New Sentencing Guidelines Doubles Prison Terms for Kidnapping in Mexico The Associated Press
go to original June 4, 2014

MEXICO CITY - Mexico has doubled prison sentences for kidnapping after a surge in such crimes in recent years. The government published new sentencing guidelines Tuesday.

The minimum prison term has risen from 20 years to 40, and maximum sentences from 50 to 140 years. The longest sentences would be given to those who kill their victims.

Most Mexican states do not have life sentences, and prison terms are normally limited to 60 years for federal offenses. But kidnapping is exempt from those limits.

There were 1,698 kidnappings reported to police in 2013, up from 438 in 2007.

But government polls indicate that fewer than 2 percent of kidnappings are reported. If accurate, the real number of abductions could be near 100,000 a year.

See the original at nzherald.co.nz

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