What do we do?

Preventing violence goes far beyond law enforcement and security technology. It also means investing in other multiple areas to reduce security risk: education, health, urban infrastructure, sports, culture and transparency. Bank support is aimed at reducing major risks associated with crime and violence through social investments to benefit vulnerable groups and measures of dissuasion and pre-emption to prevent specific acts of violence and organized crime. Principal beneficiaries include at risk children and young adults and people affected by family, sexual and gender violence. Other investments reach out to the general population through programs to promote social cohesion and civic culture.

 Objective

The objective is to stop violence before it starts. This means reducing risks through targeted investments that have the best chances of success. The Bank helps member countries carry out citizen security programs with an inter-institutional and multisectoral perspective, coordinating strategic actions in different fields to provide citizen security a more solid and effective basis.

Why focus on Social and situational prevention?

Experience has shown that isolated steps and biased approaches, such as a temporary and uncoordinated crackdown on crime by the state, can result in high costs and disappointing results. New approaches seek to combine law and order enforcement with steps to reduce social inequities and uphold fundamental rights, while at the same time taking targeted, specific actions that can produce the greatest return. Preventive action based on careful planning and information, when properly carried out, saves resources and reduces the risk of wasted efforts. It can stop delinquency before it starts.

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