By Susana Aguirre

According to a UN report called Global Study on Homicide, due to the expansion of the war against drugs, Central American youth face a one in 50 chance of being killed before age 31.

As a result of this study, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) announced that in 2010 worldwide, 468.000 people were killed, around one third of these cases occurred in Africa and one third in America.

 

One in 50 men will die before becoming 31 years old in countries with high rates of firearm homicides, such as Central. Probability that exceeds in several hundreds statistics in some parts of Asia.

In the past five years competition between drug dealers has increased also increasing homicide rate in Central American countries. Organized criminal groups challenge the authorities; they mark their territory and assert their authority with the indiscriminate use of lethal violence.

Between 1995 and 2005 the homicide rate in Central America showed a big drop but it increased markedly since 2007.

The financial crisis may have made a difference in the surge of killings in the region. This possible link is being examined by UN investigators and the results are expected to be presented soon.

According to the UNODC, during the financial crisis of 2008/09, there were more killings in some countries which coincided with the decline in gross domestic product (GDP), increased rate of consumer prices and higher unemployment.

Overall, 80% of men perpetrated the crimes and are also victims and they are vulnerable to die in the streets. On the other hand, women are more likely to die from domestic violence, either by their partner or another family member.