Reforming La Policía: looking to the future of policing in Mexico

Abstract

Historically, policing in Mexico has been known more for its rampant corruption than crime fighting or public service. However, recent decades have seen not only a marked rise in crime, but a boom in substantive reform efforts. This study examines the historical development of law enforcement reform in Mexico with an emphasis on the last decade which has produced the most revolutionary changes in policing practices in Mexico. Not only does this discussion include the last decade of substantive reforms and subsequent outcomes, but also explores an overview of the current Mexican president’s law enforcement reform initiatives, and potential reforms based on US attempts. This research then focuses on survey responses and direct interviews of criminological experts on law enforcement in Mexico and their predictions on the future of police reforms, with a focus on policing in Mexico City. The interviews focused on the reform initiatives by Mexico’s two most recent presidents and predictions of their likely success. These experts see success of current reforms as very unlikely. Policy implications are also discussed.