Exploring Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13): Criminal Gang Research Paper

This research paper explores the Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) gang, focusing on its history, criminal activities, and impact on communities. Originating in the refugee regions of 1980s Los Angeles, MS-13 has expanded to Central America, Mexico, the U.S., Africa, and Canada. The gang engages in theft, ...Read More

Running head: RESEARCH PAPER 1
Research Paper on a Criminal Gang - Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13)
Student’s Name
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Abstract
In the present research paper, the functionalities of a popular Californian gang, Mara Salvatrucha
(MS-13) was explored. The central argument of the paper is that it an insight into gang behavior
of MS-13 can be obtained through the history of the gang, its criminal activities and its impact on
the communities. From the analysis, it is evident that, the MS-13 has its inception in poor,
refugee regions of 1980s Los Angeles, the gang’s expanse now ranges from Central American
countries like El Salvador, to Mexico, the U.S, Africa and Canada. The gang members steal,
extort, and threaten their way into communities and have involved themselves into transnational
violations, for example, human and drug trafficking. The communities, especially in Central
America face severe social crisis due to the criminal activities of the gang. The gang functions at
a transnational level.
Keywords: MS-13, U.S., El Salvador, Honduras, Central America, human and drug
trafficking

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Research Paper on a Criminal Gang - Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13)
Around the globe, the concept of gang has turned into a vital and debatable public issue.
In communities belonging to regions such Los Angeles, Rio, Cape town, London, the genuine
and projected threat from exceptionally unmistakable, street-based groups of youngsters is
overwhelming (Hazen & Rodgers, 2014). Gangs are portrayed as a criminal entity belonging to
various topographical areas, with the United States (U.S.) gang behaviors functioning as prime
example (Brotherton, 2015). Reflecting this pattern, analysts have progressively looked to review
the worldwide geology of groups through positivist philosophies that research the attributes of
gangs in various social settings (Fraser & Hagedorn, 2016). Such analysis will provide insight to
the functionalities of the gang and will reflect their behavior from a historical lens and focus on
their impacts on the socio-structural aspects of the communities. In the present research paper,
the functionalities of a popular Californian gang, Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) will be explored.
The central argument of the paper is that it an insight into gang behavior of MS-13 can be
obtained through the history of the gang, its criminal activities and its impact on the
communities. Each of these two aspects are further explored in detail in the following sections.
History of the Gang Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13)
Gang behavior can be understood through its historical evolution. The MS-13 gang is
regarded as one of the most savage, dangerous and exceedingly systematized criminal
organizations in the U.S and Central America (White House, 2018). Initially founded in Los
Angeles and Washington D.C., the MS-13 members have spread across all the unions in the U.S
(Ortiz, 2012). The origins of MS-13 go back to the late 1980s and mid 1990s when the
Salvadoran civil war created a mass displacement to the U.S. (Ortiz, 2012). Originally, the
individuals from the gang belonged to a few distinctive Latin and Central American nations

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(Ortiz, 2012). The age of the MS-13 ranges from 11 to 40 years, and the members can be
identified with tattoos such as the number ‘13’, or ‘trece’ in Spanish (Ortiz, 2012).
Violence is key to the MS13's ethos, its usual way of doing things, and its assessment and
maintaining order of its own members (InSight Crime, 2018). During 1998-2005, the U.S.
extradited about 46,000 convicts to Central America, in addition to 160,000 illegal immigrants.
Three nations—El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras—received about 90% of the extradited
individuals from the U.S. (Barlean, 2014). In this way, the transnational operations of the gang
have spread across Central America, where the gang works broadly and associates with its
associates in the U.S. (White House, 2018). Some of MS-13 extracted individuals from the U.S.
took numerous aspects of U.S. gang culture back to Central America, including hand signals and
other codes, dressing style and affinity for violence across borders (Pérez, 2013). Thus, through
this historic lens, the gang behavior of MS-13, established on violence is clear, which reflects the
various criminal activities it is involved in.
The Types of Criminal Activities Associated with the Gang Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13)
MS-13 is involved in various criminal activities. Recent or local information on the
gang is available on several government websites. For instance, as per the U.S. Department of
Justice (2018), six members from MS-13, were indicted on March 5, 2018 by a federal jury for
their criminal activities such as abducting, murder, and an extortion connivance in Northern
Virginia. Further, the White House (2018) presents startling facts associated with MS-13.
Accordingly, it is accounted for that ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) made 4,818
criminal captures identified with MS-13 in 2017 alone, in addition to 892 administrative captures
associated with the gang (White House, 2018). Further, in the U.S. and Central America, MS-13
group members have been engaged with criminal activities including blackmail, drug marketing,

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prostitution, theft, and murder, in addition to progressive transnational illegal activities, for
example, drug and human and trafficking (Finklea, 2018). These criminal activities also function
as sources of income or funds for the gang’s sustenance (Finklea, 2018).
In the U.S and other countries, MS-13 has generally been engaged with local drug
selling, and these retail-level drug deals are the most imperative income stream for the gang
(Finklea, 2018). Further, in Honduras, revenue from bigger corporations—for example those
selling LNG tanks, snacks, refreshments—that travel through MS 13-controlled regions remains
as a noteworthy source of funds for MS-13. Recent legal examinations concerning the functions
of MS-13 in El Salvador revealed a multi-million-dollar enterprise of genuine business
investments owned by the gang (Farah & Babineau, 2017). The 157 business enterprises
revealed in Operation Check in mid-2016 included transport and taxi organizations, extravagance
luxury vehicles, brothels, motels, restaurants, and drug houses (Farah & Babineau, 2017).
Amusingly, a great deal of the capital investment for the gang’s business enterprise originated
from their arrangements with the administration of Mauricio Funes (2009–14) and their
disastrous gang ‘détente,’ in which the administration paid up to twenty-five million dollars to
the gang with an end goal to mitigate the country's manslaughter rate (Farah & Babineau, 2017).
Thus, business and local extortions, drug trafficking, various businesses and truce with the
government are various sources of income for the gang.
MS-13, in comparison with other hierarchical street gangs, has unique aspects such as the
decentralized structure, which enables it to interact and adjunct with bigger drug markets and
interface with drug cartels (Sullivan & Elkus, 2012). In Mexico, MS-13 fills in as troopers for
cartels and facilitators for the human trafficking (Sullivan & Elkus, 2012). The decentralized
structure enables it to adjust to moving collusions and contentions while allowing it to exploit

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local opportunities (Sullivan & Elkus, 2012). With such criminal activities and continuous
funding, the gang, MS-13 has severe impacts on the communication within and outside the U.S.
Impact of the Gang Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) on the Communities
The impact of MS-13 on communities ranges from moderate to severe levels. In the
Washington, DC zone, MS-13 has caused most alert as of late, although the gang has been
present in the area since the early 1990s (Wolf, 2012). Contrasted with Central America, MS-13
appear to be a moderate problem in the U.S (Wolf, 2012). However, in Central America, the
crimes of MS-13 has expanded both subjectively and quantitatively, which has severe impacts on
the communities (Wolf, 2012; Farah & Babineau, 2017). With practically no support from the
State, MS-13 executions and dismantling of exploited people have now become a common
phenomenon; lynching and burning victims alive are typical; and the enrollment of children as
young as 11 is a regular event (Farah & Babineau, 2017). Countless individuals have fled their
homes because of the gang expansion, violence and dangers, fundamentally against minors who
prefer not to join (Farah & Babineau, 2017).
Among the displaced individuals, majority are youth, who have moved due to fear of
being enrolled in the gang by force. Males, who constitute as more than 90% of the gang
members are required to perform explicit, generally fierce acts, including murders, to
demonstrate their commitment to the gang (Farah & Babineau, 2017). Young females who are
part of the gang, either by choice or force are consigned to the job of being sex slaves (Farah &
Babineau, 2017). While the manslaughter rates in the Central American regions of El Salvador,
Honduras and Guatemala have been well-recorded and are most noteworthy on the planet, the
monetary and social costs of the criminal acts, presently, are determined by gang (Farah and
Babineau, 2017).

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There is a social crisis in Central America due to MS-13. In Honduras, it is generally
recognized that MS-13 expansion is supported by the gang’s collusion with areas of the nearby
police forces against Calle 18 and other adversary gangs (Farah & Babineau, 2017). As a feature
of the collusion, police regularly give weapons and free specific zones when MS-13 completes
assaults on other groups (Farah & Babineau, 2017). There are reported instances of the police
leasing their regalia, firearms, and identifications to the gang, so that they could complete
abducting and assassinations without any potential repercussions (Farah & Babineau, 2017).
Furthermore, in Guatemala, during 2006-2010, MS-13 factions, their 18th Street rivals and
different gangs killed 630 bus drivers and 201 fare collectors for neglecting to pay protection
money (Brenneman, 2012). Thus, there are reports of severe impacts of MS-13 on communities,
especially, in the Central America.
Conclusion
The MS-13 is the most infamous street gang in the Western world. While it has its
inception in poor, refugee regions of 1980s Los Angeles, the gang’s expanse now ranges from
Central American countries like El Salvador, to Mexico, the U.S, Africa and Canada. The gang
members steal, extort, and threaten their way into communities and have involved themselves
into transnational violations, for example, human and drug trafficking. The communities,
especially in Central America face severe social crisis due to the criminal activities of the gang.
The gang functions at a transnational level. Thus, if the legal channels neglect to control the
gang, they will indeed spread like an infectious disease and pose as a threat to the national
security not only in the U.S., but also across the globe.

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Brotherton D. (2015). Youth Street Gangs: A Critical Appraisal. Abingdon: Routledge.
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