Result of Service
The Consultant (Strategic Crime and Justice Trends Analyst) will conduct a comparative analysis of findings from UNICRI's regional crime and justice trends studies, distilling cross-cutting trends and patterns and identifying areas requiring further research or strategic attention and produce a written output articulating findings
Expected duration
April – June 2026
Duties and Responsibilities
United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI) is a United Nations entity established in 1968 to support countries worldwide in preventing crime and facilitating criminal justice. UNICRI is mandated to assist intergovernmental, governmental and non-governmental organizations in formulating and implementing improved policies in the field of crime prevention and criminal justice. UNICRI' s goals are: • to advance understanding of crime-related problems; • to foster just and efficient criminal justice systems; • to support the respect of international instruments and other standards; • to facilitate international law enforcement cooperation and judicial assistance. Starting in 2026, UNICRI will commence the process to develop and adopt its 2027-2030 Strategic Programme Framework, which set out the institute’s strategic priorities and guides and informs the its work. In line with this effort, UNICRI launched a research initiative in 2024 to analyze current and emerging crime and criminal justice trends at a regional level and to extrapolate interregional insights and key take-aways from a global perspective. This exercise is aimed at ensuring that its work for the coming strategic cycle is grounded in evidence and aligned with global crime and criminal justice trends and Member States needs and priorities. Under the supervision of the Programme Officer, the incumbent will perform the following tasks: • Conduct a comparative review of the nine regional crime and criminal justice trends reports in order to identify cross-cutting trends, emerging patterns, and key areas of interregional convergence and divergence. • Develop a concise analytical synthesis distilling the global relevance of the regional findings, including the identification of major interregional linkages and dynamics shaping contemporary crime and criminal justice challenges. • Identify key knowledge gaps and areas requiring further research or analytical attention, and support the translation of these findings into operational research priorities for consideration by UNICRI management. • Prepare a written output presenting the global synthesis of findings, including insights relevant to UNICRI’s future research and programmatic work. • Prepare a supporting presentation summarizing the key findings and strategic implications for engagement with external stakeholders.
Qualifications/special skills
An advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in criminology, international relations, security studies, political science, law, or a related field is required. A first-level university degree combined with two additional years of relevant professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced degree. At least 10 years of progressively responsible experience in crime prevention and criminal justice is required. Experience in developing cross-regional analyses is required. Experience working at a strategic level is required. Demonstrated experience leading criminal justice research and producing analytical outputs intended to inform policy or strategic planning is required. Substantive expertise across multiple crime areas, such as organized crime, terrorism, violent extremism, cybercrime, corruption, or environmental crime, is highly desirable. Prior work with international organizations or within multilateral frameworks is considered an asset.
Languages
For this position, fluency in oral and written English is required.
Additional Information
Not available.
No Fee
THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.
