Many countries continue to face high levels of crime and violence, particularly in areas with limited state presence and access to justice. While Latin America and the Caribbean are especially affected, similar challenges exist across low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) in Asia and Africa. However, rigorous evidence on how to effectively reduce violence in these settings remains limited, as most studies have focused on high-income countries and often show only modest results, leaving policymakers with few proven strategies to strengthen citizen security.

Through our work in LMICs across Latin America, Asia, and Africa, IPA has partnered with governments, civil society organizations, and researchers to design, test, and scale innovative strategies to reduce crime and violence. These collaborations have contributed to a growing body of rigorous evidence on how to improve citizen security in diverse settings. Our experience shows that addressing the root causes of crime and violence involves building long-term partnerships that support locally grounded, evidence-informed solutions.

This brief highlights completed and ongoing evaluations supported and/or implemented by Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) on interventions to reduce violence through both direct pathways such as policing, and indirect pathways such as strengthening health systems, preventing gender based violence, and shifting public attitudes toward victims.