Mexican Prisons Controlled by Prisoners - Insightcrime.org

Inmates Control 60% of Mexican Prisons: Report

Prisoners in a Mexican jail

“Inmates are in control of some 60 percent of Mexico's prisons, according to a report by the government human rights body, whose details help explain how some 130 inmates were able to escape from one facility earlier this month.

The 2011 report on Mexican prisons by the National Commission of Human Rights (CNDH) found that 60 percent of the country's corrective facilities were under the control of criminal groups, El Informador reported.”

Thoughts:

• Why do prison inmates control 60% of Mexico’s prisons?
• Does this small snapshot serve as an indicator of how much of Mexico is controlled by criminals? For example is 60%, or more, of Mexico proper under the same kind of stress whereby many known criminals, cartel and gang members run free?
• What are the drivers that contribute to such a high number strength?
• How strong is the law in Mexico, and how effective can the state contain such forms of potential widespread social instability?

Read full article here:  http://www.insightcrime.org/news-briefs/inmates-control-mexican-prisons

Written by Victoria Rossi and Hannah Stone

Tuesday, 25 September 2012