Delinquent violence, criminal justice in Mexico, and Erich Fromm in real time

Abstract

The efforts of the Mexican authorities to defeat insecurity, violence, and crime have not been successful. It seems that the prison system plays a major role in this. Delinquent violence forces us to look for different options and conditions. Proposals that emanated from the humanist psychoanalysis promoted by Erich Fromm, who lived in Mexico for over 20 years from the late 1950s to the mid 1970s, are therapeutic resources and paths of analysis. These allow us to identify both the productive and the creative aspects of the individual personality propelling the person to their social integration. The aim is to guide individuals toward a biophilic character and to the construction of a fair society provided with hope and liberty. The mission of the Instituto Mexicano de Psicoanálisis (IMPAC; Mexican Institute of Psychoanalysis), founded in Mexico City in 1963 by Erich Fromm, is to: spread Fromm’s intellectual legacy through psychoanalytic training; pay specialized attention to persons in need of psychotherapies and analytic psychotherapies; disseminate Fromm’s thoughts by publishing them; undertake professional research; plus, recently, collaborate with federal agencies for justice procurement and human rights defense. This has made it possible to convince us of the appropriateness, validity, and efficacy of humanist psychoanalysis to approach and become involved in benefiting Mexican society.

Key words:

• delinquent violence
• criminal justice
• prison system
• humanistic psychoanalysis
• biophilic character
• Mexican Institute of Psychoanalysis
• International Forum of Psychoanalysis

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Amparo Espinosa Rugarcía

Amparo Espinosa Rugarcía (Puebla, Mexico, 1941) has since 2022 been Director of the Mexican Institute of Psychoanalysis, founded by Erich Fromm in 1963. She has founded and currently presides over other nongovernmental organizations such as For the Right to a Dignified Death (DMD), Documentation and Studies on Women (DEMAC), Foundation Espinosa Rugarcía (FERSU), and Research Center Espinosa Yglesias (CEEY). She holds a degree in business management from the Iberic-American University (UIA;) Universidad Iberoamericana) and three postgraduate degrees: in Bioethics from the Catholic University at Ávila; in psychoanalysis from IMPAC; and in Human Development from UIA. She has been a professor, researcher, writer, and collaborator with newspapers and radio. She has one daughter and two sons, three granddaughters, two grandsons, and two great-grandsons. Currently, Amparo Espinosa lives and works in Mexico City.