Colombia’s Homicide Rate Reaches 30 Year Low In 2014

Colombia’s homicide level of 12,800 nationally, is the lowest since 1984, according to reports, while the more meaningful rate of homicides per 100,000 residents dipped under 30 per 100,000; a rate not seen since the 1970s.

According to El Tiempo, this rate is still higher than the global rate of 6..2 per 100,000, but lower than nearby countries Venezuela, Honduras, and Jamaica.

Medellin’s success in reducing crime is key

A large contributor to the drop has been Medellín’s rates reaching 26 per 100,000, the lowest in 35 years, according to remarks given to the periodical by Luis Fernando Suárez, Medellín’s vice-mayor of governability, security, and conviviality. In 2014 there were 653 homicides, down 29% from 925 in 2013.

According to police commander Fernando Murillo Orrego, in statistics given to El Tiempo, Cali suffered 1017 homicides, down  21% from 2013. The news daily reported that 297 (27%) municipalities in Colombia were completely free of killings in 2014.

Bogotá the exception

Bucking the trend of the rest of Colombia, in Bogotá, homicide and in fact, most crime categories appear to be on the rise. Based on CEACSC figures, 2014 saw 1,344 homicides in 2014, compared to 1,280 in 2013. Most disturbing perhaps, is the rise of assassinations from 96 in 2013 to 215 in 2014. To be fair, the per-capita rate is still lower than that of either Cali or Medellín.