Leaving the Pervasive Barrio: Gang Disengagement under Criminal Governance.

This article examines the possibility and process of disengaging from street gangs in El Salvador, where powerful gangs such as Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) and Barrio 18 exert extensive territorial and social control, a phenomenon described as criminal governance. The study, based on surveys of nearly 1,200 current and former gang members and 25 in-depth interviews, finds that religious conversion—particularly to evangelical Christianity—serves as a primary mechanism for gang members to exit while maintaining the social order that sustains gang authority. Evangelical churches operate within the same communities and social networks as gangs, providing a normative framework that signals genuine behavioral change to gang leaders and reduces the risk of former members becoming threats, thereby legitimizing both the gang's continued influence and the church's role. The research highlights that in contexts where gangs govern local life, disengagement is contingent on adherence to gang-imposed rules and the acceptance of alternative social institutions that coexist with gang power, illustrating the complex interplay between criminal organizations and community actors in shaping pathways out of gang involvement.