Although only 9% of the world’s population lives in Latin America and the Caribbean, the region accounts for a third of the world’s homicides. The cost of crime and violence in our region is very high: crime takes large numbers of lives, affects people’s safety and welfare, and hampers economic development. As evidence of this, one out of three people in the region say crime is … [Read more...] about To Fight Crime, Increase Trust
Carlos Scartascini
Carlos Scartascini is Leader of the IDB Behavioral Economics Group and Principal Technical Leader at the Research Department of the Inter-American Development Bank. He is currently focused on expanding the use of behavioral economics in Latin America and the Caribbean. In addition to Behavioral Economics, his areas of expertise include Political Economy, and Public Finance. He has published eight books and more than 45 articles in edited volumes and specialized journals. He is Associate Editor of the academic journal Economía, and Head and founding member of LACEA's BRAIN (Behavioral Insights Network). A native of Argentina, Dr. Scartascini holds a Ph.D. and a M.A. in Economics from George Mason University.
COVID-19 and the Rise of Telemedicine
Telemedicine—the delivery of medical services through electronic means of communication—is potentially transformative, mitigating transportation problems, bringing care to rural communities and decreasing waiting times and medical costs. But its adoption in Latin America has been slow. Insufficient communication infrastructure and status quo biases, among other factors, … [Read more...] about COVID-19 and the Rise of Telemedicine
Changing Public Attitudes to Combat a Crime Epidemic
With 9% of the world's population and 33% of its homicides, Latin America and the Caribbean suffers from far too much violence. But government responses, heavily focused on punitive practices like mass incarceration, have fallen short. While incarceration has increased by 76% over the last decade, the region as a whole still has more than twice the homicide rate as the world … [Read more...] about Changing Public Attitudes to Combat a Crime Epidemic
How Perceptions of Inequality Affect Trust in Latin America and the Caribbean
Lack of trust between individuals and between individuals and institutions is a chronic problem in Latin America and Caribbean and often linked to inequality. After all, in a region that ranks among the most unequal in the world, it is natural to distrust political elites who seem to coopt government and ensure that policies favor the wealthy over the poor. Moreover, when … [Read more...] about How Perceptions of Inequality Affect Trust in Latin America and the Caribbean
Appealing to Social Norms to Combat COVID-19
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began more than a year ago, much has been learned about how infection can be prevented. In particular, the scientific consensus holds that certain human behaviors, like social distancing, the avoidance of indoor gatherings, and the use of face masks, are powerful and effective at helping prevent the virus's spread. Nonetheless, many people continue … [Read more...] about Appealing to Social Norms to Combat COVID-19