Harm Reduction Community Interventions for Tackling Youth Gang Violence in El Salvador

The homicide rates of the “Northern Triangle” (El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras) rank these countries among the most violent in the world (UNODC, 2011). Punitive or “iron fist” strategies implemented in these countries have shown very limited results. Mass media portray transnational youth gangs as one of the main factors responsible for the high levels of violence and delinquency in the region. Youth are not only the main perpetrators of violence but also the primary victims, however. Based on preliminary results (Cohorts 1 and 2) of a longitudinal study of high risk youth and youth gang members (n=352) from 16 communities in El Salvador, various standardized measures of risk and protective factor domains (delinquency, sexual behavior, substance use, violence, empathy, education, future orientation, self-control, spirituality) are analyzed using several univariate and multivariate statistical techniques. These analyses have led to several peer-reviewed journal publications. The objective of this presentation is to reveal the main findings of this study and connect these results to specific components of extant and proposed community-based interventions. These youth have developmental and situational attributes that require unique approaches for engagement. Based on this empirical evidence and the failure of punitive strategies, it is suggested that public health approaches emphasizing community-based prevention and harm reduction are the most sustainable strategies to deal with the problems of youth violence and delinquency not only in El Salvador, but also in Guatemala and Honduras.