The Republic of Panama is the southernmost country in Central America, located on the isthmus connecting North and South America. A distinguishing feature of the isthmus, of course, is the Panama Canal, which allows passage of shipping traffic between the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean. 

Panama has had a turbulent political history, most recently emerging—in 1989—from a military dictatorship of two decades’ duration. In the subsequent years, the country has gained economic strength, boasting one of the largest economies in Central America. 

Like most other Central American countries, Panama has experienced a significant increase in crime and violence rates, and citizen security is an ongoing concern. In many places, the initial governmental response has been heavy-handed legislation and police crackdowns (known as mano-dura, or “iron fist” approaches), often directed at urban youth. 

These approaches have proven to have only a limited effect on crime rates, however, and the national government has become increasingly receptive to more comprehensive approaches that focus on prevention as well as enforcement. 

ICMA has been involved in two programs in Panama that share successful practices in community-based crime prevention. In 2009 the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) awarded ICMA the Municipal Partnerships for Violence Prevention in Central America (AMUPREV) program. In 2010, the Alcance Positivo program (originally known as Community Youth at Risk) was awarded to Creative Associates International, with ICMA as a subcontractor.

Municipal Partnerships for Violence Prevention in Central America

With an initial focus on El Salvador and Panama, Municipal Partnerships for Violence Prevention in Central America (AMUPREV) is helping municipalities develop innovative violence prevention programs by sharing approaches to community-oriented governance and policing that have worked in the U.S. and other countries. 

Alcance Positivo (Community Youth at Risk)

As a member of a team headed by Creative Associates International, Inc., ICMA worked with Panamanian municipalities, districts, and the Child and Adolescent Unit of the Panamanian National Police to address the conditions that put youth at risk of criminal activity and to improve coordination among governmental, nongovernmental, private-sector, and other stakeholders in these efforts.