HomeNewsBriefHonduras Solves 1% of Homicide Cases: Report
BRIEF

Honduras Solves 1% of Homicide Cases: Report

HOMICIDES / 19 DEC 2014 BY KYRA GURNEY EN

A new study revealed that only one percent of homicide cases in Honduras' three major cities ever resulted in convictions, underscoring the rampant impunity fostered by the country's dysfunctional criminal justice system.

A study conducted by the Alliance for Peace and Justice (APJ), a Honduran NGO, examined 566 homicide cases in the cities of San Pedro Sula, Comayagua and Tegucigalpa, and found that only one percent resulted in convictions, reported Revistazo. The APJ identified the state's inability to carry out quality criminal investigations as the main reason for the lack of convictions, and revealed that evidence -- including the body of the victim -- was collected at the crime scene in only 61 percent of these cases. In addition, criminal investigations were only opened in 8 percent of the cases and only 7 percent ever made it to trial.

At a national level, the APJ found that of the 27,272 homicides that occurred between 2010 and 2013, just 1,009 -- or 3.7 percent -- resulted in convictions.

Iris Fonseca, the Special Prosecutor for Homicides in Honduras, told Revistazo that 2,363 homicides have been registered so far this year in the cities of San Pedro Sula and Tegucigalpa, but only 129 homicide cases have gone to court.

InSight Crime Analysis

The APJ study underscores the high level of impunity in Honduras facilitated by corruption, lack of training, and an overwhelmed judicial system. According to the figures revealed by the APJ, Honduras' impunity rate for homicides is over 96 percent, which means that there is practically no disincentive for criminal groups -- like the country's powerful street gangs -- to commit murders. Rampant impunity is likely one factor contributing to San Pedro Sula's status as the world's most violent city, and Tegucigalpa's position within the top ten.

SEE ALSO: Honduras News and Profiles

While Honduras has made strides this year in going after powerful drug trafficking groups like the Valle Valle clan, these successes have arguably done little in the short term to improve daily life for Honduran civilians. APJ's findings suggest the country might be better served by investing more resources in strengthening the institutions responsible for the collection of evidence and criminal investigation, rather than focusing its efforts on high-profile captures and extraditions

share icon icon icon

Was this content helpful?

We want to sustain Latin America’s largest organized crime database, but in order to do so, we need resources.

DONATE

What are your thoughts? Click here to send InSight Crime your comments.

We encourage readers to copy and distribute our work for non-commercial purposes, with attribution to InSight Crime in the byline and links to the original at both the top and bottom of the article. Check the Creative Commons website for more details of how to share our work, and please send us an email if you use an article.

Was this content helpful?

We want to sustain Latin America’s largest organized crime database, but in order to do so, we need resources.

DONATE

Related Content

EL SALVADOR / 13 DEC 2021

Efforts to reduce gang violence are often thought of as highly dependent on local conditions, but a recent report looks…

BELIZE / 17 SEP 2021

Despite improving homicide statistics, Belize continues to regularly declare states of emergency due to crime rates. But do these actually…

CHILE / 25 AUG 2021

A series of seizures and drug raids across Latin America have revealed how previously niche high-strength marijuana products are establishing…

About InSight Crime

THE ORGANIZATION

All Eyes on Ecuador

2 JUN 2023

Our coverage of organized crime in Ecuador continues to be a valuable resource for international and local news outlets. Internationally, Reuters cited our 2022 Homicide Round-Up,…

WORK WITH US

Open Position: Social Media and Engagement Strategist

27 MAY 2023

InSight Crime is looking for a Social Media and Engagement Strategist who will be focused on maintaining and improving InSight Crime’s reputation and interaction with its audiences through publishing activities…

THE ORGANIZATION

Venezuela Coverage Receives Great Reception

27 MAY 2023

Several of InSight Crime’s most recent articles about Venezuela have been well received by regional media. Our article on Venezuela’s colectivos expanding beyond their political role to control access to…

THE ORGANIZATION

InSight Crime's Chemical Precursor Report Continues

19 MAY 2023

For the second week in a row, our investigation into the flow of precursor chemicals for the manufacture of synthetic drugs in Mexico has been cited by multiple regional media…

THE ORGANIZATION

InSight Crime’s Chemical Precursor Report Widely Cited

THE ORGANIZATION / 12 MAY 2023

We are proud to see that our recently published investigation into the supply chain of chemical precursors feeding Mexico’s synthetic drug production has been warmly received.