The mission of ICPC is to promote safer and healthier societies and communities through the application of strategic and evidence-led programmes and initiatives which aim to reduce and prevent offending and victimization and to support international norms and standards, in particular the UN Guidelines on the prevention of crime (1995 and 2002). It encourages countries, cities and institutions to invest in prevention rather than relying on more costly criminal justice responses to crime.
Since it was created ICPC has worked closely with UN-HABITAT and its Safer Cities Programme in particular, and with UNODC (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime), both of which are members of the Centre. ICPC is also a member of the Programme Network Institutes affiliated with the UN Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (UNODC), a network of institutions around the world which aim to assist Member States and the work of the Commission.
Its main working languages are English, French and Spanish.