Organized crime does not stop at the prison gate. Criminal networks continue operating from inside prisons, recruiting members, intimidating or corrupting staff, and staying connected to their networks outside.
This week in Skopje, at a conference organized by the OSCE Mission to Skopje and the U.S. Embassy, international practitioners and experts are looking at how to effectively stop this.
"The United States will not tolerate those who aid and abet transnational organized crime, corruption, or drug trafficking. We have demonstrated this through concrete action, including holding corrupt officials accountable when they abuse public trust to shield criminal networks, and we will continue to do so," said Nicole Varnes, Chargé d'Affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Skopje.
Ambassador Kilian Wahl, Head of the OSCE Mission to Skopje, highlighted: "The better we understand how criminals operate from within prisons, the more efficient we will be in fighting their networks."
Minister of Internal Affairs Panche Toshkovski stressed the need for a joined-up response across the criminal justice system: "From prevention and investigation to prosecution, trial and the execution of sentences, institutions must see organized crime as a shared challenge."
Minister of Justice Jeton Shasivari underlined the importance of integrity, calling for: "More integrity. Stronger oversight. Zero tolerance for corruption."
Effective prevention depends on intelligence gathering and exchange, as well as seamless co-operation between prisons, police and prosecutors.
The conference brings together international practitioners and experts to exchange experiences and approaches to tackling organized criminal activity linked to prisons and to strengthen co-operation across the criminal justice system.
