Stigmatizing policies against Latin American youth: Criminalizing fallacies

Abstract

This article discusses the stigmatizing image of violence associated with
youth in low-income sectors in Latin America. It highlights the narrative and symbolic framework, which, on the basis of the imputability of youth as the main generator of homicides, unobjectively cites the need to toughen punishment ofminors and reduce the age of criminal responsibility. Conversely, statistical data show that it is not youth who
are responsible for exacerbating homicidal violence in the region. This framework is used to highlight the inadequacy of criminalizing
measures against this population segment.