1. Gangs and Maras in Central America Results from self-report surveys Mauricio Rubio Universidad Externado de Colombia Confronting Crime and Violence in Latin America Crafting a Public Policy Agenda July 2 - 3 2007

2. outline the data overview: gangs & youth violence gangs & poverty joining the gang gangs & girls public policy issues

3. the data IADB financed 5 Self report surevys in Honduras (2), Nicaragua (2) & Panamá n > 8500. 61.4% students 1st time (LA) “presence” “power” of gangs is measured one of few with control group Main restrictions IABD has an agenda in terms of prevention programs. Not a globally planned exercise. From police records to victimization surveys to self-report Learning by doing. Trial & error vs comparability. Adapting to local situation Main (unsolvable) limitations “Remember if” is a risky simulation of cohort studies Out of school sample is not random (priority to anonymous questionnaire)

4. overview gang incidence

6. overview feeling safe & victimization

7. overview feeling safe, victimization & gangs

8. overview gangs & power

9. overview gangs & offences

10. overview gangs’ share of offences

11. overview gangs & crime

12. gangs & poverty socioeconomic status (SES) perception SES index checked by respondent’s expenditure family income potential

13. gangs & poverty gang membership by SES & schooling

14. gangs & poverty gang connections by SES & schooling

15. gangs & poverty SES distribution of gang members not so different from the general SES distribution

16. gangs & poverty high SES violence

17. gangs & poverty SES & arrests - gang members

18. gangs & poverty young, poor & out of the gang

19. gangs & poverty SES, school, gangs & offenders - 1

20. gangs & poverty SES, school, gangs & offenders - 2

21. gangs & poverty SES, school, gangs & offenders - 3

22. gangs & poverty SES, school, gangs & offenders - 4

23. gangs & poverty risk factors - offenders

24. joining the gang risk factors - gang membership

25. joining the gang SES, family background & gang membership

26. joining the gang running away from home

27. joining the gang making friends in the gang

28. joining the gang dropping out of school

29. joining the gang labor or mating strategy?

30. joining the gang labor or mating strategy? Two hints: - “primitive wars” between gangs - tatoos

31. joining the gang gangs & sex

32. joining the gang gangs & sex (out of the gang)

33. gangs & girls gangs & gender violence

34. many “feminicidios”seem gang related gangs & girls gangs & gender violence

35. many testimonies of “pimp gangs” - “el trencito” gangs & girls gangs & prostitution

36. similar incidence (students) other similarities both boys in gangs & girls in prostitution high victimization high drug use high self-report of offences share risk factors (sexual abuse, running away, dropping out) need early prevention gangs & girls gangs & prostitution

37. public policy issues who is the relevant policy maker? global phenomena (gangs, drugs, migration) LA: local problem & national institutions coordinating NGOs and agencies (with a strong political agenda) diagnostic must be local with common data gathering methodologies programs should be independently evaluated poverty & violence is still the theory behind most prevention programs not always fits the data perverse incentives (hot barrios get more resources) biased against girls mating issues need more attention