Community-based crime prevention in El Salvador: social capital, collective efficacy, social-environmental factor and insecurity in communities

Community-based Crime Prevention has begun to be perceived as a good initiative to meet the increasingly high levels of crime and violence in Latin America and in El Salvador. Our study indicates that for communities to cope with crime, violence and lack of security, the inhabitants of these communities, not only must trust each other -this is essential- but they must go further and have the will to act together to solve community problems. To achieve this virtuous circle, community-based crime prevention programmes need to strengthen the capacities and community institutions and improve the physical and social conditions that lead to disorder in the community and to criminal behavior.