judicial reform

Peru Organized Crime Reforms May Be Missing the Mark

Peru has reformed its laws pertaining to organized crime in a context of growing public concern about the issue, but it’s unclear whether the changes will have a substantial impact on crime groups operating in the country…

This piece was co-written with Tristan Clavel. Read it in its entirety at InSight Crime.

Organized Crime Loopholes Water Down Mexico Justice Reform

Mexico is currently in the process of implementing historic changes to its criminal justice system, but the planned reforms include due process exceptions in organized crime cases that could undermine the initiative’s intent…

Read this piece in its entirety at InSight Crime.

Mexico Official Signals Shift Away from Militarized Security Strategy

Mexico’s Interior Secretary Miguel Ángel Osorio Chong recently said that long-term security gains in the country will depend on improving socioeconomic conditions, signaling a possible shift away from the heavy-handed anti-crime strategy the government has pursued for years…

Read this piece in its entirety at InSight Crime.

Funding Issues Hold Back Northern Triangle Security, Justice Reforms

El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala are all facing serious financial constraints that could hinder their ability to carry out reforms to police and judicial institutions and implement new security measures…

Read this piece in its entirety at InSight Crime.

UPDATE (May 24, 2016):

This article was written just one day after the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) announced that it is “going through a severe financial crisis that will have serious consequences on its ability to fulfill its mandate and carry out its basic functions,” which include monitoring allegations of human rights crimes.

The IACHR says it will have to lay off some 40 percent of its current staff and cancel its next two sessions, which had been scheduled for July and October of this year.

The parent body of the IACHR, the Organization of American States (OAS), has faced serious financial problems for years due in part to non-payment of dues by some member states. Earlier this year, the Chairman of the Permanent Council of the OAS described the funding issues as an “existential threat” to the organization.