Summary: Understanding Gang Proliferation

In the article Policing in Honduras: Understanding Gang Proliferation it talks about how Honduras has a high homicide rate due to its organized gangs. (Ratcliff, 2015)Honduras has the unfortunate title and nickname “murder capital of the world” and for good reason. (Ratcliff, 2015)Honduras homicide rate in 2011 was 86 per 100,000 and has approximately 36,000 active gang members.(Ratcliff, 2015) The gang members are made up of 98 percent of 12 to 25 year of age. (Ratcliff, 2015)The nation’s communities are intimidated and controlled by the gangs through extortion, torture and violence. The Honduran National Police have attempted to reform but have failed because they remain fragmented and disorganized. It has also become an endemic on how far the police have become corrupt.(Ratcliff, 2015) This makes it hard for people to invest or trust the police which spreads the gang problem even more. …show more content…
(Ratcliff, 2015)It is one of the poorest country in the western hemisphere with 59 percent of the nation living below the poverty line. (Ratcliff, 2015)Violence is commonplace and the homicide numbers in Honduras have steadily risen in the recent years. A substantial portion of the homicides are done by organized gangs with only 12,000 officers and 36,000 gang members.(Ratcliff, 2015) Hundreds of gang members have been murdered behind prison gates where it is heavily over populated. The Honduran prison system houses approximately 12,000 when the facilities are only designed for only 8,000. Incarcerated gang leaders also continue to run their gangs from inside the prison. (Ratcliff,