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well put Maravilla and David. I agree 100% with all you have said here. Even if you are never robbed or assaulted, you can become a victim simply by succumbing to an unreasonable fear of crime.
I agree that this fear could degenerate into just plain cowardice. I am a fairly streetwise hispanic man that has lived in many latin capitals. I feel completely at home in downtown Chicago as well as New York or Sao Paulo. I know that life takes risk and that the U.S is hardly a model of peace and security. I am solely concerned about the real rise in home invasion in C.R. This does not erode my affection for the country but for sure makes me think twice about what kind of everyday life I would enjoy. I lived in Caracas for four years in the early eighties and never had a problem. Twenty years later and the city has the highest homicide rate in the Americas. Many citizens have opted for moving out rather than wait out for better times. This undoubtedly has diminished the desirability of the city as well as its property values. I do not think C.R will be the same, I hope not. I also wish that it does not become another Bahamas or Dominican Republic where foreigners live behind fortified walls with armed guards at the entrance. I want to live normally just like the Ticos live. The problem is real and wishing that it goes away by ignoring it seems counterproductive. I paid fair market value for my land and the least that I require is for the authorities to protect me as reasonably as they can. What I read is that people do not even bother to involve the authorities because they are sure that the criminals will be out in a week at the most. I have hopes that they take hard look at their laws and make the appropiate revisions. What was good for France during Napoleon, may not be for a 21st. Century Central American nation. If they fail to do something, then I am afraid that Costa Rica will cease to be the peaceful society it claims to be. Many other charming societies have been ruined by incompetence and corruption. As marvelous as Costa Rica surely is, it can change for the worst if its citizens, Ticos and Expatriates alike, fail to fix this problem. I must say sincerely that the overwhelming incompetence that is evident right now, leaves a sour taste in my mouth. However, nothing in life comes easy or free, so I remain somewhat enthusiastic about moving there.
almaral, It seems to me as if you already have a very poor attitude about Costa Rica and I sure IF you did decide to actually move there you would not last long as you seem to already have your mind set on it failing. All your comments about the place and the “crime stats” that you mention indicate that you have already determined that it is not the place you want to be and are just looking for further “justification” for why you shouldn’t move there. I bought a small parcel of land there a couple of years ago and I CAN’T wait to retire and move there so that I can truly live the PURA VIDA full time! It’s a beautiful country with a warm and caring people and although it’s not for everyone, it’s definitely a place for me. I wish you luck and peace in your quest to find the perfect Utopia!
By expecting less than “Pura Vida”, I may be more successful at adapting to the country. Who Knows? I may be a bit pessimistic about the abilities of the authorities but my total admiration for the Tico culture is unquestionable. It appears that this forum is allergic to any talk of crime or implementation of the law. I also bought land in Costa Rica and plan to live there. I naturally question and analyze every aspect of my move and this includes the issue of crime just as it includes the differences in food, beer, etc. It seems to me that having a “I LOVE COSTA RICA, BLINDLY” attitude can only lead to disatisfaction or eventual failure. I hope that I have not been too negative in this forum. I really wanted a resident’s perspective on the issue of rising crime. To assume that I just need validation for my decisions is unfair.
Economics + Education = Understanding. I can remember back to when I was a kid in the USA and many people littered. That was until the government allocated a couple billion dollars to begin an anti-litter campaign. Likewise, drinking and driving as well as abusing women and children. Crimes deterrent is supposedly the justice system which in the USA as well as in Costa Rica is saturated. Most of the theft here is non-violent and drug related. The real issue is educating the kids so that they understand that crack cocaine is an addictive vice and is definitely not cool. If there was no crack cocaine there would be much less crime. Now all Costa Rica needs is a more money for social programs to help the uneducated understand more about social responsibility. Read the article in AM Costa Rica from Friday, Jan. 10. 2008,
Special appropriation pledged to fight growing crime wave
Both the executive and legislative branches moved Thursday to act against the rising wave of criminality.
During a Casa Presidencial meeting, Rodrigo Arias, the minister of the Presidencia, promised 7 billion more colons ($14 million) to the Judicial Investigating Organization. That will be enough to add 500 agents to the existing staff of 1,000 agents, said Casa Presidencial.Almaral,
The only effective solution to crime is education and economic well being. All the police and laws in the world will not do the trick. Ignorance and the frustration of unresolved desire in the face of unfairly distributed wealth is the cause of crime. All the police in the world enforcing tough laws will only channel the frustration and delay the inevitable social explosion. I am sorry, but there is no way to exclude politics from any discussion of crime. If your problem is with the Costa Rican police and lax attitudes towards crime, perhaps staying here in the States is best for you. After 7 years of right wing republican governing. we certainly don’t have any crime problems here, do we?Edited on Jan 12, 2008 07:17
There are a few crime related articles in today’s La Nacion [ http://www.nacion.com/ln_ee/2008/enero/12/sucesos1382151.html ] which spell out the problem in San Jose in very simple terms.
We have a large number of delinquents in San Jose, Costa Rica who commit crime after crime after crime and for some inexplicable reason are still walking our streets. The article speaks of 600 offenders responsible for 3,420 assaults in San Jose
They include photographs of some of the repeat offenders who have been arrested 13, 19, 15, 26, 11, 17 etc times. One character – Ernesto Fonseca Vargas has been arrested 96 times since 1979.
I have no idea what the prison capacity is in Costa Rica, but if we had a stricter policy with regards to locking these SOBs up for ten years plus after their third offense – no matter how trivial – instead of releasing them after a couple of months, then crime in San Jose would probably be cut in half over the space of six months.
According to data obtained from the U.S. FBI, Crime in the United States, annual. From Statistical Abstract of the United States, 2004-2005, [ http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0004902.html ] the following cities have a much higher murder rate than San José, Costa Rica.
1. San José, Costa Rica – 9.2 per 100,000 inhabitants
2. Los Angeles – 17.3
3. Houston – 12.5
4. Philadelphia – 18.9
5. Phoenix – 12.6
6. Dallas – 15.8
7. Las Vegas – 11.9
8. Detroit 41.8
9. Indianapolis – 13.9
10. Jacsonville – 11.7
11. Columbus – 11.3
12. Memphis -22.5
13. Milwaukee – 18.3
14. Washigton DC – 45.9
15. New Orleans – 53.1
16. Kansas City – 18.5
17. Atlanta 34.9
18. Oakland – 26.1
19. St. Louis – 31.4
20. Pittsburgh – 13.7
21. Cincinnati – 21
22. Tampa – 11.7
23. Buffalo – 14.6
24. Newark – 23.3Scott Oliver – Founder
WeLoveCostaRica.comThis is all pretty funny about crime, I have come to terms that people really don’t know how bad it can really get and beleave that where they live they have the worst crime.
Last August when we went to visit my wifes family in Tres Rios my mother in-law said don’t go out at night because it has become really dangerous. Well if you know my mother in-law she over reacts and listens to a lot of old wifes tales. Then I moved to Paraguay this last October and everyone in the embassy said don’t go down town because it is full of crime. Well then I found it it really isn’t bad crime just some small time pick pocketing.
Now if you really want to see bad crime try the counties of Hatie where they have people burning in the streets right in front of the embassy almost a weekly event or maybe places such as Brazil where they recently have caught police killing people tourist.
Where ever you go you will have crime, how ever I beg to say that if we take all of the U.S. cities and put them together and take a look at how much crime is commeted on a daily bases it will be much larger than small little Costa Rica. I could also say that every day that I look at the star and trib in Minnesota there has been a murder or crime since I have been gone.
Economic well being and education are certainly crucial components of any law abbiding society. A strong deterrent is also essential since not all potential criminals can be enticed with social programs or public service advertising. Presently, it is allowed to steal an item if the value does not surpass aproximately $200 dollars. Criminals with several convictions are allowed to go free and terrorize the pedestrian overpasses and bus stops. This criminals, as of today, know they are free to do as they like. No punishment is on the table in the unlikely case they get caught. It is somewhat reassuring that since yesterday, the authorities have a mandate and some preliminary funds to deal with this grave issue. While I would not pretend to know the solutions, I will mantain my deep concern about the rise in crime. It directly affects my property value as well as its long term desirability. A porcentage of the real estate market in Costa Rica is deeply speculative and disfunctional. At some point an adjustment of value, in the books and out, will occur. When that happens, the issue of security will show its ugly head and all of us will be affected. The concept of “full disclosure” is one that is not always pleasant or profitable. There are elements in the way transactions are made in Costa Rica and other emerging economies that are not always transparent. Ticos and expatriates may have to become less “pragmatic” and more demanding when dealing with its criminal population. Anything less will result in decreased quality of life and property values. “Casi Pura Vida, muchachos!”
It is me again!
I know that crime in Haiti is worse than in Costa Rica. I am sure that crime happens everywhere. This is hardly a consolation. San Jose may have a lower murder rate than Phoenix, it is irrelevant since even one murder is too many. In the last decade there has been a dramatic rise in crime, everyone knows it including the politicians now. For the last many years they attributed it to public perception or media manufactured fear. Now they all agree that it is real and rising by the day. I do not care if San Jose is safer than Johanesburg or Port au Prince; the Ticos deserve to live with reasonable security and peace.
The following article ‘Costa Rica Crime in San Jose – Repeat offenders are a big problem.’ [ Costa Rica Crime in San Jose – Repeat offenders are a big problem. ] will be published early next week with photographs of some of the offenders….
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There are a few crime related articles in today’s La Nacion which explains one of the major crime problems in San Jose – which has the highest crime rate in the country – in very simple terms.
In San Jose and surrounding areas, according to the Public Security Ministry we have a large number of criminals who commit crime after crime after crime and for some inexplicable reason are still walking our streets.
The La Nacion article refers to 600 offenders being responsible for 3,420 assaults in San Jose during the last year, half of them have been arrested more than ten times and a handful more than 100 times…
They include photographs of some of the repeat offenders, one character – Ernesto Fonseca Vargas has been arrested 96 times since 1979.
People who are suspected of committing a criminal act do have rights under the law which must be respected. Not everyone that is arrested is guilty of a crime however, long before we get to that stage surely we should focus on preventing as much crime as possible?
After 29 years of breaking the law, one would imagine that the odds of Ernesto Fonseca Vargas ‘seeing the light’ and living and honest, crime-free life are extraordinarily low and maybe, just maybe, he and the other 599 repeat offenders should be locked up for the next 29 years so they do not cause any more trouble.
I have no idea what the prison capacity is in Costa Rica, but if we had a stricter policy with regards to locking up criminals for ten years plus after their third offense – no matter how trivial – instead of releasing them after a couple of months, then crime in San Jose would probably be cut in half over the space of six months.
The main argument probably downs to money…Costa Rica has precious few resources to start spending serious money on building new prisons however, call me crazy but I have always thought the chain gang idea to be very worthwhile.
Why on earth should the suffering taxpayers – who have already been the victimized by these criminals – now pay again for their assailants to enjoy three meals a day and sit around watching TV?
If there’s not enough money to build prisons then let the prisoners work to help offset the cost of housing, feeding, and guarding all the inmates. In fact, why don’t we get them to build their new home, Costa Rica is facing a massive shortage of construction workers this year anyway so get these bozos to build the new prisons that will house them and ‘if’ and when they get out, they will then have a new profession that will help them get hired in a matter of minutes…
Most of us work hard to keep our families healthy and to keep a roof over our heads so we force the criminals to do the same… To take responsibility for their actions so you Sir! – The convicted felon – can build our prisons, build new rail roads, keep our streets clean, you can help repair our roads, dig ditches, dig graves, grow and cook your own food and sure you can smoke cigarettes if you wish but only if your grow your own…
According to 13th Annual Safest (and Most Dangerous) Cities, Morgan Quitno Press you will find below the 2005 Murder Rate in US Cities (rate per 100,000 population) for 100 US cities, all of which have far higher murder rates than San Jose, Costa Rica..
The equivalent murder rate for San Jose, Costa Rica is 9.2
1. Compton, Calif. 67.1
2. Gary, Ind. 58.0
3. Birmingham, Ala. 44.3
4. Youngstown, Ohio 43.7
5. Richmond, Va. 43.0
6. Baltimore, Md. 42.0
7. Camden, N.J. 41.2
8. Flint, Mich. 40.1
9. Detroit, Mich. 39.3
10. Richmond, Calif. 38.8
11. St. Louis, Mo. 37.9
12. Trenton, N.J. 36.2
13. Washington, DC 35.4
14. Newark, N.J. 34.5
15. San Bernardino, Calif. 29.0
16. Kansas City, Mo. 28.1
17. Reading, Pa. 27.2
18. Philadelphia, Pa. 25.6
19. Kansas City, Kans. 25.4
20. Cincinnati, Ohio 25.1
21. Rochester, N.Y. 24.9
22. Norfolk, Va. 24.5
23. Cleveland, Ohio 23.8
24. Oakland, Calif. 23.2
25. West Palm Beach, Fla. 22.6
26. Inglewood, Calif. 22.4
27. Little Rock, AR 22.1
28. Baton Rouge, La. 21.8
28. Portsmouth, Va. 21.8
31. Atlanta, Ga. 20.9
30. Jackson, Miss. 21.1
32. Milwaukee, Wis. 20.6
33. Macon, Ga. 20.5
34. Memphis, Tenn. 20.2
35. Hartford, Conn. 20.0
35. Dayton, Ohio 20.0
37. Racine, Wis. 19.9
38. Buffalo, N.Y. 19.8
39. Allentown, Pa. 19.6
39. Shreveport, La. 19.6
41. Pittsburgh, Pa. 19.0
42. Durham, N.C. 17.1
42. Nashville, Tenn. 17.1
42. Roanoke, Va. 17.1
45. Dallas, Texas 16.4
46. Houston, Texas 16.3
47. Jersey City, N.J. 15.9
48. Chicago, Ill. 15.6 – 69% higher than San Jose
49. Phoenix, Ariz. 15.0
49. Tulsa, Okla. 15.0
51. Chattanooga, Tenn. 14.7
52. Stockton, Calif. 14.6
53. Victorville, Calif. 14.4
54. Montgomery, Ala. 14.3
55. Columbus, Ohio 14.0
55. Mobile, Ala. 14.0
55. Savannah, Ga. 14.0
58. Knoxville, Tenn. 13.9
58. Miami, Fla. 13.9
60. Bridgeport, Conn. 13.6
60. Elizabeth, N.J. 13.6
62. Indianapolis, Ind. 13.5
63. Pomona, Calif. 13.4
64. Huntsville, Ala. 13.3
64. Syracuse, N.Y. 13.3
66. Paterson, N.J. 13.2
67. Boston, Mass. 12.9
67. North Charleston, S.C. 12.9
69. San Francisco, Calif. 12.8
70. Akron, Ohio 12.7
70. Greensboro, N.C. 12.7
70. Columbia, S.C. 12.7
73. Charlotte, N.C. 12.6
73. Los Angeles, Calif. 12.6
75. Minneapolis, MN 12.5
76. Peoria, Ill. 12.4
76. Rockford, Ill. 12.4
76. Pueblo, Colo. 12.4
79. Lancaster, Calif. 12.3
80. North Las Vegas, Nev. 12.2
80. Yakima, Wash. 12.2
82. Bellflower, Calif. 11.9
82. Springfield, Mass. 11.9
84. St. Petersburg, Fla. 11.8
85. Columbus, Ga. 11.7
86. Suffolk, Va. 11.6
86. Yuma, Ariz. 11.6
88. Hawthorne, Calif. 11.5
89. Jacksonville, Fla. 11.4
89. Sacramento, Calif. 11.4
89. Palmdale, Calif. 11.4
92. Fort Wayne, Ind. 11.3
92. Las Vegas, Nev. 11.3
92. South Bend, Ind. 11.3
92. Providence, R.I. 11.3
96. Bakersfield, Calif. 11.2
96. Hammond, Ind. 11.2
98. Fayetteville, N.C. 11.0
98. Rialto, Calif. 11.0
100. Albuquerque, N.M. 10.8
100. Newport News, Va. 10.8I have been accused of glossing over the Costa Rica crime facts which is somewhat strange since we have more articles about crime on this website than any other site that I have visited. Here are a few of them:
1. Costa Rica Crime – Muggings in San Jose
2. Costa Rica Crime – Murder rates in perspective.
3. Costa Rica Crime & Security – Securing Yourself
4. Costa Rica Crime – Carefully selected statistics can be used to persuade us either way.
5. Costa Rica Crime Is So Terrible That ….
6. Costa Rica Crime – Murder Rates
7. Fear & Negativity Sells Even When It’s Not Accurate
8. Costa Rica Crime – Americans Murdering Americans
9. Costa Rica Crime@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
Scott Oliver – Founder
WeLoveCostaRica.comWell like my wife says, if crime is a big concern for you than maybe Costa Rica is not the place for you.
Costa Rica is not for everyone and it sounds as if you would not like to live there if you feel as if you have to keep looking over your shoulder. Even though this could be called paranoia.
Many people keep looking for the negative in every paradise and you won’t be able to enjoy it if you think that CR is a crime ridden place.
Maybe Venezuela our Columbia would be better fit for you.
Also you can add to your list Scott
Costa Rica Crime- Illegal gringos running away from the law in the U.S.
Costa Rica Crime- Gringos working with out CR permisionhahahaha
Edited on Jan 12, 2008 17:19
What is utterly ridiculous is to think that Costa Rica is only for people that tolerate or are not bothered by crime. Who on earth can be so naive to think that there is such thing as “Paradise” or “Pura Vida”. I have lived in tough cities and can probably outsmart any thief. I just don’t want to get my goddamned toaster stolen before breakfast. Some of you, puravida fantasists, are creating this notion that in order to be accepted in “paradise” one has to put up with the thieves. Nonsense! Why don’t you wait for them with cookies by the front door.
Nobody here is in favor of crime or criminals. There is no serious expression of sympathy for them. What you seem to be missing is that the respondents here acknowledge that crime, like pollution, litter, domestic violence, poverty, drunk driving, and a host of other social problems simply exist. And they will for the forseeable future. Having acknowledged that indisputable fact, each of us must move on to a consideration of our own likely exposure to those problems and our own tolerance for them.
No matter where you settle, whether it’s Chicago, Paraguay, Brazil, Haiti, Costa Rica or someplace else, you’re going to be faced with all these ills and more every day. That said, you need to make a choice. Is Costa Rica a better deal (for you) than Chicago? No doubt in my mind. How about L.A.? Again, no doubt. Downtown Detroit? Yeah, right. Sao Paulo? I dunno. What you’re hearing from the participants here is that they’re betting on Costa Rica. Maybe you should not.
You’ve asked for their feedback and they’ve given it in good faith.
I’m not fully convinced that education and improved economic conditions will meaningfully resolve the problem of crime. Maybe I’m wrong. In the meantime, my response, based upon some direct exposure to the criminal justice system, is . . .
Probation should be eliminated. Every offender should be punished for every crime of which he or she is convicted. That pumishment should be swift, absolutely certain, and seriously aversive. And for subsequent offenses, it should be progressive.
Punishment need not be long-term. That is, for a first offense, a very uncomfortable week in the slammer may be enough to get the message across. If that doesn’t work, then another longer incaration is called for.
Too many criminals here and everywhere else are not punished early enough in their “careers” to understand that what they’re doing has consequences they don’t want to face. Years ago, for example, a youth in Washington, DC, where I worked, was typically apprehended with some twenty stolen automobiles before he was ever incarcerated as a felon. WRONG! He should have gone to jail, however briefly, for the first offense. By the time he’s been adjudicated twenty times (and stolen heaven knows how many cars with which he’s not been caught), in his mind it’s not a crime. He needs to get the message on Day One.
And he needs to know that his punishment will be just that — punishment as he perceives it. Scott’s chain gang sentiment is not far off.
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