Overview of the Situation
In 2023, Mexico reported a significant rise in the number of adolescents implicated in criminal activities. A total of 32,852 adolescents were imputed for allegedly committing crimes, marking a 17.7% increase from the previous year.
Gender Distribution
According to the Statistics on Troubled Adolescents in Conflict with the Law report by Mexico’s National Institute of Statistics and Geography (Inegi), 77.5% of these adolescents are male, while 22.5% are female.
Concentration of Cases in Specific Entities
Only six out of Mexico’s 32 federal entities account for half of the adolescents implicated: Nuevo León, the State of Mexico, Guanajuato, Sonora, Jalisco, and Chihuahua.
Most Common Crimes
In 2023, there were 33,975 alleged crimes committed by adolescents. The most common offenses in juvenile justice were:
- Bodily harm: 24.8% of the total cases
- Theft: 15.2% of the total cases
- Threats: 9.4% of the total cases
- Sexual abuse: 9.0% of the total cases
- Drug-related offenses: 8.4% of the total cases
Sanctions and Restrictions on Liberty
Out of the total adolescents facing legal issues, only 3,785 received effective sanctions. Of these, 66.3% were subjected to non-restrictive measures, while the remaining 33.7% experienced some form of preventive liberty restriction.
A substantial majority of those entering detention centers are male, accounting for nearly 90% of the total.
In 2023, this led to a national rate of 16.6 adolescents admitted to detention centers per 100,000 minors aged 14-17.
Most of the adolescents admitted to these centers (85 out of 100) reported having parental or guardian accompaniment during their legal proceedings. However, only half of them had access to legal counsel during their stay in the Prosecutor’s Office.
Efforts to Address the Issue
Despite public policy efforts aimed at addressing underlying causes, the delinquency rate among adolescents has not decreased. Key programs focusing on increasing social cohesion among youth include neighborhood support, cultural and sports activities, community kitchens, scholarships for basic and upper-level secondary education, the universalization of higher education project, and the initial phase of the National Care System.
According to reports from UNICEF and UNODC, United Nations agencies for child protection and drug combat, international evidence suggests that preventive actions are the most effective in reducing youth delinquency. They emphasize addressing risk factors such as poverty, domestic violence, school bullying, mental health issues, and public insecurity contexts to enhance social cohesion, especially within vulnerable communities.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is the main issue discussed? The significant increase in Mexican adolescents involved in criminal activities in 2023.
- How many adolescents were implicated in 2023? A total of 32,852 adolescents were implicated, marking a 17.7% increase from the previous year.
- What are the most common crimes committed by adolescents? The most frequent offenses are bodily harm, theft, threats, sexual abuse, and drug-related offenses.
- What percentage of implicated adolescents received effective sanctions? Only 3,785 out of the total adolescents received effective sanctions.
- What are the key risk factors addressed by public policies? Poverty, domestic violence, school bullying, mental health issues, and public insecurity contexts.
