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Organization and Information in the Fight against Crime: The Integration of Police Forces in the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil

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  • Rodrigo R. Soares
  • Igor Viveiros

Abstract

This paper analyzes the experience of information sharing, coordination, and inte- gration of actions of the civil and military police forces in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, in the context of the IGESP program. The IGESP was based on the introduction of information management systems and organizational changes akin to those associated with the CompStat system originally developed in New York City. The evidence points to a causal effect of the IGESP on crime. The most conservative estimates indicate a reduction of 23 percent in violent property crimes due to the introduction of the program. There is also evidence that the IGESP is associated with improved police response, measured by apprehension of weapons and clearance rates. We present one of the few estimates available with a clear identi cation strategy of the impact of CompStat-like programs. The results suggest that coordination of actions and ef cient use of information may constitute rst-order factors in the ght against crime.

Suggested Citation

  • Rodrigo R. Soares & Igor Viveiros, 2017. "Organization and Information in the Fight against Crime: The Integration of Police Forces in the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil," Economía Journal, The Latin American and Caribbean Economic Association - LACEA, vol. 0(Spring 20), pages 29-63, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:col:000425:015504
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    Cited by:

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    crime; police; Brazil; IGESP; CompStat;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H11 - Public Economics - - Structure and Scope of Government - - - Structure and Scope of Government
    • K00 - Law and Economics - - General - - - General (including Data Sources and Description)
    • K42 - Law and Economics - - Legal Procedure, the Legal System, and Illegal Behavior - - - Illegal Behavior and the Enforcement of Law

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