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Culturally segregated neighborhoods of immigrants are common everywhere on the planet. I have a problem, though, with “GATED” communities. The walls and gates are not there to define a cultural boundry, which I find contradictory to the immigrant spirit and somewhat insulting to the host country in the first place. They are there for protection from a perceived and perhaps real threat of violent and petty crime.
The existence of these communities speaks to a high degree of insecurity and unpreparedness on the part of its residents to successfully assimilate into Costa Rican culture. It makes me wonder why people would immigrate to a place where they find it necessary to wall themselves in and insulate themselves from the experience of the culture they chose to live with.
The reason I posted this item was to try and spark some interest in doing something. If the government of Costa Rica does not address this problem in a swift mannner, everyone in the Country will suffer. Decreased visitors (maybe some would prefer less), decreased property values (maybe even some would prefer that). The crime in Costa Rica is a real problem, maybe not in very isolated areas but don’t kid yourself it is happening all over the Country.
I remember what Jamaica used to be like in the 1970’s, a great place to visit, beautiful country. Now unless you go to an all inclusive resort it is not wise to travel anywhere in Jamaica.
Watch out folks, without some intervention this is coming to Costa Rica.
Crime is on the increase EVERYWHERE. No major exceptions of any significance. There is no reason Costa Rica would be exempt from world trends. Nothing is going to befall Costa Rica that does not overtake the rest of the general world population in this matter. I do NOT see Costa Rica as some kind o world exception in the increase of crime. In fact, if anything, it may be an exception in relative crime in its world region. You must put everything in perspective. You should not isolate Costa Rica from the rest of the world, then compare the country today with what it was 30 years ago. Or worse, compare Costa Rica to a country like Jamaica. There are just too many differences between these two countries and cultures. That is an alarmist comparison and not valid.
Sprite,
Again you must be kidding, a well traveled individual like yourself. Crime in Costa Rica is on the rise and is getting much worse. Crime rates in other parts of the world maybe constant or increasing, but Costa Rica crime is rising rapidly. If you have property there just keep telling yourself that there is no problem and I’m sure it will get better.
Hey I take offense about the GATED community comment. I never thought I’d live in one, but I do here. And about 80% of the residents are Tico – go figure. Maybe they know something more about crime and security in our host country than some of you.
A few positives about our gated community:
– No need for bars on your house and walls around your property
– I can go away and not stress about if someone is burglarizing my home
– I get to meet and know my neighbors, just by walking my dogs in the community or by visiting the common area for a game of basketball or futbol
– I can walk my dogs without the stray dogs trying to attack
– I know that I don’t have to worry about my neighbors’ ability to manage their septic tank properly since we have a sewage treatment plant for the community
– The empty lot next to me won’t become an impromtu garbage dump or the latest shanty townAnd for my 2 cents, crime is getting worse in areas like San Jose. I can’t speak for the rest of the country, as my experience is in and around San Jose.
I have travelled many places including CR and i would disagree with blanket statements that crime is up everywhere. If anyone has been to NYC lately I would argue it is one of the safer places to be. There are young women on the streets alone at all hours. There are no real issues in the city with beggars etc. Many years ago I would not make that statement. I would agree that CR has an issue with growth and its infrastructure to manage crime.
The simple fact is that the government is not taking this problem seriously. Seeing a few policia downtown is not addressing the problem. Theft in CR is now an occupation and is not being addressed. Until it is I believe the Country as a whole is in danger of losing it’s appeal as a retirement and tourist locale. For some, this may be a welcome outcome, but for the masses that have invested large sums of money in real estate and businesses that cater to these groups, watch out for your investment dollars, colones, euros whatever.
I was sent this just today from an acquaintance. Its in Spanish and describes an experience where potential robbers try a new trick with a person sitting and waiting in their car outside a busy shopping center. If you were in this person’s shoes and didn’t understand what the fuss was about, would you have gotten out of the car?
> Mejor prevenir
> >
> >Queria comunicarles a todos lo que me sucedio en el dia de ayer. A las
> >5.00 P.M
> aproximadamente llegamos al Centro Comercial Plaza Atlantis, ubicado en
> Escazu, donde esta ubicado el nuevo Automercado. Estaciono mi esposo el
> carro, en el lugar mas cercano a la salida, estaciono en reverso por lo
> tanto el vehiculo estaba listo para salir. El se bajo del carro y entro al
> Banco, yo me quede esperando en el vehiculo , en el sitio del acompañante
> ,cerre las puertas con seguro y estaba haciendo varias cosas en el carro,
> habia mucha gente y mucha congestion, cuando senti que me golpeaban en el
> vidrio una muchacha de alrededor de 27 años, Colombiana, con acento
> Antioqueño y empezo a gritarme insistentemente que me bajara del vehiculo
> que se estaba incendiando, volvia y me gritaba hay humo debajo, hay llamas
> y me pegaba en la ventana nuevamente me decia · Es en serio , bajese. Empezo
> a darle vueltas al carro y seguia insistiendo, esto sucedio durante 3 o 4
> minutos.
> >Yo NO me baje del carro, retire las llaves del encendido y espere a que
> >se fuera, paso la calle donde la estaba esperando un muchacho, pero no vi si
> se fue caminado o en algun carro que estuviera esperandolos, espere un tiempo
> prudencial me baje del vehiculo y busque a mi marido y notificamos al
> Oficial del Banco, pero lo cierto es que se fueron. Analizando la situacion
> creemos que nos libramos o de un robo o de un secuetro express, segun
> parece debe ser una nueva modalidad de asalto, creando panico en las
> personas.
> >Les escribo para que lo tengan en cuenta y tengan la precaucion del caso.1) Soflo what the hell happened to you to cause all this extreme bitterness?
2) Regarding “NYC” I have lived here since 1982, when money/developers come into an area yes the crime goes down. But there are many many parts of the city a young woman would definitely not feel safe late at night. And this includes parts of the West Village where rapes and late not robberies occur more than one might think. Forget about Washington Heights, Bushwick Brooklyn and many other locales in the city man nor woman would not want to be out late.
I’m just replying in general, not to this specific post.
If crime is on the rise what is the reason?
1. Is the economy getting tougher and people are having to resort to this, but do not want to?
2. Is this increase in crime mainly targeting non Cost Ricans? Any numbers on that one?
If it is not across the board as far as targeting due to “National Origin” then this would concern me.
3. Is this increase in crime mainly just becoming more apparent due to more crime being reported?
I would hope that this potential increase in crime is not pointed disproportionately to non Costa Ricans.As usual, this topic has degenerated into story telling. Everybody has some anecdotal evidence in the form of a crime horror story that either happened to him or to someone he knows or he has heard about. This is evidence of human nature which tends to dramatize and exaggerate a kernel of truth to the point of scandalizing others rather than hard evidence of an intolerable crime wave.
The problem is that in CR, hard stats are difficult to come by if at all. Everyone is left to rely upon word of mouth as to whether crime is overtaking the country or not. It sounds much more believable to me that what is really happening is not a fierce increase in crime, but rather a substantial increase relative to the past and that word of mouth hearsay about this increase is running through the society like a scalded monkey. Go and sit at the bus station with a lap top if you want to. When you are robbed, you can then accuse the entire Costa Rican society of being lost to crime. Meanwhile, intelligent onlookers will draw another conclusion entirely.
Sprite, the more you type the more we can only sit back and say wow, where is this guy coming from???
And Sprite says:
“The problem is that in CR, hard stats are difficult to come by if at all. Everyone is left to rely upon word of mouth as to whether crime is overtaking the country or not. It sounds much more believable to me that what is really happening is not a fierce increase in crime, but rather a substantial increase relative to the past and that word of mouth hearsay about this increase is running through the society like a scalded monkey”.
Sprite how about an analysis from Jane’s or do you think it is hearsay running “like a scalded monkey”.
From 2008 Jane’s Information Group:
“Renowned for being one of the safest countries in Central America, Costa Rica is beginning to suffer from increasing rates of violent crime and murder. An April 2008 opinion poll indicated that Costa Ricans view insecurity as the most important issue facing the government, even above the rising cost of living.”
“Crime rates are still low on a comparative basis; in 2007 the murder rate was 6.6 murders per 100,000, the lowest in Central America. However, violent crime is rising more rapidly, with the government stating in early 2008 that robbery rates have risen by 700 per cent since 1990, while drug-related crime is up 280 per cent in the same period. Moreover, crime is becoming more visible; the execution-style killing of five Panamanians in Costa Rica in January 2008 sparked widespread concern about the impact of drugs trafficking on crime rates in the country. Indeed, the police stated that the murders reflected a growing trend for contract killings connected to the drugs trade.”
Sprite, a 700% rise in robberies since 1990, just keep ignoring it, say it isn’t a problem, it will certainly improve. Proof; According to Jane’s Costa Ricans feel this the most important issue they face, even compared with inflation which has also been a real issue in Central and South America.
Just keep ignoring the problem, it will get better all by itself.
Certainly sounds from the Janes information that drug trafficking is a big part of the increasing crime statistics in Costa Rica.
Anyone got any ideas where most of that product is heading?Yes there is a problem in the World with crime and CR is no exception, the crimes of opportunity are exponentionaly greater in CR.
My wife came back from CR and she is a Tica and told me of unbelievable stories about hard crimes in CR, in San Jose not the interior.
Puriscal, Domical, Limon, Heredia, Grecia you name it has a crime problem. Gated communities are not exempt, why do you think they have GATED communities in the first place?
open your eyes, crime is on the rise and CR is not priviledged to this fenomenom.
warren
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