Surprise! Crime Is Down In San José
Although the general feeling of the
population that the police in Costa Rica are
good for nothing, statistics by the Poder
Judicial and Ministerio de Seguridad Pública
say something else, surprise, crime is down!
According to the numbers by police
authorities, crime has dropped some 40% in
San José.
The numbers reveal that there was a drop of
reported crimes over the same period in 2008
when there were 3.711 reports during the
first six months of that year, compared to
only 2.197 the first six months of 2009.
The ministra de Seguridad, Jeanina del
Vecchio, says the drop is based on new
methods employed by police, which includes
police officials to provide an accounting of
their efforts.
The ministra added that working together
with the Organismo de Investigación Judicial
(OIJ), a precedent in the annals of the
Fuerza Pública (uniformed police force), all
types of crimes are down.
Raúl Rivero, director of the Fuerza Pública
de San José, said even though the numbers
are down, they are working to reduce them
further.
One of the areas that has shown a tremendous
improvement - according to police officials
- is the Merced district in downtown San
José, which is categorized as the most
dangerous of all districts. The Merced takes
in the area known as La Coca Cola, as well
as the 'red zone'.
The figures show that for the first six
months of the year 700 reports of robbery
and break-ins were reported in the Merced.
The Catedral follows with 277, while Pavas
is in this place with 246 cases and La Uruca
with 142.
The police figures only take into account
the reported cases. |
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