EFFICIENCY OF PUBLIC SPENDING ON CITIZEN SECURITY: AN ANALYSIS FOR CENTRAL AMERICA

Abstract

The efficient administration of State resources is an issue that in recent years has taken on great importance, more so in Latin American countries and especially Central America. The relationship between citizen security and the efficient administration of State resources seeks a suitable and conducive environment for the peaceful coexistence of people without fear of violent aggression or theft. It is public knowledge that the region presents great economic and social challenges, the homicide rate in the region has oscillated on average between 20 and 40 homicides for every one hundred thousand inhabitants throughout the years studied, being Panama and Costa Rica the countries that has presented greater efficiency in the combat of this scourge; Instead, Honduras and Guatemala have shown inefficient performance against crime, while Nicaragua and El Salvador are managing in good way their resources, it’s not enough to solve this problem. Furthermore, a panel model was used to explain how the Gini index, the poverty rate, personnel of the armed forces, unemployment rate, military spending, and public spending on security influence over the homicide rate in the Central American region.