On September 5, 2024, the CAF – Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean hosted the 27th Annual CAF Conference at the Organization of American States, Washington, D.C. The conference, open to the public, gathered regional leaders, policymakers, and experts to discuss key challenges and opportunities for Latin America’s development. The Subnational Approaches to Crime and Violence panel discussed best practices implemented to combat crime at the local level. Speakers highlighted the importance of prevention, interagency coordination, and the use of data to drive meaningful policies.
Rebecca Bill Chavez, president and CEO of the Inter-American Dialogue and former U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Western Hemisphere Affairs, moderated a discussion on how subnational actors—especially community leaders and mayors—are addressing shared public-safety challenges. She underscored that innovative policies often emerge locally as national governments struggle with polarization and gridlock. She noted that trust in local leaders frequently exceeds trust in national institutions. Effective local solutions can help counter waning support for liberal democracy by rebuilding confidence in public institutions.
Diana Alarcón, chief advisor and international affairs coordinator for president-elect Claudia Sheinbaum, outlined a four-pronged Mexico City strategy. First, tackle the root causes of insecurity by expanding opportunities for young people. Second, professionalize and support policing through salary increases, clearer career paths, the recruitment of women, and better equipment. Third, strengthen investigation and intelligence by empowering police through legal reform. Finally, improve coordination across institutions via high-level security cabinet meetings that respect each entity’s autonomy. Beyond policing, she emphasized the importance of directing resources to historically underserved parts of the city to address entrenched territorial inequality and its link to violence. These include building public parks, expanding lighting along corridors used by women, creating educational opportunities, and opening community centers that offer trades training, arts, sports, and cultural programs. She emphasized transit upgrades to cut commute times and integrate the city socially and economically. On gender-based violence, she described the importance of legal change, for example, requiring domestic-violence aggressors—not victims—to leave the home regardless of property ownership.
Eddie Bocanegra, senior director at Heartland Alliance and senior advisor to the Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs, framed communities as co-producers of public safety alongside law enforcement. He stressed interventions grounded in dignity, belonging, and trauma-informed care. He described the use of “credible messengers” or peacekeepers—trained outreach workers from affected neighborhoods—who connect with residents through shared life experiences. Healing processes, he said, must be tailored to each community’s dynamics. Drawing on randomized trials and administrative data from Chicago, he noted that violence is highly concentrated both geographically and demographically, often driven by less than 1 percent of residents who are hard to engage and typically not seeking services. Among thousands served, averages included 17–18 prior arrests, four to five felony arrests, high incarceration rates, and low educational attainment. Bocanegra argued that short, stand-alone programs cannot meet these needs. Stakeholders must build an ecosystem that engages families, hospitals, law enforcement, and service providers. Progress for this population is non-linear, making sustained political will essential.
Chinua Alleyne, Mayor of Port of Spain, highlighted urban revitalization as a tool for prevention. He pointed to infrastructure and cultural investments that renew community life and expand opportunity. One example was restoring a downtown orchestra headquarters to anchor cultural heritage and spur economic activity. He called for continued investment in youth-centered revitalization linked to local economic development.
Speakers emphasized the importance of robust inter-institutional and cross-sector coordination. They called for data-driven targeting that includes agencies beyond security forces to ensure effective state presence. The session closed with a reminder that, because results will not be linear, building trust, aligning institutions, and maintaining political commitment are as vital as any individual program.
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