Measuring the True Costs of War: Consensus and Controversy

Robert Muggah discusses the costs of war and a new analysis published in PLoS Medicine by Madelyn Hsiao-Rei Hicks and colleagues that documents the number of Iraqi civilian violent deaths during 2003-2008

Diagnosing demand: assessing the motivations and means for firearms acquisition in the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea

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[Brazil] Deconstructing Cyber Security in Brazil: Threats and Responses

Brazil is doubling down on its cyber-security architecture while simultaneously consolidating its emerging power status. Although organized crime is one of the major threats to Brazilian cyberspace, resources are focused instead on military solutions better suited to the exceptional case of warfare. There is less emphasis on expanding law enforcement capabilities to identify and respond to cyber-crime and related digital malfeasance. Due to the absence of a unified government position on the issue or reliable data, Brazil has evolved an imbalanced approach to cyber-security. If Brazil is to rebalance its approach, it needs to fill knowledge gaps. At a minimum, policy makers require a better understanding of the strategies, tactics and resources of hackers and cyber-crime groups, the ways in which traditional crime is migrating online and the implications of new surveillance technologies. The government should also encourage a broad debate with a clear communications strategy about the requirements of cyber-security and what forms this might take. More critical reflection on the form and content of measured and efficient strategies to engage cyber threats is also needed. Improved coordination between state police forces to better anticipate and respond to cyber-crime is essential. If Brazil is to build a robust and effective cyber-security strategy, an informed debate must begin immediately

Researching the urban dilemma : urbanization, poverty and violence

Agencies such as the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the United Nations and the World Bank continue to privilege national over municipal statistical datasets. The paucity of reliable subnational data and analysis limits theory-building and inhibits the design, implementation and monitoring of effective interventions in urban violence. The evidence base for what works and what does not is extremely thin. This paper assembles competing and complimentary theories, evidence and practical examples on the complex relationships between urbanization, poverty and violence

Investigando el dilema urbano : urbanización, pobreza y violencia; resumen

Versión en inglés disponible en la Biblioteca Digital del IDRCVersión en francés disponible en la Biblioteca Digital del IDRCEl resumen que sigue destaca los resultados clave del estudio de referencia Investigando el dilema urbano: urbanización, pobreza y violencia. Este estudio tenía por objeto revisar el estado de la evidencia y la teoría sobre la conexión entre la violencia urbana y la reducción de la pobreza y el impacto y eficacia de las distintas intervenciones. El estudio concluye que existe considerable interés en los asuntos relativos a la urbanización, la pobreza y la violencia urbanas entre los científicos sociales. También se sabe mucho sobre la escala y distribución del crecimiento urbano y el carácter del empobrecimiento y la desigualdad urbanos. Finalmente, hay bastante investigación sobre los costos y consecuencias, tanto percibidos como reales, de la violencia urbana en una gama de contextos de ingresos bajos y medios. Sin embargo, el estudio revela que la investigación y el debate siguen en gran medida segmentados y compartimentados en ciertas disciplinas y contextos geográficos y que existen lagunas importantes relativas a la interacción entre la pobreza y la violencia urbanas. Este resumen destaca una muestra de intervenciones concebidas para prevenir y reducir la violencia urbana, pero señala que aún falta probar la eficacia de muchas de las intervenciones destinadas a mitigar y reducir la inseguridad y la pobreza en ciudades de ingresos medios y bajos. El resumen termina examinando vacíos de conocimiento e interrogantes clave para la investigación futura

Violent disorder in Ciudad Juarez : a spatial analysis of homicide

This HASOW Discussion Paper considers how demographic and socioeconomic factors correlate with homicidal violence in the context of Mexico´s “war on drugs”. We draw on Ciudad Juarez as a case study and social disorganization theory as an organizing framework. Social disorganization is expected to produce higher levels of homicidal violence. And while evidence detects several social disorganization factors associated with homicidal violence in Ciudad Juarez not all relationships appear as predicted by the theory. Drawing on public census and crime data, our statistical assessment detects 6 significant variables (or risks) positively associated with homicidal violence in Ciudad Juarez between 2009 and 2010. Likewise, the assessment finds 6 specific variables (or protective factors) that are negatively associated with above average homicide in the city between 2009 and 2010. The data and level of analysis do not conclusively present causation, nor was this the intent. Rather, we propose a baseline model for testing spatial-temporal dynamics of organized violence