IDB Launches Platform for Effective Security and Justice Solutions

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has launched the Security and Justice Evidence-based Platform, a groundbreaking tool to help Latin American governments rely on scientific evidence to reduce crime and violence in the region.

The platform contains the first repository of security and justice evidence for Brazil and Spanish-speaking countries in Latin America. It provides a simple way to access the best and most up-to-date body of global and regional knowledge on the effectiveness of existing solutions for preventing violence against children and youth, preventing violence against women, urban security, criminal justice, and social reintegration.

The Security and Justice Evidence-based Platform is available in Spanish and Portuguese and contains a database with information on nearly 100 types of solutions and more than 700 specific cases, around 60 of which are from the region. It also has an Exchange Forum with interviews with prominent people, in-depth articles on regional experiences or specific topics, tools for implementing evidence, and news.

The solution is part of the IDB's push to make public policies for public security and justice more effective in Latin America and the Caribbean, a region that needs to draw on more scientific evidence in its policymaking process to combat crime and reduce violence.

"Our Security and Justice Evidence-based Platform puts quality information about what has and has not worked to prevent and reduce crime and violence at the fingertips of the region’s security and justice managers,” said Susana Cordeiro Guerra, Manager of the Institutions for Development Sector at the IDB. "This solution is a regional public good and compiles the most complete and up-to-date scientific evidence in this field."

The IDB is the largest multilateral institution focused on building security and justice capacities in Latin America and the Caribbean. Since 1998, the bank has approved 60 operations in this area, loaning a total of $1.8 billion to 21 countries in the region.

In addition to the launch, the IDB is hosting a series of webinars on each thematic area of the information on the platform. The webinars will be taught by academics, public officials, and experts from the IDB, and attendees will receive a digital badge from BIDAcademy accrediting their participation.

The schedule for the webinars is as follows:
What has worked to prevent violence against children and youth?
May 2, 2023 - Time: 10:00 a.m. ET
What has worked to prevent violence against women?
May 16, 2023 - Time: 10:00 a.m. ET
What has worked to promote urban security?
May 30, 2023 - Time: 10:00 a.m. ET
What has worked in policing?
June 13, 2023 - Time: 10:00 a.m. ET
What has worked in criminal justice?
June 27, 2023 - Time: 10:00 a.m. ET
What has worked for social reintegration?
July 11, 2023 - Time: 10:00 a.m. ET
Partnerships and agenda to promote evidence-based policies in the region.
July 25, 2023 - Time: 10:00 a.m. ET