Gangs and development in El Salvador

Abstract

As crime and violence are increasingly recognized as barriers to development, the global gang phenomenon is also becoming a concern. El Salvador boasts one of the most extreme examples of gang violence in the world. Gangs represent a significant portion of youth perpetuating crime and violence on a large scale thereby inhibiting economic, political, and human development. Due to the myriad of ways gangs barricade development, research is imperative for improving endeavours to cease their continuity. In this thesis, I will examine efforts of prevention, suppression and integration employed to address gangs. I will show that the gangs in El Salvador are a product of underdevelopment. Drawing from the experiences of the youth, we will see that the gangs provide basic needs for young people when unable to attain conventional success. Thus, in order to address gangs, development must be addressed.