Report August 2013 Executive summary By Helen Moestue, Leif Moestue and Robert Muggah Youth violence prevention in Latin America and the Caribbean: a scoping review of the evidence Youth violence is reaching epidemic levels in some parts of Latin America. It is also a top priority for the region’s policymakers, with growing investments in youth violence prevention and reduction. Yet the knowledge base on what works and what does not in terms of youth violence prevention is comparatively thin, and there is comparatively limited awareness of existing or planned impact studies. In order to fill this knowledge gap, this report assesses the state of the literature on youth violence impact assessments in 33 countries of Latin America and the Caribbean. Following a systematic review of published and unpublished articles and interviews with dozens of experts, just 18 studies were detected. And while most of these came from Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Jamaica, several large randomised controlled trials are planned or ongoing in selected Central American and Caribbean countries. Taken together, the report highlights opportunities and limitations in academic, advocacy and policy debates on youth violence prevention. It recommends the application of longer-term and stronger study designs in future research, particularly of early childhood- and family-oriented interventions. What is urgently required are more comprehensive evaluations and the development of standardised metrics to track the many dimensions of youth violence. Introduction Many Latin American and Caribbean countries are facing an epidemic of violence involving young people. This report considers the state of knowledge on youth violence preven- tion and reduction interventions in the 33 countries of Latin America and the Caribbean. It is the result of a preliminary scoping review of the academic and policy literatures on this theme. Limited to methodologically robust impact evaluations, the report highlights the diversity of the evidence base with a view to identifying knowledge gaps. The review finds the following: • There are comparatively few scientifically robust assess- ments of youth violence prevention in Latin America and the Caribbean. Just 18 studies were detected through a systematic search of the literature, published or grey, online or offline, and correspondence with academic informants. Of the 18 studies identified, seven have yet to be undertaken and published. • A review of more than 20 thematic areas across the region revealed a concentration of research on specific themes and a small number of states. With the exception of school- based and education projects, the evidence base on impact is comparatively thin. Just four countries account for the bulk of the evidence on what works: Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Jamaica. • Most impact assessments under review apply experimental or quasi-experimental design, often taking advantage of the staggered implementation of a policy or programme to isolate effects. The most comprehensive studies were conducted in the very recent past or are ongoing. Violence assessment is a rapidly evolving field, with certain donors increasingly calling for random allocation studies to assess impact. • Several large randomised controlled trials are being planned for Central American and Caribbean countries. Methodologically rigorous trials are being designed to assess youth projects in Central America and the Caribbean. These youth interventions are often replica- tions of successful U.S. violence prevention initiatives. In the next five years evidence will emerge on their impact in terms of preventing violence among youth.