2026/03/10 by Ignacio Cano, Christian Ascensio, F. Morales +1
Environmental Science · Social Sciences · #Crime, Illicit Activities, and Governance #Mexican Socioeconomic and Environmental Dynamics #Youth Culture and Social Dynamics
paper · pdf · doi:10.24201/es.2026v44.e2915
openalex publication_date 2026/03/10 · openalex created_date 2026/03/12 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/11
This article explores the reasons for the decline of cholo gangs in the Metropolitan Area of the Valley of Mexico over the last 30 years, based on qualitative research with gang members and police officers. Both groups confirm a decrease in the number of gangs and their episodes of violence. Gang members and police officers offer largely overlapping explanations for the phenomenon, including violence and the deaths of their members, police pressure, aesthetic changes in youth, and, especially, the presence of organized crime. Gang members appear to have opted for one of two options: integration into a conventional life or incorporation into organized crime.