Abstract
This paper describes gang culture in post-conflict Guatemala, and makes the case for including the views of young people in responding to the issue. Participatory research with young people from two low-income communi- ties in Guatemala City revealed that gang violence was in fact a most critical issue in their lives, and a number of recommendations were generated. These young people identified a range of causes for gang membership, most of them related to a lack of family and social support and to the need for a sense of belong- ing. Proposed solutions stressed the importance of holistic, preventative responses, with organizations for youth being identified as the most effective approach. Two brief case studies describe the contributions of the Pentecostal Protestant Church and of a youth organization, Jovenes Adelante.