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International Classification of Crime for Statistical Purposes

The International Classification of Crimes for Statistical Purposes (ICCS) is a tool for the classification and subsequent quantification of crimes for statistical purposes. It is based on internationally agreed upon concepts and principles under a logical framework that attributes to hierarchical criminal categories that have a certain degree of similarity in conceptual, analytical and public policy areas. The objective of the ICCS is to improve the international consistency and comparability of criminal statistics and to improve the capacity for analysis at both the national and international levels.

The United Nations Statistical Commission adopted the International Classification of Crimes for Statistical Purposes during its 46th Session, held between the 3rd to the 6th of March 2015 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. Subsequently, the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice adopted it at its 24th Session held in the city of Vienna from the 18th to the 22nd of May 2015.

The ICCS was developed as an initiative of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime under the Roadmap to improve the quality and availability of crime and criminal justice statistics conducted alongside the National Institute of Statistics and Geography of Mexico (INEGI).

This Classification was built after two rounds of conferences in which 77 countries participated through their National Statistical Offices and criminal justice system authorities, who provided specific inputs to determine the structure and content of the Classification. The Center of Excellence for Statistical Information on Government, Crime, Victimization and Justice has collaborated in various stages of the development of the Classification and will continue with said efforts in order to facilitate its implementation within the Latin American and Caribbean region.