A/CONF.187/5 B. Other trends coupled with its recent glamorization in the fashion and pop culture industries are the likely cause of an increase in 14. Various national reports indicate other interesting the illicit demand for and a supply of heroin patterns In New Zealand, for example, recorded crime 16. There is growing concern over the"new"dangers dropped 2.5 per cent in 1998 compared with the figure for associated with synthetic drugs. The World Drug Report 1997. The National Commissioner of Police attributed the indicates that the amount of seized synthetic drugs decrease to the increased commitment of police staff, worldwide increased annually by 16 per cent in the period additional frontline staff provided by the Government of 1978-1993. Many popular synthetic drugs, such as New Zealand and efforts of the community and partner sedatives and amphetamine-type stimulants, are produced agencies. In Nigeria, the Inspector General of Police from various licit precursors in clandestine laboratories in ordered his staff to develop new strategies to deal with the nearly all parts of the world. Therefore, while the illicit perceived upsurge in crime in the country. The increase demand for the more"traditional "and"natural"drugs was attributed to the ability of criminals and criminal such as heroin and cocaine, is restricted to reasonably well- groups to recognize and adapt to the traditional crime defined regions, new illicit drugs are consumed by a much prevention techniques of police. That view has been more widespread addict population. echoed by the many criminal justice officials worldwide who acknowledge that criminals, particularly those 17. Market forces are also playing a significant role in organized into networks and syndicates, have an ability to the illicit firearms trade. According to the United Nations International Study on Firearm Regulation, while nearly enter the illicit drug trafficking market in South ting to all countries employ some mechanism to regulate the Africa possession, sale, use and production of and trade in were met by unexpected competition from South African firearms, the illegal market is growing. For example, in drug trafficking groups that had been feuding and western Africa, over 2 million people-90 per cent ofthem competing with one another. South African law civilians-have been killed by small arms since 1990.In enforcement officials had notexpected the cohesion shown Uganda, an AK-47 assault rifle on the black market sells by the local drug trafficking groups or their solidarity for about the same price as a chicken. Nearly 40 per cent of against the influx of Nigerian criminals the worldwide flow of small arms is attributed to illicit trafficking. Moreover, developing countries account for 15. Market forces have generated criminal activity where nearly 70 per cent of all illicit firearms purchases there was little or none some years ago. One example is the Expanded political unrest and civil war are likely to have increased demand for certain illicit goods, such as contributed to the trend narcotics. Information collected by the Illicit Crop Monitoring Programme and the various field offices of the United Nations International Drug Control Programme C. Crime and political change (UNDCP), indicates that global opium production increased by as much as 50 per cent in 1999, with 18. Crime trends can be affected by political instability production levels nearly doubling in Afghanistan. Coca change and strife. The Russian Federation and South production estimates, however, appear to be more stable. Africa are examples of countries that are experienc There is evidence to suggest that these patterns may be significant social and political change. Such change driven by social likes and dislikes, or fads, just as many presents opportunities for scholars and criminal justice other licit markets are created, expanded and dissolved. officials to improve their understanding of criminal Crack"cocaine, for example, appears to be one of the activity, particularly the activities of criminal syndicates consumer products" that have fallen into disfavour or have gone out of fashion. Heroin use, on the other hand 19. There have been frequent daily reports of corruption seems to be experiencing an upswing. Varieties of heroin in the Russian Federation. One report described the misuse with a high purity level that can be snorted or smoked are of an International Monetary Fund loan of$4.8 billion in experiencing expanded use among those who formerly 998. The funds were designed to help stabilize the considered intravenous injection to be taboo. These more Russian economy and the rouble which had been unde ocially acceptable methods of heroin consumption pressure as a result of investors removing their funds. The extent of wrongdoing is being debatedA/CONF.187/5 7 B. Other trends 14. Various national reports indicate other interesting patterns. In New Zealand, for example, recorded crime dropped 2.5 per cent in 1998 compared with the figure for 1997. The National Commissioner of Police attributed the decrease to the increased commitment of police staff, additional frontline staff provided by the Government of New Zealand and efforts of the community and partner agencies.6 In Nigeria, the Inspector General of Police ordered his staff to develop new strategies to deal with the perceived upsurge in crime in the country. The increase was attributed to the ability of criminals and criminal groups to recognize and adapt to the traditional crime prevention techniques of police. That view has been echoed by the many criminal justice officials worldwide who acknowledge that criminals, particularly those organized into networks and syndicates, have an ability to modify their criminal activities according to market needs and demands. Nigerian criminal networks attempting to enter the illicit drug trafficking market in South Africa were met by unexpected competition from South African drug trafficking groups that had been feuding and competing with one another. South African law enforcement officials had not expected the cohesion shown by the local drug trafficking groups or their solidarity against the influx of Nigerian criminals. 15. Market forces have generated criminal activity where there was little or none some years ago. One example is the increased demand for certain illicit goods, such as narcotics. Information collected by the Illicit Crop Monitoring Programme and the various field offices of the United Nations International Drug Control Programme (UNDCP), indicates that global opium production increased by as much as 50 per cent in 1999, with production levels nearly doubling in Afghanistan. Coca production estimates, however, appear to be more stable. There is evidence to suggest that these patterns may be driven by social likes and dislikes, or fads, just as many other licit markets are created, expanded and dissolved. “Crack” cocaine, for example, appears to be one of the “consumer products” that have fallen into disfavour or have gone out of fashion. Heroin use, on the other hand, seems to be experiencing an upswing. Varieties of heroin with a high purity level that can be snorted or smoked are experiencing expanded use among those who formerly considered intravenous injection to be taboo. These more socially acceptable methods of heroin consumption coupled with its recent glamorization in the fashion and pop culture industries are the likely cause of an increase in the illicit demand for and a supply of heroin. 16. There is growing concern over the “new” dangers associated with synthetic drugs. The World Drug Report7 indicates that the amount of seized synthetic drugs worldwide increased annually by 16 per cent in the period 1978-1993. Many popular synthetic drugs, such as sedatives and amphetamine-type stimulants, are produced from various licit precursors in clandestine laboratories in nearly all parts of the world. Therefore, while the illicit demand for the more “traditional” and “natural” drugs, such as heroin and cocaine, is restricted to reasonably well￾defined regions, new illicit drugs are consumed by a much more widespread addict population. 17. Market forces are also playing a significant role in the illicit firearms trade. According to the United Nations International Study on Firearm Regulation, 8 while nearly all countries employ some mechanism to regulate the possession, sale, use and production of and trade in firearms, the illegal market is growing. For example, in western Africa, over 2 million people—90 per cent of them civilians—have been killed by small arms since 1990. In Uganda, an AK-47 assault rifle on the black market sells for about the same price as a chicken. Nearly 40 per cent of the worldwide flow of small arms is attributed to illicit trafficking. Moreover, developing countries account for nearly 70 per cent of all illicit firearms purchases. Expanded political unrest and civil war are likely to have contributed to the trend. C. Crime and political change 18. Crime trends can be affected by political instability, change and strife. The Russian Federation and South Africa are examples of countries that are experiencing significant social and political change. Such change presents opportunities for scholars and criminal justice officials to improve their understanding of criminal activity, particularly the activities of criminal syndicates. 19. There have been frequent daily reports of corruption in the Russian Federation. One report described the misuse of an International Monetary Fund loan of $4.8 billion in 1998. The funds were designed to help stabilize the Russian economy and the rouble, which had been under pressure as a result of investors removing their funds. The extent of wrongdoing is being debated