Street Gangs of Youth in Central America — or: The difficult search for justice in a violent society

Abstract

Since the 1960s the number of street gangs named pandillas and maras are rising among young people living in the slums of the big cities of Latin America. By the example of Central America, this chapter analyses their history, forms, activities, and reasons. Special attention is given to the modes of culture and values by asking for the meanings attributed to group cohesion and the practice of violence by their members.