11.500 Fugitives On the
Loose
According to a report by
the Organismo de
Investigación Judicial (OIJ)
11.500 fugitives are
running around loose in
the country, wanted for
all types of crimes.
The majority of the
fugitives are men,
wanted for murder,
violent assaults, rape,
robbery and fraud, among
other crimes and many of
them are "highly
dangerous" and armed.
Of the 11.550, some
6.000 are living in San
José.
Among the wanted are
also a number of
prisoners who escaped
from various facilities,
many of which were given
a weekend pass after
spending several years
behind bars, earning the
pass for good behaviour.
The OIJ says there are
at least 100 such
fugitives.
According to the
director of the OIJ,
Jorge Rojas, the work
load is tremendous on
the judicial
authorities.
Rojas added that the
situation is made even
worse, as authorities
daily capture fugitives
only to let go after
they appear before a
judge, and then a few
days later are asked
again to make the
capture.
The other problem facing
the OIJ is finding
persons who have been
found guilty after trial
and free on bail until
sentencing. Rojas added
that many take the
opportunity to disappear
and never show up at the
sentencing hearing.
The situation is made
even worse due to lack
of manpower. The Sección
de Capturas has only 18
officers assigned to it,
who have the task of
capturing 6.000
fugitives a year or 330
per each investigator.
Outside of San José, the
situation is even worse,
as the local OIJ offices
not only have the
responsibility of
attending their daily
cases but also have to
make time to search out
fugitives.
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