How to Combat the Threat of Violent Mexican Transnational Criminal Organizations and Their Commercial Insurgency

Matuszynski, Bogdan; Matuszynski, Bogdan

The U.S.A., Canada, and Latin America face an important regional problem of violence and intrusion from Mexican Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs) that demands immediate attention by policymakers. Devoting most anti-terrorism and federal resources and investigative efforts to combating violent Islamist extremists, U.S. policy-making, in particular, has neglected a new version of terrorism, a commercial insurgency. This unfortunate reality is to the detriment of all people of the Americas. At the root of the illegal economic profits for TCOs, financial gains from illegal drugs, human and firearms trafficking, extortion, and cyber-crime, need to be halted. There are big costs to the problem of violence in communities. Violence threatens urban human security where studies show that urban crime leads to the health effects of fear of insecurity, powerlessness, and incomprehension by the public. These feelings potentially lead to stigmatization of certain neighborhoods or groups, the creation of a “fortress-like architecture of fear” and the rise of security responses, erosion of social mobility, and result in significant societal costs (estimated costs of insecurity are eight to ten percent of the gross national product in the global south; five to six percent in the global north. We used to think that violence took place only in failed states and in countries at war, yet we are seeing more often that violence manifests in churches, schools, urban communities, rural areas, and small towns. It claims millions of victims all over the world every year.

The objective of this research paper is twofold:

The first objective is to investigate previous research and historical trends in available data, and establish a ground work in the research topic. The second objective is to conduct an empirical analysis of available secondary research data in order to be used to provide an overview of the conflict zones and the actors involved. The conceptual framework presented will address various questions, such as the empirical of why the conflict is worsening, the social group disadvantage associated to the problem, and policy proposals and steps, based on best practices, to ameliorate the issues at hand. This case study will also illuminate the nuances of this transnational policy problem that has been overlooked by policymakers, as well as demonstrate how the U.S., Mexico, Canada, and the Americas are losing the fight against these TCOs.

Preliminary research findings show problems of social inequality, human insecurity, and corruption in some law enforcement entities have strengthened Mexican TCOs that operate in the U.S., Canada, and Latin America. Evidence shows that TCO activities lead to violence and an increased risk of crime against all individuals, especially in disadvantaged communities. Mexican TCOs coordination with regional gangs exacerbates the broad problem of violence. Without improved domestic and cross-border crime statistics due to an outdated FBI crime statistics system, it is hard to fully measure and counter the problem. A 2016 National Crime Victimization Survey estimates 36 percent of property crimes and 42 percent of violent crimes are reported in the U.S.A.

Association for Public Policy Analysis & Management

California Accepted Papers Paper: How to Combat the Threat of Violent Mexican Transnational Criminal Organizations and Their Commercial Insurgency

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