The Course was sponsored by the International Center of Sociological and Penitentiary Research and Studies (Intercenter), based in Messina, Italy, and the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) of China. The 10-day course drew more than 300 law enforcement and criminal justice practitioners from 70 countries. In opening remarks, Public Security Minister Tao Siju emphasized the importance of cooperation between police, and he invited international visitors to learn more about his country and its developing legal system. Dr. Giacamo Barletta, one of the main driving forces behind the development of Intercenter, spoke on "How to Organize Modern Police in the Fight Against Crime." Eduard Janssens, a former Belgian justice official and Vice President of Intercenter, spoke on competence and coordination in policing; and Dr. Nicholas Kittrie from American University in Washington, DC, focused on the importance of family and social institutions in crime prevention, as well as crime prevention strategies by police. Assistant Commissioner Zhu Entao of the MPS and Executive Chair of the Course, outlined China's efforts to improve the public security service and the cooperative relationships developed with law enforcement bodies throughout the world, especially in combatting drug trafficking and organized crime. China's entry into a community policing model was explained in another presentation. In workshop sessions, members of the 17-member American delegation exchanged views with counterparts from other countries. An inset of the article explains the aims of Intercenter, with the fundamental purpose being to "study the different forms of criminality which compromise democratic societies and which threaten our fundamental institutions."