Costa Rica

2022

906
Intentional homicide victims
825
Monthly victims of domestic violence (2022)
2.7
Rate of violent deaths of women (intentional homicide) per 100,000 women
0.69
Femicide rate per 100,000 women

Key Data (2023)

  • During 2023, the rate of intentional homicide rose to 17.2 per 100,000 population, this represents an 8.5 point increase compared to 2013, the year with the lowest rate.
  • Records show 250 victims of intentional homicide, as compared to the same period in 2022.
  • In 92% of cases, the victims were men and in 8% women.
  • On average, records show 3 victims of intentional homicide every day.
  • Six in 10 victims was between 20 and 29 years old.
  • In 8 out of 10 intentional homicides, firearms were used in 1 out of 10, a sharp weapon and in 1 in 10, other methods.
  • Seven in 10 intentional homicides are linked to organized crime.
  • San Jose and Limon are where half of intentional homicides occurred in 2023.

Key data (2022)

  • According to the 2022 National Citizen Security Survey Costa Rica:
  • 65.5% of people consider the country not very or not at all safe. 
  • Women perceive the likelihood of becoming a victim of crime more intensely.
  • Women are the main victims of domestic violence: Eight in 10 victims are women and 9 in 10 perpetrators are male (2022).
  • During 2022, some 7,522 people were charged under the Weapons and Explosives Law. According to the Ministry of Public Security, 9 in 10 cases involved illegal carrying of either a sharp weapon or firearm.
  • In 2022, 92,981 people were charged under the Law on narcotics, psychotropic substances, unauthorized drug use and related activities, money laundering and financing terrorism. 99% of these violations involved drug possession.

Source: Prepared with data provided by the Vice Ministry of Peace Violence Observatory based on the information provided by the Judicial Investigation Department (OIJ) on 09 January 2024. Ministry of Public Security (MSP), Observatory on Gender-Based Violence against Women and Access to Justice of the Judicial Branch, and the National Statistics and Census Institute (INEC).

Latest publications

Analysis of intentional homicide in Costa Rica. January-December 2023

This report was prepared with data provided by the Vice Ministry of Peace Violence Observatory based on the information provided by the Judicial Investigation Department (OIJ) on January 2024.

Analysis of intentional homicide in Costa Rica. January–June 2023

This report analyzes the situation of intentional homicides in Costa Rica during the first half of 2023, based on data from the Judicial Investigation Department.

Costa Rica: Analysis of the State of Citizen Security in 2022

The following characterization is an analysis of the situation of violence and insecurity in Costa Rica during 2022. This analysis on crimes against life, crimes against integrity and crimes…

Analysis of intentional homicide in Costa Rica. January-March 2023

This report was prepared with data provided by the Vice Ministry of Peace and Justice’s Violence Observatory based on databases of the Judicial Investigation Department (OIJ) Q1 2023.

Violence agaisnt women, Costa Rica 2021

The following infographic presents an analysis of violence against women differentiated throughout the life cycle for the year 2021 in Costa Rica. It includes data on intrafamily and domestic…

Homicides in Costa Rica, 2022

This document presents a brief analysis on homicidal violence with the main findings in january-december 2022. It takes as a source information obtained from the Judicial Investigation Department…