Citizen Security

The residents and citizens of Costa Rica believe that a current state of emergency exists regarding the security of its citizens, businesses, property, and way of life; threatened by the increasing unabated wave of crime that is engulfing the country.

Immediate, fundamental and significant action is required to ensure that the safety and well being of all law-abiding citizens of Costa Rica is provided for today and for generations to come. It is imperative that individuals, communities, business leaders, and the central government acknowledge the severity of the current problem, prioritize it as such, and collectively put forth the necessary resources; financially, physically and ideologically to combat and reverse this disturbing trend.

If the past and current attitudes toward fighting crime continue, the very foundation of the republic and the principals on which Costa Rica was founded and is admired for will be severely threatened. The financial and economic repercussions alone could have disastrous effect for generations to come.

We urge the central government and its institutions directly tasked with the safety and security of its citizens to adopt the following initiatives, as a start, to creating a secure future. By doing so the Costa Rican government will send a clear message that it will not tolerate nor accept criminal activities and will act decisively with appropriate consequence so as to insure its citizens peace, prosperity and security.

1: A comprehensive revision of the existing criminal code that is based on accountability with sentencing, and immediate and significant consequences to offenders.
2: Increase the Flagrancy Courts throughout Costa Rica, to impose swifter sentencing, thereby relieving the existing overburdened justice system, thus sending the message to criminals that crime in Costa Rica doesn't pay.
3: Increase prison/jail capacity to facilitate the enactment of a revised/new criminal code and court processing system.
4: Increase in police personnel, training and compensation bringing about a new level of job commitment and ethics, thereby gaining respect throughout the country.
5: Organizational, educational, and financial support for schools and communities to promote rehab programs, values based education curriculum, and positive alternative activities steering at-risk youth away from a potential life of crime.