Feelings of Insecurity Rise in Juaritos

A recent national poll shows 62% of Juarenses have stopped walking near their own homes, and 38% have stopped visiting relatives or friends, due to the rising tide of violence in the city.  Since September of last year the percentage of residents in Juarez who feel "unsafe" at an ATM has risen from 70% to 80%.  Nearly half the population (46.3%) claim to have witnessed a robbery or assault.  The number of people asserting they frequently hear gunshots near their homes has doubled, from 18% to 37%.

While these numbers indicate a significant increase in the perceptions people in Juarez have of their safety, they should be placed in context, since insecurity has increased in recent years throughout Mexico.  Ten years ago, Juarez was one of a small handful of cities in Mexico suffering a major spike in crime, extortion, kidnappings, and drug-related violence.  Today Mexico as a whole has caught up to Juarez.  The poll, taken by the Mexican Census agency (INEGI), shows that while 80% of Juarenses report feeling "unsafe," fully 76% of Mexicans throughout the country feel unsafe.

Forty one percent of Juarenses believe public safety this year will be similar to or worse than it was last year.  Source:  Diario; click here for story.