Are crime and violence prevention programs working in Central America?

U.S. taxpayers have been funding citizen security programs in Central America for six years. The question is whether these efforts are having an impact on the crime and violence that has shaken the region and led to unprecedented migration of unaccompanied minors to the United States.

One element of the U.S. strategy is to support crime and violence prevention programs for at-risk youth in target communities. For the first time ever, USAID has conducted extensive impact evaluations of its crime and violence prevention programs in Central America’s Northern Triangle countries of El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. The evaluations were conducted by the Latin American Public Opinion Project (LAPOP) at Vanderbilt University, a leader in public opinion research throughout the hemisphere. Join us for a presentation of the findings, and a lively discussion about the results and future directions for prevention programs in the region.

Speakers

Prof. Mitch A. SeligsonFounder and Senior Advisor, Latin America Public Opinion Project (LAPOP)
Mark Feierstein Associate Administrator, USAIDJoan Serra HoffmanViolence Prevention Specialist, World Bank
Roseanna AnderFounding Executive Director, University of Chicago Crime Lab
Erik Esteban Escobar AlboresFounder, Youth Against Violence (Central America)

Moderator

Eric L. Olson
Associate DIrector, Latin American Program, Wilson Center

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