Lack of denunciations contributes to the increase in crimes

Know what a crime is and how to report it properly to create a more equitable society. Everyone must denounce wrongdoing.

Lack of denunciations contributes to the increase in crimes
An surge in criminal activity is exacerbated by a lack of reports of it. Photo by Lacie Slezak / Unsplash

The lack of reporting culture in the country's population is one of the factors that favor the permanence and growth of crime, explained Mr. Jonathan Dueñas Álvarez from the General Directorate of Criminal Policy Intelligence and Crime Prevention of the Jalisco State Prosecutor's Office during his conference "Digital Violence", which was held at the Autonomous University of Guadalajara (UAG).

In the conference held during the II Seminar "The Brain in Emotions and Learning", the expert from the State Prosecutor's Office stated that crimes, when not reported, affect the population.

Among the least reported crimes, which have become the most common, are extortion, fraud, and kidnapping, according to statistics from the National Institute of Geography and Statistics (INEGI) of 2020.

"Out of 100 robberies that happen, only 7 are reported, the problem is that, if you do not report, you do not know or do not know the situation of the area where you live and the crimes may continue," he said.

The culture of reporting crimes in Mexico is slowed down and among the reasons, the victims for not report to the authorities are that it is a waste of time and that they do not trust public servants.

However, Mr. Dueñas Álvarez explained that currently the Jalisco State Prosecutor's Office has changed and reformed its systems so that the service to the population is simpler, more specific, and faster.

"In Jalisco, this situation has changed, and now complaints are processed in less time. I ask people to have confidence in the authorities. All procedures are free of charge and if a public servant asks you for money to speed up your procedures you can denounce them, that is why I ask you to denounce," he said.

Why report crimes?

The expert shared the reasons why the culture of whistle-blowing should grow among the population:

  • The need to eradicate crime.
  • To change the current tendency to report and to know what is a crime and what is not.
  • To put in place more crime prevention mechanisms.
  • Authorities strengthen their judicial systems.
  • Combating corruption.

Thus, he mentioned that the population does not know their rights as victims of a crime which are:

  • Receive guidance from a legal advisor.
  • Receive information about the investigation and criminal procedure.
  • To have access to all the records of the preliminary inquiry or investigation file free of charge and without restrictions.
  • Participate at any time in the criminal investigation.
  • Receive protection measures, medical and psychological care, and the safeguarding of personal data.
  • Reparation of damages.
  • To challenge omissions in the investigation of crimes.

The denunciation is everyone's responsibility to generate a fairer society, so he invited all those present to know what a crime is and how to report it.