World Development Report 2011 Background Case Study: Drug Trafficking and Violence in Central America and Beyond

Author Information

Gabriel Demombynes, World Bank

Date of Publication

2011 12:00 AM

Security Theme

Transnational Organized Crime

Keywords

Transnational Organized Crime, srhreports, transnationalorganizedcrime, Central America, drug trafficking, homicide, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Panama, Costa Rica, armed conflict, drivers of violence, criminal activity, economic conditions, inequality

Description

"This paper examines the relationship between narcotics trafficking and violence in Central America. The first part of the paper addresses particular questions posed for the 2011 World Development Report and examines several competing hypothesis on the drivers of crime in Central America. A key finding is that areas exposed to intense narcotics trafficking in Central America suffer from higher homicide rates. Drug trafficking has corrupted state institutions, which have been overwhelmed by the deployed by trafficking organizations. The second part of the paper reviews the reasons drug trafficking and antitrafficking enforcement are associated with violence in general and considers policy options."

Comments

description quoted from report abstract

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Jan 1st, 12:00 AM

World Development Report 2011 Background Case Study: Drug Trafficking and Violence in Central America and Beyond

"This paper examines the relationship between narcotics trafficking and violence in Central America. The first part of the paper addresses particular questions posed for the 2011 World Development Report and examines several competing hypothesis on the drivers of crime in Central America. A key finding is that areas exposed to intense narcotics trafficking in Central America suffer from higher homicide rates. Drug trafficking has corrupted state institutions, which have been overwhelmed by the deployed by trafficking organizations. The second part of the paper reviews the reasons drug trafficking and antitrafficking enforcement are associated with violence in general and considers policy options."