UN Handbook on the International Transfer of Sentenced Persons (2012)

United Nations Publication, 2012

The primary focus of the Handbook is on how arrangements can be made to transfer persons sentenced to terms of imprisonment in one country so that, in appropriate cases, they can serve their sentences in another country in accordance with the law in the receiving State. This is a specialized area of law that forms part of the growing international cooperation between States in criminal justice matters. Unlike extradition, which addresses the return of a person sought for prosecution or the enforcement of a sentence, the Handbook relates only to the transfer of persons who are currently serving a sentence. Moreover, the focus on the transfer of prisoners who continue to serve their sentences means that the Handbook does not deal with the deportation of offenders who have completed their sentences and are thus no longer subject to criminal proceedings.