Technical and Financial Resources for Regional Strategy to Promote Inter-American Cooperation on Gangs

OAS, March 2, 2010

Lorena Cohan, Urban Development Unit, Latin America and Caribbean Region, World Bank

Brief overview

The Bank’s Latin America and Caribbean Region (LAC) has the most extensive experience within the Bank on the issue of crime and violence.

Since ~2003, the LAC Region has been working on crime and violence via: Analytical Work/Research Project Operations: Integration of crime and violence

prevention components within Slum Upgrading Projects Capacity Building: Municipal Capacity Building Program on

Urban Crime and Violence Prevention Our approach has been on prevention, via a municipal/

community-based approach focused on poor urban areas

Technical Resources: Analytical Work/Research

Forthcoming (2010): “Crime and Violence in Central America” study (includes chapter on “Youth Violence and Gangs”)

2007: “Crime, Violence, and Development: Trends, Costs, and Policy Options in the Caribbean” (includes chapter on “Youth Violence in the Caribbean, a Case Study of the Dominican Republic”)

2007: “Youth at Risk in Brazil” 2006: “Crime, Violence, and Economic Development in Brazil” 2003: “Caribbean Youth Development: Issues and Policy Directions” In addition, will soon publish (2010), a “School-Based Violence Prevention Toolkit”:

how to utilize schools as a mechanism to prevent crime and violence in communities

*All of these studies include information on levels and trends, socioeconomiccosts, risk factors, specific case studies, and policy recommendations**Studies utilize Ecological Risk Framework based on risk and protectivefactors for crime and violence

Key Policy Recommendations to emerge from analytical work on Youth & Gang Violence Prevention

Need to design integrated, comprehensive, holistic, and cross-sectoral youth violence/gang prevention strategies, carried out simultaneously at the national & municipal level, combining both prevention & control approaches

Combine policies directed towards individual and community risk factors, but also link with policies that try to modify structural conditions that can lead to onset of criminal and violent behavior

Importance of linking interventions with the community in which the young person lives, as well as with the family of the young person being targeted

Joint effort between community-based organizations and the police Interventions must be evidence-based. Examples of programs that have

been known to have most impact in youth violence prevention include: early childhood development (ECD), parenting programs, secondary school completion, school-based violence prevention programs, and social marketing.

Technical and Financial Resources: Project Operations

Honduras Barrio Ciudad Project (US$15 million credit, 2005-2011): Slum upgrading project with an urban crime and violence prevention component, which includes: (i) situational prevention; (ii) capacity building, training, and technical assistance; and (iii) complimentary investments related to crime and violence prevention.

Jamaica Inner City Basic Services for the Poor (ICBSP) Project (US$30 million loan, 2006-2011): Slum upgrading project with a public safety component, which includes: mediation and conflict resolution, alternative livelihoods & skills development, family support prog’s, youth education & recreation, and community capacity building & public awareness.

Brazil Viver Melhor II Project (US$50 million loan, 2005-2011): Slum upgrading project with a violence prevention component that includes diagnostics, situational prevention, capacity building, and complementary C&V prevention activities.

Haiti PRODEPUR (US$15 million grant, 2008-2014): Urban Community-Driven Development Project.

Jamaica “Community Crime and Violence Prevention” (US$2.65 million Japan Social Development Fund (JSDF) grant, 2009-2013): Two components: (i) design of integrated crime and violence information system; and (ii) sub-grant facility to NGOs/CBOs carrying out crime & violence prevention activities.

Technical and Financial Resources: Capacity Building

Municipal Capacity Building Program on Urban Crime and Violence Prevention: Designed to be implemented by municipal government authorities. Includes following topics: (i) crime and violence diagnostics; (ii) forming alliances and partnerships; (iii) situational prevention/crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED); (iv) youth violence prevention; (v) domestic violence; (vi) community policing; and (vii) M&E. Online version now exists Currently being translated into English to be delivered in English-

speaking Caribbean

Financial Resources

World Bank also administers several trust funds, including: Japan Social Development Fund (JSDF) Institutional Development Fund (IDF) State and Peace-building Fund (SPF)

World Bank’s agenda going forward on Crime & Violence

Increased interest and attention by President Zoellick on the issue of crime and violence

Project Operations: Develop a stand-alone operation utilizing an integrated approach

(Central America?) Scale-up mainstreaming of crime and violence in urban, transport,

education, judicial reform, etc. Analytical Work:

Further research for the causes and determinants of C&V Scale-up impact evaluations to broaden evidence base

Partnerships: Position C&V through a development issue through greater role in

global and regional partnerships, i.e. IACPV, WOLA/Central America Consultative Group, etc.