Organized crime, drug trafficking, corruption, and weak institutions jeopardize community safety and threaten global security by undermining democracy, hindering economic development, and perpetuating cycles of poverty and violence. Yet, there is limited rigorous evidence on the most effective strategies to strengthen the rule of law and combat illicit activities. To address this gap, the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) launched the Partnership to Advance Research and Scientific Evidence (PARSE). Funded under PARSE, IPA's Rule of Law Initiative (RLI) aims to advance evidence on topics central to justice, civilian security, and crime and violence reduction.

Through this initiative, IPA will generate and synthesize insights on "what works best" to help policymakers and practitioners make informed, cost-effective, and impactful programmatic and policy decisions. The RLI will host competitive funding rounds to support innovative studies responding to our research and learning agenda.

Contact: justice@poverty-action.org