The rise of organized crime in Mexico has left deep scars on society, especially affecting vulnerable groups such as children and adolescents. Poverty, school dropout, and lack of opportunities make these minors easy targets for criminal organizations. Addressing this phenomenon requires immediate action through legal, social, and political means.
Recruitment of Minors: A Cycle of Poverty and Crime.
An estimated 145,000 to 250,000 children and adolescents in Mexico are at risk of being recruited by criminal groups.
These organizations exploit economic hardships, domestic violence, and social marginalization to draw minors into illegal activities.
Recruitment often begins with low-level tasks such as surveillance (“halconeo”) or drug transportation, escalating to more dangerous roles, including kidnapping and contract killing.
Family Environment and PovertyIn 2020, 52.6% of minors in Mexico lived in poverty. The lack of basic services, healthcare, and education pushes many young people to abandon school and seek income, often turning to criminal organizations.
The absence of effective policies to support these families allows organized crime to become a viable survival or social mobility option for many adolescents.School Dropout: A Direct Path to DelinquencyHigh dropout rates are common in areas with a strong criminal presence.
Adolescents often leave school during middle or high school to enter informal labor markets or engage in illegal activities. Once involved, these young individuals become both victims and perpetrators, trapped in a structure that exploits them for criminal purposes and denies them legitimate opportunities for development.
Key Criminal Activities Recruited minors engage in various illegal activities, including drug trafficking, kidnapping, extortion, and contract killing. Some criminal groups even integrate them into self-defense groups, exposing them to extreme violence at a young age and perpetuating cycles of community violence.
A lack of comprehensive prevention policies has facilitated the expansion of these practices.
Need for Public Policies and Legal ReformsWhile Mexico’s legal framework prohibits the recruitment of minors, current efforts are insufficient. Organizations such as Red por los Derechos de la Infancia en México (Redim) and the National Human Rights Commission (CNDH) emphasize the need for stronger legal reforms and public intervention programs targeting the root causes of the issue.
Although initiatives like “Jóvenes Construyendo el Futuro” aim to offer alternatives, they have been criticized for their limited effectiveness.
The expansion of organized crime in Mexico is not only a security issue but also a social crisis. The involvement of minors in illegal activities highlights a systemic failure that demands legal reforms, inclusive public policies, and comprehensive prevention strategies.
Addressing this phenomenon holistically is essential to breaking the cycle of violence and ensuring a future with real opportunities for younger generations.This article provides a critical and informed perspective on the recruitment of minors and the growth of organized crime in Mexico. For further information, please refer to reports by Redim, the CNDH, and the National Council for the Evaluation of Social Development Policy (CONEVAL).