In 2021, there were approximately 11.3 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants in Panama, up from 9.6 a year earlier. In 2014, the murder rate stood at 15 victims per 100,000 citizens, the highest level registered in the indicated period. Overall, Panama's homicide rates were still below those from Mexico, Venezuela, and Haiti, for instance.

In 2023, the topmost crime in Panamá was domestic violence, with 23,032 registered cases, followed by corruption and thefts, with 15,472 cases each.

Panama murder/homicide rate per 100K population for 2021 was 12.73, a 9.35% increase from 2020.

• Panama murder/homicide rate per 100K population for 2020 was 11.64, a 2.67% increase from 2019.
• Panama murder/homicide rate per 100K population for 2019 was 11.34, a 17.8% increase from 2018.
• Panama murder/homicide rate per 100K population for 2018 was 9.63, a 4.32% increase from 2017.

Intentional homicides are estimates of unlawful homicides purposely inflicted as a result of domestic disputes, interpersonal violence, violent conflicts over land resources, intergang violence over turf or control, and predatory violence and killing by armed groups. Intentional homicide does not include all intentional killing; the difference is usually in the organization of the killing. Individuals or small groups usually commit homicide, whereas killing in armed conflict is usually committed by fairly cohesive groups of up to several hundred members and is thus usually excluded.

In 2023, at least 556 people were victims of homicide in Panama. This number shows a considerable increase of 55 such deaths in comparison to the previous year, when 501 murder victims were recorded. Panama is one of the Latin American countries with the lowest homicide rates.

Intentional homicides are estimates of unlawful homicides purposely inflicted as a result of domestic disputes, interpersonal violence, violent conflicts over land resources, intergang violence over turf or control, and predatory violence and killing by armed groups. Intentional homicide does not include all intentional killing; the difference is usually in the organization of the killing. Individuals or small groups usually commit homicide, whereas killing in armed conflict is usually committed by fairly cohesive groups of up to several hundred members and is thus usually excluded.

In 2020, around 11.5 thousand cases of theft were reported to the Panamanian police. This represents a decrease of more than 20 percent compared to the previous year. Robberies, with almost 5.3 thousand cases, registered an even deeper decrease in the onset year of the COVID-19 pandemic, surpassing a 40 percent drop from 2019.

According to a survey carried out in 2023, between four and nine percent of respondents in Panama said that they had been asked or had to pay a bribe in different interactions with public authorities (police officers and/or government employees). Panama ranked towards the bottom among other Latin American countries in this regard.

0,4 (cases per 100,000 population) in 2018. “Kidnapping” means unlawfully detaining a person or persons against their will (including through the use of force; threat; fraud or enticement) for the purpose of demanding for their liberation an illicit gain or any other economic gain or other material benefit; or in order to oblige someone to do or not to do something. “Kidnapping” excludes disputes over child custody. (UN-CTS M5.5)

The percentage of the population aged over 18 who is very afraid of being a victim of crime in Panama decreased by one percentage point (-4.35 percent) compared to the previous observation. Nevertheless, the last two years recorded a significantly higher percentage of population than the preceding years.For more insights about the percentage of the population aged over 18 who is very afraid of being a victim of crime consider different countries: In 2023, in comparison to Panama, the percentage of population in Honduras was higher and in Ecuador it was considerably higher.

In 2024, the highest homicide rate among 22 Latin American and Caribbean countries surveyed was in Haiti, with around 62 murders committed per 100,000 inhabitants. Trinidad and Tobago came in second, with a homicide rate of 46, while Honduras ranked seventh, with 25. In the same year, the lowest rate was recorded in El Salvador, with a homicide rate of 1.9 per 100,000 inhabitants. A violence-ridden region Violence and crime are some of the most pressing problems affecting Latin American society nowadays. More than 40 of the 50 most dangerous cities in the world are located in this region, as well as one of the twenty countries with the least peace in the world according to the Global Peace Index. Despite governments’ large spending on security and high imprisonment rates, drug and weapon trafficking, organized crime, and gangs have turned violence into an epidemic that affects the whole region and a solution to this issue appears to be hardly attainable. The cost of violence in Mexico Mexico stands out as an example of the great cost that violence inflicts upon a country, since beyond claiming human lives, it also affects everyday life and has a negative impact on the economy. Mexicans have a high perceived level of insecurity, as they do not only fear becoming victims of homicide, but also of other common crimes, such as assault or rape. Such fear prevents people from performing everyday activities, for instance, going out at night, taking a taxi or going to the movies or the theater. Furthermore, the economic toll of violence in Mexico is more than considerable. For example, the cost of homicide and violent crime amounted to 2099.8 and 1778.1 billion Mexican pesos in 2023, respectively.

Costa Rica was the Central American country with the highest theft rate by far. According to the latest data, it was estimated that approximately 520 thefts were reported per 100,000 inhabitants. Panama registered 329.77 such crime reports per 100,000, the second highest figure.

In 2022, 3,004 people were murdered in Guatemala. This is the highest death toll of the last three years. Guatemala still has higher homicide rates than other Central American countries such as Panama and Costa Rica.

Brazil led the list with a total of 4,390 kidnapping cases in the latest available data. Ecuador followed with 1,246 occurrences in 2022. On the flip side, there was only three reported kidnapping in the Antigua and Barbuda during that year. Homicides, another recurrent problem in Latin America Among the region's prevalent offenses, intentional homicide emerged as one of the main concerns in the region. Nonetheless, the rates vary among the different countries. Brazil leads the ranking of the most number of homicides in Latin America, as well as being the most populated country by far. On the other hand, Jamaica holds the top position according to the homicide rate, reporting nearly 61 instances per 100,000 inhabitants in 2023. Nevertheless, even with these varying homicide rates across countries, four out of five of the world's most perilous urban centers are situated in Mexico, with Colima leading the pack at a 2024 homicide rate of 140 per 100,000 inhabitants.

Cost of violence in Central America Following criminal acts, the responsibility for addressing the consequences falls squarely on the government, causing government expenditure to surge, called the cost of violence. Notably, Panama is more severely impacted in Central America, with the economic cost of violence per inhabitant accounting for over 3,771 U.S. dollars in 2022. In terms of a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), El Salvador takes the first place with a value of 15 percent of their GDP.

In 2023, the percentage of the population aged over 18 who is very afraid of being a victim of crime in El Salvador decreased by 16 percentage points (-57.14 percent) compared to 2020. Therefore, 2023 marks the lowest percentage of population during the observed period. For more insights about the percentage of the population aged over 18 who is very afraid of being a victim of crime consider different countries: In 2023, in comparison to El Salvador, the percentage of population in Panama as well as in Honduras was considerably higher.