The Caribbean is visited by almost 28.3 million tourists. However, in the last four years, the Dominican Republic has faced an increase in crimes committed, with poverty increasing by more than 20% from 2019 to 2021. The most vulnerable populations are women and children, who do not have the economic income to create stability within the household.

The complex relationship between crime and poverty requires solutions that address the underlying issues. The Peace Corps, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Crime Stoppers and the Pact are groups working to reduce poverty in the Dominican Republic.

How Crime and Poverty Are Interlinked

The World Bank, in its report “Conflict and Poverty,” sheds light on four critical issues that underscore the cyclical nature of the relationship. Delving into the consequences of conflict, it becomes evident that a child’s schooling will be reduced by nearly one-third if they encounter conflict and subsequent health issues, including addiction, diabetes, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

USAID Supports Education in the Dominican Republic

In the Dominican Republic, impoverished children will drop out of primary school to earn income for their families. Recognizing the need to break this cycle, USAID has partnered with the Ministry of Education of the Dominican Republic to ensure children receive proper education and opportunities to reduce the risk of criminal involvement. To address the multifaceted challenges faced by these vulnerable children, USAID has outlined three specific goals within its collaborative efforts with the Ministry of Education:

• Assist children with disabilities and children staying in school or reintegrating those who dropped out.
• Provide technical-vocational training for young people to increase employment opportunities.
• Support health services for adolescents or help young people get identity documentation.

Crime Stoppers and Their Anonymous Services

Crimes committed in the Dominican Republic could go unreported to the authorities due to apathy or fear of repercussions. Estimates suggest that around 70% of observable crimes go unreported.

On September (2023). Crime Stoppers discussed opening an office within D.R. as an anonymous hotline to serve the people. The previous record from Crime Stoppers suggests a high success rate, with other offices already located within Latin America.

Peace Corps Projects Within the Dominican Republic

The Peace Corps is leading other nonprofit organizations in addressing the education gap within the Dominican Republic. The volunteers work with community leaders to provide a needed set of skills. In partnership with other nonprofits, the organization has established three projects in the Dominican Republic. The projects aim to help vulnerable children with low literacy.

• The Spanish Primary Literacy Program allows volunteers to work within primary institutions to support children’s literacy and educate their families.
• Volunteers working under the Youth Project produce a variety of skills essential to life and employability. Modeling healthy behaviors in front of children and adolescents encourages replicating these behaviors to reduce poverty in the Dominican Republic.
• The Community Economic Development (CED) project assigns volunteers to work with people to secure employment. By providing strong leaders within the community, developmental changes are more attuned to the needs of the people.

The Pact’s Work Within the Dominican Republic

The Pact, an international nonprofit working for human development, recognizes the need for civil actors to seek change at a societal level. Using their research in human development, the Pact, in conjunction with USAID, set up the Civil Society Strengthening Activity program. The Dominican Republic’s poverty rate will drop because of this $12.5 million initiative that emphasizes the abilities of community leaders and how to use them to enact legal policies focused on women and children.

Conclusion

Crime and poverty in the Dominican Republic are interlinked. While this creates a complex phenomenon, the resolution to reducing crime is reducing poverty. International nonprofits, governments and programs aid developing nations to discover solutions that suit the country’s needs. As the World Bank states, “poverty alleviation in fragile states recognizes the need for organizations such as the U.N. and IMF to coordinate state capacity.”

– Luis Lujano-Garcia
Photo: Flickr