Understanding Youth Crime and Violence in Honduras: Summary Report Findings

EDC’s Proyecto METAS conducted a survey in three at-risk urban communities in Honduras between March and May 2013. The purpose of the survey was to develop a comprehensive understanding of the at-risk youth population in Honduras and to develop a comprehensive understanding of youth crime and violence in urban areas.

Key Findings

• Young people aspire to employment or a steady income, a stable family, and educational achievements, such as graduating from high school.
• Parents’ aspirations for their children vary by community risk level.
• Religious organizations and families are critical “external assets.”
• Poverty and the lack of economic opportunity are persistent obstacles for young people and their parents.
• Family disintegration and inadequate support and guidance are detrimental to the development of both children and youth.
• The lack of community trust for youth due to their age or community of origin is an additional challenge.
• Violence, gang pressure, extortion, and ineffective police responses present challenges to all aspects of respondents’ lives.