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 in the Americas
COLOMBIA
/
16 FEB 2017
Chapter 1
The Prison Dilemma: Latin America’s Incubators of Organized Crime
PRISONS
/
19 JAN 2017
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…
Chapter 2
Reign of the Kaibil: Guatemala’s Prisons Under Byron Lima
BARRIO 18
/
26 JAN 2017
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…
Chapter 3
Where Chaos Reigns: Inside the San Pedro Sula Prison
BARRIO 18
/
2 FEB 2017
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…
Chapter 4
Colombia’s Mirror: War and Drug Trafficking in the Prison System
AUC
/
10 FEB 2017
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…
Chapter 5
El Salvador Prisons and the Battle for the MS13’s Soul
BARRIO 18
/
16 FEB 2017
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
GUATEMALA
/
4 OCT 2013
Mexican authorities have caught the alleged leader of a Guatemalan drug trafficking ring accused of massacring eight policemen in an…
COLOMBIA
/
10 FEB 2013
A study examining the history of crime networks in Colombia's capital, Bogota, predicted that the pacification of the city will…
COLOMBIA
/
28 JUL 2016
Local officials in a FARC stronghold in northern Colombia have sounded the alarm about criminal groups moving in as rebels…
About InSight Crime
THE ORGANIZATION
Strategic Communications Manager Job Description
12 FEB 2021
InSight Crime is looking for a full-time strategic communications manager. This person needs to be able to work in a fast-paced world of daily news, high-profile investigations, national and international…
THE ORGANIZATION
We Have Updated Our Website
4 FEB 2021
Welcome to our new home page. We have revamped the site to create a better display and reader experience.
THE ORGANIZATION
InSight Crime Events – Border Crime: The Northern Triangle and Tri-Border Area
ARGENTINA
/
25 JAN 2021
Through several rounds of extensive field investigations, our researchers have analyzed and mapped out the main illicit economies and criminal groups present in 39 border departments spread across the six countries of study – the Northern Triangle trio of Guatemala, Honduras, and El…
BRIEF
InSight Crime’s ‘Memo Fantasma’ Investigation Wins Simón Bolívar National Journalism Prize
COLOMBIA
/
20 NOV 2020
The staff at InSight Crime was awarded the prestigious Simón Bolívar national journalism prize in Colombia for its two-year investigation into the drug trafficker known as “Memo Fantasma,” which was…
ANALYSIS
InSight Crime – From Uncovering Organized Crime to Finding What Works
COLOMBIA
/
12 NOV 2020
This project began 10 years ago as an effort to address a problem: the lack of daily coverage, investigative stories and analysis of organized crime in the Americas. …
Stay Informed with InSight Weekly
Get fresh updates on organized crime from across the region delivered to your inbox.
SUBSCRIBE