Investing in Youth for Violence Prevention: Gang Rehabilitation Programs in El Salvador
Summary
El Salvador's armed conflict came to an end with Peace Accords signed in 1992 however the political war in El Salvador has now transformed into a social war. Gangs are feared as the most dangerous perpetrators of social violence. In gang communities 'at-risk' youth are subject to social exclusion, unemployment and domestic/street violence often joining gangs for alternative solutions. In the past, as an attempt to improve citizen security and attract voters, the government of El Salvador introduced a package of controversial anti-gang laws designed as a temporary means to criminalize gangs, violating several codes of international human rights. In response to failed repressive approaches, a shift towards a rehabilitative approach is now being encouraged whereby gang members deactivate and then reintegrate back into normal society. Such programs are being run by the government, by NGO's, by the church and various other organizations in the private sector. The following research article seeks to define gang rehabilitation and looks at what constitutes a rehabilitated gang member. The relevance and importance of gang rehabilitation as a field will be examined in the context of El Salvador, assessing the impact that gang rehabilitation programs can have on society when used as an alternative approach. A multi-sector analysis of these projects observed in the field provides a look into the challenges faced when working gangs and an evaluation of how exemplary programs successfully overcome those obstacles. All original findings are based on two month's desk research in the Netherlands and two month's field work in El Salvador