Tag Archives: Costa Rica

2021 Homicide Report for Latin America & Caribbean

Posted on February 7, 2022 by Gary Cordner

With the lifting of Covid-19 lockdowns, most countries in Latin America and the Caribbean experienced increases in murders in 2021, as reported here. Jamaica had the highest homicide rate at 49.4 per 100,000 residents, followed by Venezuela and Honduras. Ecuador … Continue reading →

Forecasting 2022 in the Americas

Posted on January 10, 2022 by Gary Cordner

This article takes a look at transnational organized crime (TOC) across the Americas going into 2022. While Covid continues to interfere with the travel and shipping that TOC relies on, the pandemic creates opportunities and advantages as well. “Government budgets … Continue reading →

Posted in Central America, North America, South America | Tagged Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, USA, Venezuela | Leave a comment

Homicide down in 2020 in Latin America

Posted on January 30, 2021 by Gary Cordner

Preliminary figures indicate homicide decreases in several Latin American and Caribbean countries in 2020, as reported here. The impact of the pandemic is still being assessed, but there were “significant reductions in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Venezuela, historically some … Continue reading →

Posted in Central America, North America, South America | Tagged Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, Venezuela | Leave a comment

Virus impact on organized crime in the Americas

Posted on May 9, 2020 by Gary Cordner

This article summarizes the impact of the virus pandemic on organized crime in Latin America, citing examples of criminal organizations supplanting government authority and services, doubling down on cyber crime, and taking advantage of expanded public corruption opportunities. A growth … Continue reading →

Posted in Central America, North America, South America | Tagged Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, USA, Venezuela | Leave a comment

Homicide in Latin America in 2019

Posted on February 3, 2020 by Gary Cordner

This article provides a country-by-country review and analysis of homicide in Latin America in 2019. Venezuela “continues to be the most murderous in Latin America” followed by Jamaica and Honduras. Chile remains the safest, followed by Argentina and Ecuador. Differences … Continue reading →

Posted in Central America, North America, South America | Tagged Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, Venezuela | Leave a comment

Elder fraud

Posted on March 9, 2019 by Gary Cordner

U.S. authorities announced a year-long “largest-ever” elder fraud crackdown resulting in criminal and civil charges against 260 defendants for defrauding more than 2 million victims out of $750 million, as reported here. The total annual loss to elder Americans is … Continue reading →

Posted in Asia, Central America, Europe, North America | Tagged Belgium, Canada, Cayman Islands, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, UK, USA | Leave a comment

Policing in Latin America

Posted on November 27, 2018 by Gary Cordner

This new report summarizes the state of policing throughout Latin America and considers prospects for transformation over the next decade. It cites demilitarization as the main accomplishment so far, but reform overall has been weak — “The result is a police … Continue reading →

Posted in Central America, North America, South America | Tagged Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela | Leave a comment

2017 homicide rates in Latin America

Posted on January 26, 2018 by Gary Cordner

This article summarizes 2017 homicide data for Latin America and the Caribbean. Venezuela had the highest rate, 89 per 100,000 population, with over 20% of killings attributed to security forces. Chile had the lowest rate at 3.3, followed by Ecuador, … Continue reading →

Posted in Central America, North America, South America | Tagged Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Uruguay, Venezuela | Leave a comment

Fear of crime in Central America

Posted on October 6, 2017 by Gary Cordner

Between 1/3 and 1/2 of residents of six Central American countries say that fear of crime, including fear of being murdered, affects their daily lives, according to this article. Crime avoidance behaviors interfere with employment and education opportunities and are … Continue reading →

Posted in Central America, North America | Tagged Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, USA | Leave a comment

Best and worst in Latin America

Posted on March 20, 2017 by Gary Cordner

This column from Insight Crime rates police in Latin American countries on public trust and perception of involvement in crime based on data collected in 2012. Police in Chile and Panama rate best, Honduras worst. Nicaragua’s situation is unusual, with … Continue reading →

Posted in Central America, North America, South America | Tagged Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama | 1 Comment