CSI in the tropics: Experimental evidence of improved public service delivery through coordination

Available from: 
July 2020
Paper author(s): 
Daniela Collazos
Leopoldo Fergusson
Miguel La Rota
Daniel Mejía
Daniel Ortega
Topic: 
Conflict, Crime and Violence

This paper evaluates the impacts of increased coordination, accountability, and leadership among teams of responsible public officials, with evidence from homicide investigations in Colombia. We randomly assigned the investigations of 66% of the 1,683 homicides occurring in Bogotá, Colombia, during 2016 to a new investigation procedure emphasizing these features. We find a statistically significant 30% increase in the conviction rate in the treatment group relative to the control group. Indicators of the quality of the investigative process also improve, as well as the rate at which a formal accusation is presented before a court. Complementary findings suggest that the treatment produces well-coordinated teams that can communicate more fluently. Also, a survey of investigative team members reveal that work motivation, the extent to which they receive feedback on their performance, the pertinence and e effectiveness of their roles, and the perceived quality and coordination of the team all improve under the new scheme.

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Research section: 
Working Papers