Mexico Fighting Police Corruption Through Homeownership

"Officers and prison guards in Michoacan state can now get special deals on houses and financing through a program designed to keep them out of the pockets of organized crime. The strategy is part of Mexico's desperate push to professionalize local law enforcement, infamous for extorting bribes at bogus traffic stops and providing security for drug lords."

"Through a partnership between a private homebuilder and the state, more than 4,000 police and prison guards who normally wouldn't qualify are eligible for mortgages on homes under construction outside Morelia, the state capital. The state provides the land and is repaid from the mortgage payments. The homeowners must pass background checks and forfeit the property if convicted of a crime."