National criminal justice systems are realizing the challenges of existing within a globalized world. The States response to all forms of crime (international, transnational, domestic) includes the challenges of combating new emerging forms of crime, international cooperation and the dimensions of the development/security/justice agenda.

Transnational organized criminal groups are trafficking increasing quantities of drugs, firearms, counterfeit products, stolen natural resources and people. Migrant smuggling continues to be a threat and contributes to the state of illegal sexual exploitation, forced labor and organ harvesting. In addition to these forms of physical abuse economic crimes such as piracy and money laundering are operating across borders.

The response in many nations has been to expand the extraterritorial application and enforcement of domestic criminal laws and to increase mechanisms of international cooperation in the areas of extradition, mutual legal assistance and information-sharing. Nations are also beginning to question the use and abuse of the criminal law through decriminalization movements and the creation of international corrections programs. At the multi-lateral level, a permanent international criminal court has been established and there are renewed calls for various internationalized tribunals to address piracy. Countries continue to seek guidance on when and how domestic courts should exercise universal jurisdiction and best practices for the appropriate use of criminal law and incarceration.

How do judges, prosecutors, policy-makers, representatives of law enforcement agencies and concerned citizens make sense of this shifting reality? How can we best formulate the criminal law and policy response to these challenges moving forward?

This October the International Society for the Reform of Criminal Law’s (ISRCL) (www.isrcl.org) 25th International Conference will explore these issues in conjunction with a Program Online Registration Registration Form Speakers joint program of the American Bar Association Criminal Justice Section (http://www.americanbar.org/groups/ criminal_justice.html) on the Friday of the conference.

PLENARIES AND WORKSHOPS WILL FOCUS ON:

• International action to combat national and transnational crime: An overview of the work of the UNODC and its institutes
  
• Challenges to international cooperation: Claims of extraterritorial jurisdiction, policy conflicts and issues affecting international cooperation
  
• Human trafficking – Migrant smuggling: threats to the states of illegal entry, sexual exploitation, forced labour and organ harvesting
  
• Terrorism, national security and criminal justice responses
  
• The role of whistle-blowers in addressing economic crime
  
• Decriminalization
  
• International Corrections Programs
  
• Over-criminalization and over reliance on incarceration
  
• Challenges of prosecuting and defending criminal cases brought in the US for conduct overseas
  
• Update on federal sentencing and policy

WHO SHOULD ATTEND

This conference will bring together the leaders of the legal and criminal justice systems including judges, legislators, lawyers, corrections officers, law enforcement representatives, academics and governmental officials – all who work actively in the administration of criminal justice in their own jurisdictions and internationally.

CALL FOR PAPERS

We hereby invite persons interested in presenting a paper, participating in a plenary or workshop, or who wish to propose a workshop to submit a short abstract or workshop concept for consideration by the organizing committee. The deadline for submission of abstracts (no more than 350 words and including a title) is August 1st, 2012. Abstracts will be reviewed within two weeks of submission. Conference proceedings may be published in a peer reviewed conference publication. Please submit your abstracts to secretariat@isrcl.org & icclr@law.ubca.ca.

We look forward to receiving your abstracts and hope you will join us in Washington, DC in October 2012.

Conference Secretariat

International Society for the Reform of Criminal Law
Suite 1000, 840 Howe Street
Vancouver, B.C. V6Z 2M1, Canada
Tel: + 1 604 643-1252
Fax: + 1 604 643-1200
e-mail: secretariat@isrcl.org & icclr@law.ubca.ca
Website: www.isrcl.org