Gangs and organized crime in Colombia and Honduras: boundaries, intersections, and policy

• In Event: Advancing the Eurogang Program of Research: Perspectives on Gang Membership, Violence, and Justice System Involvement

Abstract

In this paper, we analyze the relationships and articulations between gangs and organized crime groups in Colombia and Honduras. We explore the differences, overlaps, and interactions between these two phenomena in the two countries, and the (in)adequacy of the policies aimed at addressing them. Specifically, we consider to what extent the characteristics of the groups operating in each case correspond to the EUROGANG definition of gangs in terms of durability, street orientation, age, and the group’s involvement in illegal activities (Weerman et al., 2009). The cases of Honduras and Colombia suggest that in certain contexts – particularly where gangs are becoming institutionalized, as with Medellín’s combos, or expanding into new territories and activities, as with MS-13 – gangs should not be analyzed as bounded, standalone entities, but should rather be appreciated within the broader criminal landscape in which they are inserted. While definitions like EUROGANG’s are valuable for establishing a baseline understanding of these phenomena, it is important to remember that gangs are dynamic and change over time. As such, these definitions should serve as flexible guidelines rather than rigid frameworks. This approach, besides allowing for a more nuanced and context-specific understanding of these complex phenomena, could also reveal importance at the time of informing more effective policies on the issue.

Authors

• Elena Butti, Geneva Graduate Institute

• Ellen Van Damme, Field Research Coaching | ULB | KU Leuven

• Emilia Ziosi, University of Oxford