Reports

CRIME: ECONOMIC PROSPERITY THROUGH HUMAN DIGNITY
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2006
2:00 PM – 4:30 PM

Moderator: Daniel Erickson, InterAmerican Dialogue

Discussants: Claudia Barlow, Advisor to U.S. Dept. of State; Eduardo Gamarra, Florida International University; Deborah Sigmund, Innocents at Risk; Robert Vaughan, Squire, Sanders & Dempsey LLP

The Context:
Rising crime rates, illegal trafficking in human persons and gang violence pose major developmental challenges for Caribbean Basin countries. Efforts to deal with these threats must address both law enforcement and social programs to reach a disenfranchised population.

The Challenge:

• What policies at the state or community level can provide alternative incentives to crime and trafficking in humans?
• What is the private sector’s role in addressing illegal activities?
• What are the economic and business implications to ignoring pressing social issues?
• What are some of the regional best practices to deter crime and traffic in humans?

Points and Comments Brought up in the Session:

• 2 Major areas concerning crime were brought up in the session:
  • Social and economic consequences of trafficking in persons.
  • Effects crime is having on the small countries that make up the region.
• Key observations on the ways which human trafficking affects society and business in the region
  • Human trafficking is modern day labor with an estimated 3 million people involved or captured and $32 billion and growing business.
  • Legalization of prostitution in some countries has led to demands for younger women to avoid disease, fueling trafficking.
  • Not only AIDS/sexually transmitted infections but tuberculosis rates are increasing as a result, affecting entire communities.
  • Major events can attract more traffickers; an example was given of Germany during the World Cup.
  • Real estate is affected when brothels/adult shops open in new areas/all sorts of neighborhoods, spreading from the traditionally “bad” areas of town.
  • Human Trafficking is bad for tourism (with the example of Aruba) and bad for international adoption.
• Key observations on the ways which crime effects the region
  • According to studies done by FIU, crime is the #1 concern of the Caribbean region.
  • Trade routes for illicit goods are the same for typical goods, as well as humans/drugs
  • Microtrafficking – The DR in particular is showing new drug addiction patterns similar to the U.S. and throughout the Caribbean an increase is becoming apparent.
• Some major constraints to making progress in combating human trafficking
  • Political will is fundamental to solving the problem. You need both policy and politics at the right time to collaborate.
  • Media can help and hurt by promoting backlash against crime, feeding and amplifying out of control responses without focus on the fundamental responses to crime, such as community awareness.

Questions and Answers Brought up in the Session:

• Why haven’t policies worked? Human trafficking is a symptom of a malaise that will not go away.
  • Sections of society that are disenfranchised need to be reengaged through policy focus and education.
• Does the media promote poor values that coincide with rising crime?
  • Success measured by what children see on TV has had an impact on how children develop expectations of their environment.

Recommendations Made:

• Recommendations for public & private sector leadership to combat crime:
  • Stimulating political will in conjunction with broad civil society participation is a must to make an impact.
  • You can’t involve just one group (police, army, etc.), but a state-wide anti-crime effort is necessary. Where states aren’t unified or strong enough to work together, focus should be placed on one neighborhood at a time to tackle the problem.
  • Ignoring corrupt or criminal police organizations undermines crime policy. Solutions must be identified to mix adequate compensation with excellence in policing.
  • Participation of civil society is requisite for success of national initiatives. Civil society involvement will pressure public policy for better services and focused attention on the issues.
  • State monitoring of banks, and funds, etc. will reveal what major transactions involve criminal activity undermining crime.
• Recommendations that require specific business sector participation and leadership:
  • There is a need to identify how to generate consensus within the business community to add pressure to confront crime.
  • Example given of USAID Jamaica engaging local American Chambers of Commerce to push community policing. This method got the message out that crime is an issue Chambers need to focus on, and that business pressure is needed to get the
    government to focus on countering crime. This example of involving AmChams could be a model outside of Jamaica.
  • Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) can incorporate combating crime on the grounds that CSR is about building communities and concern for human welfare. Therefore it follows that companies should be compelled to take a stance against crime.
  • Changing the stigma that certain communities have acquired as a result of crime (“worthwhile employees don’t come from there”) will change the chances that young people will not turn to crime when transitioning from school. Businesses employing persons from those regions will begin to combat that stigma and augment perception of CSR.
• Recommendations specific to education:
  • Educating the public on human trafficking tactics and signs is necessary to help develop community awareness.
  • Building cultural/educational centers that promote volunteerism is a means of developing safety in communities.
  • Education will serve as a significant outlet to crime by preparing young persons for the workforce; young persons need to want to learn and see education and employment as a means of increasing their economic value.

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