Seminar on
LEGAL RESPONSES TO GLOBAL CRIME
Ambassador Dr Ugljesa Ugi Zvekic
Seminar Purpose and Scope
The purpose of this course is to provide the students with a
comprehensive understanding of international legal responses to the
trends and challenges of global crime in the modern global world. The
presentation and discussion will be placed within the context of the
current geopolitical framework.
The seminar will give students a snapshot of the main global crime
manifestations for the purpose of analyzing the form, causes, costs, risks
and prevention and judicial/law enforcement international legal anticrime landscape.
The main global crime manifestations today are organized crime linked.
Therefore, following the introductory discussion of the geopolitical
global configuration, students will explore each crime manifestation
from two interrelated perspectives:
first, the main characteristics, forms, trends and challenges posed by
each crime, and
second, international United Nations legal preventive and judicial/law
enforcement remedies put in place to respond to the above challenges.
Particular emphasis of the course will be placed on students’ ability to
explore, analyze and articulate the manifold links of international nature
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among global crime manifestations and actors, on the one hand, and the
international cooperation as the basis for a comprehensive legal
responses, on the other.
Seminar Design and Outline
The course syllabus is meant to provide students with the knowledge of
and skills to analyze the emerging risks and costs of global crime trends
and threats and how to use the United Nations legal instruments as a
framework for an effective international cooperation in crime prevention
and control.
Each seminar module consists of two layers: the morphological and the
legal as follows below:
 Introductory lesson: Geopolitical Relations and Trends Today
I module: Transnational Organized Crime
 Lesson 1: Transnational Organized Crime (TOC) Threats
 Lesson 2: International Responses to TOC Threats (UNTOC /Palermo/
Convention)
II module: Drugs
 Lesson 3: Production, Trafficking and Consumption of Drugs
 Lesson 4: International Responses to Drug Challenges: Is the
Legalization Issue a Geopolitical Issue? (UN Drug Conventions)
III module: Human Trafficking and Smuggling of Migrants
 Lesson 5: Human Trafficking and Smuggling of Migrants
 Lesson 6: International Responses from Geopolitical Perspective
(UNTOC Protocols)
IV module: Arms
 Lesson 7: Illicit Arms Trade
 Lesson 8: International Responses ( The Arms Trade Treaty)
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V module: Global Corruption
 Lesson 9: Global Corruption from Geopolitical Perspective
 Lesson 10: International Responses to Corruption (UNCAC Convention
/Merida/ and regional conventions)
 Conclusive lesson: Challenges of New Global Crime Issues and
International Responses
Seminar Learning Objectives
At the end of the Seminar, the successful students will:
 understand main features of global crime manifestations
 understand the most relevant legal principles of the United Nations
international anti-crime legislation
 explore how certain geopolitical configurations shape global crime
configuration
 analyze the impact of geopolitical relations on the framing of the UN
international anti-crime legislation
 be aware of main issues related to an effective international cooperation in
crime prevention and control
 improve general comprehension of the global world
 Increase the ability to discuss, present and defend particular perspective in
English.
Class Methodology
Classes will be using the interactive mode with introductory presentation by the
instructor, followed by discussion, student presentation and group work.
It is expected from the students to attend the class regularly; to be punctual; to be
focused; to participate and to interrupt the instructor for clarifications.
Students must be familiar with the assigned readings BEFORE the class.
Students will be asked to do group assignments to be presented in the class: usually
one group will explore the crime issues, and the other, the legal response issues.
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Assessment
Attendance in class is compulsory. Student must attend no less than 2/3 of
scheduled classes.
The evaluation of student’s achievement of the learning objectives will be done on
a pass/fail basis taking into consideration the familiarity with requested reading;
the level of participation in class discussion and group work, and the shown ability
to explore, analyze and understand the main issues dealt with at the Seminar.
Core Readings & Reference Material (all available on Internet)
United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (2003)
supplemented by:
• The Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons,
especially Women and Children (2003)
• The Protocol against Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air (2004)
• The Protocol against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in
Firearms, their Parts and Components and Ammunition (2005)
United Nations Convention against Corruption (2005)
Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961 as Amended by the 1971 Protocol
Convention on Psychotropic Substances (1972)
United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and
Psychotropic Substances (1988)
Arms Trade Treaty (2013)
UN Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in
Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects (2001)
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Suggested Readings (all available on Internet)
(Other readings may be suggested for specific modules)
World Drug Report (2014)
Transnational Organized Crime Threat Analysis (2011)
Global Report on Trafficking in Persons (2012)
Transparency International Report (2014)
Small Arms Survey Yearbooks (2011 – 2014)
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