title: [Violence-related deaths in Argentina: two case studies in the cities of Venado Tuerto and San Rafael].
abstract: This article presents the results of a comparative study of two Argentinian cities, namely Venado Tuerto and San Rafael, which revealed different trends in the rates of firearm-related homicides. The methodology combined two strategies of analysis: semi-structured interviews with key informants (municipal and provincial government agents in different areas of management, as well as members of non-governmental organizations) and focus groups with actors involved in medical care, education, and religious institutions. The results suggest little difference between cities in which rates have increased and those in which rates have decreased. The most significant difference was that in Venado Tuerto a greater fragility of public institutions was observed due to the lack of articulation between such institutions. In San Rafael, the actors interviewed attribute the low level of conflict to a violence prevention network in which provincial and municipal agencies interact. Although neither city is violent at the most critical Latin American levels, the different results shown in Venado Tuerco and San Rafael indicate the possibility of bringing institutions together in a joint framework of conversations, agreements and policies.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Salud Colectiva, Universidad Nacional de Lanús UNLa, Lanús Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina. hugospinelli09@gmail.com
authors.forename: Hugo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Spinelli
authors.forename: Marcio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alazraqui
authors.forename: Diego
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Galeano
authors.forename: Sabrina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Calandrón
mesh_terms: D001118:Argentina / Q000453:epidemiology; D002947:Cities; D006708:Homicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D014505:Urban Population; D014754:Violence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*