The Emerging System of International Criminal Law

This text asks how far the world has come in creating a system of international criminal law. As global society grows ever more interdependent, international crime is increasingly regarded as a serious threat. The international community needs to produce more comprehensive solutions to prevent, punish and deter crimes under international law. In this book, the author focuses on recent developments in codification and implementation to evaluate prospects for the emergence of a unified system of international criminal law, characterized by a broad and coherent material coverage, as well as fair and effective institutional implementation. He describes the contours of international criminal law, exploring the history, content and legal status of the relevant norms against the background of the work of the International Law Commission. He then surveys patterns in existing means of implementation at both the inter-state and international levels, examining key issues relating to the acquisition of custody over the alleged offender, the role of the extradition system and the use of international criminal tribunals.