This series of five case studies and one policy report explores how government mismanagement, neglect and corruption have made the jails in the region powerful incubators of organized crime.
The Prison Dilemma: Latin America’s Incubators of Organized Crime
The prison system in Latin America and the Caribbean has become a prime incubator for organized crime. This overview -- the first of six reports on prison systems that we…
Reign of the Kaibil: Guatemala’s Prisons Under Byron Lima
Following Guatemala's long and brutal civil war, members of the military were charged, faced trial and sentenced to jail time. Even some members of a powerful elite unit known as…
Where Chaos Reigns: Inside the San Pedro Sula Prison
In San Pedro Sula's jailhouse, chaos reigns. The inmates, trapped in their collective misery, battle for control over every inch of their tight quarters. Farm animals and guard dogs roam…
Colombia’s Mirror: War and Drug Trafficking in the Prison System
Colombia's prisons are a reflection of the multiple conflicts that have plagued the country for the last half-century. Paramilitaries, guerrillas and drug trafficking groups have vied for control of the…
El Salvador Prisons and the Battle for the MS13’s Soul
El Salvador's prison system is the headquarters of the country's largest gangs. It is also where one of these gangs, the MS13, is fighting amongst itself for control of the…
Related Content
Mexican authorities have caught the alleged leader of a Guatemalan drug trafficking ring accused of massacring eight policemen in an…
A study examining the history of crime networks in Colombia's capital, Bogota, predicted that the pacification of the city will…
Local officials in a FARC stronghold in northern Colombia have sounded the alarm about criminal groups moving in as rebels…