Mexico has seen a sharp rise in crime and violence in recent years, fuelled by criminal organisations vying to fill the power vacuum left by weakened cartels. Rapid urbanisation, especially in northern border cities, has worsened crime rates, facilitated youth recruitment into criminal groups and threatened public safety.

A report by the US Department of Labour in 2023 estimated that, in Mexico, approximately 35,000 youths had been recruited by organised crime, with an additional 400,000 at risk. Cartels target impoverished children, usually from tumultuous homes, swaying them with economic gains. Mexico City’s authorities have concentrated on boosting police presence and offering quicker crime responses. However, this approach has proven ineffective, with crime rates remaining high—Colima in Mexico ranks as the world’s most dangerous city, with a staggering homicide rate of 140 per 100,000 inhabitants. Public safety perceptions also remain low, as 58.6% of residents consider the city a dangerous place to live.

Mexico faces significant challenges due to the widespread dominance of cartels and organised crime, which essentially control much of the country’s territory. As one expert explained, “the narco dominates and is the law,” creating an environment where criminal organisations hold more influence than official institutions.

Technology companies can play a crucial role in identifying and intervening with at-risk youths before they are recruited into organised crime by leveraging their digital platforms, tools and resources. “The key is prevention,” stated a community development expert. “Recently, Spotify Mexico decided to remove all songs that allude to drug trafficking and violence from its platform. It is a formidable step and will make other companies do the same.”

“Spotify Mexico decided to remove all songs that allude to drug trafficking and violence from its platform. It is a formidable step and will make other companies do the same.”

Expert in community development, Mexico

With the increasing use of online forums, electronic games and social media by criminal organisations to target vulnerable youth, companies can proactively monitor and provide cybersecurity measures to prevent exploitation. A psychologist with over three decades of experience stated, “In basic education, programmes are being implemented that go beyond official formal education.” The psychologist continued, “One of the fundamental areas is the cyber workshops and packages to create these digital community centres, which are proving to be a success in certain areas of Mexico. Telmex, Slim’s company, pioneered digital kiosks and is now expanding them to create new meeting centres.”

Corporate social responsibility (“CSR”) initiatives also play a vital role in mitigating the recruitment of children into criminal activities. By providing support for families, promoting drug addiction awareness and implementing early-warning systems, companies can act as a buffer against the influence of organised crime. Involvement in public-private partnerships (“PPPs”) can further strengthen these efforts, but unfortunately, neither of the sources consulted was “optimistic on this issue because Mexico’s 4T government does not have a good relationship with most of the private sector.” The psychologist expanded, “The Mexican government does not trust businesses and destroyed the education reform initiated by former president Enrique Peña Nieto.”

“The Mexican government does not trust businesses and destroyed the education reform initiated by former president Enrique Peña Nieto.”

Psychologist, Mexico

In the private sector context, the rise of apps as revenue-generating tools has highlighted another issue - while these platforms may offer temporary employment, they lack long-term career paths. There is no advancement or opportunity for growth, as workers remain stagnant without a clear trajectory. “You can’t spend 30 years working for Uber Eats,” stated the community developer expert. “There is no ladder, there is no way to move up,” despite claims of workers being “shareholders” rather than employees. These apps fail to provide the stability and upward mobility necessary for a sustainable career, leaving many trapped in precarious positions.

In the fight against the growing threat of youth recruitment by organised crime, technology companies, CSR initiatives and international collaborations play a crucial role. However, as an expert who has worked with various Mexican corporate groups on social responsibility programmes pointed out, there is a significant challenge, “We are creating islands that seek to safeguard themselves from the demons of the narco, but time is running out. No matter how much we do, if the government fails to confront crime, businesses may leave and at that point, there will be no opportunities for development.”