Universities and Violence in the Northern Triangle A Central American Institute of Criminology A recommendation to the National Citizen Security and Coexistence Council of El Salvador September 10, 2015
John Maisto, ASU Consultant on Global Affairs Retired US Ambassador to Venezuela, Nicaragua and the Organization of American States Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for central America Former Senior Director for Latin America at the National Security CouncilFormer Deputy Ass't. Secretary of State for Central America; Former Senior Director for La>n America at Na>onal Security Council researchma(ers.asu.edu 2
Two Ideas Universities, an untapped resource Not yet deployed to advance citizen security Institute of Criminology Specific approach universities can provide Science Research Evidence Training researchma(ers.asu.edu 3
Objectives of Our Presentation Present evidence-based approaches Listen to your comments and feedback Validate, adjust, add to or eliminate ideas researchma(ers.asu.edu 4
Presenters Stephen Feinson Associate Vice President ASU Global Development ASU New American University Charles Katz, Ph.D. Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice Watts Family Director, Center for Violence Prevention and Community Safety Gang Violence How Science Thinks About It researchma(ers.asu.edu 5
Presenters Tim Nelson, J.D. Consultant to ASU Former Chief Deputy Attorney General and Counsel to the Governor, State of Arizona Oscar Picardo, Ph.D. Higher Education Expert Independent Consultant Independent Institute of Criminology Potential Impact El Salvador Universities Readiness for a New Role researchma(ers.asu.edu
THE NEW AMERICAN UNIVERSITY 7
ASU is one of one most of the radical most most redesigns radical redesigns radica in redesig higher in learning. higher learning. -Newsweek, August 2008
Our Approach ASU has altered its organizational structure to facilitate interdisciplinary research: Academic structure organized around challenges, not traditional disciplines Major research institutes independent from academic units This allows ASU to focus on solving society s biggest challenges in a variety of strategic areas.
Most Innova>ve Universi>es 1 Arizona State University 2 Stanford University 3 Massachuse(s Ins>tute of Technology 8 Harvard University September 9, 2015 12
An Academic Perspective Charles Katz, Ph.D. Gang Violence How Science Thinks About It What universities do well in understanding violence An example of what academic analysis tells us about violence in El Salvador What decision-makers can do with academic information What Salvadoran universities need to play their role researchma(ers.asu.edu 13
School of Criminology and Criminal Justice & Center for Violence Prevention and Community Safety
Defining criminology Crime & Delinquency Prevalence Causes and correlates Theore>cal explana>ons Responses to crime Preven>on Interven>on Suppression Effec>veness Efficiency Equality/Fairness
School of Criminology and Criminal Justice 22+ Full- >me professors 12+ Faculty associates who are experts in their field 2,000+ Undergraduate students 200+ Masters Students 30+ Ph.D. students #2 Online Criminal Jus>ce Degree in USA U.S. News and World Report #3 Ranked Faculty for Scholarly Work Journal of Criminal Jus>ce Educa>on #12 Rated Criminal Jus>ce School US News & World Report 33% La>no students
What is the ASU Center for Violence Prevention and Community Safety? An organizational unit within the College of Public Programs that is dedicated to: 1. Analyzing patterns & causes of violence 2. Evaluating policies and programs 3. Developing strategies and programs 4. Providing education, training & technical assistance 5. Facilitating the development & construction of databases Center for Violence Preven>on and Community Safety
Who Do We Work With? International organizations & Foreign governments Organization of American States (OAS) Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation/ International Justice Mission United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Regional Security System (RSS) Republic of Trinidad and Tobago U.S. Federal Agencies National Institute of Justice Department of Homeland Security Bureau of Justice Assistance U.S.A.I.D. State Agencies Arizona Criminal Justice Commission Governors Office Department of Corrections Local Agencies Maricopa County Managers Office Law enforcement agencies MCSO Phoenix Glendale Mesa County court Center for Violence Preven>on and Community Safety
Examples of Projects, programs, and ac>vi>es as of December 2014 Gangs in the Caribbean Transna>onal Gangs El Salvador & USA Statistics Workshops Stop and Frisk AZ- VDRS R&P factors El Salvador Na>onal survey of police on Human Trafficking Gang truce: El Salvador, Honduras, Jamaica NIBIN Southwest SMART Policing Police Worn Body Cameras Lawlessness in Mexico Phoenix Smart Policing Officer involved shoo>ngs Na>onal Law Enforcement Correc>ons and Technology Center (NLECTC) Student Development Corp. Arizona Center for Police Leadership Property Grabbing Crime in Uganda Sea(le/Tri- Ci>es Gang Assessments
What sort of faculty are needed? Traditional Criminologist? Traditionally works within the university Rarely works with agencies Primarily focused on theory and statistics Primary audience is other academicians Predisposed to a political agenda Use-Inspired Criminologist Works outside the university Typically works with agencies Primarily focused on useinspired research Speaks to a broader audience policymakers, practitioners, academicians, students, the public Concentrates on solutions to crime researchma(ers.asu.edu 20
Common Themes in our Agenda External diagnos9cs Diagnose the scope and nature of violence Internal diagnos9cs Diagnose the analy>cal and opera>onal capacity of the state and its partners to address violence
External diagnosis Distal causes Otherwise known as root causes Large-scale social issues, deeply engrained in society Unemployment Poor educa>on Concentrated disadvantage Discrimina>on What we think we know There is a pay- off and it works but: Ambi>ous, difficult and >me- consuming work. Requires long term commitment to change. Open results in a sense of pessimism or hopelessness. It will take a genera>on to address violence Center for Violence Preven>on and Community Safety
External diagnosis (cont.) Proximate causes Factors that influence violence in the near term Mo>ve Means for the offence Place Poten>al solu>ons become smaller and more manageable Analogous to emergency medicine Triage: First, stop the bleeding Then address those issues that require a longer- term follow- up. Examples: Iden>fy the loca>ons of with the worst wound or injury (place, people, type of crime) Iden>fy the means of the injury (mo>ve, retaliatory violence) Center for Violence Preven>on and Community Safety
Diagnosing Internal Capacity Formal Police Courts Corrections Forensic sciences Informal Civil society Church Community Even gangs Awareness of potential boomerang effect among some partners researchma(ers.asu.edu 24
What is El Salvador missing? 1. Capacity for and Internalized, Routine Reliance on Evidence-Based Responses From JRSA (2012), the evidence-based movement : v Rather than relying on conviction, conjecture, or conventional wisdom, decision makers turn to the best available evidence about what does and does not work when evaluating options and making decisions v Evidence-based decision making is simply the routine and systematic application of the best available knowledge in order to identify and choose the optimal approach in policy, management, and other applied settings researchma(ers.asu.edu 25
What is El Salvador missing? 2. Lack of use inspired, socially embedded criminological infrastructure Few evidence- based prac>ces have been tested here Few university departments have focused on criminology Few faculty, with high levels of formal criminological training serve in Salvadorian universi>es Few university students are being trained for the security workforce Few agency leaders are receiving con>nued professional training in criminology researchma(ers.asu.edu 26
What is El Salvador missing? 3. Agency-University Relationships that Include Cooperation-short term/informal Coordination-formal/project based Collaboration-formalized/long term reciprocal researchma(ers.asu.edu 27
A Solutions-Focused Institution Tim Nelson, J.D. The Concept of an Institute of Criminology ASU Observations of Needs How an Institute Could Meet Those Needs Recommendations for Such an Institute researchma(ers.asu.edu 28
ASU Research Suggests El Salvador Should Strengthen research capacity in the broad field of criminology Quickly improve knowledge and understanding of criminal justice professionals (police, prosecutors, judges) Create legal transborder connections to facilite cooperation in the Northern Triangle Region researchma(ers.asu.edu 29
ASU Research Suggests El Salvador Should Develop expertise in not only common crimes, such as robbery and domestic violence, but other complex criminal activity, such as organized crime, money laundering, drugs and human trafficking Collaborate with Central American universities to strengthen their academic capacity in these areas Increase number of professionals trained in professionalism and ethics Integrate trainings of justice and security professionals researchma(ers.asu.edu 30
ASU Observations on Training ASU has conferred with Consejo Nacional de la Judicatura Fiscalia General de la Republica Procuraduria General de la Republica Policia Nacional Civil ASU suggests Training provided is narrow and isolates professionals who must collaborate These entities and universities must work together to prepare and teach holistic courses on the presentation of penal cases Trainings must be integrated so that all participants understand their role in the total system researchma(ers.asu.edu 31
What a Criminology Institute Should Do: Perform Relevant, Objective Research as Needed Serve as a Clearinghouse for Best Practices and Complete Data Provide Integrated Training for Justice and Security Professionals Empower Civil Society Strengthen University curricula and capacity
Components of a Criminology Institute Collaboration of various universities throughout the Northern Triangle Region with specialties in: Law Sociology Forensic Science Police Training Anthropology Psychology Led by a university with strong academic expertise and a reputation for independence and objectivity
Characteristics of a Criminology Institute Academic rigor Objectivity Collaboration: With government agencies With other universities With civil society
Trainings Must be Hands-On Learn by Doing Lecture Practice Feedback
Sustainable Distance Learning Extend program's reach via video, internet Long term sustainability Train the Trainer New Content Levels Very basic courses, advanced courses
Ready for a New Role Oscar Picardo, Ph.D El Salvador s Universities More Is Needed University academics and science make limited contributions to solving national problems El Salvador in World Economic Forum s Global Competitiveness Report 2014-2015 Higher education 94th of 144 countries Quality of scientific research institutions - 77th of 144 countries Patent applications - 121st of 144 countries Availability of scien>sts and engineers 91st of 144 countries researchma(ers.asu.edu 37
May we add The rela>onships between universi>es, government and businesses are limited. There is li(le confidence and limited dialogue (Chamber of Commerce Survey, 2013). Universi>es have knowledge, resources and personnel, plus the poten>al to develop interna>onal rela>onships with more advanced or global universi>es. The wealth of universi>es is based on solu>ons that transcend the poli>cal and ideological; their proposals are scien>fic. Finally, not all is reduced to dealing with criminology phenomena; universi>es can design other solu>ons of an educa>on and preven>ve nature for youth. 38
Thank you We are happy to answer your questions and open this discussion. 39