Prisons
Painting the picture of the least understood, and potentially most potent, part of the criminal underworld.
News Analysis
4 Security Challenges Awaiting Ecuador’s Next President
Ecuador’s next president will face an unprecedented set of security challenges, as prison violence has soared to record levels, the country’s corruption is receiving international attention and the criminal situation…
Closing Prisons Only Postpones Real Issues in Mexico
The shuttering of a state prison in Mexico is an unconventional response by officials trying to combat poor living conditions for inmates but this will do little to address fundamental…
Sexual Abuse Plagues Women’s Detention Facilities in Venezuela
The shooting death of a 19-year-old woman in a Venezuela police holding cell has revealed that women in the jail were being systematically forced to have sex with officers, underscoring…
The Fuel Not the Fuse: Drug Trafficking and Ecuador’s Prison Violence
Drug trafficking and transnational organized crime have been blamed for deadly riots among rival gangs in Ecuador's prisons, but the carnage has more to do with how the country's gangs…
Prison Break Lays Bare Haiti Gang Leader’s Ties to Elites
A gang leader killed after a deadly Haiti prison break may have been sprung intentionally — raising further concerns about toxic relationships between gangs and political elites in the run-up…
Ecuador Confronts Unprecedented Levels of Prison Violence
Long-simmering tensions between prison gangs in Ecuador exploded this week, leaving at least 75 people brutally killed in four prisons across the country.
Investigations
Other InDepth
Stay Informed with InSight Weekly
Get fresh updates on organized crime from across the region delivered to your inbox.
SUBSCRIBE