Homicide rate in the Americas highest in the world

A UN Global study on homicide is highlighting that in the Americas the homicide rate within prison is triple of that on the streets.

As regional correspondent James Blears reports, far from rehabilitation, a spell behind bars can end in violent death.

Listen to the report...

The latest worldwide study of homicide by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime clearly indicates that Central America in which it includes Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras, has a murder rate of 27 per 100,000 inhabitants, with organized crime being the principal culprit. This is by far the highest of any region in the world.

Antonio Luigi Mazzitelli, who's the UNODC representative in Mexico says, those serving jail terms, are at ultra high risk of being killed.

This report clearly indicates that there needs to be a radical overhaul of prisons throughout this zone, where gang fights, riots, prison break outs and major corruption is an everyday fact of life...and death.