The International Centre for Criminal Law Reform and Criminal Justice Policy was founded as part of the United Nations Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Programme. The Centre seeks to improve the quality of justice, while upholding democratic principles, the rule of law, and respect for human rights in criminal law and in the administration of criminal justice. It aims to achieve this at domestic, regional, and global levels. The primary role of the Centre is to provide advice, research, information and proposals for policy development and legislation, and therefore focuses on knowledge and information.
Created by UN General Resolution 46/152 in 1991, the Programme sought to provide a means of assistance for more effective crime prevention with more humane justice, as well as helping to establish global norms for crime prevention and criminal justice. The Programme Network includes two interregional institutes - the Centre in Vancouver, and one in Rome - as well as many regional institutes around the world.
The Vancouver based Centre is a joint-initiative between the University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University, and the International Society for the Reform of Criminal Law. The Government of Canada and the province of British Columbia are also significant contributors. The Centre is a non-for-profit organization, and is supported by foundations, academic institutions, governments and individuals. It is located at Allard Hall.