Heuni

HEUNI, the regional institute for Europe, was established through an Agreement between the United Nations and the Government of Finland, signed on 23 December 1981. HEUNI operates as an independent unit under the auspices of the Finnish Ministry of Justice.

The primary objective of HEUNI is set in the Agreement and it is the promotion of international exchange of information on crime prevention and control among European countries. This is realised by the organization of meetings, the conduct of research and the provision of technical assistance to Governments on request.

Throughout the years, HEUNI has fulfilled its mandates only with slight changes in priority, depending on the person of the Director at different times. HEUNI has had three directors and the forms of activities have been a reflection of each of them in turn.

During the tenure of the first director and the founder of the Institute, Professor Inkeri Anttila (1982-1987), the focus was on the broad picture on holding major European conferences and on creating visibility, credibility and stability as well as, at that time, on finding common ground between the countries with different socio-economic systems. 

Dr Matti Joutsen’s term (1987-2000) saw the period of perestroika and the collapse of the Soviet Union with all its consequenses. It was also the time of smaller expert meetings and a period of rapid growth in international technical assistance.HEUNI also took an active part in the development of the United Nations Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Programme which led to the replacement of the UN Crime Committee with the politically strong Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice in 1991.

Presently, with Mr Kauko Aromaa as director (2000- ), research has come to play a great role in HEUNI’s agenda. Staff members take active part in the research projects which are often carried out with various partners from the European countries and, following the contemporary trend, financed by extra-budgetary resources. Hence, HEUNi is able to provide timely information on various aspects of crime, both on traditional and emerging issues.

In addition, HEUNI produces reports and other documents for widespread dissemination and grants scholarships for European junior researchers and practitioners.