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Making Police Reform Matter in Latin America

Mary Fran T. Malone, Lucía Dammert, and Orlando J. Pérez
Making Police Reform Matter in Latin America
ISBN: 978-1-68585-353-2
$105.00 $52.50
ISBN: 978-1-68585-301-3
$105.00 $52.50
2023/249 pages
"An essential update on the increasingly vital efforts at police reform throughout Latin America. It provides a much-needed analytical and empirical foundation for grasping the full range of emerging challenges that the region faces in providing citizen security amid mounting political and socioeconomic instability." —Mark Ungar, Brooklyn College, CUNY

DESCRIPTION

Police forces in Latin America historically have been regarded as hopelessly corrupt, inefficient, and even abusive. More recently, however, there have been clear signs that police reforms have gained traction in the region—with some notable exceptions. The authors of this book explore the scope of the reforms that have been enacted in a diverse group of countries, their impact on police-society relations, and perhaps most important, how sustainable they are proving to be in the current climate of democratic decline.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mary Fran T. Malone is professor of political science at the University of New Hampshire. Lucía Dammert is professor of political studies at the University of Santiago, Chile. Orlando J. Pérez is professor of political science at the University of North Texas at Dallas.

CONTENTS

  • The Challenges of Police Reform in Latin America.
  • Policing and Public Security in Latin America.
  • Chile: Too Good to Be True?
  • Colombia: Success Amid Conflict and Stability.
  • Costa Rica: Exceptionalism Under Strain.
  • Nicaragua: A Return to Political Policing.
  • Panama: Rebuilding Security After Invasion.
  • Peru: The Challenges of Institutional Instability.
  • Uruguay: Success in a Social Welfare State.
  • What We Have Learned and Why It Matters.