Not Just the Rich

Analyzing the evolution of Kidnapping in Mexico

Rolando Ochoa is a doctoral candidate in Sociology at the University of Oxford. He also holds a masters degree in Latin American Studies (Oxford). His research interest include crime in cities, informal protection strategies at the individual and community levels, the justice system and its reform and policing. He is specially interested in the interactions of criminals, civil society and the state. He is in the last stages of finishing his dissertation. He recently presented a co-authored paper on Mexico's District Attorney's work methods at the annual meeting of the Latin American Studies Association, that took place in Toronto.

Résumé de la conférence : Kidnapping is one of the most salient crimes in Mexico and one that has high social impact. This crime has evolved from a political tool of armed left wing militias to an economic crime that, counter intuitively, now affects mostly working class and middle class people. My research focuses, in part, in explaining these changes by looking at the interactions of state, civil society and criminals and how these interactions produce the before mentioned outcome. I attempt to look beyond arguments that present criminals as a competitor of the state, or indeed a state so corrupt it ceases to function. By looking for a middle ground I argue that dynamics in crime are better explained by these particular interactions. The case of kidnapping is very useful in illustrating these points. The research presented is based on my PhD research, which included over a year of fieldwork in Mexico City.