While worldwide crime is declining overall, criminality in Latin America has reached unprecedented levels that have ushered in social unrest and political turmoil. Despite major political and economic gains, crime has increased in every Latin American country over the past 25 years, currently making this region the most crime-ridden and violent in the world. Over the past two decades, Latin America has enjoyed economic growth, poverty and inequality reduction, rising consumer demand, and spreading democracy, but it also endured a dramatic outbreak of violence and property crimes. In More Money, More Crime, Marcelo Bergman argues that prosperity enhanced demand for stolen and illicit goods supplied by illegal rackets. Crime surged as weak states and outdated criminal justice systems could not meet the challenge posed by new profitably criminal enterprises. Based on large-scale data sets, including surveys from inmates and victims, Bergman analyzes the development of crime as a business in the region, and the inability-and at times complicity-of state agencies and officers to successfully contain it. While organized crime has grown, Latin American governments have lacked the social vision to promote sustainable upward mobility, and have failed to improve the technical capacities of law enforcement agencies to deter criminality. The weak state responses have only further entrenched the influence of criminal groups making them all the more difficult to dismantle. More Money, More Crime is a sobering study that foresees a continued rise in violence while prosperity increases unless governments develop appropriate responses to crime and promote genuine social inclusion.

About the Author
Marcelo Bergman is Professor of Sociology and Director of the Center for Latin American Studies on Insecurity and Violence at Universidad Nacional de Tres de Febrero in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Reviews
More money, more crime is a significant contribution to understanding crime in Latin America and is a must read for any scholar interested in understanding crime and crime prevention in the region or more generally in comparative and cross-cultural criminology ... what is clear is that given the theoretical and methodological rigor of this book, it will become an unavoidable reference for anyone interested in crime and violence in Latin America. * Nicolas Tratjenberg, International Criminology *
This book is now an unavoidable reference for those interested in unravelling the paradoxical coexistence of economic growth, democratization, and increasing crime. * Javier Auyero, UT Austin, American Journal of Sociology *


Awards
Winner of Winner of the Outstanding Book Award from the American Society of Criminology Division of International Criminology.



Book Information
ISBN 9780190608774
Author Marcelo Bergman
Format Hardback
Page Count 408
Imprint Oxford University Press Inc
Publisher Oxford University Press Inc
Weight(grams) 739g
Dimensions(mm) 165mm * 234mm * 36mm