Summary and some links

Issues for the sustainable governance of crime prevention-
ICPC’s 10th anniversary Colloquium

ICPC was created in 1994 at the initiative of the governments of France, Canada and Quebec, but the main impetus came from France more specifically Mr. Gilbert Bonnemaison. It is for this reason that the 2004 Colloquium was held in France. And what better setting than the Cité Internationale to welcome some 150 participants from more than 30 countries and five different continents. It also fell to the Délégation interministérielle à la Ville to open the Colloquium. In her opening presentation Ms. Claude Brevan, the Interministerial Delegate, recalled how prevention policies and action at the city level in France have been at the heart of city policies since the Interministerial Delegation was founded in 1989. Ms Brevan also underscored the need for international exchange to enhance the effectiveness of these approaches further. Ms. Raymonde Dury and Mr. Luc Crépeault, respectively President of the Board and President of the Advisory and Policy Committee of ICPC member governments, highlighted the achievements of ICPC in establishing itself as a leader in crime prevention on the international arena in less than a decade, and of the governments who support it.

The first thematic session set out the issues at stake. Mr. Daniel Sansfaçon, Acting Director General of ICPC, underlined how crime prevention policies can transform a national security policy into policies which focus on the governance of collective security. (pdf link to the English and French versions). These multi-disciplinary and participatory approaches reflect the major concerns underlying the efficient governance of civil security. Mr. Michel Marcus, Executive Director of the European Forum for Urban Security, outlined the evolution of crime and crime policies in the countries of the European Union. Mr. Jan Van Dijk, Deputy Director of UNICRI, recalled that crime prevention is based on inclusive and social measures, rather than penal ones. He also referred to the state of knowledge on effective practices, and the institutionalisation of crime prevention in an era of globalization. 

The Colloquium was organized around three main themes: local governance, national governance and international governance. Each theme was introduced by an opening presentation, followed by case studies from different ICPC member governments. Professor Tim Hope, of the University of Keele in England, and a member of ICPC’s Scientific Committee, spoke about local governance. and the difficulties of ensuring sustainable governance of crime prevention policies at the local level.  He analyzed three examples of crime reduction strategies from England . In each case, the key lay in a flexible approach that responded to local needs. For his part, Professor Yves Cartuyvels, from the Facultés universitaires Saint-Louis (Belgium), examined the issues of national governance. He proposed the adoption of an integrated collective security approach at the local level, and discussed some of the problems stemming from this prevention model. Finally, Professor Franz Vanderschueren, from the University of Hurtado in Chile, who has extensive experience as Coordinator of UN-Habitat’s Safer Cities Programme, discussed the issues relating to international governance. He underscored the importance of extending the debate on local governance , and the challenges of international governance. He also stressed the importance of disseminating practice between cities, and forging alliances between donors and the international support structures. 

In the closing session, speakers attempted to give a forecast for the future. Ms. Véronique Fayet, Assistant Mayor of Bordeaux, who is responsible for security issues talked about the challenges but also the benefits of local authorities working more closely with their citizens. Mr. Jean-Pierre Titz, of the Council of Europe, reviewed the recommendations of the Council of Ministers on the implementation of policies to reduce everyday violence, which will be released in 2005. Ms. Margaret Shaw, Director of Analysis and Exchange at ICPC, outlined the links with the forthcoming workshop on crime prevention which ICPC is organizing, during the 11th UN Congress on Prevention and Criminal Justice in Bangkok (18-25 April 2005) (See February issue of the IO).

Finally,  Ms. Brevan spoke on behalf of Mr Daubresse, the Minister of the Interministerial Delegation, and underlined how the Colloquium had demonstrated once again our capacity to approach security and prevention issues calmly, and with a pragmatism and modesty. She drew five conclusions from the meeting, notably the central role which the state must play in the implementation of prevention policies at the local level, and on the importance of targeting action in association with civil society and its citizens.

Proceedings of the Colloquium will be available in May on the official web site of the Interministerial Delegation, and on ICPC’s web site. They will help to take the measure of where we have come from and what remains to be accomplished in the more effective construction of collective security at the community level.

We would like to thank our indefatigable collaborators at the Interministerial Delegation who organized the Colloquium, and the meetings of ICPC’s governance committees, which were all a great success, and in particular the contributions of Mr. Ali Haroune and Mr. Bernard Ribiollet.