Author(s)

Pamela Ruiz

This report assesses nine initiatives that have been implemented in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Costa Rica aimed to reduce extortion. The strength of these initiatives – which include prevention programmes, law-enforcement initiatives and anti-extortion courts – lies in their ability to diagnose specific aspects of extortion and implement innovative, practical and targeted strategies, but their efficacy is limited by poor coordination between state agencies and inadequate data collection and analysis.

The report also identifies regional lessons and challenges and makes two policy recommendations, specifically that data collection and analysis be improved, and a multi-layered approach be developed to tackle the complex and multifaceted issue of extortion.