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The Circulation of Crime Control Strategies: Hot Spots Policing as a case of Institutional Isomorphism
Mon, August 10, 10:00 to 11:00am, TBAAbstract
This study examines the circulation of crime control strategies analyzing the adoption of Hot Spots Policing (HSP) in Latin America as a case of institutional isomorphism. Focusing on Chile, Colombia, and Uruguay, it explores how HSP, a data-driven policing model widely implemented in the Global North, circulates and is adapted across different national contexts. Using a multi-method approach that includes semi-structured interviews with 58 participants and analysis of 50 policy documents, the research explores the mechanisms that drive the institutional adoption of HSP at macro, mid, and micro levels. At the macro level, the study finds that political interests, professionalization, and recognition motivate governments and police agencies to align with global policing models. The mid-level analysis highlights the organizational importance of economic and technical capital, with technological infrastructure and expertise being critical for initial implementation and sustainability. At the micro level, cultural resistance among patrol officers and knowledge asymmetries within police organizations pose challenges to effective implementation, particularly regarding concerns about increased supervision and reduced discretion. The findings emphasize the interplay of mimetic and normative isomorphic mechanisms in the circulation and adoption of HSP, revealing that while the model is embraced for its expectations of external legitimacy and effectiveness, practical adaptations and resistance shape its application. This research contributes to understanding how global crime control strategies are translated into diverse policing contexts, highlighting the institutional and organizational complexities of policing in Latin America.