By Robert Muggah This post is also available in Spanish Faced with epidemic rates of violence, Latin American and Caribbean countries are expanding their investment in security and development cooperation. Many are doing so under the rubric of “citizen security”. Citizen security implies a commitment to responsible statehood and proactive citizenship in achieving public … [Read more...] about How citizen security is changing in Latin America and the Caribbean
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Reducing Community Violence Starts at Home
by Mary Vriniotis This post was originally published in the Caribbean DEVtrends blog Earlier this month I attended “Crime and Violence in The Bahamas: Data-Driven Policies for Effective Citizen Security”, a workshop jointly hosted by the IDB and the Government of The Bahamas. The purpose of the workshop was to learn about evidence-based approaches to violence reduction … [Read more...] about Reducing Community Violence Starts at Home
How Haiti successfully curbed kidnappings
By Julienne Gage Until recently, abductions in Haiti were rampant and almost always happened the same way: ski-mask-clad kidnappers would surround a house, force entry, ransack the place and leave with a vulnerable victim—usually a woman, child or elderly person. The family would pay ransom, and if the victim was released alive, law enforcement would call it a success. … [Read more...] about How Haiti successfully curbed kidnappings
Fix the divide between science and policing
By Peter Neyroud and David Weisburd In recent years, science has become an important tool for police agencies. But how should police departments evaluate and assess these tools? For instance, it is conceivable for every police officer patrolling a favela in Brazil to record his every move with a wearable camera. But how should this technology be adopted, and would it … [Read more...] about Fix the divide between science and policing
Brazilian paradox: how gangs grow stronger in prisons
By Benjamin Lessing Este post está disponible en español y en portugués On January 4, the capital of Maranhão, Brazil, suffered a wave of coordinated attacks on busses and police stations, ordered by a local prison gang. The death of a 6-year-old girl in the attacks, along with evidence of the execrable conditions within Maranhão’s prisons, including a gruesome video of … [Read more...] about Brazilian paradox: how gangs grow stronger in prisons