NCJ Number
198963
Journal
Criminal Justice Volume: 3 Issue: 1 Dated: February 2003 Pages: 103-125
Date Published
February 2003
Length
23 pages
Annotation
This article discusses the experiences of studying policing and security in Colombia.
Abstract
The author conducted fieldwork on policing and security in Colombia over a period of 5 years. Specifically, the study concerned the institutions of policing in Colombia and how they related to the problems of internal conflict and citizen insecurity in that country. Political instability, especially at the local level, and general weakness of the state have long compromised the effectiveness of state response to crime and insecurity. The difficulties of doing criminological research in such an environment are discussed. The first problem was adapting the study methodologically in the circumstances of a country such as Colombia, given cultural differences such as language. The second was the real and perceived risks of looking at questions of insecurity in a profoundly insecure and violent society. Colombia is a dangerous place to live and a highly risky field setting for conducting criminological research. One of these risks is kidnapping. The third problem was coming to terms with research-related problems posed by the environment, including the volatile political situation and constant changes in the bureaucracies relevant to the study. Maintaining networks of supporters, informants, and relations of trust is time-consuming and makes research over a long period of time very difficult. The challenge in the future of criminology is to tackle those exotic and risky fields of crime and insecurity that exist in many countries of the world. 15 notes, 50 references