| Popis: |
Background: Crime and violence have hindered the development of the people, economy, and health of Mexico. In this study, we conducted a cost-benefit analysis to illustrate the compounding costs associated with not addressing the risk factors that lead children and young persons to violence and crime in Mexico.Methods: We created a fictional account of a typical male criminal offender in Mexico based on quantitative and qualitative data. Using quantitative and qualitative data from public, private, and government sources, we calculated the cost of each stage of Juan’s life along with the total cost of all crimes, violence, and events until the age of 37. Results: Direct and indirect costs increased exponentially over time as violent actions and crimes became more severe. The stage where costs were lowest was infancy, totaling $6,216 USD, while the costliest stage was adulthood totaling $1,034,847 USD. The total cost associated with the offender’s life (up to age 37) was $1,752,501 USD, while the total estimated cost of implementing prevention programs in each stage of life was $144,254 USD.Conclusions: The Mexican government must prioritize implementing evidence-based policies and programs for mitigating the risk factors that lead young persons to a life of violence and crime. Specifically, investing in programs at the earliest stages of life has been shown to have the greatest benefit in offsetting the compounding associated costs later in life. Our study shows that, theoretically, for every dollar invested on interventions to support Juan’s life, $12 are saved. This study can be used as an example and recommendation for other countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, which suffer from similar levels of violence and crime, and from similar cultural and socioeconomic conditions. |
