Corruption and judicial reform in Latin America

This paper examines the nature and pace of judicial reforms in Latin America. Part I describes, in general terms, the current state of the courts throughout the region. The economic analysis presented in this section explains the impact of the judiciary on democracy and economic development. Part II analyses how factors related to corruption within the courts combine to increase the political institutional inertia observed during judicial reforms. This part takes into account both the expected costs and expected benefits of judicial reform, as perceived by government officials in general and judges in particular. Part II also addresses the proliferation of corruption in terms of the expected costs and benefits of engaging in corrupt activities.