- Research Article
- 10.58747/mlslip.v4i1.4121
La cifra oculta en la seguridad ciudadana: Impacto sobre la gestión de políticas públicas y modelo de seguridad ciudadana en el municipio de Comayagua, Honduras
- Jul 10, 2025
- MLS Law and International Politics
- Carlos Arturo Barrera Carmona + 1 more +1
The hidden figure, also known in criminological contexts as the dark figure of crime, statistical underreporting, or unreported criminality, refers to the rate of crime victims who choose not to report the incident to the authorities. In several countries, this phenomenon is used as a critical input in the design and structuring of development plans, public policies, and citizen security strategies. While some efforts aim to estimate the scope of the hidden figure through surveys that address the nature of the crime, the actors involved, and the reasons for non-reporting, others seek to reduce its prevalence by promoting actions that encourage reporting. This article focuses on the municipality of Comayagua (Honduras) and aims to assess the level of awareness regarding the hidden figure among both citizens and institutions—the latter through a literature review. The study includes an analysis of the behavior of the hidden figure and examines how underreporting can negatively affect public safety and social coexistence. It also explores the motivations behind citizens’ reluctance to report crimes, highlighting how the lack of public understanding leads to the formulation of public policies that lack clarity and objectivity in addressing issues that impact community safety. The analysis further demonstrates how the mismanagement of the hidden figure hinders the identification of violence-generating actors, whether they be individuals or organized criminal structures.
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