Study Finds Over 99 Percent of Crimes Committed in Mexico Go Unpunished James Bargent - InSight Crime
go to original February 5, 2016

Less than one percent of crimes are punished in Mexico, according to a new study that highlights the grave structural and institutional weaknesses that have allowed organized crime to flourish in the country.

According to the new Mexico Global Impunity Index (pdf) published by the Center for Impunity and Justice Studies (CESIJ) at Universidad de Las Américas, only 4.46 percent of crimes recorded in Mexico result in convictions.

However, the report adds, only around seven percent of crimes are actually reported, which when taken into account means that over 99 percent of crimes committed in Mexico go unpunished. The study found the most common reasons for not reporting crimes were the amount of time it takes and a lack of faith in the authorities.

The report also ranked other countries around the globe by assigning impunity scores based on various factors, from crime reporting rates to the capacities of security and justice institutions. Among the countries included in the report, Mexico ranked as the second worst for impunity after the Philippines and the worst in the Americas, with only Colombia coming close to Mexico's score.

The CESIJ blamed a combination of political failures and meddling, weak, underfunded and corrupt institutions as well as the presence of organized crime for Mexico's impunity woes.

Read the rest at InSight Crime

Related: Lack of Judges Causes "Collapse" of Mexican Judicial Process (Mexico Voices)

Photo: RunRun

We invite you to add your charity or supporting organizations' news stories and coming events to PVAngels so we can share them with the world. Do it now!