The Importance Of Homicide Rate In El Salvador

Since the beginning of 2015 the homicide rate in El Salvador has reached it’s highest point in history since the end of their 12-year civil war. This peak in homicides is due to gang leaders being moved to maximum security prisons instead of being in low security prisons. It also has to deal with the clash between street gangs and security forces. El Salvador has a population of 6.4 million people, from January to August there were 4,246 homicides. Since this act of violence El Salvador has been ranked one of the most dangerous countries in the world in order for this to be stopped, the gang leaders should be moved back to low security prisons and gangs should be put away so people can feel safer in their own homes and not be terrorized.
It all started when the gang leaders got moved into a maximum security prison, where they have very little contact with the outside and they have very little visiting privileges. As well as the truce being broken, “The deal, which was reached with imprisoned gang leaders, cut homicide rates in half for 15 months until it began to break down about two years ago” (Malkin 1). This truce was in place to keep the homicide rate down, but when the gang leaders got moved to a maximum security prison the gangs had to take action, “We will not return to the scheme of understanding and negotiating with the gangs because this is at the margin of the law” (Chandler 1). The truce was broken because the law forces did not want to negotiate with gangs anymore. Therefore the gang’s went on a killing spree until the law forces agreed to negotiate with them to put a halt to the homicides. Another claim for the homicide rate to skyrocket is the increase in clashes between street gangs and security
Well, it is obvious that gangs are doing this, but does it mean they are taking help from new people, like people who are trying to protect their families. With their leaders are in maximum hold how much control do they really have, they cannot call one person from the gang everyday, not in maximum-security prisons. They have very little rights as is and they also have less right to call/contact people on the outside, "The decision to transfer the gang leaders to the maximum security prison known as 'Zacatraz' (after the infamous U.S. prison, Alcatraz) spurred the reaction of the gangs, which increased their attacks on police and the community" (El Salvador's homicide rate soaring with gang truce no longer in effect 1). Was this intentionally planned, they actually wanted to get a rise out of the gangs and wanted them to go on a killing spree. With there being no truce in effect with the gangs they will continue to kill citizens of El Salvador. This has a great effect on the people in El Salvador, nobody is safe. Not on community is safe from the gangs. Children are missing out on school and not getting an education because they do not feel safe at school. That should be on of the places that you should feel safe. Another place you should feel safe is at home,