Financial Crime World

Governance, Security, Criminal Justice, and Access to Justice in the Andean Region

Key Findings

The report presents a comprehensive overview of various aspects of governance, security, criminal justice, and access to justice in the Andean region. The key findings are highlighted below:

Corruption

  • Corruption within institutions has increased across all Andean countries.
  • Ecuador saw significant increases in perceptions of corruption across actors, with judges and magistrates being considered the most corrupt.

Bribery Victimization

  • Respondents reported paying bribes most often to request government permits or public benefits.
  • Colombians were more likely to report having to pay a bribe compared to their regional peers.

Trust

  • Andean respondents trust people living in their country more than other public actors.
  • Ecuadorians expressed the lowest average levels of trust across all institutions, while Colombians reported the highest overall levels of trust.

Security and Criminal Justice

Crime Victimization

  • Approximately one-third (34%) of respondents reported experiencing a crime in the last 12 months.

Safety

  • Less than one-third (30%) of Andean respondents feel safe or very safe when walking in their neighborhood at night, on average. Bolivians were most likely to report feeling safe.

Confidence in Criminal Justice System

  • Respondents are most confident that the criminal justice system safeguards the presumption of innocence and least confident that it ensures timeliness.

Access to Justice

  • Approximately 42% of respondents reported experiencing a legal problem in the last two years.
  • The majority (54%) of legal problems have been resolved, with an average time of approximately six months.

Conclusion

The report highlights variations across countries within the Andean region and underscores the need for improvements in governance, security, criminal justice, and access to justice. By understanding these challenges, policymakers and stakeholders can work together to address them and create a more just and secure society for all.