OAS Department of Public Security 1 Department of Public Security OAS Secretariat for Multidimensional Security

OAS Department of Public Security

1

Department of Public Security OAS Secretariat for Multidimensional Security


2

The OAS DPS is carrying out an evaluation of security in the region, Phase I of which has already been completed.(1)

(1) Project financed by Human Security Policy Division


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4 consultants, 12 countries

• El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras.• Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru .• Argentina, Brazil, and Chile. • Barbados, Jamaica, and Trinidad and

Tobago.

• Phase II - remaining countries.


4

The analysis covered …

• Standards

• Structures

• Statistics

• Interviews with qualified informers

• Regional surveys (Latinobarómetro, Barómetro de las Américas, etc.)


5

CRIME

Most pressing problemLatin America 2007In your opinion, what is the most pressing problem in the country? Here only the two most important problems in the region.

Most pressing problem: UnemploymentLatin America 1995 – 2007In your opinion, what is the most pressing problem in the country? Here only “unemployment, crime, and inflation.”

Unemployment Crime

Unemployment Crime Inflation


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Source: Barómetro de las Américas 2006.

¿How satisfied are you with the police?

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%G

uate

mal

a

El

Sal

vado

r

Hon

dura

s

Col

ombi

a

Ecu

ador

Bol

ivia

Per

u

Jam

aica

Guy

ana

Tot

al

Very satisfied Very dissatisfied


7

Source: Barómetro de las Américas 2006.

Do the police protect citizens?

Police protect

Police involved in crime


8

Source: Barómetro de las Américas 2006. Corresponds to the question: How much confidence do you have in the police? (1: None…7:A lot).

Confidence in the police 2006

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

Mex

ico

Gua

tem

ala

El S

alva

dor

Hon

dura

s

Nic

arag

ua

Cos

ta R

ica

Pan

ama

Col

ombi

a

Ecu

ador

Bol

ivia

Per

u

Par

agua

y

Chi

le

Uru

guay

Bra

zil

Ven

ezue

la

Dom

inic

anR

epub

lic Hai

ti

Jam

aica

Guy

ana

Tot

al

None A lot


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Source: King´s College. 2003-2006

Percentage of prison occupancy, by country – several years

0 50 100 150 200

Argentina

Brazil

Chile

Colombia

Ecuador

El Salvador

Guatemala

Haiti

Honduras

Mexico

Nicaragua

Panama

Peru

Uruguay

Venezuela

France

Spain

England

USA


10

Source: King´s College

Percentage of the prison population not yet sentenced, by country, several years

0

20

40

60

80

100

Argen

tina

Bolivia

Brazil

Chile

Colom

bia

Costa

Rica

Ecuad

or

El Salv

ador

Guate

mala Hait

i

Hondu

ras

Mex

ico

Nicara

gua

Panam

a

Parag

uay

Peru

Domini

can

R.

Urugu

ay

Venez

uela

Franc

e

Spain

Englan

dUSA


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Democracy Insecurity Corruption

LAPOP Latin American Public Opinion Project.


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Government improves public security and stable democracy in Latin American and the Caribbean


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The evaluation shows, among other things, … that in most

countries …


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Organizational structures that belong to another era.

Difficulties with infrastructure and equipment.

In some cases, lack of up-to-date legislation and/or enforcement of public security policies.

The police force lacks modern management tools.

Functions and mandates are not clearly specified (manuals, procedures).

Lack of reliable and systematic information (monitoring, evaluation, and impact measurement) exacerbated by the difficulty of comparing country data.

Downgrading of police work: low wages, low morale, and lack of appreciation for police work, multiple jobs

Major shortcomings in education and training

Obstacles to coordination among the multiple actors in public security and with the judicial system.


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Need to train civilians who manage security issues.

Reactive models take precedence over crime prevention policies.

Corruption is an obvious serious problem.

There is talk of decentralization but municipalities lack the necessary resources.

Criminal investigations problems.

Emphasis on crime control and suppression policies, such as increasing the number of police officers.

Exponential increase in prison population resulting in a dysfunctional prison system.

Limited technical capacity of civilians involved in security management.

Increased use of the Armed Forces in police activities.

Increase in the number of complaints of human rights violations.

Lowering of the age for criminal liability of adolescents who break the law, as a solution to the problem of participation of minors in criminal acts.


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Private security


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Principal items:Physical surveillance, electronic security, armored transportation, services, and residential

alarms

Increase in the private security industry, by region (market values).

RegionMarket

US$ mn)

(%)increase

North America 49,200 7 – 8

Europe 37,800 6 – 10

Japan 7,400 7 – 9

Latin America 6,500 9 – 11

Rest of the world

16,200 10 – 12

TOTAL 117,100 7 – 8

Source: Frigo, Edgardo (2006).


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Private security in one country…

Source: Superintendency of Companies, Ecuador, 2007.

Cumulative number of private security firms annually and rate per 100,000 inhabitants

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

0,00

1,00

2,00

3,00

4,00

5,00

6,00

7,00

Number 1 15 54 163 390 435 487 562 648 758 849

Rate 0,02 0,18 0,56 1,52 3,28 3,58 3,92 4,43 5,00 5,73 6,29

1968 1982 1990 1995 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006


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Private security• Lack of regulation, monitoring, and control

results in:– A high percentage of companies are not legally

established– Companies can hire personnel that public security

cannot (background, minimum standards are not complied with, etc.)

– The carrying of weapons is not controlled.– Salaries and benefits may not be adequate (As is

often the case with police officers, too).– Public security personnel work for private security

firms.


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In some countries, public security policies often do not include private security, even though

there are twice as many security guards as police.

Documents

OAS Department of Public Security 1 Department of Public Security OAS Secretariat for Multidimensional Security