vol. 53 núm. 2 (2011): julio - diciembre

This study offers an approach to sexual violence by using secondary source data and applying some data mining techniques. The data source used is the 'Instituto Nacional de Medicina Legal y Ciencias Forenses' (National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences), and the algorithms applied are Selection by Characteristics, C5.0, and K-Means. Prior to applying these techniques, a theoretical approximation to sexual violence is made in order to appreciate how this kind of violence has been approached and analyzed. Subsequently, data quality is assessed and some improvement treatments are applied. Upon having reached a proper dataset for processing and analysis, data mining techniques are applied, and the relationship of the alleged aggressor to the victim is established as a variable objective or answer. The issues or solutions offered by the above data processing lead to an analysis which establishes as a core the levels of proximity with the victim, and questions those studies based on the traditional kinship structure, while it simultaneously validates the distinction that establishes a sexual violence rating between abuse and assault. Analyses of the data mining exercise facilitate a clear statement of the configuration of two clusters that can be pointed at with said classification. They are accompanied by a third one that, although not well defined yet, begins to appear. The three clusters have been designated as sexual violence in an incest situation, sexual violence in an anonymity situation, and sexual violence in a family structure situation. Finally, some suggestions are given in seeking to improve data quality, while the opportunities this type of analysis opens at attempting to give an answer to conflictivity, violence and crime are outlined.

Managing the volumes of information taking place at crime investigation agencies in Colombia requires to stop the activity they currently perform in order to open a reflection space leading to determine the principles, processes and procedures, as well as the responsible persons for the different stages to be agreed in the information administration process. It is necessary to evaluate every data as an asset in the institutions and, as such, provide for a clear and detailed process allowing the Plan-Do-Check-Adjust cycle to be applied. This document offers a diagnosis of how criminal investigation information is currently managed, along with the existing information systems, their limitations and problems with respect to registration and integration controls in each one of the institutions, and the absence of information products resulting from the strategic analysis.

he so-called retail drug-dealing or retail narco-business is a multi-cause phenomenon taking place at the vicinities of points-of-sale where narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances are sold, in association with social conflictivity, violence, and criminality manifestations. The behavior of actors involved in the sale, purchase and use of illegal drugs promotes disturbances affecting the pacific co-existence of the inhabitants in these sectors, in both their individual and collective environment. The purpose of this investigation was to identify the structure and functioning of the retail-drug dealing phenomenon from a policy intelligence method, in order to provide Police commanders with advice in their decision-making regarding planning and service rendering, as well as their interaction with political-administrative authorities. Fact-finding helped identify the drug dealing properties and the features of the criminal organization having monopolized this criminal activity in the city of Pereira (Risaralda), Colombia. The methodology used for the subjective construction of the retail narco-business was of a descriptive qualification and quantification nature, based on the theory of social representations with a phenomenological approach. The phenomenon of retail drug-dealing is associated to the drug trafficking market; it is structured for the purpose of favoring and minimizing the profits of an illegal actor based on an organizational model that will secure him both stability and protection at the time of settling in the territory, together with mechanisms leading to constrain people's collective behavior.

This work submits the results of a research on the incidence of domestic violence conducted during the first half of 2010 in the Municipality of Barrancabermeja (Santander). This was a transversal study of the descriptive type, developed under the parameters of epidemiological studies. The results of this research show that domestic violence in Barrancabermeja has a prevalence of 54%. The type of violence experienced by Barrancabermeja citizens at home is mostly physical (45%), followed by psychological violence (44%) and sexual violence (11%).

This study of qualitative nature and deductive slant has attempted to approach the phenomenon of violence in the domestic environment inflicted by youngsters under 18, in order to determine its prevalence in the city of Barranquilla, Colombia. It describes as well the features of the minors involved, along with their family dynamics and some aspects of the social environment likely to stimulate its occurrence. The study was carried out at the center for the re-education of juvenile offenders "Centro de Reeducación del Adolescente Infractor - Oasis" in this town. The records of youngsters having been judicialized due to domestic violence offenses, theft, personal injuries and damage to third party property were examined. Likewise, semi-structured interviews were held in depth with the mothers of youngsters who at the time of this research were held in the Center on family violence charges. The results indicate that there are few criminological studies on this subject. It deals with youngsters between 14 to 17 years of age on average, coming from disintegrated families, and being affected by both material and affective deficiencies and improper dynamics and styles. In these youngsters, the use of hallucinogenic substances and/or alcohol is frequent.

his work approaches the present situation of mediation in juvenile criminal justice in Spain. Upon having analyzed the role conferred by international outlines on this dejudicializing measure, an analysis is offered of the regulation contained in article 19 of Organic Act ("Ley Orgánica") 5/2000 of 12th January, whereby minors' criminal liability is regulated in both juridical and practical terms, by highlighting as a major problem the diverse implementation of mediation in the different Autonomous Communities.

This article highlights the distribution of drug use in Mexico, stressing the role of the northern region since it exhibits the highest percentages in the country. At a more specific level, the individual and social implications of alcohol abuse within the population are dealt with, as well as family environment effects, school and labor experiences of drug addicts in Baja California, and the statistical correlations between drug addiction and other social variables. The main purpose has been to evidence the differentiated spatial effect of the drug-consumption process in Mexico. For this purpose, empirical data taken from national surveys on addictions in 1993, 1998, 2002 and 2008 coordinated by the Secretariat of Health were used, along with information generated through diverse studies carried out in Baja California in order to gauge this health problem at the local level. Results conclude that Mexico's northern región exhibits a more severe effect in the drug use and abuse issue, particularly in the State of Baja California.