Status
Concluded
Start - End
2013 - 2018

The growth of transnational organized crime in the region has created many victims, who require and entitled to a comprehensive, coordinated and concerted response, not only at the national level but also at the regional and hemispheric levels. 

In order to address the effect of violence generated by organized crime, the program "Strengthening of Institutions Specialized in the Assistance and Protection of Victims, Witnesses and Other Persons in Criminal Proceedings Affected by Organized Crime in Central America" was designed. This initiative was implemented within the framework of the Central American Security Strategy (ESCA) of the Central American Integration System (SICA). 

The project aimed to provide uniform, coordinated and efficient action to victims and/or witnesses, strengthen the actions of the different institutions involved, generate consensus among the institutions, reduce bureaucratic processes and improve the efficiency of the State to provide protection and assistance in a comprehensive, timely and specialized manner.

Objectives
  • Contribute to improving the protection and assistance of victims and witnesses in Central America.  
  • Strengthen the institutions that specialize in the assistance and protection of victims, witnesses and other persons involved in the criminal proceedings, who are impacted by organized crime in Central America. 
  • Assist highly vulnerable populations suffering from extortion, forced recruitment, kidnapping, human trafficking, rape, sexual exploitation, and forced displacement. 
  • Promote the participation of national authorities in the development of institutional programs and public policies. 
  • Improve and expand the services available for the assistance and protection of victims and witnesses. 
  • Strengthen criminal proceedings in beneficiary countries, increasing institutional and citizen confidence.  

Activities
  • Identification of the guidelines of the manual/protocol for assistance and protection of victims and witnesses. 
  • Mapping of the norms, policies, programs, government institutions and civil society organizations responsible for the protection of victims and witnesses in each country. 
  • Drafting of a protocol/manual for assistance to victims of violence generated by organized crime, based on the results of the mapping and evaluation, taking into account national legislation, infrastructures and specific conditions of the countries. 
  • Validation of the protocol/manual for assistance to victims of violence generated by organized crime. 
  • National officials of the beneficiary countries trained in the application of the protocol/manual for assistance to victims of violence generated by organized crime. 
  • Review of effective national practices and/or programs that comply with the principles contained in the protocol for assistance and protection to victims, witnesses, and other subjects in criminal proceedings 
  • Coordination, accompaniment and documentation of two working visits to the two countries with selected effective practices.

More Results
Results
8 national mappings on norms, policies, programs, institutions and organizations that provide assistance, protection to victims or witnesses. 
 Draft Protocol for Assistance and Protection of Victims and Witnesses of Drug Activity and Organized Crime in Central America.
Guide for the Assistance of Organized Crime Victims in the Countries of the Central American Integration System. 
Draft of common criteria for the profiles of candidates for protection in Guatemala and/or El Salvador.
Personnel trained on assistance and protection to victims and witnesses (110 women and 95 men). 
94% of total claim to have a lot or quite a lot more information on victim and witness protection and assistance after taking the OAS workshop.
Beneficiary Countries
Belize
Belize
Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
El Salvador
El Salvador
Guatemala
Guatemala
Honduras
Honduras
Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Panama
Panama
More Publications
Publications
Cover of the Guide for the Assistance of organized crime victims in the countries of the Central American Integration System
July, 2017
Guide for the Assistance of organized crime victims in the countries of the Central American Integration System
Cover of the Operational Guide for the Protection of Victims, Witnesses, Experts, and Other Actors Involved in Criminal Investigations and Prosecutions, particularly against Organized Crime
October, 2017
Operational Guide for the Protection of Victims, Witnesses, Experts, and Other Actors Involved in Criminal Investigations and Prosecutions, particularly against Organized Crime
Team
Cristian Taboada
Head of the Security and Justice Section
Luis Lanfredi
Associate Judge 
Antonio Delgado
Project Officer
Paola Escamilla
Consultant 
Lorine Durski
Administrative Officer 
Mónica Espinoza
Administrative Officer 
Max Marroquin
National Consultant - Guatemala
Rommell Sandoval
National Consultant - El Salvador
Jorge Alberto Valladares
National Consultant - Honduras
Harold Modesto
National Consultant - Dominican Republic
Diana Marian Shaw
National Consultant - Belize
Alexander Rodríguez
National Consultant - Costa Rica
Juan Pablo Obando Torres
National Consultant - Nicaragua
Adriana Torres Vergara
National Consultant - Panama
Strategic Partners