Digital Library

This document provides an in-depth analysis of the state of the art in citizen security research, not only to identify critical knowledge gaps in the literature—ones that the IDB will endeavor to close over the next few years—but also to contribute to the dissemination of evidence-based crime reduction and prevention strategies, providing a solid starting point to take stock of what we know and what the priorities for future research should be.

This Field Guide is an effort to support USAID officers and other practitioners in the Latin America and Caribbean region who are working on citizen security. It provides a conceptual framework for understanding crime, violence, and prevention as part of broader citizen-security systems; evidencebased information about effective interventions to prevent crime and violence; and practical advice and tools on how to design, implement, measure, and evaluate crime and violence-prevention and citizensecurity projects. The guide incorporates the research findings of academic and development practitioners in an analysis of crime and violence in the region.

A mix of social policy and crime prevention programs is often proposed to keep crime rates low. Although the association between general social programs and specific programs to fight crime is unclear, this type of social intervention is commonly associated with a reduction in crime. This paper examines the causal link between social policy and crime prevention programs by evaluating previously adopted crime prevention programs in Minas Gerais.  

This year’s Report on Economics and Development (RED) proposes an approach for the analysis of insecurity in which crime results from decisions made by individuals in a particular situation. While it is true that beliefs, perceptions, self-control, and other personality traits (in turn shaped by family experiences, education level, job opportunities, and other experiences throughout the life cycle) can tip an individual into crime, his physical and social environment, the incentives provided by illegal markets (e.g., drugs), and the credibility and efficiency of the criminal justice system are also important.