Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice

Topic A: Monitoring the International Weapon Market: How Do We Achieve a Safe World? 

International arms trafficking makes up 10-20% of total monetary exchange across the globe (IMF). Most illegal weapon exchanges happen in Western Asia. Most notably, the countries of Syria, Iraq, and Yemen  (Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime). Conflicts within these areas and the rise of organized crime groups contribute to their higher weapon index of 7.25 compared to the average 4.92 internationally (Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime). Here, weapons range from small handguns to larger explosives. There are international laws in place to help reduce illegal weapons exchange. For example, the Arms Trade Treaty established in 2014 primarily prevents the trade of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons, but sets other international trading conventions for most other weapons (Audiovisual Library of International Law). Though there are international arms regulations in place to regulate exchanges, illegal firearm traffickers are on the rise. Terrorism, civil war, gang violence, and political conflicts are reasons for this increase. Individual groups often look for firearms for security within a conflict and will often look to illegal markets for convenient access. (The Illicit Market In Firearms, United Nations). The United Nations does not discourage weapons owned by nations as long as they are purchased legally. This condition exists so that governments can maintain global security. Often, illegal purchases of weapons lead to global breaches of security. For example, in 2021, the United States pulled American military forces from Afghanistan in an effort to end the ongoing war. However, in the process of the removal, many American weapons were left behind. An Islamic-state group, the Taliban, took control of Afghanistan. Now, this group is using and selling American weapons illegally and sharing them with other militant groups, such as Al-Qaeda, to further proliferate weapons in the area (Fahrenkopf). These groups have access to illegal and unregulated weapons that may pose a threat to the human rights of civilians and the security of the globe. In debate, delegates will discuss the legality and necessity of firearms. How can nations ensure the legality of their weapons purchases? If they are purchased legally, is it safer for nations to have more or less weapons? The UN favors disarmament, but the stances of individual countries vary widely. Delegates should consider how their nation purchases, utilizes, and distributes weapons in their area and to whom. It is the mission of CCPCJ to crackdown on weapons trafficking and consider security norms around the globe. 

Topic B: Effectiveness and Ethics of Capital Punishment as Justice

Capital punishment is a form of justice used around the globe by various nations. This form of punishment refers to the legal death of someone convicted of a crime. It first originated in the 18th Century B.C within the Code of Hammurabi. King Hammurabi made certain crimes punishable by drowning. Later, Britain adopted the death penalty under King Henry VIII. They used new methods of capital punishment such as beheading, burning, and at the stake, and hanging. British use of this penalty later influenced the new colonies in the United States to also adopt execution as a form of justice. Today, some examples of this punishment include lethal injection, hanging, shooting, and electrocution. Throughout the world, countries use the death penalty for high crimes, such as rape and murder, rather than misdemeanors. Governments use execution as a deterrence tactic to prevent more high crime. If leaders can scare the population into thinking that they will be executed if they commit a certain crime, the crime rate will decrease. In addition, capital punishment is used as a moral justification for high crime. If someone is murdered, for example, some governments feel that the murderer must be executed as an eye for an eye to reciprocate damages caused and to provide closure for victims’ loved ones. However, many governments are debating the moral and ethical implications of capital punishment. As of 2023, more than 70% of countries have abolished capital punishment (Death Penalty Information Center), but countries like the United States, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, and China continue to lead executions globally (Amnesty International).  Is it ethically sound for a government to sanction a killing that would be an illegal act otherwise? Morally, should a high crime be treated by committing another high crime? In terms of effectiveness, both sides argue different points. Nations that use the death penalty believe that it creates closure for crime and suffering and deters potential perpetrators. However, governments against the death penalty feel that execution of a murderer, for example, creates a cycle of death that may violate human rights rather than closure. According to Amnesty International, “this claim [deterrence] has been repeatedly discredited, and there is no evidence that the death penalty is any more effective in reducing crime than life imprisonment”.  The CCPCJ is committed to abolishing capital punishment as a form of justice because it is a violation of human rights given through international law. Nations in this committee will explore the rights provided through international law, how capital punishment impacts those rights, and the socioeconomic implications this punishment has on marginalized groups. 

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