Measuring OC in Latin America. A methodology for developing and validating scores and composite indicators for measuring OC at national and subnational level.

The aim of this working paper is to develop and test a methodology for measuring Organized Crime in selected countries of the Latin American region. This study is one of the first systematic attempts to obtain reliable and comparable measurements of OC presence and threats in that region. The outcomes will provide a more comprehensive view on how to measure and analyze OC today in Latin America, taking the regional specificities of the phenomenon into account. Moreover, creating a valid measurement of OC has important policy implications, since valid indicators may improve the effectiveness of government and enforcement actions