Rates of crime and violence in Venezuela are among the highest in the entire world. What factors led to the rapid deterioration of citizen security? What strategies have been adopted to address it?
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Major Initiatives of the Latin American Program
About Citizen Security
Citizen insecurity poses a rising challenge to democratic governance and the exercise of citizenship throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. Homicide rates are among the highest in the world and citizens throughout the region cite crime, followed by unemployment, as the dominant concern of daily life. Transnational organized crime, including but not limited to narco-trafficking, exacerbates levels of violence, compromises state institutions, and undermines democratic quality and the rule of law.
The Latin American Program fosters comparative research and dialogue among scholars and policymakers from throughout the Americas regarding local, national, and international public policies to address citizen insecurity and related efforts to strengthen institutions, the observance of human rights, and the rule of law. The Program also focuses special attention on the changing sub-regional dynamics of organized crime and explores ways to diminish its pernicious effects on governance and insecurity. The Latin American Program sponsors a blog on citizen security, www.scela.wordpress.com, which has become a key resource for citizens and public officials throughout the region. more less
The Latest on Citizen Security
The blog, created and maintained by the Latin American Program of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, serves to bring attention to the work of researchers, security specialists, journalists, civil society organizations and politicians throughout the region.
Bruce Bagley
In this new publication, Bruce Bagley examines adaptations and trends in the illicit drug economy over the last several decades. more
October 18, 2012 // 9:00pm — 1:00pm
What are the best policies and options for reducing youth violence in El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala? Experts discussed this and many other questions.more
July 11, 2012 // 9:00am — 11:00am
Violent crime in Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala has reached unprecedented levels. It is frequently religious organizations that are on the front lines of efforts to reduce gang violence and get young people out of gangs.more
May 30, 2012 // 8:45am — 12:45pm
Rates of crime and violence in Venezuela are among the highest in the world. What factors led to the rapid deterioration of citizen security? What strategies have been adopted to address it? more
May 1, 2012 // 9:00am — 11:30am
Efforts to strengthen the rule of law and reform judicial systems have been underway in Latin America for well over 25 years. What has been learned so far? What are opportunities and obstacles to produce change? more
April 19, 2012 // 11:00am — 1:00pm
The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, INCAE Business School, The World Bank, the U.S. Department of State, and CAPSI hosted a discussion on reducing murder rates in Central America.more
Bruce Bagley
In this new publication, Bruce Bagley examines adaptations and trends in the illicit drug economy over the last several decades. more
Juan Carlos Garzón
Garzón writes about organized crime, which is one of the biggest challenges governments in the region face.more
Cynthia Arnson, Eric L. Olson, Steven S. Dudley, James Bosworth, Douglas Farah, and Julie López
Focusing on El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras, this report's authors investigate the challenge organized crime poses to the state, its institutions, and governability. more
Tani Adams
This report reviews a broad literature on the causes and social effects of chronic violence in Latin America. more
Juan Carlos Garzón
Mafia & Co. provides an analytical perspective of the inner workings and expansion of organized crime in three Latin American countries. more
