Multimedia

While cities, enterprises and even romantic relations have moved to and adopted information technologies as their future, policing in the majority of the hemisphere is still conducted the same way as 50 or even more years ago. Even further, criminal organizations use internet as a tool for expanding their businesses and therefore violence. However, data offered by the digital networks of society and the one police officers recollect empirically is an invaluable asset for governments looking to improve their situation of public safety. Anne Milgram introduced data analysis and statistics into New Jersey’s criminal justice system and policing strategy, resulting in a sharp decrease in violence rates. While the initial investment could be heavy for low income governments, keeping the current system without actualizations represents a much expensive option. Lack of effectiveness in the system creates unimaginable costs due to overcrowded prisons, saturated courthouses and underprepared police officers. Smart statistics are then the best rational option for governments with grave situations of violence and crime.

The urbanization of the world is an evident and seemingly unstoppable trend in the 21^st century societies. However, the growth of cities varies in acceleration corresponding to their geographical location: while cities on the northern hemisphere took centuries to house millions of citizens, the cities of the southern hemisphere accomplished that task in less than 50 years. Without the capabilities needed to administer such a vast quantity of demands, the governments of those cities see how their young population is lost to violence and crime. Learning how to include segregated communities into the dynamics of the cities via urban transformation, planning and culture, offers an opportunity to lower the rates of violence in the Southern Hemisphere. Also, understanding the data that the hyper-connected and intelligent cities offer is a valuable asset to governmental agencies looking for tools to create efficient and legitimate policies for crime and violence reduction.

Este panel fue moderado por la SubSecretaria de Seguridad en el Despacho de Prevención de Honduras, Alejandra Hernández Quan. Contó con las intervenciones de Carlos Hernández, Secretario Ejecutivo de Asociación para una Sociedad Más Justa, y Adriana Beltrán, Coordinadora Principal del Programa de Seguridad Ciudadana de WOLA. El Sr. Hernández se concentró en la experiencia de Honduras mientras que la Sra. Beltrón se enfocó en el caso de Guatemala. Steven Dudley, Co-Director de InSight Crime, participó en este panel como comentador.