Youth and Crime in South America

According to the CCPCJ mandate, the committee is responsible for creating and improving the effectiveness and fairness of international criminal enforcement. Especially after the drafting of the Salvador Declaration at the Twelfth United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, the CCPCJ has shifted its focus to identifying contemporary criminal trends and introducing resolutions pertaining to such trends before crime occurrences increase. In this vein, the committee has already addressed a particular aspect of youth involvement in crime through the thematic discussion on the misuse of technology in the abuse and exploitation of children. The committee has not yet discussed the actual involvement of youth in transnational crime or transnational organized crime.

Currently, the level of governmental enforcement combating crime varies from country to country. Most countries do not have legal codes pertaining directly to children and often deal with child criminals on a case-by-case basis. This not only leads to a lack of consistency, but also a clear focus on enforcement, without prevention. While direct enforcement and treatment act as a short-term solution, a long-term solution must incorporate prevention of youth from engaging in a life of crime. Effective criminal justice should both prevent crime and treat current offenses. The case in South America provides an excellent example of youth involvement in transnational organized crime. With pervasive drug cartels operating across the continent, South American youth are exposed to crime—and often become participants—at a very early age. By focusing on this specific region, with varying levels of state development, delegates may create a model to be used elsewhere around the world. This topic will challenge delegates to take a realistic look at the problem and to plan for the needs of youth while enforcing international criminal standards. As teenagers with vastly different experiences than those of South American youth, delegates may nonetheless feel a connection to a very real problem facing their generation.