Crime in Puerto Rico (original) (raw)

Crime in Puerto Rico describes acts of violent and non-violent crime that take place within the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. To combat crime, the Puerto Rican government adopted a broad anti-crime policy referred to locally as "mano dura contra el crimen" (or simply mano dura), "iron fist against crime". In 1993, Governor Pedro Rosselló summed up government efforts by remarking, "They have asked for war, and war they shall have. Let every criminal know: Our patience has ended". However, even after adopting the multiple anti-crime measures, violent crime stayed too high. In 2006, for instance, the island reported 736 murders.