Belize

Key Data

• There was a 5% increase in major crimes (homicide, rape, unlawful sexual intercourse, violent robbery, robbery and burglary) in 2023 with regard to 2022.
• The crime with the highest incidence in 2023 was burglary with 628 reported cases.
• Homicide (-23%), violent robbery (-7.1%) and unlawful sexual intercourse (-16.7%) decreased in 2023.
• In 2023, there was a 23% decrease in cases of homicide, from 113 cases registered in 2022, down to 87 reported in 2023.
• 65.5% of homicides took place in urban areas in 2023.
• In eight out of every 10 registered homicides, firearms were used.
• Nine in 10 victims of homicide were men.
• Reports show incidents of rape increased 42%, but there were 10 fewer cases of unlawful sexual intercourse compared to 2022.
• 98.8% of sexual violence victims were women in 2023.
• In 2023, registered cases of domestic violence increased 4.2% in comparison with 2022.

Sources: Prepared by UNDP Infosegura with official crime data from the Belize Police Department (BPD) and the Belize National Forensic Science Service, provided by the Belize Crime Observatory (BCO).