Crime prevention and criminal justice issues have been a concern of the United Nations since its early days, Recent decades have seen the widespread appearance and growth of transnational organized crime and there is an increasing need for international cooperation to address this problem. The United Nations works to set standards for fair and efficient criminal justice systems and to prevent criminal acts in a range of ways, to defend the rights of offenders and their victims, to counter corruption, trafficking and the illicit drug and arms trade and international terrorism.

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, (UNODC) - coordinates this work.

The ECOSOC Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice 
functions as an advisory body to the General Assembly and other UN entities and assists in the preparations of the UN Crime Conferences held every five years.  

The United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI) - conducts research and provides technical assistance and documentation and information.