An Introduction the Sociology of Crime and Violence in Latin America

This section presents an overview on criminality and violence in Latin America from three analytical dimensions: (1) the attitudes toward and public perception of crime in the region, (2) some relevant crime trends in the region, and (3) social responses to violence, including victims’ efforts to prevent violence and the existence of widespread public insecurity. In addition, this section presents the state of affairs on crime analysis and prevention. It highlights various contributions from different countries and academics with an emphasis on some specifics from each subregion, considering various academic traditions, social and political conditions, and local criminal characteristics. Each author will contribute with a significant overview of the main criminal trends.