vol. 52 núm. 1 (2009): enero - junio

A theoretical analysis is offered from the psychological explanations of human conduct having been exposed, particularly regarding the criminal act. Starting from the epistemological conceptions on which criminology relies in its pretentious intentions to explain the genesis of criminal behavior, in order to locate from there the explicative vacuums that these approaches offer at the time of attempting to give a causal explanation to genesis and criminal conduct. Unconscious motivation is placed as a work hypothesis as the cause of criminal behavior, understood as a psychic causality.

This article exposes the criminological theory developed by Robert Merton from his study of crime in the United States society. For this purpose, reference is made in the introduction of the economic, social and legal conditions of his time, by contextualizing the theory of anomie developed by Merton within the framework of structural functionalism thought. Subsequently, the importance of his approaches, by associating them with later formulations and the systemic theory of integrating prevention; and, finally, conclusions are exposed

The article addresses the current perspectives of the role Police corps are destined to play, by putting in contrast punitivist or purely repressive trends with those of guarantist nature. A brief review is made of such conceptions, and the inconvenience of postulating a policy exclusively dedicated to reactive activity vis-à-vis crime is explained, thus advancing a proactive police model where prevention prevails, as founded on respect of all individuals’ fundamental rights and guaranties even of those who commit crimes, in order to succeed in refraining the cuts of fundamental freedoms that the adoption of a firm hand (“mano dura”) criminal system where personal security is placed above those freedoms is supposed to cause, hence the punitive authority conferred by the citizens on the State being reverted against themselves, which implies that, rather than reducing criminality indexes, the multiple factors having a bearing on them, which are those that the State should actually worry about and take in charge within the framework of a guarantist model, are ignored

This article is aimed at offering a historical review of the juridical treatment given to adolescents having infringed Colombian criminal law since the 19th century to our days, as well as describing both the procedure and methods of correction applied and the emergence of the fist youth corrective establishments created to treat these youngsters. In Colombia, in the 19th century, when adolescents broke criminal law, no juridical or sanctionatory treatments were envisaged other than those given to adults, neither any attention was paid to the minor’s special physical and psychic development conditions, just as if the category of “child” as a subject did not exist. In 1920, a specialized jurisdiction was created for adolescents having infringed criminal law. Despite the fact that a different treatment was granted to them, they were still seen as object of protection rather than subject to law. Finally, from the Child Rights Convention (“Convención de los Derechos del Niño”) ratified by Colombia by means of Act (“Ley”) 12 of 1991, a “subject to law” is mentioned. However, there is still evidence of thinking systems persisting in a vision of the adolescent subject as object of protection and a treatment based on discipline accompanied by serious violations of the fundamental rights of adolescents having broken criminal law. This research will show the emergence and historical advance of the social, legislative, procedural and correctional treatment or minor offenders of criminal law, looking to bring into light institutionalized thinking systems regarding treatment of adolescents deemed to have overcome their criminal life but having persisted in crime in the course of history.

The objective of this document is carrying out an exploration of data form different sources about violence relating to firearms, in order to visualize their impact on the Colombian population during the past three decades. Next, a review of the most recent dynamics is offered as well as the norma tive framework within which arm control is performed in the country, and a brief recount of strategies already implemented. In the last section, both challenges and debates raising in this respect are exposed, including how the current normative frame imposes obstacles to the implementation of disarmament plans about which positive impacts have been proved being effective in actually reducing violence. 

Poblem. Women associated to criminality activities have been studied from different perspectives. Despite any findings, more questions to be resolved remain in the air. A panoramic A panoramic overview points out to various holes, answers with poor theoretical and methodological grounds, and conclusions serving to reproduce cultural biases with repercussions in the formulation of public policies. This advance of a certain research stresses some problems that could be dealt with for instance in Colombia as a country characterized by unresolved conflicts. Method. A review of secondary literature is made, where an identification of questions and answers gives origin to treatment perspectives for new problems likely to be addressed by research. Conclusions. Further research is required to understand general criminality facts and, specifically, those of female involvement in crimes of strong social impact including holdups, assaults on residences, violence against citizens on the streets, and murders, and even ending up in the globalization of crime as represented in the drug-trafficking activity, money or the so-called asset laundering, human trade, and computer hacking-related crimes.

In a recent research about school violence in Bogota, Colombia, 56% of the students reported having been robbed in their schools during past year. This qualitative study, of deductive nature, was intended to look at this phenomenon in depth by trying to understand larceny dynamics as well as moral indifference or lack of concern mechanisms likely to help those involved to feel less guilt. This study was carried out in a public, low socioeconomic sta tus school, with high criminality levels in its community context. Initially, 227 sixth and eighth grade students took part in a survey relating to attitude vis-à-vis theft. Based on their answers, 20 students with high favorability levels were interviewed, while 40 having low or average favorability levels took part in focus groups. The results indicated that larceny activities in this school show a high degree of organization often involving elements of planning, task distribution, and threats. Moreover, according to the parti cipants, robbery is strongly related to the presence of juvenile gangs in the school, along with lack of clear and consistent institutional response. It was also found that those involved resort to several moral indifference mecha nisms, such as advantageous comparisons as well as displacement, misplacement or diffusion of responsibility and the attribution of guilt as suitable strategies to justify their actions. The study indicates that the implementation and assessment of interventions intended to prevent both larceny and youth involvement in early criminal careers is indeed urgent. 

This document shows the results and services of the National Police operative activity, these services being performed according to the Institution’s strategic directioning and aimed at maintaining citizen coexistence and security, for the construction of a prosperous country in peace through police procedures and operations leading to prevent, deter, discourage, control and investigate the commission of criminal deeds. 

his analysis begins with a study of crimes occurring in 2009, by identi fying each one according to the titles of the Colombian Criminal Code (“Código Penal”), and looking at the subject in greater detail while examining in depth those misconducts that are most representative according to the frequency of occurrence observed. In each chapter, the three most reported criminal conducts at the national level are se lected, as well as the five Police units with the highest number of cases. In the second part, a comparative analysis is made of those crimes ha ving caused the highest social impact in 2008 and 2009, always taking into account the main variables in each modality.