“Regulación jurídica del sicariato juvenil en Ecuador: Análisis de sus deficiencias y alternativas de mejora desde una perspectiva comparativa”

Abstract

This study analyzes legal deficiencies in Ecuador regarding juvenile homicide, a phenomenon that is intensifying due to the use of minors by criminal groups. Ecuador's legal system, established in the Code of Children and Adolescents, is limited to implementing insufficient socio-educational measures to penalize serious crimes. Through a comparative study with the laws of Mexico and Spain, legal models have been identified that balance appropriate penalties with the safeguarding of children's rights. This study, employing a qualitative and comparative legal method, analyzes the laws, jurisprudence, and doctrine of the three countries, highlighting best practices that could be implemented in Ecuador. According to these publications, legal reforms are proposed that would establish stricter sanctions and extraordinary instructions in cases of contract killings involving adolescents, simultaneously attesting to the best interests of the adolescent, their restitution, and social protection. The goal of this study is to strengthen the discussion about the criminal responsibility of young people and suggest new opportunities for organized crime in Ecuador.