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 18, 2018 at: http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/system/files/publications/7143/Drug%20squads%202017.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Control

Shelf Number: 148857


Author: Vall, Berta

Title: Nordic Countries Overview of Work with Perpetrators of Intimate Partner Violence

Summary: The aim of the Nu Rcker Det was to map out the models used in the Nordic countries to help the perpetrators of IPV to end violence. The project questionnaire was filled in by the service providers. The number of invited programmes was 68, and the response rate was around 80%. Results indicate that still some services are not free of charge and are not equally distributed geographically. In terms of safety, although most programmes contact the (ex-) partner at the beginning of the treatment, still half of the programmes do not contact the (ex-) partner during the treatment or at the end of it, moreover nearly half of the programmes do not use any risk assessment instrument. Outcome is measured by most of the programmes however partner and official reports should also be included. Finally, those results are compared and discussed in light of the European context.

Details: Copenhagen: Nordic Council of Ministers, 2017. 131 p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 23, 2018 at: http://norden.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:1082406/FULLTEXT05.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Gender-Related Violence

Shelf Number: 148915


Author: Milnes, Kate

Title: Sexual bullying in young people across five European countries Research report for the Addressing Sexual Bullying Across Europe (ASBAE) project

Summary: Our understanding of sexual bullying refers to unwanted sexual behaviour or conduct, and bullying or harassment due to a person's actual/perceived sexual (in)experience, interests or orientation, or due to their gender-related appearance, identity or practices. Sexual bullying often takes place online via smartphones, instant messaging and social networks. It is a growing problem among young people, and can have a serious impact on the person being bullied, including reduced self-esteem, anxiety and depression, and sometimes, suicidal behaviour. Research to date has been limited in terms of methods (mainly survey-based), geographical location (USA; Western Europe), and focus (typically on a single problem, e.g. homophobic bullying). Consequently, our aim was to design a predominantly qualitative research project that was young-people centred and encompassed the full repertoire of sexual bullying practices in under-researched countries. The research -- The ASBAE (Addressing Sexual Bullying Across Europe) project was funded by the European Commission's Daphne III programme, which aims to protect children, young people and women against all forms of violence. The focus of the project was the programme's funding priority of 'empowerment work at grassroots level'. The project was led by Leeds Beckett University in the UK and included partners from NGOs in Bulgaria (Demetra), Italy (Pepita), Latvia (MARTA Centre), Slovenia (Papilot) and the UK (Leap). Over the five countries, 253 young people (aged 13-18) and 37 professionals in child education and protection participated in focus group discussions and completed questionnaires. The voices of young people were prioritised throughout the project, assisted by a Young People's Advisory Group (YPAG) in each country. Our analysis of this dataset helped to inform the development of our peer-to-peer intervention on sexual bullying.

Details: West Yorkshire, UK: Leeds Beckett University, 2015. 50p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 31, 2018 at: ttps://ec.europa.eu

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Bullying

Shelf Number: 148937


Author: Groshkova, Teodora

Title: Developing drug supply monitoring in Europe: current concepts

Summary: Recently, there has been an increased focus on improving the quality of drug supply data at EU level, underpinned by a number of policy developments, notably the Council of the European Union's conclusions of 15 November 2013 regarding supply and supply reduction within the implementation of the EU Drug Action Plan (2013-16). Mindful of the uncertainties and challenges of measuring an increasingly dynamic illicit drug market, while building on the positive work in the EU Member States, the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) has been a driving force for improving supply metrics and indicators. This paper presents a snapshot of the evolution of the EMCDDA's conceptual framework for supply monitoring. It describes a dynamic system based upon three linked thematic areas: drug markets, drivers and facilitators; drug-related crime, harms and other consequences; and reduction of and responses to drug supply. Each area is served by a set of (overlapping) indicators. The framework was developed to logically organise the multifaceted aspects of illicit drug markets and supply, going beyond the EMCDDA's current core monitoring by integrating new data sources and novel measurement methodologies. The present work contributes to the concerted effort in the EU to establish a coherent drug supply monitoring framework, including identifying new sources of information. While work to further enhance the existing supply indicators should remain a priority, baselines should also be established in new priority areas to allow enhanced monitoring of the supply side of the drugs phenomenon, thus providing a balanced set of drug policy tools.

Details: Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2017. 11p.

Source: Internet Resource: EMCDDA Papers: accessed February 1, 2018 at: http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/system/files/publications/6934/tdau17004enn.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Markets

Shelf Number: 148957


Author: Europol

Title: How Illegal Drugs Sustain Organised Crime in the EU

Summary: Drug markets remain the largest criminal markets in the EU. More than one third of the criminal groups active in the EU are involved in the production, trafficking or distribution of various types of drugs.The trade in illicit drugs generates multi-billion euro profits for the groups involved in this criminal activity. The EU retail drug market is estimated to be worth at least EUR 24 billion a year. The immense profits generated from the trade in drugs fund various other criminal activities allowing OCGs to thrive and develop their criminal enterprises at the expense of the health, prosperity and security of EU citizens. OCGs involved in drug trafficking rely heavily on corruption to facilitate their trafficking activities. They also make use of fraudulent documents such as fake import or company registration certificates to import illicit drugs among legal goods, to procure (pre-)precursors and purchase equipment used as part of production processes.

Details: The Hague: Europol, 2017. 16p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 1, 2018 at: https://www.europol.europa.eu/publications-documents/how-illegal-drugs-sustain-organised-crime-in-eu

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Markets

Shelf Number: 148972


Author: Verleysen, Cindy

Title: Pickpocketing committed by mobile organised crime groups

Summary: This theoretical paper is published by the EUCPN Secretariat in connection with the theme of the Maltese Presidency. The Maltese Presidency, in line with the Trio's subject of Organised Crime, focused on two topics, namely domestic burglaries and pickpocketing, committed by mobile organised crime groups. For the Theoretical Paper and Toolbox, the Maltese Presidency proposed the EUCPN Secretariat to concentrate on the phenomenon 'pickpocketing'. This Theoretical Paper gives more information about 'organised property crime', whereof pickpocketing is just one phenomenon. Each year, thousands of citizens and especially tourists become victims of pickpockets. Luckily there are many things you can do to prevent yourself from being pickpocketed. Therefore, this paper provides a brief overview with prevention tips. Furthermore, since it is assumed that itinerant crime groups are responsible for a significant part of the committed pickpocketing, a notable part of this paper focusses on itinerant crime groups in general. Mobile organised crime groups commit a wide variety of crimes, including pickpocketing, and are active in many crime areas. They move quickly around within and across multiple jurisdictions, which makes it tough and difficult to identify and tackle them. A cooperation within and outside the EU is important to identify and dismantle the networks behind these mobile organised crime groups

Details: Brussels: EUCPN Secretariat, 2018. 29p.

Source: Internet Resource: EUCPN Theoretical Paper Series, Accessed February 6, 2018 at: http://eucpn.org/sites/default/files/content/download/files/theoretical_paper_pickpocketing.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Organized Crime

Shelf Number: 148997


Author: Vanhee, Jorne

Title: Cyber Safety: A Theoretical Insight

Summary: This paper is written by the EUCPN Secretariat following the topic of the Estonian Presidency of the Network, which is Cyber Safety. It gives a theoretical insight in what Cyber Safety is. Furthermore, we take interest in what the exact object is of cybercrime and have a deeper look into two European policy priorities, namely cyber-attacks and payment fraud. Moreover, these priorities are the subject of the European Crime Prevention award. The goal of this paper is to add to the digital awareness of local policy-makers and practitioners on a theoretical level. A toolbox will follow with legislative measures, existing policies and best practices on this topic.

Details: Brussels: European Crime Prevention Network, 2017. 29p.

Source: Internet Resource: EUCPN Thematic Paper no. 11: Accessed February 7, 2018 at: http://eucpn.org/sites/default/files/content/download/files/theoretical_paper_cyber_safety.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Crime Prevention

Shelf Number: 149022


Author: Schlingemann, L., editor

Title: Combating Wildlife and Forest Crime in the Danube-Carpathian Region

Summary: Environmental crime is not a niche problem. It is now the fourth largest type of criminal activity in the world, and valued at anywhere between 91 and 258 billion USD every year. This colossal sum fuels organized crime, undermines the rule of law and robs us of the natural resources and ecosystems we need to survive. This joint UN Environment - WWF - Eurac Research publication focuses on wildlife and forest crime in the Danube-Carpathian region. The analysis highlights the findings of a 2016 legal analysis, and pays special attention to illegal logging, illegal fishing of sturgeon and the caviar trade, the illegal killing of birds and the poaching of large carnivores. The facts are frightening. Europe's last remaining oldgrowth forests and their unique biodiversity are disappearing at alarming rates.

Details: Vienna: United Nations Environment Programme, 2017. 54p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 12, 2018 at: https://europa.eu/capacity4dev/unep/documents/combating-wildlife-and-forest-crime-danube-carpathian-region-0

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Animal Poaching

Shelf Number: 149099


Author: European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control

Title: Systematic review on active case finding of communicable diseases in prison settings

Summary: A higher prevalence of communicable diseases among people in prison compared with the general public is recognised as a public health issue as well as a major concern for the people affected, as the majority of incarcerated people return to their communities. Active case finding is a key prevention measure to promote early diagnosis, treatment and to prevent further disease transmission. The objective of this report is to systematically review the evidence on active case finding in prison settings, with a focus on the European Union (EU) and the European Economic Area (EEA) region. The communicable diseases targeted by this review were not selected a priori, but identified through the retrieved evidence.

Details: Stockholm: ECDC, 2017. 50p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 14, 2018 at: https://ecdc.europa.eu/sites/portal/files/documents/Systematic-review-on-communicable-diseases-in-prison-settings-final-report.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Diseases

Shelf Number: 149131


Author: Kelly, Liz

Title: Knowledge and Know-how: the role of self-defence in the Prevention of Violence against Women

Summary: This study, commissioned by the European Parliament Policy Department for Citizens' Rights and Constitutional Affairs upon request by the FEMM Committee, examined research on the effectiveness of self-defence and its place in policies at EU and Member State levels. It concludes that there is a growing evidence base that feminist self-defence can be effective in preventing violence. Whilst references to self-defence are present in the EU and Council of Europe policy documents, they are not substantial and yet to be developed into a coherent approach. Self-defence should be considered a promising practice and be better promoted and supported. More space should be made for it in policy, financing and research.

Details: Brussels: Policy Department C: Citizens' Rights and Constitutional Affairs, European Parliament, 2016. 60p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 15, 2018 at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2016/571385/IPOL_STU(2016)571385_EN.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Domestic Violence

Shelf Number: 149155


Author: Sieckelinck, Stijn

Title: Formers and Families: Transitional journeys in and out of extremisms in the United Kingdom, Denmark and The Netherlands

Summary: This report presents the outcome of research conducted as part of "Formers and Families", a two-year project made possible financially by the European Union, the Dutch Ministry of Security and Justice, the UK Home Office and the Danish Ministry of Integration, Immigration and Housing. To investigate the possible role that family members play in the processes of radicalisation and de-radicalisation of adolescents and young adults, researchers from the UK, Denmark and the Netherland collaborated to study whether the development of radicalisation is influenced by the pedagogical climate within the family, and by the responses of parents and other 'educators' during the process of radicalisation. Due the extreme difficulty of reaching the target group, much of research into radicalisation is based on secondary sources, such as intelligence reports. Research which actually allows the voices of parents to be heard is particularly rare. The 'Formers and Families' study aims to fill this hiatus: 30 cases were investigated in the three participating countries, with around 60 interviews conducted with individuals who had left active radicalism behind them, as well as with at least one of their close family members. Although the qualitative character of the study forestalls any claim to representativeness, the research does present enriching insights which lead to a better understanding of the radicalisation process itself and further social, pedagogical and policy responses to this phenomenon. In the past years, research on radicalisation has neither lead to unequivocal conclusions in determining the primary the causes of radicalization nor successfully identified the main factors that enable predictions on the outcome for any particular individual. For example, no correlation was found between poverty or social deprivation, and the membership of an extremist organisation. Instead, various studies have pointed out that affiliation with radical organization is often driven by the need of adolescents and young adults for ready-made answers with regard to identity-issues, or even a sense of kinship as a substitute for troubled family ties (most often father-son relationships). Outcomes such as these underline the importance of supplementing the security perspective, from which radicalisation is most commonly regarded, with a pedagogical perspective. The latter was first applied some years ago in the (Dutch) research programme 'Ideals Adrift'. Interviews conducted with young radicals and their parents conveyed an image of youngsters with - on the one hand - dangerous, anti-democratic ideas, but - on the other - also manifesting themselves as budding active citizens, with a strong drive to counter perceived social injustices. It turned out, however, that parents, teachers and other 'educators' were hardly able to counterbalance the extremism of the youngsters. Many schools, for instance, ended up simply forbidding or punishing extremist expressions. Internet and social media proved to be virtual meeting spaces for these young persons. Here, they could not only find their favored information without contradictions, but they also felt ideologically supported and emotionally at home. 'Ideals Adrift' concluded that i) the development of ideals is an essential part of adolescence, and ii) this development needs a powerful pedagogical environment to prevent ideals from 'going adrift'. However, it is this necessary mentoring of adolescents in the process of identity formation - against the backdrop of the temptations of extremism - that turns out to be extremely difficult for educators. The 'Formers and Families' research can be seen as an international exploration and deepening of this line of reasoning. It consists of three studies, executed by Dutch, Danish and British researchers, each with their own emphasis. The Dutch study focusses mainly on the interaction between parents and children. The Danish reports zooms in on the development of youngsters and how this is influenced by persons and organisations who try to win them over for their ideology. Finally, the British report situates the process of radicalisation against the backdrop of the larger social and political context. In total, the interviews make clear that there is no linear relationship between certain types of family or child raising practices and radicalisation. In very rare cases, interviewed persons have pointed towards the family as the main source of radicalisation or de-radicalisation. With respect to the latter: personal choices ('agency'), detention, and educational study were mentioned as the most important factors. Although almost no one sees family as the direct cause of radicalisation, many interviews show all sorts of problems in the family environment. About two thirds of the families interviewed have to cope with divorce, an absent father, lack of emotional support, psychiatric issues, illness or death. In addition, a number of families witnessed violence and abuse. Our conclusion is that such circumstances do not in themselves explain the process of radicalisation, but can form a fertile breeding ground for it. For instance, the rage that some youngsters feel about the role their (absent) father did - or did not - play in their childhood, can make them extra sensitive for recruitment by extremists. However, it appears that other factors need to be in play, such as a sense of humiliation or disappointment in the institutions of society. Each story chronicled in this study is unique, with its own complex play of factors and circumstances. Having said that, a number of 'routes' can be discerned that lead in and out of radicalisation. These routes, or ideal-typical 'journeys', contain common elements describing a series of transitions that youngsters undergo in their development from child to adult. A journey which usually requires a large amount of navigation - by the choices that each youngster makes, as well as with the help from the surrounding family and educators. These routes should not be regarded as fixed patterns into which each radical youngster will fit, but rather as an attempt to order a complex reality which in fact differs in each case. In real life, elements of the described journeys will interweave. Grouped by their prevailing 'leitmotiv', the three most important journeys are: 1. Being pushed away: pushed away from problems in the family and/ or neighbourhood, a polarized environment, experienced lack of emotional support. Pushed towards a surrogate family, towards authority figures with ideals that seem to give an answer to tensions and insecurities. Eventually, de-radicalisation is set into motion because the person has had enough of the hatred, the negativism, and the common violence in such movements. 2. Being pulled towards: pulled towards the magnetic force of extremist movements. Growing up in a warm and stable family context. Intelligent, ambitious youngsters, with a strong emotional response to injustice. A desire for depth, meaning and a clear goal in life. Because the family cannot meet this specific need, these persons break away and find a new destination in the radical movement. Ultimately, de-radicalisation is often triggered by boredom or sudden insight into the hypocrisy of the extremist organisation. 3. Passionate personalities: certain youngsters are drawn to special and extreme challenge, of whatever nature. Family and social environment cannot fulfill their powerful desires for which they will go to extremes. For example, such individuals are known to have memorized religious or ideological books word by word. In the end, de-radicalisation starts with dissatisfaction about the simplified content of these studies and of the extremist ideal. The connection between these three journeys is the search for identity, described by almost all the interviewed 'formers'. In very different ways, every 'former' was in search for meaning: what is my role in life, where do I belong, what really matters? What the family context could not provide was provided for by the radical groups: a clear sense of identity, a secure hold, a clear purpose and a sense of belonging. In the past years, a number of countries have developed intervention-programmes geared towards families with a radical or radicalising son or daughter. However, our research points out that parents are only very rarely a direct cause for radicalisation, just as they are almost never a direct trigger for de-radicalisation. Nevertheless, the family - together with other 'educators' like school, youth-work, church or mosque - can and must play an important role in the search of a young persons for identity and a place in society. It is in precisely this area of identity development that a major hiatus occurs. Policy and action is therefore needed in five areas: 1. Strengthen authoritative coalitions between parents, schools and others involved. The forces working upon the youth are often too powerful and complex for individual parents and teachers to handle. Together, adults surrounding the youth can offer the moral authority that these youngsters need. 2. Support adolescents in their search for identity, on the basis of the insight that even radical identities are still in development. 3. Develop educational programmes to raise awareness around the issue of radicalisation. Focus not only on building resilience, but also teach youngsters how they can fight for their ideals in a peaceful way. 4. Offer radicals and their parents support in the exit from extremist organisations. 5. Offer young radicals alternative options for standing up for their ideals. Instead of condemning or forbidding ideals, pedagogical coalitions need to help adolescents shape their ideological or political involvement, so that they can deploy their energy and will-power in constructive ways. Obviously, extremism is linked to public safety and security. The cases in this study show that the security perspective in itself is not the whole story. Behind radicalisation there are real and important needs having to do with the challenges of the transition between youth and adulthood. A pedagogical perspective demonstrates the interconnectedness of psychological mechanisms and ideological narratives at this life stage. A pedagogical contribution to understanding and dealing with issues of radicalisation and extremism will have to negotiate precisely this complex developmental reality.

Details: The Hague: National Coordinator for Security and Counterterrorism, Ministry of Security and Justice, 2015. 104p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 15, 2018 at: https://www.ris.uu.nl/ws/files/15886833/end_report_formers_and_families_tcm126_610120.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: At-risk Youth

Shelf Number: 149156


Author: European Commission. Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs

Title: Europeans' attitudes towards security

Summary: Security has arguably been a greater issue for Europeans in the last years than at any time since a generation ago. Armed conflict on the EU's doorstep, foreign terrorist fighters returning to the EU from conflict zones, and, in the three years, a series of terrorist attacks within the EU contribute to making security and in particular terrorism at the top of Europeans' concerns. The aim of this summary is to give an overview of the results of the questions asked regarding citizens overall awareness, experiences and perceptions of security. The survey explores the issue of security by looking at a whole host of areas: overall perceptions of security and threats, perceptions of the actions taken by the police and other law enforcement authorities to combat those threats, and their attitudes toward national and international cooperation in dealing with the various security challenges faced by the Member States of the EU. The questions are based on those asked in Special Eurobarometer 371 on "Internal Security" (June 2011), Special Eurobarometer 380 on "Awareness of Home Affairs" (December 2011) and Special Eurobarometer 432 on "Europeans' Attitudes Toward Security" (March 2015). Where relevant, comparisons are made with the results of those surveys. This survey was carried out by TNS Political & Social network in the 28 Member States of the European Union (EU) between 13 and 26 June 2017. Some 28,093 EU citizens from different social and demographic categories were interviewed face-to-face at home and in their native language on behalf of the Directorate-General for Communication. - While a large majority of Europeans feel secure in their immediate city and neighbourhood, they are less convinced that the EU is a secure place to live in - - A large majority of respondents regard terrorism, organised crime and cybercrime as key challenges to the EU security - - More than half of the respondents think that enough is being done by the police and other law enforcement authorities to fight terrorism and drug trafficking - ATTITUDES TOWARDS COOPERATION OF POLICE AND OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT TO COMBAT CRIME AND TERRORISM - On the broader issue of security, it is clear that people in the EU continue to feel secure in their immediate surroundings, in their city, town or village, in the country where they live, as well as in the EU. However, for the latter, the fall in the proportion of respondents who think that the EU is a secure place to live in is significant. These attitudes are concentrated in particular in countries which have been comparatively untouched by events such as the recent terrorist attacks. This suggests that concerns regarding the internal security of the EU may be based less on personal experience, and more on the politicisation of sensitive issues. Overall, Europeans remain highly alert to security threats. Nearly all respondents see terrorism and organised crime as important threats to the internal security of the EU. A particular result from the survey is that there has been a significant rise in the proportion of those who see cybercrime and natural and man-made disasters as important challenges. Finally, while there is generally still a high level of confidence in the ability of the police and other law enforcement authorities to tackle traditional security problems, there appears to be some uncertainty about whether the authorities are doing enough to tackle cybercrime, corruption and money laundering. However, it is clear that the EU's strategy of coordinated action to combat crime and terrorism has the support of the people of the EU, a large majority of whom favour information sharing across borders to facilitate the tackling of security threats. Indeed, in most countries, a majority of respondents think that cooperation between the police and other national law enforcement authorities is adequate to fight crime and terrorism and almost all respondents (92%) agree that national authorities should share information with the authorities of the other EU Member States to better fight these crimes.

Details: Brussels: The Commission, 2017. 77p.

Source: Internet Resource: Special Eurobarometer 464b: Accessed February 15, 2018 at: https://ec.europa.eu/home-affairs/news/europeans-attitudes-towards-security_en

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Crime

Shelf Number: 149157


Author: European Commission. Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs

Title: Europeans' attitudes towards cyber security

Summary: The special Eurobarometer 464a on the attitudes of Europeans towards cyber security was published on 13 September. The survey reflects consistent rates of increase in online activity, with ever more respondents in the EU using the internet for their daily activities. At the same time, there are increasing concerns about security aspects and also higher incidents of cybercrimes compared to previous surveys. The results of the survey show that a large majority (87%) of European Union citizens regard cybercrime as an important challenge to the internal security of the EU: 56% think that cybercrime is a very important challenge and 31% see it as fairly important (based on more than 28 000 face-to-face interviews). In 2015, 80% (42% and 38%, respectively) were of the same opinion. Nearly half of respondents (49%) think enough is being done by law enforcement agencies (LEAs) in their respective countries to combat cybercrime, although only 13% agree completely and a significant proportion (14%) say they do not know. For comparison, the following percentages think that LEAs do enough to fight: terrorism 63%, drug trafficking 53%, and corruption 43%. The two most common concerns when using the Internet for online banking or purchases are about the misuse of personal data (45%) and the security of online payments (42%). This is a steady increase from 2013 (37% and 35%) via 2015 (43% and 42%, respectively). However, nearly a fifth (19%) have no concerns about the security of Internet transactions - which is nearly the same as in 2015 (18%), but less than in 2013 (23%). In total, 62% changed any of their passwords in the year preceding the 2017 survey (with 61% reporting this in 2015 and only 48% in 2013). While this is a positive trend (which can be attributed to rising awareness), it is in contrast to the number of respondents who have changed their e-mail passwords in the 12 months preceding the surveys: 31% in 2013, 45% in 2015, and 41% in 2017. 46% of respondents feel very well or fairly well informed about the risks of cybercrime (44% in 2013 and 47% in 2015), against 51% feeling not well or not at all informed (2013: 52%, 2015: 50%). There is a big difference between Member States: In Denmark, only 22% feel not well or not at all informed, compared to 70% in Bulgaria. The two most common situations experienced by respondents remain discovering malicious software on their device (42%) and receiving an email or phone call fraudulently asking for access to their computer, logins or personal details ('phishing', 38%). 8% of respondents were asked to pay in return for getting back control of their device, and the same percentage had their identity stolen. There is no general trend to suggest that experiences of cybercrime overall are growing, but there are increases in victimisation rates notably for phishing (38% of respondents experienced this in 2017 compared to 32% in 2013), online fraud (16% versus 10%), and online banking fraud (11% in 2017, 7% in 2013), as well as in encountering racial hatred online (2017: 18%, 2013: 14%), or hacking of social media profiles (14% versus 12%). The two most common situations experienced by respondents remain discovering malicious software on their device (42%) and receiving an email or phone call fraudulently asking for access to their computer, logins or personal details ('phishing', 38%). If they experienced or were the victim of cybercrime, most respondents say they would contact the police, especially if the crime was identity theft (85%), online banking fraud (76%), or if they accidentally encountered child pornography online (76%). This Eurobarometer survey was carried out in the 28 Member States of the European Union between 13 and 26 June 2017. Some 28 093 EU citizens from different social and demographic categories were interviewed at home and in their native language.

Details: Brussels: The Commission, 2017. 176p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 15, 2018 at: https://ec.europa.eu/home-affairs/news/europeans%E2%80%99-attitudes-towards-cyber-security_en

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Cyber Security

Shelf Number: 149158


Author: European Commission. Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs

Title: Corruption

Summary: Corruption is a serious challenge for all societies. Corruption takes many forms, such as bribery, trading in influence, abuse of functions, but can also hide behind nepotism, conflicts of interest, or revolving doors between the public and the private sectors. It constitutes a threat to security, as a potential enabler for crime. It acts as a drag on economic growth, by creating business uncertainty, slowing processes, and imposing additional costs. Although the nature and scope of corruption may differ from one EU Member State to another, it harms the EU as a whole by lowering investment levels, hampering the fair operation of the Internal Market and reducing public finances. In addition to allowing economic inefficiencies to flourish, corruption adversely affects government objectives ranging from improving income distribution, to better environmental protection. Most importantly, corruption undermines trust in governments, public institutions and democracy in general. The international community has also recognized the damaging effects of corruption on economic and social development in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and pledged to substantially reduce corruption and bribery in all their forms. Previous Eurobarometer surveys highlighted the fact that the majority of Europeans believed that corruption was a major problem for their country. While many of the immediate threats posed by the financial crisis that first hit the global economy in 2007 and plunged Europe into financial crisis have receded, the ensuing debt crisis has determined many EU governments to adopt harsh austerity measures and tough economic reforms. This survey was carried out in October 2017. It was carried out by TNS opinion & social network in the 28 Member States of the European Union between 21 October and 30 October 2017. Some 28,080 respondents from different social and demographic groups were interviewed face-to-face at home in the local language, on behalf of the Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs. The methodology used is that of Eurobarometer surveys as carried out by the Directorate-General for Communication ("Media Monitoring and Analysis". A technical note on the manner in which interviews were conducted by the Institutes within the TNS opinion & social network is appended as an annex to this report. Also included are the interview methods and confidence intervals. This survey covers public attitudes to:  The acceptability of giving a bribe (money, a gift or a favour) to obtain something from the public administration or a public service;  The extent of corruption in their country;  The areas of society in which corruption is widespread present;  How perceived corruption has changed in the past three years;  Services/ sectors of society facing the biggest corruption problems;  The effectiveness of government, the judicial system and institutions in tackling corruption.

Details: Brussels: The Commission, 2017. 180p.

Source: Internet Resource: Special Eurobarometer 470: Accessed February 16, 2018 at: https://data.europa.eu/euodp/data/dataset/S2176_88_2_470_ENG/resource/641f2944-3e57-403c-8ab4-adfdd4204a12

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Bribery

Shelf Number: 149163


Author: Council of Europe. Lanzarote Committee

Title: Protection of Children Against Sexual Abuse in the Circle of Trust: The Strategies

Summary: Council of Europe's Lanzarote Committee analyses the strategies used by 26 European countries to protect children against sexual abuse in the circle of trust (extended family and persons close to the child who exercise influence over the child). According to the report, states-parties to the Council of Europe's Convention on the protection of children against sexual exploitation and sexual abuse (Lanzarote Convention) are undertaking effective steps in this field. Enabling children to take an active part in the development and adoption of policies is a highly promising practice. Almost all parties' national authorities cooperate with civil society organisations and the private sector in awareness-raising, education and training of people working with children to prevent child sexual abuse. The report stresses the important role of the media in informing about child sexual abuse paying particular attention to the full respect for the privacy and the rights of the child. In Croatia and Romania, for instance, it is prohibited to reveal the identity or any other information about the private life of a child.

Details: Strasbourg: The Committee, 2018. 66p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 2018 at: https://rm.coe.int/t-es-2017-12-en-final-report-cot-strategies-with-executive-summary/1680788770

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Child Protection

Shelf Number: 149181


Author: Council of Europe. Directorate General Human Rights and Rule of Law

Title: White Paper on Prison Overcrowding

Summary: Introduction 1. Prison overcrowding is a recurring problem for many prison administrations in Europe. Many of the 47 Council of Europe member states have overcrowded prisons and in many states where the total number of prisoners is lower than the available accommodation places still specific prisons may often suffer from overcrowding. 2. The Council of Europe has persistently recommended to the national authorities to remedy the problem considering that prison overcrowding and prison population growth represent a major challenge for prison administrations and the criminal justice system as a whole both in terms of ensuring human rights protection and in terms of efficient management of penal institutions. On 30 September 1999 the Committee of Ministers adopted Recommendation No. R (99) 22 concerning prison overcrowding and prison population inflation. This text contains a number of pertinent advices and suggestions for practical steps to be taken at all levels - legislative, judicial and executive. 3. More than 15 years after the adoption of the recommendation and despite the efforts made by the member states the problem is still considerable at European level as it is in many other parts of the world. Therefore over the past years the European Court of Human Rights has had to assess many complaints related to bad prison conditions and has found numerous violations of Article 3 of the ECHR. 4. In the inter-state relations the problem is felt sometimes acutely in cases of requests for extradition for prosecution or in cases of transfer of sentenced persons, where the requested measure may be problematic to carry out because of concerns regarding bad prison conditions, including in particular prison overcrowding, in the receiving state. 5. A recent example of this is the judgement of the European Court of Justice in joined cases C-404/15 and C-659/15 PPU Pl Aranyosi and Robert Căldăraru, where the Court recalls that the absolute prohibition of inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment being part of the fundamental rights protected by Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU, the authority dealing with the European arrest warrant must assess properly any such risks before deciding on the surrender of an individual. In particular, the Court states that where such a risk derives from the general detention conditions in the issuing Member State the execution of the warrant must be deferred until there is obtained additional information on the basis of which that risk can be discounted. If the existence of that risk cannot be discounted within a reasonable period, the authority must decide whether the surrender procedure should be brought to an end. 6. Several Conferences of Directors of Prison Administration have debated the issue of prison overcrowding and at the 17th Conference in Rome (November 2012) a special meeting was held with European judges and prosecutors in order to raise their awareness of the impact of pre-trial detention and of sentencing policies on prison overcrowding and of the usefulness and effectiveness of alternatives to imprisonment. At the 19th Conference of Directors of Prison and Probation Services (CDPPS) (Helsinki, 2014) an initiative was launched to set up a Working Group, comprising judges, prosecutors, representatives of the ministries of justice, of prison and probation services in order to discuss these issues and to recommend steps to be taken to tackle prison overcrowding. The idea behind this is to assist national authorities in starting a dialogue between judges, prosecutors, legislators, decision-makers and prison and probation services with a view to agreeing on long-term national strategies and on specific actions to deal with prison overcrowding. 7. The present White Paper is the result of the joint efforts of the Drafting Committee mentioned above, comprising representatives of a number of Council of Europe bodies and intergovernmental committees which have the competence and vested interest in the field of crime prevention and penal policies and practices of the Council of Europe member states. The full list of members of the Drafting Committee on prison overcrowding, set up on the initiative of the European Committee on Crime Problems as well as the bodies and committees they represent may be found in Appendix I to the present document.

Details: Strasbourg: Council of Europe, 2016. 30p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 21, 2018 at: https://rm.coe.int/16806f9a8a

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Prison Administration

Shelf Number: 149198


Author: Briere, Chloe

Title: Cooperation of Europol and Eurojust with external partners in the fight against crime: what are the challenges ahead?

Summary: The paper addresses the cooperation of Europol and Eurojust with external partners in the fight against crime. Like other EU Justice and Home Affairs agencies do within their respective mandates, Europol and Eurojust take part to the EU's efforts to promote and strengthen cooperation with third countries and international organisations in criminal matters, and the tools and expertise they developed make them interesting and valuable partners with whom to cooperate. Their external activities are essential in the current criminal landscape, marked by the globalisation of crime and the necessity to conduct cross-border investigations and prosecutions involving non-EU countries. The issue also gains a new interest with the perspective of Brexit, as the question arises whether the negotiations on the future EU-UK relationship will allow the United Kingdom to continue to cooperate closely with the two agencies. The paper discusses the legal framework currently organising the modalities of Europol and Eurojust's external cooperation, which is marked by the revision of their constitutive instruments in order to modernise them, and a move towards the harmonisation of the relevant provisions. The two agencies face two challenges that may limit their external activities: 1) the importance of diversity and variable geometry in their relations with both EU Member States and external partners, and 2) the need to ensure an appropriate balance between efficient cooperation and protection of fundamental rights. Concerning the latter, mechanisms of political and judicial accountability are particularly important to monitor the agencies' external activities and ensure the absence of fundamental rights violations.

Details: Dublin: Dublin City University - School of Law and Government, 2018. 29p.

Source: Internet Resource: DCU Brexit Institute Working Paper No. 1-2018: Accessed February 21, 2018 at: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3102394

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Brexit

Shelf Number: 149206


Author: European Parliament. Directorate-General for Internal Policies. Policy Department C Citizens' Rights and Constitutional Affairs

Title: EU and Member States' Policies and laws on persons suspected of terrorism-related crimes

Summary: This study, commissioned by the European Parliament's Policy Department for Citizens' Rights and Constitutional Affairs at the request of the European Parliament Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE Committee), presents an overview of the legal and policy framework in the EU and 10 select EU Member States on persons suspected of terrorism-related crimes. The study analyses how Member States define suspects of terrorism-related crimes, what measures are available to state authorities to prevent and investigate such crimes and how information on suspects of terrorism-related crimes is exchanged between Member States. The comparative analysis between the 10 Member States subject to this study, in combination with the examination of relevant EU policy and legislation, leads to the development of key conclusions and recommendations.

Details: Brussels: European Union, 2017. 164p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 1, 2018 at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2017/596832/IPOL_STU%282017%29596832_EN.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Extremist Violence

Shelf Number: 149305


Author: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA)

Title: Environmental substance use prevention interventions in Europe: Technical report

Summary: There is a growing recognition of the important role environmental factors play in health-related behaviour. Traditional substance use prevention approaches in Europe have predominantly focused on warning or informing about the risks of use or on skills-based interventions. In contrast, environmental prevention policies aim to limit unhealthy behaviours by changing the environment in ways which influence people's substance use choices. In a new report published today - Environmental substance use prevention interventions in Europe - the EMCDDA offers a first operational definition of the concept and an initial overview of where and how such interventions are being used in the region. The definition identifies three categories of environmental prevention measures: regulatory, economic and physical. Drawing on the expertise of leading specialists in the field, today's report contributes to the debate on this emerging issue. Based on the results of a survey of European prevention practitioners in 2016, the publication paints a first picture of the types of environmental prevention interventions being used in the substance use field in Europe and the extent to which such measures are being implemented. Although the survey has limitations, the publication provides a useful starting point for future research and identifies gaps in provision. Many behaviours we perform every day are automatic and are generally reactions to common and familiar stimuli. Therefore, environmental and social cues and automatic processes are important influences on behaviour. There is growing recognition of the potential public health benefits to be obtained from interventions that take advantage of such processes to change behaviour. Environmental prevention policies and interventions build on current interest in these approaches and seek to provide a stimulus that evokes healthier decisions. This can occur through altering the design of the environment, or aspects of it, to influence choice ('choice architecture'). For example, physical changes may include bars providing glasses for alcohol that are taller and narrower, but with smaller volumes, tending to make people drink less. Similarly, changes to the economic environment, such as increasing the price of tobacco, may discourage smokers. Regulatory changes can include legislation to constrain undesirable behaviours, such as cannabis use in public places, under-age drinking or drinking and driving. The web-based questionnaire at the heart of the publication generated responses from 117 subjects (from 27 countries) with knowledge of substance use environmental prevention measures. It contained questions on measures covering illicit drugs, alcohol and tobacco and enquired whether measures were available nationally or locally. Of the 49 measures presented to the professionals answering the survey, 39 concerned regulatory and economic environmental prevention measures and 10 referred to physical environmental measures. Regulatory and economic measures were identified as available more often than the physical environmental measures. National-level availability of a variety of regulatory measures related to illicit drugs was reported on average by 83% of respondents. For regulatory or economic measures relating to alcohol and tobacco, an average of 52% and 60% of respondents respectively indicated national-level availability. Physical environmental prevention measures were less commonly reported at the national level: for drugs, alcohol and tobacco combined they were only reported by 19% of respondents. However, local availability of these physical measures was higher, reported, on average, by 56% of respondents. While environmental prevention approaches are currently less well-known than traditional forms of prevention, this may change. Globalisation and rapid technological change may increase substance use opportunities and pressures and environments may become riskier. In these circumstances, environmental interventions are likely to be needed, in addition to skills-based interventions, in order to sustain protective behaviour. Such interventions impact behaviour differently and create complementary ways of achieving positive socialisation.

Details: Lisbon: EMCDDA, 2018. 92p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 6, 2018 at: http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/system/files/publications/7882/Environmental-substance-use-prevention-Interventions-in-Europe.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Alcohol Abuse

Shelf Number: 149317


Author: Davidson, Julia

Title: Enhancing Police and Industry Practice: EU Child Online Safety Project

Summary: This report draws together the findings from the European Child Online Safety Project which was funded by the European Commission ISEC fund. The project was led by Professor Julia Davidson Middlesex University, UK with partners from University of Tilburg, Netherlands; University of Kore, Enna, Italy; Cyberpsychology Research Centre, Royal College of Surgeons; and the Geary Institute, University College Dublin, Ireland; and FDE Institute of Criminology, Mantova, Italy. The project sought to draw together the evidence base on online offender and victim behaviour including: - online grooming; - possession, collection and distribution of indecent child images; - Identification of policing and industry best practice in prevention. The project also sought to promote cooperation between law enforcement and industry in developing and disseminating good practice models in the area of online CSA. Through collaboration, this will ultimately assist practitioners and professionals: - To develop effective prevention techniques; - In early detection and deterrence; - With the provision of valid and recent research. The project had three primary and interdependent objectives: 1. Link project specific risk characteristics with other risk factors for grooming, like risk-taking and sexual orientation concerns; 2. Creation of victim typologies of cyber-grooming to assist with identification of vulnerable individuals and groups; 3. Development of 'Best Practice' guidelines for industry and law enforcement in the identification and prevention of online childhood sexual abuse.

Details: 168p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 8, 2018 at: https://www.mdx.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/250163/ISEC-report-FINAL.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Child Grooming

Shelf Number: 149405


Author: Gavrielides, Theo

Title: Young, marginalised but not radicalised: A comparative study of positive approaches to youth radicalisation

Summary: Prevention and control have been dealt with as top down responsibilities of governments, but young people believe that it is now time that they have their say. YEIP was created in response to the lack of effective youth policies that can enhance young people's social inclusion and minimize the risk of radicalization with greater 'buy in' from youth themselves. The conference will launch the book "Young, marginalised but not radicalized: A comparative study of positive approaches to youth radicalization". This is the outcome of research that was carried out in the UK, Italy, Romania, Portugal, Cyprus, Greece and Sweden. It features the national findings written in native languages as well as their comparative analysis and summaries written in English.

Details: London: IARS International Institute, 2018. 359p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 9, 2018 at: http://yeip.org/awareness-raising-material/yeip-ebooks/

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: At-risk Youth

Shelf Number: 149412


Author: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA)

Title: ESPAD Report 2015: Results from the European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs

Summary: This report presents the results of the sixth data-collection wave of the European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD). The report marks the 20th anniversary of ESPAD data collection (1995-2015), which increases considerably the value of the information presented, allowing the identification of long-term trends with a standardised and comparable methodology. This report is based on the information provided by 96,043 students from 35 European countries, 24 of them being Member States of the European Union. About 600 000 students have participated in the successive ESPAD data-collection waves, making the project the most extensive, harmonised data collection on substance use in Europe. The immediate objective of ESPAD is to collect comparable and reliable information in as many European countries as possible, but the final purpose is to provide a solid basis to help formulate policies, in particular those aimed at young people. The first ESPAD report, based on 1995 data, included information from 26 countries. The number of participating countries increased notably in the following waves of data collection. In the last two waves (2011 and 2015), the number of countries has stabilised at 35-36. A total of 46 countries have participated in at least one of the project's data-collection rounds. ESPAD has a long history and a promising future. The project was initiated by the Swedish Council for Information on Alcohol and Other Drugs (CAN) following initial work carried out by the Pompidou Group of the Council of Europe. For 20 years CAN coordinated ESPAD with the support of the Swedish government. In recent years the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) has progressively increased its support to the network, and since 2013 it has been involved in the coordination of ESPAD. These developments have taken place at the instigation of the Swedish government and the EMCDDA Management Board, and in agreement with the ESPAD network. The EMCDDA is pleased now to have assumed responsibility for ensuring the production of this report and its accompanying website. The results presented here are based on the substantial contribution of leading national experts, their collaborators and the institutions that supported and funded the data collection. The report would not have been possible without the contribution of many schools, teachers, research assistants and, notably, students who volunteered to give their time and information to the ESPAD project so that we can obtain a better understanding of European students' substance use and their attitudes towards it.

Details: Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2016. 104p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 12, 2018 at: http://www.espad.org/sites/espad.org/files/ESPAD_report_2015.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug and Alcohol Abuse

Shelf Number: 149426


Author: Mocan, Naci H.

Title: Quality of Judicial Institutions, Crimes, Misdemeanors, and Dishonesty

Summary: We investigate the extent to which the quality of judicial institutions has an impact on individuals' propensity for criminal and dishonest behavior and on their views regarding the acceptability of dishonesty and law-breaking. We use micro data on residents of 25 European countries and employ alternative measures of judicial quality. Acknowledging that the quality of judicial institutions is endogenous, we employ as an instrument the procedures with which prosecutors and judges are appointed to their posts in each country. The results reveal that an increase in the quality of judicial institutions, such as an improvement in judicial independence or the impartiality of the courts, has a deterrent effect on dishonest and criminal acts. A higher quality judicial system makes individuals less likely to find acceptable a variety dishonest and illicit behaviors, suggesting that institutions help shape the beliefs of the society.

Details: Cambridge, MA: National Bureau of Economic Research, 2018. 44p.

Source: Internet Resource: NBER Working paper Series; Working Paper 24396: Accessed March 14, 2018 at: http://www.nber.org/papers/w24396.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Criminal Courts

Shelf Number: 149465


Author: Provera, Mark

Title: The Criminalisation of Irregular Migration in the European Union

Summary: This paper offers an academic examination of the legal regimes surrounding the criminalisation of irregular migrants in the EU and of acts of solidarity with irregular migrants, such as assisting irregular migrants to enter or remain in the EU, and other behaviour that is motivated by humanitarian instincts. The research analyses EU law and its relationship with national provisions regarding the criminalisation of irregular migration and of acts of solidarity vis-a-vis irregular migrants. A comparative analysis was made of the laws of the UK, France and Italy, supplemented by an analysis of the laws of Germany, the Netherlands and Spain. By considering the role of public trust in fostering compliance with the law, the paper explores the impact of criminalisation measures on institutions' authority to compel individuals to comply with the law (institutional legitimacy). The study finds that certain indicators question institutional legitimacy and reveals the varied nature and extent of penalties imposed by different member states. The paper concludes that there is an important role for public trust in immigration law compliance, not just in measures directed towards irregular migrants but also towards those acting in solidarity with irregular migrants.

Details: Brussels: Centre for European Policy Studies, 2015. 53p.

Source: Internet Resource: CEPS Paper in Liberty and Security in Europe, no. 80: Accessed March 15, 2018 at: https://www.ceps.eu/system/files/Criminalisation%20of%20Irregular%20Migration.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Illegal Immigrants

Shelf Number: 149478


Author: Smahel, David, ed.

Title: The meaning of online problematic situations for children: Results of qualitative cross-cultural investigation in nine European countries

Summary: Young people are currently surrounded by digital technologies, and through these technologies they experience a variety of positive, but also negative, situations (Livingstone, Haddon, Gorzig, & Olafsson, 2011). The unique pan-European survey of EU Kids Online II (2009-11) offered insights into how often and what types of harm children experienced in the following online risks: cyberbullying, exposure to sexual materials, sexting (sexual communication), meeting online strangers, personal data problems, seeing dangerous websites, and excessive internet use. EU Kids Online II also studied how children cope with some of these risks, and the effectiveness of parental mediation strategies to reduce these risks. Although there are several pieces of research studying specific online risks from qualitative perspectives (i.e., Parris, Varjas, Meyers, & Cutts, 2012; Sleglova & Cerna, 2011; Vandebosch & van Cleemput, 2008), most of the current research on online problematic experiences is quantitative, and aimed at understanding the prevalence, definitions and measurement, and the associated psycho-social consequences. But as we know, perceptions of risk differ for children and researchers (Cohn, Macfarlane, Yanez, & Imai, 1995). What researchers describe as "risky" is sometimes perceived as normal and not negative among young people. Therefore, this report introduces research from the EU Kids Online III (2011-14) studies on risks and online problematic situations from children's perspectives. We ask what children perceive as problematic on the internet, and the meaning of online problematic situations according to children. To fulfil this goal, we proposed qualitative investigations, where we took a children-centred approach and asked what children perceived as problematic on the internet. Using this approach, children spontaneously reported many different online situations, from the harmful and unpleasant to the neutral, as well as positive experiences. For example, meeting an online stranger in offline settings was typically a risk from the researcher's perspective, but from the children's perspectives, it was mostly seen as an online opportunity. Children's experiences with meeting strangers varied from very pleasant to harmful feelings. We therefore decided to avoid the term "risks," where children experienced a broad scale of different situations, and instead used the term "online problematic situations" to describe any unpleasant, bothering, or harmful situations on the internet. We proposed the following definition of problematic online situations: "encompassing a broad range of possible online behaviours and experiences that, together or individually, result in a disruption of relationships, values, daily obligations, and or mental or physical well-being" (Mitchell, Sabina, Finkelhor, & Wells, 2009, p. 707). Such a definition of online problematic situations is broader than the previously used term of "online risk," which is defined as the probability of harm (Livingstone et al., 2011). In this report, both terms are used in different contexts. Research presented in this report is based on focus groups and interviews with 368 children from the following nine countries: Belgium, the Czech Republic, Greece, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Romania, Spain, and the United Kingdom (UK). Teams from the EU Kids Online network voluntarily joined this comparative research. Therefore, the selection of countries is not the selection of coordinators, but instead a group of voluntary, cooperating research teams with one coordinator (David Smahel). As explained in Chapter 3: Methodology, we involved children from many different social and cultural backgrounds, and recorded a large variability of different perspectives and meanings of online situations. Nevertheless, this report intentionally does not include a special section on cultural comparisons across countries, because producing a systematic analysis of cultural factors remains difficult in qualitative research with relatively small samples. Despite this consideration, across this report possible observations about country differences have been made, including ones that draw on a background knowledge of specific countries. The emphasis of this report was on pooling the data from the countries in order to describe the range of online problematic situations, and coping and awareness of them, along with various mediational strategies. We believe that this pooled sample has generated enough material to provide a relatively comprehensive picture of the meaning and experience of online problematic situations for children in Europe. Research questions To understand children's meanings of online problematic situations and risks, we proposed the following research questions, which we answer in the chapters that follow in this report: - What do children perceive as being potentially negative or problematic when using the internet? - What online problematic situations and risks are children aware of? - What are the consequences of online negative experiences? - How do/would they react to it (including emotional reaction, behavioural reaction, opinion change etc.)? - What do/would children do to avoid or prevent these online problematic experiences? - What is the context for children's perceptions of certain situations as negative? - In which circumstances are certain situations perceived as negative? In which circumstances are other situations perceived as neutral or even positive? - What coping strategies work best from children's perspectives? - How do children evaluate situations that adults consider problematic? - How are children's negative experiences mediated?

Details: London: EU Kids Online, London School of Economics and Political Science, 2014. 171p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 23, 2018 at: http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/56972/1/EU_Kids_Online_Report_Online_Problematic_Situations_for_Children_June2014.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Child Pornography

Shelf Number: 149543


Author: Byrne, Kevin

Title: Protected on Paper? An analysis of Nordic country responses to asylum-seeking children

Summary: This research, commissioned by the Nordic National Committees for UNICEF, examines to what extent the rights of asylum-seeking children are respected and protected in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. The report reviews relevant national legislative and policy frameworks; examines how these are implemented; documents good practices; and highlights gaps in national standards and their compliance to international standards. It makes some broad recommendations on how to strengthen and extend legal, policy and practice frameworks to ensure the full realization and protection of child asylum seekers' rights and entitlements in the Nordic region. It further provides country-specific detailed, practical recommendations on how to ensure protection and welfare for asylum-seeking children. It makes country-specific recommendations on how legal, policy and practice frameworks can be strengthened to ensure full protection of children's rights and entitlements.

Details: Florence, Italy: UNICEF Office of Research - Innocenti, 2018. 112p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 29, 2018 at: https://www.unicef-irc.org/publications/pdf/NORDIC%2028%20LOWRES.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Asylum Seekers

Shelf Number: 149608


Author: GRETA (Group of Experts on Action Against Trafficking in Human Beings

Title: 7th General Report on GRETA's Activities Covering the period from 1 January 20 31 December 2017

Summary: I am pleased to introduce the Seventh General Report on GRETA's activities and to highlight the on-going work of the Council of Europe in combating trafficking in human beings and vindicating the rights of victims of trafficking. The human rights-based approach to combating human trafficking is critical to all aspects of GRETA's work, recognising as it does that trafficking in human beings is a serious human rights violation, one that, as the European Court of Human Rights has repeatedly noted, treats human beings as commodities to be bought and sold. This General Report covers the activities of GRETA from 1 January to 31 December 2017. The year 2017 marked further progress in the application of the Convention across Europe, with the ratification by the Czech Republic on 29 March 2017. All member States of the Council of Europe, with the exception of the Russian Federation, have now ratified the Convention, and Belarus is also a State Party. While the expansion in ratifications of the Convention is significant to ensure greater reach in our work, more effective implementation by States Parties of the Convention standards remains critical. Against a backdrop of millions of people forcibly displaced worldwide, and hundreds of thousands of people on the move in Europe, the risks of exploitation are great. Of particular concern are the risks faced by victims of trafficking on arrival in Europe, with many barriers in place to accessing protection and heightened risks of re-trafficking within Europe. The gender dimension of human trafficking, and gender inequality as both a cause and a driver of exploitation, is central to many of GRETA's country reports. The risks faced by children and young people remain of particular concern, as weaknesses in child protection systems in many countries lead to failings in ensuring timely responses to the rights and needs of migrant and asylum-seeking children at risk. Strengthening the impact of GRETA's work in combating human trafficking is critical and the report highlights examples of where implementation of Convention standards is securing incremental change. Legislative changes continue, as well as policy and practical measures to improve early identification of child victims, steps to provide assistance to male victims of trafficking, and more proactive approaches to ensure access to compensation and legal redress. In this Seventh General Report, GRETA highlights the particular challenges of trafficking for the purpose of labour exploitation. Labour exploitation was chosen as one of the thematic focuses of the second evaluation round of the Convention because of GRETA's concern that Convention obligations were not being met, and that many victims of labour trafficking were not being identified as such nor granted access to assistance and protection. 2017 saw the adoption of the landmark judgment of the European Court of Human Rights in Chowdury and Others v Greece, in which the Convention and its Explanatory Report, together with GRETA's reports on Italy and Spain, were widely cited. The judgment is an important contribution to European human rights law in recognising the complex and subtle forms of coercion that underpin trafficking for the purpose of labour exploitation. The judgment is significant given GRETA's findings that many domestic courts fail to fully understand the gravity of labour exploitation or the nexus with human trafficking. As of the end of 2017, GRETA had adopted 42 country reports under the first evaluation round and 25 country reports under the second evaluation round. These reports highlight that in many States Parties, trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation is the predominant form of human trafficking identified. There is, however, an increase in the number of identified victims of trafficking for the purpose of labour exploitation, and in several countries, labour trafficking has emerged as the predominant form of trafficking. While there are considerable variations in the number and proportion of labour trafficking victims among countries, all countries indicate an upward trend of labour exploitation. hese trends are of great concern to GRETA and highlight the urgent need for closer co-operation between States, civil society, trade unions and the private sector. GRETA has repeatedly stressed the need for comprehensive legislation on trafficking for the purpose of labour exploitation, including recognition of the irrelevance of the victim's consent to the intended exploitation, and the need for heightened attention to the abuse of a position of vulnerability. Trafficking for the purpose of labour exploitation occurs in the formal and informal economies, with migrant workers particularly at risk. Men constitute most of the identified victims of labour trafficking, in sectors as diverse as agriculture, construction, hospitality and fisheries. Women are also victims of trafficking for labour exploitation, often in the more isolated setting of domestic and care work. The possibility of trafficking occurring in diplomatic households is now well recognised, and GRETA's country reports highlight examples of good practice in prevention of such exploitation and in overcoming the barriers presented by state and diplomatic immunity claims. Poverty and discrimination on grounds of 'race' or ethnicity, as well as migration status, continue to contribute to the risks faced by minority communities, including risks of labour exploitation. The increasing precariousness of work, and the risks encountered by seasonal and migrant workers in particular, are documented in several of GRETA's country reports. The fisheries industry is recognised as posing particular challenges to the resourcing and functioning of inspectorates and other oversight bodies. GRETA's reports highlight steps being taken to strengthen preventive measures, yet the limited oversight of agricultural and other sectors contributes to difficulties in outreach to those often most at risk of exploitation. Limited resources for labour inspectorates, restrictions on collective bargaining and restricted access to channels for legal migration all contribute to labour trafficking. Access to information and to legal assistance remains a challenge for many victims of trafficking for the purpose of labour exploitation, and GRETA highlights the importance of ensuring that victims are not criminalised, and can secure access to compensation and effective legal redress. The move towards greater transparency in supply chains, with significant legislative developments as well as policy initiatives, is highlighted as a potentially useful tool to combat human trafficking. In 2017, GRETA again invoked its urgent procedure mechanism, undertaking a short country visit to Hungary, in response to concerns raised in relation to the identification and access to assistance and protection of victims of trafficking. The use of the urgent procedure ensures a more timely response to potentially serious violations of human rights. Combined with the one-year follow-up reporting by States Parties now adopted, GRETA's monitoring work is developing to be more responsive, timely and effective. Complementing GRETA's monitoring work is the continued expansion of the Council GRETA's recommendations. GRETA is also working with other Council of Europe bodies to strengthen the impact of its work, including with MONEYVAL to highlight the importance of financial investigations in disrupting trafficking networks, as well as with other international organisations and civil society to assist in the identification of victims of trafficking among asylum seekers and migrants. 2017 came to an end with images of human trafficking in Libya and concerns at labour exploitation of many migrants travelling en route to Europe. This highlights the urgent need for strengthened co-operation between states and prevention measures to combat exploitation and abuse.

Details: Strasbourg, France: Council of Europe, 2018. 81p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 9, 2018 at: https://rm.coe.int/greta-2018-1-7gr-en/16807af20e

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Asylum Seekers

Shelf Number: 149745


Author: Savona, Ernesto U.

Title: Fighting Illicit Firearms Trafficking Routes and Actors at European Level: Final Report of Project FIRE

Summary: Project FIRE - Fighting Illicit firearms trafficking Routes and actors at European level (www. fireproject.eu) - was carried out with the financial support of the European Commission, DG Home Affairs, within the Prevention of and the Fight against Crime (ISEC) Programme. The research is an exploratory study on the illicit trafficking of firearms (ITF) in the EU. Based on the results obtained, it also provides recommendations on how to improve the fight against and the prevention of ITF. For the purposes of the study, ITF has been defined as every case in which the illicit acquisition, sale, delivery, movement or transfer of firearms, their parts or ammunition occur from, to, or within the territory of the EU. Background The availability of firearms is recognised as an increasingly pressing issue because of the lethal impact that firearms can have in terms of violence and terrorism. For this reason, the EU is currently revising its Firearms Directive, and the fight against organised crime and terrorism ranks high on the European security agenda. However, the role that ITF plays in feeding into violence within the EU has long been disregarded. This has been mirrored by a lack of priority given to rigorous investigation of the origins of firearms involved in the commission of crimes-and a lack of scientific research in the field. In addition, there is a lack of public official data on ITF. Approach Project FIRE adopts an integrated market perspective to address these difficulties and to study ITF within a wider framework of illicit markets. This approach makes it possible to combine analysis of both the various stages within the illicit supply chain of ITF and the demand for illicit firearms. It develops a methodology based on the collection and analysis of data from online news and law enforcement agencies (LEAs) and custom press releases, providing high level of detail and a large number of variables. For this purpose, firearm seizures have been considered as a proxy for the ITF, and deadly and non-deadly shootings as proxies for the demand for illicit firearms. This study represents a first step towards better understanding of the ITF in the EU. It is accordingly an important resource for both public and private institutions and researchers. The results from the project have been grouped into three parts: - ITF in the EU (Part I) - The EU's regulatory framework to counter ITF (Part II) - Recommendations on how to improve the prevention of and fight against ITF (Part III).

Details: Milano: Transcrime - Universita Cattolica del Sacro Cuore 2017. 116p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 10, 2018 at: http://www.transcrime.it/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/FIREFinalReport.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Firearms

Shelf Number: 149749


Author: Aebi, Marcelo

Title: Council of Europe Annual Penal Statistics. SPACE 1 - Prison Populations Survey 2016

Summary: European prisons are on average close to full capacity, with inmates occupying over 9 out of ten available places, according to the Council of Europe Annual Penal Statistics (SPACE) for 2016, published today. The survey shows that the incarceration rate grew from 115.7 to 117.1 inmates per 100,000 inhabitants from 2015 to 2016. This rate had previously fallen every year since 2012, when it reached 125.6 prisoners per 100,000 inhabitants. The incarceration rate is mainly influenced by the length of the sanctions and measures imposed. In that perspective, the average length of detention, which can be seen as an indicator of the way criminal law is applied, increasing slightly to 8.5 months. The countries where the incarceration rate grew the most were Bulgaria (+10.8%), Turkey (+9.5%), the Czech Republic (+7.6%), Serbia (+6.6%) and Denmark (+5.5%). The prison administrations where it fell the most were Iceland (-15.9%), Northern Ireland (-11.8), Lithuania (-11.1%), Belgium (-10.1%) and Georgia (-6.7%). On the other hand, overcrowding remained a serious problem in many countries. Thirteen out of 47 prison administrations reported having more inmates than places to host them. The highest levels of overcrowding were observed in "The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia" (132 prisoners per 100 places available), Hungary (132), Cyprus (127), Belgium (120), France (117), Portugal (109), Italy (109), Serbia (109), Albania (108), the Czech Republic (108), Romania (106) and Turkey (103). The SPACE survey is conducted for the Council of Europe by the University of Lausanne. The SPACE I 2016 survey contains information from 47 out of 52 prison administrations in the 47 Council of Europe member states (see the executive summary). The SPACE II contains information from 47 out of 52 probation agencies.

Details: Strasbourg: Council of Europe, 2018. 148p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 10, 2018 at: http://wp.unil.ch/space/files/2018/03/SPACE-I-2016-Final-Report-180315.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Correctional Institutions

Shelf Number: 149751


Author: Aebi, Marcelo

Title: Council of Europe Annual Penal Statistics SPACE II Survey 2016. Persons Serving Non-Custodial Sanctions and Measures in 2016

Summary: Key points of SPACE II 2016 - The participation rate in the 2016 SPACE II Survey was very satisfying: 47 out of the 52 probation services of the 47 Council of Europe Member States answered the questionnaire. - About 75% of the probation services of the responding countries are placed under the authority of the national Ministry of Justice. This authority is shared with the Prison Administration in around 33% of these cases. - During the year 2016, 2,169,077 persons entered into supervision by the probation services, and 1,365,006 left that supervision. This represents an average rate of 258 entries and 188 exits per 100,000 inhabitants. As a comparison, in 2015, there 228 entries per 100,000 inhabitants (+13.2% in 2016) and 167 exits per 100,000 inhabitants (+12.6% in 2016). - On 31st December 2016, there were 1,628,626 persons under the supervision or care of the probation services of the responding countries. This represents an average rate of 219 probationers per 100,000 inhabitants, which is 12.3% higher than one year before (there were 195 probationers per 100,000 inhabitant on 31stDecember 2015). If we restrict the comparison to countries with more than one million inhabitants, the 2016 rate is 225 per 100,000, which is 3.9% higher than in 2015 (when the rate was 216.4 per 100,000 inhabitants) - Non-custodial sanctions and measures are seldom used as an alternative to pre-trial detention: Roughly, only 9.8% of the probation population corresponds to persons placed under supervision before trial. - On average, on 31st December 2016, female probation clients represented 12.9% of the total probation population. The proportion of minors and foreigners was 3.9% and 16.8% respectively. - On average, there are 5.8 probation staff members per 100,000 inhabitants, with great individual variation among the responding countries. - On average, each probation staff member across Europe is in charge of 4.9 pre-sentence reports. - In 20 countries, probation is used for all kind of criminal offenses. - The average length of probation for persons sentenced for violence against persons and robbery are 17.3 months and 17.5 months respectively. - The longer length of probation is, on average, 21.6 months, and corresponds to persons sentenced for sexual offenses.

Details: Strasbourg: Council of Europe, 2017. 99p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 10, 2018 at: http://wp.unil.ch/space/files/2018/03/SPACE_II_report_2016_Final_100320.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Alternatives to Incarceration

Shelf Number: 149752


Author: Christin, Nicolas

Title: An EU-focused analysis of drug supply on the AlphaBay marketplace

Summary: Online anonymous marketplaces are a relatively recent technological development that enables sellers and buyers to transact online with far stronger anonymity guarantees than on traditional electronic commerce platforms. This has led certain individuals to engage in transactions of illicit or illegal goods. The AlphaBay marketplace, which was in operation between December 2014 and July 2017, reportedly became the leading marketplace during that time. In this report, we present an analysis of sales on AlphaBay, with a focus on drug supply coming from the European Union. Keeping in mind the limitations inherent to such data collection, we found that, for the period and the marketplaces considered: - AlphaBay did become a very large marketplace, with daily sales overall exceeding 600,000 euros at its peak in early 2017. By itself, it grossed at least as much revenue over 2014-2017 as all other marketplaces combined between 2011-2015. - EU-based suppliers represent approximately a quarter of all drug sales; this is down from 46% for marketplaces previously studied in the 2011-2015 interval. - EU-originating drugs primarily came from Germany, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. - Cannabis, cocaine and other stimulants altogether represented a majority of all EU-based drug sales. - Supply of New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) remained very modest with revenues below EUR 2,500 per day at market peak. - Marketplace vendors primarily catered in the retail space, but there was evidence of larger (bulk-level) sales. Volume-based discounting tended to occur, albeit at relatively modest levels. - Half of the vendors specialized in one type of drug; and half of the drug sellers tended to stick to a given weight echelon. - Save for the decreasing share of European sales, most of the trends observed in this report confirm what we had previously found for other marketplaces in the 2011-2015 interval. In other words, the ecosystem, as a whole, appears relatively stable over time.

Details: Lisbon: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA), 2017. 34p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 16, 2018 at: http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/system/files/attachments/6622/AlphaBay-final-paper.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Black Markets

Shelf Number: 149803


Author: Christin, Nicolas

Title: An EU-focused analysis of drug supply on the online anonymous marketplace ecosystem

Summary: Online anonymous marketplaces are a relatively recent technological development that enables sellers and buyers to transact online with far stronger anonymity guarantees than on traditional electronic commerce platforms. This has led certain individuals to engage in transactions of illicit or illegal goods. This reports presents an analysis of the online anonymous marketplace data collected by Soska and Christin [13] over late 2011-early 2015. In this report, we focus on drug supply coming from the European Union. Keeping in mind the limitations inherent to such data collection, we found that, for the period and the marketplaces considered: EU-based suppliers represented a significant share of all drug revenue-approximately 46% of all drug sales. EU-originating drugs primarily came from Germany, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. Cocaine and other stimulants altogether represented a majority of all EU-based drug sales. Supply of New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) was heavily concentrated in the United Kingdom, and remained very modest with revenues in the order of EUR 3,000 per day at market peak. Marketplace vendors primarily catered in the retail space, but there was evidence of larger (bulk-level) sales. Volume-based discounting tended to occur, albeit at relatively modest levels. Half of the vendors specialized in one type of drug; and half of the drug sellers tended to stick to a given weight echelon.

Details: Lisbon: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA), 2017. 25p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 16, 2018 at: http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/system/files/attachments/6624/EU-focused-analysis-of-drug-supply-on-the-anomymous-online-marketplace.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Black Markets

Shelf Number: 149804


Author: Molenaar, Fransje

Title: Why the EU should help former smugglers get a job: An integrated approach for Agadez (and beyond)

Summary: In mid-2016, EU efforts to disrupt the business model of migrant smugglers - one of the main pillars of its migration policies - resulted in the sponsoring of police actions in Agadez, Niger. The assumption underlying this course of action was that smuggling and trafficking can and should be addressed by the securitised and militarised approaches that the international community generally applies to transnational criminal activities. In the case of Agadez, however, this approach eventually dug its own grave as it did not provide direct economic alternatives to a local community that lost an important source of livelihood. The approach could have benefited from lessons learned from the international community's decade-long experience with disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration (DDR), which combines securitisation with programmes for economic integration. Applying best DDR practices to the case of Agadez allows for the formulation of an integrated approach to human smuggling in Agadez and beyond.

Details: The Hague: Clingendael (the Netherlands Institute of International Relations), 2018. 11p.

Source: Internet Resource: CRU Policy Brief: https://www.clingendael.org/sites/default/files/2018-04/PB_Why_the_EU_should_help_former_smugglers_get_a_job.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Human Smuggling

Shelf Number: 149814


Author: Great Britain. House of Commons. Home Affairs Committee

Title: UK-EU security cooperation after Brexit

Summary: The Committee is examining the challenges which the Home Office faces in planning for and implementing post-Brexit arrangements in an overarching inquiry into 'Home Office delivery of Brexit'. This work is being taken forward in three discrete strands: policing and security cooperation is one of these; the others are immigration services and customs operations.

Details: London: House of Commons, 2018. 59p.

Source: Internet Resource: HC 635: Fourth Report of Session 2017-19: Accessed April 17, 2018 at: https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201719/cmselect/cmhaff/635/635.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Border Security

Shelf Number: 149837


Author: Duquet, Nils

Title: Firearms acquisition by terrorists in Europe. Research findings and policy recommendations of Project SAFTE

Summary: Project SAFTE is an international research project, funded by the European Commission, that aims to contribute to the fight against (terrorist access to) illicit firearms markets in Europe. This research project has demonstrated the existence of various illicit firearms markets in the EU, each with their own specific features and dynamics. The traditionally closed character of these markets has partially eroded in several EU member states in recent years, which has increased the availability of firearms in general, and military-grade firearms in particular, to criminals and to terrorists with criminal connections. To combat this, a comprehensive and proactive approach is needed that consists of improving the intelligence picture on illicit firearms trafficking, upgrading the policy and the regulatory framework on firearms, and optimising operational capacities and cooperation. Background Several terrorist attacks have been carried out with firearms in Europe in recent years, causing the deaths of hundreds of people and injuries to hundreds more. These events demonstrate that terrorists are able to get their hands on various types of firearms, including military-grade firearms. Although the use of firearms to commit terrorist attacks is not a new phenomenon in the EU, Europol recently noted that firearms have become the most prevalent type of weaponry used by terrorists and violent extremists across a range of ideologies. This observation led policy-makers in Europe to develop specific measures to combat terrorist access to firearms. In-depth, evidence-based insight into the firearms acquisition dynamics of terrorists in the EU is limited, however. This is part of the larger problem of the scarcity of reliable data and in-depth research with regard to Europe's illicit firearms markets. Process The goal of Project SAFTE is to improve knowledge regarding (terrorist access to) illicit firearms markets in Europe and to provide information that can influence policy intended to enhance the fight against this security threat. The Flemish Peace Institute coordinated the project, and carried it out in partnership with the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) and the Scuola Superiore di Studi Universitarie di Perfezionamento Sant'Anna (SSSA). In addition, research teams from Arquebus Solutions, the Small Arms Survey and Bureau Bruinsma contributed extensively to the study. The design of the research project consisted of two phases. In a first phase, specialised research teams conducted qualitative, in-depth studies into illicit firearms markets, terrorist access to these markets and national policies to counter these phenomena in eight EU member states: Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, France, Italy, Romania, the Netherlands and the UK. More than one hundred key national actors were interviewed during this process. The second phase consisted of a systematic and comparative analysis, in which the studies in these countries were supplemented by an explorative mapping of the situation in the other twenty EU member states. In addition, an assessment was made of the illicit possession and proliferation of firearms in the wider EU neighbourhood (the Balkans, Northern Africa and Ukraine), to address the significant interconnections between the EU's internal and external security dimensions in terms of illicit firearms trafficking. All these findings were then linked to the EU policy context by, for example, interviews with several key international actors. The research conducted for Project SAFTE resulted in two separate publications. The findings of the systematic and comparative analysis are presented in a policyoriented synthesis report, Firearms acquisition by terrorists in Europe: Research findings and policy recommendations of Project SAFTE. A separately edited volume, Triggering Terror: Illicit Gun Markets and Firearms Acquisition of Terrorist Networks in Europe, publishes the individual country studies, together with the studies on the illicit possession and proliferation of firearms in Northern Africa and Ukraine. indings on illicit firearms markets There is no unified illicit firearms market in the EU. Various regional variants of illicit firearms markets can be identified, however, each with distinct characteristics and dynamics. These differences can be attributed to a variety of local elements that shape local demand and supply of illicit firearms and influence the involvement of different actors. Although it is currently impossible to quantitatively estimate the scope of illicit firearms markets in the EU in a credible way, it is clear that most of the firearms that are available on illicit firearms markets are handguns. The presence of military-grade firearms is generally more limited. The easy and cheap access to certain firearms in some countries strongly contributes to illicit firearms trafficking across the EU. Most illicit firearms markets in Europe are driven by criminal demand. Different types of criminals tend to procure, possess and use different types of firearms, and contemporary terrorist networks usually rely on established criminal connections to acquire firearms from these markets. Furthermore, a significant proportion of the illicitly possessed firearms are in the hands of private citizens in several EU member states who have no criminal or terrorist motives. These are individuals who simply possess firearms without holding the necessary permits. Firearms end up in illicit markets in the EU through cross-border smuggling from both outside the EU (mainly from the Western Balkans) and intra-EU trafficking (mainly as a result of differences in national legislation). The most important illicit supply mechanisms for firearms in the EU are cross-border smuggling, change of ownership through theft, the conversion of blank-firing guns, and the reactivation of deactivated firearms and acoustic expansion weapons. Each EU member state has a different illicit firearms market with its distinct supply mechanisms, however. These different supply mechanisms are characterised by their own dynamics, and present specific policy and law enforcement challenges. Our analyses indicate that supplying firearms to European illicit firearms markets is not very lucrative, and is generally not a primary source of income for those actors involved in trafficking firearms. Another observation is the cyclical nature of supply and demand in these markets. The actors involved in firearms trafficking in the EU have constantly adapted their operating methods in reaction to regional, national and European policy initiatives and law enforcement operations. Traditionally, illicit firearms markets in Europe are closed markets with restricted access for people outside criminal networks, and having the right criminal connections and reputation are crucial factors in this, even in countries with rather high levels of illicit firearms possession. Differences can be observed in the access to illicit firearms, and especially military-grade firearms, and these differences are linked to the criminal hierarchy and the criminal milieu to which the potential buyer belongs. They are also reflected by a price hierarchy for illicit firearms markets that is similar across the EU: the most expensive firearms on the illicit firearms market are generally military-grade firearms such as assault rifles, while the cheapest firearms are generally (converted) blank-firing firearms. The closed character of these markets has been under pressure in recent years, which is linked to the observed growing availability of certain types of firearms. The underlying factors of this erosion are the emergence of the Internet, the crossborder smuggling of military-grade assault rifles into the EU, the conversion of blank-firing guns and the reactivation of deactivated firearms and acoustic expansion weapons. The increased availability of firearms has contributed to arms races between criminal groups across the EU. This has facilitated the gradual tricklingdown of the possession and use of firearms to lower segments of the criminal hierarchy in several EU member states, especially in Western Europe. Findings on terrorist access to illicit firearms markets Significant amounts of firearms have been seized from different types of terrorist networks in recent years. These firearms include various models and brands of pistols and revolvers, but also various types of military-grade firearms, such as assault rifles and sub-machine guns. Terrorists who procure firearms generally do so exclusively for carrying out terrorist acts and to defend themselves against law enforcement agencies. Most terrorists seem to have a preference for military-grade firearms, although the observed possession of less-suitable firearms among terrorist networks suggests that not all terrorists have access to a wide range of firearms. Our comparative analysis identified clear distinctions between different types of terrorist networks in the EU in the acquisition, possession and use of firearms. While the traditional separatist groups have developed their own distinct (and context-specific) firearms acquisition patterns, religiously-inspired terrorist networks across the EU generally rely on criminal connections to obtain firearms from local illicit markets. There are no indications of significant firearms flows between the various types of terrorist networks in Europe today and also no indications of recent state-sponsored arms transfers to terrorist groups in the EU. For most of the contemporary terrorist networks operating in Europe, access to local criminal firearms markets is a key element in their firearms acquisition patterns. Through their criminal pasts, contemporary terrorists with criminal antecedents have acquired various skills that can be used in the planning and execution of successful terrorist attacks, including the skills and network needed to acquire weapons more easily. Given the generally closed character of these markets, only terrorists with the right criminal connections can acquire firearms, and in particular military-grade firearms, on illicit firearms markets in the EU. The observed terrorist firearms arsenals therefore generally reflect the specific dynamics of the local criminal firearms market. Individuals without a developed criminal network generally experience more difficulties in their attempts to acquire firearms, and are more likely to use an alternative acquisition method, for example the Internet, or to use a different type of weapon. No illicit firearms dealers have been observed who exclusively supply firearms to terrorist networks. There seem to be a number of barriers that inhibit criminals from actively and knowingly supplying weapons for terrorist attacks. Illicit firearms dealers are generally not eager to engage in activities that are not very lucrative, but at the same time involve an increased risk of detection and higher penalties. Terrorists will generally rely on already established criminal connections, often pre-dating their radicalisation, in order to obtain firearms on illicit markets, and sellers often do not know they are selling to terrorists. This can be observed among the significant number of terrorists with a criminal history. Prisons have also been identified as places that offer new opportunities for terrorists who do not yet have the necessary criminal connections to acquire firearms. The overwhelming majority of those perpetrators of recent jihadi terrorist attacks who had a criminal history were involved in low-level criminality. There have been some exceptions of perpetrators who attained a mid-level position in the criminal underworld, but none of the perpetrators or people arrested for plotting terrorist attacks in the EU in recent years was a member of a high-level organised crime group. In countries where illicit firearms supply channels are tightly controlled by a limited number of highly-organised crime groups, it is quite difficult for terrorists to acquire firearms. In particular, countries with more chaotic criminal landscapes present potential terrorists with increased opportunities for illicit firearms acquisition. Individuals who acquire firearms for a terrorist network are generally not recruited for this specific purpose, but are already part of the network, and become responsible for this task later because of their skills and networks. Contemporary terrorist networks seeking (specific types of) firearms, but who lack the necessary criminal connections or are operating in a context of limited firearms availability in the local illicit market, can engage in the direct diversion of legally owned firearms, for example by targeted thefts of firearms from state stockpiles or legal gun owners. From a historical perspective, targeted thefts have been a vital element in the firearms acquisition patterns of separatist terror groups in Europe, but such thefts have decreased in recent years. Firearms that were deliberately stolen have only been encountered among jihadi networks in exceptional cases. The diversion of legal ownership for terrorist aims through various forms of embezzlement is also quite exceptional in the EU, as well as the legal possession of firearms by perpetrators of terrorist attacks. Yet, in some EU member states significant numbers of legally-owned firearms have been observed among members of extremist networks, and especially right-wing networks.

Details: Brussels: Flemish Peace Institute, 2018. 236p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 18, 2018 at: http://www.flemishpeaceinstitute.eu/sites/vlaamsvredesinstituut.eu/files/wysiwyg/vrede_syntheserapport_safte_lr.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Illicit Firearms

Shelf Number: 149820


Author: Florquin, Nicolas

Title: From Legal to Lethal: Converted Firearms in Europe

Summary: Firearms conversion is a challenge in all European countries. While the phenomenon may be more visible in countries with the strictest gun laws, ease of access to converted firearms and their cheap prices make them attractive alternatives to lethal-purpose firearms in all corners of Europe. Converted firearms are also challenging to investigate, which reinforces their appeal among criminals. Converted firearms include imitation guns such as alarm weapons and deactivated firearms that have been modified to function as real, lethal-purpose weapons. Basic engineering skills, available workshop space, and commonly used tools are often all that is required to perform some conversions. Petty criminals are generally the primary users of converted alarm weapons, while organized crime groups and terrorist actors have used both reactivated firearms and converted acoustic expansion weapons. There is, however, a growing concern that organized crime and terrorist actors might increasingly resort to converted alarm weapons. Strengthened European Union regulations and coordinated law enforcement operations have succeeded in reducing some specific sources of converted firearms. Yet the efforts of regulators and law enforcement agencies to counter firearms conversions have been mainly reactive. Real-time firearms-related crime intelligence and data sharing are critical to preventing, detecting, and rapidly tackling fluid firearms conversion patterns. In this report, the Small Arms Survey undertakes a detailed examination of the firearms conversion challenge in Europe. More specifically, the report provides a typology of converted firearms, examines the nature and scope of the firearms conversion threat, reviews the mechanics of trafficking in converted firearms, and assesses the European response to this issue. Research for this report drew from consultations and interviews with a broad range of law enforcement actors in Europe, with particular focus on firearms investigators and forensic experts.

Details: Geneva, SWIT: Small Arms Survey, Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, 2018. 68p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 18, 2018 at: http://www.smallarmssurvey.org/fileadmin/docs/U-Reports/SAS-Report-Europe-Conversion.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Illicit Firearms

Shelf Number: 149821


Author: Duquet, Nils

Title: Triggering Terror: Illicit Gun Markets and Firearms Acquisition of Terrorist Networks in Europe

Summary: In recent years there has been growing policy attention for illicit firearms markets in Europe. Yet, in-depth research into the scale of the problem as well as the specific characteristics and dynamics of these markets is lacking for most EU member states. This is part of larger problem where firearms and gun violence in the European context have traditionally received scant research attention. To illustrate this, in 2012 Greene and Marsh found that, between 1999 and 2009, 665 Web of Science articles had been written on firearms and violence. Two thirds of these articles, however, covered the situation in the United States (US), and were written primarily by authors based in the US.1 In contrast, research on the situation in Europe continues to be rather sparse. One of the reasons for this difference is that levels of gun crime and gun deaths in Europe are relatively low. A recent study demonstrated that, in the EU, on an annual basis an average of 1,000 homicides are committed with a firearm.2 As such, firearms-related homicides in Europe are among the lowest in the world.3 In addition, large-scale illicit firearms trafficking is quite exceptional in the EU and the illicit firearms market is considered to be modest in size. Nevertheless, the lack of a sound understanding of illicit firearms markets in Europe is not only an epistemological problem. It has obvious and far-reaching policy implications. Specifically, it hampers attempts to develop and implement a comprehensive regulatory and operational approach to combat illicit firearms markets and terrorist access to these markets. The EU has repeatedly stated that building a better intelligence picture on this multifaceted security phenomenon is urgently needed. Recent terrorist attacks involving firearms in Europe significantly boosted the sense of urgency. Both at national and EU levels various legislative and policy initiatives have been undertaken to reinforce the fight against illicit firearms trafficking in general, and to prevent terrorist firearms acquisition in particular. Yet, due to the lack of sound research, these initiatives have often been based on a case-bound, partial or even completely lacking, meaningful intelligence pictures. A mature research community could contribute significantly to the intelligence picture of illicit firearms trafficking that is being developed by national law enforcement agencies and Europol. Yet, a European research community focused on illicit firearms trafficking and gun violence in Europe is currently still germinal. In their extensive literature review Greene and Marsh identified two distinct research mainly relied on in-depth interviews with key national actors involved in the combat against illicit firearms trafficking or terrorism. During the initial phase of the research, it became clear that the phenomena under consideration could not be adequately understood without a sounder understanding of what happened in Europe's wider neighbourhood. Therefore, in addition to the eight country studies, an assessment was made of the illicit possession and proliferation of firearms in the wider EU neighbourhood in order to address the significant nexus between the EU's internal and external security dimensions in terms of illicit firearms trafficking. Overview of the chapters The research conducted within the framework of Project SAFTE resulted in two separate publications: a policy report and a comprehensive research volume. The policy report10 contains the systematic and comparative analysis of the main findings of the different country and neighbourhood studies, whereas this research volume contains all eight in-depth country studies and two neighbourhood studies as separate chapters. This allows the reader to gain profounder and more detailed insight into the research findings of Project SAFTE. The first chapter of this book examines the illicit gun market in Belgium, a country often labelled as one of Europe's hotspots for illicit firearms trade. In this chapter Nils Duquet and Kevin Goris argue that the illicit gun market in Belgium is largely driven by criminal demand, especially from drugs criminals, armed robbers and organized motorcycle gangs. In recent years an increase in converted blank firing weapons and reactivated firearms has been observed. The availability of these weapons eroded the traditional closed character of this market. This made it easier for both lower-ranking criminals and terrorists with criminal connections to acquire firearms. The authors warn that current heightened prioritisation of terrorism in Belgium has become a double-edged sword in the fight against illicit firearms trafficking: while it has increased policy attention for this security phenomenon, it has also brought about a (temporary) displacement of people and resources towards preventing and investigating terrorism. Duquet and Goris conclude that Belgian law enforcement services all too often treat terrorism and illicit firearms trafficking as two distinct problems. They strongly recommend better information sharing and the development of joint actions between and within the law enforcement services that combat these interconnected security phenomena. In the second chapter Filip Dragovic, Paul James, Kresimir Mamic and Robert Mikac analyse the illicit firearms market in Croatia. Despite large number of weapons handed in during voluntary surrender programmes, the current illicit firearms market in Croatia is still largely based on the significant presence of weapons left over from the Yugoslav wars in the 1990s, including large quantities of military grade firearms. A great number of these legacy weapons ended up in the hands of civilians. The authors note that alongside these legacy weapons, firearms have also entered the illicit market through illicit production and thefts. Small storage facilities at police stations and lower-level military units in particular, remain prone to theft. Interestingly, the authors argue that, despite the widespread illegal firearms possession in the country, Croatia is not characterized by a very active illicit firearms market because many of the illegal gun owners prefer to retain their firearms. They conclude that research on the Croatian illicit firearms market is still limited and stress the need for more cooperation between law enforcement agencies, judicial bodies, the private sector and the research community to improve the current intelligence picture and enhance the combat against illicit firearms trafficking. In the third chapter of this book Lina Grip demonstrates that the illicit gun market in Denmark is fragmented and supply-driven. Criminal gangs, both organized motorcycle gangs as well as less organized urban street gangs, are the main customers on the illicit firearms market in Denmark. Violent conflicts between such groups are responsible for most of the public shootings in the country. A majority of firearms on this market are locally sourced, especially through thefts of old unregistered firearms. Grip warns that shooting clubs are commonly being used by criminals to practice their shooting skills and as a target for thefts. She also stresses the role played by gun enthusiasts, without violent or criminal intentions, who act outside of the law and this way may feed the illicit market. Not surprisingly, the firearms used in recent terrorist attacks in Denmark were acquired through thefts. While Danish policy to combat illicit firearms possession has been primarily focused on deterring the use of firearms by criminal gangs, Grip concludes that more can be done to integrate firearms-specific initiatives into programmes to prevent violent extremism. In the fourth chapter Nicolas Florquin and Andre Desmarais present a detailed analysis of the characteristics of the illicit firearms market in France and the firearms possessed and used by different terrorist groups in recent years. They argue that France has a sizeable and growing pool of illicit firearms as a result of a historic tolerance towards unregistered rifles and shotguns, and because of cross-border smuggling of firearms in recent decades. This chapter demonstrates that the firearms on the French illicit market originate from a wide variety of sources and that terrorist groups have used a wide range of procurement methods to access firearms. Florquin and Desmarais demonstrate that different types of terrorist groups and networks are characterized by different firearms acquisition patterns. While jihadi terrorist networks have used their, mainly low-level, criminal connections to procure firearms, a terrorist group like ETA, for example, has instead relied heavily on targeted thefts. Tracing firearms often proves very difficult, but the authors stress the merits of doing so. The tracing of the reactivated rifles used in recent terrorist attacks, for example, has been a crucial step in building momentum to politically address the problem of easy-to-reactivate weapons from Slovakia. The illicit firearms market in Italy and terrorist access to this market is the focus of the fifth chapter. Francesco Strazzari and Francesca Zampagni note that the Italian market has mainly been supplied with a wide variety of firearms from the Western Balkans since the 1990s, but that organised crime groups have also relied on firearms thefts and the reactivation of firearms. The authors stress that terrorist access to this market is rather difficult because the supply channels are tightly controlled by Italian organised criminal groups, who believe that it is not in their best interest to sell firearms to terrorist networks. In the sixth chapter Monique Bruinsma and Toine Spapens provide an overview of the main features of the illicit firearms market in the Netherlands as well as an in depth analysis of terrorist access to this market and Dutch policies that have been developed to tackle this access. This chapter demonstrates the increased availability and criminal use of military-grade assault rifles in the country in recent years. This has partly been a result of trafficking of easy-to-reactivate firearms from Slovakia. Not only criminals, but also terrorists have been able to access the illicit firearms market in the Netherlands. In recent years the Dutch police have arrested at least fifteen terror suspects for the illegal possession or (attempted) acquisition of firearms. An in-depth analysis indicates that a broad range of firearms have been seized in these cases and demonstrates a firearms acquisition pattern for terrorists in which (usually pre-existing) criminal connections are crucial. The seventh chapter contains the first ever in-depth study on the illicit firearms market in Romania. Roxana Albisteanu, Alexandru Dena and Matthew Lewis note that researching this topic in Romania is hindered by the lack of uniform data collection and registration procedures on illicit firearms possession or use by the different law enforcement and other government agencies involved. Despite this caveat, the authors clearly demonstrate the detrimental effects of national legal loopholes on regional illicit firearms markets: the significant availability of easy-toconvert blank firing firearms in Romania is directly connected to the situation in Bulgaria, where these weapons can be bought legally for low prices and where controls can easily be bypassed. This has resulted in significant cross-border smuggling of these weapons into Romania where they are sold to Romanian criminals across the country and in various criminal contexts. While there are no known recent cases of terrorist acquisition of firearms in the country, the authors warn that some of the firearms that are currently legally exported from Romania and EU member states to third countries might eventually end up on criminal markets in the EU, where they can be bought by local terrorists. In the eighth chapter Paul Holtom, Paul James and Connor Patmore analyse terrorist access to the illicit firearms market in the United Kingdom (UK). The authors demonstrate that the combination of a restrictive legislative framework for legal firearms possession, a proactive operational 'investigate the gun' - approach to combat illicit possession and use of firearms, and the use of tough prison sentences as a deterrent, has had a positive influence on the illicit firearms markets in the UK. The firearms that circulate in the UK's criminal underground are therefore very often converted blank firing weapons and antique handguns rather than more heavy duty variants seen elsewhere. The recent cases of terrorist possession of firearms suggest that the access of jihadi and right-wing terrorists to the illicit firearms market is likewise quite restricted. These terrorists' options are largely restricted to converted or antique firearms. They do not usually have access to the semi-automatic or automatic firearms that have been used in terrorist attacks in other parts of the EU. The findings of this chapter, however, indicate that the situation in Northern Ireland differs significantly, with Republican splinter groups having retained a wide range of legacy weapons from the 'Troubles', including different types of military-grade firearms, and continuing to use them in politically motivated attacks. The illicit proliferation of firearms in Northern Africa is the focus of the ninth chapter of this book. Francesco Strazzari and Francesca Zampagni argue that in recent years illicit firearms possession has increased significantly in several Northern African countries as a direct result of the volatile political and security situation in the region. In particular the fall of the Libyan dictator Qaddafi in 2011 and the armed violence that has ravaged the country afterwards has significantly increased illicit arms trafficking. A vast regional black market in firearms has emerged which has reached various groups from the western Sahel to the Middle East. The authors conclude that while significant firearms trafficking from Northern Africa into the EU has not been detected so far, the absence of an effective and efficient firearms and ammunition management system in Northern Africa increases the risk of firearms diversion. In the final chapter of this book Francesco Buscemi, Nils Duquet, Ekaterina Golovko and Eric Woods analyse the proliferation of firearms in conflict-affected Ukraine, where the number of illicitly-held firearms surpasses the number of legally held firearms. While several historical factors have contributed to high levels of illicit East. The authors conclude that while significant firearms trafficking from Northern Africa into the EU has not been detected so far, the absence of an effective and efficient firearms and ammunition management system in Northern Africa increases the risk of firearms diversion. In the final chapter of this book Francesco Buscemi, Nils Duquet, Ekaterina Golovko and Eric Woods analyse the proliferation of firearms in conflict-affected Ukraine, where the number of illicitly-held firearms surpasses the number of legally held firearms. While several historical factors have contributed to high levels of illicit firearms possession, the authors demonstrate that criminal activities and the recent episodes of armed violence in the country have significantly exacerbated opportunities for state stockpile captures and arms transfers to different non-state actors. While most of the firearms trafficking is currently contained within the state borders of Ukraine, the authors warn that there are signs that this will likely change when the armed conflict stabilizes and the internal demand for these weapons decreases.

Details: Brussels: Flemish Peace Institute, 2018. 484p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 18, 2018 at http://www.flemishpeaceinstitute.eu/sites/vlaamsvredesinstituut.eu/files/wysiwyg/boek_safte_bw_lowres.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Firearms

Shelf Number: 149844


Author: International Fund for Animal Welfare

Title: Ivory Seizures in Europe: 2006-2015

Summary: The biggest threat to elephants today is poaching. Indeed, the African elephant population declined by more than 50% between 1979 and 1989, mainly due to poaching to supply the international ivory trade. Practically all ivory for sale in the world has come at the cost of an elephant's life. There have been some strong political moves in recent years with China and the US introducing domestic ivory bans, as people recognise that the existence of legal markets around the world provides a cover for illegal ivory to be traded. Each year more than 20,000 elephants are being slaughtered because of consumer demand and ivory traders creating a desire to own ivory products. It is virtually impossible to fully calculate the scale of this illegal ivory market. This report seeks to investigate the quantities of seized, illegal ivory that have been reported across the European Union (EU) and to use this data to gain a better understanding of the role the EU plays in enabling the continuation of this trade as a consumer, exporter and transit point for the illegal ivory trade. The international ivory trade has been banned by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora (CITES) since 1989. Yet, the CITES agreement did not cover the sale of ivory obtained before that date. Moreover, CITES data indicates that illicit trade in ivory has tripled since 1998, leading to a 'serious conservation crisis'. As a new party to CITES since July 2015, the EU has a decisive role to play in controlling its internal ivory market as well as its international imports and exports. This IFAW research indicates that the EU plays a significant role in the global ivory trade. Between 2011 and 2014, member states detailed seizures of around 4,500 ivory items reported as specimens and an additional 780 kilograms as classified by weight. EU countries are key transit points for illegal ivory, either exported to other countries or kept within Europe, under the guise of ivory items acquired legally or as reported antiques, with some items being stained to appear as antiques. By exporting ivory items which are antique and legal to South-East Asian markets, European countries are fuelling the demand for ivory and helping to create a desire to own it. Between 2003 and 2014, 92% of EU exports of preConvention tusks went to China or Hong Kong. Six of the EU member states (Austria, France, Germany, Hungary, Netherlands and Portugal) stated definitively that they have observed an increase in the number of re-export certificate applications over the past few years. Yet several other countries either made no applications for the re-export of ivory in recent years or the numbers of applications received/certificates issued were so small that it was impossible to discern any significant trends (Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Ireland, Latvia, Sweden and Slovakia). This report looks at each European country in turn, where data is available, highlighting key cases of ivory seizures as well as the largest volume of ivory seized by the authorities. Finally, the report puts forward a number of key recommendations for the EU. There is an urgent need for a common method of recording ivory seizures, and an EU-wide standardised monitoring system of the ivory trade. As countries already have to report to CITES authorities through the CITES Biennial Reports, not all seizures are made publicly available, which has hindered our data collection for this report. There needs to be a greater level of transparency and the EU needs to make ivory seizure data publicly available in a report every year, recorded in a consistent manner to compare country data across the EU. We hope this research will encourage a full European-wide ban and that individual countries, such as France and the UK, will lead within Europe to introduce the strongest legislation, which will send a powerful political message across the world. It is only by closing down the ivory markets once and for all, and removing consumer demand and desire for ivory products, that we will have any chance to save the remaining elephant populations and ultimately protect this iconic species from extinction.

Details: London: IFAW, 2017. 35p.

Source: Internet Resource: accessed April 20, 2018 at: https://s3.amazonaws.com/ifaw-pantheon/sites/default/files/legacy/ifaw_ivory_seizures_europe_proof_4.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Animal Poaching

Shelf Number: 149866


Author: European Commission

Title: Report on the progress made in the fight against trafficking in human beings (2016) as required under Article 20 of Directive 2011/36/EU on preventing and combating trafficking in human beings and protecting its victims

Summary: This paper complements the first European Commission Report on the progress made in the fight against trafficking in human beings as required under article 20 of Directive 2011/36/EU (hereafter "the Report"). It aims to provide a factual overview of the main current trends, actions, and statistical data on trafficking in human beings in the EU, as reported by Member States, civil society and international organisations. The paper elaborates in detail on the measures reported by the Member States to address trafficking in human beings, and additionally takes into consideration actions implemented by the European Commission and other relevant stakeholders in the context of the EU Strategy towards the eradication of trafficking in human beings 2012-2016 (hereafter "the EU Strategy"). A key focus of the EU Strategy has, in fact, been on developing concrete actions to support the implementation of the Anti-trafficking Directive by complementing the work done by the Member States. The EU Strategy actions are based on five priorities: identifying, protecting and assisting victims of trafficking; stepping up the prevention of trafficking in human beings; increased prosecutions of traffickers; enhanced coordination and cooperation among key actors and policy coherence; and increased knowledge of - and effective response to - emerging concerns related to all forms of trafficking in human beings. The paper elaborates on the topics presented in the Report in selected areas of the 'three Ps', prosecution (with focus on financial investigations), protection (with focus on the setting up of national referral mechanisms) and prevention (with focus on actions taken by Member States to prevent the crime as provided by Article 18 of the Anti-trafficking Directive). Furthermore, the paper takes into account the key EU policy framework in addressing trafficking in human beings, including: the European Agenda on Migration ; the European Agenda on Security ; the EU Action Plan against migrant smuggling 2015-2020 ; the Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy 2015-2019 ; the new framework for the EU's activities on gender equality and women's empowerment in EU's external relations for 2016-2020 and the Strategic engagement of the EU for gender equality 2016-2019. The first section of this Staff Working Document describes the methodology and information sources used for drafting both the Report and this document. The following sections mirror the structure of the Report by providing detailed and factual elements on: trends in trafficking in human beings; results of specific anti-trafficking actions; and statistical data provided by the Member States.

Details: Brussels: European Commission, 2017. 97p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 20, 2018 at: http://humantraffickingsearch.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/commission_report_on_the_progress_made_in_the_fight_against_trafficking_in_human_beings_2016_swd_en.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Human Rights Abuses

Shelf Number: 149867


Author: Barham, Derek Emilio

Title: Same Destination, Different Journey: A Comparative Study of Public Order Policing in Britain and Spain

Summary: Public order policing is about power and control. The preservation and maintenance of order is a defining characteristic of the sovereign power. It is a highly political activity which is also emotive, controversial and reflects national culture and identity. Public order policing asks serious questions of the police and represents the most contentious policing activity in modern democratic states. The purpose of this study is to increase and improve current knowledge of public order policing by comparing the policing of disorder in Britain and Spain. It reviews two high profile incidents, the 2011 London Riots and the 2014 "22M" Protests in Madrid, using a fusion of Waddington's "Flashpoints Model" and Herbert's "Normative Orders" to comparatively analyse the incidents. The study is supported by a comprehensive literature review and interviews with experienced police public order commanders. This thesis concludes that British public order policing is in need of considerable reform to improve operational effectiveness, efficiency and professionalism. It identifies several key themes which contributed to the inability of the Metropolitan Police to respond effectively to the serious disorder and criminality which proliferated across 22 of London's 32 boroughs in August 2011. These include the need to review British public order tactics, invest in the training of specialist public order units and improve the understanding of crowd psychology. Practical recommendations are suggested which would refine, enhance and improve the ability of the British public order policing model to respond to the challenges of serious disorder in the twenty first century.

Details: London: London Metropolitan University, 2016. 316p.

Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed April 20, 2018 at: http://repository.londonmet.ac.uk/1016/1/BarhamDerek_ComparativeStudyOfPublicOrderPolicingInBritainAndSpain.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Demonstrations

Shelf Number: 149871


Author: Dottridge, Mike

Title: Ending Exploitation: Ensuring that Businesses do not Contribute to Trafficking in Human Beings: Duties of States and the Private Sector

Summary: This paper outlines the measures that businesses can take to ensure that trafficking in human beings does not occur in their workplaces or those of their suppliers (i.e., other businesses that sell products or services to them). It also reviews the obligations of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe's (OSCE) participating States to regulate business activities and to enable businesses to take appropriate action to stop human trafficking from occurring. It ends with a series of recommendations for OSCE participating States. The question of what business enterprises, other organizations and individual consumers can do to ensure that people are not trafficked as a result of a business' conduct, whether in the workplace, supply chains, in purchasing decisions or other behaviour, has been a focus of interest since the United Nations (UN) adopted a Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children (the "UN Trafficking Protocol") in 2000. The paper reviews how action by private sector businesses (and potentially state-owned ones as well) can prevent trafficking in human beings from occurring in their workplaces and those of their suppliers, thereby reducing traffickers' earnings and potentially helping drive them out of business. The paper focuses on how to maximize the substantial influence that managers of businesses and organizations have to prevent human trafficking through their procurement or purchasing decisions. It focuses in particular on the benefits that occur when businesses make commitments to respect human rights (or not to tolerate specific abuses of human rights), notably by setting minimum standards in codes to regulate their workplaces and those of their suppliers.

Details: Vienna: OSCE Office of the Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, 2014. 108p.

Source: Internet Research: Occasional Paper Series No. 7: Accessed April 20, 2018 at: https://www.osce.org/secretariat/126305?download=true

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Forced Labor

Shelf Number: 149872


Author: Christiaens, Eva

Title: Evaluating the BOUNCEUp Tool: Research findings and policy implications

Summary: The BOUNCE programme is an early prevention programme that aims to strengthen youngsters' personal resilience, self-awareness and social skills. The underlying assumption is that youngsters with higher personal resilience will be less susceptible for internalising and/or externalising conditions. BOUNCE consists of three interconnected tools: the BOUNCEYoung tool (a 10-session training for youngsters, targeted at strengthening their personal resilience), the BOUNCEAlong tool (an open training for parents, teachers and first-line workers, aimed at strengthening their awareness towards youngsters, prevention and resilience), and the BOUNCEUp tool (a train-the-trainer tool for first-line workers, teaching them how to work with the BOUNCEYoung and BOUNCEAlong tools). The current pilot project consisted of 10 BOUNCEUp trainings in European cities. It was subjected to an independent scientific evaluation with the aim of optimising its training approach and, more broadly, with the aim of finding promising practices of resilience trainings in general. This report provides a summary of the complete research process and the short-term results. Extensive data was collected through training observations, quantitative questionnaires and semi-structured interviews with participants as well as trainers. Thematic analysis was conducted to describe the theoretical assumptions of the BOUNCE programme, the training processes of BOUNCEUp and the short-term outcomes of the present pilot project. Whereas the BOUNCEUp training was highly appreciated by participants, practical implementation of the BOUNCE tools was low up to at least six months after the first training. As any social crime prevention, BOUNCE should be embedded into local prevention strategies. Moreover, durable implementation should include long-term evaluation of all BOUNCE actions. The present study has delivered a long-term BOUNCEUp evaluation tool, allowing cities to register their own actions with BOUNCE. Outcome data from this tool may inform future decisionmaking on social crime prevention in the city. The present study also provides in concrete recommendations for practitioners and policy-makers and for future research.

Details: Gent, Belgium: Ghent University, 2018. 95p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 28, 2018 at: https://www.bounce-resilience-tools.eu/sites/default/files/2018-03/2018_03_02_bounce_research_report_ec_eindversie_0.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: At-Risk Youth

Shelf Number: 149932


Author: Dehbi, Chadia

Title: Prevention of pickpocketing within the EU - policy and practices

Summary: The eleventh toolbox in the series published by the EUCPN Secretariat focuses on the main theme of the Maltese Presidency, which is 'Prevention of Pickpocketing'. The first part of the toolbox presents an overview of the existing policies and legislative measures on the international level, with a particular focus on the EU. In the second part, we zoom in on advice provided by experts in the field of pickpocketing and/or mobile organised crime groups. The third part focusses on the good and promising practices of which some were submitted by Member States in reply to the questionnaire sent out by the EUCPN Secretariat. Therefore, this toolbox will help the reader to understand what is happening at EU and national level in regards to pickpocketing and mobile organised crime groups. Additionally, this toolbox provides policymakers and practitioners with a pragmatic guide full of tips and tricks on how to start a successful pickpocketing prevention campaign or project. During the preparation of this toolbox, it became clear that there are two main tracks that deserve attention in order to come to a complete and effective prevention. The first track consists of a pickpocketing prevention campaign that is thoroughly prepared; it is important to think through the message. The second track is all about cooperation. Cooperation across borders, and cooperation across police and judicial entities. Without a consequent and effective policy against pickpocketing, a sense of impunity will prevail which strongly attracts mobile OCGs.

Details: Brussels: European Crime Prevention Network, 2017. 76p.

Source: Internet Resource: EUCPN Tool Box Series, No. 11: Accessed April 28, 2018 at: http://eucpn.org/sites/default/files/content/download/files/eucpn_toolbox_n11_-_par_page.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Crime Prevention

Shelf Number: 149933


Author: Colaes, Sinke

Title: Organised Crime Targeting Elderly People: A theoretical overview

Summary: This theoretical paper is published by the EUCPN Secretariat in connection with the theme of the Slovakian Presidency, which was organised crime targeting elderly people. The growing population of elderly in the EU can be seen for many criminals as an opportunity to create new markets. Therefore, firstly, this paper looks up close to the utility of crime prevention working with a specific target group. Secondly, there is an attempt to give a definition of the heterogeneous group of elderly. Additionally, it is important to provide an overview of crimes which can be used to target elderly victims. Not only an overview of the variation of crimes, also an overview of the modus operandi of the offenders, will be provided in order to give a helping hand to practitioners.

Details: Brussels: European Crime Prevention Network, 2017. 29p.

Source: Internet Resource: EUCPN Theoretical Paper Series: Accessed April 28, 2018 at: http://eucpn.org/sites/default/files/content/download/files/thematic_paper_elderly_people.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Elder Abuse

Shelf Number: 149950


Author: Schweppe, Jennifer

Title: Lifecycle of a Hate Crime: Comparative Report

Summary: The following work presents, in detail, the final report which analyses the findings of in-depth primary and secondary research conducted over two years tracing the Lifecycle of a Hate Crime in selected EU jurisdictions. The research was undertaken in five jurisdictions within the EU - the Czech Republic, England and Wales, Ireland, Latvia, and Sweden in which contrasting approaches to addressing hate crime are evident. This year marks the tenth anniversary of the adoption by the EU Council of the Framework Decision on Combating Certain Forms and Expressions of Racism and Xenophobia (2008/913/JHA). Article 4 of the Framework Decision provides that for offenses other than incitement to violence or hatred, "Member States shall take the necessary measures to ensure that racist and xenophobic motivation is considered an aggravating circumstance, or, alternatively that such motivation may be taken into consideration by the courts in the determination of the penalties". In some of the jurisdictions examined, the national legislative framework underpinning hate crime may be considered robust. In others, laws are more limited. Less clear is the practical application of these laws, of how and in what manner crimes with a hate or bias element come to be prosecuted, and whether and why they may be overlooked or downgraded to generic offenses. To provide greater understanding of the operational realities of the treatment of hate crime in the criminal justice process researchers gathered experiential accounts of these laws "in action" from criminal justice professionals including lawyers and judges. Research teams also sought to investigate and document both victims' and offenders' experiences of the criminal justice system in respect to hate crime. In doing so, the research aims to provide a more holistic understanding of the "lifecycle" of a hate crime, from reporting to prosecution to sentencing, in order to identify gaps and good practices in the application of laws. The findings set out here shed new light on measures to combat hate crime for a wide range of stakeholders, including police, policy makers, lawyers, judges, victim support services, and civil society organizations working with victims and offenders. This report presents a comparative analysis of the findings from the research in each of the five jurisdictions as set out in the jurisdictional reports for the Czech Republic, England and Wales, Ireland, Latvia and Sweden. In jurisdictions where this was deemed appropriate, reports were accompanied by the production of practical information for judges and prosecutors to guide and inform them on matters which should be considered in the prosecution and punishment of hate crime.

Details: Dublin: ICCL, 2018. 164p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 2, 2018 at: https://www.iccl.ie/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Life-Cycle-of-a-Hate-Crime-Comparative-Report-FINAL.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Bias-Motivated Crimes

Shelf Number: 149976


Author: European Crime Prevention Network

Title: Cybersecurity and Safety Policy and Best Practices

Summary: The 12th toolbox in the series published by the EUCPN Secretariat focuses on the main theme of the Estonian Presidency and the 2017 Best Practice Conference (BPC), which was Cyber Safety. This practical toolbox is to be read in tandem with the theoretical paper on this topic. First, the cybersecurity policy is situated between two driving forces: the economic and security forces. Creating trust in the digital market and protecting citizens from online harm are the main goals. Recently, the renewed EU policy on cyber-related issues is taking form. This first part presents an overview for policymakers and tries to guide the reader through the myriad of legislative proposals and policy documents. The second and third part focus on the good and promising practices which were submitted to compete in the 2017 European Crime Prevention Award (ECPA) and some additional projects that were sent to the Secretariat by the Member States. Being safe online is not a reflex for everyone and the projects that were gathered aim to achieve just that. We have a look at the orientation of the projects, which partners are present and some of the methods that were applied. These lessons learned provide practical information for the practitioners in their effort to prevent cybercrime and promote cyber safe behaviour.

Details: Brussels: EUCPN, 2018. 78p.

Source: Internet Resource: Toolbox 12: Accessed May 3, 2018 at: http://eucpn.org/sites/default/files/content/download/files/eucpn_toolbox_-_cybersecurity_and_safety_web_0.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Computer Crimes

Shelf Number: 150042


Author: Klima, Noel

Title: Local cooperation in youth crime prevention

Summary: Youth crime prevention often takes place on a local level. Preventive measures taken by only one partner are often too limited and have a high risk of failure. The past decennia, more and more initiatives have been taken including different partners to bundle forces to approach youth crime. The police often plays a role in these partnerships. The cooperation can focus on one or more levels of prevention (primary prevention, secondary prevention, tertiary prevention). Furthermore, the focus of the joint projects and actions can be the offender, the situation and/or the victim. Due to the fact that much cooperation takes place on the local level, the exchange of good practices and its evaluation with other localities and regions is still rather limited. There is a need to bring the existing knowledge together and inspire the exchange of experiences within Europe. The EUCPN plays a central role in facilitating this exchange. This toolbox combines academic research, good practices and expert knowledge gathered from several European countries, to support local policy makers and practitioners in the field. This toolbox aims to inform, support and inspire local practitioners and policy makers on actual knowledge in local cooperation in youth crime prevention. To reach this goal, this toolbox contains a variety of tools collected from different sources such as academic literature, existing good practices and expert opinions from different EU Member States to bundle the knowledge and present it to local practitioners and policy makers. It is an easyto-read document, providing an introduction to the topic of local cooperation in youth crime prevention.

Details: Brussels: EUCPN, 2012. 102p.

Source: Internet Resource: Toolbox 1: Accessed May 3, 2018 at: http://eucpn.org/sites/default/files/content/download/files/toolbox1_localcooperationinyouthcrimeprevention_1.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: At-risk Youth

Shelf Number: 150049


Author: Wijckmans, Belinda

Title: Evaluation of crime prevention initiatives: the principles of evaluation

Summary: One of the main goals of the EUCPN is to support crime prevention activities at the national and the local level. There are numerous examples of well thought of and inspiring local programmes and projects set up to prevent crime and improve the quality of life within certain neighbourhoods. In order to determine whether such a programme is effectively implemented and reaches its goals, evaluation should be an essential part of the programme planning. In reality, however, the practice of evaluating crime prevention initiatives is often lacking or shows deficiencies in its method and quality. Such shortcomings do not stem from the reluctance or incompetence of programme managers but rather are a result of many small or large barriers with which they are often faced in day-to-day practice. This toolbox is developed to assist persons engaged in evaluation who have limited resources (human, financial, material), who often lack the internal expertise to conduct a robust evaluation or who have limited access to information and external support. It aims to give the reader more insight into the evaluation of crime prevention initiatives and to provide a minimum standard of knowledge and skills to those who are (about to be) involved in programme evaluation of small scale community-based crime prevention initiatives. Toolbox elements Like the first two EUCPN toolboxes on Local cooperation in youth crime prevention and Community (oriented) policing , the theme is approached from different perspectives and through various methods, bundling as much information and knowledge as possible in an easy-to-read document for local practitioners and policy-makers. Thematic paper the first part of this toolbox gives a general introduction to the principles of evaluation based on existing academic literature. Although this part of the toolbox is aiming at providing a broader background, it is closely linked to the second part of the toolbox, the practical guidelines, following the same structure, going more in-depth on certain issues, etc. Therefore, it is recommended to read the thematic paper in conjunction with the guidelines. Practical guidelines during the course of the Irish Presidency, two workshops were organised which brought together policy makers and practitioners, as well as academic experts on the theme. This more practical part of the toolbox was based on the discussions, suggestions and recommendations pronounced during these two workshops. It contains a range of practical steps, tips, examples and worksheets that can be used when planning, doing and using an evaluation. Examples from practice in the third and final part of the toolbox, an overview of concrete examples is given which are drawn from the practice of evaluation itself. In addition to these examples of evaluations, a list of existing manuals and guidelines is also provided. Many of these existing manuals were drawn on during the development of this toolbox and may provide a useful source of information and inspiration for readers.

Details: Brussels: European Network for Crime Prevention, 2013. 82p.

Source: Internet Resource: EUCPN Toolbox Series, no. 3: Accessed May 3, 2018 at: https://eucpn.f2w.fedict.be/sites/default/files/content/download/files/eucpn_toolbox_3_-_evaluation_of_crime_prevention_initiativeswebversion_final_1.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Community-Based Programs

Shelf Number: 150043


Author: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA)

Title: Preventing fatal overdoses: asystematic review of the effectiveness of take-home naloxone

Summary: Drug overdose is one of the major causes of death among young people in Europe. Naloxone is an effective antidote that can reverse opioid (including synthetic opioid) intoxication. As overdoses quite often occur in the presence of peers or family members, programmes that enable bystanders to provide first aid and administer naloxone before an ambulance arrives can save lives. We conducted a systematic review of the available studies on take-home naloxone to reverse opioid overdose and included 21 studies for analysis (with various study designs). There is evidence from one interrupted time-series study, involving 2912 opioid users at risk of overdose in 19 communities followed up for seven years, that educational and training interventions complemented by take-home naloxone decrease overdose-related mortality. There is weaker, but consistent, evidence that similar interventions for opioid-dependent patients and their peers effectively improve knowledge while forming positive attitudes to the correct use of naloxone and the management of witnessed overdoses.

Details: Luxembourg: EMCDDA Papers, Publications Office of the European Union, 2015. 37p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 7, 2018 at: http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/system/files/publications/932/TDAU14009ENN.web_.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction

Shelf Number: 150095


Author: Posch, Krisztian

Title: Compliance with the law for traditional and grey crimes: A seven-country comparison

Summary: Drawing upon data from a representative sample survey in seven European countries the paper builds upon procedural justice theory in three ways. First, a distinction is made between traditional and grey crimes, which (a)differ in their frequency and perceived morality and (b)are related in different ways to perceived risk of sanction and perceived legitimacy. Second, a comprehensive definition of legitimacy is employed that differentiates between (i)police and law and (ii)right to rule and entitlement to be obeyed judgements. Third, the concept of bounded authority is added to the framework. The findings indicate qualified support for the normative model of crime control, but only with respect to grey crimes. Furthermore, including bounded authority enhances the explanatory power of appropriate police behaviour.

Details: London: London School of Economics, 2018 43p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 17, 2018 at: https://osf.io/ajvw3/

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Police Behaviour

Shelf Number: 150247


Author: Europol

Title: Two Years of EMSC: Activity Report Jan. 2017 - Jan. 2018

Summary: Ruthless and violent criminals are increasingly providing smuggling services to irregular migrants to evade border controls, migration regulations and visa requirements. Most irregular migrants resort to the assistance of profit-seeking smugglers. With improved border controls, migrants are deterred from attempting to illegally cross borders by themselves and are diverted into the hands of smugglers who put migrants' lives at serious risk and therefore pose a security challenge to the internal security of the European Union (EU). A pan-European response to efficiently disrupt migrant smuggling activities is still needed and the European Migrant Smuggling Centre (ESMC) is leading it by strongly supporting EU Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs). Migrant smuggling continues to represent a highly-profitable business in which criminal syndicates enjoy low risk of detection and punishment. The business model of criminals involved in migrant smuggling is continuously evolving and responding to the dynamics and the needs of the migratory flows impacting the EU. Migrant smugglers are becoming more and more organised, establishing sophisticated professional networks, operating transnationally from source towards destination countries. According to the vast amount of data and information reported to the EMSC in recent months, targeting migrant smuggling therefore persists as one of the most relevant priorities. These factors highlight the need to continue developing comprehensive and coordinated responses across and between affected continents to efficiently combat migrant smuggling. Adaptable, innovative and agile support to EU Member States in the fight against this serious crime is required in order to face new challenges and that is where the EMSC is investing its efforts and allocating resources. The results of this report are the outcome of the cooperation between Europol, EU and non-EU law enforcement partners.

Details: The Hague: European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation 2018. 28p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 17, 2018 at: https://www.europol.europa.eu/publications-documents/two-years-of-emsc

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Human Smuggling

Shelf Number: 150248


Author: Childnet

Title: Young people's experiences of online sexual harassment. Project deSHAME

Summary: For most young people the internet plays an essential role in their friendships and relationships, providing positive opportunities for communication, connection and self-expression. However, for many young people, online sexual harassment is embedded in their digital lives and to some extent normalised and expected. It emerges as part of the wider dynamic of their peer group and intimate relationships. In this report, online sexual harassment is defined as unwanted sexual conduct on any digital platform and it is recognised as a form of sexual violence. Online sexual harassment encompasses a wide range of behaviours that use digital content (images, videos, posts, messages, pages) on a variety of different platforms (private or public). It can make a person feel threatened, exploited, coerced, humiliated, upset, sexualised or discriminated against. This report specifically focuses on peer-topeer online sexual harassment taking place between young people. Such harassment takes place in a gendered context, with girls being more likely to be targeted than boys - particularly for some forms of online sexual harassment - and these incidents often resulting in more negative outcomes for girls. In this report online sexual harassment has been categorised in four main types. These different behaviours are often experienced simultaneously and can overlap with offline experiences of sexual harassment. Non-consensual sharing of intimate images and videos: A person's sexual images and videos being shared without their consent or taken without their consent. Exploitation, coercion and threats: A person receiving sexual threats, being coerced to participate in sexual behaviour online, or blackmailed with sexual content. Sexualised bullying: A person being targeted by, and systematically excluded from, a group or community with the use of sexual content that humiliates, upsets or discriminates against them. Unwanted sexualisation: A person receiving unwelcome sexual requests, comments and content. The findings of the survey, focus groups and case study analysis demonstrate the prevalence of these forms of online sexual harassment and the short and long term impact on mental health and well-being they can have on young people. The research provides an indication that the experience and impact of online sexual harassment is unique to the individual and dependent on numerous intersecting factors, including actual or perceived gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religion, special educational need or disability. The report also highlights both the similarities and differences in the experiences of young people in Denmark, Hungary and the UK.

Details: s.l.: Project deSHAME , 2017. 84p.

Source: Internet Resource: accessed May 18, 2018 at: http://www.childnet.com/ufiles/Project_deSHAME_Dec_2017_Report.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Computer Crimes

Shelf Number: 150268


Author: PICUM, the Platform for International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants

Title: Untold Stories: immigration Detention and Deportation

Summary: In recent years, European migration policy area has undergone a significant shift in political narrative and priorities. The presence of undocumented migrants has been perceived as an innate risk to Europe's common asylum system, the security of Europe's citizens, and even the stability of the European Union itself. Decision makers have been spurred on to appear tough on migration, and have responded by fixing an objective of increasing deportations and stopping certain migratory movements. Seen as a benchmark of success in migration management, the focus on fast-track deportations may lead to a weakening of procedural safeguards, increasing the likelihood of human rights violations and abuse. As a network of civil society organizations working directly with undocumented migrants, PICUM members are confronted daily with individual cases of migrants who are detained and deported from the EU. Through the stories and testimonies that migrants have conveyed about their individual experiences of detention and deportation - which by no means are an exhaustive overview of the situation - six major areas of concern have emerged. Issues around the futility and extreme harmfulness of immigration detention have come strongly to the fore, especially in cases in which children and families are detained. Immigration detention of children is still a reality in Europe, despite the fact that the Committee on the Rights of the Child and other UN experts4 have held that states cannot justify detaining migrant children under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), which has been ratified by all EU member states. The consequences of auctioning off migration management tasks to third countries that systematically abuse and harm migrants on their territories are also highlighted. These stories depict cases of extreme violence, torture, humiliation and abuse of power in the deportation process, as well as the more subtle but equally devastating act of separating families through detention and deportation. Asylum seekers and other migrants who are returned to countries that are labelled as "safe" can face disastrous consequences when they are deported. A complete disregard for the risks of deporting people to unsafe situations coupled with the lack of monitoring and accountability mechanisms for governments who deport them are among the key concerns that have emerged through this collection of stories. This booklet sets out each of these areas of concern, and presents them in a succinct way to contextualize them within on-going policy debates. It is intended that the stories can illustrate how certain policy initiatives, existing laws and their implementation (or lack thereof) are responsible for creating conditions which may lead to violations of human rights, suffering and injustice.

Details: Brussels: PICUM, 2017. 36p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 25, 2018 at: http://picum.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Deportation_Stories_EN.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Immigrant Deportation

Shelf Number: 150371


Author: Sutherland, Alex

Title: Using Ambulance Data for Violence Prevention: Technical Report

Summary: In spring 2015, the West Midlands Police received a Police Innovation Fund grant to undertake a 'proof of concept' evaluation of the utility of using ambulance data for violence prevention activities, to be conducted by RAND Europe. Similar to Emergency Department data utilised in the 'Cardiff Model' approach to violence prevention, ambulance data is thought to offer a new source of intelligence data for police and community safety/violence prevention partnerships. Such data may be able to help identify unknown patterns of violence, and from this contribute to solutions to prevent and/or reduce violence. This study investigates whether this data adds potential value for injury surveillance. That is, does it bring new information over and above that already available? Within that, there is an assessment of data quality in terms of completeness and, for example, the extent that the data sources overlap. Secondly, it scopes whether and if so, how, these data could be applied to violence prevention activities. Key Findings The study found that ambulance records contain substantial new information on violence, with between 66%-90% of ambulance incidents not found in police data. Therefore, police are not aware of the location of a substantial proportion of violent incidents. The volume of ambulance call-outs for public violence, averaging 16 per day in the West Midlands, means that ambulance data can offer high volume data that is not typically recorded by the police or ED. Because ambulance data is collected automatically and includes location data for each call, this data does not require substantial additional work to be collated and shared. This means that should ambulance data prove effective in reducing crime, it is easily scalable.

Details: Santa Monica, CA: Cambridge, UK: RAND Europe, 2017. 80p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 25, 2018 at: https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR2216.html

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Emergency Calls, Ambulances

Shelf Number: 150373


Author: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA)

Title: Drug-related homicide in Europe: a first review of the data and literature

Summary: Drugs can act as facilitators for all types of violence, including drug-related homicide (DRH). Addressing this phenomenon is of importance not only given the severity of a homicide event and its high costs to society, but also because DRH has the potential to act as a valuable indicator of wider drug-related violent crime. Comparing DRH levels between countries can be a valuable tool for identifying trends and new threats. As part of its programme for developing and improving drug supply indicators, the EMCDDA has been expanding its monitoring to include measures of wider drug-related crime, including DRH. However, there appears to be a significant gap in the available European data on DRH. This Paper aims to identify relevant European data sources on DRH, to assess the role of drugs in national homicide data, and to assess these sources and data in terms of monitoring potential. A critical review was conducted of existing national and international homicide data sources. Data on DRH is systematically prepared in the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Slovakia, Sweden and the United Kingdom (England, Wales, and Scotland). Available data suggests both between- and within-country variability in relation to the role of drugs in homicide events. Based on these findings, four key obstacles can be identified in terms of the current ability to monitor DRH: missing data, fragmented data, comparability issues and data quality reservations. To overcome these obstacles there is a need to define and operationalise concepts, based on common definitions and integrate them into the EMCDDA monitoring system.

Details: Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2018. 53p.

Source: Internet Resource: EMCDDA Papers: Accessed May 30, 2018 at: http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/system/files/publications/8838/20182100_TDAU18001ENN_PDF.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug-Related Violence

Shelf Number: 150377


Author: Bard, Petra

Title: The Effect of Brexit on European Arrest Warrants

Summary: Apropos of a preliminary reference sent by the Supreme Court of Ireland to the Court of Justice of the European Union on 12 March 2018, this Policy Insight addresses the question of whether surrenders of suspects and convicts to the UK under the European arrest warrant regime would be affected by Brexit. Should an EU citizen, who is suspected of a crime or has been sentenced for committing one, be surrendered to and sentenced in the UK, he or she would highly likely be detained beyond Brexit, which is to take place in March 2019. Therefore, the rights that a suspect or convict might enjoy as an EU citizen will no longer be justiciable as matters of European law. This might set a bar against future surrenders to the UK. On 11 February 2018, however, the UK prime minister insisted that the UK wants to remain part of the European extradition regime, irrespective of Brexit. At the same time, the UK does not wish to follow any of the models of EU and third-country cooperation in criminal justice, but wants to have new, dynamic arrangements designed, and has a long list of demands. This paper argues that during the negotiations the EU should insist on values shared between the EU and the member states - such as justiciable fundamental rights and the rule of law, with special regard for judicial independence - which are the foundations of mutual trust and mutual recognition, principles that form a cornerstone of EU criminal justice. The paper attempts to reconcile the seemingly contradictory (sometimes self-contradictory) demands of the UK and the EU when laying down the details of their special relationship in the area of criminal cooperation.

Details: Brussels: Centre for European Policy Studies, 2018. 16p.

Source: Internet Resource: CEPS Papers in Liberty and Security in Europe : No. 2018-02: Accessed June 3, 2018 at: https://www.ceps.eu/system/files/PBard%20Brexit%20effect%20on%20EAW.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Arrest Warrants

Shelf Number: 150450


Author: European Court of Auditors

Title: Tackling radicalisation that leads to terrorism: the Commission addressed the needs of Member States, but with some shortfalls in coordination and evaluation

Summary: I. European Union (EU) Member States are responsible for national security, including the fight against terrorism. They are in charge of designing and implementing measures at national level that aim to tackle radicalisation, i.e. the phenomenon of people embracing extremist ideologies and behaviours which could lead them to commit acts of terrorism. As radicalisation is caused by several factors, a wide range of preventive actions are generally deployed to address the problem. The Commission's role is to support Member States in their efforts and help to ensure that good practices are exchanged. To do so, the Commission draws on an increasingly wide range of EU funds. II. Our audit examined whether the Commission manages this cross-cutting support well. In particular, we assessed whether: the Commission provides Member States with relevant support; the actions financed by the different EU funds are coordinated to make the most of any synergies; the Commission has put in place a framework to assess the effectiveness and value for money of its support. III. Overall, we found that the Commission addressed the needs of Member States, but there were some shortfalls in coordination and evaluation. IV. The Commission promoted cooperation between Member States through relevant initiatives such as the Radicalisation Awareness Network (RAN), the EU Internet Forum and the European Strategic Communications Network. V. The Commission coordinated its cross-cutting support, for example, by means of consultation between directorates-general when approving work programmes. This has resulted in synergies between its actions. However, despite recent improvements, there is still scope to improve the coordination of Commission actions. For example, the Commission's overview of EU-funded actions in this area does not include those managed by Member States, which would be useful to make the most of potential synergies. We also found that the RAN, one of the Commission's main initiatives, was not used to its full potential to disseminate the results of successful EU-funded projects. VI. The Commission has not sufficiently developed its framework for assessing whether its support is effective and offers value for money. For example, it has not broken down the overall policy objectives into more specific and measurable objectives, and the funds that the Commission has used are not accompanied by indicators and targets designed to measure success in addressing radicalisation. VII. Moreover, the achievements of specific actions are often measured in terms of amount of activity rather than effectiveness. As a result, there is a risk that useful lessons might not be disseminated or taken into account when the Commission designs actions or develops its policy further. VIII. On the basis of its findings, the ECA recommends that the Commission should: improve the framework for overall coordination of actions addressing radicalisation; increase practical support to practitioners and policymakers in Member States; and improve the framework for assessing results.

Details: Luxembourg City, Luxembourg: European Court of Auditors, 2018. 53p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 15, 2018 at: https://www.eca.europa.eu/Lists/ECADocuments/SR18_13/SR_RADICALISATION_EN.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Counter-Terrorism

Shelf Number: 150558


Author: Sgueo, Gianluca

Title: The institutional architecture of EU anti-fraud measures: overview of a network

Summary: In the European Union, several institutions, agencies and other bodies (collectively referred to as 'EU authorities') are concerned with preventing and combating fraud related to the EU budget. These EU authorities, and the activities they carry out - including policy-making, monitoring and operational tasks - make up a multi-layered network in which Member States and international organisations are also included. At the domestic level, national authorities contribute by detecting, prosecuting and reporting fraudulent behaviour in the use of European Union funds to the European Commission. At the same time, a number of international organisations coordinate efforts across countries and legal systems to combat fraud. The present analysis offers an overview of this network, with a focus on the European Union institutional framework.

Details: Brussels: European Union, 2018. 32p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 19, 2018 at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/IDAN/2018/623545/EPRS_IDA(2018)623545_EN.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Corruption

Shelf Number: 150579


Author: European Police Office - EUROPOL

Title: TE-SAT 2017: Terrorism Situation and Trend Report

Summary: In 2016 a total of 142 failed, foiled and completed attacks were reported by eight Member States. More than half (76) of them were by the UK2. France reported 23 attacks, Italy 17, Spain 10, Greece 6, Germany 5, Belgium 4 and Netherlands 1. Of the 142 attacks, less than half (47) were completed. Member States reported that 142 victims died as a result of terrorist attacks and 379 people were injured. Nearly all reported fatalities and most of the casualties were the result of jihadist terrorist attacks. The total number of 142 attacks is a continuation of a downward trend that started in 2014 when there were 226 attacks, followed by 211 in 2015. The largest number of attacks in which the terrorist affiliation could be identified were carried out by ethno-nationalist and separatist extremists (99). Attacks carried out by left-wing violent extremists have been on the rise since 2014; they reached a total of 27 in 2016, of which most (16) were reported by Italy. The number of jihadist terrorist attacks decreased from 17 in 2015 to 13 in 2016, of which 6 were linked to the so-called Islamic State (IS). However, a precise ranking amongst and within terrorist affiliations across the EU cannot be established because the UK does not provide disaggregated data on attacks. Explosives were used in 40% of the attacks, with similar numbers to 2015. The use of firearms dropped considerably from 57 in 2015 to 6 in 2016. Apart from jihadist, ethno-nationalist and left-wing extremist attacks, an increasing stream of violent assaults by right-wing extremist individuals and groups was noted across Europe, in particular over the past two years, targeting asylum seekers and ethnic minorities in general4. These assaults however do not generally qualify as terrorism5 and are therefore not included in the numbers of terrorist attacks being reported by Member States, with only one exception in 2016, reported by the Netherlands. The number of arrests for terrorist offences in 2016 (1002) is lower than that of 2015 (1077). Most arrests were related to jihadist terrorism, for which the numbers rose for the third consecutive year: 395 in 2014, 687 in 2015 and 718 in 2016. Numbers of arrests for left-wing and separatist terrorist offences dropped to half of what they were in 2015 (from 67 and 168 in 2015 to 31 and 84 in 2016 respectively). Numbers of arrests for rightwing terrorism remained low at 12 in 2016 compared to 11 in 2015. France is the only Member State in which the overall numbers of arrests continue to increase: from 238 in 2014, to 424 in 2015 and to 456 in 2016. Almost one-third of arrestees (291) were 25 years old or younger. Only one in ten arrestees (9%) in 2016 was older than 40 years. Arrests for terrorist activities (preparing, financing, assisting, attempting or executing attacks) decreased from 209 in 2015 to 169 in 2016. Arrests for travelling to conflict zones for terrorist purposes also decreased: from 141 in 2015 to 77 in 2016. This was similar to the decrease in numbers of arrests of people returning from the conflict zones in Syria and Iraq: from 41 in 2015 to 22 in 2016.

Details: The Hague: EUROPOL, 2017. 62p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 20, 2018 at: https://www.europol.europa.eu/activities-services/main-reports/eu-terrorism-situation-and-trend-report-te-sat-2017

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Extremist Groups

Shelf Number: 150609


Author: European Police Office - EUROPOL

Title: TE-SAT 2018: Terrorism Situation and Trend Report

Summary: his 2018 edition of the annual TE-SAT provides an overview of the nature and volume of terrorism that the EU faced in 2017. Although the majority of Member States reported that they did not experience any terrorist attacks during the reporting period, the human suffering and the threat of attacks remains high. In this report you will not only find information about how many terrorist attacks took place in 2017, but also the number of arrests and convictions for terrorist crimes. A brief overview of the terrorist situation outside the EU is also included. In 2017 European countries were again hit by terrorist attacks and there were many innocent victims of this indiscriminate violence. It therefore goes without saying that combatting terrorism remains a top priority for Europol. To fight terrorism, it is essential to have optimal information exchange and accurate data. That is why the EU Terrorism Situation and Trend Report (TE-SAT) was created in 2007 so that the European Parliament and all national governments and police forces have an overview of the European situation on an annual basis. Since the first report, which gave an overview of the situation in 2006, many things have changed. Although it already appeared that the internet played an important role in the radicalisation of some perpetrators, and terrorists showed a preference for improvised explosive devices, the terrorist landscape has further diversified and the threat has increased.

Details: The Hague: INTERPOL, 2018. 70p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 20, 2018 at: https://www.europol.europa.eu/activities-services/main-reports/european-union-terrorism-situation-and-trend-report-2018-tesat-2018

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Extremist Groups

Shelf Number: 150610


Author: European Parliament. Directorate-General for Internal Policies. Policy Department C Citizens' Rights and Constitutional Affairs

Title: The vulnerability to exploitation of women migrant workers in agriculture in the EU: the need for a Human Rights and Gender based approach

Summary: This study, commissioned by the European Parliament's Policy Department for Citizens' Rights and Constitutional Affairs at the request of the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality, explores the working conditions of migrant women in agriculture in the EU, focusing on some case studies in Italy and Spain. In particular, it aims to examine the factors that render women vulnerable to exploitation, paying attention to gendered dynamics and power relations. The study contends that to prevent and combat exploitation in agriculture it is necessary to implement concerted actions aimed at tackling, from a human rights and gender perspective, the structural factors of a socio-economic system which fosters and relies on workers' vulnerability.

Details: Brussels: EU Parliament, 2018. 84p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 21, 2018 at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2018/604966/IPOL_STU(2018)604966_EN.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Agricultural Industry

Shelf Number: 150626


Author: Ballegooij, Wouter van

Title: The fight against terrorism: Cost of Non-Europe Report

Summary: Significant benefits could be achieved by the EU and its Member States by addressing the gaps and barriers in the area of the fight against terrorism, notably by developing an evidence-based EU criminal policy cycle involving the European Parliament and national parliaments. In this context, EU institutions should conduct comprehensive ex-ante assessments and ex-post evaluations of counterterrorism measures, in line with better law-making principles. The effectiveness and fundamental rights compliance of counter-radicalisation programmes should continue to be monitored. The framework for countering terrorism requires further refinement. A European law enforcement culture with full respect for fundamental rights needs to be fostered in which relevant information is shared and analysed, judicial cooperation tools are properly utilised and seeking the support of EU agencies becomes a natural reflex. This also requires the allocation of significant resources aimed at training and exchanges. Beyond resulting in more relevant, coherent, effective and efficient action in the fight against terrorism, such measures could increase the well-being of the population, reduce the material and immaterial impacts of terrorism, and ensure protection of fundamental rights when impacted by counterterrorism measures.

Details: Brussels: European Parliamentary Research Service, 2018. 218.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 22, 2018 at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2018/621817/EPRS_STU(2018)621817_EN.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Counter-Terrorism

Shelf Number: 150631


Author: Akkerman, Mark

Title: Expanding the Fortress: The policies, the profiteers and the people shaped by EU's border externalisation programme

Summary: The plight of the world's 66 million forcibly displaced persons tends to only trouble the European Union's conscience when the media spotlight turns on a tragedy at Europe's borders or when displacment is perceived to be en route to Europe. Only one European nation - Germany - is even in the top ten countries worldwide that receive refugees leaving the vast majority of forcibly displaced persons hosted by some of the world's poorest nations. The invisibility therefore is only broken when border communities such as Calais, Lampedusa, Lesvos become featured in the news as desperate people fleeing violence end up dead, detained or trapped. These tragedies aren't just unfortunate results of war or conflict elsewhere, they are also the direct result of Europe's policies on migration since the Schengen agreement in 1985. This approach has focused on fortifying borders, developing ever more sophisticated surveillance and tracking of people, and increasing deportations while providing ever fewer legal options for residency despite ever greater need. This has led many forcibly displaced persons unable to enter Europe legally and forced into ever more dangerous routes to escape violence and conflict. What is less well-known is that the same European-made tragedy plays out well beyond our borders in countries as far away as Senegal and Azerbaijan. This is due to another pillar of Europe's approach to migration, known as border externalisation. Since 1992 and even more aggressively since 2005, the EU has developed a policy of externalising Europe's border so that forcibly displaced people never get to Europe's borders in the first place. These policies involve agreements with Europe's neighbouring countries to accept deported persons and adopt the same policies of border control, improved tracking of people and fortified borders as Europe. In other words, these agreements have turned Europe's neighbours into Europe's new border guards. And because they are so far from Europe's shores and media, the impacts are almost completely invisible to EU citizens. This report seeks to shine a spotlight on the policies that underpin this externalisation of Europe's borders, the agreements that have been signed, the corporations and entities that profit, and the consequences for forcibly displaced people as well as the countries and populations that host them. It is the third in a series, Border Wars, that have examined Europe's border policies and shown how the arms and security industry has helped shape European border security policies and have then reaped the rewards for ever more border security measures and contracts. This report shows a significant growth in border externalisation measures and agreements since 2005 and a massive acceleration since the November 2015 Valletta Europe - Africa Summit. Using a plethora of new instruments, in particular the EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa (EUTF), the Migration Partnership Framework and the Refugee Facility for Turkey, the European Union and individual member states are now providing millions of euros for an array of projects to stop migration of certain people from taking place on or across European territory. This includes collaboration with third countries in terms of accepting deported persons, training of their police and border officials, the development of extensive biometric systems, and donations of equipment including helicopters, patrol ships and vehicles, surveillance and monitoring equipment. While many projects are done through the European Commission, a number of individual member states, such as Spain, Italy and Germany also take a lead in funding and training through bilateral agreements with non-EU-countries. What makes this collaboration in the context of border externalisation particularly problematic is that many of the governments receiving the support are deeply authoritarian, and the support they are receiving is often going to precisely the state security organs most responsible for repression and abuses of human rights. The European Union in all its policies has a fine rhetoric on the importance of human rights, democracy and rule of law, but there seems to be no limits to the EU's willingness to embrace dictatorial regimes as long as they commit to preventing 'irregular migration' reaching Europe's shores. As a result there have been EU agreements and funding provided to regimes as infamous as Chad, Niger, Belarus, Libya and Sudan. These policies therefore have far-reaching consequences for forcibly displaced persons, whose 'illegal' status already makes them vulnerable and more likely to face human rights abuses. Many end up in either exploitative working conditions, detention and/or get deported back to the countries they have fled from. Women refugees in particular face high risks of gender-based violence, sexual assault and exploitation. Violence and repression against forcibly displaced persons also pushes migration underground, reconfigures the business of smuggling and reinforces the power of criminal smuggling networks. As a result, many persons have been forced to look for other, often more dangerous routes and to rely on ever more unscrupulous traffickers. This leads to an even higher death toll. Moreover the strengthening of state security organs throughout the MENA, Maghreb, Sahel and Horn of Africa regions also threatens the human rights and democratic accountability of the region, particularly as it also diverts much needed resources from economic and social spending. Indeed, this report shows that Europe's obsession with preventing migrants is not only diverting resources, it is also distorting Europe's trade, aid and international relationships with the entire region. As many experts have pointed out, this is laying the ground for further instability and insecurity in the region and the likelihood of greater refugees in the future. There is however one group that have benefited greatly from the EU's border externalisation programmes. As the earlier Border Wars reports showed, it is the European military and security industry that have derived the most benefit for delivering much of the equipment and services for border security. They are accompanied by a number of intergovernmental and (semi-)public institutions that have grown significantly in recent years as they implement dozens of projects on border security and control in non-EU-countries.

Details: Amsterdam: Transnational Institute (TNI), 2018. 112p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 30, 2018 at: https://www.tni.org/files/publication-downloads/expanding_the_fortress_-_1.6_may_11.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Border Control

Shelf Number: 150748


Author: Article 19

Title: Self-regulation and 'hate speech' on social media platforms

Summary: In this brief, ARTICLE 19 seeks to contribute to discussions on greater regulation of social media platforms, including calls for such platforms to be considered publishers. We do so by exploring a possible model for the independent and effective self-regulation of social media platforms. ARTICLE 19 recognises that dominant social media companies hold considerable power over the flow of information and ideas online, given the vast quantities of content published on their platforms. The way in which social media companies have dealt with content issues on their platforms, especially around 'hate speech', has been of particular concern to many stakeholders. Under international standards on freedom of expression, however, it is a fairly complex task to decide whether a specific message can be identified as unlawful 'hate speech', and, as such, whether it should or could legitimately be prohibited. More generally, any restriction on freedom of expression, whatever the objective it seeks to achieve, necessarily raises a series of legal questions. Traditionally, international freedom of expression standards allow for different types of media regulation, based on the type of media. A model of self-regulation has been the preferred approach to print media. It is considered the least restrictive means available by which the press can be effectively regulated, and the best system for promoting ethical standards in the media. Importantly, the existence of an effective self-regulation mechanism can also reduce pressure on the courts and the judiciary. Generally, when a problem is effectively managed through self-regulation, the need for state regulation is eliminated. A number of recent legislative initiatives on 'hate speech', including most prominently the 2017 German NetzDG law on social media, make reference to some forms of self-regulation. Voluntary mechanisms between digital companies and various public bodies addressing 'hate speech' and other issues, such as the EU Code of Conduct on hate speech, also make reference to self-regulatory models. However, our analysis of these mechanisms demonstrates that they fail to comply with the requirements of international human rights law. They rely on vague and overbroad terms to identify unlawful content, they delegate censorship responsibilities to social media companies with no real consideration of the lawfulness of content, and they fail to provide due process guarantees. ARTICLE 19 therefore suggests exploring a new model of effective self-regulation for social media. This model could take the form of a dedicated "social media council" - inspired by the effective self-regulation models created to support and promote journalistic ethics and high standards in print media. We believe that effective selfregulation could offer an appropriate framework through which to address the current problems with content moderation by social media companies, including 'hate speech' on their platforms, providing it also meets certain conditions of independence, openness to civil society participation, accountability and effectiveness. Such a model could also allow for adoption of tailored remedies without the threat of heavy legal sanctions. In this brief we explore the issues that would need to be taken into account when considering such a mechanism, in greater detail. The brief also reinforces ARTICLE 19 recommendations on freedom of expression-compliant approaches to intermediary liability models. In the first section, ARTICLE 19 outlines relevant international standards in this area. In the second section, we look at existing models of media regulation and in particular, models of self-regulation. In order to respond to calls of whether social media companies can be considered publishers, we also explore the role played by social media platforms as compared to traditional or legacy media. We then briefly examine the current problems related to how social media companies deal with content on their platforms. Finally, we provide some suggestions as to what a new model for effective self-regulation of social media companies could look like. This model could be applied to 'hate speech' appearing on social media platforms, but could also provide an appropriate forum to elaborate ethical standards for social media platforms in general, provide remedies, and identify ways to enable exercise of the right to freedom of expression on social media platforms. ARTICLE 19 acknowledges that the realisation of this self-regulation model may raise practical challenges and problems. However, we believe that these problems, albeit complex, should be further debated and explored. In today's digital societies, there is a pressing social need to establish appropriate forums of this kind. We believe it is important to collectively engage more broadly on these issues, which are of major importance to the protection of the right to freedom of expression and human rights in digital environments.

Details: London: Article 19, 2018. 32p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 9,. 2018 at: http://europeanjournalists.org/mediaagainsthate/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Self-regulation-and-%E2%80%98hate-speech%E2%80%99-on-social-media-platforms_final_digital.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Bias-Motivated Crimes

Shelf Number: 150790


Author: Article 19

Title: Responding to 'hate speech': Comparative overview of six EU countries

Summary: This report provides a comparative overview of legal and policy responses to 'hate speech' in six EU countries: Austria, Italy, Germany, Hungary, Poland and the United Kingdom. The report finds hate speech to be a significant problem across all countries. Despite some examples of good practice, legal and regulatory frameworks in these countries are failing to adequately address these problems. 'Hate speech' is not a new problem within the European Union; however, it is of growing concern. Over the past two decades, 'hate speech' incidents, motivated on various grounds, have increased in many European countries. This is often accompanied by an increase in the number of hate crimes being recorded. This trend appears to have been driven by the long-standing global economic crisis, and an increase in migrants and refugees arriving in Europe. A tense political discourse surrounding the role of the EU in responding to this, and 'Eurosceptic' rhetoric has also played a role. 'Hate speech' is reflected in the media, online and in political discourse, including sometimes in statements made by politicians and public officials. In many cases, the rise in prejudice and intolerance can be directly linked to a government's own policies and communication strategies. International human rights law requires states to jointly protect and promote the rights to freedom of expression and the right to equality: one right cannot be prioritised over another, and any tensions between them must be resolved within the boundaries of international human rights law. As established below, states are required to prohibit particularly severe forms of 'hate speech', which in exceptional circumstances can be done through criminal law. They are also obliged to create an enabling environment for the exercise of the rights to freedom of expression and equality, and to enact a range of positive measures for the protection of these rights. This report finds widespread deficiencies across the six countries' national frameworks on 'hate speech' in terms of compatibility with applicable international freedom of expression standards, as well as inconsistencies in implementation of the available legislation. In ARTICLE 19's view, these deficiencies render the legal framework open to political abuse, including against precisely those minority groups that laws should protect. Moreover, the six countries are failing to provide effective remedies to victims of 'hate speech', with their legal and policy frameworks insufficient to enable effective resolution of inter-communal tensions or poor social cohesion. This report includes recommendations to EU Member States for how to ensure better protection of both the right to freedom of expression and the right to equality. In March and April 2018, ARTICLE 19 will release individual country reports, providing an in-depth analysis of their legal and regulatory responses to hate speech. We have also produced an overview of best practice in responding to 'hate speech'. This research was carried out as part of "Media Against Hate", a Europe-wide campaign initiated by the European Federation of Journalists and a coalition of civil society organisations, including the Media Diversity Institute, ARTICLE 19, the Croatian Journalists Association, Community Media Forum Europe, Community Medien Institut and Cooperazione per lo Sviluppo dei Paesi Emergenti.

Details: London: Article 19, 2018. 48p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 9, 2018 at: http://europeanjournalists.org/mediaagainsthate/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Final-compilation-off-regional-research-digital.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Bias-Motivated Crimes

Shelf Number: 150791


Author: Widfeldt, Anders

Title: The Growth of the Radical Right in Nordic Countries: Observations from the Past 20 Years

Summary: Although recent elections across Europe have drawn much attention to the radical right, such parties are hardly new in most Nordic countries. Denmark, Finland, and Norway have radical-right parties that trace their roots back to at least the 1970s. And while they emerged more recently in Sweden, the Sweden Democrats firmly established themselves at the national level in 2010. What has changed in recent years is the level of popular support and political power these parties have enjoyed, holding close to or more than 20 percent of the vote in all four Nordic countries studied. This report analyzes the rise and current dynamics of radical-right parties in Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden. In all four, immigration has become a core policy area for the radical right. But the electoral success of such parties cannot be tied neatly back to shifting levels of immigration or to public opinion of immigrants. A web of other factorsincluding how the parties are managed and the personalities of their leaders-are also at play. In responding to the growth in popularity of parties such as Danish People's Party and the Progress Party in Norway, mainstream parties have taken three main approaches: co-opting radical-right policies in an attempt to win over their opponents' voters, accommodating the parties in government, or isolating them by excluding them from governing coalitions. Yet, the author notes, there is little consistent evidence of which of these approaches (if any) are effective. And just as immigration is likely to remain high on the political agenda in these countries, radical-right parties are likely to continue to influence migration policy debates.

Details: Washington, DC: Migration Policy Institute, 2018. 32p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 11, 2018 at: https://www.migrationpolicy.org/research/growth-radical-right-nordic-countries

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Asylum Seekers

Shelf Number: 150820


Author: Siegel, Dina

Title: Mobiel banditisme: Oost- en Centraal-Europese rondtrekkende criminele groepen in Nederland

Summary: In front of you lies the report of an investigation into traveling Eastern and Central European gangs in the Netherlands. This research was carried out on behalf of Police and Science. We are grateful to the granters for their financial and moral support. The study took place between 1 March 2012 and 1 April 2013. In this report the nature and characteristics of mobile banditry, illegal, among others markets and the differences in approach and priorities between Western and Eastern Europe. By We did not try to do this with a historical and criminological analysis only to illustrate the continuity in the phenomenon of itinerant gangs but also provide insight into underlying socio-economic and cultural factors. Several people in different countries have participated in this research and without their cooperation, this report had never been realized. Rosa Koenraadt has as a junior researcher, a large number of interviews were conducted, observations in Poland and Netherlands performed and co-written with chapter 3. Denitsa Lyubenova, Nicoleta Sovre and Anita Troscianczuk, three Utrecht master's students (one in law and two in criminology), do not only have the relevant literature, press and media reports their mother tongues collected and translated, but also important work as interpreter, contact person and guide during our visits to Bulgaria, Romania and Poland. Their involvement and enthusiasm have been essential for the conclusion of this report. Furthermore, we want all our respondents in the Netherlands, Poland, Bulgaria, Romania and thank Lithuania. We got cooperation from police forces, spokespersons of public ministries, experts in security, representatives of Detailhandel Nederland, Transport Logistiek Nederland, de tax office and the FIOD, ambassadors, police liaisons, scientists, lawyers, journalists, employees of various NGOs as well as victims of robberies and thefts. Some Romanian, Lithuanian, Polish and Bulgarian detainees and (ex- ) perpetrators were also willing to share their expertise with us. We can of course here not all 127 respondents personally thank for their cooperation, but many of them they are extensively discussed in this report.

Details: Utrecht: Utrecht University, 2013. 176p.

Source: Internet Resource: Politiewetenschap 72: Accessed july 11, 2018 at: https://hetccv.nl/fileadmin/Bestanden/Onderwerpen/Mobiele_bendes_barriremodel/Documenten/Mobiel_banditisme/mbdinasiegel1.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Bandits

Shelf Number: 150824


Author: Kleij, Aika van der

Title: Provisions for Victims of Trafficking in Bonded Sexual Labour, i.e. Prostitution in six European Countries

Summary: This report aims to list existing legislative and policy initiatives at international, European, and national levels; initiatives that provide victims of trafficking with protection and assistance once they decide to press charges against the trafficker. The report is written to enable a follow-up researcher to investigate good practices within the possibilities of international, European and national legal frameworks with regard to the position of victims of trafficking in countries of destination. It may also be of use for those working with victims and interested in the provisions for victims of trafficking that different European countries have. The report is part of a project financed by the Daphne initiative of the European Union.

Details: Bonded Labour in the Netherlands (BLinN), 2003. 92p,

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 11, 2018 at: http://lastradainternational.org/lsidocs/338%20Provisions_for_victims%20(BLinN).pdf

Year: 2003

Country: Europe

Keywords: Human Trafficking

Shelf Number: 150826


Author: Hucklesby, Anthea

Title: Creativity and Effectiveness in the use of electronic monitoring: a case study of five jurisdictions

Summary: The use of electronic monitoring (EM) has grown rapidly in the European Union and elsewhere and is likely to continue to do so but knowledge about its operation and its potential to provide a humane, credible and effective alternative to imprisonment is limited. The research on which this report is based was carried out in five jurisdictions in Europe (Belgium, England and Wales, Germany, the Netherlands and Scotland) which deploy EM in different ways and to varying extents facilitating comparative analysis. The research is the first empirical comparative study of EM. Its aim was to compare the law, policy and practices in the five jurisdictions focussing particularly on EM's capacity to act as an alternative to custody and to identify best practices to enhance its effectiveness and ensure that EM is used legally, creatively, ethically and humanely. The research included an extensive literature review alongside observations of all aspects of the EM process and 191 interviews with policy-makers and practitioners involved in the provision of EM. The research was carried out between the autumn of 2014 and early 2016. The main findings were: - EM is used extensively, for diverse purposes and in many different ways across the five jurisdictions. - Less extensive use of EM is associated with long-term reductions in prison populations and reducing imprisonment rates. By contrast, high prison populations are associated with high use of EM. - The extent to which the size of the prison population is viewed as problematic is an important determinant of EM use. - EM has universal appeal because it fits or can be made to fit many purposes. - Creative use of EM is limited with isolated examples of innovative practices. - Radio-frequency and GPS technologies have complementary and distinct advantages and uses. - Private sector involvement in EM is associated with less integration into broader criminal justice structures. - The greater the involvement of probation in EM the more discretionary decision-making takes place. - Policies relating to diversity do not generally exist or do not cover all aspects of diversity. - The limited or non-existent availability of data relating to EM hampers research and restricts judicial and public understanding of EM. It is recommended that consideration should be given to: - the aims of EM to ensure that it is used according to the principles of proportionality and necessity, in the least intrusive way and incorporating support so that it positively influences individuals and assists them to lead meaningful lives. - implementing mechanisms to improve lines of communication and joint working between agencies. - the provision of alternative addresses for monitored individuals. - ways to better tailor curfew hours to the circumstances of monitored individuals and offences. implementing progression and exit strategies including mechanisms to end EM earlier than planned when individuals are compliant. - policies and procedures relating to changes in circumstances to ensure a consistent and flexible graduated response. - procedures to ensure that informed consent is received from co-habitees independently and prior to the imposition of EM. - mechanisms to provide 24/7 support to monitored individuals. - breach policies to ensure a consistent, proportionate approach incorporating a gradated response to violations. - measures are taken to ensure consistent and fair treatment of individuals from diverse populations. - measures to ensure effective yet restricted data sharing between agencies with regard to data protection protocols. - policies and procedures to ensure staff safety including more effective communication of risk information and training in risk management.

Details: Stirling, UK: University of Stirling, 2016. 44p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 12, 2018 at: http://28uzqb445tcn4c24864ahmel.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/files/2016/06/Synthesis-report-27-06-16.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Alternatives to Incarceration

Shelf Number: 150840


Author: Ekwall, Daniel

Title: Value and incident categories for cargo theft in Europe: Analysing TAPA EMEA statistics

Summary: Purpose of this paper To analysis the relationship between value (reported stolen value) and different incident categories in order to find patterns and trends in cargo theft within Europe. Design/methodology/approach The research is explorative as this type of research is missing in logistics but also deductive as it utilizes theories from criminology. The analysis is based on TAPA EMEA's IIS transport related crime database. The result is analyzed and discussed within a frame of reference consisting of theories from logistics and criminology. Findings There are seasonal variations of incident categories. This variation is found both between months of the year and the day of the week for many of the incident categories, but the patterns are different for different incident categories. Within this understanding there are many changes in hot spots, modus operandi, theft endangered objects and handling methods during time, but the basic theoretical frame of reference is still more or less the same. Research limitations/implications The research is based on theories deduced from criminology and logistics together with secondary data regarding cargo theft. The geographically limitation to the Europe is done of practical reasons whiles the frame of reference can be used globally for analysis antagonistic threats against transports. Practical implications This research is limited by the content and classification within the TAPA EMEA IIS database. Nevertheless, this database is the best available database and the reports comes mainly from the industry itself, represented by the different TAPA members how report their losses anonymous, nevertheless the quality of the data limits the possibility to make normative statements about cargo theft prevention. What is original/value of paper This paper is the first within supply chain risk management that utilizes actual crime statistics reported by the industry itself, in order to analyze the occurrence of cargo theft by focusing on the value of the stolen vehicle/goods in relation with incident categories.

Details: Conference paper, 2012. 17p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 14, 2018 at: http://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:887489/FULLTEXT01.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Cargo Theft

Shelf Number: 150871


Author: Kanics, Jyothi, ed.

Title: Migrating Alone: Unaccompanied and Separated Children's Migration to Europe

Summary: The independent migration of children, while having several characteristics and many links in common with that of adults, has emerged as a specific phenomenon all over the world. The planned, forced or spontaneous decision to abandon the household and country of origin takes on a new dimension when the people involved in a long and often dangerous migration adventure are sometimes just in their early teens. Since the early 1990s, most European countries have been destination or transit points (sometimes both) for these young migrants. When confronted with the migration of unaccompanied and separated children, European national legal frameworks and government policies are known to be in continual conflict between the more or less repressive enforcement of their asylum and/or immigration rules and an ambiguous (but timid) interpretation of the international and national legal instruments created for the care of children 'in need', regardless of their origin or nationality. There is often a marked discrepancy between, on the one hand, the rights to which migrants in general, and child migrants in particular, are entitled according to international legal standards and, on the other, the effective protection they receive and the difficulties they experience in the countries where they live and work and through which they travel. This disparity between the principles agreed to by governments and the reality of individual lives underscores the vulnerability of migrants in terms of dignity and human rights. A major problem for children is that they are considered as migrants before they are considered as children - this automatically lowers their legal protection, as international standards regarding children are much more elaborated and more widely ratified than those regarding migrants. Migrants have rights under two sets of international instruments: first, the core human rights treaties such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), the provisions of which apply universally and thus protect migrants; and second, the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families (ICRMW) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) Conventions that apply specifically to migrants, and to migrant workers in particular. Furthermore, children have rights under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). But, as with migrants generally, there is no international or regional legislative framework dealing directly with child migrants. Nonetheless, in addition to the ICCPR and ICESCR, norms regarding children's welfare in general and the protection of children from economic exploitation and harmful work are directly or indirectly relevant to children, accompanied or unaccompanied, who are in a process of forced or voluntary movement. Similarly, the protective measures within the CRC, the ILO Conventions on child labour, the UN Protocols on trafficking, and regional instruments are also relevant. Within the European Union (EU) legal framework, the protection of child migrants is very limited and no regional legal framework that adequately addresses this issue is in place. Generally, the ability to migrate or travel legally without an adult is quite limited for children, especially internationally. This means that children migrating alone are more likely to do so irregularly, thus increasing the risk of exploitation or abuse. Research into independent child migration suggests that it is usually older children who are involved in this phenomenon; that child migration is usually highest in regions where adult migration is also high; that independent child migration can be, and often is, a positive decision taken by the child with the aim of improving life opportunities; and that child migrants, like adults, rely on their social and financial resource networks when migrating. The current dominant debate in most European countries is still restricted to the national level and sometimes even to national/regional or local levels. The double or even triple level of competences in most of the national territories implies a significant spread of diverging national practices that shape the treatment of migrant children. The competences regarding immigration and asylum issues (access to the territory, identification, asylum process, immigration status) are generally assumed at national level. However, aspects relating to the care of children (evaluation of the individual situation, reception and care, guardianship or fostering) are often within the competence of regional or local authorities and practices therefore vary widely. This dispersion and confusion, combined with a lack of adequate responses to the main objectives of migrant children, mean that a significant number remain outside the control of the relevant authorities and care institutions. As a result, these unprotected migrant children live in situations of increasing vulnerability and instability as victims of trafficking and exploitation networks or simply surviving on their own, sometimes by committing illicit or unlawful activities. Despite the completion of various research studies on this issue, this reality remains broadly unidentified. The central issues of understanding how this migration is constructed in the contexts of origin, and the different factors playing a role in the migration of these children, require a more extensive examination. To date, hardly any research has been carried out on the children's main countries and regions of origin, which might indicate the main 'push factors' and the motivation behind the increasing number of departures. The main migrant children's profiles, the social and economic situation of their families and the role played by the household and the communities in the migration decision, the choice of the migration route and the function of those encountered during the journey are all key points that remain largely unknown. A better knowledge of these factors will allow not only an understanding of the migration fluxes and phenomena on a more abstract or academic level, but will prove essential if effective protection and respect for these children are to be secured. The desire to find answers to all these questions and uncertainties lay behind the organization of an international conference, 'The Migration of Unaccompanied Minors in Europe: the Contexts of Origin, the Migration Routes and the Reception Systems'. This conference, organized by the research centre MIGRINTER, University of Poitiers-CNRS and the International Juvenile Justice Observatory (based in Belgium) with the support of UNESCO's Social and Human Sciences Sector, was held in Poitiers (France) in October 2007 with the aim of creating a forum for discussion between researchers and practitioners in this field. Experts from over twenty countries participated and exchanged information on three main issues: - a comparative approach to the different legislative frameworks, policies and practices in various European countries and an overview and analysis of the protection offered at European level on the basis of international obligations; - an overview of the situation of children who lack protection in the destination countries; and - an analysis of the situation and definition of childhood and the different profiles of migrant and potential migrant children in the main countries of origin. The present publication brings together the main conclusions of the Poitiers conference. From a selection of the most relevant contributions, it seeks to provide an extensive overview of the main questions and issues outlined above. The contributors come from a wide variety of disciplines, combining mainly legal, sociological and anthropological backgrounds. They generally provide an analytical approach to the different issues from both a descriptive and a critical perspective. The three original parts of the conference have been condensed into two main parts in the book: the first five chapters describe the situation and treatment of unaccompanied and separated migrant and asylum-seeking children in the destination societies; and the following chapters analyse the main contexts of origin of migrant children and the different factors playing a role in migration choices.

Details: Paris: UNESCO, 2010. 197p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 26, 2018 at: http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0019/001907/190796e.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Asylum Seekers

Shelf Number: 150926


Author: Strang, Lucy

Title: Violent and Antisocial Behaviours at Football Events and Factors Associated with these Behaviours: A rapid evidence assessment

Summary: Football is the world's most popular sport, with millions of fans annually watching professional football on their television or at public viewing places such as fan zones, or attending matches in person. Negative behaviour at football matches is a widely recognised issue that has garnered international media attention for decades. However, violent and antisocial behaviour at football matches remains an issue that needs to be better understood. To this end, RAND Europe was commissioned by Qatar University to provide a critical assessment of previous research into these issues. This report observes the key antisocial and violent behaviours that may be witnessed in relation to football events, such as verbal abuse, destruction of property, acts of vandalism and assault, while also noting that football environments can foster positive behaviours and social dynamics. In addition, it acknowledges that definitions of antisocial behaviour are to some degree subjective and contextual. The report then presents findings from the literature review on the factors which may drive violent and antisocial behaviour in football fans. It is important to acknowledge, however, that while the identified studies consider specific factors driving fan behaviour, the available evidence supports the notion that no single factor can be found to be responsible for violent or antisocial behaviour by fans at football events. Rather, multiple factors are often in play simultaneously. Key Findings Factors which may drive violent and antisocial behaviour in football fans include: The influence of alcohol, which the evidence suggests may be a contributing factor to such behaviour, although the causal relationship between alcohol and hooliganism is unclear. Internal and external or relational psychological factors, such as rushes of adrenaline and a sense of meaning gained through these behaviours, and capacity to self-regulate emotions. Sporting rivalries, which have been shown to increase aggression in fans. Socio-political factors, such as unemployment, repression by state agents and ethnic-nationality tensions. Spatial factors, particularly given that large numbers of football fans may travel to a football tournament host city without the intention of attending a match, but rather will congregate in public spaces and fan zones. Situational and atmosphere-related factors including the day of the week on which the match is held, the match venue, the kick-off time, crowd size and the size of support groups in attendance. Reaction to play, for example a team's performance on the pitch and their style of play, as well as fans' expectations of their team. While the identified studies consider specific factors driving fan behaviour, the available evidence supports the notion that no single factor can be found to be responsible for violent or antisocial behaviour by fans at football events. Rather, multiple factors are often in play simultaneously. The quality of the identified literature varied significantly, and the research team rated only a handful of studies as being very high quality.

Details: Cambridge, UK: RAND Europe, 2018. 42p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 27, 2018 at: https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR2580.html?utm_source=WhatCountsEmail&utm_medium=RAND%20Policy%20Currents+AEM:%20%20Email%20Address%20NOT%20LIKE%20DOTMIL&utm_campaign=AEM:631600804

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Antisocial Behavior

Shelf Number: 150932


Author: Taylor, Jirka

Title: Violent and Antisocial Behaviour at Football Events: Review of interventions

Summary: Disorder and violence at football matches are well-recognised issues that have attracted considerable attention in the media as well as among policymakers and practitioners. In an effort to prevent and respond to the phenomenon, numerous strategies and interventions have been implemented by relevant stakeholder groups, including police and other security professionals, football clubs and associations, fan organisations and local and national governments. However, despite the wide range of tools available, there are gaps in the understanding of the current state of practice and its effectiveness. This rapid evidence review responded to these gaps through a focused, structured literature search and aimed to provide a critical assessment of previous research into these issues. The review observed a multitude of strategies that can be and have been implemented to counter antisocial behaviour at football matches. They can broadly be grouped into four categories: 1) organisation of the venue (e.g. equipping stadiums with cameras, seating-only arrangements), 2) organisation of the events (e.g. arranging transport for away fans; setting up early kick-off times); 3) approaches to policing (e.g. dialogue-based policing, police liaison teams); and 4) laws, policies and partnerships (e.g. higher penalties for hooliganism, cooperation with fan associations). With respect to the effectiveness of these interventions, the review found that the existing evidence base (at least as captured by the parameters of the review) is underdeveloped. The review found evidence pertaining only to a subset of interventions. Of the studies offering an effectiveness assessment, the majority faced notable methodological limitations. Key Findings There is positive evidence for the effectiveness of utilising security cameras and mandatory transport arrangements for visiting fans, early kick-off times and policing approaches aimed at establishing dialogue and lines of communication with fans in reducing disorder. Interventions that do not appear to be effective include fan registration schemes as a precondition for a ticket purchase and alcohol bans within stadiums, city-wide alcohol bans and bans on alcohol consumption while in transit to the stadium.

Details: Cambridge, UK: RAND Europe, 2018. 70p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 27, 2018 at: https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR2532.html

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Alcohol-Related Crime, Disorder

Shelf Number: 150950


Author: European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control

Title: Systematic review on the prevention and control of blood-borne viruses in prison settings

Summary: Compared with the general public, people in prisons have a higher prevalence of infection with blood-borne viruses (BBVs) such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV). This is recognised as a major issue for the health of people in prisons, as well as the general population, because the majority of people who have been incarcerated will subsequently return to their communities. The objective of this report was to systematically review data on prevention and control of BBVs in prison settings, with a focus on the countries of the European Union (EU) and the European Economic Area (EEA). A systematic literature review was performed in PubMed and Embase from 1990 onwards and in Cochrane Library from 1980 onwards (search date 12 January 2017). No language or geographical limits were applied. In addition, the following sources were searched through a predefined website list search, including the websites of the main international organisations (last search date 8 May 2017) and a call for papers from experts (last call date 7 July 2017): conference abstracts (2010 or newer), unpublished research reports, protocols and guidelines (2005 or newer). A total of 66 primary articles were included from the peer-reviewed literature. In addition, 20 conference abstracts/unpublished research reports and 18 guidelines were identified from the grey literature. Five peer-reviewed articles (none from the EU/EEA) and one conference abstract were included covering BBV prevention through health promotion interventions, condom distribution and safe tattooing programmes in prison settings. A range of 11-28% of inmates used condoms through condom provision programmes, but not necessarily for sex, and 55-84% supported condom distribution. In a US study condom provision was considered to be costsaving, but concerns were raised over a possible increase in sexual activity, including non-consensual intercourse, and the inconsistent message of condom availability with the prohibition of sexual activities in prison. Safe tattooing in prison was shown to be acceptable for people in detention in one study, however no infection-related outcomes were reported to assess the effectiveness in reducing infection transmission. Two randomised controlled trials (RCTs) investigated a combination of health promotion and skills-building interventions, and showed conflicting results. Five additional peer-reviewed articles (two from the EU/EEA) and one conference abstract were included reporting prevention interventions targeting people who inject drugs (PWID) in prison settings. Two comparative studies on opioid substitution therapy (OST) found no difference in HIV and HCV seroconversions between the OST and control groups. Periods of imprisonment <2 months were significantly associated with increased risk of HCV seroconversion, and compared to community settings, OST dropout risk was higher in prison during short sentences (≤1 month) and lower during longer (>4 months) sentences. An OST programme in prison was no more costly than community-based programmes. HCV seroconversions were reported in one of the three studies on a needle and syringe programme (NSP) and were attributed to sharing of injection paraphernalia; no HIV or HBV seroconversions were reported. In a country-wide study, a reduction in HCV and HIV prevalence in the prison population over a period of more than 15 years was documented, which coincided with the introduction of a wide range of harm reduction measures in the community and prison, including a prison needle and syringe programme. However, prison staff and, to a lesser extent, people in detention, reported concerns about prison security following the distribution of sterile syringes and needles and were not persuaded of the need for such a measure. Provision of HIV treatment in prison settings was reported in sixteen peer-reviewed articles (seven from the EU/EEA) and five conference abstracts. Two comparative studies found no significant difference in adherence and viral suppression between self-administered therapy (SAT) and directly observed therapy (DOT), while one study showed a higher proportion of viral suppression among individuals receiving DOT for HIV. A sizeable proportion of patients voluntarily transitioning from SAT to DOT modality of treatment provision was registered in one study. In another, a significant increase in the likelihood of achieving viral suppression was found in a telemedicine group compared to conventional care. Overall, all studies reported sufficiently high ranges of treatment adherence and levels of viral suppression when treatment was provided in prison settings, and the proportion of HIV treatment acceptance among those eligible was reasonably high (73-80%). While no study was retrieved reporting on HBV treatment in prison settings, twenty-one peer-reviewed articles (seven from the EU/EEA), eleven conference abstracts and two unpublished research reports were included on HCV treatment. The majority of the included studies described provision of interferon-based regimens, and focussed on implementation modalities. Two comparative studies found no significant difference in treatment completion and sustained viral response (SVR) between SAT and DOT models of HCV care provision. Two economic evaluation studies from USA concurred that performing a liver biopsy before starting interferon-based treatment is likely to be more cost-effective approach than treating all patients. Two comparative studies found no significant difference between the main outcomes of HCV treatment completion and SVR in prison versus community, unless patients were released or transferred from prison while on treatment. Similarly, release or transfer was reported as a major predictor of treatment discontinuation in several studies. There have been rapid developments in the management of chronic HCV infection with a new generation of medications, called direct-acting antiviral drugs (DAAs), which are now used alone or in combination with PEG-

Details: Stockholm: ECDP, 2018. 198p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 27, 2018 at: http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/system/files/publications/9193/ECDC-EMCDDA%20systematic%20review%20-%20prevention%20and%20control%20of%20BBV%20in%20prison%20settings.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Correctional Health

Shelf Number: 150949


Author: Galeotti, Mark

Title: Crimintern: How the Kremlin Uses Russia's Criminal Networks in Europe

Summary: Over the past 20 years, the role of Russian organised crime in Europe has shifted considerably. Today, Russian criminals operate less on the street and more in the shadows: as allies, facilitators and suppliers for local European gangs and continent-wide criminal networks. - The Russian state is highly criminalised, and the interpenetration of the criminal 'underworld' and the political 'upperworld' has led the regime to use criminals from time to time as instruments of its rule. - Russian-based organised crime groups in Europe have been used for a variety of purposes, including as sources of 'black cash', to launch cyber attacks, to wield political influence, to traffic people and goods, and even to carry out targeted assassinations on behalf of the Kremlin. - European states and institutions need to consider RBOC a security as much as a criminal problem, and adopt measures to combat it, including concentrating on targeting their assets, sharing information between security and law-enforcement agencies, and accepting the need to devote political and economic capital to the challenge.

Details: European Council on Foreign Relations, 2017. 12p.

Source: Internet Resource: Policy Brief: Accessed July 27, 2018 at: https://www.ecfr.eu/page/-/ECFR208_-_CRIMINTERM_-_HOW_RUSSIAN_ORGANISED_CRIME_OPERATES_IN_EUROPE02.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Criminal Networks

Shelf Number: 150945


Author: Pavlovic, Dusan

Title: Online gambling in the EU: From data protection to gambler protection

Summary: 'EU gambling regulation has not succeeded' - this ascertainment is often repeated among stakeholders in the European gambling domain. However, this claim is not absolutely true. Rather, EU gambling regulation does not yet exist and thus, it is more appropriate to claim that regulative initiatives at the EU level have failed. The main reason why the regulation of online gambling at the level of the EU has been unsuccessful seems to be because Member States have been striving to regulate gambling activities on their own at the national level. By doing so, they avoid harmonizing their national legislations in the domain of gambling, including online gambling. Julia Hrnle has described the relation between EU initiatives for harmonizing gambling regulations and the regulative aspirations of Member States as that of a "tug of war without a winner". Member States call upon different cultural, social and political features regarding gambling in order to justify the use of the principle of subsidiarity to regulate gambling at the national level. As a consequence, online gambling as a service with various distinctive attributes is controlled, organized and regulated exclusively at the national level. This approach is officially justified by reference to the need to protect national policies (e.g. public health policies, youth policies etc.). Besides the principle of subsidiarity, the cornerstones for regulating gambling at the national level are provided by several rulings made by the European Court of Justice (hereinafter CJEU). The CJEU's case law could be seen as providing a carte blanche, with only some limitations placed on Member States that regard regulating gambling in accordance with national policies. Gambling legislation enacted by Member States varies from 'totally prohibitive' to 'liberal prohibitive'. In recent years, it is noticeable that there exist certain tendencies toward the liberalization of the gambling sector. However, despite efforts having been made towards liberalization, when it comes to the regulation of gambling in the EU, the current state of the field can be described as legislatively fragmented (28 Member States with 28 different gambling legislations), without taking into account the principle of freedom to provide services in the EU. So far, practice has demonstrated that the fragmentation of gambling legislation in the EU is not a very successful strategy for fighting illegal online gambling. Despite the efforts made by national governments to eliminate illegal entities who operate in the realm of online gambling, and minimize their activities, so-called 'gray' and illegal online markets have developed in the EU due to the co-existence of different Member State regulatory models and the problems related to their enforcement. As an illustration, in 2011 more than 85% of gambling sites in Europe were operating without a license. Member States did not achieve the desired results in relation to the requirement of online gambling service providers having to obtain national licenses. The operation of illegal entities usually has undesirable impacts on certain societies. One element of this is that the protective function of law is insufficiently effected: it is highly disputable whether (and if so, how) national gambling legislations can effectively protect online gamblers in Europe when the prevalence of illegal or 'gray' online gambling service providers in the European market is so evident. The current state of affairs creates numerous risks that practically jeopardize online gamblers in Europe. It is very common for players to access an online gambling service regardless of where the service provider is registered. But by doing so, gamblers expose themselves to different risks. Gambling services may be offered illegally as a result of a criminal organizations' efforts to penetrate the gambling market. Criminals may also try to make improper use of legal forms of gambling (e.g. certain criminals might engage in match-fixing and gamble on sporting events whose outcomes they already know in advance). Emerging technologies could even serve as instruments that may further stimulate the impetus to gamble and provoke gambling addiction. Gambling addiction can lead an individual to engage in various different forms of behavior and acts, including the committing of crimes.8 Notwithstanding the various risks deriving from gambling activities, this research pays particular attention to the prevention of problem gambling and the implementation of responsible gambling approaches that will be analyzed in detail in the coming chapters. It has to be stressed that online gambling is a lucrative service that crosses borders and that is considered to be one of the most progressive online services in the EU. Statistical data even shows that online gambling is the service with the highest annual growth in EU. In recent years, online gambling has been constantly developing and attracting new players. Notwithstanding the beneficial aspects related to the progression of this business, one noticeable downside is gambling addiction, also known as problem gambling. In the EU, problem gambling rates are at about 0.5-2%, with this number rising to around 3% in some countries. Thus, the increasing number of gamblers in the overall population leads to an incremental number of people who suffer from problem gambling.

Details: Tilburg, Netherlands: Tilburg Institute for Law, Technology, and Society, 2018. 216p.

Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed July 31, 2018 at: https://pure.uvt.nl/portal/files/26402490/Pavlovic_Online_26_06_2018.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Betting

Shelf Number: 150980


Author: Hakmeh, Joyce

Title: Cybercrime Legislation in the GCC Countries: Fit for Purpose?

Summary: Summary - Most GCC countries have enacted or updated their cybercrime laws as part of their efforts to address the increasing threat of cybercrime. However, most of these focus on limiting freedom of expression and at the same time omit key elements needed to combat cybercrime as this would be understood under most legal frameworks. - GCC cybercrime legal frameworks depart from international practice on cybercrime legislation in both structure and content. - Regarding their structure, cybercrime legal frameworks in the GCC are focused on substantive criminal law that criminalizes offences considered to be cybercrimes. However, in prosecutions and investigations, most GCC countries still apply traditional texts to cybercrime cases that are mostly oblivious to the nature of these cases. This impedes the success of these efforts and therefore the overall impact of fighting cybercrime. - Regarding their content, all GCC countries, except for Bahrain, have introduced as part of their cybercrime laws provisions that criminalize a wide-spectrum of content, using vaguely worded provisions that create the potential for confusion and abuse. - The GCC countries have historically restricted traditional forms of speech, and have latterly sought to do the same with online speech as well. This was arguably accelerated by the events of the Arab uprisings and the 'cultural revolution' that was brought forward by social media. - Through their cybercrime laws, the GCC countries have sought to get a stronger grip on social media, and to stymie the potential for spillover via online platforms of political unrest from other Arab countries. - Several human rights defenders and activists, as well as other social media users, have been prosecuted under these laws, deported or jailed for online comments, for blogging or for posting pictures aimed at social, religious or political ends. Some people have been detained for publishing humorous and satirical online content. - Given their text and scope of application, most cybercrime laws of the GCC countries could put in jeopardy the right to free speech and are at odds with international human rights law, standards and safeguards. Furthermore, their current structure, combined with a lack in other laws that address the specificities of cybercrime, makes them an inadequate tool for fighting cybercrime. - Revision of these cybercrime laws is urgently required, and is essential for better security, for a better society and for better civil liberties. - GCC governments would benefit extensively from joining international forums on cybercrime - such as the Budapest Convention - as this would help them in harmonizing and updating their laws, in enhancing their cybercrime investigative techniques, and in increasing international cooperation between them and with other countries.

Details: London: Chatham House, 2018. 26p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 31, 2018 at: https://www.chathamhouse.org/sites/default/files/publications/research/2018-07-04-cybercrime-legislation-gcc-hakmeh.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Computer Crimes

Shelf Number: 150986


Author: European Parliament. Directorate-General for Internal Policies. Policy Department C Citizens' Rights and Constitutional Affairs

Title: Countering Terrorist Narratives

Summary: This study, commissioned by the European Parliament's Policy Department for Citizens' Rights and Constitutional Affairs at the request of the LIBE Committee, provides an overview of current approaches to countering terrorist narratives. The first and second sections outline the different responses developed at the global and European Union levels. The third section presents an analysis of four different approaches to responding to terrorist narratives: disruption of propaganda distribution, redirect method, campaign and message design, and government communications and synchronisation of message and action. The final section offers a number of policy recommendations, highlighting five interrelated 'lines of effort' essential to maximising the efficiency and effectiveness of counterterrorism and countering violent extremism strategic communication.

Details: Brussels: Policy Department for Citizens' Rights and Constitutional Affairs, European Parliament, 2017. 58p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 1, 2018 at: https://icct.nl/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Reed-Ingram-Whittaker-Narratives.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Counter-Terrorism

Shelf Number: 150995


Author: Bhui, Hindpal Singh

Title: Monitoring Immigration Detention at the Borders of Europe:

Summary: In this post, we describe findings from an ESRC-funded Knowledge Exchange project into human rights monitoring in immigration detention. While this post, and the associated report, deals with an initial stage of the research, our work in this area is ongoing. Working together, we seek to inform policy and academic scholarship about human rights monitoring and about practices of detention at the borders of Europe. The high levels of migration into Europe since 2015 have had a profound effect on the countries at Europe's borders. Greece and Italy have been the initial points of arrival for people coming through North African routes, while others have sought to reach northern and western Europe overland through Hungary, via the Balkan route. Meanwhile, Turkey has sheltered millions of people fleeing the war in Syria, alongside migrants from many other countries passing onwards to Europe. Under pressure from the EU to stop the onward flows of people, Greece, Turkey and Italy have opened numerous detention centres and camps, and Hungary has constructed physical barriers. Growing numbers of people have become trapped in large migrant camps in Greece and the Balkans, where they reportedly endure poor conditions and increased mental health problems. The closure of migration routes has also led to people attempting more dangerous crossings towards Italy. In a report, published today, we discuss findings from a research project undertaken during 2016 and 2017 in Greece, Turkey and Italy as sites of first arrival, and Hungary as a place of onward migration. The project investigated the conditions in detention and the nature of human-rights based monitoring within detention centres. There has been limited and sporadic academic research on immigration detention in these countries, while nothing at all has been published on the process of monitoring these sites. The principal responsibility for monitoring conditions in detention falls to the National Preventive Mechanisms (NPMs). These bodies, established pursuant to the 2002 UN Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture (OPCAT), had been formed relatively recently in each country. OPCAT guarantees functional independence for NPMs and they should be able to both make recommendations and comment on legislation. States must grant them unhindered access to detainees and any information necessary to perform their role, such as numbers of people detained and locations, and other data that can help NPMs to judge how detainees are being treated. If these criteria are fully adhered to, NPMs can provide a powerful safeguard. In addition to meeting with NPMs, we also spoke to NGOs and human rights organisations involved in supporting detainees or campaigning for migrant rights. Some of these organisations undertook forms of detention monitoring and often had considerable experience and valuable insights. Coordination and contact between these civil society organisations and the NPMs varied. In each country, we explored the political and migration policy context, the structure of and conditions in detention, and the way that detention was being used. We also visited detention centres in Athens and at the Hungarian border with Serbia. The rapidly changing environment is reflected by the fact that some of the centres we visited have already closed and others have opened. Across the board, we found a lack of overall ownership of the task of detention. There were no professional detention trained staff and lines of accountability were unclear. Allegations of physical abuses in the centres we saw were not taken seriously. We saw poor conditions for detained unaccompanied children and unhelpfully blurred definitions of detention were applied in Hungarian 'transit zones' and Greek and Italian 'hotspots', where migrants could not leave or could only go back if they did.

Details: Oxford, UK: University of Oxford, Centre for Criminology, 2018. 49p.

Source: Internet Resource: Border Criminologies: Accessed August 2, 2018 at: https://www.law.ox.ac.uk/sites/files/oxlaw/project_report_final_copy.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Detention Facilities

Shelf Number: 151004


Author: Klopfer, Franziska

Title: Private Security in Practice: Case studies from Southeast Europe

Summary: Why and how should private security be regulated? A group of researchers from Albania, Bulgaria, Kosovo, Serbia and Switzerland has been examining these questions as part of a multi-year project called the Private Security Research Collaboration Southeast Europe ("PSRC:). The interest of the state in interfering with the activities of private security companies is twofold: first, to ensure that basic pillars of the modern democratic state such as the protection of human rights and the democratic order are not threatened. Second, because the stability of the state and the happiness and prosperity of its citizens also depend on factors such as functioning security and economy. In order to better target its regulation of private security, it would therefore be important for the state to know how private security companies (PSCs) impact on a country's human rights situation, the democratic order, a functioning security and (to a lesser extent) economy. For Private Security in Practice: Case studies from Southeast Europe the PSRC researchers assembled eight case studies that explore the impact that private security has on security, human rights and the democratic order in four Southeast European countries: Albania, Bulgaria, Kosovo and Serbia. Since regulation should not only limit the negative impact but also foster the positive contribution that private security can make, the authors specifically looked at how challenges posed by PSCs could be avoided and how opportunities can be seized. PSCs should be considered as part of the broader security sector governance framework. It is undeniable that private security plays an increasingly important role in the security sector of the four target countries. In addition, contemporary approaches to democratic security sector governance, consider that the security sector includes all actors who contribute to the provision, management and oversight of security. Providing security within the framework of good governance aims at enhancing state and human security. The human security imperative within good governance means that security meets the needs of all people within a society. This means firstly to ensure security in an efficient, effective and accountable manner. 'Accountable' means that decisions about security are made by the people or their representatives, and that those responsible for security delivery are overseen by and accountable to the peoples' representatives. The case studies therefore also explore what efficiency, effectiveness and accountability mean for private security providers in practice. The case study format was selected because the detailed examination of one incident, challenge or opportunity, allows the authors the analytical depth necessary to meaningfully grasp context, causes, and impacts of private security in practice. In principle a case study speaks exclusively for its specific context, and indeed the editors and authors do not claim that a complete picture of the challenges and opportunities presented by private security in the four target countries can be deduced from the eight case studies. However, the authors selected the case studies from incidents which they viewed as representative of wider trends in their respective countries. Because the aim of this research is to consider both the challenges and the opportunities posed by private security, the authors specifically set out to identify cases representative of both positive and negative industry trends. This said, closer analysis often revealed that 'positive' cases masked negative consequences, and vice versa. By exploring the reasons underpinning private security's positive or negative effect in the specific incidents studied, the case studies also highlight broader structural governance issues in each country. It is therefore possible to derive general lessons from the case studies both for the country in which the incident took place, and for private security in other countries which share similar contextual characteristics. In this vein, at the end of each part a short conclusion compares the lessons from the part's case studies and places them within a wider policy discussion. It closes with questions for policy makers; asking, on the basis of what we now know from the case studies, how we should address the private security governance challenges raised. Broadly, the case studies cover four governance challenges: the development of the private security market, particularly in relation to the state's retreat from its monopoly on security provision (Part 1); the role of private security in the protection of critical infrastructure (Part 2); the state as a client of private security companies and the impact of public procurement processes on the private security market (Part 3); and the success and failure of different policies aimed at improving the professionalism of private security personnel (Part 4). Previous research by the PSRC team demonstrated that these policy issues are important for each of the four target countries. However, it is worth noting that other pressing policy questions regarding private security exist in these countries, and the authors' choice does not indicate that the topics discussed are necessarily more pertinent or urgent than others. The final chapter - 'Policy Suggestions for Improving Private Security Governance in South East Europe' - collates the lessons and questions raised in Parts 1 to 4 in order to present new understandings of private security governance in Southeast Europe. It was the authors' hypothesis that many problems linked to private security in the four target countries are caused by an inadequate understanding of the appropriate role for private security in the security sector. This final chapter therefore closes by using the lessons drawn from Parts 1 to 4 to develop new understandings about what the contribution of private security to a democratic security sector should look like in the region.

Details: Geneva: Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces, 2016. 141p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 2, 2018 at: https://www.dcaf.ch/sites/default/files/publications/documents/AAA_Case_Studies_nov_2016_v3_Final_single_page.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Human Rights

Shelf Number: 151012


Author: European Parliament. Directorate-General for Internal Policies. Policy Department C: Citizzen's Rights and Constitutional Affairs

Title: The EU-UK relationship beyond Brexit: Options for Police Cooperation and Judicial Cooperation in Criminal Matters

Summary: This study, commissioned by the European Parliament's Policy Department for Citizens' Rights and Constitutional Affairs at the request of the LIBE Committee, provides expertise on the legal, institutional and technical implications of the UK's future relationship with the EU after Brexit in the areas of police cooperation and judicial cooperation in criminal matters (Chapters 4 and 5 of Title V TFEU).

Details: Brussels: European Parliament, 2018. 110p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 6, 2018 at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2018/604975/IPOL_STU(2018)604975_EN.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Criminal Justice Information

Shelf Number: 151032


Author: Doeschate, Werner ten

Title: Violent Terrorists and Extremists: What contributes to their de-radicalization, or disengagement?

Summary: In the last decades Europe suffers more and more from the terrorist attacks. Most of the offenders of the European attacks actually grew up in that same country where they performed the attacks; so-called homegrown terrorists. In 2014 dozens of religiously inspired criminals were convicted in Europe. In many cases of conviction to prison, they rehabilitate, the criminals in order to get them reintegrated in the society. But only a few cases are known in which after extremists had done their sentence, they came out de-radicalized. So far it is unclear what kind of rehabilitation program would lead to the best result when it comes to the rehabilitation of extremists. The overall purpose of this study is to gain more insight into what factors contribute to de-radicalization, or disengagement of jihadi terrorists and extremists. Therefore the main research question is: What factors contribute to the de-radicalization or disengagement of jihadi terrorists and extremists in Western Europe since 2001? In order to formulate an answer to this question a thematic analysis is conducted. The main finding of this case study is that the factors that most often contribute to the de-radicalization, or disengagement of jihadi terrorists and extremists have an individualistic backdrop. Mostly they are led by the individual disillusionment with the ideology, religion and organization.

Details: Leiden, Universiteit Leiden, 2016. 90p.

Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed August 7, 2018 at: https://openaccess.leidenuniv.nl/bitstream/handle/1887/53631/2016_Doeschate_ten_CSM.pdf?sequence=1

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: De-radicalization

Shelf Number: 151042


Author: Kosovo Centre for Security Studies

Title: Kosovo Security Barometer: Citizens' perceptions on Violent Extremism

Summary: This report is a special edition of the Kosovo Security Barometer (KSB). It represents a detailed quantitative analysis reflecting citizens' opinion on violent extremism. The results of this report show that religiously motivated violent extremism continues to be perceived as a threat to Kosovars, though not to a large extent. Respondents consider that internal religious extremism presents a larger threat to the Kosovan society rather than internationally functioning terrorism such as ISIS. The results of this survey reaffirmed that the vast majority do not support the decision of individuals to join foreign conflicts. The results showed that the respondents are largely concerned of the potential threat posed by the radicalized individuals, thus majority remained against reintegration of foreign fighters. The report measured citizens' trust towards security institutions, underlining the importance of understanding the national experts to prevent and combat violent extremism. However, the results showed that only Kosovo Police gains sufficient trust while citizens trust towards the judicial bodies and the Government in general continues to bear extremely low trust. Finally, the report also underlined that when it comes to violent extremism, there is a low frequency of communication between citizens and respective municipal institutions. Likewise, it highlighted the potentially important role of media when it comes to developing the citizens' mind-set regarding the violent extremism.

Details: Prishtina, Kosova: Kosovar Centre for Security Studies, 2017. 57p.

Source: Internet Resource: Kosovo Security Barometer: Accessed August 9, 2018 at: http://www.qkss.org/repository/docs/KSB_MENTORI_FINAL_605403.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Extremist Groups

Shelf Number: 151098


Author: Di Nicola, Andrea

Title: Surf and Sound: The Role of the Internet in People Smuggling and Human Trafficking

Summary: The smuggling of migrants (hereinafter also referred to as 'people smuggling') and trafficking in human beings (hereinafter also referred to as 'human trafficking' or 'THB') have become agenda-topping issues over the past twenty years, since global geopolitical changes have exacerbated conditions conducive to clandestine population flows and the development of transnational illegal enterprises associated with those flows. According to Europol (2016), over 90% of the more than one million undocumented migrants who entered the EU in 2015 used some form of 'facilitation service', generally provided by smuggling networks. The increased awareness of the issue, and the recognition that it presents a major area of focus for the effort to address and suppress transnational organised crime, has resulted in the formation of a new global prohibition regime (Andreas and Nadelmann, 2006; Pa- panicolaou, 2011), by means of the introduction of two major international instruments (supplementing the 2000 United Nations Convention against Transnation- al Organised Crime), namely the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children, and the Protocol Against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea, and Air. Often combined or confused with each other, trafficking in human beings and smuggling of migrants are substantially diverse. According to Article 3 of the Trafficking Protocol, trafficking in human beings is 'the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation' (United Nations, 2000a:2). In a nutshell, victims of trafficking are displaced and forced into sexual exploitation, labour, slavery, servitude or other forms of exploitation. On the other hand, Article 3 of the Protocol against people smuggling states that 'smuggling of migrants shall mean the procurement, in order to obtain, directly or indirectly, a financial or other material benefit, of the illegal entry of a person into a State Party of which the person is not a national or a permanent resident' (United Nations, 2000b:2). Unlike THB, smuggling always traverses national boundaries and only occasionally the migrants, in the destination country, are sent to work in the drug market, the sex market, as beggars or as black labour. Although smuggling migrants and trafficking in human beings are not new phenomena (see Morrison, 2002), over the past decades or so, they have experienced an unprecedented boom due to the development, ad- vancement and proliferation of digital technologies (Di Nicola and Musumeci, 2015; Hughes, 2014; Latonero 2012; Latonero et al., 2011; Sarkar, 2015). According to a recent Europol report regarding the trafficking in human beings in the European Union, online interactions and encounters have been observed as facilitating several aspects of human trafficking and exploitation: targeting of potential victims; access to personal data; arrangement of logistics and transportation; recruitment through social media, chat forums and other websites; advertisement of victims; their exploitation and surveillance' (Europol, 2016b:12). A group of specialists engaged by the Council of Europe found that 'the Internet industry and the sex industry are closely interlinked and the scope, volume, and content of the material on the Internet promoting or enacting trafficking in human beings for the sole purpose of sexual exploitation [...] are unprecedented' (Council of Europe, 2003:107). The burgeoning dissemination of digital technologies, in particular the Internet, has afforded new, creative opportunities for individual criminals and collectivities of criminals. As such, these groups have been empowered to operate with greater efficiency and anonymity, given that they are able to instantly communicate with potentially large audiences over extensive distances and across geographic boundaries (see Hughes, 2014; Latonero et al., 2011; Mendel and Sharapov, 2014; Sykiotou, 2007). The expeditious dissemination and usage of the Internet and other digital technologies such as smartphones have added a new dimension to the trafficking and smuggling of human beings, creating new ways and means of facilitation, as well as affecting various aspects of trafficking, including the recruitment, control and exploitation of victims (Sarkar, 2015). For instance, it has been underlined how the Internet facilitates the role of traffickers because it 'can rapidly connect buyers of commercial sex with trafficking victims while simultaneously distancing the perpetrator from the criminal transaction' (Finklea et al., 2015:2). Despite this, at present, there is relatively limited scholarly work investigating the role that digital technologies play in the processes of people smuggling and human trafficking or the particular ways in which the Internet has been used to shape the criminal strategies of traffickers and smugglers (see, for example, Di Nicola, Cauduro and Falletta, 2015; Latonero 2011; Latonero et al., 2012).

Details: Trento, Italy: eCrime ICT, Law & Criminology Department 'Faculty of Law' University of Trento, 2017. 130p.

Source: Internet Resource: eCrime Research Reports: Accessed August 9, 2018 at: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2_WDgmdB2wNSEpCOHFJaWFtelk/view

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Forced Labor

Shelf Number: 151099


Author: Stoynova, Nadya

Title: Cross-Border Organised Crime: Bulgaria and Norway in the Context of the Migrant Crisis

Summary: The irregular migrant and refugee crisis poses serious challenges for Europe. The unprecedented migration pressure presents an opportunity for the generation of substantial profits by organised criminal networks. The large influx of irregular migrants looking for facilitation has led to the development of human smuggling as a substantial criminal market in Europe. On the other hand, some countries have experienced a concurrent rise in human trafficking cases. The current publication presents an analysis of recent developments in transnational organised crime in Norway and Bulgaria in the context of the migrant crisis. The study presents the first in-depth examination of human smuggling networks and operations in Bulgaria, as well as the synergies and differences between this illicit activity and other organised criminal enterprises, particularly human trafficking. The publication also reviews trends in Norway related to both human trafficking and smuggling, two crimes which have rarely been examined together, with the latter being the focus of little overall research.

Details: Sofia: Center for the Study of Democracy, 2017. 88p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 9, 2018 at: http://www.csd.bg/artShow.php?id=18061

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Human Smuggling

Shelf Number: 151100


Author: Verleysen, Cindy

Title: Prevention of Organised Crime Targeting Elderly People - Policies and practices

Summary: The 10th toolbox in the series published by the EUCPN Secretariat focusses on the main theme of the Slovakian Presidency and the 2016 Best Practice Conference and European Crime Prevention Award, which is the 'Prevention of organised crimes targeting elderly people'. The first part of the toolbox presents an overview of the existing policies and legislative measures on the international level, with a particular focus on the EU. The second and third part focusses on good and promising practices which were submitted by 19 Member States to compete in the 2016 European Crime Prevention Award (ECPA). Two participating experts, who were invited by the EUCPN Secretariat, gave their view on the best practices presented at the ECPA. Their opinion is processed in the second part of this toolbox. Finally, an overview of the submitted ECPA (and additional) projects can be found in the last part of the toolbox.

Details: Brussels: EUCPN, 2018. 82p.

Source: Internet Resource: EUCPN Tool Box Series, No. 10: Accessed August 9, 2018 at: https://eucpn.org/sites/default/files/content/download/files/eucpn_toolbox_ndeg10_page_par_page.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Crime Prevention

Shelf Number: 151101


Author: European Crime Prevention Network

Title: Youth Internet Safety: Risks and Prevention.

Summary: This thematic paper is published by the EUCPN Secretariat in connection with one of the EU priorities, more specifically cybercrime. It focusses on the prevention of risks children encounter online. A brief overview is given of several forms of cybercrime considering youth and what motives and facilitating factors enhance them. The last part of the paper focusses on prevention tips with existing examples.

Details: Brussels: EUCPN, 2018. 43p.

Source: Internet Resource: EUCPN Theoretical Paper Series: Accessed August 9, 2018 at: https://eucpn.org/sites/default/files/content/download/files/thematic_paper_youth_internet_safety.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Computer Crimes

Shelf Number: 151102


Author: Transparency International

Title: Whistleblower Protection in the European Union: Analysis of and recommendations on the proposed EU directive

Summary: Whistleblowers play an essential role in exposing corruption and other wrongdoing that threaten the public interest. By disclosing information about such misdeeds, whistleblowers have helped save countless lives and billions of euros in public funds. Protecting whistleblowers from unfair treatment, including retaliation, discrimination or disadvantage, can embolden people to report wrongdoing, which increases the likelihood that wrongdoing is prevented, uncovered and penalised. Whistleblower protection is thus a key means for enhancing effective enforcement of legislation. On 23 April 2018, the European Commission published a proposal for an EU-wide Whistleblowing Directive. The proposed legislation is aimed at providing better protection to whistleblowers across the EU and should provide both public- and private-sector organisations with greater legal certainty regarding their rights and obligations. Transparency International has prepared this analysis of the proposal, which provides recommendations aimed at closing loopholes and strengthening the proposed text.

Details: Berlin: Transparency International, 2018. 11p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 14, 2018 at: https://www.transparency.org/whatwedo/publication/whistleblower_protection_in_the_eu_analysis_of_and_recommendations

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Retaliation

Shelf Number: 151129


Author: Vladimirov, Martin

Title: Russian Economic Footprint in the Western Balkans: Corruption and State Capture Risks

Summary: Over the past decade, Russia has increasingly sought to reassert its position as a global power and to present itself as alternative to the Euro-Atlantic model of liberal democracy and a free market economy. The Western Balkans is one of the regions in which Russia has been most active in this respect. Thus far, the region has more or less stayed on its course toward NATO and the European Union (EU). But Russia's meddling in the region has enhanced space domestically for political opportunists to try to avoid implementing necessary reforms, particularly those related to strengthening the rule of law and curbing of autocratic tendencies - as a result undermining civil society and the media, leading to democratic backsliding and an economic slowdown. NATO nevertheless could accept Montenegro as a member, while the EU has put forward the Berlin Process, which aims to speed up economic development and transformation. In 2018, the EU will propose a new Enlargement strategy aimed at providing a clear path for the Balkans to integrate into Europe. Tackling outstanding "governance gaps" - deficits in the rule of law, and weak democratic and market institutions - in the Western Balkans is critical to limiting the effects of so-called "corrosive capital" - funds flowing from non-democratic states such as Russia that both take advantage of, and exacerbate the challenges facing struggling democracies - and to restoring the region's democratic transformation. The tools Russia has used to expand its presence in the region are not new: political pressure; soft power, including cultural, media, and religious campaigns; and economic leverage ranging from the control and acquisition of critical energy assets to the financing of political parties and media. These tools are underpinned by a concerted Kremlin narrative designed to counter Euro-Atlantic values. The seeds of this narrative have landed on fertile ground in the Western Balkans, where a climate of unstable institutions of governance and rule of law, and protracted and systemic corruption at both the administrative and political levels, often lead to policy, regulatory or even state capture. The mixture of weak institutions of rule of law and kleptocratic tendencies, media propaganda and geopolitical pressure from Russia (as well as from other countries), has led many Western Balkan governments to adopt policies inconsistent with their national security or development interests. This situation calls for a better understanding and re-assessment of the political and economic factors that threaten the region's development now, and in the future.

Details: Sofia: Center for the Study of Democracy, 2018. 66p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 24, 2018 at: http://wap.southeasteurope.org/~igardev/typo3/artShow.php?id=18228

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Economic Crimes

Shelf Number: 151250


Author: Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS)

Title: Criminal Justice and Police Cooperation between the EU and the UK after Brexit: Towards a principled and trust-based partnership

Summary: Brexit poses major challenges for future interaction between the EU and the UK in the areas of criminal justice and police cooperation. A new legal framework will be required to sustain the EU's relations with the UK - an active participant in numerous EU criminal justice and police cooperation instruments - once it leaves the Union. The negotiations on the exit of the UK from the EU must grapple with the crucial question of how and to what extent can the two parties continue to maintain effective arrangements for fighting cross-border crime, while at the same time guaranteeing compliance with the rule of law and fundamental rights. This report is the result of intensive deliberations among members of a Task Force set up jointly by CEPS and the School of Law at Queen Mary University of London (QMUL), who met regularly throughout the first half of 2018. It examines the feasibility of retaining the current EU-UK framework for cooperation in these critical fields and explores possible alternatives to the status quo. It also delves into the conditions under which the UK could continue to participate in EU instruments and relevant EU agencies engaged in cooperation in criminal matters and to have access to justice and home affairs databases and other information-sharing tools. In their conclusions, the members offer a set of specific policy options for the EU and the UK to consider after Brexit with a view to developing an effective partnership in the areas of criminal justice and security based on trust and shared values.

Details: Brussels: CEPS, 2018. 192p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 4, 2018 at: https://www.ceps.eu/system/files/TFR_EU-UK_Cooperation_Brexit.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Brexit

Shelf Number: 151339


Author: Cowdrey, David

Title: Switching Channels: Wildlife trade routes into Europe and the UK

Summary: Illegal wildlife trade routes are difficult to uncover. By their very nature they are covert, sometimes run by organised criminals, and often used to smuggle other commodities such as drugs and guns. This report attempts to uncover some of these complex trade routes into Europe and the UK, as well as the techniques used to smuggle wildlife. It is based on research commissioned by WWF and TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network, and independently conducted by the University of Wolverhampton which uses evidence from HM Customs and Excise, the Police and a number of court cases. THE SIZE OF THE LEGAL TRADE IN WILDLIFE It must be remembered that there is a huge legal market for wild plants and animals - a market which the illegal trade undercuts, supplants and exploits. Unscrupulous individuals, rogue traders and criminal gangs all threaten sustainable and responsible businesses that provide vital income to some of the world's poorest countries. The global legal trade in wildlife resources was estimated in the early 1990s to be worth nearly US$159 billion a year in export value. Sixty five per cent of this trade involves timber exports (worth US$104 billion), with fisheries exports constituting a further 25 per cent (US$40 billion). Trade in live animals, plants, products and derivatives was therefore estimated to be worth approximately US$15 billion annually. The legal trade in protected species broadly flows from range areas - where the species come from - to consumer areas. Some are both significant consumer and range areas. The situation is made more complex by a thriving trade in captive-bred or artificially propagated specimens, which may be farmed in non-range areas and traded internationally. The involvement of intermediate destinations and the consequent re-export trade further complicates the picture and opens up opportunities for illegal trade.

Details: Cambridge, UK: TRAFFIC, 2002. 15p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 5, 2018 at: http://assets.wwf.org.uk/downloads/switchingchannels.pdf

Year: 2001

Country: Europe

Keywords: Illegal Wildlife Trade

Shelf Number: 151394


Author: Council of Europe

Title: Female Genital Mutilation and Forced Marriage

Summary: Female genital mutilation and forced marriage are regarded as among the most serious human rights violations against women and girls as well as violations of the rights of the child: Stop violence against women and girls! Female genital mutilation and forced marriage are human rights violations and grave forms of violence against women and girls. Since these violations often occur during childhood, they also constitute a violation of children's rights. The fight against these practices is founded on a rights-based approach and an integrated policy which addresses the larger systemic issues at play in society that breed such forms of violence, gender inequality and discrimination. The Declaration of the Committee of Ministers on the need to step up efforts to prevent and combat female genital mutilation and forced marriage in Europe calls on member States to fully recognise these practices as human rights violations which concern European States, and to this end to develop national action plans and strategies, and to promote exchanges of practices in order to fight against these human rights affronts. The Guide to good and promising practices aimed at preventing and combating female genital mutilation and forced marriage aims at providing strategic guidance on the standards, principles, features and characteristics of the necessary integrated response to end these practices. In support of these elements the Guide also outlines selected current initiatives being taken by a number of Council of Europe member States in preventing, combating and addressing the effects of female genital mutilation and forced marriage.

Details: Strasbourg: Council of Europe, 2018. 150p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 7, 2018 at: https://edoc.coe.int/en/violence-against-women/7616-female-genital-mutilation-and-forced-marriage.html

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Female Genital Cutting

Shelf Number: 151420


Author: Sandner, Malte

Title: The Effect of Changes in Border Regimes on Border Regions Crime Rates: Evidence from the Schengen Treaty

Summary: In recent years, many countries have increased border controls, partly in response to public concerns that open borders favor cross‐border crime. Despite these widespread concerns, empirical research on whether public fears are justified is still scarce. This article evaluates whether the abolition of border controls at the eastern German and Austrian borders accompanying the implementation of the Schengen Treaty in December 2007 increased crime rates in the border areas of these countries. Based on official crime statistics, conditional difference-in-differences estimation allows the evaluation of border controls in a causal way. Results show that in Germany and Austria, a significant positive effect can only be observed for burglaries, suggesting that public concerns proved to be justified for this type of criminal offense. In contrast, no significant effect can be observed for overall crime rates or for other common types of crime against property, indicating that there is little empirical evidence for the widespread concerns about public security.

Details: London: Department of Economics, 2018. 25p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 8, 2018 at: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/kykl.12178

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Border Regions

Shelf Number: 151465


Author: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction

Title: Perspectives on Drugs: Synthetic Cannabinoids in Europe

Summary: Synthetic cannabinoids represent the largest group of substances currently monitored in Europe by the EMCCDA through the EU Early Warning System. Current knowledge on these substances and trends in production, availability, use and harms are presented in this analysis. Part of the 'Perspectives on drugs' (PODs) series, launched alongside the annual European Drug Report, these designed-for-the-web interactive analyses aim to provide deeper insights into a selection of important issues.

Details: S.L., 2016. 9p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 9, 2018 at: http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/publications/pods/synthetic-cannabinoids_en

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Cannibis

Shelf Number: 151459


Author: Dennison, Susi

Title: The Nightmare of the Dark: The Security Fears that Keep European Awake at Night

Summary: The security of the European Union is being challenged like never before. Central tenets of the international system that Europeans helped build are eroding or even disintegrating one by one. Great power competition is increasingly shaping Europeans security environment, while other security threats are also on the rise, from terrorism and cyber attacks to climate change. The EU now faces security threats from its east and south and an uncertain ally in the West. To the east, a new kind of uneasy neighbourly relationship with Russia is developing one that appears to involve Europeans accepting Russian meddling in their political affairs, from deliberate interference in elections to cyber attacks on European companies, systems, and political machinery. Further east, China continues to deepen its influence on EU states through trade and investment in the Union and its neighbourhood. To the south, European countries now rely on cooperation with an increasingly autocratic regime in Ankara on some of the issues that their citizens are most concerned about, particularly migration and counter-terrorism. Meanwhile, conflicts and poverty on the other side of the Mediterranean, and the migration that stems from them, are increasingly challenging Europes security and even its solidarity. Most importantly, to the west, US President Donald Trump is demonstrating a total disregard for the international agreements and norms that Europeans hold dear. By withdrawing from the Paris climate change deal, by pulling out of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on Irans nuclear programme, and by attacking the integrity of the international trading system through the unilateral imposition of tariffs, Trump has called into question Europeans formerly unshakeable faith in diplomacy as a way to resolve disagreements and to protect Europe. European leaders now fear that the transatlantic security guarantee will centre not on alliances and common interests but purchases of American technology and materiel and on obeisance to an unpredictable president. Europeans are understandably worried about this picture. But they are divided on how to handle it. The political crisis around immigration into the EU from 2015 onwards has revealed fundamental divisions in the way member states view their security. As Ivan Krastev has argued, the refugee crisis exposed the futility of the post-Cold War paradigm, and especially the incapacity of Cold War institutions and rules to deal with the problems of the contemporary world. For many Europeans, the migration crisis has called into question the ability of the EU and the global multilateral system to protect them. There are divisions not only between but also within member states. In recent years, national elections across the EU have resulted in intense battles between political movements that favour an open, progressive agenda and global engagement, and those that prefer a nationalist, inward-looking approach that is, ultimately, anti-EU. In this unstable political environment, the need to keep citizens safe a basic responsibility of any government has taken on even greater importance. Safety is central to the nationalists increasingly popular arguments. They argue that mainstream EU governments have failed to protect citizens. In power, however, they face the inescapable dilemma that small European nations (and they are all small) cannot effectively respond to todays threats through national policies alone. Against this backdrop of worry and division, this report aims to understand security perceptions across the EU more fully and to search for common responses to protect the EUs citizens. In April and May 2018, ECFRs network of 28 associate researchers completed a survey covering all member states, having conducted interviews with policymakers and members of the analytical community, along with extensive research into policy documents, academic discourse, and media analysis. Based on this pan-European survey data, ECFRs new report maps the security profile of all member states, identifying areas of agreement, points of contention, and issues on which they should cooperate to keep Europe safe. The results reveal an EU that is fairly united in its understanding of the threats it faces, but that diverges significantly in the vulnerability it feels to those threats. This is not just a question of geography or size, since France and Germany, neighbours at the heart of Europe, fall nearly on opposite ends of the spectrum. France feels relatively resilient across the range of threats, while Germany thinks of itself as relatively vulnerable. There are also important variations among the member states on what role the EU should play as a security actor. There is a near unanimous consensus that NATO must remain the backbone of European security, but EU member states differ significantly on the extent to which, within the NATO framework, Europe can or should begin to develop autonomy from the United States.

Details: European Council on Foreign Relations, 2018. 42p.

Source: Internet Resource: Security Scorecard: Accessed September 18, 2018 at: https://www.ecfr.eu/page/-/SECURITY_SCORECARD_123.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Cyber Attacks

Shelf Number: 151564


Author: European Council on Refugees and Exiles

Title: Boundaries of Liberty: Asylum and de facto detention in Europe

Summary: The detention of persons seeking protection is a frequent component of asylum systems, despite well-established evidence of its damaging effects on individuals and limited efficiency in regulating the movement of people. More critically, however, it remains a highly opaque phenomenon. Places of confinement are underpinned by varying and creative terminology from one country to another, while data on the scale of detention remain scarce, complex and in constant need of qualification and explanation. Practices which allow states to circumvent their international and European Union (EU) law duties stem from ambiguities in legal frameworks, often driven by deliberate policy choices. States may have different reasons for maintaining the obfuscation between reception and detention. They may seek to circumvent the prescriptive standards stemming from refugee and human rights law when depriving those seeking asylum of their liberty to expose them to particularly precarious situations, or for reasons of simple administrative convenience. States may also see an interest in downplaying the scale of coercive measures in their asylum systems through inaccuracy or misrepresentation in statistics. Drawing on a comparative analysis of national legal frameworks and practice in the 23 European countries covered by AIDA, ECRE makes the following recommendations: European countries should eliminate any fictitious designation of transit zones or other facilities at the border as not being part of their national territory according to their national law, in line with ECtHR jurisprudence and the territorial scope of the recast Asylum Procedures and Reception Conditions Directives. Where they prevent asylum seekers from leaving the transit zones or other border facilities to access other parts of their territory, European countries should legally qualify those measures as deprivation of liberty. The Council and European Parliament should clarify in the reform of the recast Reception Conditions Directive that stay in a transit zone or a border facility amounts to deprivation of liberty where the applicant is not allowed to freely enter and exit the facility into the territory. Where European countries resort to restrictions on freedom of movement or deprivation of liberty, in accordance with domestic law and human rights law requirements, they should inter alia: (a) conduct an individualised assessment of each case to establish necessity and proportionality; (b) consider the application of alternatives to detention; (c) communicate a duly motivated detention decision to the individual concerned; (d) specify the modalities of effective remedy before a court; (e) eliminate restrictions imposed upon access of legal representatives, UNHCR and specialised civil society organisations, including by guaranteeing access to phones and other communication methods and by respecting confidentiality of contacts.

Details: Brussels: ECRE, 2018. 33p.

Source: Internet Resource: Asylum Information Database: Accessed September 18, 2018 at: http://www.asylumineurope.org/sites/default/files/shadow-reports/boundariesliberty.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Asylum Seekers

Shelf Number: 151565


Author: Carrera, Sergio

Title: Offshoring Asylum and Migration in Australia, Spain, Tunisia and the US: Lessons learned and feasibility for the EU

Summary: This report examines the feasibility of extra-territorial processing of asylum and migration management for the EU. Based on a comparative account of past and current experiences of extra-territorialisation of asylum processing and migration policies in Australia, Spain, Tunisia, and the US, the Report draws 'lessons learned' and identifies key challenges from the perspective of their effectiveness. The findings highlight how external processing of asylum applications is politically, legally and operationally unfeasible and ineffective for the EU. It would pose profound challenges to EU and Member States' rule of law and human rights obligations. Past and current policies outsourcing protection obligations to third countries often amount to extra-legal processes as well as violations of the principle of non-refoulement and of the prohibition of arbitrary detention under inhuman and degrading conditions. The research findings show that extraterritorial actions of the EU and its Member States abroad would fall to varying degrees under EU and domestic judicial, administrative and financial accountabilities which present strong potentials for bringing portable justice to potential victims of human rights violations. In this way, this report contributes to and suggests ways forward in creative legal thinking to close any loopholes inherent to ideas on extraterritorial asylum processing and migration management for the EU.

Details: Brussels: Centre for European Policy Studies, 2018. 100p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 20, 2018 at: https://www.ceps.eu/publications/offshoring-asylum-and-migration-australia-spain-tunisia-and-us

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Asylum Seekers

Shelf Number: 151595


Author: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA)

Title: New Psychoactive Substance in Prison: Results from an EMCDDA trendspotter study

Summary: This publication provides an overview of the latest information available on the use of new psychoactive substances (NPS) and related problems in European prisons based on a rapid information assessment carried out by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA). The study complements data from a range of established sources. The EMCDDA has been routinely collecting data on illicit drug use among prisoners for over 15 years through a combination of qualitative and quantitative monitoring tools, although the primary focus has been on controlled substances. The EMCDDA also collects information on NPS and, in 2017, was monitoring a total of over 670 NPS that have been notified to the EU Early Warning System (EWS). The use of NPS by high-risk drug users has recently been explored by the EMCDDA (2017a). The study found that while consumption levels of these drugs were low overall in Europe, the smoking of synthetic cannabinoids among some marginalised populations, including prisoners, appeared to be an emerging but poorly understood problem in many European countries. This study was prompted therefore by the conclusion that NPS use among prisoners appears to be a rapidly developing phenomenon and there is growing concern in some countries that NPS may be responsible for a large share of drug-related problems in prison, while appropriate responses are mostly lacking. However, empirical data are currently scarce and patchy, as monitoring drug use among prisoners in general, and NPS use in particular, at the European level is challenging due to the different study designs applied and limited systematic data collection. To investigate the extent, nature and impact of these developments the EMCDDA carried out a targeted rapid information assessment between August and December 2017. The aim of the study was to map and increase understanding of NPS use in prisons in Europe, including prevalence and patterns of use, the underlying contributing factors, associated harms and market and supply features of NPS use in prisons, as well as the responses implemented to address NPS-related problems in prison settings. The study used the EMCDDA trendspotter methodology, which draws on a range of different investigative approaches and utilises data from multiple sources (Mounteney et al., 2015). The work was divided into two phases (see Figure 1). The first phase, carried out by an EMCDDA team, involved data collection through an exploratory 'rapid information request' among national focal points in 30 countries (28 replied), a non-systematic review of the international literature, grey literature and available EMCDDA monitoring data ('Literature and data review'). This was complemented by internet surveys of three groups: an informal network of prison experts (8 respondents), experts invited to the trendspotter meeting (12 respondents) and a selection of national focal points (7 respondents) ('online expert surveys'). The second phase centred on an expert meeting, held in Lisbon on 13 to 14 December 2017. The event was attended by 11 invited experts from 9 countries, who presented information on the situation in their country, participated in two facilitated working groups and contributed to an in-depth analysis of the topic, providing insights from a range of perspectives including drug research and monitoring, user/prisoner representation, law enforcement, prison officers, prison administration and (prison) health services

Details: Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2018. 20p.

Source: Internet Resource: Rapid Communication: Accessed September 24, 2018 at: http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/system/files/publications/8869/nps-in-prison.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction

Shelf Number: 151650


Author: Europol

Title: Internet Organised Crime Threat Assessment: 2018

Summary: For the fifth year in a row, Europol has produced the Internet Organised Crime Threat Assessment (IOCTA). The aim of this Assessment is to provide a comprehensive overview of the current, as well as anticipated future threats and trends of crimes conducted and/or facilitated online. While current events demonstrate how cybercrime continues to evolve, this year's IOCTA shows us how law enforcement has to battle both innovative as well as persistent forms of cybercrime. Many areas of the report therefore build upon previous editions, which emphasises the longevity of the many facets of cybercrime. It is also a testimony to an established cybercrime business model, where there is no need to change a successful modus operandi. The report also highlights the many challenges associated with the fight against cybercrime, both from a law enforcement and, where applicable, a private sector perspective.

Details: The Hague: European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation, 2018. 72p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 25, 2018 at: https://www.europol.europa.eu/activities-services/main-reports/internet-organised-crime-threat-assessment-iocta-2018

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Computer Crimes

Shelf Number: 151662


Author: Center for the Study of Democracy

Title: The Illicit Trade of Tobacco Projects Along the Balkan Route: Bulgaria, Greece, Italy and Romania

Summary: The Balkans have long been a key route for various illicit goods and flows - drugs, firearms, human trafficking and human smuggling, etc. Since 2000 Greece became a key entry point and a source of 'illicit white' cigarettes. Upon entering Greece, the 'illicit whites' were further trafficked either to Italy and Western Europe or through Bulgaria and Romania to Central European markets. This was the onset of a resilient and hard to curb transnational criminal infrastructure. Apart from that Bulgarian organized crime is extensively involved in setting up clandestine factories for production of 'counterfeited' or 'illicit white' brands in various countries across the EU. Furthermore Bulgaria, Italy, Greece and Romania are the four top-ranking in the EU in terms of levels of perceived corruption according to the Control of Corruption indicator of the World Governance Indictors (WB, 2014), as well as according to the most recent Corruption Perception Index (Transparency International, 2016). Against this background, the current initiative aims are threefold: 1) to bring to light the institutional gaps impeding the effective response to the illicit trade of tobacco products and propose a method for evaluating institution's performance at regional level; 2) to examine the role of corruption as crime enabling factor for illicit trade of tobacco products, as well as suggest a method to assess it on regional level; 3) to advocate for more effective, evidence-based legislative and policy actions, and to put pressure on the relevant authorities in Bulgaria, Italy, Greece and Romania to step up their efforts to curb these organised crime activities and related corruption. The research initiative The illicit trade of tobacco products along the Balkan route: addressing institutional gaps and corruption is led by CSD group and is among the 32 projects, selected from more than 200 proposals in the first funding round of PMI IMPACT- a global initiative dedicated to support fight against illicit trade and related crimes. The research team involves experts from Bulgaria (CSD), Italy (Intellegit), Romania (SCE), as well as three independent criminology researchers from Greece. Over the next two years, the project will elaborate tools for performance evaluation and corruption risk assessment of law enforcement and revenue authorities with regards to illegal tobacco trade. Key points - The national tobacco policies in Bulgaria, Italy, Greece and Romania reflect the main trends and developments set by the international and EU regulatory mechanisms. However each country faces different challenges in the implementation due to differences in the institutional setup and administrative capacity. - The tobacco sector in the four countries has underwent very similar evolution, where following the liberalisation, the Big Tobacco producers hold between 80 % and 90 % of the market, although local producers still maintain their presence on national level. - The peak of the ITTP in the four countries was triggered by the economic crisis in 2008 - 2010, which led to 4 to 5 times increase in the consumption of illicit tobacco products. However, while Bulgaria and Italy eventually managed to stifle their illicit markets, Greece and Romania continue to face high levels of ITTP. - Greece, Italy and Romania are among the top five transit points in the EU and Bulgaria is an important regional transit point. There is a long history of well-established collaboration between the criminal networks of the four countries. - Three major categories of risks and vulnerabilities have been identified with regards to ITTP 1) Risks deriving from the overall political, institutional and legal environment in each country; 2) Risks related to the licit tobacco sector; 3) Risks related to the crime context in each country

Details: Sofia: CSD, 2018. 28p.

Source: Internet Resource: Policy Brief No. 80: Accessed October 5, 2018 at: http://www.csd.bg/artShow.php?id=18053

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Cigarettes

Shelf Number: 152838


Author: Fekete, Liz

Title: Humanitarianism: the unacceptable face of solidarity

Summary: In 2015, the UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants warned that war, violence and persecution were leading to 'n age of unprecedented mass displacement' and it was time for the world to prepare. Though the publication of a photograph of the body of 3-year-old Alan Kurdi, washed ashore and lying lifeless on a beach near Bodrum, was to momentarily shock the global media out of its complacency, many ordinary Europeans were already alert to the UN's message, and had been busy mobilising the largest humanitarian voluntary effort since the second world war. For such humanitarians, the belief that all humankind should be treated humanely and equally is not some abstraction - assisting those in great need and responding to emergencies are what you simply get on with. That humanity is under an obligation to intervene in the face of suffering, is a principle embodied in religious teaching, as well as humanist and secular thought. From time immemorial, fishermen and mariners have come to the aid of those at peril on the seas. Medical ethics, too, from the Hippocratic Oath onwards, have been influenced by principles that later would be defined as humanitarian. In the wake of the first and second world wars, humanitarian principles were codified in the Geneva Conventions on the laws of war and on refugees, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). The code of conduct of organisations like the International Red Cross, founded in 1863, and later the Red Crescent, to provide assistance to victims of armed conflict and strife, as well as those of other more modern disaster relief committees, also flowed from well-established humanitarian principles. Such codes of conduct stress that humanitarian assistance must be impartial, not based on nationality, race, religion or political point of view, but solely on need. But whether today's Europe respects and upholds that humanitarian tradition on land and sea is now in question. Humanitarianism: the unacceptable face of solidarity is the product of a six-month research project into the hostile political and legal environment facing humanitarian actors who seek to protect life at Europe's sea and land borders. Drawing on the work of advocacy organisations across Europe, it provides a sample of twenty-six case studies involving prosecutions of 45 individual humanitarian actors under anti-smuggling or immigration laws since September 2015.

Details: London: Institute of Race Relations, 2017. 68p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 5, 2018 at: http://s3-eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/wpmedia.outlandish.com/irr/2017/11/10092853/Humanitarianism_the_unacceptable_face_of_solidarity.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Asylum Seekers

Shelf Number: 152844


Author: Council of Europe. Parliamentary Assembly

Title: A study of immigration detention practices and the use of alternatives to immigration detention of children

Summary: In January 2015 the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) joined the Global Campaign to End Immigration Detention of Children. The Global Campaign was launched in 2012 as a joint initiative of the International Detention Coalition (IDC) and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). The Parliamentary Campaign to End Immigration Detention of Children is intended to raise awareness of the situation that many children experience daily around the world and in some of the member states of the Council of Europe. The campaign's objective is to end the detention of migrant children in those Council of Europe member states in which this practice still persists and to support states in putting an end to this harmful practice. The need is not only to end this practice, but also to find and adopt valuable alternatives to detention in order to protect children and guarantee their fundamental rights at the time when their immigration status has not yet been resolved. In March 2015, the Assembly's Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons appointed Ms Doris Fiala - Switzerland, ALDE1 - as General Rapporteur for the Parliamentary Campaign, in order to raise awareness of the issue and to attract the attention of parliamentarians of member states so they would take initiatives in their national parliaments to discuss and actively support the campaign. One of the specific objectives of the campaign is to raise awareness among parliaments and the general public on the issues and consequences of the immigration detention of children. Therefore, in the framework of the campaign, a study of qualitative and quantitative information about immigration detention practices and use of alternatives to immigration detention of children was launched. This study aims to develop an understanding of issues relating to immigration detention practices, and to promote the use of alternatives to immigration detention of children (ATDs). The geographical scope of the study is focused on member states of the Council of Europe which are not members of the The study primarily addresses the following issues: 1. The national provisions regulating immigration detention and alternatives to detention for children; 2. The national screening and assessment procedures for incoming migrants; 3. The national referral and support systems; 4. The existence and types of national community-based placement options; 5. The most recent nationwide statistics, examining in particular the existence of provisions criminalising irregular entry and/or presence, as well as the number of migrant children in detention, and the basis of that detention, disaggregated both on age and immigration status; 6. The existence of safeguards for family unity and prevention of family separation in any decisions on detention; 7. The detention conditions and the criteria applying to the detention of families/unaccompanied minor (UAM) children, in particular as regards the regime applied; and the existence of facilities specialised and equipped to cater for specific needs of different categories of children; 8. Access of migrant children to national services, including health, education and social protection/child protection systems and how these are provided to children in all facilities (specialised and non-specialised) used to hold children in immigration detention.

Details: Paris: Council of Europe, 2017. 79p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 11, 2018 at: http://website-pace.net/documents/19863/3390925/2017-ImmigrationDetentionPracticesStudy-EN.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Alternatives to Detention

Shelf Number: 152904


Author: Rekawek, Kacper

Title: From Criminals to Terrorists and Back? Kick-Off Report

Summary: The most well-known ISIS terrorist atrocities in Europe, including the 2015 Paris and 2016 Brussels attacks, saw individuals who in the past had been involved in organized crime and illegal trade graduate into the ranks of the world's most successful terrorist organisation. It is now widely assumed that Europe's terrorists are no longer radicals first and foremost but criminals who turned to political violence at some stage throughout their ordinary crime careers. Thus a threat emanating from the "crime-terror nexus" hangs over Europe. GLOBSEC, an independent, non-partisan, non-governmental organisation which aims to shape the global debate on foreign and security policy, responded to this threat by developing a research and advocacy project aimed at addressing the "crime-terror nexus" in Europe. Our project titled From Criminals to Terrorists and Back? will: collect, collate and analyse data on terrorism convicts from 11 EU countries (Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, the UK) with the highest number of arrests for terrorism offences. We will investigate whether these individuals had prior criminal connections, and if so, whether a specific connection to illegal trade is a precursor to terrorism, and to what extent this trade funds terrorism. In short, we will check whether crime-terror nexus exists and how strong it truly is. disseminate project findings at high profile GLOBSEC Strategic Forums (GLOBSEC Bratislava Forum, TATRA Summit, Chateau Bela conferences) and other internationally acclaimed gatherings which attract decision makers, experts, private sector and law enforcement representatives, while also incorporating their expert level feedback into our work. help shape and strengthen the European counter-terrorism efforts by providing tailor made solutions on combating crime-terror nexus and terrorist financing via education and awareness, and advocacy efforts involving decision makers and security stakeholders in the 11 targeted countries. This line of activity directly links the project to the widely acclaimed work of the GLOBSEC Intelligence Reform Initiative (GIRI), led by Sec. Michael Chertoff, which is involved in developing and promoting more effective transatlantic counter-terrorism solutions.

Details: Bratislava, Slovak Republic: GLOBSEC Policy Institute, 2018. 33p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 12, 2018 at: https://www.globsec.org/projects/criminals-terrorists-back/

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Counter-Terrorism

Shelf Number: 152909


Author: O'Donnell, Daniel

Title: Regional and International Indicators on Juvenile Justice: Their Applicability and Relevance in Selected Countries of Eastern Europe and Central Asia

Summary: One of the aims of the in-depth assessments of juvenile justice undertaken in 2008 in Albania, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Turkey and Ukraine was to ascertain the extent to which the data corresponding to global and regional indicators exist, identify problems or difficulties concerning the definition or use of such indicators, and explore the availability of data on other indicators of particular relevance to the process of developing juvenile justice systems compatible with the rights of children. This study is based on the findings and conclusions of the assessment team regarding data in these countries, which are published separately in five assessment reports, and draws general conclusions and recommendations based on a comparison of their situation. This study is intended to help National Statistical Offices and other authorities in the countries assessed to develop more robust and relevant data collection and management systems, by drawing attention to gaps and other issues that require attention as well as to the steps taken in other countries that may shed light on the way forward. It will also be of interest to analysts and policy makers from the justice and child protection field, academic researchers and human rights monitoring bodies. International and regional organizations, which are investing in data collection and analysis so as to nurture better policies for children, will also find it useful, notably the relevance of and limitations to cross-country comparisons. In addition, the authors hope that the study will contribute to the future development of the TransMONEE and UNODC-UNICEF tools for the measurement of juvenile justice indicators and trends. The first part of this study gives an overview of data management concerning juvenile justice, highlighting some common problems as well as recent advances. The second part considers the interpretation, application and relevance of existing regional (TransMONEE) and international (UNODC-UNICEF) indicators. The third part addresses the disaggregation of data, and the fourth concerns the relevance of other indicators as well as the availability of corresponding data. The collection and management of data on juvenile offending and juvenile justice was only one of the components of the assessment mission. A thorough evaluation of this aspect of juvenile justice was not possible in the time available, and the information obtained by the assessment team leaves many questions unanswered. It does, however, provide an overview of the general state of data collection and management regarding juvenile justice in these five countries, and highlights the need to treat this as an integral part of efforts to support the development of juvenile justice systems. This study should not be seen as a diagnosis, but rather a call to action.

Details: Geneva: UNICEF Regional Office for Central and Eastern Europe/Commonwealth of Independent States. 2009. 36p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 13, 2018 at: https://www1.essex.ac.uk/armedcon/story_id/UNICEF_JJIndicators08.pdf

Year: 2009

Country: Europe

Keywords: Juvenile Justice Administration

Shelf Number: 152923


Author: Houben, Robby

Title: Cryptocurrencies and blockchain: Legal context and implications for financial crime, money laundering and tax evasion

Summary: More and more regulators are worrying about criminals who are increasingly using cryptocurrencies for illegitimate activities like money laundering, terrorist financing and tax evasion. The problem is significant: even though the full scale of misuse of virtual currencies is unknown, its market value has been reported to exceed EUR 7 billion worldwide. This paper prepared by Policy Department A elaborates on this phenomenon from a legal perspective, focusing on the use of cryptocurrencies for financial crime, money laundering and tax evasion. It contains policy recommendations for future EU standards.

Details: Brussels: European Parliament, Directorate-General for Internal Policies, Policy Department for Economic, Scientific and Quality of Life Policies, 2018. 103p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 16, 2018 at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/cmsdata/150761/TAX3%20Study%20on%20cryptocurrencies%20and%20blockchain.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Cryptocurrency

Shelf Number: 152976


Author: Europol

Title: Criminal Networks Involved in the Trafficking and Exploitation of Underage Victims in the European Union

Summary: This report is produced in the framework of the EU Policy Cycle for organised and serious international crime. The Justice and Home Affairs Council defined its priorities for 2018-2021 based on Europol's Serious and Organised Crime Threat Assessment (SOCTA), released in March 2017. Trafficking in human beings (THB) is one of the identified crime priorities of the current EU Policy Cycle 2018-2021. The aim is to disrupt organised crime groups (OCGs) involved in intra-EU human trafficking and human trafficking from the most prevalent external source countries for the purposes of labour exploitation and sexual exploitation, including those groups using legal business structures to facilitate or disguise their criminal activities.

Details: The Hague: Europol, 2018. 38p.

Source: Internet Resource: Situation Report: Accessed October 18, 2018 at: https://www.europol.europa.eu/publications-documents/criminal-networks-involved-in-trafficking-and-exploitation-of-underage-victims-in-eu

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Child Sex Trafficking

Shelf Number: 153022


Author: Jordan, Mark

Title: Contextualising and Comparing the Policing of Public Order in France and Britain

Summary: France and Britain are European neighbours with distinct policing styles and traditions reflected in their differing approaches to public order policing. This thesis examines and compares this policing discipline in these countries. Focusing on the institutional and operational dimensions within their historical, social and political contexts, it identifies convergence and divergence of approaches. Using an enhanced version of David Waddington's 'Flashpoints' model as an analytic framework, the thesis adopts a mainly qualitative approach, drawing data from a review of relevant literature, semi-structured 'elite' interviews, participant observations and case studies. A number of key findings are produced, based on the assumption that a state must possess an effective policing function for it to honour its sovereign and civic responsibilities.

Details: Cardiff, Wales: Cardiff University, 2012. 284p.

Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed October 22, 2018 at: https://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/cntrng-crm/plcng/cnmcs-plcng/rsrch-prtl/dtls-en.aspx?d=PS&i=85628845

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Crowd Control

Shelf Number: 153057


Author: Ohtani, Eiri

Title: Alternatives to detention from theory to practice: Evaluation of three engagement-based alternative to immigration detention pilot projects in Bulgaria, Cyprus and Poland

Summary: This report shares findings of the interim evaluation of the engagement-based alternative to detention (ATD) pilots in the community in Bulgaria, Cyprus and Poland which have been supported by the European Programme for Integration and Migration (EPIM). The pilots started in January, March and June 2017, to continue for the duration of two years. The purpose of the evaluation is to investigate the effectiveness of case management within the engagement-based ATD pilots in increasing individual migrants' ability to work towards case resolution, by helping them to stabilise in the community and supporting them to explore all options available for case resolution. The pilots also aim to generate material and evidence that advance ongoing discussions about the benefits of such ATD: that they are more affordable than detention, are more humane and are highly effective. The further evaluation of the pilots will be conducted at a later stage. In addition to collating quantitative data, for the purpose of analysing qualitative impact of case management, the pilot implementers carried out in-depth monitoring and assessment of data of between 10 and 11 individual cases from each pilot. The key interim findings include the following: - A relatively small amount of financial resources from private foundations can enable the establishment of engagement-based alternative to detention (ATD) pilots in the community based on an individualised case management approach which generate rich advocacy, learning and evidence building opportunities. - Significant amounts of time, preparation and reflection are required to set up and operationalise engagement-based ATD programmes from scratch in the community, including developing protocols and guidance for case managers and informing and gaining buy-in from stakeholders who are unfamiliar with engagement-based alternatives to detention or case management. They also need adjustments after they start and as more experience is gained. - The vast majority (97%) of individual migrants who entered the pilots remained engaged with immigration procedures through engagement-based ATD in the community: only 3% disengaged or absconded - Amongst people at risk of disengagement, absconding or detention, these ATD pilots have been able to successfully identify individuals who are able to work towards the resolution of their cases in the community. - Quality case management can increase individuals' ability to work towards case resolution. Even with various levels of vulnerability and wide diversity of people's circumstances, qualitative evaluation suggests that holistic and individualised case management can have a positive impact on individuals ability to engage with immigration procedures including cases of great complexity and previous experience of detention, when certain conditions are met. - Case management alone, especially when applied only at the end of the immigration process, cannot rectify structural and long-term problems in the migration system that sometimes undermine case resolution. Nor can it compensate for gaps in provision of minimum standards by states. It is particularly challenging to address individuals' lack of trust in the system. While it appears that a certain period of case management is necessary to stabilise the person, we cannot draw the conclusion that longer case management would automatically lead to case resolution when other barriers to case resolution remain unaddressed. - Case management is a complex skill that is fundamentally different from legal case work or general psychological or practical support skills: it is more holistic, reflective and continuous, yet has a clear focus on working towards case resolution in a structured way.

Details: Brussels: European Programme for Integration and Migration (EPIM), 2018. 39p.

Source: Internet Resource: accessed October 23, 2018 at: http://www.epim.info/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/ATD-Evaluation-Report_FINAL.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Alternatives to Detention

Shelf Number: 153059


Author: European Council on Refugees and Exiles

Title: Access to protection in Europe: The registration of asylum applications

Summary: This report by the Asylum Information Database (AIDA), managed by ECRE, examines the effectiveness of access to protection through an analysis of legal systems and practice concerning registration of asylum applications. The report analyses the legal and practical aspects of registration of asylum claims, with focus on: responsible authorities and content of information collected; locations of registration; time limits; and documentation. It also discusses interplay of the Dublin procedure (following the Court of Justice of the European Union ruling in Mengesteab) and the specific mechanisms for registration of asylum applications made at the border and in detention centres. The recast Asylum Procedures Directive refers to the terms of "making", "registering" and "lodging" a claim, without however detailing how these notions are to be understood in practice. These complex concepts and registration stages do not necessarily reflect consistent practice across the continent. For several countries, the formal introduction of an asylum application entails a single procedural step, while others construe "registration" and "lodging" as discrete stages with different legal effects. The analysis of national practice illustrates that a single-step registration process ensures simplicity in access to the asylum procedure. Additional layers of procedure are counter-productive as they usually entail more coordination within or between authorities, more types of official acts and documents, and inevitably more time for both asylum seekers and officials to comprehend and to navigate. States should build infrastructural and human capacity to make multiple registration points available across their national territory so as to conduct registration and issue documentation within short timeframes. Phone or online platforms used in some countries can be additional technical support tools for registration purposes but can never substitute administrative capacity. Without it, they are liable to exacerbate backlogs and prolong delays and precariousness rather than speeding up access to protection. The volume of documents issued to applicants for international protection should also be minimised in the interests of legal certainty and cost-efficient use of administrative resources. Documents should also have clear and consistent format so as to be recognisable by all actors coming into contact with asylum seekers, be they border guards, police officers, medical professionals, employment agencies, educational institutions or other.

Details: Brussels: European Council on Refugees and Exiles, 2018. 34p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 23, 2018 at: http://www.asylumineurope.org/sites/default/files/shadow-reports/aida_accessii_registration.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Asylum Seekers

Shelf Number: 153063


Author: European Commission

Title: High-Level Commission Expert Group on Radicalisation (HLCEG-R)

Summary: Trends and challenges of radicalisation in the European Union Europe is facing a high and evolving terrorist threat, as demonstrated by an increase in recent years in terrorist attacks, fatalities and terrorist convictions. In 2016, a total of 142 failed, foiled and completed attacks were reported. In 2017, 16 attacks struck eight different Member States while more than 30 plots were foiled. Radicalisation leading to violent extremism and terrorism is not a new phenomenon but the process is now taking place at an alarming speed and scale. The phenomenon is not limited to a single Member State but extends to the EU as a whole. As a matter of urgency, the European and Member States' policies must evolve to match the scale of the challenge offering effective responses. There is no official account of how many radicalised individuals are currently present in EU Member States and posing a potential security threat. Yet, various datasets collected at national level illustrate the magnitude of the problem: approximately 20,000 individuals have been reported in France; in the United Kingdom there are reportedly over 20,000 individuals having featured in previous security service inquiries; and the German security authorities have reported 11,000 Salafists, with a shift towards a more violence-prone and terrorist spectrum. Among those, a smaller fraction is considered as being particularly "dangerous". In addition, available threat assessments indicate an increase in right-wing extremism promoting anti-democratic, intolerant and divisive messages fuelling violent extremism as well as polarisation. Attacks carried out by left-wing violent extremists have been of rising concern as well. The return of foreign terrorist fighters (FTF) and their families, including children, home-grown jihadist extremists and lone actors is regarded as posing particular challenges also in terms of preventing as well as countering the radicalisation process. As regards the foreign terrorist fighters in particular, their return and relocation remain a significant long term challenge requiring Member States to balance repressive and "soft responses; their imprisonment may only delay the threat they pose. Preventing radicalisation in prisons remains a significant challenge across the EU, and experts remain somewhat divided on the different existing approaches to tackle the phenomenon, in particular on isolating radicalised prisoners from other prisoners or not. Nevertheless, all of them agreed that investments in tailor-made disengagement trajectories, starting in prison but pursued long afterwards in a multiagency cooperation, are strongly recommended. Irrespective of the kind of radicalisation or country-specific circumstances, Member States are confronted with similar concerns such as the use of the internet and social media by terrorist groups or violent extremist organisations for propaganda and recruitment purposes, radicalisation in prisons, and risks of an increasing polarisation and - more broadly - the undermining of societal peace and shared values. Despite significant setbacks on the ground, Daesh continues to devote considerable effort to its media operation and early this year saw resurgence in media production. The internet tended to feature prominently in almost every attack that happened in 2017, whether it was in using online instructions to prepare for the attack or glorifying in its aftermath, and it is clear that terrorist groups continue to use the internet to groom and recruit. In addition to Daesh propaganda, other terrorist groups similarly exploit the internet for terrorist gain. Al Qaeda, Boko Haram and a worrying rise of violent right-wing extremists are all prolific users of the internet, challenging the cohesion of Europes societies. Consequently, these multi-dimensional challenges require multifaceted responses drawing on all relevant policy areas and involving all relevant actors at local, regional, national, European and international level, with policies aimed at preventing and countering radicalisation whilst complementing other measures as part of a more comprehensive approach to counter terrorism. The Group highlights the importance of multi-agency responses and support to initiatives on the local level. While Member States' specific needs differ, requiring the development of approaches addressing issues specific to their individual circumstances, there is a shared interest in further enhancing exchanges of practices and experiences and closer cooperation between the different national actors at European level. The HLCEG-R has explored concrete ways to strengthen these policies with a view to supporting Member States in their efforts.

Details: Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2018. 44p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 24, 2018 at: https://ec.europa.eu/home-affairs/sites/homeaffairs/files/what-we-do/policies/european-agenda-security/20180613_final-report-radicalisation.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Daesh

Shelf Number: 152871


Author: van der Wilk, Adirane

Title: Cyber Violence and Hate Speech Online Against Women

Summary: This study, commissioned by the European Parliament's Policy Department for Citizens' Rights and Constitutional Affairs at the request of the FEMM Committee, looks into the phenomenon of cyber violence and hate speech online against women in the European Union. After reviewing existing definitions of the different forms of cyber violence, the study assesses the root causes and impact of online violence on women. It continues by analysing and mapping the prevalence, victims and perpetrators. The document ends with an outline of the existing legal framework and recommendations for action within the EU remit.

Details: Brussels: European Union, 2018. 80p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 24, 2018 at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2018/604979/IPOL_STU(2018)604979_EN.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Cyber Violence

Shelf Number: 152870


Author: Global Detention Project

Title: Harm Reduction in Immigration Detention: A Comparative Study of Detention Centres in France, Germany, Norway, Sweden, and Switzerland

Summary: It seems to be an inexorable quality of immigration detention that it causes the individual to experience pain or injury. From a human rights perspective, is it possible to talk about "best practices"? This Global Detention Project Special Report systematically compares conditions and operations at detention centres in five European countries-Norway, France, Germany, Sweden, and Switzerland-to identify practices that may be used to develop "harm reducing" strategies in detention. Commissioned by the Norwegian Red Cross as part of its efforts to promote reforms of Norway's detention practices, the report addresses several key questions: In what ways has the Norwegian system met or exceeded internationally recognised standards? In what ways has it fallen short, especially when compared to detention practices of peer countries? And what are the key reform priorities going forward that may help reduce the harmful impact of detention? In Norway's Trandum Detention Centre, multiple reports have highlighted an overzealously punitive and restrictive detention regime where detainees consider themselves to be "treated as criminals" even though they are not serving criminal prison sentences. Despite repeated recommendations from relevant experts, including the country's Parliamentary Ombudsman, many important reforms have not been implemented. To complete the study, GDP researchers sought to assess Trandum in a comparative context that would highlight conditions and procedures in other European countries. The analysis of centres in Norway, France, Germany, Sweden, and Switzerland reveals that Trandum has embraced a carceral model for immigration detention to a much greater extent than centres elsewhere in Europe, falling short of standards provided in international law and promoted by national and regional human rights bodies. The report highlights several key areas for promoting reforms, both at Trandum and in other facilities across Europe, including: placing immigration detainees in the custody of social welfare institutions rather than public security agencies; reforming operating rules on everything from food preparation to electronic communications; and shedding detention centres of carceral elements, including the aspect of guards and staff members and the internal layout and regime of detention centres. Many of these suggestions have been highlighted by the Norwegian Red Cross in a statement urging the country's authorities to reform its immigration detention system.

Details: Geneva, SWIT: GDP, 2018. 86p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 2, 2018 at: https://www.globaldetentionproject.org/harm-reduction-immigration-detention

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Human Rights Abuses

Shelf Number: 153146


Author: Bellasio, Jacopo

Title: Counterterrorism evaluation: Taking stock and looking ahead

Summary: In 2010, a study commissioned by the Research and Documentation Centre (Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek- en Documentatiecentrum, WODC) in the Netherlands first aimed to assess evaluation practice and culture in the fields of counterterrorism (CT) and preventing and countering violent extremism (PCVE). Seven years on from this initial study, in light of the continuous developments and investments occurring in the fields of CT and PCVE, there was a growing necessity for a renewed analysis of how strategies, policies and initiatives in these fields are evaluated and what advances could be made. Mindful of this, in December 2017 the WODC commissioned RAND Europe to conduct a study aimed at investigating how evaluations of CT and PCVE policies in the Netherlands and abroad have been designed and conducted over the last five years, and what practical lessons can be drawn regarding such evaluations. To achieve this goal, the study entailed the undertaking of three interconnected research tasks. First, the study opened with the production of an inventory of evaluations of CT and PCVE strategies, policies and interventions conducted since 1 January 2013. In parallel to this, the study team developed an analytical framework to be used for assessing evaluations collected. Lastly, the study team conducted a structured analysis and review of the evaluations inventory. This report discusses the activities, results and findings of this study and presents recommendations for future work in this area. It is aimed at a specialist audience of academics, practitioners and policy-makers with an intimate understanding of evaluation, particularly in the context of CT and PCVE. Key Findings -- The scope, purpose and activities characterising CT have evolved in recent years in parallel with the growth of the PCVE field. This is both a response to changes in the threat landscape and a result of a growing understanding of terrorism and violent extremism. Dutch authorities have designed and implemented a wide array of CT and PCVE legislation and measures, in recognition of the need for an approach that goes beyond traditional CT measures. The study produced an inventory comprising of 48 CT and PCVE evaluations manuscripts (38 in English, 6 in Dutch and 4 in German). These were analysed through an analytical framework to identify trends, patterns and characteristics of CT and PCVE evaluation. When compared with results from previous reviews, results from this study suggest that a growing volume of CT and PCVE evaluations is being undertaken and that the majority of these rely on primary data from multiple sources, perspectives and methods. Nonetheless, there appear to be limits to the extent to which evaluation practice has advanced and grown evenly across all areas of CT and PCVE work as significant gaps and shortcomings continue to mar a number of evaluations (e.g. evaluations characterised by designs that undermine their ability to draw robust conclusions about an initiative's impact). A number of issues and challenges continue to mar evaluations in the fields of CT and PCVE, not all of them are exclusive to these fields. Lessons and reflections identified from evaluations reviewed pertain to: (i) inherent complexities of the fields of CT and PCVE; (ii) challenges associated with measuring real-world phenomena; (iii) challenges associated with existing evaluation designs; (iv) practical difficulties of conducting evaluations; and (v) drawbacks and benefits of specific evaluation methods. Recommendations -- Continue to invest in the evaluation of planned and existing initiatives in the CT and PCVE policy areas, setting minimum quality and robustness requirements for future evaluations. Develop new evaluation designs, frameworks and approaches for conducting evaluation in the CT and PCVE policy areas, encouraging the adoption wherever possible of (quasi-)experimental designs. Encourage further research on the dynamics, drivers and factors governing the phenomena of radicalisation, violent extremism and terrorism. Conduct regularly mapping and stocktaking exercises akin to the present study, providing resources and means required to gain access to CT and PCVE initiatives' evaluators and beneficiaries.

Details: Brussels: RAND Europe, 2018. 169p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 2, 2018 at: https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR2628.html

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Counter-Terrorism

Shelf Number: 153147


Author: Pohjonen, Matti

Title: Horizons of Hate: A Comparative Approach to Social Media Hate Speech

Summary: My vox-pol fellowship in 2015-2016 coincided with two important developments in Europe. The first was the eruption of social media hate speech that followed hundreds of thousands of refugees arriving from war-ravaged Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan. The second was the growing buoyancy of the extreme right online, who tried to capitalise on this anger to increase its political power and recruit followers. I had just finished a research project in Ethiopia, a country with a long history of civil war and conflict. It was a sobering experience to return to Europe to discover how the social media debates on the refugee crisis had become more aggressive and vitriolic than anything I had experienced before as a comparative digital media researcher. A cursory look, for instance, at Facebook pages in Finland (a country that is more commonly known for its peaceful politics, consensus, and social stability) would reveal thousands of comments using the most graphic and violent language possible, such as "Those rats should be exterminated from the world," and "Why dont we shoot the invaders into a hole and burn them with gasoline to warm our feet?" All the hallmarks of ostensibly the worst kind of 'hate speech' were present: attacking people based on their group identity; dehumanising them by comparing them to animals; and incitement to violence. Moreover, such comments were posted by individuals using their public profiles, visible for anybody to see. So if social media conversations in what has been called the safest country in the world had become more violent than those I had observed in a country with an ongoing violent ethnic and political conflict, what was going on in these popular social media forums? Research into the socio-psychological dynamics of violent conflict has shown that an increasingly aggressive and polarised style of communication can be one of the telltale signs of escalating conflict (Hamelink 2011; Buyse 2014). Were these hateful comments possibly a symptom of some underlying social and political tension simmering under the glittering surface of social media screens waiting to erupt into real-world violence? How dangerous were they? As my research progressed, it also became increasingly clear that this growing visibility of social media hate speech was also somehow related to the resurgent confidence of the extreme right online. A new style of online political tactics had emerged, the significance of which researchers and policymakers were struggling to understand: ecosystems of fake news; bots manipulating social media popularity rankings; and disinformation campaigns orchestrated on social media forums (Benkler et al. 2017; Marwick and Lewis 2017; Wardle and Derakhshan 2017). What was the relationship between these activities by the extreme right online and the emergence of social media vitriol that targeted refugees and the people who supported them? How successful were these groups in exploiting the affordances of social media platforms such as Facebook to advance their political goals? A few years later, these questions remain as crucial as ever. Social media debates in Europe and the United States are as toxic as ever. The concerns about the political fallout of extreme right disinformation have become mainstream. Signs of these developments were visible in my research. This report outlines its findings.

Details: Dublin: VOX-Pol Network of Excellence, 2018. 62p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 2, 2018 at: https://www.voxpol.eu/download/vox-pol_publication/Horizons-of-Hate.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Extremism

Shelf Number: 153148


Author: European Council on Refugees and Exiles

Title: "The Way Forward": A Comprehensive Study of the new Proposals for EU funds on Asylum, Migration and Integration

Summary: ECRE and UNHCR published the report 'Joint Way Forward - A Comprehensive Study of the new Proposals for EU funds on Asylum, Migration and Integration' that analyses selected new legislative and budgetary proposals published by the European Commission within the framework of the proposed Multi-annual Financial Framework for 2021-27. The report focuses on those proposals which are: relevant to beneficiaries of the current Asylum, Migration & Integration Fund (AMIF) 2014-20 and proposed to be delivered by Member States via 'shared management' arrangements. It covers the proposals for the Asylum and Migration Fund, the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund+ and the Common Provision Regulation. The report summarises the background and context of the new proposals, outlines provisions of the proposed new instruments and maps significant changes from the current Asylum, Migration & Integration Fund (AMIF). The report builds on the findings of 'Follow the Money: report on the use of AMIF funding at the national level, published by UNHCR and ECRE in early 2018, which critically examined the programming of AMIF funding at the national level during the 2014-17 period. It follows up on the study's third specific objective of providing input in order to assist the European Commission (EC), Member States (MS) and partners in the development of European asylum, migration and integration funding instruments post-2020.

Details: Brussels: European Council on Refugees and Exiles, UN High Commissioner for Refugees, 2018. 85p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 3, 2018 at: https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/MFF-UNHCR-2.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Asylum Seekers

Shelf Number: 153240


Author: MEDAM (Mercator Dialogue on Asylum and Migration)

Title: Flexible Solidarity - A comprehensive strategy for asylum and immigration in the EU. 2018 MEDAM Assessment Report on Asylum and Migration Policies in Europe

Summary: The EU faces major challenges in asylum and migration policy: reorganize the EU asylum system, secure the external border, curb irregular immigration through cooperation with African governments, and support developing countries that host large numbers of refugees from Syria and elsewhere. These challenges are inter-connected and require a comprehensive approach with broad support by all EU member states. However, member states are affected by immigration in substantially different ways and the political preferences of policy makers and voters also vary widelynecessitating implementable proposals to overcome the EU's asylum and immigration impasse. In the 2018 MEDAM Assessment Report, we propose a comprehensive strategy for EU asylum and immigration policies that is both politically feasible and effective, based on the concept of flexible solidarity between EU member states.

Details: Kiel, Germany: Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW); Mercator Dialogue on Asylum and Migration (MEDAM), 2018. 148p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 8, 2018 at: https://www.medam-migration.eu/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/MEDAM-assessment-report_2018.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Asylum

Shelf Number: 153363


Author: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA)

Title: Preventing overdose deaths in Europe

Summary: More than 9 000 lives were reported to be lost to drug overdoses in Europe (28 EU Member States, Turkey and Norway) in 2016, the latest reporting year, and this is an underestimate. Reducing drug-related deaths therefore remains a major challenge for public health policy. This analysis describes some of the factors that increase the risk of fatal and non-fatal overdoses and a number of interventions developed to prevent these events.

Details: Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2018.7p.

Source: Internet Resource: Perspectives on Drugs: Accessed November 12, 2018: http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/system/files/publications/2748/POD_Preventing%20overdose%20deaths.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Overdose Deaths

Shelf Number: 153395


Author: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA)

Title: Captagon: understanding today's illicit market

Summary: Originally, Captagon was the main brand name for a medicinal product containing fenetylline as its active ingredient. It is no longer produced today or used for therapeutic purposes. Nevertheless, many countries in the Middle East regularly report seizures of a drug known as 'captagon' as part of their reporting obligations to international organisations. Captagon is also reported to be a commonly used stimulant in the Middle East and, to a lesser extent, some countries bordering the European Union, while some indicators suggest that European countries may be a source of the captagon consumed in these countries. In addition, some recent media reports have linked this drug to perpetrators of terrorist acts in Europe or terrorist groups based in areas of conflict in the Middle East. This has led to heightened interest in and concern about this drug, although only limited information is available on what the substance reported as captagon actually is and where it comes from. This report therefore aims to provide an overview of what is known about the captagon phenomenon, and how it may concern Europe, to assist those working in the illicit drugs field who may need to respond to the issue. It reviews how the drug known as captagon has evolved from the medicinal product Captagon into illicitly produced and marketed tablets, which generally appear to contain other substances, most commonly amphetamine, despite bearing the logo that was used on the original Captagon tablets. It also reviews what is known about the current production, supply and use of captagon. Finally, it highlights how the often sensationalist media reports of special links between captagon use and terrorist activity in Europe are not supported by evidence, although there may be some opportunistic links between drug use and supply in general and terrorism.

Details: Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2018. 21p.

Source: Internet Resource: EMCDDA Papers: Accessed November 16, 2018 at: http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/system/files/publications/9783/20184976_TDAU18002ENN_PDF.PDF

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Captagon

Shelf Number: 153501


Author: European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA)

Title: Antisemitism: Overview of data available in the European Union 2007-2017

Summary: Antisemitism can be expressed in the form of verbal and physical attacks, threats, harassment, discrimination and unequal treatment, property damage and graffiti or other forms of speech or text, including on the internet. The present report provides an overview of data on antisemitism as recorded by international organisations and by official and unofficial sources in the 28 European Union (EU) Member States, based on their own definitions and categorisations. 'Official data' are understood here as those collected by law enforcement agencies, other authorities that are part of criminal justice systems and relevant state ministries at the national level. 'Unofficial data' refers to data collected by civil society organisations. Antisemitic incidents and hate crime violate fundamental rights, including the right to human dignity, the right to equality of treatment and the freedom of thought, conscience and religion. This annual overview provides an update of the most recent figures on antisemitic incidents, covering the period 1 January 2007-31 December 2017, across the EU Member States, where data are available. In addition, it includes a section that presents evidence from international organisations. No official data on reported antisemitic incidents in 2017 were available for five Member States by the time this report was compiled in September 2018. This is the 14th edition of FRA and FRA's predecessor, the European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia, report on the data on manifestations of antisemitism in the EU.

Details: Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2018. 88p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 27, 2018 at: http://fra.europa.eu/en/publication/2018/antisemitism-overview-2007-2017

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Antisemitism

Shelf Number: 153854


Author: McDaniel, John

Title: Rethinking police accountability and transparency within the EU: reconciling national and supranational approaches

Summary: The new terrain of increasing interaction between national and supranational legal systems within the European Union presents new challenges for conventional approaches to police accountability and transparency. Each EU Member State is responsible for policing within its jurisdiction, and the EU institutions are increasingly responsible for enhancing the conduct of police cooperation between the Member States. The thesis explores the challenges of reconciling national approaches in the international sphere by conducting a critical analysis of 'how and to what extent national legal and administrative norms on police accountability and transparency are informing the concept, design and operation of EU cross-border policing instruments'. Building on the work of Peter K. Manning, Geoffrey Marshall and David Bayley amongst others, the thesis develops a pragmatic typology of police accountability through which to view the evolution and adequacy of national and supranational approaches. The typology contains three key dimensions, namely codes, co-option and complaint. Using the typology to critique conventional approaches in the UK, Ireland and Denmark, the thesis identifies legal and procedural anomalies and challenges at both the national and supranational level since the traditional elements of police accountability were originally formulated within the confines of national legal, political, historical and cultural constraints. Employing the typology to both elucidate problems and suggest methods of internalisation, the thesis argues that the EU should follow the lead of the Member States' legislatures by seeking to regulate a wider range of policing processes through more expansive procedural 'codes' which facilitate police discretion and co-option. The thesis shows that it is not sufficient for the EU to prioritise its post-Lisbon policy of 'co-decision' in order to remedy its democratic deficits but that it must oversee the establishment and enhancement of parliamentary committees, inspectorates and other oversight bodies in the interest of police accountability. A number of recommendations are made for police reform at both the national and supranational levels to this end. More particularly, the research indicates that additional treaty changes are needed beyond the Lisbon Treaty in order to adequately reconcile national and supranational approaches to police accountability.

Details: Canterbury, UK: Kent Law School, 2015. 227p.

Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed December 5, 2018 at: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/48070/7/John%20McDaniel%20_%20Thesis.pdf.doc.pdf

Year: 2105

Country: Europe

Keywords: Police Accountability

Shelf Number: 153915


Author: De Middeleer, Freja

Title: Illegale drugsmarkten in Belgie en Nederland : Communicerende vaten?

Summary: Belgian and Dutch criminal networks have been interwoven for years. In Belgium Crime developments in the Netherlands have therefore been followed with care for a long time. Given the historical inter-wovenness of the serious crime problem, there is a chance that questions who are in one country, go over to another. So from the beginning of the year 2000 in Belgium Increasingly, cannabis plantations were found, usually involving a connection with the Netherlands the order is: the Dutch are directly involved, the breeding supplies are in the Netherlands purchased or the harvest is sold. In addition, there is the presence of the synthetic drug production in the Belgian-Dutch border region, in the hands of Dutch criminal organizations. From the end of the 1990s onwards, we also saw more drug housing popping up in cities such as Ghent and Ghent Antwerp, which were also supplied from the Netherlands. This raises the question of how recent developments in the Dutch and Belgian drug markets must be identified and what measures can be taken against them autonomously and in close cooperation between the two countries. Can we speak today of one a shift or an expansion of (parts of) illegal drug markets between the Netherlands and Belgium? If so, what is the cause of this?

Details: Brussels: Belgian Science Policy Office (BELSPO), 2018. 316p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed Dec. 6, 2018 at: http://www.belspo.be/belspo/organisation/Publ/pub_ostc/Drug/DR74_rapp2018.pdf (In Dutch)

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Criminal Networks

Shelf Number: 153930


Author: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs

Title: Medical use of cannabis and cannabinoids: Questions and answers for policymaking

Summary: The medical use of preparations derived from the Cannabis sativa plant has a long history. However, by the twentieth century, medical use of cannabis had largely declined, and its consumption for medical purposes was already very limited when in 1961 cannabis was included in the United Nations Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs and classified as a drug that had no medical uses (see 'A brief history of the medical use of cannabis and cannabinoids', on page 7). In the past 20 years, however, there has been a resurgence of patient interest in using cannabis and cannabinoids to treat a variety of conditions, including chronic pain, cancer pain, depression, anxiety disorders, sleep disturbances and neurological disorders, the symptoms of which are reportedly improved by using cannabis (NASEM, 2017). Increased patient interest in the medical use of cannabis has been accompanied by renewed scientific interest in the medical use of substances found in the cannabis plant, namely cannabinoids. This followed the discovery, in the early 1990s, of a cannabinoid system in the human brain and body that was implicated in the control of important biological functions, such as cognition, memory, pain, sleep and immune functioning. However, the classification of cannabis as a drug without medical uses made it difficult to conduct clinical research (NASEM, 2017). In the mid-1990s, citizens in several US states responded to patient demand for cannabis by passing referenda that legalised the medical use of cannabis for people with a variety of illnesses, such as chronic pain, terminal cancer and multiple sclerosis. A similar approach was later adopted in many other US states. In 1999, Canada introduced a medical cannabis programme that expanded over the subsequent decades in response to court decisions. In the early 2000s, Israel (2001) and the Netherlands (2003), and later other countries, such as Switzerland (2011), Czechia (2013), Australia (2016) and Germany (2017), legislated to allow the medical use of cannabis under specified conditions. Over a similar period, clinical trials have provided the basis for granting an authorisation for marketing in many EU Member States of a medicinal product, primarily based on cannabis extracts, that has proven effective in the treatment of muscle spasticity due to multiple sclerosis. Most EU countries now allow, or are considering allowing, the medical use of cannabis or cannabinoids in some form. However, the approaches taken vary widely in terms of both the products allowed and the regulatory frameworks governing their provision. In this context, this report aims to provide a brief overview of current knowledge and the latest developments relating to medical use of cannabis and cannabinoids. The report is intended to help a broad audience of interested readers, such as policymakers, practitioners, potential patients and the public, to understand the scientific, clinical and regulatory issues that arise when consideration is given to making cannabis or cannabinoids available to treat the symptoms of medical illnesses.

Details: Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2018. 48p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 7, 2018 at: http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/system/files/publications/10171/20185584_TD0618186ENN_PDF.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Cannabis

Shelf Number: 153936


Author: McCracken, Katie

Title: Domestic Sexual Abuse of Girls: Women's Rights and Gender Equality

Summary: Background -- Domestic sexual abuse of girls is a persistent global problem with profoundly devastating and long-lasting consequences. While every child has a right to protection from sexual abuse, work to uphold this right continues to fail too many. Our efforts must be re-doubled at all levels, from EU and other international institutions, to national governments, and local services. As we attempt to rise to the significant challenges of anticipating and responding to newer and emerging threats to children's safety and wellbeing (including online sexual abuse and exploitation), it is crucial not to allow this to lead to neglect of the longer-standing problem of child sexual abuse in domestic settings. In this context, this report, written from a gender-sensitive perspective, seeks to encourage renewed attention to the evidence on domestic sexual abuse of girls and how best to combat it. Aims -- This study aims to contribute to our understanding of, and ability to tackle, domestic sexual abuse of girls, by providing: - a useful definition and conceptual model of domestic sexual abuse of girls; - analyses of prevalence of, and risk factors for, domestic sexual abuse of girls across the EU; - a review of policies and actions to address domestic sexual abuse of girls at the EU and Member State levels; - case studies of national approaches to tackling domestic sexual abuse of girls in four Member States (Poland, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom); - recommendations for Member States and EU institutions on how to combat domestic sexual abuse of girls.

Details: Brussels: European Parliament, Policy Department for Citizens' Rights and Constitutional Affairs, Directorate General for Internal Policies of the Union, 2018.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed Dec. 7, 2018 at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2018/608837/IPOL_STU(2018)608837_EN.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Child Protection

Shelf Number: 153938


Author: Sorrentino, Liliana

Title: Guidelines to prevent abusive recruitment, exploitative employment and trafficking of migrant workers in the Baltic Sea region

Summary: The Guidelines to Prevent Abusive Recruitment, Exploitative Employment and Trafficking of Migrant Workers in the Baltic Sea Region is the culmination of the project "ADSTRINGO - Addressing Trafficking in Human Beings for Labour Exploitation through Improved Partnerships, Enhanced Diagnostics and Intensified Organisational Approaches". The project is implemented by the European Institute for Crime Prevention and Control, affiliated with the United Nations (HEUNI) together with the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Lithuania, the University of Tartu in Estonia and the Council of the Baltic Sea States Task Force against Trafficking in Human Beings (CBSS TF-THB). The aim of these guidelines is to address and tackle the different forms of exploitation and trafficking of migrant workers in the Baltic Sea Region that were identified as problematic in the joint ADSTRINGO research report "Exploitation of Migrant Workers in Finland, Sweden, Estonia and Lithuania. Uncovering the Links between Recruitment, Irregular Employment Practices and Labour Trafficking". In addition, many of these problematic practices and issues have been identified and discussed in the national experts meetings which have been organised under the ADSTRINGO umbrella in Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden, as well as in Poland and Russia. The guidelines have been produced in English and translated to the four other project languages Finnish, Swedish, Estonian and Lithuanian. Ultimately, it is our hope that the guidelines will be utilised in efforts to prevent trafficking for forced labour and to protect the rights of migrant workers in the different countries in the Baltic Sea region. In order to achieve best possible impact a shorter and easy to use version of these guidelines is available for practitioners in the five project languages.

Details: Helsinki: Helsinki : European Institute for Crime Prevention and Control, 2014. 103p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed Dec. 11, 2018 at: http://www.cbss.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/ADSTRINGO-Guidelines.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Forced Labor

Shelf Number: 153959


Author: European Commission

Title: Firearms and the Internal Security of the EU: Protecting Citizens and Disrupting Illegal Trafficking

Summary: Firearms have lawful and responsible civilian uses, and their manufacture, sale and purchase are a part of the EUs internal market. Firearms in the wrong hands, however, can have devastating consequences for citizens and communities. There are still far too many victims of gun-related violence in the EU. In the first decade of the 21st century there were over 10,000 victims of murder or manslaughter, killed by firearms, in the 28 Member States of EU, and every year there are over 4,000 suicides by firearm. On average, there are 0.24 homicides and 0.9 suicides by firearm per 100,000 population per year in the EU. The presence of powerful and often illegally-held firearms in particular in deprived urban areas can create a sense of insecurity among citizens. The gunmen responsible for horrendous shootings in recent years, in the schools in Tuusula (2007) and Kauhajoki (2008), and in Cumbria (2010) and Alphen aan den Rijn (2011), were mentally unstable adults and yet were licensed to possess a firearm. In Winnenden (2009) an adolescent used a pistol which had been insecurely stored in his parents' bedroom. In the attacks in Liege in 2011, the gunman drew from a huge personal arsenal including military weapons and collectors' items which he had purchased and converted. These specific incidents alone claimed the lives of 61 people, including 19 children. Illegally-held firearms, meanwhile, are often used to coerce and to intimidate victims of organised crime. The illegal import and sale of these weapons, as well as their production, provide lucrative business for the EUs estimated 3600 organised crime groups. Terrorists and extremists have used firearms to instil fear and to kill: seven died in the Toulouse and Montauban attacks in 2012, and two in the 2011 Frankfurt airport incident. There are an estimated 80 million legally-held civilian firearms in the EU. While there are no precise statistics, the many firearms in illegal circulation are often the result of theft or diversion from their lawful lifecycle, of being illegally imported from third countries and of the conversion of other objects into firearms. Almost half a million firearms lost or stolen in the EU remain unaccounted for, the overwhelming majority of which are civilian firearms, according to the Schengen Information System. In one Member State, France, the authorities reported a 40 percent increase in seizures of stolen civilian and military weapons between 2010 and 2011. Large amounts of powerful military grade weapons have since the mid-1990s reached the EU from the Western Balkans and former Soviet Bloc countries, often trafficked in small quantities and hidden in vehicles like long distance coaches to avoid detection. Recent upheavals in North Africa and the Middle East carry a risk that surplus and stolen military arms will reach European criminal markets along similar routes. Firearms, parts and components are also, to an increasing extent, traded online and delivered through mail order, postal or express delivery services. Law enforcement authorities in the EU are concerned that firearms which have been deactivated are being illegally reactivated and sold for criminal purposes, that items such as alarm guns, air weapons and blank-firers are being converted into illegal lethal firearms, and that criminals may very soon exploit 3D printing technologies for assembling home-made weapons or making components to be used for reactivating firearms. An overview of some of the trafficking routes which have been reported by firearms experts in Member States is illustrated below.

Details: Brussels, Belgium: European Commission, 2013. 22p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 16, 2018 at: https://ec.europa.eu/home-affairs/sites/homeaffairs/files/what-we-do/policies/organized-crime-and-human-trafficking/trafficking-in-firearms/docs/1_en_act_part1_v12.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Europe

Shelf Number: 154015


Author: Kelmendi, Vese

Title: New Battlegrounds: Extremists Groups' Activity on Social Networks in Kosovo, Albania and Fyrom

Summary: Online platforms are used extensively as a propaganda tool to convince young people to support the various groups fighting in Iraq and Syria. Many individuals outside of the conflict partake in propaganda efforts on social media, using their profiles to provide electronic support to ISIS and other extremist groups. An analysis of various profiles indicates that those engaged in the Syria conflict use their profile to disseminate information about the conflict, which can be used for propaganda. The typical feature observed across these profiles is the virtual association between them. Websites and profiles that share the online propaganda of extremist groups have been identified in Kosovo, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) and Albania. The distribution of this propaganda in the Albanian language by ISIS and other organizations has increased support for the so-called "Islamic State". Research on the social network activities of these various groups aims to explain the discourse of online sites that primarily promote ISIS, the content of these pages, their attitudes towards democratic processes such as elections and employment in secular state institutions, other religious communities, and state security institutions, as well as sermons on jihad and support for prominent members of various violent extremist groups. The methodology employed during the course of the research for this report involved the analysis of data and information gathered from within closed websites and social media groups/networks that are only accessible by invitation. The interactions within these 'closed' groups are more honest and less guarded than would be the case with an unrestricted, publicly viewable page. A precise description of the methodology has deliberately been avoided in order to prevent counter-measures being taken by the administrators of these closed groups. As will be made clear, this report is intended to mark the beginning on an ongoing process of monitoring of online radicalization in the Albanian language. The research is primarily based on three categories of online content: (i) extremist groups that are pro-violence; (ii) propaganda material, such as calls for jihad or for support for imprisoned imams; and (iii) trends and attitudes towards the state, institutions and society in general. To understand the importance of the Internet, namely of social network sites such as Facebook, YouTube and others, we have also analyzed some of the interviews of individuals formerly engaged in the conflict in Syria and Iraq. According to the interviewees, most of them used Facebook and YouTube to become informed of the conflicts in Syria and Iraq, which is different compared to the online propaganda which was spread in EU member states, where twitter was used mostly. Moreover, the distressing images of civilians in Syria, the idea of assuming protagonism in creating Caliphate to fight for Jihad led to a number of individuals having an active role in the media. Their narrative echoes protection of Islam by repeatedly referring to what they call 'crusaders' as well as prioritizing their enemies such as Jews, Alewite communities and traditional preachers of Islam. Kosovo Prosecution files on individuals charged with criminal offenses, such as participation and recruitment in ISIS and other organizations, reveal that the defendants charged with participation in the wars in Syria and Iraq would communicate primarily through the Facebook chat app, as well as via different Vala and IPKO numbers. In their communications they have used different code words to signal their engagement in Syria.This includes coordination over the time of departure, and informing family members via SMS or Skype. The Kosovar Centre for Security Studies (KCSS) has created a database that includes Facebook pages, YouTube channels and other sites promoting violence or propaganda about ISIS and other terrorist organizations. These pages represent calls to join fights in Syria and Iraq and make jihad and to be soldiers of Allah. The analysis of these Albanian language sites was conducted from December 2016 until May 2017. 60 Facebook pages, 4 closed groups and over 120 individual profiles and 6 YouTube channels were analyzed.

Details: Kosovo: European Union, 2017. 28p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 18, 2018 at: http://www.qkss.org/repository/docs/New_Batelgrounds_Extremist_Groups_in_Social_Media_738865.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Albania

Shelf Number: 154064


Author: Counter Extremism Project

Title: European Ethno-Nationalist and White Supremacy Groups

Summary: More than 70 years after the defeat of Nazi Germany, ethno-nationalist and white supremacist movements in Europe continue to thrive. They include far-right political parties, neo-Nazi movements, and apolitical protest groups. Some groups openly espouse violent white supremacy, while others have propagated their radical stances under the guise of populism. Such populist groups claim that they are striving to protect average hardworking Europeans by preserving their livelihoods and heritages from economic and cultural threats posed by immigrants and ethnic minorities. Though not all of these groups directly link their ideologies to Nazism, their propaganda portrays immigrants and ethnic minorities in a similar manner to how Nazi propaganda portrayed Jews, blaming them for national economic troubles and depicting them as a serious threat to the broader national identity. In a June 2018 speech, German Chancellor Angela Merkel recognized that the majority of refugees are victims, and that "escape and expulsion are part of our German and European history." Nonetheless, several far-right political parties in Europe have infused anti-immigrant and particularly anti-Muslim xenophobia into their party platforms through the concept of ethno-nationalism - the idea that a nation should be composed of a single ethnicity. These parties postulate that hardworking European natives are suffering economic and cultural losses due to immigrants and ethnic minorities who want to replace national, religious, and cultural identities with foreign values. Ethno-nationalists also view multiculturalism as a code word for the destruction of the native national identity. For example, Hungary's neo-fascist Jobbik political party rejects "the dead-end Western European multiculturalism" and has pledged to "defend our cultural identity developed over our history." Groups like Germany's Alternative fur Deutschland (AfD) political party lament the influx of Muslim immigrants, which they claim weakens the German culture and quality of life. AfD has gone so far as to claim that Islam is a danger to Germany. These far-right political parties have therefore been able to unite ethno-nationalism with populism by propagating the notion that ethno-nationalism serves the average hardworking individual and the broader national identity. Their propaganda campaigns have allowed them to generate substantial popular support and make gains in domestic elections. The AfD came in third in Germany's September 2017 parliamentary elections. In March 2018's Italian parliamentary elections, the far-right, anti-immigrant Lega Nord ("Northern League") party succeeded in becoming the third largest party in Italy's parliament. In June 2018, League leader Matteo Salvini assumed the role of Italy's interior minister. He has since refused a migrant aid ship permission to dock in Italy and called for a national census to address "the Roma question." Both parties also view the European Union as a harmful foreign influence that has undermined the sovereignty of their respective nations. Salvini has even derided the euro as a "German currency" and a "crime against humanity." Some ethno-nationalist political movements have openly embraced the language and symbolism of the Nazi movement. In Hungary, Gabor Vona, the former chair of the far-right Jobbik, has blamed international Jewry for attempting to buy Hungary and interfere in its elections. Jobbik has also used the Nazi "Arrow Cross" to symbolize pride in Hungary's Nazi past. In 2014, a Hungarian court ruled that Jobbik may be referred to as "neo-Nazi" in Hungary. Despite similarities in propaganda, however, not all of Europe's far-right political movements have openly embraced links to the Nazi or neo-Nazi movements. Members of the French anti-immigrant Les Identitaires movement reject violence and consider themselves to be patriots defending European identity from cultural corruption imposed by Islamic mores. Les Identitaires' youth wing, Generation Identity (GI), has a presence across Europe and uses social media and popular demonstrations to propagate similar anti-Islamic notions and gain traction with young people. Some of Europe's historically non-political, violent far-right groups have not only embraced similar populist language to the ethno-nationalist political movements, but also continue to espouse openly racist concepts and employ violence to achieve their visions of an ethnically homogenous state. Combat 18, a violent neo-Nazi skinhead group founded in the United Kingdom in 1992, currently has a presence in at least 18 countries. Similar to ISIS in its aim to create a Muslim-only caliphate, the group encourages supporters to carry out lone-wolf terrorist attacks as part of its greater aim to create white-only countries through violence. National Action is another group of young far-right extremists that, in 2016, became the first far-right group to be labeled as a terrorist organization in the United Kingdom after it praised the murder of a parliamentarian. The group, whose members believe that "Britain should be for British people," reportedly operates training camps where recruits learn hand-to-hand combat in preparation for "white jihad." Not only do these violent white supremacist groups employ similar strategies to some of the most prominent Islamic terror groups, but they are also motivated to pursue the radical end goal of an ethnically or culturally homogenous state due to similar concerns that their identity and way of life are under threat. The Counter Extremism Project (CEP)'s European Ethno-Nationalist and White Supremacy Groups report outlines the history, propaganda, violent activities, and notable rhetoric of some of the continent's most active ethno-nationalist and white supremacist groups.

Details: London, UK: Counter Extremism Project, 2018. 56p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 9, 2019 at: https://www.counterextremism.com/european-white-supremacy-groups

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Anti-Immigration

Shelf Number: 154061


Author: MacDonald, Morag

Title: Service Provision for Detainees with Problematic Drug and Alcohol Use in Police Detention: A Comparative Study of Selected Countries in the European Union

Summary: Introduction Over the last two decades drug use has greatly increased. As a result increasing numbers find themselves in police detention: most of these detainees are vulnerable individuals and the recognition of their substance misuse problem is now perceived (in the UK) as important and is receiving local and national attention. Accurate assessment of substance-misuse-associated morbidities, including the degree and severity of dependence, and of the need for medical intervention, is essential, because both intoxication and withdrawal can put detainees at risk of medical, psychiatric and even legal complications (Royal College of Psychiatrists and Association of Forensic Physicians 2006,ii). Despite the expanding illicit drug industry and advances in law enforcement, which have led to an increase in the proportion of problematic drug and alcohol users coming in contact with the criminal justice systems throughout Europe, there is still little research about police detention (Van Horne & Farrell 1999), specifically in considering police forces' response to the problem and the treatment of problematic drug and alcohol users in police detention (MacDonald 2004). Official statistics have shown an increase in the number of problematic drug and alcohol users across Europe and in Central and Eastern Europe. Recreational use and experimentation are becoming a central part of youth culture. Problematic drug and alcohol users represent a small minority of the whole population. However, this sort of use is responsible for the vast majority of associated harm, in personal, economic and social costs. This study explores legislation, policy and practice for problematic drug and alcohol users during police detention in eight countries in the EU.

Details: Helsinki, Finland: European Institute for Crime Prevention and Control, 2008. 28p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 9, 2019 at: https://www.heuni.fi/material/attachments/heuni/papers/6KtnJ9l4J/HEUNI_papers_27.pdf

Year: 2008

Country: Europe

Keywords: Alcohol Abuse

Shelf Number: 154049


Author: O'Neil, S.

Title:

Summary: Definition of the problem More than 200 million girls and women alive today in 30 countries in Africa and the Middle East have undergone some form of FGM (UNICEF 2016). Thirty million more are at risk over the next ten years. The WHO and experts around the world agree that FGM can have serious consequences on women and girls' physical and mental health. All EU member states have signed up to international treaties such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) that seek to safeguard these rights and therefore make it mandatory for states to protect women and girls affected by, or at risk of FGM. Different organisations around Europe have developed strategies against FGM and legislative measures have been taken to protect victims. However, despite increasing commitment to combat FGM, there are still significant gaps in the approach to tackle the practice (EIGE 2013). Since FGM was brought up as an important health issue by the WHO in 1975, it has often been taken for granted that men's domination and control of women has an important role to play in the perpetuation of the practice (Almroth et al. 2001; ONeill 2013). The UNICEF report (2013), however, showed that in 16 African countries the percentage of men who want to stop FGM is higher than the rate of women who want to stop FGM, apart from in Sudan and Nigeria (UNICEF 2013:70). This suggests that the role of men in the perpetuation of the practice either seems to have changed or has been misunderstood. The UNICEF report further shows that in 8 countries the rate of women who think that men want FGM to end is significantly lower than the reality. In Guinea Conakry, for example, 12% of women think that men want to stop whereas in reality 42% of men want the practice to end (2013:72). This seems to point to a lack of communication between men and women, which the report confirms (2013:72). It has also often been claimed that in African countries where FGM is practised, men have a sexual preference for women who have undergone FGM (Hosken 1993). The recent UNICEF (2013) report however shows that in 12 countries only between 1-7% of men feel that the practice increases their sexual pleasure (UNICEF 2013:76). Regarding health consequences, a study in the Gambia showed that 72% of respondents did not know that FGM had a negative impact on the health and wellbeing of girls (Kaplan et al. 2013). In a behavior change study by Shell-Duncan et al. (Shell-Duncan et al. 2011) it was found that if men were involved in the decision on whether their daughters should undergo FGM, they were more likely to remain uncut. Little is actually known about African men's views on the practice in Africa and in Europe. A mixed methods study (qualitative and quantitative research) was conducted in Belgium, the UK and the Netherlands to increase knowledge of men's role in the perpetuation of the practice. This research is part of a European Daphne project "Men Speak Out" coordinated by GAMS Belgique with three main work streams: research, training and an awareness campaign aiming at engaging men in the prevention of FGM. Objectives of research The objectives of the qualitative research was to increase knowledge on the men's role in the perpetuation of the practice by addressing 4 key issues: 1. Men's understanding of FGM as a health risks and human rights violation, 2. Communication between women and men about the practice of FGM, 3. Men's opinions about FGM, 4. Male involvement in the decision making process to end the practice. The objective of the quantitative study was to estimate the proportion of men who are in favour of the continuation of FGM in Europe as compared to in their country of origin. The aim was therefore to find out whether migration and residence in Europe affects men's attitudes towards FGM. Study sites The study sites were Belgium, The Netherlands and the UK in collaboration with the community based organisations FORWARD UK, GAMS Belgium and HIMILIO foundation (The Netherlands) who have extensive experience campaigning against and conducting research on the practice.

Details: Brussels, Belgium: Men Speak Out Project, 2015. 32p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 12, 2019 at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/321214035_Men_have_a_role_to_play_but_they_don't_play_it_A_mixed_methods_study_exploring_men's_involvement_in_Female_Genital_Mutilation_in_Belgium_the_Netherlands_and_the_United_Kingdom_Men_Speak_Out

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Female Circumcision

Shelf Number: 154087


Author: Lopez-Sanchez, Daniel

Title: Applying Local Image Feature Descriptors to Aid the Detection of Radicalization Processes in Twitter

Summary: With the emergence of the online-radicalization phenomenon, several researchers have turned their attention towards the problem of automatic detection of online radicalization processes and profiles. In addition, several studies have been conducted trying to provide insight into the habits and language patterns used by radical profiles to spread their radical ideology. For instance, in [4] the authors manually identified a set of radical YouTube profiles and used different social network and natural language processing techniques to analyze the messages they published in the social network. This study revealed significant gender differences in the language and habits of radical users. Other authors have focused on the automatic detection of radical profiles. Most of these proposals focus solely on the textual content of individual publications, rather than analyzing the social interactions between confirmed radical users and users at risk of radicalization. For example, in [1] the authors adopted a machine-learning classification approach to detect ideologically extremist tweets based on linguistic and stylistic text features. In recent years it has become apparent that, to fully characterize the behavior of radical social network users, it is necessary to consider not only the textual content of messages but also the patterns in the interactions between social users. It has been shown that users in social networks interact in a homophilic manner; that is, they tend to maintain relationships with people who are similar to themselves, as characterized by age, race, gender, religion and ideology. For instance, in [6] the authors analyzed different community detection techniques to cluster users according to their political preferences, showing that users in the social network Twitter tend to form very cohesive networks when talking about political issues. In this context, our previous work [7] focused on the design of algorithms to measure the risk of radicalization of social users surrounding networks of confirmed radical users. If accurate enough, these algorithms might be applied by security forces to detect early radicalization processes, allowing the adoption of effective counter-measures in a timely manner. As described in the following section, our proposed algorithm was able to correctly identify users at risk of radicalization in different case studies. However, one limitation of the proposed framework was the high level of false positives that expert users had to filter out manually. In this document, we explore the use of image analysis algorithms in order to detect radical groups' iconography in social network profile images and publications. We believe this technology can be used in combination with existing interaction and text-based radical user detection techniques in order to reduce false positive rates. In particular, the presence of iconography from radical groups in online publications can be used to confirm or at least support the predictions of existing radicalization detection methods, prioritizing users which share or exhibit iconography of radical groups in their social profiles. The rest of this document is structured as follows. Section 2 briefly summarizes our previous work in the context of interaction-based radicalization detection, and explains how image processing techniques can improve the accuracy in this task. Section 3 presents some experimental results regarding the effectiveness of different image descriptors when retrieving images containing iconography of radical groups. Finally, section 4 presents the conclusions of this study and suggests some promising future lines of research.

Details: The Hague, Netherlands: Europol, 2019. 12p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 20, 2019 at: https://www.europol.europa.eu/publications-documents/applying-local-image-feature-descriptors-to-aid-detection-of-radicalization-processes-in-twitter

Year: 2019

Country: Europe

Keywords: Algorithms

Shelf Number: 154255


Author: European Parliament. Durectorate General for Internal policies. Citizens' Rights and Constitutional Affairs

Title: An Assessment of the Commission's Proposals on Electronic Evidence

Summary: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Background Internet-based information and communication systems (e-mail, social media, messaging apps, cloud computing systems) have become integral part of everyday life. Accordingly, access to electronic data processed and stored by service providers has increasingly gained in importance in criminal investigations. As provider data is often stored on and moved between servers located in several jurisdictions, access to such data usually requires a request for mutual legal assistance (MLA). The traditional framework of international cooperation in criminal matters, however, bears the risk that the data may have been deleted or transferred before the requested state decides to take action. As an alternative to MLA proceedings, a practice of direct cooperation requests to service providers has emerged. This practice, however, relies upon the provider's willingness to cooperate and, thus, does not ensure effective and equal access to the relevant data. In order to meet these challenges, the Commission proposed on 17 April 2018 new rules on cross-border access to electronic evidence, namely a regulation on European Production and Preservation Orders for electronic evidence in criminal proceedings and a directive laying down harmonized rules on the appointment of legal representatives for the purpose of gathering evidence in criminal proceedings. By these proposals, the Commission responds to the Councils and the European Parliaments calls for a common EU approach in this field. Aim The aim of this study is to assess whether the new rules proposed by the Commission provide an adequate and feasible framework for cross-border access to provider data. To that end, the study shall analyse the added value and shortcomings of the Commissions proposal and assess the legal implications of the transnational disclosure of provider data, with a special focus on the disparities of national legal systems and recent developments concerning access to evidence stored in other jurisdictions, the legal challenges as regards territorial sovereignty and fundamental rights protection as well as the possibilities offered by Mutual Legal Assistance agreements and mutual recognition instruments. Findings The international framework of cross-border access to provider data mainly relies on MLA proceedings. In the EU, the European Investigation Order has significantly facilitated cross-border cooperation by streamlining the procedure and reducing cooperation obstacles, but still requires an intervention of the MS where the investigative measure shall be executed. In contrast, the Commissions proposal will create new instruments for direct and mandatory cross-border cooperation, namely the European Production Order (EPOC) and the European Preservation Order (EPOC-PR). The orders are addressed to the legal representative to be designated by any service provider offering its services in the Union. The role of the formerly executing MS is limited to the enforcement of the order if the addressee does not comply with its obligations. The added value of the new cooperation regime lies in providing quick and effective cross-border access to provider data. On the other hand, the Commissions proposal suffers from major shortcomings: -The Commissions proposal extends enforcement jurisdiction to service providers established and data stored in non-Member States and thereby compromises the functioning of international cooperation with third states and gives rise to legal uncertainty for both service providers and users. - Direct cooperation will affect the territorial sovereignty of the MS in which the service provider shall execute the EPOC or the EPOC-PR and will, thereby, prevent that MS from taking responsibility for an effective protection of fundamental rights within its territory. Instead, the protective function is shifted to the service provider and/or the competent authority of the issuing MS neither of which is in position to ensure adequate protection. - The proposed cooperation mechanism deprives the individual of the protection provided by the traditional framework of international cooperation by abolishing traditional cooperation obstacles (for instance the double criminality requirement). Most of all, the proposal establishes an obligation to produce content data and transactional data even if the threshold set out by the law of the enforcing MS is not met (serious offence, catalogue offence). - As a consequence of the re-allocation of protective functions among the issuing and the enforcing MS, the individual whose data has been transmitted has no right to challenge the disclosure before a court of the enforcing MS. The service provider is provided with judicial remedies in the enforcing MS (enforcement proceedings) and in the issuing MS (review procedure in case of conflicting obligations), but may not challenge the legality of the order under the law of the issuing MS. - The Commission's proposal will not fully overcome the fragmentation and divergence of the MSs' laws on the preservation and production of electronic evidence. Production and preservation orders to domestic service providers will remain subject to national law and the proposed cooperation regime still significantly refers to the national laws of the issuing and enforcing MS. Recommendations To address the shortcomings of the new cooperation regime proposed by the Commission, this study recommends - to re-consider whether and to what extent recourse to the EIO might be an alternative option to the EPOC or the EPOC-PR (in particular with regard to the disclosure of content and transactional data); - to coordinate the legislative proposal with bi- and multilateral agreements and to limit unilateral enforcement jurisdiction by a connecting factor that is strictly construed and provides legal certainty for service providers and users; - to strengthen the role of the enforcing MS by a notification mechanism that enables its competent authority to take a decision on the execution of the order; - to maintain the high standards of protection established in the framework of cross-border cooperation in the AFSJ and provided by the law of the enforcing MS (in particular the thresholds for accessing content data and transactional data); - to ensure effective judicial review by providing legal remedies in both the issuing and the enforcing MS and enabling the service provider to challenge the legality of the EPOC / the EPOC-PR in the issuing MS.

Details: Brussels, Belgium: European Parliament, Policy Department for Citizens' Rights and Constitutional Affairs, 2018. 58p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 20, 2019 at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=IPOL_STU(2018)604989

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Communication Systems

Shelf Number: 154281


Author: European Commission

Title: Report from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council on the Evaluation of the European Border Surveillance System (EUROSUR)

Summary: INTRODUCTION An efficient management of the external borders of the Union is a top priority and a condition to properly implement and preserve the Schengen area of free travel, which is one of the major achievements of European integration. Adopted in 2013, Regulation (EU) No 1052/2013 establishing the European Border Surveillance System (EUROSUR) provides a common framework for the exchange of information and for the cooperation between Member States border surveillance authorities and the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex), hereafter referred to as "the Agency". The EUROSUR framework is operational since 2 December 2013. The Regulation provides for an overall evaluation of EUROSUR by the Commission every four years accompanied, where necessary, by appropriate proposals to amend the Regulation. The European Border and Coast Guard Regulation adopted on 14 September 2016 established the European Border and Coast Guard (EBCG) as a shared responsibility between the Agency and the Member States, expanded the mandate of the Agency and defined the components of the European Integrated Border Management. Given that the Agency has a significant role in the implementation of EUROSUR, the novelties introduced by the EBCG Regulation have a major impact on the daily implementation of EUROSUR and to be taken into account when further developing EUROSUR. To take into account the full implementation of the EBCG Regulation and its impact on EUROSUR, the EUROSUR evaluation, which was initially foreseen for December 2016, was postponed to September 2018.

Details: Brussels, Belgium: European Commission, 2018. 14p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 20, 2019 at: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52018DC0632&from=EN

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Border Surveillance

Shelf Number: 154280


Author: Silvasti, Markus

Title: European Sea Border Surveillance and Ship Reporting Systems: Case EUROSUR

Summary: Executive summary This document analyses current state of the European Border Surveillance System (EUROSUR). EUROSUR will be assessed in the light of the RANGER project objectives in order to ensure that RANGER will contribute and maximise its impact at the very same time when promoting the implementation of EUROSUR. The analysis of EUROSUR is based on desktop study, reviewing relevant policy papers and academic reports. Deliverable 2.1 will focus on EUROSURs operational and technical aspects, while other aspects of EUROSUR (e.g. political, social, ethical) will be assessed in other reports (e.g. D3.1, D3.3). This report will define the criteria for benchmarking the RANGER project against EUROSUR framework. These common requirements for benchmarking will be drafted based on EUROSUR Regulation (EU) No 1052/2013 and technical features of the EUROSUR system as described in Regulation above. By providing a comparative SWOT analysis of EUROSUR and RANGER, means for strengthening EUROSUR through RANGER project can be identified. RANGER project aims to establish new knowledge and to explore the feasibility that RANGER solution can serve as improved technology, product, and service for EUROSUR. As a part of research and innovation action this report is based on academic research. It has been interesting to note that when public bodies (EU Commission, Frontex) have viewed EUROSUR mainly in positive terms, civil society (research, social interest groups) have been highly critical against it. Where official reports have highlighted the benefits of EUROSUR, research has mainly focused on EUROSUR's disadvantages for individuals and societies as a "surveillance behemoth". Criticism has focused on: - negative side-effects of current border policies (human tragedies, criminalization of migration, militarization of border, etc.) - expanded role of Frontex in maritime surveillance at the expense of Member States - infringement of fundamental and human rights (privacy, data protection, right to asylum, non-refoulement) - efficiency and proportionality of such multi-purpose system - costs that are significantly higher than expected. Criticism against intensified maritime surveillance and use of the-state-of-the-art technology has to be taken seriously in RANGER project. It seems obvious to disseminate relevant data (e.g. through project website, leaflets, presentations, articles, etc.) and communicate the benefits of RANGER (enhanced situational awareness and reaction capability, cost-efficiency, etc.). Use of participatory measures (surveys, interviews, workshops) for end-user involvement whenever possible may promote RANGER solution implementation in the future. Concerns regarding data protection and privacy can be taken into account by adhering to privacy by design approach. In many EU countries law enforcement are struggling with ever-diminishing public funding. It is highly important that future technological applications demonstrate not only improved performance but improved cost efficiency. Frontex has also emphasized adapting EUROSUR to the declining resources. According to Frontex report (2015) on the functioning of EUROSUR: "For the development of Operational Layer further integration work will be carried out as requested by the Member States aiming at increased effectiveness, reduced operator workload and improved user experience (ibid. 12). In order RANGER to achieve its objectives and become part of the future EUROSUR system, it is important to demonstrate the operational, functional, and economic benefits of RANGER solution during the project, and thereafter.

Details: Brussels, Belgium: Ranger, 2016. 58p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 20, 2019 at: https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/documents/downloadPublic?documentIds=080166e5ad6286a0&appId=PPGMS

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Border Policies

Shelf Number: 154279


Author: Beck, Adrian

Title: Making the Link: The Role of Employee Engagement in Controlling Retail Losses

Summary: Based upon questionnaires from more than 200,000 members of staff in three large European retailers with a combined turnover of over L35 billion and 1,570 stores, this report explores the link between levels of employee engagement, measured across 18 factors, and four indicators of retail loss: shrinkage, waste, cash loss, and lost sales driven by out of stocks. - Total losses (a combination of shrinkage, waste, cash loss and lost sales through out of stocks) for the participating companies amounted to 3.12% of retail turnover. - For Europe this equates to losses of over L25 billion a year for the grocery channel. - Waste accounted for the largest proportion of loss: 53%; followed by losses caused by out of stocks (OOS) (25%) and then shrinkage (22%) with cash losses generating the least amount of losses (1%). The Value of Engaged Employees - A significant number of employee engagement factors were found to be linked with the four loss indicators - 15 of the 18 Factors were associated with loss. - By improving performance on just 6 key engagement factors in the bottom 25% of stores to the average found in the rest of the business, the European Grocery sector could save as much as L380 million a year. - More specifically, by targeting only the bottom quartile of stores the following savings could be made: - 9.8% reduction in waste. - 19.6% reduction in lost profits through out of stocks. - 12.5% reduction in shrinkage. - 9.5% reduction in cash loss. Key Role of Store Management - The role of store management was found to be key to delivering many of the most important engagement factors driving potential reductions in store losses: communicating effectively; making staff feel appreciated and valued; building good teamwork; ensuring staff roles are manageable; providing opportunities for staff development; and taking seriously ideas offered by their staff. Making a Difference in Your Business This ground-breaking study suggests that retailers should: - Recognise the value of targetting employee engagement, particularly in the bottom quartile of stores in their business. - Review the selection process for store management and applicants' capacity to deliver on employee engagement. - Incorporate these results into training programmes for store managers - show them the value of improving employee engagement and how important their role is. - Think about how the business communicates change to its employees - they want to know what is happening and why. - Provide ways for staff to feed back ideas for improving the way the business operates (and if used, make sure they are recognised). - Consider ways in which employees can be given opportunities for future development within the business. - Reward good performance, even if it is only a 'thank you'. - Consider either utilising Employee Engagement surveys or reanalysing existing survey data to consider potential links between staff responses and a range of loss indicators - where possible do not just use the 'shrinkage' number as it is often a weak indicator of store performance on loss. - Reflect upon how your business measures loss and whether current strategies and prioritises are targeting the most pressing areas of 'loss'. While the role of well motivated and engaged staff play in helping to sell more has previously been identified, this report provides new evidence that staff can also play a pivotal role in enabling retail companies to lose less. In a time of considerable change within retailing, making the most of the people employed to help deliver business profitability is critical - this study has found that the successful management of all forms of loss is just as important as delivering sales in generating retail success.

Details: Brussels, Belgium: ECR Europe, 2014. 41p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 21, 2019 at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/312524115_Making_the_Link_The_Role_of_Employee_Engagement_in_Controlling_Retail_Losses

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Cash Loss

Shelf Number: 154326


Author: Center for the Study of Democracy

Title: Financing Organised Crime: Human Trafficking in Focus

Summary: The report Financing of Organised Crime: Human Trafficking in Focus contributes to a better understanding of the financial aspects of this infamous phenomenon. The analysis explores the sources and mechanisms of the financing of trafficking in human beings, settlement of payments, access to financing in critical moments, costs of business, and the management of profits. The report draws on the findings of nine in-depth country case studies in Belgium, Bulgaria, Italy, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Romania, Spain, and the United Kingdom. Based on the results of the analysis and the examination of the current practices with regards to financial investigations, the report also suggests recommendations for tackling this crime. The chapters of this report have been written by: Introduction - Atanas Rusev; Chapter 1 - Atanas Rusev, Nadya Stoynova, Fiamma Terenghi, Andrea Di Nicola, and Jelle Janssens; Chapter 2 - Fiamma Terenghi and Andrea Di Nicola; Chapter 3 - Atanas Rusev, Mois Faion, Nadya Stoynova, Anton Kojouharov, and Marian Sabev; Chapter 4 - Sigrid Raets and Jelle Janssens; Chapter 5 - Sigrid Raets and Jelle Janssens; Implications for Policy - Atanas Rusev and Nadya Stoynova.

Details: Sofia, Bulgaria: The Center, 2019. 448p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 23, 2019 at: http://www.csd.bg/artShow.php?id=18388

Year: 2019

Country: Europe

Keywords: Financial Investigations

Shelf Number: 154385


Author: United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI)

Title: Strengthening efforts to prevent and counter violent extremism. Good practices and lessons learned for a comprehensive approach to rehabilitation and reintegration of violent extremists offenders

Summary: This publication is based on the work conducted and the knowledge collected by UNICRI in the past 15 years by implementing counter-terrorism projects. The book will contribute to the PVE/CVE international debate, especially concerning lessons learned and challenges in the rehabilitation and reintegration efforts of violent extremists. The first part of the publication will provide an overview of the initiatives launched by the UN to prevent and counter terrorism and a description of UNICRI's experience and expertise in this area. The second part will focus on procedural and operational implications of designing and implementing rehabilitation and reintegration programmes addressed at preventing radicalization in prison settings and reducing recidivism after release. A brief description of the main topics addressed in the book is provided below: - Pathway model: towards a comprehensive rehabilitation and reintegration program UNICRI developed a pathway model towards a comprehensive rehabilitation and reintegration program. This model combines practical experience from work in the different countries with a theoretically-grounded background framework, taking into account specific national and regional contexts. Together, a pathway model was developed that highlights the needs and contexts of Member States and streamlines knowledge and experience into a good practice that can inspire other Member States to start the process of developing comprehensive rehabilitation and reintegration programs. - Engagement process of counterparts/stakeholders Successfully countering violent extremism requires employing a holistic approach that involves engagement with multiple stakeholders across an array of different sectors, including government, civil society, the private sector, academia, and regional and international institutions. This part of the book examines the ways in which the engagement of stakeholders has played a pivotal role in the UNICRI initiative on the rehabilitation and reintegration of violent extremist offenders, in regard to developing frameworks for cooperation, carrying out the implementation of activities, and planning for the achievement of joint objectives over the short, medium, and long term. UNICRI's experience and approach to stakeholder engagement is mapped, starting from the institute's role in international fora, through the development and implementation of rehabilitation and reintegration programming in Member States. - Designing national strategies/action plans National action plans are crucial in developing measures to prevent and counter terrorism, as emphasized in several UN instruments and recommendations/guiding principles. Various and diverse national and regional strategies/action plans have been developed worldwide in the past decade. UNICRI has developed a unique experience in supporting the government of Indonesia in designing a national strategy/Action Plan (Grand Design and Road Map) in the rehabilitation and reintegration of high risk inmates including VEOs. - Risk Assessment in prisons In the field of violent extremists, risk assessments form part of a broad strategy for the early prevention and curbing of terrorism, terrorism-related behaviour or violent extremism. Risk assessments in the field of countering radicalization serve to identify risk factors that reduce security threats within prisons and at the same time inform the development of successful rehabilitation programmes. UNICRI has worked to support a number of requesting Member State Governments to develop and administer country- and context-specific risk assessments for violent extremist offenders (VEOs) in prisons. The risk assessments carried out in the different countries have served similar overarching purposes in their respective prison institutions. In some countries they have provided prison personnel with previously unknown data on potential security threats concerning inmate management, they have also allowed for rehabilitation programmes to be developed by local teams with UNICRI support. - The importance of research in the design of rehabilitation and reintegration programs in prisons Despite increased number of VEOs rehabilitation and reintegration programmes worldwide, evidence-based initiatives are very limited because of lack of structured data collection and analysis. Notwithstanding, research is essential for designing effective rehabilitation and reintegration programmes. Data collection in prison for the development of rehabilitation and reintegration activities poses various challenges ranging from security concerns to clear definition of research purposes and methods. The first part of this chapter aims at explaining the importance of research in rehabilitation and reintegration programmes. The second part addresses challenges that research in prison settings implies. The third part describes how to conduct research taking into consideration the limitations and challenges identified, making reference to the experience gained by UNICRI in this domain. - Evaluating Counter Violent Extremism (CVE): a fundamental challenge to be addressed Counter Violent Extremism (CVE), which represents a novel approach in the field of policies oriented towards combatting terrorism, enjoys today a great boost despite the fact that its effectiveness needs to be tested by solid evaluation methods and proved by empirical evidence. This article aims to show that, while it seems likely that CVE will continue in the global agenda in the upcoming years - possibly due to a general fatigue of relying exclusively on security-based counter-terrorism measures such as military force or law enforcement - it appears essential for the successful evolution of the CVE agenda that the aforementioned lack of solid evaluation techniques be urgently remedied. Adequately attending to emerging concerns related to the need for addressing - within the CVE models - issues of political scope also seems relevant according to existing evidence on radicalization and terrorism. Towards a comprehensive approach in rehabilitation and reintegration of VEOs The implementation of rehabilitation and reintegration program to address VEOs and FTFs implies several challenges, arising mainly from the political environment, the specificity of the context, security issues, actors to be engaged and the legal framework.

Details: Rome: UNICRI, 2018. 74p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 28, 2019 at: http://files.unicri.it/CTBook.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Extremism

Shelf Number: 154413


Author: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

Title: Safe at school: Education sector responses to violence based on sexual orientation, gender identity/expression or sex characteristics in Europe

Summary: The report "Safe at school: Education sector responses to violence based on sexual orientation, gender identity/expression or sex characteristics in Europe", produced in partnership with UNESCO and launched today on this website, provides an overview of this violence in European schools, explores how member States seek to prevent or address it, and makes recommendations to national education sectors to better do so. This report is primarily directed to Education policy-makers, including ministers of education and their staff, and staff in education agencies and institutes, teachers, educational staff and other educational professionals responsible for students safety, health and wellbeing, National Human Rights Agencies and Institutions tasked with establishing and enforcing human rights standards in member States, staff of governmental and intergovernmental agencies working to eliminate all forms of gender-based and/or school based violence.

Details: Strasbourg Cedex, France: Council of Europe, 2018. 80p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 28, 2019 at: https://rm.coe.int/prems-125718-gbr-2575-safe-at-school-a4-web/16809024f5

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Gender-Based Violence

Shelf Number: 154451


Author: Elliott, Amy Elizabeth

Title: Changing Crime Mix Patterns of Criminal Careers: Longitudinal Latent Variable Approaches for Modelling Conviction Data in England & Wales and the Netherlands

Summary: In criminal career research, there has been a great deal of attention paid to the frequency of offending over the life course. This neglects any changes in the patterns and types of offences being committed. However, it is crucial to explore these patterns of offending in detail and various types of crimes being committed, as this will enhance the understanding of criminal activity and the causes of offending behaviour. This is especially true for policy makers, so they can make better informed decisions when deciding how best to target their resources when it comes to tackling crime. This thesis aims to identify crime mix patterns (different offenders will commit different selection of offences) and how they develop over the life course from two official conviction datasets. The first is the England and Wales Offenders Index (OI). The cohort data of the OI contains the court convictions of offenders from 1963 to the end of 2008 in eight birth cohorts. The other dataset is from the Netherlands Criminal Career and Life-course study (CCLS) which contains data covering the criminal careers of those offenders who were convicted of a crime in the Netherlands in 1977, starting at age 12 and followed up till 2005. The study will provide a contrasting analysis of the two datasets using a Latent Markov Model approach similar to that published in Francis et al. (2010) where the idea of lifestyle specialisation and short-term crime typologies (crime mixes) over five-year age-periods was introduced for female offenders. This approach will jointly estimate the crime mix patterns and the transition probabilities (offenders move from one pattern to another). The study adds methodological innovation in criminology by the use of B-splines in group based trajectory models and in the modelling of Poisson counts in latent Markov models.

Details: Lancaster, UK: Lancaster University, 2017. 211p.

Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed February 4, 2019 at: http://eprints.lancs.ac.uk/124459/1/2018AmyElliottAppliedSocialStatistics.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Crime Patterns

Shelf Number: 154469


Author: XCHANGE

Title: Central Mediterranean Survey: Mapping Migration Routes and Incidents

Summary: The Central Mediterranean Route is the most active sea crossing in the world for migrants and refugees fleeing violence, poverty and persecution. This is something we know only too well at MOAS, which was founded in response to the October 2013 humanitarian disaster off the coast of Lampedusa, in which some 400 men, women and children drowned. Established in 2014 as an independent humanitarian organisation, MOAS was the first search and rescue (SAR) NGO of its kind in the Mediterranean. The Central Mediterranean Route; the main maritime route in which MOAS SAR operations were conducted, is also the focus of the research you are about to read from the Xchange Foundation. The team joined us during our mission in 2017, determined to trace back and fill in serious gaps in our knowledge of this migration route. MOAS had already been operating for three years at that point. We had been rescuing men, women and children who were packed, hungry and petrified, onto rubber dinghies, or close to suffocation in the holds of wooden boats. Some were found lying among the dead or dying bodies of family members and fellow travelers. What we now know, is that this was just one dangerous chapter in their journeys. Through extensive data collection, Xchange has been able to help us reveal through first-hand accounts, the extent of human resilience and perseverance. We now know that migrants and refugees have managed to traverse hundreds of miles of dangerous terrain and negotiated with people offering services with no guarantee of safety or reaching the next stage in their long journey. We also know of grievous human rights abuses committed against them and others, many having witnessed fellow travellers being killed by smugglers and militias, or by being abandoned in the harsh desert environment. The Central Mediterranean Survey shows, once again, the power and importance of data to tell stories and to help us unearth the experiences and journeys that are missing from our knowledge of human migration.

Details: s.l.: The Author, 2018. 43p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 4, 2019 at: http://xchange.org/wp-content/uploads/Central-Mediterranean-Survey.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Human Smuggling

Shelf Number: 154481


Author: Galos, Eliza

Title: Migrant Vulnerability to Human Trafficking and Exploitation: Evidence from the Central and Eastern Mediterranean Migration Routes.

Summary: Over the past years, public attention has gradually turned to the experiences of migrants along the precarious Mediterranean routes to Europe. A large number of migrants continue to risk their lives crossing the Mediterranean Sea on the way to Europe, often enduring long and perilous journeys. In 2015 and 2016, there was a large increase in arrivals of migrants and refugees fleeing protracted conflict, poverty and persecution, and seeking security and economic opportunities in Europe. The largest number of recorded migrant arrivals to Europe in 2015 occurred on the Eastern Mediterranean route. Also, the largest number of recorded migrant arrivals on the Central Mediterranean route occurred in 2016, which was also considered the deadliest and most dangerous year on record for sea crossings to Europe. A growing body of evidence is beginning to highlight the scale and scope of exploitation experienced by migrants along these routes, including human trafficking. In particular, the abuses endured by migrants in Libya - the main departure point for sea crossings to Europe - have been well documented. This report examines migrants' vulnerability to human trafficking and exploitation by exploring risk and protective factors associated with unsafe migration, through the systematic evidence collected by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Displacement Tracking Matrix operations in 2016. It presents the results from the largest existing set of survey data on the vulnerability of migrants to abuse, exploitation and human trafficking on the Mediterranean routes to Europe. Data derive from interviews conducted over a one-year period with more than 16,000 migrants in seven countries, namely, Bulgaria, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Serbia, Slovenia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. In the context of the analysis, migrants' vulnerability to human trafficking and exploitation is operationalized as the positive response to at least one of the five key questions included in the survey that refer to an individual experience during the journey. The key questions are related to potential human trafficking for labour exploitation, forced marriage and other experiences that could signal coercion (such as being held against one's will) in a possible human trafficking scenario. The survey did not collect information on potential human trafficking for sexual exploitation or on other forms of gender-based violence. More information on the choice and implications of the questions included in the survey can be found in the Methodology (Chapter 2). Definitions related to key terms, such as vulnerability and human trafficking, can be found in the Methodology and Appendix 1. The analysis of the IOM survey data shows that more than one third (37%) of all interviewed migrants had a personal experience that indicated the presence of human trafficking or other exploitative practices along the route. Seventy-three per cent of migrants interviewed along the Central Mediterranean route presented at least one indicator of exploitation, along with 14 per cent of migrants interviewed along the Eastern Mediterranean route.

Details: Geneva, SWIT: International Organization for Migration, 2017. 94p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 4, 2019 at: http://migration.iom.int/docs/migrant_vulnerability_to_human_trafficking_and_exploitation_November_2017.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Force Labor

Shelf Number: 154484


Author: European Parliament. Directorate-General for Internal Policies. Policy Department C: Citizzen's Rights and Constitutional Affairs

Title: Fit for Purpose? The Facilitation Directive and the Criminalisation of Humanitarian Assistance to Irregular Migrants: 2018 Update

Summary: This study, commissioned by the European Parliament's Policy Department for Citizens' Rights and Constitutional Affairs at the request of the PETI Committee, aims to update the 2016 study "Fit for purpose? The Facilitation Directive and the criminalisation of humanitarian assistance to irregular migrants". It takes stock of and examines the latest developments that have taken place since 2016, specifically the legislative and policy changes, along with various forms and cases of criminalisation of humanitarian actors, migrants' family members and basic service providers. The study uses the notion of 'policing humanitarianism' to describe not only cases of formal prosecution and sentencing in criminal justice procedures, but also wider dynamics of suspicion, intimidation, harassment and disciplining in five selected Member States - Belgium, France, Greece, Hungary and Italy. Policing humanitarianism negatively affects EU citizens' rights - such as the freedom of assembly, freedom of speech and freedom of conscience. When civil society is effectively (self-)silenced and its accountability role undermined, policies to combat migrant smuggling may be overused and give rise to serious breaches of the EU's founding values, notably the rule of law, democracy and fundamental rights. Moreover, policing humanitarianism negatively affects wider societal trust and diverts the limited resources of law enforcement from investigating more serious crimes.

Details: Luxembourg: European Parliament, 2018. 186p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 6, 2019 at: http://www.statewatch.org/news/2019/jan/ep-study-fit-for-purpose-humanitarian-help.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Criminalization of Migrants

Shelf Number: 154500


Author: Hungarian Helsinki Committee,

Title: Crossing a Red Line: How EU Countries Undermine the Right to Liberty by Expanding the Use of Detention of Asylum Seekers upon Entry

Summary: In February 2019, the Hungarian Helsinki Committee (HHC) along with several partner organisations, including the Global Detention Project (GDP), launched the final report of their joint initiative, the Red Line detention project, whose objective is to document and raise awareness of how EU states' border "reception" procedures are increasingly used for the detention of asylum seekers. Initially launched in 2017, the project received financial support from the European Programme for Integration and Migration (EPIM) and involved NGOs in Hungary (HHC), Bulgaria (Foundation for Access to Rights), Greece (Greek Council for Refugees), and Italy (Italian Council for Refugees). The final report, "Crossing a Red Line: How EU Countries Undermine the Right to Liberty by Expanding the Use of Detention of Asylum Seekers upon Entry," is based on assessments made by project partners of how the morphing of reception into "detention" at the borders of their countries is undermining asylum seekers right to liberty. The GDP's role was to assist the project in using UN human rights mechanisms, like the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, to raise awareness of these trends at the international level. In addition, the GDP worked individually with each national partner to use the GDP's online database, the Global Immigration Detention Observatory, to develop comprehensive detention data profiles of each country's key immigration detention-related indicators as well as operations at the main detention centres covered in the report (links to these data profiles are provided below). The Red Line detention report was launched at an event hosted at Quaker House in Brussels on 6 February 2018, which included presentations by each country partner in addition to presentations by Elina Steinerte, vice-chair of the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention; Judith Sargentini, member of the European Parliament; the GDP's Michael Flynn; ECRE's Minos Mouzourakis; and HHC's Grusa Matevzic. KEY FINDINGS OF THE RED LINE DETENTION REPORT The use of detention upon entry increased in 2015 with the increase in the number of migrant arrivals, but it has continued to this date despite a significant decrease in asylum applications in Bulgaria, Hungary, and Italy. In 2017, 73.5% of asylum seekers were detained in Hungary (an increase from 2.9%) and 59% in Bulgaria, while the average length of detention has also increased in both countries. In 2017 the use of migrant detention increased in Italy by 25% and in Greece by 75%. The research revealed various practices of de facto detention, such as "protective custody" of children in Greece, hot spot detention in Greece and Italy, transit zone detention in Greece and Hungary, detention during pushback in Greece, detention on boats in Italy and detention in pre-removal centres in Greece. The common element in these forms of detention is that "de facto detention" occurs when individuals are deprived of their liberty in the absence of a detention order. Their confinement is not classified as detention under domestic law and their only possibility of release is by leaving to another country. The increased frequency with which asylum seekers are detained upon entry is motivated by a range of different practical, political, and legal considerations. It has been used as a general response to cope with unprecedented pressure on the reception and asylum processing systems in all of the countries studied (including as a response to the lack of open reception accommodation facilities in Bulgaria and Greece). Detention has also been promoted as a security measure (e.g. against terrorism) and used as a means to prevent asylum seekers from crossing external borders in a bid to gain political support for the ruling government (in Bulgaria, Hungary, and Italy). No clear evidence confirms that detention reduces the flow of arrivals as a response to an increased migratory pressure. Global Immigration Detention Observatory Data Profiles (Appendix to the Red Line Detention Report) I. Bulgaria Profile (Lyubimets Detention Centre (Special Home for Temporary Accommodation of Foreigners and Sofia Busmantsi Detention Centre (Special Home for Temporary Accommodation of Foreigners)) II. Hungary Profile (Roszke Transit Zone Detention Centre and Tompa Transit Zone Detention Centre) III. Greece Profile (Fylakio Pre-Removal Detention Centre and Samos Vathy Reception and Identification Centre) IV. Italy Profile (Trapani Pre-Removal Centre and Lampedusa (Contrada Imbriacola) Hotspot)

Details: Geneva, SWIT: European Programme for Integration and Migration (EPIM), 2019. 88p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 8, 2019 at: https://www.globaldetentionproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/crossing_a_red_line_REPORT.pdf

Year: 2019

Country: Europe

Keywords: Asylum Seekers

Shelf Number: 154542


Author: United Nations Refugee Agency

Title: Desperate Journeys: Refugees and migrants Arriving in Europe and at Europe's Borders. January - December 2018

Summary: The routes taken by refugees and migrants in their attempts to reach Europe have changed in 2018, but the danger remained, if not increased. In early 2018 majority of refugees and migrants was coming to Europe through Greece, but towards the end of the year Italy saw increase in number of people reaching their shores and Spain has become one of the main entry points. According to the report, the number of Mediterranean Sea crossings fell in 2018, but due to reduced capacity in search and rescue operations, the death rate increased. UNHCR estimates 2 275 people lost their lives trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea, amounting to 6 per day. At the same time, rescued people were a few instances left in to wait on the sea banned from disembarking, while the EU member states were discussing how to reallocate them. The countries like Libya stepped up their search and rescue operations, putting rescued people in detention with poor living conditions and outbreaks of diseases, some of which had deadly outcomes. In this report UNHCR provides the overview of 2018 trends, predictions for 2019, discusses issues of concern for UNHCR, rescues at the sea, journeys through Libya, access to territory, onward movement, children on the move, limited access to safe and legal pathways and provides a set of recommendations for relevant actors. In the report UNHCR warns quick identification of unaccompanied minors is essential for their protection, since they are one of the most vulnerable groups among refugees. According to the report around 15% of all arrivals in Italy in 2018 were unaccompanied children, around 3500 of them. In Greece around 1900 unaccompanied children arrived, around 340 of whom were below 14. In addition, UNHCR urges governments to end detention of children for immigration purposes, integrate children in their national systems, and provide them with the guardianship systems. Unaccompanied children should be provided with the relevant information on their rights, available services, and reunited with their families as soon as possible.

Details: Geneva, SWIT: UNHCR, 2019. 36p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 15, 2019 at: https://childhub.org/en/child-protection-online-library/desperate-journeys-refugees-and-migrants-arriving-europe-and-europes

Year: 2019

Country: Europe

Keywords: Child Migrants

Shelf Number: 154621


Author: European Crime Prevention Network

Title: Preventing individual fraud

Summary: The 13th toolbox in the series published by the EUCPN Secretariat focusses on the main theme of the Bulgarian Presidency: fraud with a special focus on phone scams. As fraud covers a whole range of topics, we decided to narrow down our focus to individual fraud. This entails frauds committed against individuals by individuals or criminal organisations. Increasingly, this type of fraud has become a profitable and cross-border enterprise, some scholars even call these offenders 'scampreneurs'. Consequently, this type of crime deserves an EU-wide approach. This is also made apparent in the policy paper which is written in tandem with this toolbox. This toolbox consists of three parts. The first tries to lay out the current intelligence picture on individual fraud. We discuss interesting good practices in the second part and also posit some recommendations on how to prevent phone scams. These good practices are listed in the third part. An executive summary is also provided to the reader.

Details: Brussels: EUCPN, 2018. 68p.

Source: Internet Resource: Toolbox Series No.13: Accessed February 19, 2019 at: https://eucpn.org/sites/default/files/content/download/files/eucpn_toolbox_ndeg13_-_preventing_individual_fraud_hr_no_crops.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Consumer Fraud

Shelf Number: 154661


Author: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA)

Title: Fentanils and synthetic cannabinoids: driving greater complexity into the drug situation: an update from the EU Early Warning System

Summary: New psychoactive substances are a broad range of drugs that are not controlled by the 1961 and 1971 United Nations drug control conventions but may pose similar threats to public health. Many of them are traded as 'legal' replacements to established controlled drugs such as cannabis, heroin, cocaine and MDMA. Over the last decade, there has been a large increase in these substances as globalisation and new technology have allowed production to shift from small-scale illicit laboratories in Europe to commercial chemical and pharmaceutical operations in China that are capable of making hundreds of different substances on an industrial scale. Once in Europe, they are sold openly in branded products advertised as 'legal highs', under the guise of being 'research chemicals', and as 'food supplements', in attempts to make these substances attractive to users. They are also sold on the illicit drug market, either under their own names or passed off as established controlled drugs to unsuspecting users. In parallel with the growth in the range of substances and products that are offered, the consumer base has also grown and includes recreational users, chronic and marginalised drug users, those who self-medicate, and people wanting to improve how they look or their performance at work or when studying. The growth in the market is also reflected in a large increase in the number of seizures reported by law enforcement as well as in poisonings. For more than 20 years, a three-step legal framework of early warning, risk assessment and control measures has allowed Europe to rapidly identify and react to public health threats caused by new substances (Council of the European Union, 2005). The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) is responsible for the first two steps in this system, namely operating the EU Early Warning System with Europol (the European Union agency for law enforcement cooperation) (see 'EU Early Warning System') and conducting risk assessments; while the European Commission, the Council of the European Union and the European Parliament are responsible for control measures. This is the second update from the EU Early Warning System. In these publications, the EMCDDA aims to provide some insights into what is happening with new psychoactive substances in Europe, based on data from the agency's early warning and risk assessment activities. This issue covers the period from January 2016 until December 2017, with aggregated data on seizures reported by law enforcement limited to 2016 data. A focus of this publication is the new fentanils (which form the large majority of the new synthetic opioids that have been reported in Europe) and the synthetic cannabinoids. For the purpose of this report, the term 'seizures' means any encounters of new psychoactive substances by law enforcement, including seizures, samples recovered from crime scenes, and shipments detained for inspection. Since the previous publication, in March 2015, there have been a number of major developments in Europe (EMCDDA, 2015). Some of these are encouraging. The number of new substances reported for the first time each year during 2016 and 2017 has fallen by around 40 % compared with 2015. Much of this is related to a decrease in the number of new synthetic cannabinoids and synthetic cathinones appearing each year. In part, this may reflect the results of sustained efforts to control new substances in Europe, including their open sale as 'legal highs' on the high street. Law enforcement operations in China leading to the closure of laboratories making these substances might be another reason.

Details: Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2018. 28p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 22, 2019 at: http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/system/files/publications/8870/2018-2489-td0118414enn.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction

Shelf Number: 154695


Author: Dubois, Christophe

Title: Organization Models of Health Care Services in Prisons in Four Countries

Summary: This chapter aims "to identify and analyse the organization models of health care services in prisons in four selected foreign countries likely to inspire the reform of the health care system in Belgian prisons." The four foreign countries: France, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Scotland have been selected on basis of the following criteria: -- Feasibility (in the allocated period of time): -- The official and grey literature is abundant and accessible; -- The literature is written in language that is accessible to the researchers (English, French, or Dutch); -- The researchers can rely on pre-existing networks; - Relevance: -- The four selected countries offer good practices in organisation of healthcare in prisons (see here-under); -- The selected countries are usually considered as sources of inspiration for Belgian policy makers, especially France and the Netherlands; -- Diversity: -- The preliminary search showed that the selected countries provide different interesting scenarios for Belgium. With respect to the subject matter of the transfer of prison health care to the Ministry of Health, France and Scotland present two different and interesting cases of transfer. France has a comparatively long - since 1994 - history of prison health under the authority of the Ministry of Health. Health care in each prison is provided on the basis of an agreed protocol with the nearest public hospital. Scotland's reform is much more recent (2011) but fully integrated under the rule of the NHS and its regional boards. Due to the organisation of its federated system, Switzerland can be seen as a laboratory of different configurations of reform/conservation of the present organisation of healthcare services in prisons. The Netherlands's choice to maintain the organisation of healthcare under the rule of the Prison Service (Dienst Justitiele Inrichtingen) and to organise a medical service in every prison provides an interesting counterpoint to the other cases....

Details: Brussels: Belgian Health Care Knowledge Centre (KCE). 2017. 172p.

Source: Internet Resource: KCE REPORT 293 :Accessed February 27, 2018 at: https://kce.fgov.be/sites/default/files/atoms/files/KCE_293_Prisons_health_care_Chapter_4.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Correctional Health

Shelf Number: 154784


Author: Drenkhahn, Kirstin

Title: Long-term Imprisonment and Human Rights: Findings of an International Study

Summary: Due to their nature, the execution of long prison sentences and similar sanctions raise numerous human rights concerns and this results in a particularly precarious area of imprisonment. Most prisoners are incarcerated for very serious offences and are often deemed to be dangerous. Therefore, they are facing increased negative labelling compared to prisoners in general. For instance, these prisoners might only be allowed to participate in rehabilitative measures in the widest sense at the end of their sentence or not at all because those efforts are thought to be futile due to their dangerousness and the length of their sentence in an early stage of the execution of the sentence anyway. Added to this are the negative effects of imprisonment in the form of deprivations, inherent in every detention, that are experienced more intensely by prisoners serving very long sentences. As a result of this structural disadvantage, persons released after long-term imprisonment encounter greater barriers to re-integration in the community than other released prisoners. Where rehabilitative measures are open to long-term prisoners, additional problems arise in terms of providing continuity for their provision both throughout the life of the sentence and for any after-care, once the prisoner is released.

Details: Greifswald, Germany: Universitat Greifswald, Department of Criminology: 2009. 30p.

Source: Internet Resource: accessed March 5, 2019 at: http://www.jura.fu-berlin.de/fachbereich/einrichtungen/strafrecht/lehrende/drenkhahnk/_ressourcen/LTI_shortreport_en.pdf

Year: 2009

Country: Europe

Keywords: Human Rights Abuses

Shelf Number: 154804


Author: Hungarian Helsinki Committee,

Title: Crossing a Red Line: How EU Countries Undermine the Right to Liberty by Expanding the Use of Detention of Asylum Seekers upon Entry

Summary: In February 2019, the Hungarian Helsinki Committee (HHC) along with several partner organisations, including the Global Detention Project (GDP), launched the final report of their joint initiative, the Red Line detention project, whose objective is to document and raise awareness of how EU states' border "reception" procedures are increasingly used for the detention of asylum seekers. Initially launched in 2017, the project received financial support from the European Programme for Integration and Migration (EPIM) and involved NGOs in Hungary (HHC), Bulgaria (Foundation for Access to Rights), Greece (Greek Council for Refugees), and Italy (Italian Council for Refugees). The final report, "Crossing a Red Line: How EU Countries Undermine the Right to Liberty by Expanding the Use of Detention of Asylum Seekers upon Entry," is based on assessments made by project partners of how the morphing of "reception" into "detention" at the borders of their countries is undermining asylum seekers' right to liberty. The GDP's role was to assist the project in using UN human rights mechanisms, like the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, to raise awareness of these trends at the international level. In addition, the GDP worked individually with each national partner to use the GDP's online database, the Global Immigration Detention Observatory, to develop comprehensive detention data profiles of each country's key immigration detention-related indicators as well as operations at the main detention centres covered in the report. The Red Line detention report was launched at an event hosted at Quaker House in Brussels on 6 February 2018, which included presentations by each country partner in addition to presentations by Elina Steinerte, vice-chair of the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention; Judith Sargentini, member of the European Parliament; the GDP's Michael Flynn; ECRE's Minos Mouzourakis; and HHC's Grusa Matevzic. KEY FINDINGS OF THE RED LINE DETENTION REPORT The use of detention upon entry increased in 2015 with the increase in the number of migrant arrivals, but it has continued to this date despite a significant decrease in asylum applications in Bulgaria, Hungary, and Italy. In 2017, 73.5% of asylum seekers were detained in Hungary (an increase from 2.9%) and 59% in Bulgaria, while the average length of detention has also increased in both countries. In 2017 the use of migrant detention increased in Italy by 25% and in Greece by 75%. The research revealed various practices of de facto detention, such as "protective custody" of children in Greece, hot spot detention in Greece and Italy, transit zone detention in Greece and Hungary, detention during push-back in Greece, detention on boats in Italy and detention in pre-removal centres in Greece. The common element in these forms of detention is that "de facto detention" occurs when individuals are deprived of their liberty in the absence of a detention order. Their confinement is not classified as detention under domestic law and their only possibility of release is by leaving to another country. The increased frequency with which asylum seekers are detained upon entry is motivated by a range of different practical, political, and legal considerations. It has been used as a general response to cope with unprecedented pressure on the reception and asylum processing systems in all of the countries studied (including as a response to the lack of open reception accommodation facilities in Bulgaria and Greece). Detention has also been promoted as a security measure (e.g. against terrorism) and used as a means to prevent asylum seekers from crossing external borders in a bid to gain political support for the ruling government (in Bulgaria, Hungary, and Italy). No clear evidence confirms that detention reduces the flow of arrivals as a response to an increased migratory pressure. Global Immigration Detention Observatory Data Profiles (Appendix to the Red Line Detention Report) I. Bulgaria Profile (Lyubimets Detention Centre (Special Home for Temporary Accommodation of Foreigners and Sofia Busmantsi Detention Centre (Special Home for Temporary Accommodation of Foreigners)) II. Hungary Profile (Roszke Transit Zone Detention Centre and Tompa Transit Zone Detention Centre) III. Greece Profile (Fylakio Pre-Removal Detention Centre and Samos Vathy Reception and Identification Centre) IV. Italy Profile (Trapani Pre-Removal Centre and Lampedusa (Contrada Imbriacola) Hotspot)

Details: Helsinki: The Authors, 2019. 88p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 5, 2019 at: https://www.globaldetentionproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/crossing_a_red_line_REPORT.pdf

Year: 2019

Country: Europe

Keywords: Asylum Seekers

Shelf Number: 154808


Author: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA)

Title: Wastewater Analysis and Drugs: A European multi-city study

Summary: The findings of the largest European project to date in the emerging science of wastewater analysis are taken up in this 'Perspective on drugs'. The project in question analysed wastewater in around 60 European cities and towns (hereinafter referred to as 'cities') to explore the drug-taking habits of those who live in them. The results provide a valuable snapshot of the drug flow through the cities involved, revealing marked geographical variations.

Details: Lisbon: EMCDDA, 2018. 12p.

Source: Internet Resource: Perspectives on Drugs: Accessed March 5, 2019 at: http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/publications/pods/waste-water-analysis_en

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction

Shelf Number: 154817


Author: British Association for Adoption and Fostering

Title: Alternatives to Custody: Developing specialist fostering for children in conflict with the law. The Alternatives to Custody Project - Europe

Summary: he majority of European countries provide informal ways of dealing with youth offending through diversionary measures, and by giving priority to alternative sanctions over deprivation of liberty. But the practice is variable, and in many countries custodial sentences are far too common. What role could foster care play in response to juvenile offending? At present, it has a limited role and in the majority of countries there are no legal provisions for foster care as a response to offending, or the provisions exist but are not applied in practice. However, fostering can play a critically important role in delivering child-friendly justice, offering a direct alternative to custody by providing safe care, nurturing relationships, boundaries and structured care giving. With contributions from experts from across the European Union, this book explores these issues in depth. It is one of the main outcomes of a two-year pan-European project, funded by the European Commission's Daphne III programme, on developing intensive and remand fostering programmes for young people in conflict with the law, who might otherwise be in custody. The first part sets out a context and examines the limited role that foster care currently plays in youth justice, and the potential for its greatly expanded use. An overview sets out the key international and European juvenile justice and children's rights standards, the EU policy context, and the components found in effective youth justice systems, including prevention, diversion and community-level services. The second part contains policy overviews from Italy, Bulgaria, England and Hungary, containing each country's achievements, needs and shortcomings in youth justice, and an assessment of the prospects for implementing an extended role for foster care in youth justice in the future. Chapters on setting up and operating a fostering service for children in conflict with the law and setting out a quality standards framework offer practical tools. A training programme to prepare and train prospective foster carers for the task of fostering children in conflict with the law comprises the third section. Presented in a clear and practical way, it offers a preparation course that is informative and equips prospective foster carers with knowledge and skills. Alternatives to Custody makes a powerful case for the role that intensive and remand fostering can play to bring about significant positive effects for young people in conflict with the law, and is essential reading for policy makers and practitioners involved in fostering and youth justice services

Details: London: BAAF, 2015. 240p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed march 6, 2019 at: http://www.csagyi.hu/en/researches-projects/archive/alternatives-to-custody-for-young-offenders/item/1060-alternatives-to-custody-developing-specialist-fostering-for-children-in-conflict-with-the-law

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Alternatives to Custody

Shelf Number: 154828


Author: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA)

Title: Drug treatment systems in the Western Balkans. Outcomes of a joint EMCDDA-UNODC survey of drug treatment facilities

Summary: This report presents a summary of the key findings from drug treatment facility surveys carried out in 2017 in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and the territory of Kosovo. The results provide insight into the characteristics and capacity of the treatment systems, as well as the availability and provision of treatment interventions. The report also considers the implications for practice and policy.

Details: Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2019. 40p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 6, 2019 at: http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/system/files/publications/10368/20186097_TD0618248ENN_PDF.pdf

Year: 2019

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction

Shelf Number: 154831


Author: Doctors Without Borders

Title: Turning a Blind Eye: How Europe ignores the consequences of outsourced migration management

Summary: The world is in the midst of a global displacement crisis. An estimated 59.5 million people were displaced in 2014, the highest level ever recorded. The crisis is not new, but the numbers of people entering Europe are unprecedented. According to the Office for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), by 29 October 2015, 705,251 people had arrived by sea to Europe, a huge increase on the 216,054 new arrivals by sea for the whole of 2014. More than half of those arriving in 2015 are Syrian refugees, and 85% come from the world's top ten refugee-producing countries. Still, the numbers arriving in Europe represent a fraction of the overall crisis. The crisis comes on top of another crisis, one in part created by the European Union (EU) and its member states' ever-increasing efforts to "seal off" the continent - ie the constant, often silent and sometimes violent pushing-back of people considered to be irregularly entering Europe. Set in the context of an ever-increasing securitisation agenda, efforts to fortify itself have become the cornerstone of EU migration policy. These include physical barriers such as the heavily patrolled barbed wire and metal "fences", up to six metres high and stretching for kilometres, which have been constructed along numerous borders. Meanwhile sea, air and land patrols, often under the coordination of Frontex, are combined with sophisticated surveillance systems and ever more complicated bureaucratic obstacles created by complex visa requirements, obscure legislation and increased penalties for people without the correct documentation. All of this is accompanied by numerous restrictive immigration policies and practices, including: restrictive interpretations of and overt disrespect for refugee law; obstacles to accessing asylum procedures; limited access to basic services including healthcare; and the increased and prolonged use of detention. Attempts to fortify Europe have not stopped at its borders. Rather, they have been reinforced by attempts to create a "buffer zone", ie to shift responsibility for migration management onto third countries so as to stop people from reaching Europe. Bilateral and multilateral deals with countries of origin and transit, predominantly in North Africa, the western Balkans and Turkey, include return and readmission agreements, financing and refurbishment of detention centres, and support to third countries to patrol their borders. In effect they to amount to externalisation or outsourcing of migration management by the EU and its member states to third countries. Past agreements have included the EU and/or its member states financing the construction or renovation of detention centres and supporting forcible returns in countries such as Libya, Mauritania, Ukraine, Turkey and Morocco. They often include the training and reinforcement of local security forces and border police, and have included joint patrols such as Frontex's Operation Hera with the Mauritanian and Senegalese authorities. As world leaders from the African Union (AU) and EU nations prepare to meet and discuss cooperation and migration at the Valletta Summit in Malta, MSF wishes to draw attention to some of the humanitarian and medical consequences that have resulted from the enforcement of past migration cooperation deals. While the intended impact may be to prevent people from reaching Europe, MSF has seen unacceptable unintended impacts. This includes widespread abuse at the hands of security forces and smuggling networks, including high levels of violence and sexual violence; expulsions of vulnerable groups to the desert; prolonged detention; and the criminalisation of asylum seekers, refugees and migrants, undermining existing legal frameworks for their protection.

Details: Barcelona: MSF Operational Centre Barcelona (OCBA). 2015. 28p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 7, 2019 at: https://arhp.msf.es/sites/default/files/Turning-a-blind-eye-ENG-091115.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Asylum Seekers

Shelf Number: 154840


Author: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA)

Title: Recent changes in Europe's cocaine market: Results from an EMCDDA trendspotter study

Summary: In recent years, signals from both formal and informal monitoring sources based in a number of European countries have been indicating increased cocaine production and availability: the opening of new online markets, reports of increased use, use of new technologies (cryptomarkets, social media and encrypted messaging platforms), and rising numbers of cocaine-related hospital admissions, and even deaths, in some countries. To investigate these changes and developments in the supply and demand of one of Europes more established illicit drugs, a targeted 'trendspotter' study was initiated by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) and carried out between March and June 2018. The primary aim of the study was to increase understanding of recent changes in the cocaine market in Europe. More specifically, it set out to explore levels of and patterns in powder cocaine and crack cocaine use; the market, including production, supply and product availability; drug-related harms and deaths; and the implications for law enforcement, health and social responses, and monitoring. The study commenced with a phase of data collection and a literature review undertaken by a team drawn from various sectors within the EMCDDA, and culminated in an expert meeting in Lisbon on 21-22 June 2018. Fourteen experts attended the meeting, sharing their experiences and contributing to an in-depth analysis of the topic, providing insights from drug research and monitoring, wastewater analysis, law enforcement, and health perspectives. The trendspotter study methodology incorporates a range of investigative approaches and data collection from multiple sources (EMCDDA, 2018d). This study included two web surveys among experts on the topic; a review of the international literature and available monitoring data; and, as part of the expert meeting, 14 expert presentations and findings from three facilitated working groups. The analysis was based on triangulation of these information sources, with a view to providing as complete and verified a picture as possible. The combination of routine and survey data with key informant reports and law enforcement intelligence provided a rich and in-depth view of a rapidly changing phenomenon. This report summarises the study findings and conclusions. Where results are literature-based, references are cited; otherwise, findings are based on EMCDDA monitoring and the qualitative sources described above. In this report, the term 'cocaine' refers to cocaine products in general (salt and base forms). Where it is possible to distinguish between the different products, the term 'powder cocaine' is used to refer to the hydrochloride salt form and the term 'crack cocaine' (or simply 'crack' or 'freebase') is used to refer to the base form.

Details: Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2018. 28p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 8, 2019 at: http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/system/files/publications/10225/2018-cocaine-trendspotter-rapid-communication.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Cocaine

Shelf Number: 154850


Author: Quigg, Zara

Title: STOP-SV: a training programme to prevent nightlife-related sexual violence (Evaluation Report)

Summary: Globally, sexual violence is a key public health issue, placing large burdens on individuals' health and well-being, local communities and services. Accordingly, preventing sexual violence and associated risk factors are key targets in the sustainable development goals (SDGs) . Efforts to understand, prevent and respond to sexual violence have increased in recent decades. Importantly, studies have started to emerge highlighting nightlife environments as key settings for sexual violence, and critically the importance of developing and implementing prevention strategies in these settings. However, few prevention strategies exist that specifically aim to address nightlife related sexual violence. As part of the European Union Rights, Equality and Citizenship Programme, in 2016 the STOPSV (staff training on prevention of sexual violence) project was established with partners from the Czech Republic (Charles University), Portugal (IREFREA), Spain (IREFREA) and the United Kingdom (UK; Liverpool John Moores University). The primary aim of STOP-SV is to support the prevention of nightlife related sexual violence, through: 1. Mobilising local communities and developing community coalitions to work together to prevent nightlife related sexual violence; 2. Providing local stakeholders with the knowledge and tools to train nightlife staff (e.g. servers, security) so that they can recognise and effectively prevent and respond to sexual violence in nightlife; and, 3. Training nightlife workers so that they can recognise and effectively prevent and respond to sexual violence in nightlife. Based on existing literature on nightlife related sexual violence, and programmes that aim to prevent and respond to sexual violence through bystander intervention, the project developed a new pilot training programme for nightlife workers. In 2017/18, STOP-SV project partners from three pilot site countries (Czech Republic, Portugal and Spain) identified and tutored local stakeholders (i.e. training facilitators; Czech Republic n=5; Portugal n=11; Spain n=12, Appendix 1) to implement the STOP-SV training programme with nightlife workers in their respective countries. Subsequently, training facilitators implemented a training session with 114 nightlife workers (i.e. trainees; Czech Republic n=70; Portugal n=26; Spain n=18). A research study was conducted to evaluate the implementation and impact of the pilot STOP-SV training programme. The core objectives were to explore:  The views of project partners, training facilitators and trainees of the STOP-SV training programme (following the piloting); and,  The associated impact of the STOP-SV pilot training programme on nightlife workers': - Knowledge, attitudes and perceptions of sexual violence; and, - Confidence in intervening in sexual violence in nightlife settings. In addition, the study sought to explore nightlife workers':  Experience of identifying vulnerable patrons and/or sexual violence in nightlife settings; and,  Personal experience of sexual violence in nightlife settings.

Details: Liverpool: Faculty of Education, Health and Community, Liverpool John Moores University, 2018. 53p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 13, 2019 at: https://phi.ljmu.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/STOP-SV-a-training-programme-to-prevent-nightlife-related-sexual-violence-evaluation-report.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Alcohol-Related Crime, Violence

Shelf Number: 154940


Author: Friedrichs, Jan-Henrik

Title: Urban Spaces of Deviance and Rebellion: Youth, Squatted Houses and the Heroin Scene in West Germany and Switzerland in the 1970s and 1980s

Summary: Between the late 1970s and early 1980s, Western European societies experienced a deep crisis, involving economic turmoil and youth protest, that became most perceptible in an alleged crisis of the city. This dissertation argues that as a reaction to this crisis a spatialization of the social took place that established urban space as a prime object of governmental policies. It argues further that the transformation of social problems into questions of spatial order was mirrored in a growing reference by non-conforming youth to space as a site of liberation. Both developments supported and influenced each other and were based on the conception of certain socio-geographical spaces as counter-sites that differed entirely from all other spaces. Spaces of non-conforming youth are therefore at the heart of this dissertation. Meeting places of the heroin scene and squatted houses in Zurich and various West German cities, most notably West Berlin, serve as examples of such spaces and their significance for European societies in the early 1980s. This study employs a double perspective. It traces the spaces of youth deviance as an object of governmental technologies and seeks to deconstruct the underlying assumptions about normalcy, deviance, youth, and urban space. At the same time, it explores the practices and imaginations of those youth who were seeking to evade or rebel against the hegemonic order through squatting of, and sojourning at, specific urban spaces. To grasp the perspective of both governmental institutions and non-conforming youth, a combined analysis of their discursive and spatial practices is employed. Making use of Foucault's concept of heterotopia, or "other spaces", the possibilities and limitations in regulating and creating social change through urban spaces of deviance and rebellion comes into focus. This dissertation therefore contributes to a social and cultural historiography of the 1980s as well as furthers our understanding of the mutually constructed nature of space, youth, normalcy, and deviance.

Details: Vancouver, BC: University of British Columbia, 2013. 409p.

Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed March 14, 2019 at: https://www.academia.edu/30177864/Urban_Spaces_of_Deviance_and_Rebellion._Youth_Squatted_Houses_and_the_Heroin_Scene_in_West_Germany_and_Switzerland_in_the_1970s_and_1980s_PhD_thesis_

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Antisocial Behavior

Shelf Number: 154970


Author: Squatting Europe Kollective

Title: Squatting in Europe: Radical Spaces, Urban Struggles

Summary: Thanks to the Occupy movement, the call to squat is once again raised more widely and acted upon with increasing frequency. The movements of the Arab Spring and the 15M movement in Spain, which catalyzed similar "real democracy" movements of 'Indignados' in Italy, France, the Netherlands, Germany and Greece, as well as the Occupy movement in the US all started out with taking over - not buildings but - public and private squares and plazas. Most of these movements used the (re)appropriated spaces to set up tents, kitchens, libraries, and media centers to collectively organize their assemblies and working groups, their rallies and marches, as well as their everyday lives in a horizontal, self-managed, and direct-democratic style. In the process, they have transformed public spaces into commons - common spaces opened up by the occupiers who inhabit them and share them according to their own rules. As with squatters of social centers or large buildings, the occupied squares represent(ed) not only a collective form of residence on the basis of shared resources, but also a political action: in this case laying siege to centers of financial and political power. Importantly, they have also served to explore direct-democratic decision-making, to prefigure post-capitalist ways of life, and to devise innovative forms of political action. As with squatting, the practice of occupying has enacted a democratic (re)appropriation of public squares epitomized by their inhabitation. As with squatting, the power of bodies that continue to be present - that dont go home at the end of the demonstration and that speak for themselves rather than being represented by others exerts a forceful message as it gives ongoing presence to political protest. In todays situation of the worldwide spread and the open future of the Occupy movement, it is helpful to take some lessons from squatters movements as they have influenced the trajectory of many contemporary movements and struggles. Squatting is a unique form of protest activity that holds a potential of unfurling energies; it focuses action in a way that is prefigurative of another mode of organizing society and challenging a paramount institution of capitalist society: private property.

Details: Wivenhoe: Minor Compositions, 2012. 280p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed march 14, 2019 at: https://chisineu.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/132280637-squatting-in-europe-radical-spaces-urban-strugglestingineurope-web.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Antisocial Behavior

Shelf Number: 154973


Author: Healy, Claire

Title: The Strength to Carry On: Resilience and Vulnerability to Trafficking and Other Abuses among People Travelling along Migration Routes to Europe

Summary: Around one and a half million people have travelled along the 'Eastern Mediterranean route,' the 'Balkan route' and the 'Central Mediterranean route' since 2015, in order to enter an EU country and apply for asylum or remain without regular immigration status. Migration routes lead through and from Turkey, where a number of routes converge from countries of origin in the Middle East (Syria, Iraq), West and South Asia (Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, Bangladesh) and Horn of Africa (Eritrea, Somalia, Ethiopia). From Turkey, people either travel by boat from the Western coast to nearby Greek islands in the North Aegean Sea, such as Lesvos, Chios and Samos, or cross the Evros River into Greece or Bulgaria. The Balkan route then continues by sea or overland to Thessaloniki in Northern Greece, either directly or via Athens, and from there to the Greek border with North Macedonia at Idomeni/ Gevgelija, and through North Macedonia to the Serbian border at Tabanovce/Preevo. Those who crossed from Turkey to Bulgaria travel onwards from there to Serbia. From Serbia, the route crosses into Hungary at Subotica/Szeged, or leads through Croatia and Slovenia. The route then takes people from Hungary or Slovenia to Austria, then Germany (initially Bavaria), Sweden and other countries in Western Europe. this national perspective fits uneasily with the lived experiences and perspectives of people on the move. They usually perceive their experiences in terms of a route and a journey, and are less focused on which particular country they happen to be in, and more on the final intended destination. This study therefore also conceives of people's experiences, and the factors of resilience and vulnerability that affect them, in terms of a journey from a country of origin or previous residence, through numerous transit countries, to the intended final destination country, or, for an increasing proportion of people since 2016, to a de facto destination country from which they have been unable to travel onwards. Above all, because during most of the period 2015-2018, in most locations, these people were not allowed to travel regularly, interactions with providers of migrant smuggling services play a key role in determining people's resilience or vulnerability. Many of the potential trafficking cases that were identified in the course of the research were connected to smuggling situations, either because people needed to pay for smuggling, or because people providing migrant smuggling services directly exploited their clients. Risks of exploitation due to the need to pay for smuggling and due to interactions with migrant smugglers were often exacerbated by difficulties in onward travel, lack of regular status and lack of access to the regular labour market. Simply put, when regular travel by plane, train or road is not permitted, the circumstances of travel are the determining factor of people's experiences.

Details: Vienna: International Centre for Migration Policy Development, 2019. 316p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 20, 2019 at: https://www.icmpd.org/fileadmin/ICMPD-Website/2019/New_Strive_Study_Final.pdf

Year: 2019

Country: Europe

Keywords: Human Rights Abuses

Shelf Number: 155054


Author: Trend Micro

Title: Cyber-Telecom Crime Report 2019

Summary: Telecommunications or telecom has been part of the evolution of modern society. It is seminal in the operation of businesses and has become a major industry itself. Deeply integrated even in day-to-day activities, it is an aspect of modern technology that is treated as a constant. However, the reality of its own threats and vulnerabilities exists. Given how critical telecom is, its threat landscape should be explored and understood as telecom technology continues to thrive. This paper is written to serve as a guide of sorts to help stakeholders in the industry navigate the telecom threat landscape. As such, we begin by giving an overview of how telecom fraud or crimes translate to monetary gains for criminals. Then we go through key concepts of the telecom infrastructure, including the history of telecom threats. With the basics set, the meat of our discussion falls on several threats that we enumerated and divided into two kinds: infrastructure attacks and network-based telecom frauds. Lastly, we include case studies of noteworthy telecom frauds to demonstrate how these attacks play out in real-world situations. In the end, we conclude how collaboration, cooperation, and sharing of information among all stakeholders will allow telecom security to evolve at the same speed as telecom technology itself.

Details: Trend Micro Research, 2019. 57p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 21, 2019 at: https://www.europol.europa.eu/publications-documents/cyber-telecom-crime-report-2019

Year: 2019

Country: Europe

Keywords: Consumer Fraud

Shelf Number: 155095


Author: Jones, Chris

Title: The EU Data Retention Directive: a case study in the legitimacy and effectiveness of EU counter-terrorism policy

Summary: SECILE is an EU-funded research project examining the legitimacy and effectiveness of European Union counter-terrorism measures (CTMs). This report examines the implementation of Directive 2006/24/EC on the retention of data generated or processed in connection with the provision of publicly available electronic communications services or of public communications networks (the "Data Retention Directive"). The Directive obliges providers of internet and telephony services to keep detailed "traffic data" (or "metadata") regarding the identities and activities of their subscribers for between 6 and 24 months and provide access to police and security agencies for the purposes of investigating serious crime, and has been described as the "the most privacy-invasive instrument ever adopted by the EU". This report explains the policy-making process that resulted in the Directive, the obligations stemming from it, and the way these have been transposed into the national law of the member states with reference to infringement proceedings, legal challenges and the review of the legislation by the European Commission.

Details: SICILE Consortium, 2013. 50p.

Source: Internet Resource: SECILE Deliverable 2.4. www.secile.eu : Accessed march 27, 2019 at: http://www.statewatch.org/news/2013/dec/secile-data-retention-directive-in-europe-a-case-study.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Communications

Shelf Number: 155181


Author: Hayes, Ben

Title: Report on how the EU assesses the impact, legitimacy and effectiveness of its counter-terrorism laws

Summary: SECILE is an EU-funded research project examining the legitimacy and effectiveness of European Union counter-terrorism measures (CTMs). This report examines the mechanisms available to the EU to assess the impact, legitimacy and effectiveness of its counter-terrorism policies. The research focuses primarily but not exclusively on the utilisation and application of these mechanisms rather than the substance of the assessments that they produce. The report forms the basis for further research and analysis regarding the legitimacy and effectiveness of EU CTMs by the SECILE consortium. The report was produced by the civil liberties organisation Statewatch which is conducting a 'stocktake' of EU CTMs and collecting and analysing data about their development and implementation (SECILE work package 2). Readers of this report should also refer to deliverables D2.1 (a catalogue of CTMs adopted by the EU since 9/11), D2.2 (a report on the national transposition of EU CTMs) and D2.4 (a case study on the implementation and review of the EU "Data Retention" Directive).

Details: s.l.: SECILE Consortium, 2013. 59p.

Source: Internet Resource: D2.3 Assessment Report: Accessed March 27, 2019 at: http://www.statewatch.org/news/2013/dec/secile-how-does-the-EU-assess-its-counter-terrorism-law.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Counter-Terrorism

Shelf Number: 155182


Author: Hayes, Ben

Title: Report on the transposition of EU counter-terrorism measures

Summary: SECILE is an EU-funded research project examining the legitimacy and effectiveness of European Union counter-terrorism measures (CTMs). This report examines the transposition of CTMs adopted by the EU since 11 September 2011 and forms the basis for further research and analysis regarding their legitimacy and effectiveness by the SECILE consortium. The report has been produced by the civil liberties organisation Statewatch which is conducting a 'stocktake' of EU CTMs and collecting and analysing data about their implementation (SECILE work package 2). Readers of this report should also refer to deliverables D2.1 (a catalogue of CTMs adopted by the EU since 9/11), D2.3 (an analysis of the ways in which the EU institutions have assessed the impact, legitimacy and effectiveness of the measures described in this report) and D2.4 (a case study on the implementation and review of the EU "Data Retention" Directive).

Details: s.l.: SECILE Consortium, 2013. 62p.

Source: http://www.statewatch.org/news/2013/nov/secile-report-on-the-transposition-of-eu-counter-terrorism-measures.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Counter-Terrorism

Shelf Number: 155184


Author: Global Witness

Title: Buyers Beware: How European companies buying timber from Industrie Forestiere du Congo risk falling foul of EU laws

Summary: Ten European traders could be importing illegal Congo timber worth millions, breaking EU legislation and wreaking havoc on climate-critical rain forests. Companies based in France, Belgium, Portugal, Spain, Italy and Poland have been importing timber from Industrie Forestiere du Congo (IFCO) - a logging company which has flouted forest laws in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Together, the ten companies placed more than 1,400m of IFCO's high-risk timber on the EU market, with a value of approximately L2 million, in the space of five months during 2018. IFCO is a recently created entity which has inherited logging operations previously belonging to Cotrefor, a notorious company accused of a series of illegal activities. Cotrefor was the subject of alleged links to the Tajideen family, members of which are sanctions-listed by the US Treasury as financial supporters of Hezbollah. Cotrefor was the subject of allegations that it was controlled by known Hezbollah financiers named on a US Treasury sanctions list.

Details: London: Global Witness, 2019. 17p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 28, 2019 at: https://www.globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/forests/buyers-beware/

Year: 2019

Country: Europe

Keywords: Environmental Crimes

Shelf Number: 155205


Author: Canning, Victoria

Title: Reimagining Refugee Rights: Addressing Asylum Harms in Britain, Denmark and Sweden

Summary: For people seeking asylum in Northern Europe, reaching a safe country is a key goal. However, many face unexpected and unduly harsh realities: poverty, poor healthcare, racism and Islamophobia can make life incredibly difficult. This raises serious ethical concerns. Rather than accessing rights, many people experience the degeneration of their mental health, loss of job-related skills as time goes on, and social isolation. Survivors of violence and persecution are often excluded from support networks. Likewise, some policies and social attitudes are increasingly hostile toward migrants, resulting in harmful laws and practices. The new study, led by Dr Vicky Canning, Senior Lecturer in Criminology in the School for Policy Studies, was based in Britain, Denmark and Sweden between 2016-2018, and documents the harms increasingly embedded in the lives of people seeking asylum. In particular, this study focuses on the gendered implications of seeking asylum. It highlights that hostile attitudes and environments compound or make worse - the impacts of violence, torture and sexual abuse. At the same time social and psychological support is reduced, leaving many people in an unsupported limbo, and women survivors of violence on the periphery of societies. The project used three key methods to explore asylum harms; in depth interviews, oral histories, and participatory action. Between October 2016-June 2018, 74 in-depth interviews were undertaken with psychologists, detention custody officers, activists, sexual violence counsellors, immigration lawyers and barristers. In-depth oral histories were also undertaken with five women, facilitating longer term insight into women's lives and trajectories of violence.

Details: Bristol, UK: University of Bristol, 2019. 76p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 1, 2019 at: http://www.statewatch.org/news/2019/mar/uk-dk-se-reimagining-refugee-rights-asylum-harms-3-19.pdf

Year: 2019

Country: Europe

Keywords: Asylum Seekers

Shelf Number: 155260


Author: Orrenius, Pia M.

Title: Irregular Immigration in the European Union

Summary: Unauthorized immigration is on the rise again in the EU. Although precise estimates are hard to come by, proximity to nations in turmoil and the promise of a better life have drawn hundreds of thousands of irregular migrants to the EU in 2014-2015. Further complicating the ongoing challenge is the confounding flow of humanitarian migrants, who are fleeing not for a job but for their lives. Those who flee for better economic conditions are irregular migrants, not humanitarian migrants, but the lines between the two are often blurred. This policy brief surveys the state of irregular immigration to the EU and draws on lessons from the U.S. experience. It focuses on economic aspects of unauthorized immigration. There are economic benefits to receiving countries as well as to unauthorized migrants themselves, but those benefits require that migrants are able to access the labor market and that prices and wages are flexible. Meanwhile, mitigating fiscal costs requires limiting access to public assistance programs for newcomers. Successfully addressing irregular migration is likely to require considerable coordination and cost-sharing among EU member states.

Details: Dallas, TX: Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, 2016. 30p.

Source: Internet Resource: Working Paper 1603: Accessed April 13, 2019 at: https://www.dallasfed.org/~/media/documents/research/papers/2016/wp1603.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Illegal Immigration

Shelf Number: 155395


Author: Nimmo, F

Title: Taking Stock: Progress towards ending overfshing in the European Union

Summary: This Poseidon report was commissioned by The Pew Charitable Trusts as part of its on-going campaign to end overfishing in the waters of north-western Europe. The research finds that more than half of TACs are consistently set at levels above scientific advice. Projections show this trend continuing to 2020, clear contravention of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) goal to end overfishing. In addition, shortcomings identified within the report demonstrate that current biomass reference points are inadequate to measure progress towards the CFP objective to restore and maintain fish stocks above levels that support the maximum sustainable yield.

Details: Portmore, Near Lymington, Hampshire, UK: Poseidon Aquatic Resource Management Ltd, 2017. 40p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 13, 2019 at: https://www.consult-poseidon.com/fishery-reports/Poseidon_Taking_Stock_2017.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Fishing Industry

Shelf Number: 155401


Author: European Environment Agency

Title: Movements of Waste across the EU's Internal and External Borders

Summary: Ever more waste is crossing EU borders - moving between Member States and to and from non-EU countries. Indeed, the growth in cross-border waste trade during recent years has been remarkable. Exports of waste iron and steel, and copper, aluminium and nickel from Member States doubled between 1999 and 2011, while waste precious metal exports increased by a factor of three and waste plastics by a factor of five. Similarly, exports of hazardous waste more than doubled in the period 2000-2009. Change at this scale potentially brings significant environmental, social and economic opportunities. Where waste moves across borders it can enable access to recycling or disposal options that are unavailable or more costly in the source country - meaning lower environmental and financial costs for waste management. Equally, trade can increase the opportunities to use waste as a valuable input to production, avoiding the need to draw on virgin resources and thereby enhancing the resource‑efficiency of the economy as a whole. At the same time, of course, moving waste across borders clearly involves costs and risks. Transport itself has environmental impacts, including those resulting from the energy used. Even more important, the destination country must be a willing recipient and equipped to handle the waste safely. Where waste travels across borders illegally the risks can be particularly severe. As the analysis reveals, the huge growth in transboundary waste movements has several causes. EU legislation has certainly played an important role. The introduction of the single market in the EU in 1993 facilitated transboundary movements of goods, including waste. More recently, renewable energy policies have boosted trade in some waste types, for example wood. At the same time, the EU has agreed increasingly stringent and harmonised waste management rules in the last 20-30 years, especially during the last decade. In many cases, these have required countries to find new approaches to waste management, for example diverting substantial amounts of waste from changes, they do necessitate different waste management infrastructure to that used previously; where a region or country lacks such infrastructure, exporting waste to countries equipped with the necessary treatment technology and capacity may represent the best solution for the time being. Global forces have also played an important role in boosting non-hazardous waste exports. Rapid economic growth in some countries has created enormous demand for raw materials, particularly in Asia, at the same time as boosting resource prices globally. As resources have become more costly, the incentive to recycle waste or recover energy via incineration has increased markedly in the EU and outside Europe.

Details: Copenhagen: Author, 2012. 40p.

Source: Internet Resource: EEA Report No. 7/2012: Accessed April 19, 2019 at: https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/movements-of-waste-EU-2012

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

Keywords: Environmental Crime

Shelf Number: 155468


Author: European Environment Agency

Title: Waste without borders in the EU. Transboundary shipments of waste

Summary: This report presents data on waste shipments within Europe and out of Europe (mainly EU countries are covered) for both so called notified waste (mostly hazardous and problematic waste) as well as for non-hazardous waste. It presents drivers for shipments but also gaps that still exist in our knowledge as regards some waste streams (such as e-waste) or what influence shipments have on the environment. It also presents some illegal shipments issues. A main conclusion is that more detailed reporting on waste shipments to the EU Commission would enable us to obtain a better understanding of shipments and their nature.

Details: Copenhagen, Author, 2009. 24p.

Source: Internet Resource: EEA Report No 1/2009: Accessed April 19, 2019 at: https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/waste-without-borders-in-the-eu-transboundary-shipments-of-waste

Year: 2009

Country: Europe

Keywords: Electronic Waste

Shelf Number: 155469


Author: Geeraerts, Kristof

Title: Illegal Shipments of Ewaste from the EU to China: Quantitative and monetary analysis of illegal shipments and its environmental, social and economic impacts

Summary: The illegal shipment of electrical and electronic waste, also called e-waste, from the European Union to China provides an example of a complex and serious environmental crime. Over the past decade or more, cross-border transport of e-waste from advanced economies to developing and newly industrialised economies has increased significantly and China represents the largest downstream destination for e-waste exported from Europe. Despite the fact that the import of e-waste into China has been officially banned since 2000, vast amounts of e-waste are still imported illegally into China every year and much of this enters the informal e-waste processing sector, where dismantling and recycling techniques are rudimentary compared to the formal sector and do not comply with health and environmental safety standards. Employing large numbers of local and migrant workers, the e-waste shipment and informal recycling sectors have also transformed social realities for people living in parts of China. The current EU legislative framework to fight illegal e-waste shipments, which translates the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal into EU law, primarily includes the Waste Shipment Regulation (WSR) and the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive. Even though the WSR forbids the export of e-waste to non-OECD countries and extensive amendments have been recently introduced to both legislative instruments in order to improve enforcement and inspection, gaps and weaknesses still remain. These amendments have the potential to improve inspection and enforcement on the ground. Whether these will be effective will however depend on the willingness of the individual member states to provide the necessary resources (such as budget and staff) to implement the new provisions in a meaningful way. This chapter describes the illegal e-waste shipments from the EU to China, highlighting the estimated volumes of illegally exported e-waste, the key actors involved in the illegal activities, the victims and the harms they suffer, and the legal framework of both the EU and China aiming to tackle this environmental crime. As a conclusion, a set of policy recommendations is outlined that aim to support the fight against these illegal shipments.

Details: London: Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP), 2015. 69p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 19, 2019 at: http://minisites.ieep.eu/assets/1839/EFFACE_D3.2e_Quantitative_and_monetary_analysis_of_the_impacts_of_illegal_e-waste_shipments_from_the_EU_to_China.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: E-Waste

Shelf Number: 155474


Author: Puckett, Jim

Title: Holes in the Circular Economy: WEEE Leakage from Europe

Summary: In order to determine the rate and flows of "leakage" from the European Union of consumer-generated WEEE (Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment) or "e-waste", as it is referred to in other parts of the world, BAN deployed used electronic equipment fitted with hidden GPS trackers at consumer recycling destinations in 10 representative countries of the European Union. BAN completed the deployments in the period between April 15 and September 2 of 2017. The countries chosen were Austria (18), Belgium (29), Denmark (20), Germany (54), Hungary (17), Ireland (24), Italy (48), Poland (20), Spain (45), and the United Kingdom (39). The quantities deployed were roughly proportional to the populations of the countries. In order to make best use of the GPS tracker and battery technology, the study utilized larger IT equipment of four types: Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) monitors, Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) monitors, desktop personal computers, and printers. All of the equipment qualified as hazardous under the Basel Convention definitions due to the presence of either a cathode ray tube (CRT), mercury-bearing lamps (all of the LCDs were of this type), or circuit boards (containing high levels of lead, tin, and brominated flame retardants). All of the units also qualified as waste under EU rules as they were rendered nonfunctional and economically unrepairable. The results of the study revealed that of the 314 tracked electronic units, 19 (6%) were exported from the countries from which they were deployed. Of the 10 countries surveyed in our study, only Hungary did not reveal any exports. The UK exported the most with 5 exports all to developing countries. And Nigeria received the most imports with 5. Of the 19 exported units, more than half (11 of 19, or 58%) went to developing countries. As the European Union has implemented the Basel Convention's Ban Amendment (Decision III/1) in its legislation known as the Waste Shipment Regulation's (WSR) Article 36, these 11 exports were likely to be illegal. Further, the EU requires shipments of wastes of all kinds within Europe to be notified, carry a financial instrument, and involve a proper contract to be in place prior to export. As we did not have the time to investigate each of these types of exports between EU member states, we have declared the legality of these shipments as "unknown," although experts tell us it is unlikely these were legally accomplished. The 19 exported units traveled a total distance of 78,408 kilometers with an individual average distance traveled being 4,127 kilometers each. This is about the same distance as the journey from Milan, Italy to Lagos, Nigeria. Based on this knowledge, it seems apparent that shipping costs are not a strong deterrent to long-distance exportation. While 19 exported hazardous waste electronic devices out of 314 may not seem like a serious concern, it is what these might well represent that is. Perspective can be gained by extrapolation of the national export rates, using the weights those countries produce each year. In doing this math, we learn that the 19 exported units could represent as much as 421,603 tonnes of WEEE exported each year filling around 19,165 forty-foot intermodal containers, and of that 20,887 tonnes, filling 16,821 containers would be flowing to developing countries, just from the 10 countries studied. To get a picture of how much WEEE that would represent flowing to developing countries each year, we can imagine that if 16,821 containers were each loaded onto an 18-wheel truck, those trucks lined up back-to-back, would stretch for 387 kilometers. If we look at how those trucks might stack up if we observe the entire 28 countries of the EU exported to developing countries we extrapolate to 352,474 metric tonnes, filling 17,466 40-foot intermodal containers which would stretch back -to-back on 18-wheel trucks for 401 kilometers. BAN concludes from this study that while the EU is far ahead of the United States, for the 28 countries of the EU which have ratified the Basel Convention and the Basel Ban Amendment and thus have legal barriers to international waste dumping in place, 339,446 tonnes of hazardous electronic waste per annum flowing to developing countries is unacceptable. Far more can be done to prosecute the robust illegal trade, including working with target countries such as Nigeria to stem the toxic tide. Further BAN calls upon the EU not to corrupt the worthy goals of the Circular Economy to use that term of art as a new password for increasing externalization of costs and harm to developing countries through liberalizing trade in broken, non-functional electronic waste with a new "Repairables Loophole" in the laws of Europe or at the Basel Convention.

Details: Seattle, Washington: Basel Action Network, 2018. 120p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 20, 2019 at: http://wiki.ban.org/images/f/f4/Holes_in_the_Circular_Economy-_WEEE_Leakage_from_Europe.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: E-Waste

Shelf Number: 155485


Author: van den Brink, P.

Title: Report on State of the Art Review

Summary: Social media is omnipresent and has become a powerful mechanism driving social, economic and organisational change. New and emerging forms of social media (e.g., Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and other platforms) are open, distributed, digital communication platforms that enable people and social networks to create and share information and ideas. But it also has a dark side, where those outside the law have found new ways to organise and commit criminal acts, sometimes transnationally, while remaining (relatively) anonymous. MEDI@4SEC focuses upon enhancing understanding of the opportunities, challenges and ethical consideration of social media use for public security purposes: the good, the bad and the ugly. The good comprises people, businesses and government using social media for problem solving, fighting crime, decreasing fear of crime and increasing security and the quality of life. The bad is the increase of digitised criminality and terrorism with new phenomena emerging through the usage of social media. The ugly comprises the grey areas where trolling, cyberbullying, threats, or live video-sharing of tactical security operations are phenomena to deal with during incidents. Making use of the possibilities that social media offer, including smart 'work-arounds' to prevent threats from ugly to bad situations, is key while respecting privacy, legislation, and ethics.

Details: s.l.: MEDI@4SEC, 2016. 110p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 24, 2019 at: http://media4sec.eu/downloads/d1-1.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Cyberbullying

Shelf Number: 155499


Author: Fekete, Liz

Title: When witnesses won't be silenced: citizens' solidarity and criminalisation

Summary: Chronicling 17 cases involving 99 people in 2018 and the first months of 2019, this second report [1] on the criminalisation of humanitarian actors, shows the expansion and escalation of states' prosecutions during the 'migrant crisis'. For example, 2018 saw charges include: Membership of a criminal network or gang as well as, in the Stansted 15 case, terrorism-related offences In some cases, individuals and organisations have had phones tapped and bank accounts frozen In the case of search and rescue NGOs investigation and/or prosecution has been accompanied by 'smear campaigns' which seem to be spearheaded by the Italian government to delegitimize, slander and obstruct aid associations

Details: London: Institute of Race Relations. 2019. 30p.

Source: Internet Resource: Briefing Paper No. 13: Accessed April 26, 2019 at: http://s3-eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/wpmedia.outlandish.com/irr/2019/04/24131900/When-witnesses-wont-be-silenced-FINAL.pdf

Year: 2019

Country: Europe

Keywords: Asylum Seekers

Shelf Number: 155555


Author: Van De Ven, Katinka

Title: The Formation and Development of Illicit Performance and Image Enhancing Drug Markets: Exploring Supply and Demand, and Control Policies in Belgium and the Netherlands

Summary: This research explores the understudied phenomenon of performance and image enhancing drug (PIED) markets by examining the structure and formation of the market for PIEDs in the Netherlands and Belgium. Furthermore, this study aims to understand and analyse the actors that operate in the PIED dealing environment. In particular bodybuilding is adopted as a case study. Finally, this thesis examines how the PIED control system and its application influence these respective markets. Chapter one introduces the global PIED problem, the policy options currently available to deal with it, and its connection to anti-doping and sport. Chapter two begins by reviewing the literature on PIED use and its supply, and reflects on the anti-doping and PIED policies that seek to regulate this market. In chapter three the theoretical contours of this dissertation are developed. Chapter four describes the research methods which form the empirical bases of the findings chapters. Chapter five focuses on the general characteristics of PIED suppliers, and the ways in which the actions of PIED dealers are influenced by the market cultures in which they operate. Chapter six examines the importance of socio-cultural factors in the formation and development of PIED dealing networks within bodybuilding subcultures. Chapter seven analyses and describes the characteristics of the Belgian and Dutch PIED markets, and unravels the complex relationship between the two. Chapter eight explores the illegal production of steroids in the Netherlands and the flourishing Internet trade in Belgium. Chapter nine assesses the harms related to the production and distribution of PIEDs, and accounts for the effects that Belgian and Dutch PIED policies may have on this illicit market. Finally, in chapter ten, the main findings of this dissertation are summarized, future research endeavours are considered and policy implications are drawn from the analysis. This thesis illustrates that social systems of rules and values, and in particular the embeddedness of culture, are important factors in our efforts to comprehend illicit PIED markets. Specifically, 'the beliefs, norms, 'tools', rules and behaviours appropriate to a cultural setting are key factors for understanding the structure of PIED markets and greater attention must be given to the role played by socio-cultural factors in influencing the market behaviour of criminal groups and individuals. Nevertheless, this thesis also demonstrates that it is imperative to examine the production, distribution and use of PIEDs, as embedded within a diverse combination of social, economic and cultural processes. Indeed, the structure and formation of illicit PIED markets are shaped by a variety of factors including the types of PIEDs dealt within them, the characteristics of the users, the social structures which sustain them, the cultural and economic context in which the markets exist, and market forces (e.g. technical innovations, drug policies)

Details: Kent, UK: University of Kent, 2015. 261p.

Source: Internet Resourde: Dissertation: Accessed April 26, 2019 at: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/54398/

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Illegal Drugs

Shelf Number: 155561


Author: Savona, Ernesto U.

Title: Mapping the Risk of Serious and Organised Crime Infiltration in Europe. Final report of the MORE project

Summary: MORE aimed to analyse, model and map the risk factors of serious and organised crime (SOC) infiltration in legitimate European businesses. It focused on risk factors at two levels: - Macro level, i.e., across countries, regions and business sectors; - Micro level, i.e., at the firm level, in terms of ownership and accounting red flags. MORE built on two previous studies also co-funded by the EU Commission: - The OCP project, which analysed the economy of organised crime in 7 EU MSs (Finland, France, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and the UK) from a macro perspective; - The ARIEL project, which analysed the script of OC infiltration in businesses in 5 EU MSs (Italy, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Sweden and the UK) from a micro perspective. The MORE project combined the two perspectives and extended the analysis to the whole EU 28. To do so, it adopted a mixed qualitative and quantitative method - which is the only possible way to address a complex issue such as SOC infiltration in businesses. And in the process, it performed: - The collection of data, cases and evidence from a wide variety of sources (judicial documents, police reports, institutional reports and media news), relying also on a widespread network of national contact points. - An in-depth crime-script analysis of 24 case studies of SOC infiltration (equivalent to more than 500 companies in all EU MS); - A macro analysis of statistics on selected risk factors across regions, countries and business sectors; - A micro analysis of ownership and accounting data from a sample of more than 1,000 firms confiscated from OC. MORE is only a first exploratory step towards a systematic monitoring of the problem of SOC infiltration in businesses across the EU MSs, but it shows that such monitoring would be essential to mitigate and prevent SOC in Europe. Structure of the final report -- To reflect the logic behind the MORE approach, the final report is structured as follows: Chapter 2 provides the relevant definitions (including that of SOC infiltration) and describes the methodological approach; Chapter 3 is an overview of the main results of the crime-script analysis of case studies; Chapter 4 presents an analysis of key risk factors and vulnerabilities to SOC infiltration across EU geographic areas and sectors and a comparative overview across countries; Chapter 5 provides the statistical analysis of ownership and accounting data at the firm level; Chapter 6 presents country profiles of the 28 EU MSs and an in-depth analysis of selected geographic areas. Finally, Chapter 7 discusses the research and policy implications. The script analysis of the case studies, in full, is reported in the Annex A1.

Details: Milan: Transcrime - Universita Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 2018. 252p.

Source: http://www.transcrime.it/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/MORE_FinalReport.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Crime-Script Analysis

Shelf Number: 155660


Author: Lloyd-Cape, Ed

Title: Inside Police Custody 2: Comparative Report

Summary: In 2009, the European Union adopted a 'roadmap of procedural rights in criminal proceedings, with the aim of introducing EU legislation covering a range of procedural rights for suspected and accused persons, to come into force over a number of years. The first three Directives adopted under the programme - on the right to interpretation and translation, the right to information, and the right of access to a lawyer - came into effect in October 2013, June 2014, and November 2016 respectively. Under the Directives, member states were required to introduce the laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary to give effect to the provisions contained in them. The report 'Inside Police Custody 2' is the first to examine the implementation in practice of all three Directives. This comparative report is based on empirical research carried out by partner organisations in nine EU member states, examining the rights of suspects and accused persons as they are applied and experienced in practice at the investigative stage of the criminal process.

Details: Dublin: Irish Council for Civil Liberties, 2018. 94p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 4, 2019 at: https://www.fairtrials.org/sites/default/files/publication_pdf/Inside-Police-Custody-2-JUSTICIA-Comparative-Report.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Accused Persons

Shelf Number: 155665


Author: van der Veer, Renske

Title: Fusion Centres in Six European Countries: Emergence, Roles and Challenges

Summary: Fusion centres are organisations tasked with interagency coordination in the field of preventing and countering terrorism. As such, most fusion centres are responsible for coordinating, analysing, combining, and facilitating information sharing with regard to terrorism, and in some cases in relation to broader security threats. Fusion centres' roles, legal mandates and their institutional make-up vary greatly across countries. The role and function of national fusion centres in Europe is an understudied topic as little comprehensive or comparative research exists on it as of yet, with the existing literature predominantly focussing on fusion centres in the United States (US). While the term fusion centre is preferred in the US, in Europe they are more commonly referred to as national counter-terrorism coordinators. Fusion centres are currently operating for over a decade, giving reason for a closer look at what purposes these centres serve in the wider security and counter-terrorism landscape in their respective countries, and what challenges they face. This report aims to address this gap and is the result of a project by the International Centre for Counter-Terrorism - The Hague (ICCT) supported by the Dutch National Coordinator for Counter-Terrorism and Security (NCTV). It describes fusion centres in six European countries by looking at why and how they have been established and implemented in various countries. It explores why these fusion centres were created, and how their formal roles and actual activities relate to operational realities. The report utilises a literature study as well as contributions from terrorism experts on fusion centres in their respective countries, who responded to a call for contributions issued by ICCT among members of the European Expert Network on Terrorism Issues (EENeT). The response to this call determined which European countries and fusion centres are featured in this report, namely: Belgium (CUTA), Germany (GTAZ and GETZ), Italy (CASA), The Netherlands (NCTV), Spain (CITCO), and the United Kingdom (JTAC). Additionally, this report and particularly the reflections on themes and challenges builds upon discussions by representatives of fusion centres and terrorism experts, during an expert session co-organised by ICCT between members of EENeT and the Madrid Group in October 2018. The Madrid Group is a forum under which representatives from various national fusion centres informally convene bi-annually, to share insights and experiences on threat assessments and counter-terrorism coordination. These expert discussions determined the themes that this report takes a closer look at, and fuelled the critical reflections on fusion centres' challenges in this report. Following this introduction, the second section of this report describes the emergence of fusion centres, the third section covers fusion centres in six European countries, focusing on their origins, objectives, and how they are institutionally embedded. On the basis of these descriptions and discussions with experts, the fourth section takes a closer look at two themes identified in the expert meeting, namely the development of the role of fusion centres and the collection and sharing of information. Section five then reflects on the identified challenges, focussing on 'the illusion of independence', political influence and the concept of 'human fusion'. The report ends with a general conclusion.

Details: The Hague: The International Centre for Counter-Terrorism, 2019. 28p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 7, 2019 at: https://icct.nl/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/ICCT-VanderVeer-Bos-VanderHeide-Fusion-Centres-in-Six-European-Countries.pdf

Year: 2019

Country: Europe

Keywords: Counter-Terrorism

Shelf Number: 155675


Author: Sanchez, Gabriella

Title: Five Misconceptions About Migrant Smuggling

Summary: Migrant smugglers occupy a special place in the European 'migration crisis' discourse. They are depicted as the facilitators of irregular migrants' journeys, and as criminals who take advantage of people's vulnerability and naivete. Stories of ruthless smugglers who abuse, abandon or even murder those who rely on their services are common in popular media, as well as in mainstream academic, policy and law enforcement narratives of migration.

Details: Florence, Italy: Migration Policy Centre, Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies European University Institute, 2018. 5p.

Source: Internet Resource: Policy Brief Issue 2018/07: Accessed May 9, 2019 at: http://cadmus.eui.eu/bitstream/handle/1814/54964/RSCAS_PB_2018_07.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Human Smuggling

Shelf Number: 155706


Author: Klingova, Katarina

Title: From Online Battlefield to Loss of Trust? Perceptions and habits of youth in eight European countries

Summary: This publication was compiled as a part of the project "Countering disinformation in the V4 and the Balkan region: Mapping needs, building capacity, and generating civic activism" that aims to: 1. increase communication and outreach capacities of civil society organisations that focus on countering disinformation, supporting media literacy or increasing public awareness on crucial topics leading to a more active civil society; 2. increase media literacy and/or awareness of disinformation among the youth in the region through empowerment of civil society organisations and active involvement of young people by entertaining and engaging online communication activities. Therefore, it provides a unique combination of data and insights from the region that enables the reader to understand more deeply the dynamics of disinformation and civil society organisations scene in the region, as well as the behaviour of young people on the internet, and social media specifically. Such a combination of data will facilitate both any future communication activities towards youth in the region, as well as more precise and targeted support of civil society organisations. Moreover, the publication emphasises the need for a diversified country-specific approach from the perspective of potential donors who should take into consideration different dynamics and complexities of the region. The boundaries between the "online" and "offline" world have blurred for great numbers of people who actively use the internet on a daily basis. This is especially the case for young people being raised with cell-phones in their hands, social media platforms and technology have become an integral part of their daily lives. When hunting virtual Pokemons in parks and streets, having online Avatars or attempting to take selfies with sharks or at the top of skyscrapers, young people have been pushing the limits of possibilities and blurring the lines between reality and the online environment. Having one account on social media is not enough, since each platform has its specific purpose. YouTube for music, entertainment or learning; Facebook for being in the loop on what events are happening around; Instagram for checking what a friend was doing during the day. We live in the information world. Internet access equals the access to information - access to a multitude of sources and opinions, and to communities and people living all around the world. How does the constant flow of an unprecedented amount of information influence the young? Do younger generations have enough knowledge and the will to consume information? Do young people consume information, or are they being consumed by the data? Who is the master and who is the pawn? Our research shows that young people realise that they are targets, and they are often tired of being constantly under information-attack. Thanks to many awareness-raising campaigns on disinformation and hoaxes, they also realise that all the information they see and consume must not necessarily be either true or accurate. And that contributes to their annoyance and disgust towards information sources in general. As a result, the distrust and scepticism of the young towards everything and everyone increases considerably. This distrust is not only reflected in their online behaviour but also in key decisions that shape political and social development of countries. As in every era, great challenges lie ahead of us in terms of information consumption and intergenerational communication. This research seeks to shed some more light onto both. Having collected unique qualitative data from focus groups discussions in eight European countries, we try to contribute another piece of the puzzle to understand complexities in the lives and thinking of today's youth and its impact upon the political and social realities of our societies. The boundaries between the "online" and "offline" world have blurred. This is especially the case for todays youth, for whom cell-phones, social media and digital technology have become an integral part of their daily lives. From Online Battlefield to Loss of Trust? sheds further light on young people's consumption of information and disinformation. The report is based on research conducted among 18-24 year olds residing in Central and Southeastern Europe for the purposes of Countering Disinformation in the V4 Region: Mapping Needs, Building Capacity and Generating Civic Activism, a project that's financially supported by the US Department of State. Having collected unique qualitative data from focus groups in eight European countries, the report also seeks to understand the complexities of the lives and thinking of today's youth and its impact upon the political and social realities of our societies.

Details: Bratislava, Slovak Republic: GLOBSEC, 2018. 47p.

Source: Internet Resource: accessed May 15, 2019 at: https://disinfoportal.org/wp-content/uploads/ReportPDF/From-Online-Battlefield-to-Loss-of-Trust-min.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Disinformation

Shelf Number: 155852


Author: European Parliament. Directorate-General for Internal Policies. Policy Department A Economic and Scientific Policy

Title: The Role of the Social Protections as Economic Stabiliser: Lessons from the Current Crisis

Summary: Social protection, in particular unemployment benefits, minimum income support and progressive taxation, have significantly contributed to reducing the depth and the duration of the current recession in EU Member States and to stabilising labour markets and consumption. Not only does social protection provide a safety net for those groups which have been hit hardest by the crisis, it has also a stabilising effect on the overall demand for goods and services produced in the economy. Discretionary action in the field of social and labour market policy, pursued in most European economies, included a broad range of measures, such as employment incentives, higher benefits and increased transfers to low-income households. Further action, however, is needed to overcome inequalities in access to social protection faced by non- standard workers, and in designing a suitable exit strategy from discretionary stimulus in order to limit the fiscal constraints generated by anti-crisis policies.

Details: Brussels: Author, 2010. 186p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 15, 2019 at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/etudes/join/2010/451484/IPOL-EMPL_ET(2010)451484_EN.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Social Protection

Shelf Number: 155855


Author: Rekawek, Kacper

Title: Who are the European Jihadis? Project Midterm Report

Summary: GLOBSEC is proud to present Who Are the European Jihadis? From Criminals to Terrorists and Back? Midterm Report, a report by co-authors Kacper Rekawek, Stanislav Matejka, Viktor Szucs, Tomas Benuska, Karin Kajzarova and Jakub Rafay. This is the second major output from a two year research project focusing on the existence of the presumed criminal-terrorist (#crimeterror) nexus in Europe. The project is funded under PMI IMPACT, a global grant initiative of Philip Morris International to support projects against illegal trade. GLOBSEC is fully independent in implementing the project and has editorial responsibility for all views and opinions expressed herein. The findings of this report are based on a dataset of 225 cases of individuals about whom the authors were able to collect open-source data between September 2017 and June 2018. Of these, 197 are jihadi terrorists and 28, effectively comprising the project's control group, are far-left or nationalist Greek terrorists. They were all arrested for terrorism offences in 2015 and later convicted (120 individuals), expelled from a given country because of their alleged terrorism links (20), or died while executing terrorist attacks (29) in the 11 examined EU countries - Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, the UK. Included is also a sample of 28 suspects who are still at large and are sought by security authorities, 15 of which have already been convicted in absentia. The phenomenon of the crime-terror nexus, i.e., the scale of the overlap between the two milieus in Europe and the intensity of their interconnections, is at the heart of the report. However, GLOBSEC's multifaceted focus on different subsets of European terrorists and disciplined and thorough data collection allow for a broader analysis of the phenomenon of jihadi terrorism threatening Europe. Thus, this report should also be seen as GLOBSEC's take on "the state of European jihad" and an attempt to map out its features. In the report you will find an analysis showing preliminary conclusions along 8 thematic sets of variables: crime-terror nexus, age and gender, education and employment, financing of terrorist activities, radicalisation, citizenship (national origin), foreign fighting experience, and solo actor phenomenon.

Details: Bratislava, Slovak Republic: GLOBSEC Policy Institute, 2018. 40p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 20, 2019 at: https://www.globsec.org/projects/criminals-terrorists-back/#publications

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Counter-Terrorism

Shelf Number: 155921


Author: Schaffer, Dirk

Title: Drug Consumption Rooms in Europe: Models, Best Practice, and Challenges

Summary: The reports aims to provide information about historical background, operational frameworks and outcomes of such services that can serve as a basis for discussions in many european cities about the implementation of drug consumption rooms. This report gives an overview to the development of Drug consumption rooms in Europe. It describes different models of drug consumption rooms (integrated, specialized and mobile units). Furthermore the report identify and evaluate the different barriers for access. Examples of good practice and focus the special need of woman who use drugs.

Details: Amsterdam, Netherlands: Regenboog Groep, 2014. 19p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 21, 2019 at: https://idhdp.com/media/399959/drug-consumption-in-europe-final-2014-1.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Consumption Rooms

Shelf Number: 155959


Author: International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW)

Title: Chronic Oil Pollution in Europe

Summary: This report reviews recent trends in oil pollution, with emphasis on 'chronic oil pollution' in European waters. Chronic oil pollution is the result of the continuous stream of smaller and larger oil spills and deliberate / illegal "operational" discharges of oily waste from vessels. This pollution is chronic vs. episodic in that recurring oil discharges in a sensitive area prevent the impacted resources from recovering. It is a diffuse type of contamination from various sources that enters the environment in gaseous, liquid or solid forms. The most lethal form enters the marine environment through deliberate (illegal) discharges at sea. The most visible effect of marine oil pollution is the associated mortality of marine wildlife, notably seabirds. This report describes the scale and identifies the sources of the oil pollution problem. It discusses the methods of assessing the impact on marine wildlife and outlines the species-specific and area-specific differences in sensitivity to oiling. Chronic oiling is a constant threat to seabirds. Legal measures to reduce the oil problem are reviewed and considered in the context of recent trends indicating a decline in the proportion of stranded seabirds showing traces of oil contamination. Rather than simply signalling the issue of chronic oil pollution, the concluding comments of the report propose possible solutions and review ideas to further reduce the problem. Chronic oil pollution as an issue - Worldwide annual releases of oil have declined since the early 1970s from approx. 6 million tons to about one million tons, but a general lack of information prevents a thorough evaluation of true current levels of oil pollution at sea. - Illegal and incidental operational discharges from shipping and offshore installations (chronic oil pollution) are the most important sources of marine wildlife casualties because they occur all the time and because of the important overlap between large seabird concentrations and busy shipping lanes. - It is a misconception that large spills cause greater environmental damage than small spills: what matters are when and where the release happens and the type of oil that is spilled. - Seabirds are particularly vulnerable to oil because this substance damages the insulating properties of their plumage, which they require to survive in a maritime environment. -Seabirds that spend most of their time afloat and that have little contact with the coast are the most vulnerable to oil pollution. - Small amounts of oil in the plumage cause a bird to give up feeding and most casualties are due to starvation. - Large amounts of oil on the plumage cause instant immobility and possibly immediate death through suffocation and drowning. Measuring the scale and impact of chronic oil pollution - Beached-bird surveys have been routinely conducted in many European countries over the past decades, enabling a proper historical evaluation of temporal trends in marine oil pollution. - Oil rates in seabirds found dead on beaches are highest in areas bordering shipping lanes. - Significant declines in oil rates have been found over the past 30 years. - Aerial surveys are an instrument to measure oil pollution more directly and the results confirm that most oil slicks are formed in the vicinity of the major shipping lanes. These surveys have generally confirmed the declining trend of oil slick occurrence, but long-term comparable data are not readily available for analysis. - Recent technology offers the possibility to detect oil slicks from space. This technology is particularly promising for the future, but long-term trends cannot be deduced from these data at the moment. - Despite good intentions and collaboration from different countries, an international overview of oil pollution is impeded by difficulties in harmonising the available data. Recent initiatives by the EC Joint Research Centre to develop standard nomenclature and an on-line database are described. - OSPAR introduced a series of Ecological Quality Objectives to monitor characteristic parameters in the marine environment. EcoQOs are intended to act as monitoring guidelines until a set target has been reached. - The oiled-guillemot EcoQO, soon to be implemented, is intended as an instrument for monitoring chronic oil pollution in 15 European sub-regions. The objective of this particular EcoQO is defined as follows: "The average proportion of oiled common guillemots should be 10% or less of the total found dead or dying in each of 15 areas of the North Sea over a period of at least 5 years. Sampling should occur in all winter months (November to April) of each year." We would expect that this will motivate the development and implementation of similar monitoring tools (and policy targets) in other parts of Europe. Chronic oil pollution in Europe - The sources of chronic oil pollution are diverse and estimates of total quantities vary widely. - Two aspects deserve attention: oil pollution has declined over the past decades, but illegal discharges by vessels are still a major source of the chronic oil pollution currently observed. - The EC JRC oil spill database, presented on the web at http://serac.jrc.it/midiv/, is consulted to evaluate recent developments in chronic oil pollution. Composite maps of the Special Areas within Europe (the Black Sea, the Mediterranean, the Baltic and the North Sea) show the locations of nearly 20,000 oil slicks detected over a period of six years (only three years in some areas). - The recent data from high tech remote sensing equipment provide a very clear signal that European waters are by no means free of oil spills. Sensitive species, sensitive areas - Oil Vulnerability Indices (OVI) are widely used to rank species in terms of vulnerability to oil. Important parameters are behaviour, exposure, biogeographical population, reproductive potential, and reliance on the marine environment. OVIs should preferably be calculated at the subspecies level. - OVIs have not been calculated for numerous European taxa of seabirds. in the (wintering) distribution of seabirds should be taken into consideration with regard to the vulnerability of certain areas, and a deeper understanding of offshore habitat requirements is therefore needed. The Greenland Sea, Icelandic waters, Bay of Biscay, Portuguese and Spanish Atlantic coasts, Macaronesia, the Mediterranean and the Black Sea are data-deficient in terms of knowledge regarding their sensitivity to oil pollution. - Knowledge pertaining to the sensitivity of the Barents Sea, Norwegian Sea, Channel and Celtic Sea is partly data-deficient. - The North Sea, Irish Sea, waters west of Britain, Faeroese waters and the Baltic Sea are well studied and their sensitivity to oil pollution has been evaluated. The effects of chronic oil pollution on seabird populations - The effects of oil spills on seabirds have often been exaggerated in the past. - Adequate surveys, coupled with drift experiments and accurate information on the age structure of oil spill casualties and their possible (breeding) origin are required to enable a proper evaluation of the scale and impact of accidental or chronic oil pollution on seabirds. - Oil pollution is a major threat to seabirds mainly in their European wintering areas. - Direct effects on seabird populations, such as on survival rates and age structure, are rarely detected because specific long-term studies involving individually marked birds need to be in place in the area affected by the spill before it actually happens. - A recent review of major oil spills revealed that adequate data usually have been collected but those post-spill evaluations making use of that data tend to be rare. - Recent studies showed that winter mortality of adult guillemots was doubled by major oil pollution incidents, demonstrating that oil pollution can have wide-scale impacts on marine ecosystems, and that these impacts can be quantified using populations of marked individual seabirds. Law and programs to reduce levels of oil pollution, and minimising the effects of spills - The UN Convention for the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) has recognised pollution from vessels as one of the main threats to the marine environment. In response, UNCLOS has established the framework for the multi-lateral development of rules and standards acting mainly through the competent international organization, namely the International Maritime Organization (IMO). The IMO has adopted several instruments to control the environmental impact of shipping, the most important being the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL 73/78). - Within Europe, "Special Areas" have been identified under MARPOL (Annex I) as waters where oil discharges are essentially illegal. Special Area status within Europe was applied to the Mediterranean, Black, and Baltic seas in 1978. The marine region corresponding to North West European waters (mainly the North Sea) was designated as a Special Area in 1999. - The designation of Special Areas under MARPOL is a significant step, but without enforcement, such legislation is pointless. highlighted above. - Several recent studies based on evidence from offshore surveillance by "coastal" states and from inspections by Port States show that one of the basic problems lies with a relatively small percentage of vessels and owners that persist in consistently operating their vessels in full contravention to the IMO's body of environmental regulations. In relative terms, the numbers are small approximately 10-15% of the world fleet. However, in absolute terms, this subset of owners accounts for a large number of vessels. - Oily waste discharge standards have been circumvented by companies and ships crew. There is evidence that the standards themselves foster these circumventions as the pollution prevention equipment is often poorly maintained of insufficient capacity and does not operate as designed. - In March 2006, the Marine Environmental Protection Committee (MEPC) of the IMO has invited member governments to provide concrete proposals, including draft MEPC circulars or proposed amendments to existing instruments, to address the operational problems most vessels are facing and what may the root causes of non-compliance. Conclusions - Although a general decline has been observed in marine oil pollution, there is also a shortage of long-term studies and of readily available and comparable information, which limits our understanding of the true impacts of oil pollution on marine wildlife and on seabird populations in particular. - Available knowledge seems to play very little part in orienting the decision in the planning of clean-up operations in the aftermath of oil incidents or in planning aerial surveillances of oil at sea. - The recently established EC website and JRC database clearly show that many instances of oil pollution are in fact avoidable, but even in Special Areas control measures have been inadequate to reduce and eliminate illegal spills. If illegal discharges are still as frequent as shown, states need to adopt far stricter systems of Port States and Flag State control, as well as effective monitoring and sanctioning procedures. - Increased enforcement, however, is only a partial and for many countries a costly solution. - Apart from the shortcomings in existing legislation and enforcement for preventing oil spills and illegal discharge of oil in sensitive sea areas such as MARPOL Special Areas and PSSAs, there is also a technical limitation in that the ecological criteria used to designate such areas fail to specifically address seabird sensitivity to oil as indicated by current data on seabird distribution and seasonal movement patterns.

Details: Brussels, Belgium: Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, 2007. 88p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 22, 2019 at: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.467.673&rep=rep1&type=pdf

Year: 2007

Country: Europe

Keywords: Chronic Oil Pollution

Shelf Number: 155997


Author: European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA)

Title: Preventing Unlawful Profiling Today and in the Future: A Guide

Summary: Technological developments have triggered an increased use of profiling in a wide range of contexts, including marketing, employment, health, finance, law enforcement, border control and security. The use of profiling tools to support the work of law enforcement and border management officials has received greater attention from EU Member States in recent years. Profiling is commonly, and legitimately, used by law enforcement officers and border guards to prevent, investigate and prosecute criminal offences, as well as to prevent and detect irregular immigration. However, unlawful profiling can undermine trust in the authorities, in particular in the police, and stigmatise certain communities. This in turn can escalate tensions between communities and law enforcement authorities for what is perceived as the discriminatory use of profiling. This guide explains what profiling is, the legal frameworks that regulate it, and why conducting profiling lawfully is not only necessary to comply with fundamental rights, but also crucial for effective policing and border management. The guide also provides practical guidance on how to avoid unlawful profiling in police and border management operations. The principles and practices in the guide are supported by examples, case studies and case law from across the EU and beyond.

Details: S.L.: European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, 2018. 138p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 22, 2019 at: https://fra.europa.eu/en/publication/2018/prevent-unlawful-profiling

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Border Management

Shelf Number: 155998


Author: European Crime Prevention Network

Title: Tackling of Itinerant Criminal Groups: New Challenges

Summary: Itinerant criminal groups entered the picture when at the end of the 90ies early 2000s, Eastern and Central European gangs were increasingly found responsible for systematic burglaries in houses, in companies and shops, for ram raids and certain forms of car thefts. Based on their modi operandi it was already clear back then that the gangs were well-organised and operated systematically and that they were mainly interested in cash and goods they could sell on illegal stolen goods markets and second-hand markets. As these problems were having an increasing impact on the feeling of insecurity of the population, the police authorities took up the gauntlet and have put in place adequate measures. Lots of policy guidelines were issued at different management levels, which are contained, among others, in the successive National and Regional security plans, the Executive Note "Integral Security", as well as the guidelines of the Board of public prosecutors or other authorities. Within this regulating framework, the policy statement of 22 March 2007 from the Ministers of the Interior and Justice, prepared under coordination of the Prime Minister, is of major importance. This policy document sets out an unambiguous definition of the concept of itinerant criminal groups and contains an in-depth study of the different criminal phenomena, their nature and their basis of occurrence. On the basis of this analysis an overview was made of the different police measures that needed to be put in place, according to the philosophy of the security chain. This policy document gave rise to lots of initiatives from the judicial and administrative authorities, both on a federal, district and local level, including: - the distribution of a circular letter by the Board of public prosecutors to the offices of the public prosecutors and the police forces of the country containing specific measures; - lots of administrative measures taken by the directorate-general "Security and Prevention" of the FGD of the Interior. Phenomenon-specific consultations with lots of actors were set up; - the intensification of the criminal investigation approach on initiative of the public prosecutor and the federal prosecutor. In addition, the latter coordinates when necessary and stimulates more specifically the international judicial cooperation; - the required capacity and reference persons were provided by the local and federal police. Moreover, this policy document (the so-called "green brochure") acquired an important value as an information carrier for the many services which are directly or indirectly involved in tackling itinerant criminals. Three years after this policy was first published, an update was required. First of all the external environment is rapidly changing. The opening-up of more boundaries in the European Union is already leavings its marks and the financial-economic crisis is hitting hard. In addition, itinerant criminal groups are exploring new criminal markets based on a cost-benefit approach and are abandoning other fields of action. Finally, the police authorities and police services have increased their know-how about how to cope with these problems and would like to share these new insights with all the parties involved. All this resulted in an updated policy document. Fully in the spirit of the integral and integrated approach, all relevant actors were maximally involved in drawing up this final document by means of information sessions and participation in work groups about specific aspects.

Details: Brussels, Belgium: European Crime Prevention Network, 2010. 36p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 23, 2019 at: https://eucpn.org/sites/default/files/content/download/files/16._report_-_itinerant_criminal_groups.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: Europe

Keywords: Burglaries

Shelf Number: 156022


Author: European Crime Prevention Network

Title: Monitor Radicalisation and Violent Extremism

Summary: In 2005, the EU Counter-Terrorism Strategy identified the prevention of radicalisation as a pillar of the fight against terrorism. Concrete actions started to take shape when the European Commission established the Radicalisation Awareness Network in 2011. The 2015-2020 European Agenda on Security reiterates that terrorism and radicalisation constitute one of the three priorities for security. All this means that national and European funds for radicalisation research and prevention initiatives have risen significantly, but also that radicalisation research and prevention are still frontier work. This EUCPN monitor on radicalisation presents an overview of the current state of affairs in the prevention of radicalisation. After discussing the concept of radicalisation and the problems connected to it, it presents the most important European data on the phenomenon as well as recent trends in jihadist, right-wing, left-wing, and nationalist extremism and terrorism. Chapter three briefly introduces various strategies for the prevention of radicalisation and violent extremism and goes on to list the most important European and international agencies and organisations in the field of radicalisation prevention. Chapter four canvasses the state of the art in radicalisation research and its consequences for policy and practice. Finally, the challenge posed by risk assessments, essential to many preventive efforts, is discussed. The monitor concludes that it is necessary to continue to invest in an evidence-based approach to the prevention of radicalisation and a cross-fertilisation between practice and research.

Details: Brussels, Belgium: European Crime Prevention Network, 2019. 59p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 23, 2019 at: https://eucpn.org/document/monitor-radicalisation-and-violent-extremism

Year: 2019

Country: Europe

Keywords: Countering Violent Extremism

Shelf Number: 156036


Author: Taylor, Jirka

Title: Alcohol and International Football Tournaments

Summary: Consumption of alcohol is part of the experience of watching major international football events for fans in many parts of the world (Lee Ludvigsen 2018; Wong & Chadwick 2017; Dart 2009). Indeed, there is a long-standing relationship between international football and the alcoholic beverage industry: Heineken has been an official sponsor of the UEFA Champions League since 1994 (Faw 2017) and Budweiser has been one of the main sponsors of the FIFA World Cup. FIFA General Secretary Jeacureroe;me Valcke stated in the run-up to the 2012 World Cup: 'Alcoholic drinks are part of the FIFA World Cup, so we're going to have them' (Cording 2018). Alcohol is recognised as a factor that may contribute to antisocial and violent behaviour at football matches although the causal relationship remains unclear (the evidence on this point is reviewed in Strang et al. (2018), a separate report produced as part of this project for Qatar University). Organisers of major football events are faced with the challenge of delivering an experience that meets spectators' expectations while ensuring a healthy and safe environment for all. As part of its objective to review evidence on alcohol and international football, this case study focuses in particular on: The relationship between alcohol consumption and problem behaviours. Fans' preferences and expectations regarding alcohol at international football events. International approaches to managing the sale and consumption of alcohol at football events. The effectiveness and fans' perception of these approaches.

Details: RAND Europe, 2018. 21p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 23, 2019 at: https://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/research_reports/RR2700/RR2738/RAND_RR2738.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Alcohol Consumption

Shelf Number: 15025


Author: Taylor, Jirka

Title: Alcohol and International Football Tournaments

Summary: Consumption of alcohol is part of the experience of watching major international football events for fans in many parts of the world (Lee Ludvigsen 2018; Wong & Chadwick 2017; Dart 2009). Indeed, there is a long-standing relationship between international football and the alcoholic beverage industry: Heineken has been an official sponsor of the UEFA Champions League since 1994 (Faw 2017) and Budweiser has been one of the main sponsors of the FIFA World Cup. FIFA General Secretary Jeacureroe;me Valcke stated in the run-up to the 2012 World Cup: 'Alcoholic drinks are part of the FIFA World Cup, so we're going to have them' (Cording 2018). Alcohol is recognised as a factor that may contribute to antisocial and violent behaviour at football matches although the causal relationship remains unclear (the evidence on this point is reviewed in Strang et al. (2018), a separate report produced as part of this project for Qatar University). Organisers of major football events are faced with the challenge of delivering an experience that meets spectators' expectations while ensuring a healthy and safe environment for all. As part of its objective to review evidence on alcohol and international football, this case study focuses in particular on: The relationship between alcohol consumption and problem behaviours. Fans' preferences and expectations regarding alcohol at international football events. International approaches to managing the sale and consumption of alcohol at football events. The effectiveness and fans' perception of these approaches.

Details: Cambridge, UK: RAND Corporation, 2018. 21p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 23, 2019 at: https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR2738.html

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Alcohol Related Crime, Disorder

Shelf Number: 156025


Author: Mosneagu, Alina

Title: Violence Against Women: Key Findings and Strategies to Tackle Unreported Cases and to Enforce the Protection Order

Summary: Violence against women is a global pandemic phenomenon, which knows no social and economic boundaries and it affects women from all socio-economic backgrounds. The problem has to be addressed by all countries. Violence against women represents a severe violation of human rights and it is rooted in women's inequality in the society. Its impact ranges from immediate to long-term multiple physical, psychological, social, economic consequences. It does not only affect the victims, but also the community and countries at large. Violence against women can fit into several broad categories. It includes violence committed by individuals or by states. Some forms of violence committed by individuals are, for example, rape, domestic violence, sexual harassment, mob violence, honour killings and female genital mutilation. There are also forms of violence perpetrated or condoned by certain states such as war rape, forced sterilization, forced abortion, stoning and flogging. It is difficult to estimate the full extent of violence against women, because it is still under-reported and stigmatized. It is unacceptable that many women still suffer in silence from crimes that wreck their lives, as many illegal acts often remain undisclosed. Collaboration among stakeholders at national and international level must be strengthened and concrete strategies should be effectively put into practice in order to protect women against violence and to severely punish the perpetrators. The purpose of this publication is to highlight the situation of violence against women in several European Union countries and to highlight common difficulties in ensuring better rights protection. Also, through this publication, a series of recommendations and strategies will be presented on how to improve the current legislative framework, as well as social and educational issues that play an important role in the fight against violence. The publication has been written as part of the project JUSTICE FOR WOMEN Towards a more effective rights protection and access to judicial procedures for victims of crimes, implemented with the financial support of the Justice Programme of the European Union. The project is coordinated by Pro Refugiu Association Romania in partnership with Center for the Study of Democracy Bulgaria, Demetra Association Bulgaria, Centre for European Constitutional Law Greece, Italian Coalition for Civil Liberties and Rights, Trabe Iniciativas para la Economia Social y Solidaria Association Spain.

Details: S.L., 2019. 58p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 28, 2019 at: http://justiceforwomen.prorefugiu.eu/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Study-Report-EN.pdf

Year: 2019

Country: Europe

Keywords: Gender

Shelf Number: 156059


Author: Hughes, Karen

Title: Developing Safer Drinking Environments in Europe: Key Findings from the Amphora Drinking Environments Study

Summary: Preventing alcohol‐related harm in drinking environments is a growing priority across Europe. Millions of Europeans socialise or work in pubs, bars and nightclubs, and such settings provide an opportunity for the sale and consumption of alcohol to be managed. However, drinking environments can also be the scenes of excessive alcohol use, intoxication, and alcohol‐related harms. Although studies on nightlife drinking behaviour in Europe are relatively rare, those in countries including the UK and Germany are beginning to identify the high levels of alcohol consumed by young people on a night out, with many already under the influence of alcohol when arriving at public drinking premises. The convergence of large numbers of drinkers in bars and public spaces means harms such as anti‐social behaviour, aggressive confrontation, injury, and drink driving can be common. Thus, studies consistently show that areas with greater densities of alcohol outlets see higher levels of violence, along with problems such as unintentional injury and road traffic crashes. Within specific nightlife areas, however, problems such as alcohol‐related violence are often concentrated in a small number of problematic premises. This suggests that certain factors within bars and nightclubs can influence levels of alcohol‐related harm. The European action plan to reduce the harmful use of alcohol 2012‐20208 recognises the importance of drinking environments in preventing alcohol‐related harm. Accordingly, it sets out a range of options for action including the development of guidelines and standards for the design of drinking premises, server training, and the monitoring and enforcement of licensing laws. A growing body of research is identifying the impacts of different strategies to prevent alcohol‐related harm in European drinking environments. To date, however, understanding what types of measures are needed in which settings has been hampered by a lack of knowledge of both drinking behaviours in European nightlife environments and the characteristics of bars that contribute to increased harm. International research has identified factors such as lack of seating, crowding and tolerance of anti‐social behaviour to be associated with drunkenness and alcohol‐related violence in bars. Interventions can be introduced to modifying these factors in order to reduce alcohol‐related problems. However most research on drinking environments has been undertaken in Australian and North American drinking settings, with few studies focusing on Europe. Drinking cultures and environments across Europe vary widely and thus little is currently known on how applicable international research findings are to the differing situations within Europe, or which risk and protective factors are most pertinent to European situations. To address this gap in knowledge, the Amphora project conducted a study of drinking behaviours and bar environments in four European cities: Liverpool (UK); Ljubljana (Slovenia); Palma (Spain); and Utrecht (Netherlands). The key objectives of the study were to understand young people's drinking cultures and environments across Europe, and to identify characteristics of bars in Europe that are associated with alcohol‐related harm. This report presents the methods and findings from the study and discusses implications for policy and prevention.

Details: Palma de Mallorca, Spain: European Institute of Studies of Prevention, 2013. 49p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 28, 2019 at: http://amphoraproject.net/w2box/data/Deliverables/AMPHORA_WP7_D3.5.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: Europe

Keywords: Alcohol-Related Crime

Shelf Number: 156070


Author: Aebi, Marcelo

Title: Persons Under the Supervision of Probation Agencies

Summary: The SPACE II 2018 annual report is part of the SPACE project. This project provides an overview of the use of custodial (SPACE I) and non-custodial (SPACE II) sanctions and measures in the Member States of the Council of Europe (CoE) by means of two annual reports. SPACE II focuses on probation populations and the Probation Agencies that supervise them. In principle, persons in probation are serving non-custodial and semi-custodial sanctions and measures. The latter are frequently referred to as alternatives to imprisonment and most of them are community sanctions and measures (CMS). According to the Council of Europes Recommendation M/Rec(2017)3, "the expression 'community sanctions and measures' means sanctions and measures which maintain suspects or offenders in the community and involve some restrictions on their liberty through the imposition of conditions and/or obligations. The term designates any sanction imposed by a judicial or administrative authority, and any measure taken before or instead of a decision on a sanction, as well as ways of enforcing a sentence of imprisonment outside a prison establishment". Persons who are serving such sanctions are generally under the supervision of the CSM implementing authority, which in the majority of countries is a probation agency. Council of Europe's Recommendation CM/Rec(2014)4 defines a probation agency as "a body responsible for the execution in the community of sanctions and measures defined by law and imposed on an offender. Its tasks include a range of activities and interventions, which involve supervision, guidance and assistance aiming at the social inclusion of offenders, as well as at contributing to community safety. It may also, depending on the national legal system, implement one or more of the following functions: providing information and advice to judicial and other deciding authorities to help them reach informed and just decisions; providing guidance and support to offenders while in custody in order to prepare their release and resettlement; monitoring and assistance to persons subject to early release; restorative justice interventions; and offering assistance to victims of crime. A probation agency may also be, depending on the national legal system, the 'agency responsible for supervising persons under electronic monitoring'". SPACE II is not designed to cover all the existing CSM. The sanctions and measures covered are basically those encouraged by the Council of Europe through the following Recommendations of the Committee of Ministers to member States: Rec(99)19 concerning mediation in penal matters, Rec(99)22 concerning prison overcrowding and prison population inflation, Rec(2003)22 concerning conditional release (parole), CM/Rec(2010)1 on the Council of Europe Probation Rules, CM/Rec(2014)4 on electronic monitoring, and CM/Rec(2017)3 on the European Rules on community sanctions and measures. The data gathered by the SPACE II survey includes the stock (number of persons under the supervision of Probation Agencies on 31 January 2018), the flow of entries (number of persons placed under the supervision of Probation Agencies during 2017), the flow of exits (number of persons that have ceased to be under the supervision of Probation Agencies during 2017), socio-demographic information on these persons, and information on the staff of Probation Agencies and the reports produced by them. Data for the SPACE II report are collected by means of a questionnaire agreed by the Council for Penological Co-operation (PC-CP) of the CoE and sent every year by the research team of the University of Lausanne (UNIL) to the Probation Administrations (or equivalent bodies) of the CoE Member States. The aim is to obtain data that are comparable across States. However, any comparisons of the levels (in rates, ratios and percentages) shown by the countries according to different indicators are always problematic and must be conducted very cautiously. This is due to the fact that the way in which data are collected in different countries varies from country to country. For that reason, since 2010, the SPACE II questionnaire includes questions on the way in which data are collected (known as metadata) and provides sufficient space for comments that can help explain some artificial differences between countries. Thus, the questionnaire aims to identify, and whenever possible reduce, differences in the way in which categories are defined and data are gathered in the national statistics of each country. The questionnaire is filled by the national correspondents in each Probation Administration and sent back to a team of experts of the University of Lausanne (UNIL), which undertakes a procedure of data validation that involves a multilevel counterchecking of the information received. In that perspective, significant inconsistencies and visible outliers (corresponding to very high or very low values) are identified as the data are introduced in the database through a series of control tables. In such cases, the countries that provided the data are contacted and asked to check the figures or explain the reasons for the inconsistencies. The revised figures or explanations are then introduced in the database, which sometimes lead to further exchanges between the UNIL research team and the national correspondents. After that, a first draft version of the SPACE II report is produced and circulated among colleagues, who may identify other inconsistencies which can be solved before publication. Nevertheless, despite this data validation procedure, there are some inconsistenciesthat cannot be fully elucidated (and in that case the figures are presented between brackets) and there may be others that have not been identified before the publication of the final report. In that context, any readers' comments, notes or criticisms are welcome. The Notes to the tables included in the SPACE report provide an additional and invaluable source of information about the data included in the tables. in that perspective, the golden rule for users of SPACE II is to avoid using the data included in SPACE II without taking into account the notes and comments to that data.

Details: Strasbourg, France: Council of Europe, University of Lausanne, 2018. 107p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 28, 2019 at: http://wp.unil.ch/space/files/2019/05/SPACE-II_report_2018_Final_190520.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Alternatives to Imprisonment

Shelf Number: 156092


Author: Gibson, Craig

Title: Cyber-Telecom Crime Report

Summary: Telecommunications or telecom is a field that continues to evolve and broaden in response to advancements in technology and the changing demands of society, as manifested in its expanding role and impact on the internet of things and the evolution of wireless technologies to 5G. Telecom carrier networks are also poised to become content delivery networks (CDNs), for example, to allow users to load more internet content and transmit data at faster rates. We need such developments to continue since telecom, after all, influences how well we do business, provide services, broadcast information, and many other facets of modern life. As telecom broadens in scope, so too should our understanding of it. And a good place to start is its threat landscape, which expanded with the growth and evolution of telecom technology. Telecom-related threats exist largely because money is closely tied with telecom operations. Users pay for their telecom services. Going online, making a call, sending a message - all have set monetary values depending on the user's chosen carrier. This direct link to money is something that draws attackers who perhaps want to profit directly from the system or use it to launder their criminal revenue. An in-depth and comprehensive discussion on components of and threats to telecom can be read in our joint report with Europol's Cybercrime Centre (EC3), the Cyber-Telecom (CyTel) Crime Report 2019. Here, we highlight and summarize some of the telecom-related threats that we categorized into two: those facilitated through physical telecom infrastructure, and those that are network-based.

Details: Hague, The Netherlands: European Union Agency for Law Enforcement, 2019. 57p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 30, 2019 at: https://documents.trendmicro.com/assets/white_papers/wp-cyber-telecom-crime-report-2019.pdf

Year: 2019

Country: Europe

Keywords: Cyber-Crime

Shelf Number: 156096


Author: Linder, Barbara

Title: Dignity at Trial: Enhancing Procedural Safeguards for Suspects with Intellectual and Psychosocial Disabilities

Summary: Criminal proceedings against persons with intellectual and/or psychosocial disabilities pose a range of challenges for all involved stakeholders and bear a particularly high risk of human rights violations for a suspect with disabilities. This is primarily due to two facts: First, the suspect's vulnerability due to his/her intellectual and/or psychosocial disability is frequently not identified. The person is therefore not granted the necessary support, in particular medical assistance, accessible information and legal support, and may undergo a criminal procedure without being able to effectively participate in the proceedings. This unequal balance of power undermines the right to a fair trial. Second, even if the vulnerability is identified criminal law often does not adequately respond to the needs of a vulnerable suspect. It has traditionally approached disabilities, especially psychosocial ones, from a risk prevention perspective and not from a human rights perspective that aims to ensure equality and non-discrimination. National laws often provide a "one fits all" approach which does not take account of the individual situation of the suspect. Timely identification by independent experts and adequate procedural safeguards which allow for active participation, are therefore essential to ensure a fair trial for persons with intellectual and/or psychosocial disabilities. The following key findings outline the main gaps identified when assessing the implementation of the Recommendation on procedural safeguards for vulnerable persons in all five partner countries.

Details: Vienna, Austria: Ludwig Boltzmann Institute, 2018. 178p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 31, 2019 at: https://bim.lbg.ac.at/sites/files/bim/attachments/1_handbook_dignity_at_trial.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Courts

Shelf Number: 156117


Author: Lietonen, Anni

Title: The Costs of Assisting Victims of Trafficking in Human Beings: A Pilot Study of Services Provided in Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania

Summary: Human trafficking is a serious crime, and causes severe consequences for victims. Because of the often very traumatic exploitation and abuse involved, victims may need specialized assistance to recover from their experiences, and victim assistance requires the participation of health, social and/or legal sectors of society. This research focused on the types of services provided to victims of human trafficking in the three Baltic countries, the costs associated with such services, and the role of non-governmental organisations and municipalities in supporting victims. Increasing the understanding of the direct costs of assisting victims of trafficking aims to increase the understanding of the problem of trafficking among state and municipal actors, as well as increase awareness of the financial impact of trafficking on victims, service providers and the state. The study was a first attempt to map the costs of trafficking in the three Baltic countries. The pilot nature of this study required the development of specific research tools and methodology, all of which are included in the report.

Details: Helsinki, Finland: European Institute for Crime Prevention and Control (HEUNI), 2017. 52p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 31, 2019 at: https://www.cbss.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Cost_calculation_report.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Cost Assessment

Shelf Number: 156121


Author: Ollus, Natalia

Title: Addressing Human Trafficking in the Baltic Sea: Nordic-Baltic Partnership with Passenger Ferry Companies to Counter Trafficking in Human Beings, Smuggling of Migrants and Exploitation of Migrant Workers in the Baltic Sea Region

Summary: The free movement of goods and passengers within the European Union makes travel in the Baltic Sea region relatively easy, and ferries are used both for leisure and business purposes. At the same time, global mobility is on the increase, with more labour migrants as well as asylum seekers and refugees moving from one country to another (IOM 2016). Because of global inequalities and increasingly restrictive immigration policies, migrants from developing regions, in particular, increasingly either intentionally use or end up in the hands of human traffickers, smugglers or other organized criminals assisting them in the crossing of borders (UNODC 2010).

Details: Helsinki, Finland: European Institute for Crime Prevention and Control (HEUNI), 2016. 80p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 31, 2019 at: https://eea.iom.int/publications/addressing-human-trafficking-baltic-sea-nordic-baltic-partnership-passenger-ferry

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Forced Labor

Shelf Number: 156123


Author: Matevzic, Grusa

Title: Unidentified and Unattended: The Response of Eastern EU Member States to the Special Needs of Torture Survivor and Traumatised Asylum Seekers

Summary: This study looks into how relevant provisions of the Recast Reception Conditions Directive and the Recast Asylum Procedures Directive regarding the protection of victims of torture/traumatised asylum seekers are transposed into national legislation of the following Eastern EU Member States: Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia. The main findings of the study, which is based on a standardised questionnaire filled in by the national researchers, are the following: -EU legislation, in general, provides sufficient guarantees for victims of torture/traumatised asylum seekers. The reason why vulnerable asylum seekers are not being identified and treated in some of the focused countries therefore lies either in the lack of or improper transposition of the Directives' provisions or in the lack of actual implementation in practice. -In all focus countries victims of torture/traumatised asylum seekers are considered vulnerable, however their special needs are not properly addressed in most of the countries. -This is primarily due to the fact that an early identification mechanism either does not exist or is not adequate and victims of torture/traumatised asylum seekers remain unidentified. A regularisation of this procedure is needed in order to make the use of the identification procedure adequate and mandatory for every single asylum seeker. -Statistics on victims of torture/traumatised asylum seekers are rarely collected. Such paucity in the collation of data is regrettable since it would enable Member States to better match service provision capacities with the actual number of beneficiaries. Statistics on referrals to specialists of pre-identified victims of torture/traumatised asylum seekers are also an important monitoring tool as to whether the early identification mechanism is functional in practice. -Despite the fact that legislation in all focused countries provides certain safeguards for the reception of persons with special needs, the findings show that this right is severely obstructed in countries where appropriate reception centres are lacking. -Serious obstacles in accessing mental health services exist in some of the countries, even in countries where entitlement to health care for asylum seekers is equal to those of nationals. Obstacles were reported mainly in terms of access, translation and under-funding or non-sustainable funding. -Lack of training on needs of victims of torture/traumatised asylum seekers was identified, especially for the judiciary, interpreters, social workers and detention officials. The training of asylum officials is lacking in countries where there is a big increase or rotation of staff. Asylum officers, lawyers and judges should also be trained on credibility assessment in asylum procedures, particularly on the fact that the state of health or psychological condition of the applicant can be a reason for any incoherencies and contradictions in the applicant's statements. Additional procedural guarantees such as the possibility to postpone the interview, the presence of family members, a psychiatrist or psychologist at the interview, if agreed by the applicant and if it is in his/her best interest, as well as an appropriate place for the interview to take place and avoidance of unnecessary repeated questioning about the traumatic events, should be guaranteed in all Member States. -The use of medical reports on past persecution or serious harm drafted in line with the Istanbul Protocol is not that common in the focus countries and reports written by specialised NGOs are not always given adequate evidential weight. -Vulnerable asylum seekers are not excluded from accelerated and border procedures in all focus countries. -The prioritised assessment of victims of torture/traumatised asylum seekers' applications is the case in very few countries. -Half of the countries involved in the study still detain victims of torture/traumatised asylum seekers. An early identification mechanism is not used before ordering detention. Mental health services provided in detention are lacking or are not of adequate quality and interpretation is also an issue. -Many crucial services, such as early identification, mental health services and rehabilitation for victims of torture/traumatised asylum seekers are outsourced to NGOs. While this has a positive element since NGOs are specialised in providing such services, NGOs work is usually project based and lacks sustainable funding. When outsourcing such services, the States should therefore provide sustainable funding, which should not be project-based, ensuring that these crucial basic services are available without interruption. Despite all the gaps and shortcomings identified, research has revealed important good practices as well, in particular (but not exclusively) in Poland and Slovenia. For example: -In Poland an early identification mechanism is considered as a contractual obligation of the private medical facility that coordinates medical care for all asylum seekers and in Slovenia, besides the early identification performed during the first medical check, the Standard Operating Procedures for victims of gender based violence were adopted and they are also applied to any other vulnerable person. -In both countries medical and psychological care, including interpretation, are available in all reception centres in the countries. -In Poland the training takes place when the asylum officer is admitted to work, consequently all the officials are trained on how to deal with vulnerable groups and in Slovenia social workers are trained on a monthly basis. -In both countries cases of vulnerable asylum seekers are prioritised. -Special teams for the prevention of violence in reception centres in Poland exist alongside detailed safeguards in Polish legislation for the asylum interview of vulnerable asylum seekers. -Lastly, in Slovenia financial support for private accommodation if accommodation in the reception centre or in the alternative centres is not appropriate for a particular person also deserves special mention.

Details: Budapest, Hungary: Hungarian Helsinki Committee, 2017. 64p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 31, 2019 at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59b155744.html

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Asylum Seekers

Shelf Number: 156133


Author: van Steden, Ronald

Title: Living by Love: Street Pastors, Care and Public Safety in Cardiff's Night-Time Economy

Summary: The United Kingdom is notorious for its aggressive night-time economy. Even a quick glance through the academic literature reveals an abundance of publications regarding the weekly transformation of Britain's town centres into 'no-go areas' (Roberts, 2006) filled with inebriated young people roaming around until the early hours of the morning. Scholars specifically refer to social and political anxiety about long-standing traditions of binge drinking and violent brawls, which enjoy widespread media coverage. However, these traditions lately seem to have spilled into a 'new culture of intoxication' (Measham & Brain, 2005). Within the logics of a consumer culture and fuelled by the legal and economic deregulation of pubs and clubs over the past 15 years or so, adolescents are overtly seduced into participating in hedonistic leisure activities devoted at heavy alcohol consumption. Particular factors, like abundant marketing, premises playing loud music so partygoers are forced to consume, and the invention of 'happy hours' (or cheap supplies), have boosted drinking rates. Hobbs et al. (2005) therefore speak of 'violent hypocrisy': the very much lamented crime and disorder problems involved in an average night out are an effect of the very same political and commercial system that encourages people to drink until they drop. However, fascinatingly enough, this market-oriented way of exploiting the British night-time economy is just half the story. Not everyone views human value as primarily laden with instrumental rationalities of commerce and trade. Street Pastors, who have thus far mostly been overlooked in scholarly reflections on the night-time economy, embody a different attitude to partygoers in urban spaces drowning in alcohol. Standing in the Biblical tradition, they acknowledge people's intrinsic dignity as a benevolent and loving God embraces every one of them. Therefore, rather than inspiring partygoers to drink and condemning offenders for any misconduct, Street Pastors respond to problems like anti-social behaviour, public disorder and feelings of insecurity by 'caring, listening and engaging' (Isaac & Davies, 2009; 2014) with those vulnerable persons on the street. 'Being there' without preaching or prejudice is their primary goal.

Details: Amsterdam, Netherlands: Vrije University, Department of Political Science and Public Administration, 2014. 79p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 3, 2019 at: https://www.streetpastors.org/connect/research/

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Binge Drinking

Shelf Number: 156149


Author: Dehbi, Chadia

Title: EUCPN Toolbox Series No 14: Community-Oriented Policing in the European Union Today

Summary: This toolbox is a joint European Crime Prevention Network (EUCPN)/European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Training (CEPOL) publication and differs from other available handbooks on community-oriented policing (COP). It describes a number of recent good practices from EU Member States with regard to COP. The objective of this toolbox is to support policymakers and practitioners, in particular police chiefs and senior management within police organisations, in achieving a successful COP strategy. The importance of strategic engagement with the philosophies of COP has been heavily emphasised by experts in the field. The focus on COP at the European level was initiated by Austria, as chair of EUCPN, through the Vienna Process and, as President of the Council of the EU, by introducing the topic at informal Standing Committee on Operational Cooperation on Internal Security and Justice and Home Affairs Council meetings. COP is deemed to be relevant to all EU Member States and is widely implemented across the EU, albeit to different extents and in different forms. While COP continues to develop, providing positive outcomes for public and police, defining it remains a challenge. The concept is notorious for its multiple and sometimes divergent definitions. This is especially true in the European context, with COP being implemented in different ways in the EU. To meet this challenge, we looked at Unity, a Horizon 2020 project on COP that had encountered the same problem. Despite the many definitions and different approaches, the researchers did find common elements. By considering these elements in relation to other research findings, Unity created a framework for identifying and exploring COP across Europe. This framework is called the Six Pillars of COP: trust and confidence building, accountability, information sharing and communication, addressing local needs, collaboration, and crime prevention. Through an analysis of the current literature and in-depth discussions with experts in the field, we have identified important factors for the successful implementation of COP. We have used scientific insights and experiences in the field to draw up clear and easily understandable guidelines, in the form of 10 key principles. 1. COP is a built-in component of a larger government system. A police organisation does not operate in isolation but is part of a larger framework and depends on several forms of support from the supervising government. Therefore, it is important for politicians and policymakers to understand COP, communicate about it, equip the police organisation with the necessary resources to successfully implement it and provide other government institutions with the necessary mandate to participate in the COP approach. 2. COP is a commitment. This commitment encompasses a change in management style, reducing the resistance of the police subculture to change and building greater awareness of the conditions under which police officers work. If the COP approach is not accepted by the entire police organisation, it will be merely an add-on to reactive police practice, which will not yield the expected results. COP should be viewed as a more efficient way of working, in terms of both time and effort, rather than as an additional task for the police to carry out. 3. COP requires qualitative measurement. There has been growing acceptance of community-based outcomes such as community safety, perception of fear and calls for service. Qualitative outcome criteria such as levels of public satisfaction and public cooperation and the sustainability of community projects should be introduced and should be prioritised over quantitative criteria. Police officers who are willing to learn new skills should be considered for incentives such as promotion opportunities and should have their achievements formally recognised. 4. There is a new generation of COP projects that rely on technology. Research findings have stressed the importance of using these ICT tools to facilitate communication and interaction, and not as a replacement for them. In addition, it should be borne in mind that the priority in using these tools should be to improve communication and interaction between police and public, and not to gather intelligence. 5. Police officers need to be properly trained to make COP work. CEPOL defines training and education as two separate notions. Successful COP depends more on the educational than on the training status of the police officers involved. With this distinction in mind, we identified five target groups to be trained or educated: government, police leadership/management, COP officers, ordinary police officers and communities. 6. COP should always be locally embedded and adapted to the local situation and social context. Research shows that the social context has a major impact on the meaning, interpretation and implementation of policing practices. In regions where there is historical distrust, restoring trust may take decades. Therefore, COP should be seen as part of a larger shift from a police force to a police service, with the police operating for and in the community. 7. The presence and familiarity of the police are a crucial aspect of COP. It is important that sufficient time is taken for the community to get to know the police officers and for the police officers to understand how the community operates. Encounters between police and public are crucial for the quality of the relationship. 8. The police should learn about and address local needs. A problem-solving approach that aims to structurally reduce crime and increase safety is an important aspect of COP. To learn about local needs, it is important to avoid a one-sided perspective when gathering information on the concerns of a community. To address local needs, it is important to determine the underlying causes of problems and to focus on recurring patterns of incidents, rather than on isolated ones, treating them as a group of problems. 9. Collaborative security production is when several actors work together in order to accomplish a shared vision of security. The police collaborating with the public for the purposes of problem solving can reduce perceived disorder as well as increasing trust in and the perceived legitimacy of the police. Intra-governmental cooperation is needed, since solving community problems is a task that involves all relevant state agencies, with close cooperation required. If the public and other actors take more responsibility in a collaborative approach towards security, it has the potential to allow police forces to concentrate resources on other core tasks. 10. Two-way communication between police and public should be encouraged. Effective, appropriate and timely communication is vital for a successful COP approach. COP should encompass a variety of innovative approaches to reach hard-to-reach target groups that may have little social capital. Furthermore, it is important to explain COP to the public in clear language by focusing on COP initiatives in their community, what their own role is in COP and what they can expect. Research has shown that people who are well informed about policing tend to have more positive opinions of the police. The concept of COP has taken root in various EU Member States, but in different forms, using different interpretations and under different labels. There is not yet a shared basic pan-European understanding of COP, let alone a unified European approach. Essentially, adequate resources are needed to reach a common EU vision on COP: that is, what is required is enough time and resources to tap into all the relevant scientific publications available across the EU, involve the right advisors and include community perspectives. Moreover, additional efforts should be made to understand and harness the full potential of the EU and its knowledge and experience with regard to COP. First, it is recommended that a naming convention to be used within the EU be agreed upon. Second, the large variety of languages within the EU is culturally enriching; however, it also creates a barrier to sharing existing insights across the EU. Additional efforts to translate relevant material (e.g. executive summaries of relevant studies and reports) are necessary to share knowledge more widely in the EU. We hope that police chiefs and senior management within police organisations, and other policymakers and practitioners, will use this toolbox to achieve successful COP strategies. Political and organisational buy-in is important, since the implementation or improvement of COP requires structural and cultural change within the police organisation. Finally, the question of the extent to which COP has a place in the larger Security Union should be discussed. It may have the potential to make a significant contribution to the Security Union, and should be considered in that light.

Details: Brussels, Belgium: European Union Crime Prevention network (EUCPN), 2018. 105p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 3, 2019 at: https://eucpn.org/document/toolbox-14-community-oriented-policing-european-union-today

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Community Engagement

Shelf Number: 156154


Author: European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA)

Title: Experiences and Perceptions of AntiSemitism: Second Survey on Discrimination and Hate Crime Against Jews in the EU

Summary: The European Union (EU) and its Member States are required by law to do everything in their power to combat antisemitism effectively and to safeguard the dignity of Jewish people. Yet more than 70 years after the Holocaust, Jews across the EU continue to experience antisemitism in the form of vandalism, insults, threats, attacks and even murder. The persistence and prevalence of antisemitism hinders people's ability to live openly Jewish lives, free from fears for their security and well-being, as the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights' (FRA) 2012 and 2018 large-scale surveys on discrimination and hate crime against Jews in the EU show. The fight against antisemitism needs to be underpinned by robust and reliable data that can show to which extent EU Member States meet their obligations under EU law in that regard, mainly the Framework Decision on Racism and Xenophobia, the Racial Equality Directive and the Employment Equality Directive. (For more information on the relevant legal framework, see Annex 3). Such data are, however, seldom available, as evidence collected annually by FRA shows. As a result, the EU and its Member States can often only make decisions to counter antisemitism on the basis of patchy evidence. The present report addresses this shortcoming by presenting information about experiences with antisemitism made by people in the EU who identify themselves as Jewish, based on data extracted from FRA's second survey on antisemitism. By repeating the survey, FRA's research can help the EU and its Member States assess the effectiveness of measures they have taken to combat and prevent antisemitism. The findings presented in this report thereby provide policy makers with evidence they can draw on to refine existing or devise new courses of action to prevent and counter antisemitism. The findings are also relevant to civil society organisations concerned with ensuring the security of Jewish communities or with preventing and fighting antisemitism, as well as those working towards supporting fair and just societies.

Details: Vienna, Austria: European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, 2018. 86p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 4, 2019 at: https://fra.europa.eu/en/publication/2018/2nd-survey-discrimination-hate-crime-against-jews

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Antisemitism

Shelf Number: 156160


Author: European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA)

Title: Women as Victims of Partner Violence: Justice for Victims of Violent Crime Part IV

Summary: Victims of violent crime have various rights, including to protection and to access justice. But how are these rights playing out in practice? Are victims of violent crime properly seen, informed, empowered and heard? Do they tend to feel that justice has been done? Our four-part report series takes a closer look at these questions, based on interviews with victims, people working for victim support organisations, police officers, attorneys, prosecutors and judges.This report - Part IV - zooms in on the experiences of one particular group of victims, namely women who endure partner violence. Taken together, the four reports reveal a wide gap between the law 'on the books' and the law in practice, showing that many victims still feel marginalised. We hope this series encourages policymakers to take steps to ensure that victims of violent crime receive the attention, support and consideration to which they are entitled.

Details: Brussels, Belgium: European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, 2019. 96p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 5, 2019 at: https://fra.europa.eu/sites/default/files/fra_uploads/fra-2019-justice-for-victims-of-violent-crime-part-4-women_en.pdf

Year: 2019

Country: Europe

Keywords: Abused Women

Shelf Number: 156187


Author: European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA)

Title: Proceedings that do Justice: Justice for Victims of Violent Crime Part II

Summary: Victims of violent crime have various rights, including to protection and to access justice. But how are these rights playing out in practice? Are victims of violent crime properly seen, informed, empowered and heard? Do they tend to feel that justice has been done? Our four-part report series takes a closer look at these questions, based on interviews with victims, people working for victim support organisations, police officers, attorneys, prosecutors and judges.This report - Part II - focuses on procedural justice, and on whether criminal proceedings are effective, including in terms of giving voice to victims of violent crime. Taken together, the four reports reveal a wide gap between the law 'on the books' and the law in practice, showing that many victims still feel marginalised. We hope this series encourages policymakers to take steps to ensure that victims of violent crime receive the attention, support and consideration to which they are entitled.

Details: Brussels, Belgium: European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, 2019. 108p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 5, 2019 at: https://fra.europa.eu/en/publication/2019/justice-victim-crime-proceedings

Year: 2019

Country: Europe

Keywords: Procedural Justice

Shelf Number: 156189


Author: European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA)

Title: Sanctions that do Justice: Justice for Victims of Violent Crime Part III

Summary: Victims of violent crime have various rights, including to protection and to access justice. But how are these rights playing out in practice? Are victims of violent crime properly seen, informed, empowered and heard? Do they tend to feel that justice has been done? Our four-part report series takes a closer look at these questions, based on interviews with victims, people working for victim support organisations, police officers, attorneys, prosecutors and judges.This report - Part III - takes a look at sanctions, scrutinising whether the outcomes of proceedings deliver on the promise of justice for victims of violent crime. Taken together, the four reports reveal a wide gap between the law 'on the books' and the law in practice, showing that many victims still feel marginalised. We hope this series encourages policymakers to take steps to ensure that victims of violent crime receive the attention, support and consideration to which they are entitled.

Details: Brussels, Belgium: European Agency for Fundamental Rights, 2019. 52p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 5, 2019 at: https://fra.europa.eu/en/publication/2019/justice-victim-crime-sanctions

Year: 2019

Country: Europe

Keywords: Victim Assistance

Shelf Number: 156188


Author: European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA)

Title: Victims' Rights as Standards of Criminal Justice: Justice for Victims of Violent Crime Part I

Summary: Victims of violent crime have various rights, including to protection and to access justice. But how are these rights playing out in practice? Are victims of violent crime properly seen, informed, empowered and heard? Do they tend to feel that justice has been done? Our four-part report series takes a closer look at these questions, based on interviews with victims, people working for victim support organisations, police officers, attorneys, prosecutors and judges.This report - Part I - sketches out the development of victims' rights in Europe, and outlines the human rights standards that apply today. Taken together, the four reports reveal a wide gap between the law 'on the books' and the law in practice, showing that many victims still feel marginalised. We hope this series encourages policymakers to take steps to ensure that victims of violent crime receive the attention, support and consideration to which they are entitled.

Details: Brussels, Belgium: European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, 2019. 52p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 5, 2019 at: https://fra.europa.eu/en/publication/2019/justice-victim-crime-standards

Year: 2019

Country: Europe

Keywords: Victim Assistance

Shelf Number: 156190


Author: Mouzourakis, Minos

Title: Housing out of Reach?: The Reception of Refugees and Asylum Seekers in Europe

Summary: Access to adequate accommodation for people seeking and granted international protection is part and parcel of any functioning asylum system. Within the context of the Common European Asylum System (CEAS) the recast Reception Conditions Directive, and the recast Qualification Directive set the standards to be observed by EU Member States in this regard. Applicants for international protection are entitled to "material reception conditions" which include housing, food and clothing. The right to material reception conditions starts from the moment the asylum claim is made, and entails conditions that "provide an adequate standard of living for applicants, which guarantees their subsistence and protects their physical and mental health". Under the recast Qualification Directive, beneficiaries of international protection are entitled to accommodation under equivalent conditions as other legally residing third country nationals. The 1951 Refugee Convention also requires states to "accord to refugees lawfully staying in their territory treatment as favourable as possible and, in any event, not less favourable than that accorded to aliens generally in the same circumstances." The right to housing is also enshrined in different instruments of human rights law. In recent years, and despite standards under EU and international law, accessing adequate accommodation has been problematic for considerable numbers of people in need of protection in many European countries, both in times of high and low pressure on their asylum systems. Following three consecutive years of substantial decreases in the total number of asylum applications registered in the continent, the EU Member States and Schengen Associated States have received 664,480 applicants for international protection in 2018. As a result, the number of applications lodged in these countries together is back at the level of 2014, i.e. before the steep increase recorded in 2015 and 2016. Despite the general decreasing trend, several countries have experienced an increase in asylum applications and demonstrated low levels of preparedness to deal with fluctuations in arrivals. At the same time, chronic lack of investment in reception capacity in some countries has resulted in permanent gaps in reception capacity, regardless of fluctuations in arrivals. As a result, many asylum seekers continue to be confronted with deficient reception systems or to face outright destitution in Europe. Obtaining international protection does not necessarily guarantee them better accommodation conditions. Beneficiaries of protection face an array of legal and practical obstacles which prevent them from effectively exercising the right to accommodation within a reasonable time and from moving out of facilities for asylum seekers. Notwithstanding the severe consequences for the individuals concerned, including destitution and delays in their integration into the host society as well as implications for the country's reception capacity for newly arriving applicants, the transition out of asylum seeker accommodation post-recognition is not widely researched and remains under the radar of policymakers. The transition from applicant to beneficiary of international protection should provide more legal certainty and a perspective of stable residence and integration in the host state, while access to private accommodation should make reception capacity available for new arrivals. Unfortunately, however, in many cases it proves a critical moment for the individuals concerned as well as the reception system as a whole. This comparative report provides an update to ECRE's analysis of reception capacity for asylum seekers in Europe,11 through an assessment of major developments in the reception systems of the 23 countries covered by the Asylum Information Database (AIDA) with a particular focus on management of reception capacity in light of varying pressure on the asylum systems, as well as the implications of the continued residence of beneficiaries of international protection in facilities for asylum seekers. The report is divided into two chapters: - Chapter I provides an analysis of the responses of countries to changing capacity needs of reception systems stemming from fluctuations in arrivals of asylum seekers. This chapter looks at the evolution of reception capacity in European countries, including systematic capacity shortages in some, the adaptability of reception systems to changing circumstances, and contingency planning as a possible response to rapidly changing reception demand. -Chapter II deals with the obstacles faced by beneficiaries of international protection with regard to accessing accommodation in the private housing market and the measures put in place by states to support beneficiaries in the process of moving out of reception facilities for asylum seekers. Furthermore, it analyses the scale and repercussions of continued presence of beneficiaries of international protection in accommodation for asylum seekers, as well as the challenges surrounding effective monitoring and enforcement of EU law obligations with regard to access to accommodation for beneficiaries of international protection. A final part formulates recommendations to EU institutions and states.

Details: New York: ReliefWeb, Asylum Information Database, European Council on Refugees and Exiles, 2019. 50p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 5, 2019 at: https://reliefweb.int/report/world/housing-out-reach-reception-refugees-and-asylum-seekers-europe

Year: 2019

Country: Europe

Keywords: Asylum Seekers

Shelf Number: 156193


Author: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA)

Title: European Drug Report 2019: Trends and Developments

Summary: The Trends and Developments report presents a top-level overview of the drug phenomenon in Europe, covering drug supply, use and public health problems as well as drug policy and responses. Together with the online Statistical Bulletin and 30 Country Drug Reports, it makes up the 2019 European Drug Report package. Table of contents -- Preface - Introductory note and acknowledgements - Commentary - Chapter 1: Drug supply and the market Chapter 2: Drug use prevalence and trends Chapter 3: Drug-related harms and responses Annex: National data tables

Details: Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2019. 95p.

Source: Internet Resource: accessed June 6, 2019 at: http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/publications/edr/trends-developments/2019_en

Year: 2019

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction (Europe)

Shelf Number: 156230


Author: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA)

Title: Drugs in syringes from six European cities. Results from the ESCAPE project 2017

Summary: Objectives of the project -- Available data on the substances injected by users are based on self-reports collected in drug treatment registries or ad-hoc surveys. While these data are informative, they are often available only after some delay and are not analytically confirmed. Moreover, little is known about people who inject drugs that are not reached by drug services. The ESCAPE (European Syringe Collection and Analysis Project Enterprise) project seeks to complement existing data on substances injected by users, by providing timely and local information derived from the analysis of the residual content of used syringes. A novel approach -- A group of European researchers has developed an innovative method to obtain information on injected substances by chemically analysing the residual content of used syringes. For this study, syringes were collected from the bins of street automatic injection kit dispensers and at harm-reduction services in a network of six sentinel European cities: Amsterdam, Budapest, Glasgow, Helsinki, Lausanne and Paris. The contents of 1 521 used syringes were analysed in five laboratories using chromatographic and spectroscopic methods. Main results -- - Injected substances vary between and within cities. - Traces of stimulants (cocaine, amphetamines and synthetic cathinones) were found in a high proportion of the syringes tested in each of the cities. This may indicate a high prevalence of stimulant use among people who inject drugs. - Injection of opioid substitution medications, most notably buprenorphine, as well as benzodiazepines and other medications is common in some cities. - Half of the tested syringes contained residues of two or more drugs, which may indicate that people who inject drugs often inject more than one substance. The most frequent combination was a mix of a stimulant and an opioid; benzodiazepines were often found in syringes that also contained traces of opioids. Main limitations -- - A high number of syringes containing residues of stimulants could reflect the higher frequency of injecting among stimulant users, rather than a high prevalence of stimulant use among people who inject drugs. - Drugs found in syringes may originate from blood drawn into the syringe during an injection. This would indicate that the user had consumed the drug prior to the injection, possibly through other modes of administration. - It was not possible to distinguish a syringe containing residues of multiple drugs that has been used once, from a syringe that has been reused by one user or used by several for different drugs. Key issues -- - The ESCAPE approach provides local and timely information that can be used for city-level monitoring and interventions. - This study documents the substances and combinations of substances that were injected in the participating cities. - The injection of stimulants has implications for the risk of blood-borne and sexually transmitted infections such as HIV and hepatitis B and C viruses. - The injection of multiple substances elevates the risk of adverse health consequences and overdose deaths

Details: Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2019. 36p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 6, 2019 at: https://bdoc.ofdt.fr/doc_num.php?explnum_id=29063

Year: 2019

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction

Shelf Number: 156234


Author: de Hoop Scheffer, Jaap

Title: Strengthening the EU's Cyber Defence Capabilities. Report of a CEPS Task Force

Summary: Cyber defence is critical to both the EU's prosperity and security. Yet, the threat space it faces is vast in scope, highly interconnected, deeply complex, and rapidly evolving. The EUs current cyber defence capacity remains fragmented across and siloed within various institutions, agencies. In order to secure its own use of cyberspace, the EU must be bold. The CEPS Task Force on Strengthening the EU's Cyber Defence Capabilities identified a clear EU-wide interest for greater coordination and cooperation in this space. After a comparative analysis of alternative scenarios, the Task Force concluded in favour of creating an EU Cyber Defence Agency with executive competencies and therefore, the ability to develop and utilise strategic and operational capabilities at the EU level. This would mark a critical step towards a more effective and collaborative approach to enhancing cyber security and resilience in the EU.

Details: Brussels: Centre for European Policy Studies, 2019. 88p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 6, 2019 at: https://www.ceps.eu/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/CEPS_TFR%20on%20Cyber%20Defence_1.pdf

Year: 2019

Country: Europe

Keywords: Cyber Security

Shelf Number: 156239


Author: Birdlife International

Title: Review of illegal killing and taking of birds in Northern and Central Europe and the Caucasus

Summary: The illegal killing and taking of wild birds remains a major threat on a global scale. However, there are few quantitative data on the species and countries involved. In order to build a more complete understanding of the issue in the whole African-Eurasian flyway, we extend the geographic scope of the previous review of the illegal killing and taking of birds in the Mediterranean to Northern and Central Europe and the Caucasus. We quantified the approximate scale and scope of this issue using a diverse range of data sources and incorporating expert knowledge. We estimated that 0.4 - 2.1 million individual birds per year may be killed or taken illegally in this region. The highest estimate of illegal killing and taking of birds in the region was for Azerbaijan (0.2-1.0 million birds per year). For Mallard and Common Coot, more than 100,000 individuals of each species were estimated to be illegally killed or taken on average every year. Several species of global conservation concern were also reported to be illegally killed or taken in substantial numbers, e.g. Common Pochard and Little Bustard. Birds were reported to illegally killed/taken primarily for sport and food in the Caucasus and for sport and predator/pest control in both Northern and Central Europe. Our study also highlighted the paucity of data on illegal killing and taking of birds in the region. It is therefore a priority to implement systematic monitoring of illegal killing and taking of birds and to collate robust data, allowing stakeholders to set priorities, track trends and monitor the effectiveness of responses. Markedly increased effort is required to ensure that existing legislation is adequately implemented and complied with/enforced on the ground. Our data, for example, showed that illegal killing and taking of birds is still occurring in Northern and Central European and Caucasian countries despite existing legislation and is not restricted to Mediterranean European countries. Combination of the results with those from the Mediterranean provide a wider picture for the northern part of the African-Eurasian flyway and showed that illegal killing and taking of birds is still a serious global issue. Similar data are now needed for sub-Saharan Africa, Central Asia and Russia to deliver a complete flyway-scale picture. This will also provide and useful information for priority-setting both across the geographic region and within single-species conservation efforts

Details: Cambridge, UK: Author, 2017. 75p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 6, 2019 at: http://www.birdlife.org/sites/default/files/ikb_nc_europe_caucasus_report_finalised.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Birds

Shelf Number: 156240


Author: Brochet, Anne-Laure

Title: Illegal killing and taking of birds in Europe outside the Mediterranean: assessing the scope and scale of a complex issue

Summary: The illegal killing and taking of wild birds remains a major threat on a global scale. However, there are few quantitative data on the species affected and countries involved. We quantified the scale and scope of this issue in Northern and Central Europe and the Caucasus, using a diverse range of data sources and incorporating expert knowledge. The issue was reported to be widespread across the region and affects almost all countries/territories assessed. We estimated that 0.4-2.1 million birds per year may be killed/taken illegally in the region. The highest estimate of illegal killing in the region was for Azerbaijan (0.2-1.0 million birds per year). Out of the 20 worst locations identified, 13 were located in the Caucasus. Birds were reported to be illegally killed/taken primarily for sport and food in the Caucasus and for sport and predator/pest control in both Northern and Central Europe. All of the 28 countries assessed are parties to the Bern Convention and 19 are also European Union Member States. There are specific initiatives under both these policy instruments to tackle this threat, yet our data showed that illegal killing and taking is still occurring and is not restricted to Mediterranean European countries. Markedly increased effort is required to ensure that existing legislation is adequately implemented and complied with/enforced on the ground. Our study also highlighted the paucity of data on illegal killing and taking of birds in the region. It is a priority, identified by relevant initiatives under the Bern Convention and the European Union, to implement systematic monitoring of illegal killing and taking and to collate robust data, allowing stakeholders to set priorities, track trends and monitor the effectiveness of responses.

Details: Cambridge, UK: Bird Conservation International, Volume 29, Issue 1 March 2019 , pp. 10-40 (open access)

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 6, 2019 at: https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/DE4D06F3BD4273B94FD3C9621C615A0A/S0959270917000533a.pdf/illegal_killing_and_taking_of_birds_in_europe_outside_the_mediterranean_assessing_the_scope_and_scale_of_a_complex_issue.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Birds

Shelf Number: 156241


Author: Birdlife International

Title: The Killing 2.0: A View to a Kill

Summary: The BirdLife Partnership presents THE KILLING 2.0 - the second installment in our ongoing series of scientific reviews led by BirdLife exposing the scale and scope of the illegal killing of birds across critical regions. The first installment, published in August 2015, shocked many by revealing the brutal extent of the bird crime taking place in the Mediterranean. To those results, we now also add the results compiled from Northern Europe, Central Europe and the Caucasus. Next year, we will be extending our eagle eye towards the Arabian Peninsula and Persian Gulf. Beyond the Mediterranean, birds are primarily killed illegally for sport in the Caucasus and for both sport and predator or 'pest' control in Northern Europe and Central Europe. In Azerbaijan alone, hundreds of thousands of waterbirds (between 160,000 and 900,000) are thought to perish each year. Illegal killing by 'tourist-hunters' is rampant across Central Europe. In Romania, for example, Eurasian Skylarks are not traditionally hunted and are protected by law, yet thousands of these delicate passerines are killed each year within its borders by foreign hunters. The toll imposed by illegal killing in each country may for some species, like Little Bustard or Whiteheaded Duck, be too great for the population to bear. For some migratory species, illegal killing in each country along their route, alongside mortality from legal hunting and more diffuse threats like habitat loss, may add up to a significant impact. Predators have become the prey, with the review identifying raptors as the bird group with the highest percentage of species affected by illegal killing. Sadly, all but one of the 52 species present in the surveyed regions are being affected by this threat. The protection and provisions of the Birds Directive, CMS and Bern are not currently being implemented in many countries where the reality is un-checked persecution through poisoning, shooting and trapping at the hands of some land managers and those who target them for 'sport'. Like the piercing cry of the raven, our study issues an anxious warning call and establishes a baseline - going forward, there is an urgent and inescapable need for better monitoring of this scourge. We can clearly see that illegal killing is happening - and that it is happening on an epic flyway scale. We arrive, therefore, at a troubling conclusion: the scale of the killing may be massively underestimated. Despite legal protections enshrined in the Council of Europe and European Union law, the illegal killing of birds continues largely unabated across the old continent, all the way from the Atlantic to the Caspian Sea. There is hope - the governments of the Mediterranean and Europe are starting to work together in international forums to face this difficult issue head on and share information and ideas on how to tackle it. In some cases, as in Cyprus, action plans are drawing together all national stakeholders to help. Efforts to tackle illegal killing on the ground are starting to bear fruit when this happens. Success will require much greater political commitment, much greater investment in enforcement, stronger penalties and better monitoring of the issue from governments, zero tolerance of illegal killing among hunting and the communities at large and greater awareness and a stronger voice from civil society. A cultural sea change is required if we want these protected birds to be seen as an incredible view to be marvelled at and not 'a view to a kill' down the barrel of a gun.

Details: Cambridge, UK: Author, 2017. 11p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 6, 2019 at: https://www.birdlife.org/sites/default/files/the_killing_2.0.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Birds

Shelf Number: 156243


Author: Brochet, Anne-Laure

Title: Preliminary assessment of the scope and scale of illegal killing and taking of birds in the Mediterranean

Summary: Illegal killing/taking of birds is a growing concern across the Mediterranean. However, there are few quantitative data on the species and countries involved. We assessed numbers of individual birds of each species killed/taken illegally in each Mediterranean country per year, using a diverse range of data sources and incorporating expert knowledge. We estimated that 11-36 million individuals per year may be killed/taken illegally in the region, many of them on migration. In each of Cyprus, Egypt, Italy, Lebanon and Syria, more than two million birds may be killed/taken on average each year. For species such as Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla, Common Quail Coturnix coturnix, Eurasian Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs, House Sparrow Passer domesticus and Song Thrush Turdus philomelos, more than one million individuals of each species are estimated to be killed/taken illegally on average every year. Several species of global conservation concern are also reported to be killed/taken illegally in substantial numbers: Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata, Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca and Rock Partridge Alectoris graeca. Birds in the Mediterranean are illegally killed/taken primarily for food, sport and for use as cage-birds or decoys. At the 20 worst locations with the highest reported numbers, 7.9 million individuals may be illegally killed/taken per year, representing 34% of the mean estimated annual regional total number of birds illegally killed/taken for all species combined. Our study highlighted the paucity of data on illegal killing/taking of birds. Monitoring schemes which use systematic sampling protocols are needed to generate increasingly robust data on trends in illegal killing/taking over time and help stakeholders prioritise conservation actions to address this international conservation problem. Large numbers of birds are also hunted legally in the region, but specific totals are generally unavailable. Such data, in combination with improved estimates for illegal killing/taking, are needed for robustly assessing the sustainability of exploitation of birds.

Details: Bird Conservation International, Volume 26, Issue 1 March 2016 , pp. 1-28. (Open Access)

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 6, 2019 at: https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/34A06A94874DB94BE2BBACC4F96C3B5F/S0959270915000416a.pdf/preliminary_assessment_of_the_scope_and_scale_of_illegal_killing_and_taking_of_birds_in_the_mediterranean.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Birds

Shelf Number: 156244


Author: Child to Child

Title: Mentoring Methodological Framework for MINT Project

Summary: Migrant children and youth are especially vulnerable to social exclusion. Through the MINT Project, Terre des hommes and its partners aim to empower refugee and migrant children, as well as European youth, to engage in new integration activities. As part of this EU funded project partnership will be working in Romania, Poland, the Czech Republic, and Slovenia to support and facilitate the integration of children, to enhance social relations, and to empower both local youth and third-country national (TCN) children. Their work will be based on an innovative and replicable peer-to-peer mentoring programme based on good practices and tested models. Mentoring has proven to be an effective way to share knowledge, increase children's social and emotional skills, and promote integration, giving young people the tools and support that they need through a structured programme. During the MINT project, recently arrived children will be matched with youth volunteers, who will be able to provide the children with support, advice, and friendship in order to facilitate easier integration. The guide in front of you serves as a methodological framework for mentoring activities that will be carried out within the MINT project. The purpose of this Mentoring Methodological Framework is to inform the design of the mentoring component of the programme which is to be designed by project partners of the MINT project. During the project, this Framework will be tested, adapted and added to, if necessary.

Details: Budapest, Hungary: Terre des Hommes as part of the MINT Project, 2019. 59p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 6, 2019 at: https://www.childhub.org/en/system/tdf/library/attachments/mentoring_methodological_framework_for_mint_project.pdf?file=1&type=node&id=36789

Year: 2019

Country: Europe

Keywords: At-Risk Youth

Shelf Number: 156202


Author: Bryson, Ian

Title: Action D2: Progress on Technical Actions

Summary: LIFE SMART Waste is a multi-agency project co-funded by the EU LIFE programme. It aims to develop and demonstrate innovative ways of understanding, tackling and reducing waste-related crime. The project is led by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency working in partnership with three co-beneficiaries: Natural Resources Wales; ACR+; and Brussels Environment. A proposal to extend the project (originally scheduled to run from June 2014 until May 2019) by one-year is currently being considered by the European Commission. Collaboration is key to the LIFE SMART Waste project's innovative approach. At the outset, the project considered barriers to joint working and recommended that agencies adopt an amended version of INTERPOL's NEST approach to optimise their collaborative activity. A communications 'Hub' was developed and piloted to provide a web-based platform for agencies and expert groups to collaborate and share non-sensitive information in virtual communities. As a supplement to the Hub's capabilities, the potential for using an online platform to share Official (Sensitive) intelligence between national agencies, initially within the UK, is currently being assessed. LIFE SMART Waste has been researching, developing and piloting a range of analytical tools, approaches and techniques. The aim is that these could enable environmental regulators to identify and tackle the issues which facilitate criminality. To date: - A Competitive Behaviours Toolkit has been developed, providing a collection of core tools to help with the analysis of information from diverse sources and achieve a better understanding of market and/or industry behaviours. - A Horizon Scanning Toolkit, to help build an early warning system for emerging waste sector developments and their potential for criminal enterprise, has been piloted. - Waste flow audit approaches that could potentially identify illegal disposal activity were investigated (but will not be piloted due to a lack of robust information and evidence of regulatory resource limitations). - A Waste Crime Indicators Toolkit has been developed, to provide practical indicators of waste crime using simple analysis of waste operator data. - A Financial Risk Assessment Tool, to help identify those operators and activities that need to be subject to a more detailed appraisal as part of the permitting process, has been developed. - Waste flow tracking devices with the potential to identify illegal disposal activity were investigated (but will not be piloted in a live UK deployment, in acknowledgement of legal and expert advice received). - Remote Sensing techniques, to help in the detection of both unknown (illegal) waste sites and different waste types, are being assessed in two independent pilot studies. - An Intervention Design Manual, to provide a framework for choosing and designing collaborative interventions, has been piloted in the project's intervention bundles. To conclude development, the project is planning to test the Competitive Behaviours Toolkit, Waste Crime Indicators Toolkit and Financial Risk Assessment Tool. Further pilots are being planned by SEPA with support from partner agencies in the UK and other EU Member States. A key LIFE SMART Waste project goal is to set up cross-agency intervention groups to design three intelligence-led interventions that use the project's insights and tools. To inform these interventions, and to fill intelligence gaps, the project has undertaken a range of investigations and prepared four intelligence reports: - A survey of the Waste industry in Scotland provided baseline perceptions of the scale and causes of waste crime; - A review of SEPA and NRW waste intelligence for 2015-2016 helped to identify priorities for intervention and investigation, including the exploitation of unregulated rented warehousing units and use of waste hauliers for illegal activities; - A study of Scotland's waste tyre sector identified a range of 'vulnerabilities' and recommended possible measures to combat them; - An intelligence report provided an assessment of waste hauliers' involvement in (UK) cross-border transportation and depositing of waste at illegal sites; - A vulnerability study provided a better understanding of the role of brokers operating within the waste management industry; - In the wake of China's ban on foreign waste imports commencing in 2018, and as an adjunct to the project, LIFE SMART Waste is currently working with INTERPOL to scope a research study to better understand the threat of waste crime arising as a result of the ban. In consultation with cross-agency intervention groups, LIFE SMART Waste delivered two of the project's three intelligence-led interventions in 2018, using project insights and tools: i. The illegal waste warehousing intervention featuring an educational campaign in collaboration with Crimestoppers (Scotland) and a range of partner organisations to highlight the exploitation of unregulated rented warehousing units for illegal waste storage. ii. The illegal waste haulage intervention highlighted the consequences of waste hauliers' involvement in illegal movements of waste (within the UK) through high-profile multi-agency road check points, site visits and a 'Drive out waste crime' awareness-raising campaign supported by key industry bodies. The project's third intervention will focus on illegal waste brokerage. This is currently being designed in collaboration with industry experts, using the Intervention Design Manual, with the aim of practically addressing key vulnerabilities that affect the brokerage of waste. At the conclusion of the project, LIFE SMART Waste aims to make recommendations for policy and legislative changes to help tackle waste crime related to challenging waste streams. To date, the project's work has provided early indications of possible recommendations for policy and legislative interventions. These include, for example, granting additional powers to environmental regulators in the UK to facilitate the use of waste tracking devices and for intelligence gathering.

Details: Stirling, Scotland: Scottish Environment Protection Agency, 2019. 29p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 8, 2019 at: https://www.sepa.org.uk/media/427764/lsw-industry-representative-report_v10.pdf

Year: 2019

Country: Europe

Keywords: Environmental Crime

Shelf Number: 156260


Author: Cranfield University

Title: Action B4: Horizon Scanning Toolkit

Summary: One of the objectives of the LIFE SMART Waste project is to identify how environmental regulators can use horizon scanning processes to build an early warning system for emerging developments in the waste sector to protect the industry from future criminal enterprise. The Horizon Scanning Toolkit provides a suite of tools to achieve that objective. It is a practical guide that regulatory bodies and their partners can use to: build intelligence about waste crime by gathering, organising and sharing weak signals of change, create insight into changing criminal behaviours and patterns of crime through assessing, ranking and deepening their understanding of the implications of those weak signals, work together to research, plan and deliver action to protect consumers and the industry now and in the future. The toolkit provides a structured approach to horizon scanning that builds a clear, consistent and shared perspective of emerging developments in the waste sector and their potential for criminal enterprise. Through using the toolkit, regulatory bodies will learn to spot newly emerging trends quickly and to assess what the emerging opportunities for future waste crime are likely to be. They will then be able to act together to minimise the impact of those crimes on the environment, society and business.

Details: Stirling, Scotland: Cranfield University and Waverly Consultants, 2018. 54p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 8, 2019 at: https://www.sepa.org.uk/media/367059/lsw-b4-horizon-scanning-toolkit-v10.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Environmental Crime

Shelf Number: 156261


Author: Cranfield University

Title: Action B4: Horizon Scanning - Phase 1 (Research): Literature Review

Summary: SEPA has commissioned Cranfield University to develop a horizon scanning and predictive analysis tool to build their understanding of how current and future changes in the market, in technology and in the legislative environment can influence waste crime and affect criminal behaviours. This report presents the output from Phase 1, a desk-top review of the academic and grey literature, which focused on the specific context of horizon scanning applications to identify the salient features and success factors for their adoption in an environmental regulatory context. The review provides insights on the organisational approaches and design principles for scanning systems, and reflects on the generic and specific challenges that environmental regulators are likely to face as they seek to develop and implement such as system. An early warning system for waste crime: One key element of an effective early warning system for detecting waste crime is horizon scanning - the systematic and intelligence-led gathering of high-level information about current and future changes influencing waste crime and criminal behaviours. Some information collected through horizon scanning may relate to established patterns of crime (e.g. non-compliance with existing permits) and some may relate to surprise elements or blind spots, that reveal new criminal activity or behaviour (e.g. new market-related opportunities for crime). Making sense of this information requires a range of analytical tools - such as predictive analysis - to assess current patterns of criminal activity and to anticipate future developments of this pattern. Design principles for a horizon scanning system The Report identifies some key design principles for a horizon scanning system and poses important design questions regarding implementation in an environmental regulatory context. These questions are set out below and will inform design of the early warning system (Phase 2). Scanning function Scanning for warning signals can be exploratory or issue-focused depending on the context and information needs of the organisation, and the time and other resources available. - Should the scanning be exploratory, looking for indicators of crime at a macro level (i.e. across whole supply chain operations)? - Should the scanning be issue-focused, looking to fill analytical gaps by examining indicators of crime at a micro level (i.e. in a particular problematic area or regarding a problematic waste stream). - If both types of scans are desirable, what is the right balance between the two? - What is the right time horizon for the scanning function (e.g. 5, 10+ years?)Scanning team The selection of the scanning team is influenced by the complexity of the problem space and the wider political and operational context, the purpose of the scans and their intended enduse. - Does the complexity of the problem space require collaboration between departments or broader inter-agency collaborations? - Is there appropriate in-house capacity/capability and resources to support the scanning function? - What measures are needed to ensure scanners (and other users) understand the toolkit, and have sufficient time to provide material in the correct format? Assessment and data synthesis: A systematic process for collecting and evaluating content needs agreed standards and protocols for searching and for updating information. It also needs meaningful evaluation of scan data against agreed metrics so that outputs are relevant to organisational priorities/policies. - What protocols will be put in place to guide searches and ensure information collected is relevant and up-to-date? - How should scans be assessed to ensure they are systematic, consistent and meaningful? How can system design ensure scans capture the 'big picture' issues (e.g. fallout from Brexit) and set out implications for specific sectors (e.g. regulation of waste; supply chain operations)? - How will adjustments and updates be made (in light of, for example single significant events), so that individual scans are not rendered redundant? Communication and influence: Communication of horizon scanning outputs to environmental regulators should emphasise the breadth of information (issues across the supply chain), depth of information (sector-specific implications) and supporting evidence to encourage fast action on emerging crime problems. To optimise action, scanning outputs should ideally feed directly into planning and regulatory processes (e.g. Compliance assessments, Duty of Care Code of Practice). - How often should scanning outputs be produced (e.g. quarterly, biannually, annual)? - What should the format be? Should scanning outputs align directly with organisational priorities and/or broader goals/objectives/What is the best format for scanning outputs to ensure they are easily accessible to decision-makers and other end-users? Visibility: There are challenges around ensuring any horizon scanning tool is visible in the organisation. Visibility can be increased by active promotion (perhaps by a scanning champion) and by ensuring those responsible for action are aware of the tool and how to use it. Appropriate alignment of horizon scanning with other tools (e.g. risk assessment) is key to achieving good visibility and supporting decision-making.

Details: Striling, Scotland: Cranfield University and Waverly Consultants, 2017. 27p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 8, 2019 at: https://www.sepa.org.uk/media/367058/lsw-b4-literature-review.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Environmental Crime

Shelf Number: 156316


Author: Shepherd, Marv

Title: Pharmaceutical Cargo Theft in Europe: Insights into the Severity of Potential Underreporting

Summary: The total annual loss of all transit cargo stolen on European Union (EU) roads is relatively unknown because the theft of freight is often categorized as other types of crime or simply not reported. Consequently, the true magnitude and economic impact of cargo theft can only be estimated. The FreightWatch International Supply Chain Intelligence Center (SCIC) recently examined available data and cargo crime intelligence for Europe from 2013 to determine the potential value of stolen cargo. After arduously evaluating this information, SCIC ascertained that the estimated loss of all cargo theft in 2013 was valued at 11 billion Euros. (For more detail on this, see "Putting a Price Tag on Underreported Cargo Theft in Europe"). While that estimation is for the underreporting of all cargo theft in Europe, the research behind this report focuses specifically on the pharmaceutical industry in an effort to determine how much underreporting occurs in this market. To gain a better understanding of this, European pharmaceutical industry executives were asked for their insights on how extensive underreporting is in this industry - and their answer was that it is a serious and prevalent problem. Across the board, pharmaceutical manufacturer security personnel, risk managers, product security representatives, supply chain distribution specialists, insurance experts, and law enforcement, all agree that underreporting is a significant occurrence. In fact, over 80% of these industry experts believe there is a major-to-moderate problem in the reporting of pharmaceutical thefts. To put this in perspective, consider that in 2015, there were 24 reported thefts of pharmaceutical cargo in Europe. Almost all (92.8%) of the executives in this survey believe that the actual number of unreported thefts was at least twice the number of crimes reported in 2015. Drilling down deeper, over a third of the respondents stated that the number of unreported thefts was most likely three to five times greater than what was reported. Even of more concern, there were over 20% of respondents that believed the actual number of thefts could be five to ten times greater than the 24 reported crimes. Based on these findings, a conservative estimate for the actual number of pharmaceutical cargo thefts in 2015 could be anywhere from 72 to 120 incidents. This is a clear indication that the 24 reported crimes for that year is a gross misrepresentation of the actual number of crimes that occurred. And it also indicates that the risk of pharmaceutical theft is far greater than the industry perceives or is led to believe. This research report delves deeper into why cargo theft goes unreported, with more details on the extent of underreporting and where underreporting is most prevalent.

Details: Beverly, Massachusetts: Sensitech, 2017. 20p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 10, 2019 at: http://files.sensitech.com/sensitech/zh/contentimages/Pharmaceutical_Cargo_Theft_in_Europe_032017.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Cargo Theft

Shelf Number: 156353


Author: Yonkova, Nusha

Title: Protecting Victims: An Analysis of the Anti-Trafficking Directive from the Perspective of a Victims of Gender-Based Violence

Summary: Trafficking in human beings is a highly gendered phenomenon, which disproportionately affects women and girls. This is particularly so in the case of trafficking for sexual exploitation and/or forced marriage, where the overwhelming majority of victims are women and girls (Europol 2016). A combination of root causes including gender inequalities, women and girls' vulnerability to domestic violence, and the demand for sexual services, makes them particularly vulnerable to trafficking (EPRS 2016). The Eurostat figures highlight the gendered nature of trafficking in human beings, with women and girls comprising 80% of registered victims in the reporting period (Eurostat 2015). The gendered nature of trafficking for sexual exploitation and/or forced marriage, and that of the harms which arise as a result, place these crimes within the wider continuum of gender-based violence and violence against women which require a gender sensitive response....

Details: Vilnius, Lithuania: European Institute for Gender Equality, 2017. 96p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 12, 2019 at: https://eige.europa.eu

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: Forced Marriage

Shelf Number: 156398


Author: Europol

Title: Intellectual Property Crime Threat Assessment 2019

Summary: This threat assessment is drawn up in partnership between Europol and the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) and is intended to update policymakers, law enforcement authorities and the public in general about the latest trends and the current impact of intellectual property crime within the EU. The report focuses on the counterfeiting and piracy affecting the EU and provides an assessment of the threat posed by this counterfeiting and piracy in several product sectors, as well as cross-cutting factors that influence or impact the criminal area. It builds upon two previously developed joint situation reports, published in 2015 and 2017. Counterfeit and pirated goods could make up as much as 6.8% of EU imports, amounting to EUR 121 billion. In recent years, this amount has significantly increased. The annual number of detentions of counterfeit goods by customs authorities in the EU has gradually decreased since 2013, even if the number of items seized and their estimated value has decreased at a lower pace, with a temporary recuperation in 2015 and 2016. This slightly decreasing trend hides a sustained increase in the effectiveness of the operations, as shown by the number of items seized and their value per case or per procedure. Most counterfeit items still come from China, although for some specific categories of products other countries are also significant. Counterfeiters often use complex trade routes to transport their goods from the production country to the destination markets. Although shipment of counterfeit goods to the EU still occurs largely in bulk by freight transport, in recent years there has been a strong increase in express transport. This sharp growth in trade via small parcels is related to the growth in online marketplaces selling counterfeit goods. New land routes that have opened in recent years, in particular the growing number of rail connections between China and the EU, may provide counterfeiters with the possibility of diversifying their routes and transportation methods. The advent of better technology has had a profound impact on the nature and extent of counterfeiting. Counterfeiters exploit existing and emerging platforms that have made it easier to advertise, sell and distribute counterfeit and pirated goods to a growing number of consumers. This increase in sales of counterfeit goods via online marketplaces is not new, but rather a continuing trend. In recent years, social media marketplaces especially have emerged as a key platform from which counterfeiters can access high numbers of consumers with a generally low risk of law enforcement detection. Trade in counterfeit and pirated goods on the darknet remains a relatively limited phenomenon. Intellectual property crimes have considerable economic consequences, depriving legitimate businesses of revenue and governments of tax revenue. Besides economic harm, counterfeit goods can have a serious impact on the health and safety of consumers, as well as negative environmental consequences. In recent years, counterfeiting has affected an increasingly diverse number of goods. Besides the traditional luxury items, a wide range of everyday goods are targeted by counterfeiters. This includes cosmetics, electronic components, food and drinks, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, tobacco products, toys and vehicle parts. Electronics are an increasingly counterfeited category of goods. Common examples of this are mobile phones and parts, especially chargers and computer equipment. These are often sold online and shipped directly from several Asian countries to consumers in the EU. In recent years there have also been a high number of detections of counterfeit semiconductors. As these goods are commonly used in the transport sector, but also in hospitals as part of surgical instruments, they pose considerable dangers to health and safety. Food and drinks remain highly popular items for counterfeiters, with the EU consistently emerging as a major destination market for counterfeit food and drinks. Detected counterfeit food products include baby milk powder, stock cubes, cheese, coffee, olive oil and pasta. Several of these goods have been found in groceries and supermarkets, illustrating that they also infiltrate the legal supply chain. As the counterfeit goods are almost always of substandard quality and produced in unhygienic environments, they can pose a serious risk to the health and wellbeing of consumers. In some cases, counterfeit food has even been found to contain dangerous or hazardous ingredients. Law enforcement authorities regularly detect other types of counterfeit goods alongside counterfeit food and drinks, highlighting how organised crime groups are frequently involved in trading an ever wider range of different counterfeit goods. In general, there appears to be an overall professionalisation of the organised crime groups involved in food counterfeiting. Besides food, counterfeit alcoholic beverages pose a considerable risk to EU consumers. Spirits and wine are especially popular goods targeted for counterfeiting by organised crime groups. They frequently place cheap wine in bottles containing fake expensive wine labels, sometimes even adding pure alcohol on counterfeit spirits. Production methods have become increasingly sophisticated in recent years, with some organised crime groups operating their own production lines, including the packaging and labelling of the product. Another method is to use legitimate production lines one day a week or month for the production of counterfeits. Luxury products, clothes and accessories are traditionally among the most popular product categories for (and are still among the most commonly detected) counterfeit goods. This is primarily the result of a large number of small orders via the internet, which are subsequently shipped via postal or courier services. At the same time, there appears to be an increase in production of counterfeit clothes within the EU, with organised crime groups attaching counterfeit labels onto imported, unbranded clothing. In this way, they reduce the risk of detection during the shipping of the clothes. As pesticides are one of the most regulated products in the world today, it is not surprising that a wide range of counterfeits are traded in the EU. A strong increase in seizures in recent years is indicative of the growth of the problem, and of the industry's and the competent authorities' awareness. These goods have not usually been tested and authorised by the authorities, and may contain less active or more toxic ingredients. They can destroy crops and fields and seriously affect the health of farmers and consumers. Organised crime groups involved in counterfeiting pesticides sell their product by placing false brand labels on the product or by using labels in non-EU languages, frequently abusing the parallel trade system. In a growing number of cases, they import only the component ingredients and subsequently produce the counterfeit pesticides within the EU. Counterfeit pharmaceuticals pose a growing threat to the EU, affecting a large number of Member States. A wide and increasingly diverse range of medicines is targeted by counterfeiters. Erectile dysfunction medicines are traditionally among the most common type of counterfeited medicines, but increasingly counterfeited performance enhancing drugs, such as anabolic steroids and doping substances are also detected. Obviously, these pharmaceuticals can have serious effects on the health of consumers. The increased detection of counterfeit medicines for the treatment of serious illnesses, and the growing number of incidents affecting the legal supply chain, are particularly worrisome trends. Organised crime groups might produce counterfeit pharmaceuticals in clandestine laboratories, import counterfeit medicines or sell illegally diverted medicines using falsified branding and packaging. In terms of production, medicines and packaging can be produced in one place, at separate sites, or even by separate organised crime groups. Some of the organised crime groups involved in producing counterfeit pharmaceuticals also produce different types of synthetic drugs. Counterfeiters are growing in sophistication, employing highly skilled workers and setting up their own production lines. A growing number of counterfeit pharmaceuticals are detected in small parcels, facilitated by a continuous expansion of unauthorised and unregulated online pharmacies. The growth of the internet has given counterfeiters unique opportunities to get involved in piracy, selling and distributing unauthorised books, games, movies and music. This illegal digital content is distributed via BitTorrent portals and peer-to-peer networks, but increasingly also via cyberlockers. The owners of these platforms generate profit through digital advertisements, which often include mainstream adverts from major brands. In many cases, these websites are also used to target consumers with phishing attempts or for disseminating malware. In recent years, there has also been an increasing number of detections of the illegal use of Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) technology. In many of these cases, the servers are located in different countries to those where the subscriptions are sold, making it particularly complicated for law enforcement authorities to detect the criminals behind them. The number of counterfeit tobacco products detected, mostly cigarettes, has been decreasing for 4 years in a row. Nonetheless, in 2017, cigarettes were still third place in the list of most commonly detected counterfeit goods. Whereas detections of imported counterfeit cigarettes showed a decrease, over the last few years, the production of counterfeit cigarettes in the EU has seen a considerable increase. These illicit factories are becoming increasingly sophisticated and modern, capable of producing up to 2 million cigarettes a day. Intense law enforcement activity in eastern European countries seems to have diversified the locations of illicit tobacco production sites in the EU. Although most of the counterfeit cigarettes are still sold on the street, there has been an increase in online trade and shipment via small parcels. Finally, in recent years, the number of counterfeit vehicle parts detected has considerably increased. Counterfeiters produce a wide range of different car parts, including brake pads, airbags and filters. The increase in counterfeit car parts is driven by the growth in the online trade of these products. Most of these goods do not comply with recognised safety standards, which can result in potentially fatal failures of the vehicles. Besides car parts, counterfeited high-end road bikes and bicycle parts, such as helmets, have also been detected. The market for counterfeit goods remains highly profitable, providing criminals with opportunities to generate huge profits while running few risks. Most criminal activity involving counterfeiting is undoubtedly performed by organised crime groups and there appears to be an overall professionalisation of these groups. An increasingly wide array of different counterfeit and pirated goods are available on the EU market, ranging from luxury goods to mundane, everyday items. Besides economic damage, many of these items can pose a serious threat to the environment and the health and safety of consumers, thus providing a clear demonstration of the need for strong efforts to tackle this criminal activity.

Details: The Hague, Netherlands: Europol and European Union Intellectual Property Office, 2019. 42p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 18, 2019 at: https://euipo.europa.eu/tunnel-web/secure/webdav/guest/document_library/observatory/documents/reports/2019_IP_Crime_Threat_Assessment_Report/2019_IP_Crime_Threat_Assessment_Report.pdf

Year: 2019

Country: Europe

Keywords: Counterfeit Drugs

Shelf Number: 156488


Author: European Institute for Gender Equality

Title: Gender-Specific Measures in Anti-Trafficking Actions

Summary: Trafficking for sexual exploitation is the most commonly reported form of human trafficking in the European Union. It is a form of gender-based violence that disproportionately affects women. 95% of registered victims of trafficking for sexual exploitation in the EU are women or girls. Trafficking in women and girls remains a structural form of violence against women. In this report, a gender perspective is applied as an analytical framework to examine the provisions and obligations under the Anti-Trafficking Directive and the Victims' Rights Directive. The Anti-Trafficking Directive introduces common provisions, taking into account a gender perspective, to strengthen the prevention of this crime and the protection of the victims. The analysis seeks to identify strengths and opportunities for improvement in the protection and response to the needs of victims of trafficking for sexual exploitation. The report provides guidance to Member States on gender-specific measures to better identify, help and support victims of trafficking in human beings.

Details: Vilnius, Lithuania: European Institute for Gender Equality, 2018. 82p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 19, 2019 at: https://ec.europa.eu/anti-trafficking/sites/antitrafficking/files/read_the_report_gender-specific_measures_in_anti-trafficking_actions.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Anti-Trafficking

Shelf Number: 156505


Author: European Parliament. Directorate-General for External Policies. Policy Department

Title: Contemporary Forms of Slavery

Summary: This briefing aims to clarify the concept of contemporary forms of slavery and analyse the legal obligations of States, as well as recent international developments at global and EU levels. It highlights the inconsistent application of the concept by global governance actors and discusses the inclusion of various exploitative practices within this conceptual framework. It also examines the prevalence of contemporary forms of slavery and assesses the policy framework for EU external action. The briefing then recommends possible action by the EU, including: promotion of a more consistent definition and use of the concept of contemporary forms of slavery and further clarifications on the relationship with the human trafficking and forced labour frameworks; a role for the EU as catalyst in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and Targets in the field of all contemporary forms of slavery; support for standardising methods of data collection globally. Finally, the paper invites the EU to assess the possibility of drafting a new treaty on contemporary forms of slavery, as a way to fill some existing loopholes at the international level.

Details: Brussels, Belgium: European Parliament, Directorate General for External Policies of the Union, 2018. 70p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 20, 2019 at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2018/603470/EXPO_STU(2018)603470_EN.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Child Labor

Shelf Number: 156530


Author: Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime

Title: Hotspots of Organized Crime in the Western Balkans: Local vulnerabilities in a regional context

Summary: Since the end of 2018, protestors in Albania, Montenegro and Serbia have been taking to the streets to express their frustration and anger at corruption and organized crime. Journalists in the region are being targeted for exposing high-level graft, like Olivera Lakic, who, in May 2018, was shot in the leg after revealing the complicity of senior Montenegrin officials in cigarette smuggling. People with alleged links to crime have been arrested and questioned in connection with the murder of Kosovo Serb politician Oliver Ivanovic. Mafia-style hits are becoming increasingly common in the region, due in large part to a long-running feud between powerful groups in the underworld of Montenegro and Serbia. Police have been shot in Sarajevo trying to apprehend car thieves. In other cases, police and border guards have been sentenced for corruption, bribery, and even robbery and conspiracy to commit crimes. These and other incidents, which are described later in this report, are the tentacles of an ugly and dangerous octopus that lives just below the surface. Rather than focusing on illicit markets, flows of commodities or particular criminal groups, this report looks at places of interest: hotspots of organized crime in the Western Balkans. It looks at the characteristics of these hotspots, then provides a granular analysis of particular border crossings, intersections or regions of vulnerability. What makes these places particularly vulnerable? Why are they attractive to criminals? After discussing these questions, the report connects the dots between these locations to identify possible links and patterns that tell us more about the geography of crime in the region. To contextualize these organized-crime hotspots, the report provides an overview of the current situation in the Western Balkans, as well as some general information on the main illicit flows. It then looks at hotspots close to border or (internal) boundary crossings.The other main section of the report focuses on major intersections of organized crime in the Western Balkans - mostly bigger cities (particularly capitals), coastal towns and places where major highways intersect. Maps are provided to show the hotspots as well as key traffic arteries. Amid these assessments, the report takes a deeper dive into vulnerable locations, such as Sarajevo, three ports along the Montenegrin coast, northern Kosovo as well as the triangular region where North Macedonia meets south Serbia and Kosovo.One key observation of this report, which is important to highlight upfront, is that illicit flows through ports, cities and border crossings in the Western Balkans are enabled by a political economy of crime that is deeply entrenched in most countries of the region. The report therefore takes a look at the ecosystem of crime that creates an environment in which illicit activity can flourish. It concludes with a prognosis of potential future hotspots of crime.

Details: Geneva: Author, 2019. 49p.

Source: Internet Resource: accessed June 24, 2019 at: https://globalinitiative.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Hotspots-Report-English-13Jun1110-Web.pdf

Year: 2019

Country: Europe

Keywords: Automobile Theft

Shelf Number: 156609


Author: Economist Intelligence Unit

Title: The Global Illicit Trade Environment Index

Summary: Most Europeans will have been exposed to some form of illicit trade, whether it's street vendors selling counterfeit goods, pirated software or entertainment media, or even the offer of an exotic, and often endangered, animal. Another type of illicit trade, human trafficking, has been reported by major national media outlets, such as the BBC, Der Spiegel and El Pais. These outlets have published numerous stories about the victims of sex trafficking, such as the brutal kidnapping and smuggling of girls and women from rural Albania and the smuggling of Nigerian women to Italy. They have also written about the trafficking of migrant workers from Colombia to Spain, where they are kept like slaves on the economy's pig farms. Highlighting this issue further, the European Commission released a report detailing the multiple dimensions and facets of human trafficking. International organisations, including the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol) and the OECD, have noted in their research that the dark side of globalisation and technological development is that it provides criminal organisations with new methods to expand their reach across borders. In its 2016 report on illicit trade, the OECD cites the use of social media by criminal networks to identify targets for cyber-extortion. It also highlights how the globalisation of sports events has led to an increase in unregulated sports betting, which can be linked to money laundering. Europol describes, in its Serious and Organised Crime Threat Assessment (SOCTA) report of 2017, how document fraud, money laundering and e-commerce in illicit goods and services have become new engines for organised crime. "These cross-cutting criminal threats enable and facilitate most, if not all, other types of serious and organised crime," the report notes. These illicit trade flows are bad for governments, which are losing tax revenue, as well as for businesses, which are losing income due to the trade in counterfeits and pirated goods. They are also harmful to consumers who are being exposed to poorly made and unregulated products and whose health is jeopardised by counterfeit pharmaceuticals and adulterated alcohol. In addition, illicit trade amplifies the threat to already-marginalised populations, like the Roma in Europe, by turning them into targets for human traffickers. And, among other ill-effects, it has a broad impact on global biodiversity, as it threatens wildlife, pushing many species closer to extinction to satisfy the growing demand for their use in traditional medicines, for keeping as pets or even to be obtained as part of a collection. To measure how nations are addressing the issue of illicit trade, the Transnational Alliance to Combat Illicit Trade has commissioned The Economist Intelligence Unit to produce the Global Illicit Trade Environment Index. The global index expands upon an Asia-specific version, originally created by The Economist Intelligence Unit in 2016 to score 17 economies in Asia on the extent to which they enabled or prevented illicit trade. The Asian index generated much needed attention on the issue of illicit trade within the region. Building upon the success of the Asia index, the global index now includes 84 economies, providing a global perspective and new insights on the social and economic impacts of illicit trade.

Details: London: The Economist, Intelligence Unit, 2018. 28p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 27, 2019 at: http://illicittradeindex.eiu.com/documents/EIU%20Global%20Illicit%20Trade%20Environment%20Index%202018%20-%20Europe%20June%206%20FINAL.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: Europe

Keywords: Black Market

Shelf Number: 156596


Author: KPMG

Title: Stella Report: A Survey of the illicit cigarette market in the EU

Summary: Philip Morris International Inc. (PMI) (PM) today renewed its call for continued action against illicit tobacco trade following the release of a new report produced by KPMG, which provides a stark reminder of the negative challenges and financial costs associated with illicit trade. The independent KPMG "Stella Report," commissioned by PMI, reveals that in 2018 the black market for cigarettes in the European Union (EU) cost governments a total of 10 billion euros in lost tax revenues and was equivalent in size to the total legal cigarette sales in the U.K., Austria and Denmark combined. Overall illicit cigarette consumption levels remained stable compared to last year; however, the report found a more than 30 percent increase in counterfeit consumption-the largest amount recorded to date. "Beyond damaging government revenues, harming legitimate businessesincluding our own-and fueling crime in local communities, the availability of cheap, unregulated cigarettes on the black market undermines efforts to reduce smoking prevalence and prevent youth from smoking," said Alvise Giustiniani, PMI's vice president illicit trade prevention. "For PMI to have impact in our drive to unsmoke the world, we must sustain our combined efforts to eliminate illicit cigarette trade, while ensuring responsible access to better alternatives for the men and women who would otherwise continue to smoke." According to the report, in 2018, illicit cigarette consumption-i.e., the consumption of counterfeit and contraband cigarettes-in the E.U. was estimated at 8.6 percent of total consumption, representing 43.6 billion cigarettes. Other findings include: Counterfeit was the only category to show year-on-year volume growth in 2018, while contraband, illicit whites and other illicit product volumes declined. Half of the countries included in the report saw an increase in counterfeit consumption. The largest counterfeit cigarette volumes were reported in Greece (1.5 billion cigarettes) and the U.K. (0.9 billion cigarettes). Non-E.U. countries remain the largest source of illicit cigarettes consumed in the E.U.; however, the report found a reduced incidence of illicit cigarette consumption in E.U. Eastern border countries, suggesting that law enforcement activities in those areas are bearing fruit. Consumption of legal non-domestic cigarettes grew by 10 percent in 2018, indicating that consumers purchased lower-priced products when traveling, rather than using the illicit market. Illicit trade is a complex issue, damages many sectors, negatively impacts societies and respects neither borders nor laws. No one government or single industry can address this problem on its own; everyone has a role to play. To combat the flow of illicit goods, PMI invests in strict controls for its supply chain and supports regulations such as the FCTC Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco and the recently enacted tracking and tracing provisions under the EU Tobacco Products Directive. Furthermore, PMI continues to work with private and public actors alike to help advance the global anti-illicit trade efforts, including through PMI IMPACT, a global initiative supporting third-party projects against illegal trade and related crimes.

Details: London: Author, 2019. v.p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 28, 2019 at: https://marketing.kpmg.co.uk/stella/Project%20Stella_Exec_Summary.pdf

Year: 2019

Country: Europe

Keywords: Black Markets

Shelf Number: 156732


Author: KPMG

Title: Eurasian Economic Union Illicit Cigarette Report

Summary: Key findings: Illicit cigarette consumption has grown rapidly in the Eurasian Economic Union from 2015 to 2018 - Illicit cigarette consumption rose from 0.6% to 6.8% of total consumption in the past 4 years, representing over 20bn cigarettes in 2018 - Had these cigarettes been sold legally in 2018, an additional 68bn RUB would have been collected in taxes (VAT & Excise) across the Eurasian Economic Union in 2018, with 99% of the taxes lost from Russia - A large proportion of the growth occurred in the Russian Federation, where non-domestic cigarette consumption increased from 0.7% to 8.7% of consumption, of which 90% was illicit. Widening price differences between countries and free movement of goods and people are two possible drivers behind the growth in illicit cigarette consumption - The price differences (in particular between Belarus and Russia) have increased by over 40%, making cigarettes from Belarus more affordable(с) - In addition, the establishment of the EEU (in 2015) enabled free movement of goods and people, reducing customs inspections between countries and removing limits on goods imported for personal consumption - The 8 billion Belarusian labelled cigarettes identified in Russia were not supported by the number of travellers buying for their own personal consumption, indicating that a high volume of cigarettes are contraband. Furthermore the seizures of millions of Belarusian labelled cigarettes in Russia indicated that these cigarettes are transported by criminal networks. Distributors of illicit cigarettes have grown to exploit the price differences, reduced affordability and the lack of personal allowance quotas when travelling between EEU countries, especially from Belarus to Russia - Belarus is the primary source of illicit cigarettes, with almost 8 billion of the 20 billion illicit cigarettes identified in this study coming from Belarusian trademark-owned manufacturers, whilst production capacity was reported at 29 billion cigarettes(4) which is not supported by domestic consumption (estimated at 16 billion) - Belarusian labelled cigarettes were identified across Russia, indicating that they are being purchased by consumers who are not travelling across the Belarusian border - In addition, 47% of C&C identified had no identifiable origin including counterfeit, illicit whites and cigarettes with suspicious Russian tax stamps, which have had no taxes paid in any jurisdiction. Some may be illegally manufactured inside Russia - Illicit cigarette smuggling has been shown to help enable Organised Criminal Groups (OCGs), using similar networks to sell other products and its rapid growth in EEU is unlikely to be any different, as profits can be high whilst penalties remain low. Throughout the report, our analysis has focussed on the following categories of cigarette consumption: Legal domestic consumption - Cigarettes legally purchased and consumed within the country of study, based on In Market Sales data provided by the tobacco industry Non-domestic legal (ND(L)) - ND(L) represents cigarettes which are purchased in another country but legally consumed in the country of study, through cross-border or tourism purchases. This represents 0.8% of total consumption in the EEU Illicit consumption - divided into three components: - Illicit Whites: Cigarettes that are usually manufactured in one country/market but which the evidence suggests have been smuggled across borders during their transit to the destination market under review where they have limited or no legal distribution and are sold without payment of tax - Contraband (Other): Cigarettes where the tax was paid legally in one country, but the cigarettes were taken to another country and re-sold without any applicable tax, mainly when the excise tax regimes in the source country are lower than the destination country. Many of these cigarettes originated from an EEU country and whilst they were legally transported (due to no legal personal allowance limits) they were then re-sold illegally - Counterfeit: Cigarettes that deliberately copy a legally traded brand, deceiving consumers who believe that they are purchasing this brand. Counterfeit was only identified by participating trademark owners in the Empty Pack Survey - Russian suspicious tax stamps: Cigarettes where further analysis has revealed that the packs may have been sold without the payment of tax, despite bearing domestic labelling

Details: London: Author, 2019. 48p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 28, 2019 at: https://www.stopillegal.com/docs/default-source/external-docs/eea-illicit-cigarette-report-2018-english.pdf?Status=Temp&sfvrsn=ab4677d7_2

Year: 2019

Country: Europe

Keywords: Asia

Shelf Number: 156923


Author: Vosyliute, Lina

Title: Crackdown on NGOs and volunteers helping refugees and other migrants

Summary: This report synthesises previous ReSOMA briefs concerning the crackdown on NGOs and volunteers helping refugees and other migrants. Section 1 captures the main issues and controversies in the debate on the policing of humanitarianism and the potential impacts of EU and national anti-migrant smuggling policies on civil society actors. This section has drawn on academic research in this area, and in particular on CEPS expertise in this field. Section 2 provides an overview of the possible policy options to address this phenomenon taking stock of the ongoing policy debate on solutions and alternatives. Section 3 aims to identify and quantify criminal cases of individuals, volunteers and NGOs providing humanitarian assistance to migrants in the European Union. This monitoring exercise has been carried out by MPG through ReSOMA's collaborative and participatory process involving experts from NGOs, researchers and other stakeholders. Section 4 provides overall summary conclusions and recommendations to end the crackdown on NGOs and to prevent further policing of civil society. The final section proposes approaches to returning responsibility to EU actors, to be further explored by the ReSOMA platform, with a focus on good governance, human rights defenders, and the protection of humanitarian space inside the EU.

Details: Brussels: Research Social Platform on Migration and Asylum, 2019. 52p.

Source: Internet Resource: Final Synthetic Report: Accessed July 5, 2019 at: https://www.migpolgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Final-Synthetic-Report-Crackdown-on-NGOs-and-volunteers-helping-refugees-and-other-migrants_1.pdf

Year: 2019

Country: Europe

Keywords: Asylum Seekers

Shelf Number: 156830


Author: Europol

Title: Common challenges in combating cybercrime

Summary: The objective of this document is to identify and categorise the common challenges in combating cybercrime from both a law enforcement and a judicial perspective. Eurojust and Europol's European Cybercrime Centre (EC3) have identified the challenges based on and informed by operational and practical experience, joint deliberations and expert input. Other sources used include final reports of several thematic and strategic meetings with national experts and relevant stakeholders, strategic reports and assessments such as Europol's EC3's Internet Organised Crime Threat Assessment (IOCTA), as well as various open sources. Despite the availability of information, both in- and external, on the obstacles, the discussion can certainly benefit from more extensive (and broader) research and a closer comparison of existing legislation at national and international levels. The challenges identified fall into five main areas: -loss of data; -loss of location; -challenges associated with national legal frameworks; -obstacles to international cooperation; and -challenges of public-private partnerships. This document further examines some of the practical implications of these challenges. In addition, this document lists some of the most relevant ongoing activities and open issues regarding each of the challenges identified. For this purpose, a short overview is given at the end of each chapter. Additional information on some of the ongoing activities as well as some of the open issues can be found in the Annex.

Details: The Hague: Authors, 2019. 34p.

Source: Internet Resource: accessed July 5, 2019 at: https://www.europol.europa.eu/publications-documents/common-challenges-in-combating-cybercrime

Year: 2019

Country: Europe

Keywords: Computer Crimes

Shelf Number: 156836


Author: European Commission

Title: Study supporting the evaluation of Regulation (EC) No 1013/2006 on shipments of waste. (Waste Shipments Regulation: WSR): Final report

Summary: This report presents the findings of an evaluation study contracted by the European Commission concerning Regulation (EC) No 1013/2006 on shipments of waste as amended (the Waste Shipment Regulation or WSR) as well as Regulation (EC) No 1418/2007 concerning the export for recovery of certain waste listed in Annex III or IIIA to Regulation (EC) No 1013/2006 to certain countries to which the OECD Decision on the control of transboundary movements of wastes does not apply. A combination of research methods and analytical tools have been used, including literature review and consultation via both open public questionnaires as well as targeted questionnaires and interviews. Overall, this study finds the regulations effective, relevant, coherent and adds value at EU level, although some issues remain including the lack of harmonised inspection regimes, diverging classifications of waste, and difficulties to adapt to circular economy. Conclusions on the efficiency of the WSR were mixed, with concerns over inefficiencies (including the review process of the Regulation (EC) No 1418/2007) and significant costs caused by the regulation, although little data came to justify the claims.

Details: Brussels: Author, 2019. 248p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 5, 2019 at: https://publications.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/926420bc-8284-11e9-9f05-01aa75ed71a1/language-en/format-PDF/source-99087502

Year: 2019

Country: Europe

Keywords: Electronic Waste

Shelf Number: 156843


Author: Europol

Title: Terrorism Situation and Trend Report

Summary: In 2018, terrorism continued to constitute a major threat to security in EU Member States. Horrific attacks perpetrated by jihadists like those in Trebes, Paris, Liege and Strasbourg killed a total of thirteen people and injured many more. In addition, one terrorist attack by a right-wing extremist in Italy and numerous arrests of suspected right-wing terrorists for attack-planning across the European Union (EU) indicate that extremists of diverging orientation increasingly consider violence as a justified means of confrontation. Terrorists not only aim to kill and maim but also to divide our societies and spread hatred. We need to remain vigilant if we are to protect our citizens and values in the face of attempts to use violence for political aims. In Europe, the feeling of insecurity that terrorists try to create must be of the greatest concern to us because it has the potential to undermine the cohesion of our societies. Increasing polarisation and the rise of extremist views is a concern for EU Member States. The public debate about sensitive phenomena like terrorism, therefore, must be based on facts before reaching conclusions. I am proud to say that the EU Terrorism Situation and Trend Report (TE-SAT) has provided verified facts on terrorism in Europe since 2006. The report has been accepted as a benchmark in discussions about EU counterterrorism policies and academic studies. It is my privilege to hereby hand over the 2019 edition of the TE-SAT to the public.

Details: The Hague, The Netherlands: Europol, 2019. 82p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 14, 2019 at: https://www.europol.europa.eu/activities-services/main-reports/terrorism-situation-and-trend-report-2019-te-sat

Year: 2019

Country: Europe

Keywords: Counterterrorism

Shelf Number: 156800


Author: European Union Network for the Implementation and Enforcement of Environmental Law (IMPEL)

Title: Transfrontier Shipment of Electronic Waste IMPEL Project Report

Summary: The legitimate, safe disposal of electronic waste (e-waste) has been a problem for many countries for a number of years with catastrophic consequences to the health and well being of human beings and significant degradation to the environment particularly in the developing nations. A plethora of International Laws and Regulations have so far failed to regulate the global market in which unscrupulous operators are able to profit from disposing of ewaste cheaply and illegally abroad instead of taking the environmentally responsible but more expensive option of full recycling to remove and neutralise toxic materials. A report commissioned by the Interpol Pollution Crime Working Group and published in May 2009 presented the findings on their phased project to identify and demonstrate linkages between organized crime and the disposal of e-waste. It was limited to participants from Belgium, the Netherlands, France, USA, Canada, Sweden Australia, Benin, the UK and UNEP. The conclusions and actions resulting from the report indicated that there was a significant amount of work left to do in order to provide a pragmatic sustainable solution to the international e-waste problem. Removing e-waste from the regulated waste industry for exportation to non-OECD countries avoids surcharges providing an opportunity for the indigenous and international criminal fraternity to get involved. Weak, geographically limited regulation makes it difficult to control potential e-waste exports and to determine what proportion of waste is being disposed of improperly. In the EU a lucrative market exists in exporting waste illegally. This is due to the substantial financial benefits that can be achieved. Waste is easy and cheap to source while shipping costs to non OECD countries and the perceived risk of being prosecuted is low. To effectively regulate European exports of e-waste it is important that member states understand the scale and processes involved in exports of this type and develop the most effective interventions that can be employed to prevent them. This project has sought to help participating member states better understand their own contribution to this problem and how they might tackle the problem of illegal ewaste exports more effectively. The project has found that a coordinated approach is required from member states to tackle the problem. An intelligence led approach is fundamental to tackling the illegal e-waste export market at a European and international level. The European picture remains unclear Who? Why? What? When? Where? How? Are questions that should be posed - but can't be answered when it comes to the illegal export of waste. There is a great deal of work to undertake at a tactical and strategic level. However the progress made through this project has provided a platform for competent authorities to move forward and tackle the e-waste export issues in their countries effectively and efficiently.

Details: Brussels, Belgium: European Union Network for the Implementation and Enforcement of Environmental Law (IMPEL), 2017. 32p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 16, 2019 at: http://www.impel.eu/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/IMPEL-Report.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Europe

Keywords: E-Waste

Shelf Number: 156810


Author: European Council on Refugees and Exiles

Title: The Implementation of the Dublin III Regulation in 2018

Summary: ECRE has published a report providing an overview of developments in legislation, policy and practice relating to the application of the Dublin III Regulation, based on current practice, case law and up-to-date statistics from 21 European countries. Germany and France continued to spearhead the Dublin system. In 2018, the two Member States issued 54,910 and 45,760 outgoing Dublin requests respectively. These figures indicate that nearly one in three asylum seekers in Germany and France were subject to a Dublin procedure. However, more than four out of five Dublin procedures in these countries failed to meet their aim, as they did not result in a transfer. Italy and Spain were the main net recipients of Dublin procedures in 2018, while Sweden and Greece also had significantly higher incoming requests than outgoing requests. Available figures from 2018 point to a prevalence of "take back" Dublin procedures in most countries, meaning that the majority of people placed in a Dublin procedure had already lodged an asylum application in a European Union Member State. "Take back" cases can entail lower safeguards on matters such as the right to appeal a transfer - this week, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) ruled that, as a rule, an asylum seeker cannot challenge the correct application of the responsibility criteria in a "take back" procedure. The report also analyses the Dublin system's compliance with human rights. The right to family life continues to be a marginal component of Dublin procedures: family and humanitarian clause requests sent by Dublin Units remain small in number and are consistently met with restrictive positions from the receiving countries' side. In addition, the protection of asylum seekers from refoulement to countries unable to guarantee basic reception, fair refugee status determination or protection from chain refoulement, is too readily pushed to the courts by policy choices to shy away from suspension of transfers and to turn a blind eye to violations of asylum standards, however severe or deliberate. Official positions against transfers have been taken by a few countries in respect of Greece and Hungary, but not Italy or Bulgaria.

Details: Brussels, Belgium: Asylum Information Database and European Council on Refugees and Exiles, 2019. 25p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 19, 2019 at: http://www.asylumineurope.org/sites/default/files/aida_2018update_dublin.pdf

Year: 2019

Country: Europe

Keywords: Asylum Seeker

Shelf Number: 156814


Author: Bruls, Helmut

Title: Pharmaceutical Cargo Theft in Europe: A Realistic View of the Current Trends, Challenges, and Financial Impacts

Summary: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Cargo theft in Europe is a highly sophisticated crime of opportunity - and it's increasing in number of incidents both in transit and from facilities, and also in the cost of lost goods and associated expenses. Criminals are becoming more organized and frequently target high-value products such as Electronics, Tobacco, Food and Drinks, and Pharmaceuticals. Most of these crimes are thefts from trucks at unsecured parking sites, but violent crimes such as hijackings and robberies are occurring more often, as is the use of jamming technology and weapons. Products stolen in one country are often distributed via international criminal channels to neighboring countries and even to other continents. In addition, cargo thieves are employing new modi operandi (MO) that are more devious and violent. And there are several "hot spot" areas where risk of cargo theft is increasing and where heightened security measures are advisable. Common to all industries and countries throughout Europe is a gross underreporting of cargo theft incidents, which often gives manufacturers and shippers a false sense of security. The theft within the pharmaceutical supply chain is a good example of all these trends, as seen in this informative report. This document is intended to provide manufacturers and logistic providers with a realistic view of the risk of pharmaceutical theft in Europe and the associated cost implications. To this end, the report provides key insights into these pressing questions: - How much underreporting of pharmaceuticals cargo theft is there? - How much is cargo theft a business threat for pharmaceutical companies? - What modi operandi (MO) trends are evolving and which is the biggest risk? - What are the riskiest European locations for pharmaceutical theft? - What is the true cost of theft in this industry?

Details: Austin, Texas: FreightWatch International, 2016. 8p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 14, 2019 at: https://files.carrier.com/sensitech/en/contentimages/FWIEuropeanPharmaweb.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Europe

Keywords: Cargo Theft

Shelf Number: 156982


Author: Europol

Title: Preliminary Report on Environmental Crime in Europe

Summary: In 2013 Europol identified environmental crime as an emerging threat to the EU Member States (MS). At this time illicit waste trafficking was the key focus of concern. Europol then published the "Threat Assessment 2013 - Environmental Crime in the EU", wherein more in‐depth accounts of illicit waste trafficking and trafficking of endangered species (TES) were provided. These were described as 'the two most widespread offences'. Some attention was given to illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing and illegal sand mining, while offences such as fuel oil fraud and the sale of maritime vessels with contaminated loads were mentioned only briefly. Towards the end of 2013 the EU's Standing Committee on Operational Cooperation on Internal Security (COSI) tasked the informal Environmental Crime Network (EnviCrimeNet) to report about their activities and to provide a scan in relation to environmental crime in the EU by the end of 2014. Within the EnviCrimeNet and its Steering Group (SG) discussions were ongoing with regards to both the SOCTA 2013 and the Environmental Crime Threat Assessment. Next to the fact that the EnviCrimeNet's interest covers a much broader area than purely waste trafficking and TES, the assumed under-reporting of environmental crimes in general is seen as a major, if not central problem, obviously influencing the number of investigations and the knowledge of the involvement of organised crime groups (OCGs). The EnviCrimeNet SG wanted to know more about the gaps: What are the problems? Who has them and why? What are possible solutions? As a result, a current key focus of the EnviCrimeNet is to carry out a dedicated project in order to gain an improved understanding of the issues. This is the first time that law enforcement agencies (LEAs) have been tasked to inform on this phenomenon. As the EnviCrimeNet Secretariat, Europol agreed to coordinate the project and in May 2014 the Intelligence Project on Environmental Crime (IPEC) was launched for a period of one year. The project team consists of the EnviCrimeNet Secretariat and two Dutch law enforcement (LE) officials, who were seconded to Europol in support of IPEC. The project outcomes take the form of a preliminary and a final report. Both will inform the EnviCrimeNet members, COSI and other relevant bodies of the findings. This is the preliminary report, drafted after the initial findings were presented during the 4th EnviCrimeNet Annual General Meeting in The Hague on the 19th of November 2014.

Details: The Hague, Netherlands: Europol and the Intelligence Project on Environmental Crime, 2014. 35p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 15, 2019 at: http://www.statewatch.org/news/2014/dec/eu-council-envi-crime-net-16438-14.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

Keywords: Environmental Crime

Shelf Number: 156999


Author: Andersson, Ruben

Title: Partners in Crime? The Impacts of Europe's Outsourced Migration Controls on Peace, Stability and Rights

Summary: Drawing on research by Ruben Andersson, David Keen and Saferworld as well as secondary sources, this report analyses the European Union's (EU) and European governments' externalisation of migration controls in 'partner' countries such as Turkey, Libya and Niger. It highlights the direct negative impact of current EU migration controls on migrants themselves, who are often caught in a vicious cycle of detention and abuse between authorities and security actors in a range of EU-supported 'buffer' countries. It also looks at the broader systemic implications of EU migration policy for instability and conflict at Europe's borders in the longer term. The report concludes with broad recommendations for a shift in policy towards an approach that: reinforces and delivers the rights of migrants and people in host countries by prioritising their safety over the protection of borders; and reorients EU migration policy away from the current numbers game towards one which is more aligned with existing EU commitments to human rights, conflict prevention and sustainable development. Migration into Europe has fallen since 2015, when more than one million people attempted maritime crossings. This decrease follows the EU and European governments' narrow focus on reducing migrant numbers and the externalisation of border security measures and migration controls to its borderlands and wider neighbourhood. On numbers alone, the policy could be considered 'effective'. However, the policy 'outsources' migration controls to a range of state and non-state third parties who are largely unaccountable and often employ coercive methods including arrest, detention and forced returns to contain and control migrants. This puts people at risk in both migrant and host communities and fuels a damaging and ultimately self-defeating system that rewards abusive behaviour and fuels instability on Europe's borders. The policy is set to continue as part of the EU strategic agenda for 2019 to 2024.

Details: London: Saferworld, 2019. 76p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 18, 2019 at: https://www.saferworld.org.uk/resources/publications/1217-partners-in-crime-the-impacts-of-europeas-outsourced-migration-controls-on-peace-stability-and-rights

Year: 2019

Country: Europe

Keywords: Abuse of Authority

Shelf Number: 157021


Author: Europol

Title: Do Criminals Dream of Electric Sheep?: How Technology Shapes the Future of Crime and Law Enforcement

Summary: The advent of so-called disruptive technologies -those that fundamentally alter the way we live, work and relate to one another - provides criminals with new ways to pursue their illegal goals, but also equips law enforcement with powerful tools in the fight against crime. To remain relevant and effective, it is necessary for law enforcement authorities to invest in understanding and actively pursuing new, innovative solutions. Europol has published today a report, which will serve as a basis for future discussions between Europol, EU law enforcement and their stakeholders. Some of the emerging technologies include Artificial Intelligence (AI), quantum computing, 5G, alternative decentralised networks and cryptocurrencies, 3D printing and biotech. These are set to have a profound impact on the criminal landscape and the ability of law enforcement authorities to respond to emerging threats. The disruption comes from the convergence between these new technologies, the previously unseen use cases and applications, and the challenges posed by existing legal and regulatory frameworks. The report aims to identify the security threats associated with this and points to ways for law enforcement to use the opportunities brought by these technologies to combat crime and terrorism. It also highlights the pivotal role of the private sector and the importance of law enforcement to engage more with these actors. Furthermore, it is of paramount importance that the voice of law enforcement is heard when legislative and regulatory frameworks are being discussed and developed, in order to have an opportunity to address their concerns and needs, particularly with regard to the accessibility of date and lawful interception. Europol can deliver additional value in an age of rapid digital technological development by increasingly engaging in expertise coordination and collective resource management, which avoids unnecessary duplication of resources and expertise at national level. The Europol Strategy 2020+ set out for the organisation to support the Member States by becoming a central point for law enforcement innovation and research.

Details: The Hague, The Netherlands: Europol, 2019. 24p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 24, 2019 at: https://www.europol.europa.eu/newsroom/news/do-criminals-dream-of-electric-sheep-how-technology-shapes-future-of-crime-and-law-enforcement

Year: 2019

Country: Europe

Keywords: Artificial Intelligence

Shelf Number: 157041


Author: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA)

Title: Technical Report: Drug Prevention: Exploring a Systems Perspective

Summary: This report considers substance use prevention in Europe through the lens of a system, highlighting the wide range of factors that need to be addressed to successfully implement substance use prevention programmes and policies. They are considered from different viewpoints by practitioners, policymakers and researchers. Systems thinking may have the potential to unify these differing perspectives within a single model.

Details: Lisbon, Portugal: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, 2019. 41p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 2, 2019 at: http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/system/files/publications/10403/EMCDDA%20Technical%20report_Drug%20prevention%20systems.pdf

Year: 2019

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Abuse

Shelf Number: 157093


Author: Agenzia Italiana del Farmaco

Title: Operation Volcano: The Herceptin Case

Summary: Summary of the biggest investigation on pharmaceutical crime held in Europe in recent years: stolen and falsified medicines, sourced from Italian hospitals and from other illegal chains, were recycled in the EU distribution network. This White Paper was submitted to the EC and published by AIFA.

Details: Rome, Italy: Agenzia Italiana del Farmaco, 2015. 57p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 2, 2019 at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/303445021_Operation_Volcano_-_The_Herceptin_Case

Year: 2015

Country: Europe

Keywords: Drug Theft

Shelf Number: 157097


Author: Castelluccia, Claude

Title: Understanding Algorithmic Decision-Making: Opportunities and Challenges

Summary: The expected benefits of Algorithmic Decision Systems (ADS) may be offset by the variety of risks for individuals (discrimination, unfair practices, loss of autonomy, etc.), the economy (unfair practices, limited access to markets, etc.) and society as a whole (manipulation, threat to democracy, etc.). We present existing options to reduce the risks related to ADS and explain their limitations. We sketch some recommendations to overcome these limitations to be able to benefit from the tremendous possibilities of ADS while limiting the risks related to their use. Beyond providing an up-to-date and systematic review of the situation, the report gives a precise definition of a number of key terms and an analysis of their differences. The main focus of the report is the technical aspects of ADS. However, other legal, ethical and social dimensions are considered to broaden the discussion.

Details: Brussels, Belgium: European Parliamentary Research Service, 2019. 104p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 3, 2019 at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=EPRS_STU(2019)624261

Year: 2019

Country: Europe

Keywords: Algorithmic Decision

Shelf Number: 158114


Author: Denef, Sebastian

Title: Worldwide Mapping of Best Practices and Lessons Learnt

Summary: This report summarizes best practices and lessons learned for social media use in public security. The goal of this report is to create an inventory of best practices, lessons learned, and roles and responsibilities, to analyse specifically how social media is being used by police and other public security planners, within and outside Europe. By providing an overall description, we aim to spark discussions and provide a common language for social media use in the field of public security planning. Using data from academic literature review, the review of blogs, books, existing best practice descriptions and expert knowledge this report compares social media practices. Inspired by Christopher Alexander's work on 'pattern languages' for urban spaces and buildings, we analysed the data and looked for patterns. To further refine our findings, we presented the practice patterns to social media and security experts and interviewed them about their perspective and current practices. As a result, we identified 69 practice patterns that describe and structure the use of social media for public security (Figure 1). The patterns are structured in three groups, describing how (1) law enforcement agencies (LEAs), such as the police, (2) citizens and (3) criminals, are using social media and impact public security. With 49 patterns, the focus of this work is on group (1), the social media use of LEAs. Each pattern has a unique name (written in capital letters) and describes a solution to a recurring problem or context. Following an image and a very concise summary of the pattern, this deliverable provides links to online resources that detail the given practices. The patterns have been designed to be printed and shared as an input for workshops and strategic discussions of practitioners and public security planners. Patterns link to other patterns and thereby form groups. The main groups for LEAs are the use of social media for INTELLIGENCE, ENFORCING THE LAW, CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS and ENGAGEMENT & COMMUNICATION. Additionally, we describe a range of SOCIAL MEDIA FOUNDATION practices that allow organisations to prepare themselves and sustain the use of social media. Reflecting on this work, we show that typically LEAs start their social media efforts by implementing the INFORMING CITIZENS pattern, which has become a quasi standard. LEAs widely acknowledge the benefits of using social media for ENFORCING THE LAW, especially in crisis situations. With regards to SOCIAL MEDIA MONITORING and CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS the scope and technological depths of adaptation varies. While already common practice in selected countries, such as the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, a more interactive COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, typically points to more experience in using social media, as it requires organizational change that empowers local officers to publicly post and interact digitally with citizens. Other practices such as ONLINE PATROL are still in its infancy and require LEAs to establish a visible presence in online spaces. While selected patterns are widely used and feature many examples, other practices have only been applied in selected contexts and are at an experimental stage. We thus do not consider this work a static theory. Instead, we understand our report as a snapshot of current practices that will and should evolve. Beyond this deliverable, we are currently looking into providing a version of the patterns online, to allows for that evolution to happen. Discussing our results with practitioners showed that our descriptions cover their current practices. It also revealed the need for future research to provide more insights into the how, beyond social media, organizations can innovate and cope with the increasing speed of technological innovation. As we detail in the end of the report, this practice report is a compilation showing the great potential of social media for public security. It should not be confused with a report on the state of current state of social adaptation. Indeed, our work indicates that adoption greatly varies and most LEAs have yet to define their role and responsibilities in digitised societies.

Details: S.L.: MEDIa4SEC, 2019. 161p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 3, 2019 at: http://media4sec.eu/downloads/d1-2.pdf

Year: 2019

Country: Europe

Keywords: Community Engagement

Shelf Number: 158116