By The International Crisis Group

What’s new? Colombia’s government has made environmental protection a priority. But armed groups control large parts of the endangered Amazon rainforest, making that goal hard to achieve. One group in particular, the Central Armed Command, or EMC, has shown it has the power to slow or accelerate deforestation at will. Why does it matter? Armed groups’ tightening grip on the Colombian Amazon has further jeopardised the health of a forest that plays a crucial role in the planet’s climate. People living under these groups’ yoke have been left vulnerable to the whims of criminals bent on expanding their illicit businesses. What should be done? Colombia’s government should pursue negotiations with armed groups and plot ways to curb deforestation. But it should also assert its authority in the Amazon through development programs fostering livelihoods that do not harm the environment, efforts to combat large-scale environmental offenders and reinforced coordination of security, peace and environment policies.

Bogotá/New York/Brussels, International Crisis Group,   2024. 32p.

By Katharine Neill Harris

There were a lot of reasons to think that 2021 would be a pivotal year for criminal justice reform in Texas: widespread popularity of relaxing cannabis laws, public support for addressing police violence and systemic racism in the justice system, and the pandemic turning overcrowded jails from a simmering public health risk into a crisis too big to ignore. Two weeks after a Minneapolis police officer killed George Floyd, a Houston native, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott indicated there was a bipartisan appetite for reform when he floated the idea of a “George Floyd Act, to make sure that we prevent police brutality like this from happening in the future in Texas.” Calling Floyd’s death “the most horrific tragedy [he had] ever personally observed,” the governor insisted that those “who have suffered because of racism for far too long” would lead the way on reform.1 During the 87th legislative session, not only did Governor Abbott neglect these concerns, he actively worked against them, opposing modest proposals to improve the justice system and prioritizing legislation that further harms the very communities he claimed to support. As other states work to address justice system inequities, recent developments in Texas expose the persistent challenges to ending the war on drugs and other policies that propagate systemic racism.

Houston, TX: The Baker Institute, 7p.

By Murray Chisholm

This study builds on a close examination of an archive of files that advised the Australian Commonwealth Executive on Papua New Guineans found guilty of capital offenses in PNG between 1954 and 1965. These files provide telling insight into conceptions held by officials at different stages of the justice process into justice, savagery and civilization, and colonialism and Australia's role in the world. The particular combination of idealism and self-interest, liberalism and paternalism, and justice and authoritarianism axiomatic to Australian colonialism becomes apparent and enables discussion of Australia’s administration of PNG in the lead-up to the acceptance of independence as an immediate policy goal. The files show Australia gathering the authority to grant mercy into the hands of the Commonwealth and then devolving it back to the territories. In these transitions, the capital case review files show the trajectory of Australian colonialism during a period when the administration was unsure of the duration and nature of its future relationship with PNG.

Canberra: ANU Press, 2024. 282p.

By Gallup

 The world is contending with an unsettling reality: Violence continues to permeate our societies, threatening lives and undermining the foundations of safety and security that are crucial to sustainable development. Globally, 5% of people report being victims of violent crime in the past two years — a figure that, while seemingly small, represents millions of disrupted lives, shattered families, and communities gripped by fear. Exacerbating the global crisis of violence is the growing threat posed by state conflicts. According to the Global Peace Index, there are currently 56 active conflicts worldwide — the highest number since World War II. Even the leaders tasked with ensuring our safety are not immune; since 2022, attempts and successful assassinations of current and former heads of state have occurred in countries ranging from the U.S., Pakistan and Slovenia to Argentina and Japan. As the world grapples with these escalating threats, another peril looms: the rise of fear. Yet, measuring fear is complex. Traditional metrics, such as crime rates and conflict reports, provide essential data on physical security — but fail to capture how safe people feel, which profoundly impacts how they live. Our research consistently shows that when people feel safe, they are free to thrive — experiencing greater economic stability, contributing positively to their communities, and living longer, healthier lives. To build truly flourishing societies, we must address both physical safety and the critical need for people to feel safe. Recognizing the importance of this two-pronged approach, world leaders have integrated “subjective safety” into their development agendas. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 16 includes “feel[ing] safe walking alone at night” as an indicator (16.1.4). Gallup annually tracks this indicator worldwide, and we highlight its findings in our 2024 Global Safety Report. This year’s report offers encouraging insights: Global perceptions of safety and confidence in police have risen compared with a decade ago, largely due to increasing confidence in local law enforcement. Regardless of a country’s wealth, confidence in local police is one of the strongest predictors of people feeling safe. There are also remarkable examples of national progress. El Salvador, once notorious as the murder capital of the world, ranked second to last out of 134 countries for safety in 2016. Today, it has climbed to a tie for 8th out of 140 countries. Yet, challenges remain, particularly in addressing the safety perception gap between men and women, as men are over 20% more likely than women to say they feel safe in their communities. Ensuring everyone, regardless of where they live, can feel safe and secure in their daily lives is not just a moral imperative; it is the first step to sustainable growth and prosperous societies. The data in the following report show where the world stands on that vital first step — but it also reminds us that much work remains to be done  

Washington, DC: Gallup, 2024. 24p.