Abstract

RODGERS, Dennis  and  BAIRD, Adam. Understanding Gangs in Contemporary Latin America. Estud. Socio-Juríd [online]. 2016, vol.18, n.1, pp.13-53. ISSN 0124-0579.  https://doi.org/10.12804/esj18.01.2016.01.

This article provides an overview of the current knowledge base about Latin American gangs drawing principally on studies based on primary empirical research. We begin by focusing on the two most developed bodies of work, respectively on Central American and Brazilian gangs, before then considering the emergent literature on several other countries in the region. We then go on to identify a range of long-standing, important cross-cutting themes, as well as several new ones, before concluding with a tentative agenda for future research.

Keywords : gangs; maras; mano dura; urban violence; youth violence; juvenile delinquency.

        · abstract in Spanish | Portuguese     · text in Spanish     · Spanish ( pdf )