Criminality and violence in the department of Zacapa

Authors

  • Leonora Elizabeth Cordón Arrivillaga Centro Universitario de Oriente de la Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala

Keywords:

crime, violence, region, economy, drug trafficking, poverty

Abstract

PROBLEM: the problem of analysis arises in the rapid evolution of new criminal organizations and the constant violence between them, therefore, the constant change of criminal behavior linked to drug trafficking and road fighting. OBJECTIVE: To establish which are the main crime rates linked to the increases in crime in the department of Zacapa. METHOD: The methodology applied thanks to the potential analysis of the general term on the increases in crime due to the lack of economic and educational action. RESULTS: The increases in crime are the reflection of the lack of action by the institutions in charge of crime prevention. CONCLUSION: The department of Zacapa is the border epicenter in the Central American region, a place where most criminal routes converge, an important point for high-level criminal organizations to be able to take over the low-income economic classes with economic advantage in promoting a life of money under the risk of working in illicit systems.

Author Biography

Leonora Elizabeth Cordón Arrivillaga, Centro Universitario de Oriente de la Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala

She is currently in her final year of her PhD in Criminal Law and Criminal Procedure. She holds a Master's degree in Human Rights and Public Policy, a Bachelor's degree in Legal and Social Sciences, and is a lawyer and notary public. She has taught at universities and at the School of Judicial Studies of the Guatemalan Judiciary.

References

Banco Mundial. (2019). Guatemala: Diagnóstico de la violencia y seguridad ciudadana. (s.e.). https://www.scielo.org.mx/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1665-80272018000100150

Diario de Centro América. (2021). Estrategias del Gobierno para Combatir la Criminalidad en Zacapa. https://dca.gob.gt/noticias-guatemala-diario-centro-america/la-batalla-contra-la-violencia-y-el-crimen-organizado-es-fortalecida/

CEGSS. (2020). Centro de Estudios para la Gobernabilidad y la Seguridad. Informe Anual sobre la Situación de la Seguridad en Zacapa. Centro de información, desarrollo y estadística judicial del Organismo Judicial: www2.oj.gob.gt/estadisticaj/

Flores, R. (2021). Violencia Juvenil y Pandillas en Zacapa: Un Análisis Criminológico. Revista Criminalística, 8(3), 112- 125.

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Garrido, L. (2022). Corrupción y Delincuencia en Zacapa: Obstáculos para la Seguridad. Revista de Ciencias Sociales, 25(1).

INACIF. (2020). Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Forenses de Guatemala. Estadísticas de Homicidios en Zacapa.

López, M. (2022). Impacto del Narcotráfico en la Seguridad de Zacapa. Revista de Seguridad Nacional, 12(1), 78- 91.

Méndez, A. (2020). Violencia en Zacapa: Un Reto para la Seguridad Ciudadana. Revista de Estudios Guatemaltecos, 15(2), 45-57.

Municipalidad de Zacapa. (2019-2022). Política Pública Municipal para la Prevención de la Violencia y el Delito, departamento de Zacapa.

PNUD. (2022). Programa de las Naciones Unidas para el Desarrollo. Informe sobre Desarrollo Humano Guatemala.

UNODC. (2021). Informe Mundial sobre la Delincuencia Organizada Transnacional.

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Published

2025-05-30

How to Cite

Cordón Arrivillaga, L. E. (2025). Criminality and violence in the department of Zacapa. Revista De Postgrados De Derecho Del CUNORI, 1(1), 15–28. Retrieved from https://revistapostgradosderecho.cunori.edu.gt/index.php/home/article/view/1

Issue

Vol. 1 No. 1 (2025)

Section

Scientific articles

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Copyright (c) 2025 Leonora Elizabeth Cordón Arrivillaga

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