Final Baseline Report on Citizen Security in the Southern Caribbean Coast in Nicaragua

The study, conducted in 2016 with support from the Program in Democracy and Governance of the United States Agency for International Development, aimed to understand the perceptions of citizen security among communities in target municipalities. The study found that communities in the region perceive crime as the most serious problem, with 71% of respondents identifying it as such. This perception is consistent across different areas, with the exception of Corn Island, where respondents cited poverty as the most significant issue. The study also revealed that women, more urbanized areas, and younger respondents are more likely to perceive crime as a serious problem. Crime victimization is a significant concern in the region, with 44% of households reporting at least one victimization incident in the past year. Home burglaries and personal victimization of aggression or theft are the most common types of crime reported. The study also found that illegal drug sales and consumption are widespread in the neighborhoods, with 63% of respondents reporting the presence of drug sales in their area. The study evaluated the performance of law enforcement institutions, with respondents expressing low levels of trust and confidence in the police. Only 22% of respondents reported feeling safe in their neighborhoods, and 71% believed that the police are ineffective in controlling crime. The study also found that police harassment is a significant problem, with 45% of respondents reporting experiencing harassment at the hands of the police. The study's findings have significant implications for programming recommendations. The authors suggest that building local capacity and promoting citizen participation in local governments and communities are essential for improving citizen security. The study also recommends that law enforcement institutions be reformed to increase transparency, accountability, and community trust. The study's methodology involved a survey of 1,200 respondents in six municipalities in the Southern Caribbean Coast region. The survey was conducted in 2015, and the data were analyzed to identify patterns and trends in citizen security perceptions. The study also conducted focus groups in four municipalities to gather more in-depth information on the specific problems faced by coastal municipalities. The study's findings are relevant to the efforts of the United States Agency for International Development to build local capacity and promote citizen security in the region. The study's recommendations provide a framework for programming initiatives aimed at improving citizen security and promoting community development in the Southern Caribbean Coast region. The study's results are presented in a series of figures and tables, which provide a visual representation of the data and facilitate analysis. The figures and tables are used to illustrate the study's findings, including the most serious problems faced by communities, perceptions of insecurity, crime victimization, and evaluations of law enforcement institutions. The study's conclusions highlight the need for a comprehensive approach to addressing citizen security in the Southern Caribbean Coast region. The authors recommend that programming initiatives focus on building local capacity, promoting citizen participation, and reforming law enforcement institutions to increase transparency, accountability, and community trust.