The Observatory on Academic Criminology Programs operates under the auspices of the International Society for Criminology.
The International Society for Criminology's objective is to promote activities and research designed to further a better understanding of the crime phenomenon on an international scale. The Society also helps to promote the prevention of crime as well as improve the procedures used by the various criminal justice systems. These activities, therefore, focus both on scientific and practical issues.
Established in 1938, the International Society for Criminology is a non-governmental organization with nearly one thousand members, all at senior levels (scholars, judges, criminal justice administrators, etc.). The Society enjoys an advisory status at the UN and the Council of Europe, participates in the UNESCO's work, and is represented by a national delegate in almost fifty countries. It is primarily the responsibility of individual states to prevent and control crime. It is nonetheless necessary to realize the importance of closer international cooperation in criminological research in order to improve every society's response to current challenges of crime. A great deal of energy and imagination is being used for research on modern forms of crime prevention and control because it is important to be able to guarantee the stability of societies and ensure the protection of individuals the world over. The contribution to this research made by international organizations is particularly precious and the UN's worldwide efforts as well as the Council of Europe's regional efforts are substantial. The action undertaken by non-governmental organizations such as the International Society for Criminology must also be emphasized.