Abstract
Criminologists concur that only a minority of organized crime groups (OCGs) seek to establish physical, uninterrupted control over geographic spaces. Despite the rarity of OCGs that effectively regulate who may enter or leave ‘their’ territory, and under which conditions, they constitute one of the most blatant challenges organized crime poses to the state and its institutions. Using the Mexican OCG, Los Zetas, as a case study, this article explores the putative relationship between OCGs’ street-level territorial control capabilities and their organizational cultures. Drawing primarily on the narratives of forty-three Mexican officials who participated in law enforcement operations against Los Zetas, this article examines how the group’s militarized organizational culture shaped its capacity to physically control territories. While numerous scholars have noted the relevance of Los Zetas’ military background in explaining the OCG’s distinctive features, this article provides the first examination of Los Zetas’ organisational characteristics through the prism of theories on military culture.
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Data availability
The interview field notes generated and analyzed for this study are not publicly available to protect the identity of my respondents. Anonymized and redacted copies are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
Notes
Regarding the specific roles within the Federal Police, twenty-four interviewees were part of the Anti-drugs division, four were in the Intelligence division, three worked in the Regional Security division, and four held senior management positions.
Dave Grossman, a former US Army officer renowned for hosting police training seminars, has garnered considerable criticism for espousing controversial views. Grossman's teachings have been subject to opprobrium due to his promotion of the concept that police officers should adopt a predator mentality.
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Pereda, V. How organizational culture shapes criminal organizations’ street-level territorial control capabilities: a study of Los Zetas. Crime Law Soc Change 81, 53–74 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10611-023-10107-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10611-023-10107-9