Is it possible to create democratic forms of policing in transitional and developing societies? This volume argues that policing models and practices promoted by the west are often inadequate for adoption by countries making democratic transitions because they do not adequately address issues such as human rights, equity, co-production, accountability, openness and organizational change. Therefore police reform is often limited to a "one size fits all" approach. The book expands the dialogue so that discussions of democratic policing around the world are more realistic, comprehensive and sensitive to the local context. Detailed case studies on Iraq, South Africa, Northern Ireland and Kazakhstan provide a realistic assessment of the current state of policing. The editors use the studies to suggest how to promote democratic policing and other important goals of democratic reform around the world. The volume will assist academics, policy makers, NGOs and others in tailoring a local democratic policing strategy within a broader framework to enhance socioeconomic development and citizen capacity, build social capital, reduce various forms of conflict and support human rights.

Contents:

The volume, intended to function as an academic debate-book, began as a workshop on Human Rights and the Police in Transitional Countries held in March 2001 in Hillerød, Denmark. The workshop, which was funded by the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, brought together practitioners and academics from Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America to discuss common experience from the context of transition, which characterises all of them. These discussions take place along four themes, i.e. the transitional context, governance and rule of law; police and civil society; education and training; and the police organisation and reform, international intervention and aid. In addition to a number of key papers on general and theoretical aspects, each section contains a number of illustrative examples of how these issues express themselves in a large number of countries. Finally, the book sums up a catalogue of findings and recommendations in relation to the promotion of human rights in transitional countries and the role of the police in this work.

"Understanding policing, a resource for human rights activists gives background information on policing issues for human rights advocates working on policing and those considering embarking on such work. This resource book is based on the premise that in order to intervene effectively in police conduct, it is essential to have a thorough understanding of policing and the context in which it takes place: both the legal standards guiding police work as well as the practical methodologies developed by police to implement these. Armed with this understanding human rights advocates can make an assessment of police agencies in specific contexts. Such an assessment is vital both to developing an effective research and campaigning strategy for the improvement of police compliance with human rights, and to deciding whom to target whether to follow a confrontational and/or engagement approach."--p. 4 of cover.

This book provides an updated overview of current international human rights law relating to the police. Around the globe, the police have a special responsibility for the protection of human rights. Police work is governed by national rules and in addition, in today’s world, by the evolving international human rights standards. As a result of the ever-developing case law of international courts and other bodies, the requirements of human rights law on policing have become more and more detailed and complex in recent years. Bringing together a variety of distinguished authors from academia, police forces and other government authorities, the human rights movement, and international organizations, the book discusses topical issues, including the use of deadly force, the prevention of torture, effective investigations, the protection of personal data, and positive obligations of the police.

This training resource has been developed by the Commonwealth Secretariat to promote a human rights-based approach to policing. It has been designed for use by police and law-enforcement trainers in Commonwealth countries in designing, developing, conducting and evaluating police training programmes at all levels. It will assist trainers to build human rights standards and considerations into regular police training.The manual includes chapters on policing and human rights in the context of counter-terrorism and dealing with the human rights responsibilities of prisons and penitentiary officers. Edited versions of the core applicable human rights institutions and UN codes of conduct have been included for ease of reference.

How will a unified Korea respond to the Kim regime's crimes against humanity? Will North and South Korea be able to reconcile their differences after being divided for so long? Will China, the US, Japan, Russia, and U.N. drive the process? This book examines the challenges associated with Korean unification and human rights accountability.