A Historical Perspective on Crime in Twentieth-CenturyMexico City

Abstract

This paper is an overview of perceptions of crime in Mexico City during the twentieth century. After a brief review of quantitative evidence and the main sourceson crime, the paper surveys police and judicial corruption as the common denominator ofpublic perceptions of crime, punishment, and the judiciary. The paper then discussesgender violence and juvenile delinquency as two criminal practices that havecharacterized the impact of crime in everyday life. Based on a review of evidence aboutareas of the city commonly associated with crime, the paper concludes with a discussionof the reactions of urban communities and civil society against crime.