UNDP: Central America has world's highest non-political murder rate (Tico Times - Costa Rica)

[struggle4progress]

By Mike McDonald
Tico Times Staff | [e-mail]

Central America is the most murderous region in the world when it comes to non-political fatalities, according to a United Nations Development Program (UNDP) security report released on Monday.

Since the year 2000, the murder rate has climbed in all seven countries, from Guatemala to Panama. The killings have shown few signs of decline and the Central American countries have consistently surpassed the global average ...

Costa Rica, which has the lowest rate in the region, saw its homicide numbers almost double in eight years – rising from six per 100,000 inhabitants in 2000 to 11 in 2008.

Honduras, widely considered the poorest country in Central America, reported the most homicides per 100,000 people – 58 in 2008 ...

http://www.ticotimes.net/dailyarchive/2009_10/1020092.cfm