COHA RECOMMENDS: NEW STUDY PROVIDES IN DEPTH LOOK AT PUBLIC SECURITY POLICY IN EL SALVADOR

The University of Public Opinion Institute (Iudop) at El Salvador’s University of Central America “Jose Simeon Cañas” published a study of El Salvador’s public security policies under the administration of former president Mauricio Funes (FMLN, 2009 – 2014): “The Situation of Security and Justice 2009 – 2014–Between expectations for change, heavy-handed military and gang truces.”  This study provides important empirical data and analysis for researchers involved in the assessment of the gang truce, increased deployment of the military in the public security sector, and other measures that were implemented during the Funes administration. The study also provides policy recommendations at a time when the administration of president Sanchez Ceren, which has so far declined to engage the truce option,  has started implementing community policing and other strategies to address public security, and in particular gang violence in this Central American nation.