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Crime in Mexico

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Central & South American
Geography

   Crime is among the most urgent concerns facing Mexico, as is the case
   for many other Latin American countries. Mexican drug trafficking rings
   play a major role in the flow of cocaine, heroin, and marijuana
   transiting between Latin America and the United States. Drug
   trafficking has led to corruption, which has had a deleterious effect
   on Mexico's democracy. Drug trafficking and organized crime have also
   been a major source of violent crime in Mexico.

   Mexico has experienced increasingly high crime rates, especially in
   major urban centers. The country's great economic polarization has
   stimulated criminal activity in the lower socioeconomic strata, which
   includes the majority of the country's population. Crime continues at
   high levels, and is repeatedly marked by violence, especially in Mexico
   City, Tijuana, Ciudad Juárez, Nuevo Laredo, and the state of Sinaloa.
   Other metropolitan areas have lower, yet still serious, levels of
   crime. Low apprehension and conviction rates contribute to the high
   crime rate.

   The high incidence of crime in Mexico has also poured across the border
   and influenced crime in the United States, aggravating problems
   including drugs, illegal immigration, and gangs. To combat this
   increasing problem, cross-border cooperation has increased between law
   enforcement agencies in the United States and Mexico in recent years.

Crime rates

                Crime Rates in Mexico per 100,000 inhabitants
                    1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 USA in 2002
        Total Crimes 1433.81 1439.41 1391.54 1521.93 1503.71 4118.76
                  Murder 14.93 15.13 14.11 13.94 13.04 5.62
              Murder with firearm 3.45 4.54 3.66 3.53 2.58 3.25
                Assault 254.35 257.39 260.39 260.41 251.91 NA
        Aggravated assault 171.06 172.02 185.01 187.33 186.68 310.14
                   Rape 11.89 11.9 13.33 13.05 14.26 32.99
              Theft 148.27 108.11 100.22 116.74 112.47 2445.80
         Automobile theft 161.15 161.52 162.10 150.66 139.86 432.12
              Robbery 316.54 274.63 219.59 158.16 146.57 145.87
                 Burglary 145.72 153.58 142.58 NA NA 746.22
                   Fraud 54.63 50.48 50.96 54.64 61.47 NA
               Drug offenses 20.62 23.97 24.65 23.38 23.40 NA
                 Source: 7th and 8th Survey, United Nations

   Analysis of crime statistics in Mexico indicate that although the crime
   rate has declined over the last 100 years, there has been a significant
   upswing within the last two decades led by Mexico City. Since many
   crimes go unreported, the rates may be much higher than reported by the
   government.

   Rape is rarely reported or punished, owing to old social norms, minor
   penalties for the crime, and criminal laws. In some rural areas,
   penalties for rape may consist of a few hours in jail, or minor fines.

   Assault and theft make up the vast majority of crimes. While urban
   areas tend to have higher crimes rates, as is typical in most
   countries, the United States–Mexico border has also been a problem
   area. However, with increased awareness and resources, the crime rate
   along the border has declined faster than in the rest of the country.

Drug trafficking

   The United States is a lucrative market for illegal drugs. The United
   Nations estimates that nearly 90% of cocaine sold in the United States
   originates in South America and is smuggled through Mexico. Mexico is
   the largest foreign supplier of marijuana and the second largest source
   of heroin for the U.S. market. The majority of methamphetamines sold in
   the United States are made in Mexico, and Mexican-run methamphetamine
   labs that operate north of the border account for much of the
   remainder.

Drug cartels

   Mexican drug cartels play a major role in the flow of cocaine, heroin,
   and marijuana transiting between Latin America and the United States.
   These drug cartels often use Mexican-American gangs to distribute their
   narcotics.

   Mexican drug cartels also have ties to Colombian drug traffickers, and
   other international organized crime. A sharp spike in drug-related
   violence has some analysts worrying about the 'Colombianization' of
   Mexico.
   Bricks of cocaine, a form in which it is commonly transported.
   Enlarge
   Bricks of cocaine, a form in which it is commonly transported.

Domestic production of illegal drugs

   Some illegal drugs are also produced in Mexico, including significant
   amounts of opium poppy, and marijuana in the western Sierra Madre
   Mountains region.

Domestic consumption of illegal drugs

   Marijuana, crack cocaine, methamphetamines, and other drugs are
   increasingly consumed in Mexico, especially by youths in urban areas
   and northern parts of the country.

Corruption

   High levels of corruption in the police, judiciary, and government in
   general have contributed greatly to the crime problem. Corruption is a
   significant obstacle to Mexico's achieving a stable democracy.

Corruption in the police force

   The organization of police forces in Mexico is complex; each police
   force has a different level of jurisdiction and authority, and those
   levels often overlap. The Procuraduría General de la República (Federal
   Attorney General's office) along with the law enforcement agencies
   Policia Federal Preventiva and Agencia Federal de Investigación , has
   responsibility for overseeing law enforcements across the entire
   country. In addition, there are several police organizations at the
   state, district, and city level. Since pay is generally poor
   (US$285-$400 per month), police officers are more likely to accept
   bribes to protect criminals or ignore crime entirely.

   Corruption plagues the various levels of police, and is frequently
   difficult to track down and prosecute since police officers may be
   protected by district attorneys and other members of the judiciary. The
   problem is especially pronounced in northern border areas such as
   Tijuana, where police are engaged by drug traffickers to protect and
   enforce their illicit interests.

Corruption in the judiciary

   A United Nations Special Rapporteur undertook a mission to Mexico in
   2002 to investigate reports by the United Nations Commission on Human
   Rights that the country's judiciary and administration of law was not
   independent. During the course of his visit to a number of cities, the
   rapporteur observed that corruption in the judiciary had not been
   reduced significantly. One of the principal issues is that, because the
   federal courts operate at a relatively high level, most citizens are
   compelled to seek justice in the inadequate state courts.

   Additionally, the rapporteur expressed concerns about such issues as
   disorganization in the legal profession, difficulties and harassment
   faced by lawyers, poor trial procedures, poor access to the justice
   system for indigenous peoples and minors, and lacklustre investigation
   of many crimes.

Violent crime against journalists

   A significant trend of violent crime against journalists has appeared
   in the country in recent years. Although the problem has existed since
   at least 1970, 15 journalists have been murdered in Mexico since 2000
   alone. Few of the perpetrators have been brought to justice. One of the
   more prominent cases was that of syndicated columnist Francisco Arratia
   Saldierna, a prominent and well-known journalist who wrote a column
   called Portavoz (or "Spokesman"). The column featured topics such as
   corruption, organized crime, and drug trafficking.

   Arratia's murder, which was particularly brutal, and others like it,
   have sparked demands from other journalists that President Vicente Fox
   do more to enforce security and bring those responsible for the murders
   to justice. In 2004, a group of 215 reporters and editors sent an
   urgent letter to President Fox and other federal authorities, demanding
   that they address these concerns. The letter represented a massive
   communication effort coming from professionals from 19 of the nation's
   31 states. The key demand was that violent crimes against journalists
   be made federal crimes, so they would be investigated and prosecuted by
   federal officers and not by local officials whom the letter claims
   could be the same people who commit the crimes.

   The effect of these crimes has been the voluntary self-censorship of
   many journalists, due to fears of retribution from criminals. The
   situation has earned attention from prominent global organziations such
   as the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
   (OHCHR) and the Centre for Journalism and Public Ethics (CEPET).
   Amerigo Incalcaterra of the OHCHR advocated the protection of
   journalists and the preservation of freedom of speech, calling it
   "essential for the consolidation of democracy and the rule of law in
   this country".

Crime in Mexico City

   Mexico City's crime rate has begun rising again, after having
   previously peaked in the late 1990s. Mexico City's inner core has about
   8 million people — about the same number as New York City. However,
   Mexico City's police force is only two-thirds the size of New York
   City's and is organized into several ill-co-ordinated forces. Policemen
   earn less than a quarter of their U.S. counterparts, so many officers
   turn to corruption to augment their pay. And even in the rare cases
   where criminals do get caught, the courts are often too corrupt and
   inefficient to punish them.

Effects on tourism

   A significant number of United States citizens visit Mexico; the U.S.
   State Department estimates it at 15 to 16 million per year. Tourists
   visiting Mexico face a number of problems related to criminal activity,
   including:
     * Extortion by law enforcement and other officials.
     * Highway crime in which bandits prey on passenger vehicles and tour
       buses.
     * Kidnappings, particularly in northern border cities, Mexico City,
       and Chiapas.
     * Taxi robberies and armed robbery.
     * Purse-snatching and pickpocketing.

   Due to crime reaching a critical level in Mexico City and many other
   areas, tourism to Mexico has suffered.

Efforts to combat crime in Mexico

   President Vicente Fox took power in December 2000 promising to crack
   down on crime and improve a judicial system rife with corruption and
   ineptitude. Upon taking office, he established a new ministry of
   Security and Police, doubled the pay for police officers, and committed
   to other ethics reforms. President Fox also cited drug trafficking and
   drug consumption as the top cross-border priority issue.

   During the first three years of Fox's government, the official number
   of reported kidnappings showed a slight decrease, from 505 in 2001 to
   438 in 2003. The new Federal Investigation Agency (Procuraduria de
   Justicia) reported dismantling 48 kidnapping rings and saving 419
   victims.

Cooperation between Mexico and the United States

   In 1996, Mexico changed its policy to allow extradition of its citizens
   to the United States to face trial. Previously, the Constitution had
   forbidden its citizens to be extradited.

   In 2005, the U.S. State Department defended efforts by the two
   countries to reduce violence and drug trafficking on the border
   following decisions by governors in the U.S. states of Arizona and New
   Mexico to declare an emergency in their border counties. The two
   governors stated that the federal government's inability to control
   crime and violence related to illegal immigration had forced them to
   take matters into their own hands. The Mexican government criticized
   the emergency declarations.

   The U.S. state of Texas and Mexican police officials held a conference
   in San Antonio to discuss ways of coordinating efforts to stop crime
   but there are questions about how successful the program will be.

   Many Mexican police officials in border towns have been targets of
   assassination by drug cartels, who have even threatened local law
   enforcement in the United States. . Drug cartels have even acquired
   equipment like Mexican Army uniforms, Humvees, grenades and .50 calibre
   sniper rifles which can penetrate most light armour including armoured
   cars. The United States ambassador launched a formal complaint with the
   government on this issue.

Rudolph Giuliani in Mexico City

   In January 2003, the security consulting company of former New York
   City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani was hired by business leaders to come up
   with a plan to clean up Mexico City, which has the second-highest crime
   rate in Latin America.

Protest march against crime

   In June 2004, at least a quarter of a million people marched through
   the capital and other cities to protest the failure of federal and
   local governments to control crime in one of the world's most
   crime-ridden countries.

Federal forces at the border

   In June 2005, the government deployed federal forces to three states to
   contain surging violence linked to organized crime. At a news
   conference in Mexico City, presidential spokesman Rubén Aguilar told
   reporters that the new deployment was the result of evidence that
   organized crime has penetrated some local police departments.

Technology in Tijuana

   In response to a rise in violent crime in the region of Tijuana,
   considered one of the five most violent areas of the country by the
   U.S. State Department, mayor Jorge Hank Rhon deployed a massive
   technology update to the city's police force in February 2006. The
   technology includes surveillance equipment, handheld computers, and
   alarm systems. Since tourism is a staple of the economy in Tijuana, the
   mayor has tried to make reforms to highlight the safety of tourist
   areas.

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