Central American and Caribbean Citizen Security Platform

Violent crime rates threaten political and social stability, and trust in democracy, in Central American and Caribbean societies. This project will develop an innovative, transnational, face-to-face, and virtual research and training program for the region. Physical safety and violence The causes of physical insecurity are multiple and complex. They are political, social, cultural, economic, generational, and gendered. Societies need bold and creative initiatives to address crime and violence, yet governments and non-governmental organizations are developing policies based on little knowledge. Policymaking is also done without considering new research and best practices. Collaborative research platform This initiative will establish a real and virtual space known as the Central American and Caribbean Security Platform. It will bring together the region's scholars, practitioners, attorneys, journalists, and other stakeholders into regular, constructive dialogue with specialists dedicated to finding effective ways to improve security for all. It will allow intellectual and policy-oriented mentoring of early career stakeholders in the region. The platform will deepen and sharpen the skills of professionals actively trying to improve security conditions in their countries. Project initiatives will be multidisciplinary and policy-focused. It will offer training in research methods, strategic communication, proposal writing, and project evaluation. The five priority public policy issues for the platform include: -crime prevention -enhancing security -access to justice -rehabilitation -reinsertion This project will identify critical and neglected areas of knowledge related to citizen security at the national or sub-national level. Participants will undertake substantive research on these key themes. They will meet online and in-person to: -discuss the research and its implications for public policy -compare problems and data deficits -examine achievements and best practices