Organized crime and underage recruitment in Ecuador

When addressing the issue of organized crime in Ecuador, a phenomenon that has been marked by successive waves of violence and criminality, it is increasingly necessary to recognize the participation of minors who are recruited by criminal organizations to carry out their criminal activities. The objective of the research is to evaluate the ineffectiveness of the socio-educational measures imposed on these minors and their non-imputability in the face of criminally relevant conduct. This reflection is based on various arguments and findings that show the urgency of reviewing and adjusting the current approach to address this problem from a legal and comprehensive perspective, which leads to a rapid solution to the problems that exist in the country today. The methodology used was qualitative, focused on a documentary analysis of the non-imputability of minors and the ineffectiveness of the socio-educational measures imposed on them after committing a crime, which do not contribute to the re-education of minors or to the appropriate work from educational institutions. The results showed that crimes committed by young people have increased significantly in the country, which has generated growing concern about their magnitude and dangerousness, given that these offenders benefit from not being able to be held accountable, regardless of the crime committed. In conclusion, minors frequently break the rules due to a lack of adequate care, and socio-educational measures do not meet the objective for which they were established, which highlights the need for new analysis and changes in the penal system.