"In over 30 years service, from walking the beat in central London to achieving the highest rank, Chief Constable, I came to the inescapable conclusion that we have been
getting it wrong," writes Tom Lloyd former United Kingdom Chief Constable, about the "war on drugs". More on the reasons why in this exclusive article for Comunidad Segura.

They don't feel any different, but they are making all the difference in Rio de Janeiro's Military Police force. Even though they are a minority, they are now rising to command positions. According to PMERJ General Commander Colonel Mário Sérgio, with the exception of only a few roles that may engage in armed confrontation, all doors are open to women at the PMERJ, and they are key to Rio de Janeiro's UPPs.

133 journalists died in 2009, according to the International News Safety Institute, and most journalists die of attacks committed in peacetime, because of their trade. 9 out of 10 these murders around the world go unprosecuted. Comunidad Segura spoke to Rodney Pinder, head of the institute that is the first of its kind to focus on preventing the risks journalists run, and keeping track of those who fell in the line of duty.

Balance of the balance: Exports and imports of small arms, light
weapons (SALW) its parts and ammunition to Africa, Latin America, and
the Caribbean, from 2000 to
2007.

More people every day choose to plant their own cannabis in Brazil, instead of buying it in the streets. When arrested they are in a limbo, subject to a the law that neither sentences them to prison nor regulates the activity.  Self cultivation grows in Brazil, and with it, the controversy.

Young offenders in Brazil have the right to religious counseling, and in the state of Rio de Janeiro, the service is offered in 22 detention centers as noted by a recent study. Much however, is left to the interpretation of the administrators involved, since guidelines do not determine the exact nature of the services to be provided by religious denominations. The study found that Evangelical/Protestant organizations are both more present in custodial centers than other religions, and are also comparatively least knowledgeable of the legal rights of young offenders.

The population of Belo Horizonte has a new crime fighting tool in the city, virtual crime maps offering data on homicides in the city. Launched two months ago, the capital of Brazil's Minas Gerais state hopes the Programa Virtual de Georreferenciamento de Homicídios da Secretaria de Estado da Defesa Social (SEDS) will aid police officers and communities to feel safer and be safer.

As growing consensus gathers momentum on the failure of drug proibition to eradicate illegal drugs, growing uncertainty mounts with respect to the world after the end of the war on drugs. Steve Rolles, from the  United Kingdom's Tranform Foundation, has a detailed proposal for what that new world would look like, a world in which drug use is not banned, but regulated.

In an exclusive article for Comunidad Segura, Alexandra Valéria Vicente da Silva, a psychologist of the Military Police of Rio de Janeiro tells us about the prejudices overcome and the valued services of psychologists available for those in uniform and with their lives often on the line.

Most people who are behind bars in various countries around the world are in jail because their offenses are associated with the drug trade, they are poor and they belong to ethnic minorities. Deborah Small, founder of Break the Chains, gave an exclusive interview to Comunidad Segura on the distortions of the war on drugs, urging for change.