01/09/12 – According a recent survey conducted by the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Geografía, INEGI), Mexicans felt safer in December of 2011 than in previous months, and also safer than they felt in December 2010. Although the perception of safety grew, however, it is still at a low point in history when looking at decades past.
Using survey results to generate a point system to measure security levels, INEGI recorded 98.6 points based on the 2011 survey results, while in 2010 there was a total of 96.2 points awarded, which indicates a higher level of safety in the past, most recent, year. Although the report points out an increase in “feeling safe” among Mexicans, it is important to note that the perception of feeling safe in the streets between 4pm and 7pm decreased. 41% of those surveyed said they feel significantly less safe during these evening hours. Nonetheless, 8% of Mexicans responded with an optimistic outlook towards Mexico’s future with regards to their safety, whereas only 7% had expressed positive expectations for the future when polled for the 2010 survey.
Something interesting to note is that, in October 2011, the perception of safety declined by .7% from the levels felt during September, then increased again in November and December. The increasing perception of safety in the last months of 2011 could be due to the high number of security operations that the federal government began in the states of Guerrero and Veracruz, among others, as well as the holiday operation “Bienvenido Paisano 2011” caravan, which focused on providing safety to migrants returning home from the United States to Mexico for the holiday season.
Sources:
“Creció percepción de seguridad al cierre del 2011”. El Universal. January 5, 2012.
“Mejor la percepción sobre la seguridad pública: INEGI”. Mi Morelia. January, 5 2012.
Redacción. “Crece percepción de inseguridad en México: INEGI”. El Universal. November 7, 2011.
