Treat violence as a public health concern: We need to use campaigns and technology to reach

every child and family in these countries. We need to develop those tools to make sure that
everybody feels important and cared for through parenting interventions, family interventions,
wellbeing campaigns, and early childhood education.

Localise programmes: During the 90s in Rio we had rates of homicide that would go beyond
epidemic levels (over 100 per 100,000 citizens). It took a really costly but comprehensive
programme in Brazil called Pronasci to tie up a lot of elements that were drivers of violence in
the country, building local frameworks, gun-free zones and fostering civic culture to reduce
violence, which has been the case in Bogot, Medelln in Colombia and Santa Tecla in El
Salvador. Natasha Leite de Moura, project adviser, public security programme, United Nations,
Lima, Peru

Focus on hotspots: Weve got scientific evidence that a focus on hotspots and hot people can
prevent or reduce violence. But we need also accompany this with other measures urban
upgrading, better urban planning, situational prevention especially early childhood
intervention. Robert Muggah, research director of Igarap Institute, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and
the SecDev Foundation, Canada

Look at the whole picture: While people are aware that there are high levels of lethal violence
in Brazil, this is often misrepresented by national and international media as a simple cops vs
robbers dynamic a misrepresentation that more often than not criminalises poverty. Much more
work needs to be done on understanding the official and unofficial social, political and economic
structures that sustain these high levels. Damian Platt, researcher, activist and author, Rio de
Janeiro, Brazil

Create well-targeted programmes: If the goal is to reduce homicides, then programme

selection should be located in hotspot areas and focused on the population group most likely to
commit violence crimes, often young males between 10-29 years old. The risk factors for why
these young men get involved in criminality also needs to be clearly diagnosed and
complemented with a treatment plan that involves the family and community. Enrique Roig,
director, citizen security, Creative Associates, Washington, DC

Focus on prevention: Prison populations are overflowing, crime is high and violence is a
culture in South Africa. The focus needs to be on preventing the conditions that draw people into
violent or criminal behaviour. In order to do this we need a systematic, integrated, coordinated
approach combining the responsibilities of a wide range of state and non-state actors. Venessa
Padayachee, national advocacy and lobbying manager, Nicro, Cape town, South Africa

Avoid repressive policies: Many countries have approached the problem of violence from a
crime and security angle, focusing their action on law-enforcement only. Unfortunate examples
of this are the mano dura tactics in Central America. While justice and police have an important
role to play, repression only is counter-productive if not combined with development
interventions that look at the drivers of violence, and tackle things like skills and education of
youth, socio-economic inequalities, and access to communal services. Luigi De Martino, senior
researcher, Small Arms Survey, Geneva

Be proactive: You have to systematically invest in protective factors. Supporting proactive

community associations and schools to activate their involvement has also demonstrated positive
results in places such as Cape Town, Chicago and New York. In addition, promoting links
between neighbouring communities that adjoin each other is also important. John de Boer, senior
policy adviser, United Nations University, Centre for Policy Research, Tokyo, Japan

Dont forget about male violence: There are lots of interventions that are focused on womens
rights. These are noble. But the vast majority of killings I have seen around the world are by men
on men. I think this needs to be addressed. The international community focuses a great deal on
the impact of violence against women. If you address the male drivers of violence, you reduce
the female harm of violence. Iain Overton, author, Gun Baby Gun, London

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Officers from the CORE police special forces patrol during an operation to search for fugitives in
a favela in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Photograph: Mario Tama/Getty Images

But treat male and female violence as the same issue: Male and female dimensions of
violence are connected. We need to look at these issues comprehensively rather than a divide and
conquer approach. Research has shown it is not just about single risk factors (i.e. being a male is
a risk factor) that determines violence rather it is the accumulation of risk factors that produce
violence. John de Boer

Move away from the focus on poverty: Criminalising certain areas or groups makes it harder
for people to actually coexist, and the emphasis on poverty is a misleading one. Latin America
proves as long as history of studies that show poverty and violence do not have a direct
correlation. Countries are overcoming extreme poverty and becoming more violent, so it is now
part of our job to look beyond those solutions and what other factors may be driving those rates.
Natasha Leite

Focus on gun control: Where there are no guns, there are no gun deaths. A simple and practical
way to start impacting armed violence is to try to stem the flow of illegal guns. I believe in the
gun control approach as a first step. Iain Overton

Understand that violence is going virtual: Cyberspace is a new domain for violence. This
ranges from the use of social media to project force (videos showing assassinations, torture,
threats), to recruit would-be members of extremist groups (digitally savvy marketing campaigns,
online chat sites), for selling product (deep web), and also for more banal but no less important
forms of intimidation and coercion (bullying). Violence is going virtual, and we need to get a
much better handle on all of this. Robert Muggah
Find the balance between repression and prevention: Local experiences and efforts deal
mainly with interpersonal aspects of violence. When illicit or transnational crime starts co-opting
state forces, people stop trusting their security forces, governments and start focusing on private
and personal security, stop using public spaces. So the idea is not create a system based entirely
on repression or prevention, but to find that balance and incorporate rehabilitation and
reintegration policies and funding into security strategies. Natasha Leite

Intervene early: We know that a better understanding of the drivers of violence is essential, and
that starting interventions early (childhood - possibly even before kids are born at a pre-natal
stage) is crucial. John de Boer

Learn from history: A lot of human rights violations of massive proportions in Brazil, such as
slavery and dictatorship, were never really dealt within a transitional or reconciliation process. At
the same time, the security forces are relying on structures that dont make sense and foster
competition and corruption. Natasha Leite

Keep in mind the impact of drugs: The global war on drugs is a massive driver of crime,
violence and insecurity, not only in the Americas but increasingly globally. It is time for all
international anti-violence development initiatives to take this on board. It still amazes me how
much taboo there is around this issue, especially regarding the cocaine industry. Damian Platt

Target inequality: We need to address economic inequality which I believe is central to

reducing crime and violence in the long run. We need universal provision of high quality
childcare that is affordable for all, and to narrow the difference between the top-to-bottom
earnings and rebuild the link between economic prosperity and wages. Vanessa Padayachee

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A Brazilian drug gang member nicknamed poses with a gun atop a hill overlooking a slum in
Salvador. Photograph: LUNAE PARRACHO/REUTERS

Be aware of the link between organised crime and terrorism: My own take on the Zetas is
that the lines that once separated organised crime from terrorism are increasingly blurred. That
does not mean that they are the same actors, nor motivated by the same factors. However, there is
an increasing convergence among some gangs and terrorists in terms of their methods. The Zetas
have clearly appropriated terrorist tactics to pursue their motives. John de Boer

See violence as a priority: One thing that we need to do better at the UN is to better prepare
peacekeeping, humanitarian, and development actors to ensure that their interventions reduce
violence over the long-term by helping to move key reforms and structural changes forward. One
key development would be a measurable and effective target within the SDG process to reduce
violence. This needs to be a global priority. John de Boer
Raise awareness of improvised explosive devices (IEDs): Countries can be more active in the
control of conventional munitions stockpiles, states and international bodies can mitigate the
proliferation of IEDs. They can step up the sharing of information on IED events to enhance
awareness of the threat and to inform national and international decision making. Luigi de
Martino

Use non-violent language: In a nation that has a long history of violence, we need to teach non-
violence and non-violent communication. In the work I do with young men coming out of gangs,
teaching non-violent communication, conflict resolution and basic communication skills has
been so powerful. Vanessa Padayachee

Remember the details: Too often development programmes are scattered across a wide
geographic area and the indicators for success are based on development outcomes and not
reducing violence. For example, a workforce development programme to employ young people
in a middle-income neighbourhood should be quite different from a workforce development
programme targeted at young men who have been in conflict with the law. The latter will require
soft skills, cognitive behavioural therapy and trauma counselling in addition to the job
component. Enrique Riog

Be smart: We believe that targeted investments in income de-concentration, primary and

secondary education, early family support, and the rest can prevent violence but not if conducted
in a blanket approach. We need to get smarter about how we allocate aid if we want to really
have a meaningful impact on preventing and reducing violence. Robert Muggah
Ways to reduce crime

No society is free from crime and it is to be accepted that crime is an ever-present condition,
even as sickness, disease, and death (Tannenbaum, 1943:2 as cited in Teeters, 1995:63).

In Malta and elsewhere there is widespread agreement about few things. One area which
everyone agrees about is crime prevention, especially since it is beneficial to society in general
as this leads to a reduction in crime.

As opposed to the commission of crime, methodological crime prevention techniques are not as
sensational to merit much attention. In this article we propose ideas which the state, society and
citizens themselves could consider in preventing crime.

Traditionally, societies relied heavily on the criminal justice system as the major solution to this
problem, but little importance was given to social solutions such as education.

People tend to think of police work as only entailing the investigation and prosecution of
criminal offences. However, the police are also bound to prevent crime by being involved in the
social fabric of a country through a pro-active educational role.

While most people are aware of techniques to prevent burglary, not everyone is cognizant of
methods that can reduce the possibility of being a victim of modern high-tech crimes. In this
way, the police have a major role to play in teaching people ways to avoid falling prey to cyber-
stalkers, for example.

Apart from being law enforcers and teachers, in many instances the police also act as akin to
social workers in an attempt to either prevent further crimes or to discourage certain individuals
from indulging in criminal behaviour.

This social aspect of policing can also contribute to community policing where citizens
themselves join forces with the police in protecting their neighbourhood. Given that crime is
embedded within the fabric of society, the police cannot universally prevent crime and
consequently they have to investigate committed crimes and charge offenders in Court. It follows
that the Law Courts have a role and duty to reduce crime.

The Courts must ensure that citizens do not look at them as purely punitive but rather as
contributing towards the overall enhancement of society. Like the police, the Courts too can play
an educational role in prevention. This can be done through judgements where, rather than
pronouncing legal punishment, they seek to rehabilitate both the convicted person and society in
general. By this we mean programmes such as community work where society can benefit
through the honest efforts of the offender, who would feel useful in his or her contribution.
Rapidity in criminal proceedings can also indirectly reduce crime. It reduces frustration and
exasperation as those charged in Court will have greater respect for justice which serves as a
deterrent to re-offending.

Tackling the root causes of crime is an important way to go about reducing crime. Crimes can
vary in their typology and methods of execution. Notwithstanding these differences, most crimes
are the result of certain risk factors, such as poverty, unemployment, lack of meritocracy and
unreasonable taxation.

Other less obvious causal factors of crime include low quality tourism and the influence of
violence in movies and computer games.

Some of these risk factors can be addressed by a number of crime prevention initiatives which
may include activities targeting the most vulnerable. Research studies indicate that intervening
early in ones life diminishes the likelihood of embarking on or persisting in a criminal career. It
is proven that activities such as organised after-school programmes have a positive impact on
reducing crime. In the United States, a four-year programme which provided after-school
activities, including peer tutoring, homework assistance and community services, resulted in a 71
per cent drop in arrests (UN, 2000).

Social prevention might involve a range of simultaneous initiatives. It is a multi-disciplinary

approach transcending various fields of the welfare system and beyond, including health,
housing, education, civil society groups and so on.

A good educational system coupled with no job prospects leads to nowhere. Hence, social
prevention necessitates a support network from the community, school, family and broader social
infrastructure.

Such a multi-agency approach to crime prevention does not call for a reduction in existing
functions of the criminal justice system, but rather seeks to re-engineer the roles of the Courts
and the police in tackling crime and delinquent behaviour at its roots.