A/CONF.187/5 has initiated an effort to curb"cyber-stalking(using the have expanded their activities world wide to pose a genuine Internet, e-mail or other electronic communication devices threat to the international community. Criminal groups to stalk another person). Moreover, technological have established networks in their home countries, as well advances are used to enhance age-old crimes. A number of as abroad in an effort to carry out activities more individuals have been defrauded through advance-fee effectively in both licit and illicit markets. They are now schemes perpetrated by Nigerian nationals using the able to infiltrate financial, economic and political systems Internet and e-mail addresses. Other methods include u of countries all over the world. Sophisticated criminal new graphics and printing technology to falsify docum techniques, including the use of highly skilled individual such as passports and visas such as lawyers and accountants, have left law enforcement personnel struggling to contain the new diversity of criminality. Moreover, criminal groups often resort to Ill. Reducing and preventing crime extreme violence and fear tactics in their efforts to break he will of citizens and law enforcement personnel 27. The collection of data and other information on crime 30. The Global Studies on Transnational Organized trends, victimization, criminal justice systems, organized Crime are developing mechanisms to better understand criminal groups and illicit market dynamics is essential to such concerns. The Centre for International Crime developing strategies aimed at reducing and preventing Prevention has launched a pilot survey, entitled"United crime. The United Nations Crime Prevention and Criminal Nations transnational organized crime assessment form Justice Programme is leading the international community in a number of countries, including Australia, Barbados, with a wide-ranging strategy that brings together legal, Canada, Colombia, the Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, preventive and operational components. Firstly, the year Jamaica, Japan, the Netherlands, the Russian Federation, 2000 is expected to witness the completion and signing of South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States the United Nations Convention against Transnational The pilot survey is an attempt to obtain data and other rganized Crime, as well as three additional legal information on the activities of organized criminal groups instruments: on trafficking in persons, especially women and children; on the smuggling of migrants and on the 31. Many countries share a common legal definition of illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in firearms. The what is considered to be an organized criminal group(for Convention and its three protocols will provide a common example, a group composed of three or more individuals, legal framework for international cooperation aimed at driven by the pursuit of profit, suspected of committing or ighting serious cross-border criminality. Secondly, the having committed serious criminal offences and existing Centre for International Crime Prevention is assisting the for a prolonged or indefinite period of time). In the pilot Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice in survey, the respondents were asked to provide their own the elaboration of draft elements of responsible crime definition of organized crime and its characteristics prevention. fInally, the Centre has started to expand its (according to their experience and the particular features operational and field presence as Governments are looking assumed by organized criminal groups in their respective more and more to the United Nations for assistance in countries)and to test the survey on the most prominent addressing new and emerging kinds of crime organized criminal group based in the country in the last three years. " Most prominent " was defined as, inter alia the group most frequently written about in the media and Major concerns in crime prevention most often targeted by the police or prosecution. The effort is part of the ongoing work of the Centre for International 28. Organized crime, corruption and trafficking in human Crime Prevention to better understand the phenomenon of beings are the major concerns of the international organized crime with a view to assisting Governments in community in the field of crime prevention. The same coordinating their crime prevention strategies. In addition issues are the focus of the global programmes of the within the framework of the assessment project, a research United Nations Crime prevention and Criminal Justice study is expected to be carried out on Nigerian organized criminal groups active in member States of the Economic 29. In the last decade, organized criminal groups have Community of West African States, with particular emphasis on their links to france taken advantage of new criminal markets. As a result, theyA/CONF.187/5 9 has initiated an effort to curb “cyber-stalking” (using the Internet, e-mail or other electronic communication devices to stalk another person).11 Moreover, technological advances are used to enhance age-old crimes. A number of individuals have been defrauded through advance-fee schemes perpetrated by Nigerian nationals using the Internet and e-mail addresses. Other methods include using new graphics and printing technology to falsify documents such as passports and visas. III. Reducing and preventing crime 27. The collection of data and other information on crime trends, victimization, criminal justice systems, organized criminal groups and illicit market dynamics is essential to developing strategies aimed at reducing and preventing crime. The United Nations Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Programme is leading the international community with a wide-ranging strategy that brings together legal, preventive and operational components. Firstly, the year 2000 is expected to witness the completion and signing of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, as well as three additional legal instruments: on trafficking in persons, especially women and children; on the smuggling of migrants; and on the illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in firearms. The Convention and its three protocols will provide a common legal framework for international cooperation aimed at fighting serious cross-border criminality. Secondly, the Centre for International Crime Prevention is assisting the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice in the elaboration of draft elements of responsible crime prevention.12 Finally, the Centre has started to expand its operational and field presence as Governments are looking more and more to the United Nations for assistance in addressing new and emerging kinds of crime. Major concerns in crime prevention 28. Organized crime, corruption and trafficking in human beings are the major concerns of the international community in the field of crime prevention. The same issues are the focus of the global programmes of the United Nations Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Programme. 29. In the last decade, organized criminal groups have taken advantage of new criminal markets. As a result, they have expanded their activities worldwide to pose a genuine threat to the international community. Criminal groups have established networks in their home countries, as well as abroad in an effort to carry out activities more effectively in both licit and illicit markets. They are now able to infiltrate financial, economic and political systems of countries all over the world. Sophisticated criminal techniques, including the use of highly skilled individuals such as lawyers and accountants, have left law enforcement personnel struggling to contain the new diversity of criminality. Moreover, criminal groups often resort to extreme violence and fear tactics in their efforts to break the will of citizens and law enforcement personnel. 30. The Global Studies on Transnational Organized Crime are developing mechanisms to better understand such concerns. The Centre for International Crime Prevention has launched a pilot survey, entitled “United Nations transnational organized crime assessment form”, in a number of countries, including Australia, Barbados, Canada, Colombia, the Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, the Netherlands, the Russian Federation, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States. The pilot survey is an attempt to obtain data and other information on the activities of organized criminal groups. 31. Many countries share a common legal definition of what is considered to be an organized criminal group (for example, a group composed of three or more individuals, driven by the pursuit of profit, suspected of committing or having committed serious criminal offences and existing for a prolonged or indefinite period of time). In the pilot survey, the respondents were asked to provide their own definition of organized crime and its characteristics (according to their experience and the particular features assumed by organized criminal groups in their respective countries) and to test the survey on the most prominent organized criminal group based in the country in the last three years. “Most prominent” was defined as, inter alia, the group most frequently written about in the media and most often targeted by the police or prosecution. The effort is part of the ongoing work of the Centre for International Crime Prevention to better understand the phenomenon of organized crime with a view to assisting Governments in coordinating their crime prevention strategies. In addition, within the framework of the assessment project, a research study is expected to be carried out on Nigerian organized criminal groups active in member States of the Economic Community of West African States, with particular emphasis on their links to France