Child's Death Highlights Need for Early Intervention, Not Just Harsher Penalties
The recent murder of 12-year-old Alejandro in San Bernardo, Chile, during a carjacking has deeply shocked the nation, prompting calls for justice and a strong state response. However, the public discourse is largely focused on increasing penalties, toughening the judicial system, and lowering the age of criminal responsibility. The signatories question whether these measures will truly prevent future tragedies.
The core issue, they argue, is not the commission of a crime, but the preceding factors that lead children and adolescents to be co-opted by criminal gangs. These include the weakening of family ties and early signs of problematic substance use, social exclusion, or school dropout. Evidence suggests that lowering the age of criminal responsibility is not a sustainable solution, citing Denmark's experience where a similar reduction was reversed due to a lack of positive outcomes.
Chilean policies, they contend, often intervene too late, after a crime has occurred or when exclusion is already entrenched. The signatories advocate for early support to vulnerable families, emphasizing its greater preventive effect compared to punitive measures. They highlight Project Trama in Maipú, Quinta Normal, and Renca as an initiative that aims to intervene earlier by strengthening family bonds and promoting educational reintegration, rather than replacing police action. Ultimately, they assert that security and social policies are interconnected, and while justice for Alejandro is crucial, early prevention is equally vital.
The tragic death of Alejandro underscores a critical tension in public safety policy: the balance between reactive punitive measures and proactive social interventions. While calls for stricter laws and lower ages of criminal responsibility are understandable responses to rising crime, evidence suggests these approaches may not address the root causes of youth involvement in delinquency. Focusing solely on punishment risks overlooking the complex interplay of family dynamics, educational disengagement, and socioeconomic factors that precede criminal activity. Policies that invest in early childhood support, family strengthening, and educational continuity may offer a more sustainable path to reducing crime by fostering resilience and opportunity, thereby mitigating the conditions that make young people vulnerable to criminal exploitation. The challenge lies in allocating resources effectively across both immediate security needs and long-term social prevention strategies.
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