Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice CCPCJ

The Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice is a functional commission of the United Nations Economic and Social Council. The commission serves as the primary body that decides policy of the United Nations in the field of crime prevention and criminal justice. Some of its historical goals have been to combat national and transnational crime, as well as to improve the fairness of criminal justice systems worldwide. The agenda for this session of the CCPCJ will focus on Algorithmic Bias in Predictive Policing Tools and Prison Labor and Human Rights Standards.

Topic A: Implementation of Predictive Policing Tools
With the recent rise of AI and machine learning in everyday life, these powerful tools have begun operation in sensitive fields such as policing, with the development of predictive technologies to detect patterns of crime around the world. However, the integration of AI and machine learning in policing raises significant ethical, privacy, and human rights concerns. While powerful, predictive technologies can inadvertently reinforce biases, using poisoned datasets from police departments that historically disproportionately target marginalized communities and ethnic minorities around the world. Compared to academic modeling and training, there is also little regulation and transparency on how these models operate, undermining trust and stoking fears of targeting and discrimination. Furthermore, future reliance on AI-powered predictive systems raises questions about accountability, especially when algorithms make decisions that impact the lives of individuals without clear oversight or accountability. In this committee, delegates will be tasked with addressing the ethical implications of AI in policing and exploring how predictive technologies can be regulated to ensure fairness, transparency, and accountability. Delegates will discuss ways to prevent biased persons and data from influencing AI models and propose frameworks for oversight that safeguard privacy and civil liberties.

Topic B: Prison Labor and Human Rights Standards
An often-ignored group of stakeholders within human rights movements, prisoners pose a dilemma for policymakers, as historical ignorance (both purposeful and accidental) has led to the creation of various loopholes, allowing the use of prisoners as free labor. These inconsistencies within law and policy, along with the lack of representation for the interests of prisoners, have led to the systemic abuses of human rights within prisons. As such, human rights in the context of prison are necessary to prevent further perpetuation of harm on people within prison systems. This can be a foundational step to moving towards a justice system focused on rehabilitation and reintegration of prisoners into society. Critically, the topic will include discussions of best practices in prisons, the oversight necessary to ensure human rights standards are met in prison, and the necessity to demystify the topic of prisoner rights both within the law and within larger societal discourse.

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