Crime and Violence: Obstacles to Development in Latin American and Caribbean Cities

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Date
Nov 2018
Ensuring the safety and security of citizens is one of the most important and difficult functions of municipal governments in many countries. This document brings to light experiments in Latin American and Caribbean cities with innovative, evidence-based approaches to prevent and reduce crime and violence. The most promising strategies have balanced prevention and control and have focused on a comprehensive set of reforms. These include improved police and intelligence effectiveness and strengthened management capacities, prevention strategies directed at the most vulnerable groups, increased community and private sector participation, and the strategic adoption of new technologies, including data analytics and machine-learning tools.