Publication

This paper explores the degree to which demobilized paramilitary group members and guerrilla deserters have contributed to Colombia’s high incidence of criminal violence. The text’s author concludes that 1) the involvement of ex-combatants is too small to impact the country’s overall criminal dynamics; 2) as they age, the ex-fighters actually become more pacific and family –oriented; and 3) the criminal organizations that have arisen in the wake of the demobilizations have continuously replaced ex-combatants with new generations of recruits. Given these empirically-based conclusions, the author worries that obsessing over the possible criminal activities of ex-combatants may distract policy-makers from focusing on more vulnerable groups, and obfuscate an important truth – a war economy can continue to operate independently from the decisions of ex-combatants or others to exploit criminal rents.