, Mexico regularly makes international headlines due to widespread violence and organized crime. According to the Global Peace Index (GPI), Mexico ranks among the
. Although internationally recognized as a country with a complex and high criminal activity, where drug trafficking and related crimes are commonplace, pettier crimes such as theft on the street or pickpocketing on public transportation are some of the
, other of the most common crimes are fraud and extortion cases. Kidnapping, on the other hand, is one of the crimes against personal freedom that most afflicts the Mexican population. In 2021, Mexico was the third
The fear of going out
The
perceived level of insecurity in Mexico has been slowly decreasing over the last five years, with almost 75 percent of the adult population stating they did not feel safe where they lived, down from the 79.4 percent recorded in 2018. Baja California and Colima, in particular, are among the
Mexican states with the poorest peace levels. This feeling of insecurity directly affects the population's quality of life, as many people avoid performing basic outdoor activities due to fear of becoming a crime victim. The dread is not unjustified, as of 2023, out of the top ten
most violent cities in Latin America, seven of them where Mexican cities, lead by Colima and Ciudad Obregón.
Homicides and femicides
Violence in Mexico is already considered an epidemic and it has significant repercussions on public health, specially when it comes to longevity and the overall
life expectancy of the Mexican population. Annual murder rates stand at 12
intentional homicides committed per 100,000 inhabitants at the first half of 2023. The alarming rate of life-threatening crimes particularly affects women. In the past decade, Mexico registered an increasing
number of femicides, the second highest in Latin America.
Economic cost of violence
Violence is also a deterrent for economic growth. Crime does not simply increase people’s vulnerabilities and endangers lives; it also imposes a heavy burden on both public and private financial resources. In 2023, the
cost of violence in Mexico amounted to a staggering 4.94 trillion Mexican pesos. This amount includes not only preventive and containment measures but also the economic losses due to victimization, the expenditure related with the judicial system and the recovery and well-being of the victims. In Mexico City, for example,
violence was estimated to cost over 36,650 Mexican pesos per capita in 2023.
This text provides general information. Statista assumes no
liability for the information given being complete or correct.
Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date
data than referenced in the text.
