1. Criminal Law Network

2. Contents Background: Criminal Law Network The Process of the REMJA
The Working Group in Mutual Penal Assistance and Extradition
Criminal Law Network
Purpose
Background
Composition
Secure Electronic Communication System
Features, scope and training
New developments

3. Background ¿What are the REMJAs? ¿Who participates?
Criminal Law Network
Background
¿What are the REMJAs?
(1997) Most important hemispheric political and technical forum in matters related to the strengthening of and access to justice and international legal cooperation in areas associated with mutual assistance in criminal matters; extradition; penitentiary policies; cyber crime; forensic sciences; among others.
¿Who participates?
The Ministers of Justice or other Ministers, or Attorneys General of the Americas (REMJA).

4. Background ¿How many REMJAs have been held?
Criminal Law Network
Background
¿How many REMJAs have been held?
REMJA I (Buenos Aires, 1997)
REMJA II (Lima, 1999)
REMJA III (San Jose, 2000)
REMJA IV (Port Spain, 2002)
REMJA V (OAS headquarters, 2004)
REMJA VI (Santo Domingo, 2006)
REMJA VII (Washington, DC, 2008)
Next REMJA VIII (Brasil, 2010)

5. Background Some areas in which progress has been made:
Criminal Law Network
Background
Some areas in which progress has been made:
Reforms to the justice system: CEJA
Transnational Organized Crime
Cyber crime
Mutual Penal Assistance and Extradition
Traffic in persons
Penitentiary policies
Forensic sciences
Developments in criminal mutual assistance and extradition
The Working Group in Mutual Penal Assistance and Extradition
The Criminal Law Network

6. The Working Group Integration: Purpose:
Criminal Law Network
The Working Group
Integration:
Central Authorities in charge of international legal cooperation and other governmental experts with responsibility for mutual criminal assistance and extradition in member states of the OAS
Purpose:
Serve as the principal hemispheric forum to strengthen cooperation, facilitate the exchange of information and experiences como el principal foro hemisférico para fortalecer la cooperación, facilitar el intercambio de información y de experiencias and issue the necessary recommendations to that effect.

7. The Working Group “CRIMINAL LAW NETWORK" Developments and mandates:
Process of Meetings:
I Meeting (Ottawa, Canada, 2003)
II Meeting (Brasilia, Brazil, 2005)
III Meeting (Bogota, Colombia, 2007)
IV Meeting (San Salvador, El Salvador, 2009)
Principal development:
“CRIMINAL LAW NETWORK"

8. Criminal Law Network Purpose: Background:
Increase and improve the exchange of information between member states of the OAS in the area of criminal mutual assistance and extradition.
Background:
REMJA III (San Jose, 2000) – Establish a Network.
III Summit of the Americas (Québec, 2001) - Reiterate the establishment of a network.
REMJA IV (Port Spain, 2002) – Development of a private site.
REMJA V (OAS, 2004) - Adoption of the Criminal Law Network.
REMJA VI y VII - Consolidation of the Criminal Law Network.

9. Criminal Law Network Composition: Public Component:
Online free database to obtain legal information about member states.
Private Component:
Useful information for the persons directly involved in judicial cooperation.
Secure Component:
Informatic tool to manage a safe and collaborative environment.

10. Criminal Law Network Public Component:
Introduction to the legal system of each state.
Description of the judicial system and administration of justice.
Current versions of fundamental legal texts.
Procedures of cooperation with and of the state
Standard documents for the filing of request.
Applicable legislation, judicial decisions and documents.
Bilateral and multilateral treaties in force.
Electronic informative bulletin.

11. Criminal Law Network

12. Criminal Law Network Private Component: Information about meetings
Directory of Central Authorities
Surveys
Questionnaries and their responses
Glossary

13. Criminal Law Network Secure Electronic Communication System: Features:
Facilitate secure communications
Confidenciality of information:
No centralized database
No member states has control of its application
SG/OAS does not have access to the information conveyed
Platform
Microsoft Office Groove

14. Criminal Law Network Secure Electronic Communication System:
Features (continued…)
Facilitates a secure communication between geographically disperse computers
Encryption of data (security is always present – it is not optional)
Information is confidential
There is no central database
Users decide with whom they share information (work spaces)

15. Criminal Law Network Secure Electronic Communication System:
Current scope: 30 countries (+ 130 users)
Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Belize
Bolivia
Brazil
Canada
Chile
Colombia
Costa Rica
Dominica
Ecuador
El Salvador
United STates
Grenada
Guatemala
Guyana
Haiti
Honduras
Jamaica
Mexico
Nicaragua
Panama
Paraguay
Pera
Dominican Republic
St. Kitts and Nevis
Suriname
Trinidad and Tobago
Uruguay
Venezuela

16. Criminal Law Network

17. Microsoft Office Groove 2007
Criminal Law Network
Criminal Law Network
Secure Electronic Communication System:
Training:
“E-Learning”
Microsoft Office Groove 2007
5 Units
Learning tool
Online assistance
Mean for permanent update
Complements in-person training sessions:

18. Criminal Law Network New developments:
Electronic form for requests for mutual assistance
New contact lists
Glossaries of legal terms in mutual penal assistance and extradition (4 official languages)
System of Secure Videoconference

19. Secretariat for Legal Affairs Departament of Legal Cooperation
Criminal Law Network
Thank you
General Secretariat
Secretariat for Legal Affairs Departament of Legal Cooperation