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Honduras Seeks to Contain Financial Crime with Seven Strategies

In a bid to curb financial crime, Honduras has implemented seven key strategies that have contributed to a significant reduction in homicides and violent deaths in 2017. According to official figures, the country is on track to close out the year with a homicide rate of 42 per 100,000 citizens, a marked decrease from 59 per 100,000 registered in 2016.

Strategies Implemented by the Government

The government’s efforts have been focused on fighting crimes like extortion, which often leads to homicide, and concentrating its efforts on the most violent neighborhoods. The police purge and reform have also played a crucial role in reducing corruption and increasing the effectiveness of law enforcement agencies.

Contributing Factors

Other factors that have contributed to the reduction in homicides include:

• Dismantling large criminal structures
• Prison system reform and modernization
• Substantial increases in anti-crime resources
• Training and penal code changes
• Joint work between state institutions and independent organizations

Expert Insights

Experts say that while these strategies have been effective, there is still much work to be done to combat crime and ensure citizen security. Honduras still has six times more violent deaths than the global average and about three times more than the average for the continent.

Presidential Elections and Security Concerns

The unveiling of these new crime statistics comes weeks before Honduras’ presidential elections on November 26, where President Juan Orlando Hernández is seeking re-election after the Supreme Court overturned a constitutional ban on the practice in 2015. However, security experts warn that neither Hernández nor Honduras can claim victory until they address the root causes of financial crime and ensure lasting peace and stability.

Factors Contributing to Reduction in Homicides

Here are the seven key strategies implemented by the government:

1. The Politics of Crime Prevention: Focused efforts on fighting crimes like extortion and concentrating on violent neighborhoods have been key to reducing homicides.
2. Dismantling Large Criminal Structures: Capturing or forcing the surrender of criminal organization leaders has disrupted their ability to operate and generate violence.
3. National Police Purge and Reform: Dismissing corrupt police officers and training new recruits has increased the effectiveness of law enforcement agencies.
4. Substantial Increase in Anti-Crime Resources: A significant increase in budget for security institutions has allowed them to better combat crime.
5. Training and Penal Code Changes: Improving the skills of prosecutors, judges, and investigators has led to an increase in criminal prosecution requests and convictions.
6. Prison System Reform and Modernization: Closing old prisons and transferring inmates to modern facilities has reduced opportunities for criminal activity.
7. Joint Work Between State Institutions and Independent Organizations: Collaboration between government agencies, civil society, and international organizations has contributed to a decrease in violent deaths.

Experts warn that while these strategies have been effective, there is still much work to be done to combat financial crime and ensure lasting peace and stability in Honduras.