El Salvador

Pandillas, or gangs, are growing in the United States and Europe, a very real option in the lives of disillusioned immigrant youths.  Mexico's Juan Carlos
Narváez focuses on the transnational experience in his book "Ruta
transnacional: a San Salvador por los Ángeles".

Recent research disputes the presumed transnational and criminal nature of Central America's Maras (youth gangs). Gema Santamaría, a researcher from the Red Transnacional de Análisis sobre Maras, tells Comunidad Segura about the latest data. 

Impunity allows for the ressurgence of death squads, according to an Amnesty International report. Comunidade Segura heard Edgardo Amaya, from the Fundación de Estudios para la Aplicación del Derecho, on the nation's high levels of violence and extermination groups.

Violence prevention is more effective over the medium and long term than the employment of solely repressive measures, according to the Zacatecoluca COAV Cities Project. In an interview given to Comunidad Segura, Marlon Carranza, project coordinator, speaks about project proposals and future steps.

One of the new proposals to combat violence and decrease criminality in the country is greater integration among police forces, government and civilians.

Coordinator for Juvenile Criminal Justice of the El Salvador's Fespad, Ricardo Montoya comments on the lastest annual reports, and the Mano Dura and Mano Amiga plans.

Edward J. Laurance and William Godnick

As armed violence reached a critical stage in El Salvador in 1995, it became clear that the excessive availability of the tools of violence had to be addressed, as well as the root causes. Immediately after the Peace Accords the government developed a weapons collection effort, asking citizens to turn in arms to designated army posts, with little response. Since the formal Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) process had been completed, it was not possible to have the UN reinstitute weapons collection.

A study by the Fundación Arias para la Paz y el Progreso Humano on urban violence in the region issues an alert: "Violence is growing, it is associated mostly to poor, urban, unemployed and young males, ages 13 to 39."

“Gun Free Towns” project practically halves the number of homicides in San Martín, ranked among El Salvador’s 20 most violent townships. From November 2005 to June 2006 homicides dropped 40.7% and crimes committed with the use of firearms fell by 29%.  

Hugo Frühling, director of the Citizen Security Studies Center (CESC) at the University of Chile, stresses the importance of good relations between the police and community and talks about police reform in Latin America.

By Carola Mittrany and Marina Lemle.