Citizen Security in South America: A Review

Abstract

Concerns about the global proliferation of small arms and light weapons (SALW) and armed violence have increased exponentially since the end of the Cold War. Developing and post-conflict countries have found it particularly difficult to stem the proliferation and misuse of SALW as they attempt to (re)build government institutions, in particular security forces. Latin America is one of the regions of the world most affected by armed violence. Voluntary weapons collection programmes (VWCP) are one intervention that has been implemented repeatedly in developed and developing countries in order to reduce proliferation and violence with mixed results and limited independent evaluation. This thesis begins with an examination of the weapons-specific, intervening and structural factors of crime and insecurity in Latin America followed by an exploration of different security concepts and frameworks relevant to VWCP, in particular the concept of citizen security. It then proposes a new VWCP Impact Assessment Framework that builds upon previous findings on impact in regards to traditional crime and violence. The framework goes further to integrate the interactions of VWCP with security sector reform and social capital. The examination of the security sector emphasises elements of police reform in Latin America. The framework then looks at three types of social capital relevant to institutions and communities. The framework is then tested and applied to eight country cases studies, two from empirical field research in order to test conventional notions and generate new findings.