Crime in Puerto Rico
| Puerto Rico | |
|---|---|
| Crime rates* (2008) | |
| Violent crimes | |
| Homicide | 26.2(2011) |
| Forcible rape | 2.4 |
| Robbery | 138.3 |
| Aggravated assault | 78.8 |
| Total violent crime | 239.9 |
| Property crimes | |
| Burglary | 484 |
| Larceny-theft | 837.4 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 177.1 |
| Total property crime | 1,498.5 |
|
Notes
*Number of reported crimes per 100,000 population.
Source: FBI 2008 UCR data |
|
Illegal drugs in Puerto Rico are an increasingly significant problem from a criminal, social, and medical perspective, and a large amount of crime in Puerto Rico has been linked to the amount of illegal drugs that flow through the country. Located in the Caribbean, Puerto Rico has become a major transshipment point for drugs into the United States.Violent and property crimes have increased due in part to dealers trying to keep their drug business afloat, using guns and violence to protect themselves, their , and drug habits.
Crimes related to drugs are not the only crimes that has plagued the island. Police and political corruption have also been problematic, as have gangs, which further contribute to the drug problem and associated crime in Puerto Rico.
The Government of Puerto Rico has struggled to combat illegal drug use and the resulting crime since the mid-1970s. Their efforts have been referred to as a "War on Drugs". Though drug use was uncommon in Puerto Rico in the 1950s, it markedly increased in the late 1960s. In the 1970s the increase in drug use, particularly among those under the age of 25, became a major concern in Puerto Rican society. A number of drug cartels have used Puerto Rico as a transfer point while trafficking cocaine to the mainland United States.
Many Puerto Ricans have attributed increases in crime to the drug trade. This led to a major focus on crime and drugs in Puerto Rican politics. In response, federal and local law enforcement agencies have attempted to integrate their efforts to fight drug crime. Other strategies used by the government of Puerto Rico include longer sentences for criminals, increased funding for law enforcement equipment, and the construction of new prisons. At times, however, the DEA and the Puerto Rican police have struggled to work together and some commentators have questioned the effectiveness of government drug policy.
In the early 1990s, law enforcement began specifically targeting white collar drug users. By 2008 the tension was rising.
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