The
Institute
The Siracusa International Institute for Criminal Justice and Human Rights is an Italian not-for-profit foundation dedicated to education, training and research in the fields of international and comparative criminal justice and human rights.
The Siracusa International Institute for Criminal Justice and Human Rights is an Italian not-for-profit foundation dedicated to education, training and research in the fields of international and comparative criminal justice and human rights.
Established in Siracusa (Italy) in September 1972 by the International Association of Penal Law (AIDP/IAPL), in cooperation with the City, Province, and Chamber of Commerce of Siracusa (subsequently, a Convention was entered into with the Sicilian Region), the Siracusa International Institute is acknowledged by a Decree of the President of the Republic of Italy of 16 May 1980. It was formerly known as “International Institute of Higher Studies in Criminal Sciences” (ISISC).
The Institute enjoys consultative status with the United Nations and participatory status with the Council of Europe. In 1992, the Institute signed a special cooperation agreement with the United Nations Office in Vienna and became one of the nineteen organizations comprising the United Nations Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Programme Network.
Throughout its history, the Siracusa International Institute has organized 793 conferences, training and educational seminars and meetings of experts attended by 67,653 jurists from 173 countries and 527 universities.
It has also collaborated with 60 intergovernmental organizations, numerous Italian and foreign governmental bodies, 69 non-governmental organizations and 77 civil society organizations worldwide.
These activities have resulted in 154 published volumes of scholarly and scientific research, as well as conference proceedings relating to international criminal justice, comparative criminal law, human rights and country-specific issues of criminal law and procedure. These publications are in English, Italian, French, Spanish, Arabic and Dari.
Our
Mission
The main objective of the Siracusa Institute is to contribute to international peace and security through the effective implementation of criminal law and criminal justice, and to promote the rule of law and the protection of human rights in criminal justice systems worldwide.
It works towards the establishment of international criminal justice and ending impunity of international crimes such as genocide and crimes against humanity.
By educating, organizing specialization courses, conducting research projects and providing technical assistance in the fields of international law and human rights, the Siracusa Institute goal is to make criminal justice not an aspiration but a reality.
The Institute’s long tradition of fostering dialogue among public institutions at the national and international level makes it a valuable partner of the United Nations, the Council of Europe, the European Union, foreign governments as well as Italian authorities in achieving common goals such as the protection of migrants, facilitating international cooperation and promoting a culture of full respect for human rights.
The scientific program carried out by the Institute is conducted under three macro-areas of interest which represent its fundamental pillars:
- International Criminal Law and Human Rights;
- Rule of Law Assistance;
- Transnational Threats
