Costa Rica: crime and justice

What is the crime rate in Costa Rica?

Costa Rica's intentional homicide rate was 17.75 per 100,000 people in 2023, up from 12.91 in 2022 and 11.62 in 2021, according to the World Bank's intentional homicides series, which uses UNODC data.

The Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ) publishes police statistics on homicides, assaults, thefts and other crimes as an interactive tool, searchable by date, province, canton and type of crime. Its query results could not be read on 15 October 2026, so more recent official counts are not quoted here. Homicide is the most comparable crime measure between countries, because recording of other offences differs.

Official sources: World Bank: Intentional homicides per 100,000 people, Costa Rica · OIJ: Police statistics

How many prisoners are there in Costa Rica?

17,692 people were held in Costa Rica's prisons at 31 March 2025, against a capacity of 13,666 places, according to the National Mechanism for the Prevention of Torture's annual report, summarised by the Ombudsman's Office on 4 August 2025. That is 129.5 prisoners per 100 places, or 29.5% overcrowding, and 333 prisoners per 100,000 people.

People held before trial rose from 2,564 in 2022 to 3,993 in 2025, 22.85% of those held. Counting all levels of the system, including community and juvenile programmes, 34,855 people were under the prison service's care. The Ministry of Justice and Peace runs the prisons.

Official sources: Ombudsman's Office on 4 August 2025

What is the homicide rate in Costa Rica?

According to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, the intentional homicide rate in Costa Rica was 17.7 per 100,000 in 2023. No year since 2005 has been higher. It is 14th highest of 25 in Latin America & Caribbean, where the median is 19.1 per 100,000. Worldwide: 14th of 79.

How many women are killed in Costa Rica?

2.7 per 100,000: that is the homicide rate for women in Costa Rica for 2023, according to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime. Since 2005 it has ranged from 1.5 per 100,000 (2013) to 2.8 per 100,000 (2005). Across Latin America & Caribbean the middle value was 3.4 per 100,000, and Costa Rica placed 15th highest of 25. World rank, highest first: 19th of 78.

What is the male homicide rate in Costa Rica?

The UN Office on Drugs and Crime puts the homicide rate for men in Costa Rica at 33.1 per 100,000 in 2023. It is the top of the series, which starts in 2005. Latin America & Caribbean median: 33.1 per 100,000; Costa Rica is 13th highest of 25. Of 78 countries with 2023 data, 13th highest.