MIAMI.- The Dominican Republic improved its score on the annual Latin Security Index developed by FTI Consulting Ibero America for Latin Business Chronicle. Each country receives rating from 1 to 5 with 1 representing a non-dangerous country and 5 representing a very dangerous country. Not one single country in Latin America received a 1. The safest places received 2. Seven countries receive a 3, while eight receive a 4 and one receives a 5. Cuba was not included in the ranking due to unreliable data.
The Dominican Republic saw its danger level fall from 4 last year to 3 this year, one of only three nations in Latin America to improve its level.
"The Dominican Republic has effectively lowered overall crime rates through investment and focus on public security and probably due to the economy improving as well," says Frank Holder, FTI's senior managing director for forensic and litigation consulting and a leading expert on security issues in Latin America.
Costa Rica, Chile and Uruguay are the safest countries in Latin America, while Haiti remains the most dangerous country when it comes to security for business executives and multinationals, according to Latin Business Chronicle.
See more at http://www.latinbusinesschronicle.com/app/article.aspx?id=2145
Written by: caonabo1, 11 Mar 2008 5:39 PM
From: Dominican Republic, Miami,FL
these tells us only one thing streets are safer and more people are now working instead of looking who will be theyr next victim on the streets.
Written by: Euromax 
, 11 Mar 2008 9:14 PM
From: Dominican Republic, Bonao, provincia M.N
is not a surprise for me to see Haiti in that level, and also to see that Uruguay, Costa Rica and Chile are the safest.
From: United States
I'm very sure that the people who does this ratings had not walk DR streets late at night. Otherwise they would rated the country security as a # 1.
Very unsafe country, specially if you look as a foreigner !!!
Written by: josean, 12 Mar 2008 7:12 AM
From: United States
Another "non biased preelection independent neutral study" come on "Lio" please don't be so obvious.
Written by: HRBIC, 12 Mar 2008 9:31 AM
From: United States
I live 70% of my time in DR, since the year 1984.
I am walking DR streets late at night all the time!
I never, ever had any problems!
ALL DR cities are safer as ANY big USA city.
I look as a foreigner.
Written by: DaniDr, 12 Mar 2008 10:14 AM
From: Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo
HRCBIC, as a foreigner:
- Had my car broken in at 2 PM while parked at home.
- My brother assaulted at gunpoint at 2 PM in the day at home.
- Had an older car broken in parked at Acropolis.
- Almost all our employees had been assaulted at some point.
- Many friends have been assaulted at some point.
I guess I live in a very dangerous barrio. Oh wait, I live in Naco. Crime is high in the DR, anyone who denies it is still lucky and haven't had a gun pointed at him yet.
I never got stopped by police, and I can't recall a checkpoint in the last past months in my neighbourhood. Not that I trust them too much, since anyways a criminal will most probably be released. Why do you think the people beat the hell out of a crook when they catch him? Wonder why they don't do the same thing when they see a polititian in a big luxury SUV.
More has to be done.
Written by: Jander, 12 Mar 2008 10:27 AM
From: Dominican Republic
" live 70% of my time in DR, since the year 1984.
I am walking DR streets late at night all the time!
I never, ever had any problems!
ALL DR cities are safer as ANY big USA city.
I look as a foreign as they come."
Thats two of us (I have been here since 1994) and and I look as foreign as they come!
The rest of you who don't live here should not even comment.
From: United States
So Costa Rica is one of the safest places in Latin America????
I think if anyone took the time to examine the data used to construct these ratings, they would find that the numbers driving these ratings are questionable at best.
The reported crimes in Costa Rica are a joke. The reported crime rate in CR is alsolutely worthless, and no indication of the real crime rate. Few people who understand the Costa Rican justice system would even bother to file a report. They know nothing will be done, and they will more than likely be abused and shaken-down by the police to whom they report.
I have lived in both Costa Rica and the DR (and, of course, the US), and outside of portions of Santo Domingo, the DR is much safer than Costa Rica.
I agree with Jander. I feel safe walking most streets in the DR at night. People know where not to walk, and anyone can find trouble if they look for it. Overall however, I am much more comfortable in the DR than I was in CR.
From: United States
Are we talking about the Same Country, Dominican Republic?.
1976 First time in my life I saw a guy behind a door in the middle of the night. Late night robbery
1978 Day Home Invasion
1979 Day robbery
1984 Home Invasion/ family tortured (Criminals catched and eliminated, Rio Isabela)
1985 Late night robbery/ door break in
1986 Late nigh robbery/ windows break in
1988 Day Robbery door break in
1995 Cars break in/ door locks
1996 Cars break In/ door locks
1997 Day Robbery/backyard
1998 Day Robbery/frontyard
2002 Street Mug/ wallet
2002 Kidnap coming from Airport to city
2004 Street Mug/ wallet
2006 Car break In/break glass
2007 Home Invasion/break front door at 8 pm
I started to sleep okey since I moved out of the Island !!!!
Written by: HRBIC, 12 Mar 2008 12:52 PM
From: United States
Dear Perception
Where the hell did you live in the Dominican Republic?!!?
With such "Bad Luck" : why didn't you leave the island a LONG time ago!
Sorry, I can't believe you.
Anyway: good that you left DR,
but watch out in the USA,
there are millions of dangerous Dominicans living there!!!!!
Ask for local police protection and special insurances........
forgive my sarcasm
From: United States
Sorry, I can't believe you.
0000
Hard to believe, but it did happen to me, and still happening to many people down there !!!
From: United States
Perception, perhaps I have been incredibly lucky or the gods have watched over me, or something else, but I am simply relating to readers my experience, and my perception of the DR (no play on words intended).
I haven't had any problems yet (knock on wood - I know this is bad luck to talk about) and I do feel very comfortable here.
Does that mean I neglect security? Of course not. I stay aware of my environment, double lock doors, I don't throw money around or walk down the street drunk, I carry protective devices, and all the common sense things everyone should do. But in the DR I don't have that overriding sense of impending doom that I had every place I went in Costa Rica.
There is crime every where, and there is going to be more crime in places where people are more desperate. And certainly no one should manufacture a false sense of security as a result of reading about some obscure rating system. All I am saying is, when comparing places I have lived, the DR is as good as any.
Written by: Edward, 12 Mar 2008 3:29 PM
From: United States, Faux News: Unfair Imbalance
Perception:
And what happened during the long 7 year gap from 1988 to 1995? LMAO!
From: United States
And what happened during the long 7 year gap from 1988 to 1995? LMAO!
0000
The Doctor was on power !!!!
From: United States, Port Washington, LI (New York)
Perception: the doctor had "The Haitians" on leash and behaving by the book, to be honest with all "haitians" You guys need somebody with discipline in "Haiti".
Rene Preval is too "Soft" and "Fragile" is a shame that "Che Guevara" didnt' set foot on Haiti
since this would it be a good discipline for the "Creole People"
From: United States
Perception: the doctor had "The DOMINICANS" on leash and behaving by the book,
0000
I agree
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Very unsafe country, specially if you look as a foreigner !!!
I am walking DR streets late at night all the time!
I never, ever had any problems!
ALL DR cities are safer as ANY big USA city.
I look as a foreigner.
- Had my car broken in at 2 PM while parked at home.
- My brother assaulted at gunpoint at 2 PM in the day at home.
- Had an older car broken in parked at Acropolis.
- Almost all our employees had been assaulted at some point.
- Many friends have been assaulted at some point.
I guess I live in a very dangerous barrio. Oh wait, I live in Naco. Crime is high in the DR, anyone who denies it is still lucky and haven't had a gun pointed at him yet.
I never got stopped by police, and I can't recall a checkpoint in the last past months in my neighbourhood. Not that I trust them too much, since anyways a criminal will most probably be released. Why do you think the people beat the hell out of a crook when they catch him? Wonder why they don't do the same thing when they see a polititian in a big luxury SUV.
More has to be done.
I am walking DR streets late at night all the time!
I never, ever had any problems!
ALL DR cities are safer as ANY big USA city.
I look as a foreign as they come."
Thats two of us (I have been here since 1994) and and I look as foreign as they come!
The rest of you who don't live here should not even comment.
I think if anyone took the time to examine the data used to construct these ratings, they would find that the numbers driving these ratings are questionable at best.
The reported crimes in Costa Rica are a joke. The reported crime rate in CR is alsolutely worthless, and no indication of the real crime rate. Few people who understand the Costa Rican justice system would even bother to file a report. They know nothing will be done, and they will more than likely be abused and shaken-down by the police to whom they report.
I have lived in both Costa Rica and the DR (and, of course, the US), and outside of portions of Santo Domingo, the DR is much safer than Costa Rica.
I agree with Jander. I feel safe walking most streets in the DR at night. People know where not to walk, and anyone can find trouble if they look for it. Overall however, I am much more comfortable in the DR than I was in CR.
1976 First time in my life I saw a guy behind a door in the middle of the night. Late night robbery
1978 Day Home Invasion
1979 Day robbery
1984 Home Invasion/ family tortured (Criminals catched and eliminated, Rio Isabela)
1985 Late night robbery/ door break in
1986 Late nigh robbery/ windows break in
1988 Day Robbery door break in
1995 Cars break in/ door locks
1996 Cars break In/ door locks
1997 Day Robbery/backyard
1998 Day Robbery/frontyard
2002 Street Mug/ wallet
2002 Kidnap coming from Airport to city
2004 Street Mug/ wallet
2006 Car break In/break glass
2007 Home Invasion/break front door at 8 pm
I started to sleep okey since I moved out of the Island !!!!
Where the hell did you live in the Dominican Republic?!!?
With such "Bad Luck" : why didn't you leave the island a LONG time ago!
Sorry, I can't believe you.
Anyway: good that you left DR,
but watch out in the USA,
there are millions of dangerous Dominicans living there!!!!!
Ask for local police protection and special insurances........
forgive my sarcasm
0000
Hard to believe, but it did happen to me, and still happening to many people down there !!!
I haven't had any problems yet (knock on wood - I know this is bad luck to talk about) and I do feel very comfortable here.
Does that mean I neglect security? Of course not. I stay aware of my environment, double lock doors, I don't throw money around or walk down the street drunk, I carry protective devices, and all the common sense things everyone should do. But in the DR I don't have that overriding sense of impending doom that I had every place I went in Costa Rica.
There is crime every where, and there is going to be more crime in places where people are more desperate. And certainly no one should manufacture a false sense of security as a result of reading about some obscure rating system. All I am saying is, when comparing places I have lived, the DR is as good as any.
And what happened during the long 7 year gap from 1988 to 1995? LMAO!
0000
The Doctor was on power !!!!
Rene Preval is too "Soft" and "Fragile" is a shame that "Che Guevara" didnt' set foot on Haiti
since this would it be a good discipline for the "Creole People"
0000
I agree