Belizeans Feel Safer Than Ever in Terms of Crime, Survey Reveals

And when it comes to the country’s crime situation, according to the survey, Belizeans feel safer than they have ever over the past thirteen years. Participants were asked to describe the country’s crime situation and how they felt about it. Forty-eight percent stated that they were somewhat afraid, while only 11 percent indicated that they felt terrified. Olson explained that overall the survey gathered that most Belizeans agree that the driving factors of crime are drugs and gangs. 

Trygne Olson, President, Viking Strategies: “I will tell you compared to past, and this shows this,  crime is down across the board. Okay. And then that’s not surprising. The other thing that you see is violent crime is down quite a bit or at least was. When we did this in 2017, 21% of Belizeans said that they had had somebody that they know or a family member where murder had occurred, you know, so it could be a neighbor or somebody in their area that’s really high. So I think, you know, the crime thing again, it’s hard to know is it getting better or not, but we ask what are the factors in crime? And this is where I say, I wonder about crime and solutions. Like there’s a pretty common through line in all of the data that we’ve done here that Belizeans say drugs and gangs are the main reason for crime in the country then the police and government down some. And that’s always been true. There’s a feeling amongst Belizeans that crime is as a result of drugs and gangs, and that has not changed. Now whether they believe that government doesn’t have the power to change that or not, I don’t know. I do know this though, that if I were working with a politician in Belize, which I’m not, or I were running for myself in Belize, I would probably try and do you know what some mayors of New York have done we’re gonna clean up crime and I think you’d become pretty popular pretty fast if it was addressed. Because the thing is, is this shows crime in the eyes of Belizeans impacts tourism and it impacts Belize’s ability to attract, foreign investment, but mostly it impacts the quality of life in Belize for voters and that, you know that is what if you don’t feel safe you’re gonna be not happy voters.”