Drug dealing and police control in Rincon Grande of Pavas

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15517/rr.v103i1.51820

Keywords:

Legitimacy, Costa Rica, Police, Rumors, Perceptions

Abstract

Introduction: This article shows that among residents of Rincon Grande of Pavas, a group of vulnerable neighborhoods in capital of Costa Rica, circulate negative rumors regarding police activity against drug dealing. These rumors reflect discontent of local population towards police forces in the analyzed area.

Objective: There are no studies in Costa Rica about police control over drug dealing in marginalized urban areas, and its consequences with regards to the relation between the police forces and the local population. This article seeks to bridge this gap and, to do so, analyzes the case of Rincon Grande of Pavas.

Methodology: In order to reach the conclusions presented in this article, the author uses 67 in depth interviews carried out mainly with residents of the analyzed area between March 2019 and March 2020, and a focus group with five police officers in February 2019.

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Author Biography

  • Sebastián Saborío, Instituto de Investigaciones Sociales de la Universidad de Costa Rica

    Sebastián Saborío tiene un doctorado en Sociología de los Fenómenos Culturales y Procesos Normativos de la Universidad de Urbino en Italia y en Sociología de la Universidad Federal de Río de Janeiro en Brasil. Además, ha sido investigador asociado en la Universidad de Ciudad del Cabo en África del Sur. Actualmente trabaja en la Universidad de Costa Rica como investigador en el Instituto de Investigaciones Sociales y como profesor de la Escuela de Sociología.

    Sus intereses de investigación están relacionados a los fenómenos de la violencia, narcotráfico, control de policía en áreas urbano-marginalizadas y crimen organizado.

    Sus publicaciones más recientes son:

    • Saborío , S. 2018. Construyendo la imagen de una ciudad segura: la disminución de la violencia visible en Río de Janeiro. REVISTARQUIS, (7) 1, 28-41.

     

     

    • Saborío S. 2016. La nuova fase della guerra alle droghe a Rio de Janeiro: polizia e soggezione criminale nelle favelas pacificate. Studi sulla questione criminale, 2, 93-112. https://www.rivisteweb.it/doi/10.7383/85947

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Published

2022-11-15

Issue

Vol. 103 No. 1 (2024): January-June-Open number

Section

Reflective Articles from Research Studies

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How to Cite

Drug dealing and police control in Rincon Grande of Pavas. (2022). Reflexiones Journal, 103(1), 1-21. https://doi.org/10.15517/rr.v103i1.51820