RT Article
T1 The Nature and Structure of MS-13 in Los Angeles County
JF Criminal justice review
VO 48
IS 1
SP 5
OP 20
A1 Nuño, Lidia E.
A2 Maguire, Edward R.
LA English
YR 2023
UL https://krimdok.uni-tuebingen.de/Record/1832640795
AB Recent descriptions of Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) by senior U.S. government officials suggest that the gang is highly organized, has significant transnational capacity, and is heavily involved in violence. Arguably, these depictions have created moral panic among the public and have fed xenophobic attitudes toward Latin American immigrants. However, little is known from empirical research about the nature and structure of MS-13 in the United States. In this article, we draw on data from interviews with incarcerated MS-13 members in Los Angeles County, the birthplace of MS-13. We examine three key aspects of MS-13: its organizational characteristics, its transnational capacity, and its involvement in criminal behavior, including violence. Our findings provide a useful descriptive summary of MS-13 in Los Angeles County, where the gang originated. Our findings also suggest that while there are good reasons to take MS-13 seriously as a threat to public safety, much of the public discourse on the gang is based on inaccurate assumptions.
K1 crime and violence
K1 transnational capacity and organizational characteristics
K1 Latin American gangs
K1 Los Angeles County
K1 Hispanic gangs
K1 MS13
DO 10.1177/07340168211029990