InSight Crime
Monday, October 17, 2016 - 07:40
A recent academic study argues that state institutions directly contribute to Latin America's high levels of violence to a much greater extent than contemporary scholarship has suggested, potentially providing a new perspective on the best way to reduce homicides in the region.
Monday, October 17, 2016 - 07:39
The US government’s recent accusations against several alleged drug traffickers, among them military officials, have placed Honduras’ President Juan Orlando Hernández in an impossible position: between some of his staunchest local allies, including his own family, and his most important international backer.
Friday, October 14, 2016 - 07:00
A new report seems to indicate that various branches of the MS13 gang in El Salvador attempted to pool their resources in order to fund an elite unit as a response to a government crackdown on their operations.
Thursday, October 13, 2016 - 06:30
A shootout in Rio de Janeiro refocuses attention on the Brazilian city's use of police pacification units, a controversial violence reduction strategy that has produced mixed results since its implementation in 2008.
Wednesday, October 12, 2016 - 06:37
Nearly three dozen mayors, congressmen, judges, military officials and police officers in Honduras are reportedly being investigated for their connections to a drug cartel, a potentially explosive probe that could help expose the deep links between elites and organized crime in the country.
Tuesday, October 11, 2016 - 06:57
Peru's government will once again implement a militarized security strategy for the coca-producing VRAEM region, a policy which will could lead to increased confrontations between authorities and the Shining Path guerrilla group.
Monday, October 10, 2016 - 06:28
A prison riot in Guatemala highlights a broken system that continues to suffer from overcrowding, rising violence and a lack of organizational leadership -- all of which likely exacerbates the nation's gang problems.
Monday, October 10, 2016 - 06:21
As former Colombian President Álvaro Uribe digs his claws into the carefully crafted peace agreement between Colombia's government and the FARC guerrillas, the debate over prosecuting rebel commanders for drug trafficking crimes will surely rise to the fore, providing a potentially accord-busting power to the former executive.
Friday, October 7, 2016 - 07:07
The number of Mexican soldiers in policing roles has doubled under President Enrique Peña Nieto, but a new report illustrates how the militarization of domestic security has failed to produce significant improvements in public safety.
Friday, October 7, 2016 - 07:00
El Salvador's armed forces and the National Civil Police (PNC) are killing alleged gang members at a rate of about 35 per month since the government declared war on the country's gangs in January 2015.