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Mexico has always been recognized for its high crime and this article emphasizes the notion that despite increased security measures throughout the country, crime rates continue to flourish. In 2006, after numerous attacks of violence and gang crime, security measures were advanced. However, despite Felipe Calderon's fight to end the attacks, it is noted that currently, organized crime violence in Mexico is accountable for approximately 20 deaths per day.

In Venezuela's capital, Caracas, there has been a dramatic increase in violent crime over the past decade. There have been examples of crimes on the street where a teenager was shot dead in his wheelchair and men being hung to death by the attackers for his motorbike. Many people of Caracas have resorted to self defense classes due to the poor security and increasing crime rate in the city. These forms of self defense range from Indian wrestling, kick-boxing, karate, and martial arts. Although the rate of self defense is increasing, there doesn't seem to be any noticeable improvement in the security as of now.

The article talks about the crime going on in Guatemala and how if you commit a murder in Guatemala you will most likely get away with it. Guatemala's conviction rate is in the single digits. It talks about the lack of resources the police have which in turn results in more crime and murders. Guatemala has a very weak and corrupt judicial system and system where it is bad to rat someone out by telling on them. Crime and gangs are huge in Guatemala, there is said to be more gang members then police officers.

The article highlights how President Funes of El Salvador decided to send 2,500 army troops to patrol the streets of the country in an effort to combat crime. The soldiers will patrol the streets of 19 municipalities that have the highest crime rates. El Salvador one of the three Central American countries that have the highest rates of non-political violence in the world. (Guatemala and Honduras are the other two countries)

Criminal Organizations in Brazil, Mexico, Columbia, El Salvador, and Guatemala have increased their power over the last decade, weakening political stability and democracy of Latin America. Surprisingly, the journalists who cover the crimes are their targets. the number of killings, attacks, and disappearances have increased causing the government to become unable to assure safety from the paramilitary gangsters in Brazil, guerillas in Colombia, and street gangs in El Salvador and Guatemala. As revenge, journalists are taking on self-censorship. Although the crime rate has decreased, the fight against crime requires domestic and international support. Better legal structure and diminishing criminal groups will help create independent media outlets.

This article talks about the affects of violent crime on Latin American Society. It discusses the ways in which the government is trying to instigate new programs to reduce the crime rate relating to sexual abuse, drug-trafficking, kidnappings, gangs, substance abuse. The government plans to begin early education regarding these issues as well as encourage and strengthen citizen and community participation.

This article details the controversy of crime and violence in Venezuela. It gives the example of kids playing video games. There is a possible new law in Venezuela that outlaws violent video games. Read for more info!

Venezuela hopes to outlaw violent video games in order to decrease the crime rate and discourage younger children from committing violent acts learned in video games. However, some argue that the outlawing of video games is an empty attempt and only proves the government's inability to control the country's crime rates.

The military's efforts to exercise power through terrorizing during the civil war in Guatemala (1960-1966), resurfaces today through the acts of gender-based violence, committed by gangs in Guatemala. This exemplifies how war and violence shapes society and how it has influenced gender equality. There is as much terror and torturing of women as there was during the war. However, now this reality is being reinforced by members of society-since such crimes go unnoticed/unpunished-, normalizing terror and fear in Guatemala.

This article talks about violence against women in Guatemala and how it is not only happening more these days, but the crimes are also seeming to get worse. It also talks about the difference between the murders of both men and women and possible reasons for why they were caused. Recently however, there have been marches in the streets and increased awareness domestically and internationally of the problems facing the country regarding violence.

The widespread growth of violent crime in Latin America is only getting worse. This epidemic is resulting in drug trafficking, gun crime, kidnapping, gang warfare, and murders. This violence is said to be cause from factor such as poverty, abundance of guns,and lack of police and state helpings. This has become a drastic issue that is leading to thousands upon thousands of unnecessary deaths.

In the first one hundred days of Barack Obama's presidency the issue between the US-Mexico border was being addressed. The discussions between President Obama and Mexican President Felipe Calderón ranged on issues from global climate change and immigration reform. However, the issue that is most pressing is the use of assault weapons in correlation to the increase in organized crime. President Calderón has been trying to manage illegal immigration into the United States through attempts to increase employment rates in Mexico. To add to this initiative to crack down on the immigration issues between Mexico and the United States there has been an agreement between the United States, Mexico, and other Latin American countries which is a $1.4 million Merida joint security plan where the usage of United States equipment, technology and expertise are used toward combating drug trade. With the ban lifted in 2004 by the United States of assault weapons the organized crime has increased significantly; therefore, the drug trade has been gaining sufficient hold in towns.

La Familia in 2006 emerged as the largest force in organized crime in Mexico, and had a brutal attack in a nightclub in Uruapan to showcase their power. There latest target is the federal police, and in their pursuit they have succeeded in the largest single assault on the federal government since Felipe Calderon assumed office in 2006 and declared war on drug gangs. The agenda of La Familia differs from rival gangs who focus on smuggling and selling drugs. La Familia wishes to develop itself into a malignant institution that extorts taxes from businesses, controls petty crime, and funds community projects. Michoacán, the hometown of Mr. Calderon has become the center of the drug trade as trafficking for the American and local markets grew. La Familia gives loans to farmers, businesses, schools and churches, and they advertise their benevolence in local newspapers. La Familia is recognized as Mexico's largest producer of methamphetamines, as well as controlling the import, transport and sale of cocaine in the state. Surprisingly drugs only account for half of their revenue. Although the government applauses itself for its increase in arrests, most of the people they detain are never charged, and the recession and rising unemployment will provide the mobs with a larger possibility of recruits. Retaking Michoacán back from La Familia is a battle that has just begun.

This source talks about the policys thaa are being made to combat the crime in Mexico. It focuses on what the government is working on to deal with the issue.

The region including Latin America and the Caribbean is the area with the most homophobic crimes committed in recent years. Countries including Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, and Colombia have had an unfortunate recent history of homophobic crimes. This article, from ipsnews.net., describes how IDAHO (the International Day Against Homophobia Committee) is asking for an international day against homophobia. They chose May 17th as the day of recognition, because on May 17, 1990, homosexuality was removed from the World Health Organization's list of mental disorders. In the past few years, many Latin American countries have developed slogans and media campaigns against homophobia and the transmission of HIV/AIDS. Many activist groups in Latin America (and worldwide) are vying for political action and equal rights laws.

To date, nearly 30 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean region have enacted laws against domestic violence or have characterized the violence as a crime. Despite these laws, many women in Latin America and the Caribbean continue to be failed by the legal system. (October 2001)

This is an article discussing the lack of protection for women against acts of domestic violence in Latin America. The article addresses the difficulty for women to report these crimes due to lack of rights and enforcement of the laws.

This source looks at how issues of violence and crime have effected the development of Latin American societies.

The article entitled "Guatemala's 'Femicide' Crisis" seeks to explain the implications of the unnecessary and brutal mass killings occurring amongst women in Guatemala mostly by male gangs. Because the killings have exceeded such an unusual extent, it has been deemed a "Femicide", otherwise known as a "Gendercide" or a genocide directed mainly against females. The ages of girls or women discussed in this article being raped, beaten, and murdered range from three year old toddlers to middle aged women. Not only do gangs of men perform these acts for no reason other to establish masculinity within their affinity groups. Moreover, the law enforcement agencies are so corrupt that it was said, "justice imposed by the state is non-existent" and "only two per cent of crimes against women are solved." This article seeks to establish the problem that is still going on even after the forty-year civil war while other chosen articles are determined to look for solutions.

Recently in Guatemala, many Catholics and Christians were involved in a Peace Walk protesting the excessive amount of violence, murders, abductions, rapes, drug addiction, and violence stemming from drugs. The walk was aimed to represent the extreme necessity of security that needs to be brought into Guatemala. During the protest, people used religion to preach for peace by holding signs that read "through Jesus and Mary we can have peace." Gangs such as maras are causing an overall insecurity throughout Guatemala (a recent study stated that 78 percent of Guatemalans are afraid to go out in the street and 90 percent are afraid of kidnapping). Everyday the people of Guatemala are threatened not knowing if either themselves or a loved one will be harmed in some way. Until changes are made and there is more security, the people of Guatemala call upon God and protest.

over 10,000 Catholic and Christian Guatemalans protested their frustration over violence and drug abuse. Crime has increased drastically over the past year in Guatemala, with 6292 murders. Cardinal Quezada Toruno spoke to the protesters in front of the Metropolitan Cathedral in Guatemala and turned to god and social activism to help decrease violence and crime in Guatemala.

This article is a historical look at violent and violated women in Guatemala. It explores the social meanings of "gendered crimes" in rural Guatemala between 1936 and 1956. These gendered crimes include b=not only sexual violence, but also infanticide and abortion, which are defined as female. Many times harmful acts to women fail to generate criminal proceedings.

Lorenzo Rosebaugh, a catholic priest, was killed in Guatemala in May of last year. Although the crime rate in Guatemala is very high, this killing brought new attention to crime and violence in Guatemala. Religion is very important to Latin American cultures, which makes this death stand out to society.The Guatemalan government needs to take steps to increase security and improve their leadership to help alleviate crime in their country. If the Government does not intervene and help the lives of their citizens, Guatemala could face a deleterious outcome.

In the article printed in the Guatemala Times published on May 21, 2009, the Human Rights Office of the Archbishop of Guatemala calls for the investigation into the murder of Lorenzo Rosebaugh, a catholic priest that was killed in Ixcan on the May 18th. The article continues to discuss the big issue of violence and the lack of leadership that exists in Guatemala today. They call for the government to make a strategic plan in order to protect their citizens against this violence, especially those that are involved in many of the illegal activities that are occurring.