President Danilo Medina says the crime index has dropped every year since 2012. He said in 2012 when he first took office the crime index was at 24% and it is now at 10.4%. He called this “the lowest ever registered.” He attributed the numbers to Insight Crime. Insight Crime describes itself as a foundation dedicated to the study of organized crime in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Medina made the remark when reviewing government achievements in 2018 for his rendition of accounts speech on 27 February 2019. “I am aware that these figures do not alleviate the concerns about violent crime, nor do they console families that have been affected. Nevertheless, these numbers are evidence we are doing our best and succeeding by attacking this problem. The security of the Dominican people is a central concern of our government,” he said.
“But we also are struggling against another crime that while is less serious than homicide is equally intolerable and affects the wellbeing of people. I am referring to theft that according to the data is also on the decline,” he said. Medina said that statistics offered by the Citizen Security Observatory indicate that during the first half of 2018 there were 1,700 less cases of robbery than in the same period in 2017. He said that in the past year the efficient response capacity to confront these challenges of organized crime and drug trafficking has improved.
He shared that in 2018, the National Drug Control Agency implemented its Control Center and Mobil Control programs for the reception and analysis of crime information in real time. Agents have received wage increases of 100 to 120%, increased training and equipping for a more effective job. He said that as a result in 2018, 16.4 tons of narcotics were seized. 1,300 persons were sent to trial on drug charges.
Medina highlighted the advances of the 911 Emergency System that now has coverage of 74% of the population. He mentioned that in 2018 the service was extended to the provinces of San Pedro de Macorís, Peravia, Monseñor Nouel, San Cristóbal, La Romana, La Altagracia, Monte Plata and Samaná. The provinces of Azua, San Juan, Barahona, in the south; Duarte, Sánchez Ramírez, María Trinidad Sánchez y Hermanas Mirabal, in the northeast; Hato Mayor and El Seibo, in the east are scheduled to be added to the service in 2019, said the President.
Medina spoke of wage increases to police in 2018 ranging from 40 to 131%.
As part of the government efforts to reduce crime, Medina highlighted the major investment the government is carrying out in improving conditions at national jails such as the new La Victoria jail investment of more than RD$6 billion. The Medina government is using funds received from the US$184 million deal reached with Odebrecht to not prosecute company executives for bribing Dominican government officials.
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Diario Libre
Diario Libre
28 February 2019