Drug Policy

Mexico must address violence and profitability

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Supporting change in the drug prohibition regime could significantly reduce drug cartel profits. As Mexico attempts to improve institutional frameworks to reduce violence, it suffers from the scourge of corruption that in turn hinders these reforms. In this sense, institutional strengthening and drug policy reform cannot be divorced. Peña Nieto has said that he is open to a debate on marijuana legalization, but that he is personally against it. Hopefully he will listen to the numerous voices of leaders in Mexico — such as former President Vicente Fox and Ernesto Zedillo — who are calling for graduated drug policy reforms in Mexico, including decriminalization policies. Continue Reading →

Mexico’s national crime statistics show no significant decline in homicides and disappearances

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According to statistics from Mexican government agencies, at least 135,000 people have been murdered since 2007, and more than 25,000 have disappeared. By the Mexican government’s own admission, it is not possible to distinguish “drug-related” homicides from other killings. President Enrique Peña Nieto took office on Dec. 1, 2012, and pledged to bring peace. His administration claims a significant decline in homicides, but presents no evidence to support that claim. Continue Reading →

Measuring mayhem: The challenge of assessing violence and insecurity in Mexico

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Brutal murders, beheadings, and assaults on police and the media punctuate news reports from Mexico on a near daily basis — that is, the reports that make it to the U.S. While the common perception is that insecurity is high, official accounts downplay the extent and impact of the violence. Indeed, many media outlets still quote a death toll of 60,000 to 70,000 since the drug war began in 2006. This is both inaccurate and disingenuous. Continue Reading →

Youth gang prevention in Mexico

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Mexico’s struggle with organized crime has consumed much of the policy agenda in the administrations of Felipe Calderón and now, Enrique Peña Nieto. Academics and policy analysts looking beyond the battles with high-level organized crime groups have identified street gangs in Mexico as a potential looming security threat. After conducting interviews with gang experts in Mexico, I discovered that security-centric responses often exacerbate the problem. Mexico would be better served by a long-term development and human rights-oriented strategy to address the problem of youths in gangs. Continue Reading →

Less fence, more task force

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In the last of a six-part Baker Institute Viewpoints series, experts respond to the question: What are the implications of expanding border security?

The Senate immigration bill provides a basis for the immigration debate in the United States. A key provision of the bill is an additional $46 billion for increased border security. While this level of spending will likely be included in the final compromise bill, it is not the best use of resources. As a recent Woodrow Wilson Center report argued, we have reached the point of diminishing returns on border security. Instead of trying to create an impenetrable wall at the border, we should use the resources to reinforce law enforcement in the nation’s interior, especially in border states, such as Texas. Continue Reading →