in & Company, which represents a number of Latin American families. "The multinationals are manna from heaven." At the same time, traditional patterns of weak, inefficient and corrupt law enforcement and significant disparity in wealth distribution have further motivated a surge in kidnappings across the region.
             Kidnappers run few legal risks. The Latin American rate of arrests of kidnappers is practically the opposite of the United States, where more than 95% of the kidnappers are brought to justice, security consultants say. "The ability of police to deal with kidnapping is about non-existent," says Johnson. "It's a good way to make money. Few get caught."
             Part of the problem is that victims often refuse to cooperate with local police or authorities, fearing that law enforcement officials are in cahoots with the criminals or that rescue attempts will be bungled. "Seventy-nine percent of all hostages are killed during rescue attempts in Latin America," says Kroll deputy chairman Brian Jenkins.
             Jenkins uses a pyramid model to describe the victims. The bulk is small businessmen and ranchers in rural areas. "Their presence and movements are easily monitored, they're not likely to have security and not likely to contact authorities," he says. Higher on the pyramid are nationally prominent local businessmen and local managers of foreign multinationals.
             At the top, numbering only a small percentage of cases a year, are expatriates. Yet several experts warn that the smaller numbers for ex-pats occur not because they are less attractive as victims, but because the security measures they have taken are generally better than the other victim groups.
             "Kidnapping's definitely a major concern for multinationals," says Kenneth Stephens, kidnapping and ransom product manager of Chubb & Son. "Everyone is at risk." Especially prone to kidnapping are foreign executives in the oil and energy sectors in rural areas, Jenkins says. The kidnappe...