The impact of illicit drug networks on the effectiveness of law enforcement in South Africa

In the past few years, South Africa has experienced an enormous increase in the amount and types of illicit drug manufacturing, distribution and use. This has resulted in an increase in the burden of crime and health risks in the community. The patterns of drug availability and drug use have been linked to regional and country variations, socio-economic status, racial and geographical differences. Because of the dramatic increase in the availability of various illicit drugs, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime World Drug Report (2012) identified South Africa as one of the drug centres of the world. This raises concerns about whether law enforcement agencies perform their functions effectively. This paper focuses on the illicit drug networks that hinder the effectiveness of law enforcement in South Africa. The modus operandi used to produce and smuggle illicit drugs and the challenges experienced by law enforcement to prevent and combat illicit drugs will be discussed. The data was collected through in-depth interviews with experts within the criminal justice system in South Africa. The study conducted in 2017/ 2018 in terms of the scientific measurements, has adopted a qualitative approach. Data was collected from a target population consisting of 11 SAPS drug-related crime experts, including members of the SAPS specialised detectives of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), crime intelligence members, border police, the International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL) and commanders at ports of entries. A documentary study was used as a secondary method of data collection. Data obtained from interviews were analysed by identifying common themes from the respondents' descriptions of their experiences.

Scaling the Children Immunization App (CIMA) to Support Child Refugees and Parents in the Time of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Social Capital Approach to Scale a Smartphone Application in Zaatari Camp, Jordan

Background Children vaccination is a key intervention for their survival, especially among refugees. Yet, children vaccination registration is done manually in refugees camps and there is no possibility to send reminders to parents to come back on time. We aimed to boost the parental registration of children’s vaccination records on a Children Immunization app (CIMA) while also availing the parents with useful parenting skills under COVID-19-related stress. Methods We incorporated United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Parenting Skills under COVID-19 information material, through CIMA in Arabic and English languages. We recruited 1100 children in February–March 2021, through a community health promotion dissemination approach. A team of two nurses from the local population and two volunteers (one trained nurse and one trained social worker), from the camp, was formed. They promoted the CIMA app at two clinics and through households visits in Zaatari refugee camp. Qualitative data on impressions and observations of the interactions with the Zaatari camp community were also collected. Results A total of 1100 children, up to 15 months of age, eligible for vaccination were enrolled in CIMA, whereby the staff explained the content of the app in terms of vaccination schedule, health promotion materials for vaccination and parenting skills to their caregivers. During the household visits, the volunteers identified a total of 70 children that have incomplete history of vaccination records (n = 42/70 girls, 60%). Also, opportunities and challenges for scaling the app were documented. Conclusion The scaling of CIMA as an innovative means of dissemination of risk and health information in challenging context such as refugee camps was feasible. In the context of vaccination needs for children, in refugee settings, such a need is more eminent, particularly in the context of COVID-19.

On the Definition, Legal Essence and Classification of Electronic Information Used Within the Framework of International Cooperation in Criminal Matters

The article is devoted to the analysis of such a complex and multifaceted legal phenomenon as „electronic information“. The aim of the research is to define the concept and legal nature of such information. The analysis is based on materialistic dialectics, legal hermeneutics, special and comparative legal methods, a sociological approach and a forecasting method. The study shows that the doctrine and practice lacks a unified approach to understanding electronic information in criminal cases, often the concept of „electronic information“ is confused with „electronic evidence“, while losing sight of its criminal procedural application. Author comes to the conclusion that there is no legislative definition of the concept of “electronic evidence” and it is still possible to operate with the term “electronic information” today, taking into account its cross-disciplinary purpose, respectively, the author’s definition of this concept is proposed. In addition, an attempt was made to determine the types of electronic information in criminal cases, including those requested in the framework of international cooperation, namely, the provision of mutual legal assistance. As an empirical basis for the study, we used the materials contained in the Practical Guide for Requesting Electronic Evidence from Other Countries, prepared jointly by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, the Executive Directorate of the UN Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee and the International Association of Prosecutors in collaboration with the EuroMed Justice programs and Euromed Police.

Correction and resocialization of convicts and related concepts

Correction and resocialization of convicts today is a stable legal structure that has been repeatedly used in legal acts and leading research. Meanwhile, historically, “correction” has been used in domestic law alongside “re-education”. “Rehabilitation” and “reintegration” are familiar to international law. The mixing and unsystematic application of the above and a number of other legal terms is not uncommon, which encourages a more detailed study of their essence and relationship between them. The article is devoted to the research of the terms “correction”, “education”, “resocialization”, “social adaptation”, “social rehabilitation” and “reintegration”. The authors set out to focus on a generalized study of: 1) the historical context, 2) the period of existence of legal relations, defined by the relevant term, 3) the essence and content, 4) features of regulation and based on analysis of the provisions of current legislation and views in the scientific literature to outline the boundaries of each of the above terms and indicate the features of their relationship. To conduct the widest possible analysis, the authors used the current legislation of Ukraine, domestic and foreign scientific literature, dictionaries, draft laws, provisions of ECtHR decisions, and documents prepared by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime. The analysis was conducted taking into account not only the criminal-executive understanding of the above concepts, but also their philosophical, social, political, medical and so on. According to the results of the research, a generalized understanding of each of these terms was formed and compared with each other. The authors came to the conclusion that the current legislation needs to be modernized and brought in line with international regulations, where instead of “correction” and “resocialization” of convicts use the terms “social rehabilitation” and “reintegration”.

Sex trafficking, victimisation and agency: The experiences of migrant women in Malaysia

<p>Malaysia has criminalised sex work. However, its geographic location, porous borders and proximity to major trade and traffic routes have ensured a growth in sex trafficking activities. As a result, the ‘United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime’ and the ‘United States Trafficking in Persons Report’ have categorised Malaysia as a destination, transit and source point for sex trafficking in Asia. In response to such categorisations, Malaysia has ratified the (Palermo) ‘Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons Especially Women and Children’ and structured its anti-trafficking laws around prosecution, protection and prevention (referred to as the ‘3P’ policy). This thesis shows that the enforcement of victim-protection policies is carried out in contradictory ways in Malaysia. Trafficked women are portrayed as victims in need of care and protection, but also as individuals who have violated immigration laws and engaged in ‘immoral’ acts. This results in state practices that (re)victimise women through policing, immigration and court processes which are often deeply stressful, traumatising and violent. Punitive practices – including ‘state and rescue’ operations and long-term detention – have been legitimised and branded as ‘victim protection’. In this context, the thesis argues that current policies and practices represent a continuing form of violence against migrant women in Malaysia. Based on in-depth qualitative interviews, the thesis draws upon the stories of twenty-nine women who have been arrested and detained on the basis of their sex trafficked status as well as the perspectives of twelve anti-trafficking professionals involved in delivering the 3P policy. In doing so, the thesis shows how women are subject to prolonged victimisation at the hands of both traffickers and state authorities. However, it also provides an understanding of the ways in which ‘sex-trafficked’ women exercise courage, strength and resiliency in the face of the continuing harms against them. By demonstrating the nuances of agency throughout women’s migration experiences, the thesis challenges the stereotypical understanding of an ‘ideal’ victim of trafficking – commonly linked to images of passivity, weakness and worthiness. By providing an insight into women’s experiences of sex-trafficking and state ‘protection’, the thesis develops a more nuanced account of agency. Thus, the thesis argues that the state’s prevention of sex-trafficking as well as the protection of trafficked women cannot be progressively advanced without a fuller appreciation of women’s dual ‘victim’ and ‘agent’ identities. The thesis explores the implications of these findings on developing ‘anti-sex trafficking’ policies towards women in Malaysia.</p>

Sex trafficking, victimisation and agency: The experiences of migrant women in Malaysia

<p>Malaysia has criminalised sex work. However, its geographic location, porous borders and proximity to major trade and traffic routes have ensured a growth in sex trafficking activities. As a result, the ‘United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime’ and the ‘United States Trafficking in Persons Report’ have categorised Malaysia as a destination, transit and source point for sex trafficking in Asia. In response to such categorisations, Malaysia has ratified the (Palermo) ‘Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons Especially Women and Children’ and structured its anti-trafficking laws around prosecution, protection and prevention (referred to as the ‘3P’ policy). This thesis shows that the enforcement of victim-protection policies is carried out in contradictory ways in Malaysia. Trafficked women are portrayed as victims in need of care and protection, but also as individuals who have violated immigration laws and engaged in ‘immoral’ acts. This results in state practices that (re)victimise women through policing, immigration and court processes which are often deeply stressful, traumatising and violent. Punitive practices – including ‘state and rescue’ operations and long-term detention – have been legitimised and branded as ‘victim protection’. In this context, the thesis argues that current policies and practices represent a continuing form of violence against migrant women in Malaysia. Based on in-depth qualitative interviews, the thesis draws upon the stories of twenty-nine women who have been arrested and detained on the basis of their sex trafficked status as well as the perspectives of twelve anti-trafficking professionals involved in delivering the 3P policy. In doing so, the thesis shows how women are subject to prolonged victimisation at the hands of both traffickers and state authorities. However, it also provides an understanding of the ways in which ‘sex-trafficked’ women exercise courage, strength and resiliency in the face of the continuing harms against them. By demonstrating the nuances of agency throughout women’s migration experiences, the thesis challenges the stereotypical understanding of an ‘ideal’ victim of trafficking – commonly linked to images of passivity, weakness and worthiness. By providing an insight into women’s experiences of sex-trafficking and state ‘protection’, the thesis develops a more nuanced account of agency. Thus, the thesis argues that the state’s prevention of sex-trafficking as well as the protection of trafficked women cannot be progressively advanced without a fuller appreciation of women’s dual ‘victim’ and ‘agent’ identities. The thesis explores the implications of these findings on developing ‘anti-sex trafficking’ policies towards women in Malaysia.</p>

International legal mechanism for ensuring the right of women prisoners to health.

The article provides a comprehensive analysis of international legal acts regulating the right of women prisoners to health; focuses on problematic issues that need to be addressed, including: creating a safe environment for the health of women prisoners, provision of medical care, protection during the COVID-19 pandemic. The article highlights provisions of the following universal and regional acts of a general nature, which regulate the provision of medical care to prisoners and establish special rules on the status of women prisoners: the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (the Mandela Rules) (1955 amended); European Prison Rules (2006); the United Nations Rules for the Treatment of Women Prisoners and Non-custodial Measures for Women Offenders (the Bangkok Rules) (2010). The materials of the international specialized structures of the United Nations, in particular the World Health Organization, namely its European Regional Office, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, etc., which focus on ensuring the right of women prisoners to health, have also been considered. They are: “Health in prisons. A WHO guide to the essentials in prison health” (2008), “Women’s health in prison. Action guidance and checklists to review current policies and practices” (2011), “Prisons and Health” (2014), Joint Statement of International Global Health Institutions, during the COVID-19 Pandemic (2020), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime position paper outlining COVID-19 preparedness and responses in prisons etc. The emphasis is placed on practical significance of the webinars “Building Networks Behind Prison Walls” initiated by the United Nations and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, which exchange positive practices, develop common approaches to prevention and treatment of certain diseases, continuity of providing medical care for those in need after release, reintegration of prisoners after release into local communities. Relevant conclusions and recommendations have been made in order to improve the situation in the area of ensuring the right of women prisoners to health and the provision of medical care.

India will be increasingly key to Asian drug cartels

Significance The UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has warned that India’s north-east is becoming a major hub for the regional drug trade. Asian drug cartels have long relied on India as a source of drug precursors, the chemicals used in narcotics manufacture. Impacts Pandemic-related hardship will prompt a rise in consumption of relatively cheap drugs such as methamphetamine in the region. Drug cartels based in India and elsewhere in South and South-east Asia will rely increasingly on online platforms to conduct their business. The different states in India’s north-east will struggle to coordinate their efforts to crack down on drug trafficking.

REVIEW OF ILLEGAL TRAFFICKING IN WEAPONS AND AMMUNITION IN UKRAINE ACCORDING TO OPEN SOURCES (2020)

The article provides an analysis of crime related to firearms, ammunition and explosives. It is written based on the results of the study of information on this category of crimes collected in open sources (law enforcement websites and media news resources). In contrast to the departmental statistics and narrative reports that serve certain tasks of law enforcement agencies, the present analysis attempts to describe additional qualitative characteristics for this category of crimes in order to identify more specific trends and determine the impact of the situation in south-eastern Ukraine caused by the armed aggression of the Russian Federation. Relying on his experience of work in the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) projects, the author of the study attempts to adapt and apply the principles of collecting of qualitative information from open sources, which are used to collect information on drugrelated crimes for the Drug Monitoring Platform in the Afghan Opiate Trade Project (AOPT). The study covers all types of crimes related to firearms, ammunition and explosives, both those in which the weapon is the subject of a crime (illegal possession, sale, smuggling), and crimes in which a weapon or explosive used as an instrument of crime (murder, attempted murder, armed robbery, property damage, hooliganism). The study also includes cases of illegal use of traumatic firearms, which within the existing criminal legislation of Ukraine are classified as hooliganism. The article provides summary table on prices for certain types of weapons and ammunition in the regions of Ukraine based on the results of successful operations of weapons purchasing realized by law enforcement agencies. In general, the materials presented in the article are an additional source of criminalistics information and can serve as a basis for further analysis and research. The article is a logical continuation of an article published last year based on the results of the 2019 study.

Punishment of Criminals of Trafficking in Persons: Legal Perspective on International Guidelines and Indonesian Practices

The background of this study is that penalization is not only oriented towards the perpetrators of crimes of trafficking in persons but also oriented to the interests of victims and the community so that criminal justice aims to integrally protect various interests. The study aims to identify the punishment of criminals of trafficking in persons based on the interests of victims in Indonesian court practices as outlined by some regulations and the international community as outlined by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC). Considering that the study is a transnational crime, the point of view used in this study is clear to analyse the perspective of the national community and the ‎international community. Hence, the standard ‎measuring instrument used the perspective of international justice and its practical implementation by the Indonesian court. By using the library research method, the results showed that trafficking crimes are considered serious crimes by the international community. In regulating human trafficking, every country has laws regarding trafficking crimes by the applicable legal system. The theoretical contribution of this study is that each human trafficking crime case has different characteristics due to the condition of the perpetrator, the victim, the situation when the trafficking crime was committed. Therefore, as a practical contribution, the Indonesian court considers these factors which can be considered as a weighting or a reduction in sentence. The problem is incriminating and mitigating factors that must be considered in imposing penalties against traffickers. The study offers originality in investigating the factors which are burdensome and mitigate in imposing crimes against traffickers. The findings underline the principle of criminalization as the basis for imposing penalties on perpetrators of trafficking in persons by taking into account the factors of weighting and mitigation of punishment, in which the proportional principle takes precedence in addition to the other principles.