FROM THE FIRST INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS ON THE PREVENTION AND REPRESSION OF CRIME HELD IN LONDON IN 1872, INTERNATIONAL FORUMS HAVE URGED THE COMPILATION OF UNIFORM STATISTICAL INFORMATION ON WORLD CRIME. INTERNATIONAL MEETINGS AND ORGANIZATIONS CONCERNED WITH THE PROBLEM OF CRIMINOLOGY ARE REVIEWED HISTORICALLY FROM THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS EFFORTS TO EVENTUAL UNITED NATIONS (UN) INVOLVEMENT. SPECIFIC RESOLUTIONS AND CENTRAL THEMES OF SIX QUINTENNIAL UN WORLD CRIME CONGRESSES ARE ENUMERATED: GENEVA, 1955; LONDON, 1960; STOCKHOLM, 1965; KYOTO, 1970; AND GENEVA, 1975. TOPICS FOR THESE CONGRESSES BEGAN WITH PRISON ISSUES AND GRADUALLY EVOLVED TO FOCUS ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CRIME AND SOCIAL CHANGE. HOWEVER, CRIME DATA COMPILATIONS DID NOT OCCUR UNTIL THE KYOTO CONGRESS WHEN TWO CRUCIAL PROJECTS WERE INITIATED. THE REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON CRIME PREVENTION AND CONTROL WAS DESIGNED TO STUDY PAST CRIME TRENDS AND FORECAST FUTURE TRENDS OF MEMBER NATIONS ON A COLLECTIVE AND REGIONAL BASIS. THE METHODS AND WAYS LIKELY TO BE MOST EFFECTIVE IN PREVENTING CRIME AND IMPROVING TREATMENT OF OFFENDERS EXPLORES INNOVATIVE, TECHNOLOGICAL METHODS OF CRIME PREVENTION. IN RESPONSE TO THE PROJECTS, THE UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY DIRECTED THE SECRETARY GENERAL TO INTENSIFY INTERNATIONAL EFFORTS TO ADVANCE KNOWLEDGE, EXCHANGE EXPERIENCES, AND DEVELOP POLICIES OF CRIME PREVENTION. THUS, THE GENERAL MANDATE TO COLLECT CRIME INFORMATION FROM MEMBER STATES WAS GIVEN. THE CULMINATION OF THESE EFFORTS WAS THE UNANIMOUS ADOPTION OF THE REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON CRIME PREVENTION AND CONTROL ON DECEMBER 8, 1977. REFERENCES AND UN RESOLUTIONS ARE INCLUDED. (MRK)