For a Safer Latin America: a New Perspective to Prevent and Control Crime

Citizen insecurity is an essential determinant of wellbeing in homes and communities. In the tenth edition of the Economy and Development Report, 2014 (RED, for its acronym in Spanish), CAF, Development Bank of Latin America, proposes a new approach to understand insecurity and violence, from the analysis of the elements that make up a criminal event (individuals in special circumstances) to generate lessons in public policies in several dimensions: family, school, neighborhood, community, urban infrastructure, economic regulations, police, the judicial system, and jails.   

Enrique Garcia, the Institution's Executive President, expressed that "For a Safer Latin America. A New Perspective to Prevent and Control Crime" seeks to promote an informed conversation about what may be expected from the different areas of intervention, as well as provide a perspective for the institutional challenges faced by the region to strengthen the provision of security services and, thus, the generation of trust between the State and its citizens".  

Almost 30 percent of the region's inhabitants considers insecurity to be the main problem affecting their wellbeing, beyond unemployment, inflation, or the provision of basic public goods such as health or education, according to Latinobarometro (2011), and 60 percent of the population of the main cities in Latin America thinks that insecurity has increased in the past five years, according to CAF's 2013 Survey. 

The study highlights that the approach for the reduction of crime and violence is associated to democratic forms of coexistence and political and institutional participation, to promote confidence between citizens and between authorities. 

In this respect, the regional challenge is in the design and implementation of public policies that promote the comprehensive development of families and communities. These interventions require not only specific capacities but also cooperation efforts between ministries, levels of government, and public bodies. 

The publication includes six chapters that examine subjects such as citizen security and wellbeing; why some people commit crimes and others do not; crime in its place; drug trafficking and violence; the criminal legal system and electoral incentives; capacity of the State and legitimacy.   

Thus, CAF continues to deepen its institutional strengthening agenda and dissemination of knowledge by increasing the Institution's presence in the discussion of these subject matters and promoting support to shareholder countries.