Crushed by poverty: in Mexico and Latin America, youth itself is the primary risk factor for homicide, says U.N.

So concludes the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. In low income countries scourged by historic social inequality and chronic lawlessness - especially drug trafficking and related crime - youth itself is the single greatest predictor of death by homicide. The report focused on Mexico and Cenrtal America. The U.N. says that in Mexico there are 20 homicides per 100,000 people, in El Salvador 66 and in Honduras 82. It's suspected that Mexican drug cartels conduct operations in the latter countries, and heavily so in neighboring Guatemala. Based upon 2010 data, the U.S. homicide rate is 4.8 per 100,000. Canada's is 1.62.

A Spanish version of the report said that "the ready availability of firearms, the difficult economic situation and the large number of young people combine to produce a high rate of juvenile homicide." Mexico says that it has about 28 million citizens between 15 and 29. The government also claims that 80% of all firearms seized from drug cartels and their affiliates came from the United States.

Here's why the United States is partially answerable for this tragedy.

Dec. 17, 2012 - The Second Amendment, NRA leave their mark in Mexico