There have been over 5,000 kidnappings since 1995. Child soldiers include about 2,000 under the age of 15 in guerrilla and paramilitary forces, some as young as 8 years old. 25,000 people are murdered every year in street, domestic, or other criminal violence. Homicide is the leading cause of death among adults over the age of 15. Murders of children under 18 rose over 40 percent from 2,508 in 1994 to 4,322 in 1996.
Impunity is widespread.
Out of more than 3,600 murders in Bogota in 1996, police arrested fewer than a 100 people.