Costa Rica outlines the adoption of the International Classification of Crime for Statistical Purposes through the COMESCO

On October 9-10, the Center of Excellence in Statistical Information on Government, Crime, Victimization and Justice UNODC-INEGI gave the workshop “The International Classification of Crime for Statistical Purposes (ICCS): Progress and challenges for Costa Rica”.

Organized jointly by the Center of Excellence, the Inter-Institutional Technical Commission on Coexistence and Citizen Security Statistics (COMESCO) of Costa Rica, and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) through its InfoSegura Project, the workshop focused on analyzing the main challenges for the adoption of ICCS at the national level and within each of the institutions of the criminal justice system.

With a total of 40 participants, the workshop was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Justice and Peace, through the Observatory of Violence of the Vice Ministry of Peace (Vicepaz); the Ministry of National Planning and Economic Policy (MIDEPLAN); the Ministry of Public Security (MSP); the National Institute of Statistics and Censuses (INEC); the Judicial Power; the Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ); the Costa Rican Institute on Drugs (ICD); the Institute on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (IAFA); the Ministry of Public Education (MEP); the Ministry of Health; the Road Safety Council (COSEVI); the Institute of Social Studies in Population (IDESPO); the State Distance University (UNED); the Foundation for Peace and Democracy (FUNPADEM); and the United Nations Latin American Institute for the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders (ILANUD).

In addition to familiarizing with the Classification and conducting crime mapping exercises, attendees had the opportunity to learn about the progress in the adoption of this international instrument by Colombia, Mexico and Panama. At the end of the workshop, the COMESCO discussed the needs that each institution must address within to achieve a full adoption and generation of statistical information in the medium term. With the support of the Center of Excellence, COMESCO will develop a 2019 National Implementation Plan as part of UNDP’s InfoSegura Project.