The nature of MS-13 in the American context: a transnational comparison

By focusing on the case of Northern Virginia (NOVA) and comparing it to the countries of the Central American Northern Triangle, this article argues that, in contrast to the dominant narrative, MS-13 in NOVA is a fragmented criminal organisation without much capacity to engage in sophisticated, tran...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: Correa-Cabrera, Guadalupe (Author) ; López-Santana, Mariely 1973- (Author) ; Pardo-Herrera, Camilo (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Published: 2023
In: International journal of comparative and applied criminal justice
Year: 2023, Volume: 47, Issue: 1, Pages: 79-97
Online Access: Volltext (lizenzpflichtig)
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Keywords:
United States
Central America
the State
Gangs
MS-13/Mara Salvatrucha
Description
Summary:By focusing on the case of Northern Virginia (NOVA) and comparing it to the countries of the Central American Northern Triangle, this article argues that, in contrast to the dominant narrative, MS-13 in NOVA is a fragmented criminal organisation without much capacity to engage in sophisticated, transnational criminal activities. This piece “brings the State back in” to show that strong State capacity, grounded in a combination of coercive and infrastructural powers, allows us to understand the weakness of MS-13 in NOVA. These findings are supported by interviews with experts, members of law enforcement, and public officials.
ISSN:2157-6475
DOI:10.1080/01924036.2021.1949739