The Prison Dilemma in the Americas

COLOMBIA / 16 FEB 2017

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.

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

PRISONS / 10 FEB 2017

Drug trafficking in Colombia’s prisons isn’t only run by prisoners, but also by the authorities controlling them.

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…

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About InSight Crime

THE ORGANIZATION

InSight Crime Contributes Expertise Across the Board 

22 SEP 2023

This week InSight Crime investigators Sara García and María Fernanda Ramírez led a discussion of the challenges posed by Colombian President Gustavo Petro’s “Total Peace” plan within urban contexts. The…

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InSight Crime Cited in New Colombia Drug Policy Plan

15 SEP 2023

InSight Crime’s work on emerging coca cultivation in Honduras, Guatemala, and Venezuela was cited in the Colombian government’s…

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InSight Crime Discusses Honduran Women's Prison Investigation

8 SEP 2023

Investigators Victoria Dittmar and María Fernanda Ramírez discussed InSight Crime’s recent investigation of a massacre in Honduras’ only women’s prison in a Twitter Spaces event on…

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Human Trafficking Investigation Published in Leading Mexican Newspaper

1 SEP 2023

Leading Mexican media outlet El Universal featured our most recent investigation, “The Geography of Human Trafficking on the US-Mexico Border,” on the front page of its August 30…

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InSight Crime's Coverage of Ecuador Leads International Debate

25 AUG 2023

This week, Jeremy McDermott, co-director of InSight Crime, was interviewed by La Sexta, a Spanish television channel, about the situation of extreme violence and insecurity in Ecuador…

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