This repository was created by: Christopher Blattman, Gustavo Duncan, Benjamin Lessing, Juan-Felipe Martínez, Nelson Matta, Juan-Pablo Mesa-Mejía, Arantxa Rodríguez-Uribe, Santiago Tobón, and their research teams at the University of Chicago, Universidad EAFIT and Innovations for Poverty Action.
Welcome to WikiCombo.
This is an online repository of information that delves into the workings of the criminal underworld in Medellín, Colombia. This resource is the result of years of research, including data gathered from hundreds of interviews with individuals who possess firsthand knowledge of the city's criminal activities. This wiki serves as a comprehensive database for understanding the various aspects of Medellín's underworld.
This resource is intended to provide valuable insights into the criminal market for academic and journalistic research purposes. All materials are anonymized, adhere to legal and ethical standards, and respect privacy and safety considerations for every interviewee.
This repository includes analysis and raw materials from hundreds of interviews with criminal group leaders and members, organized crime experts, law enforcement officers, and residents and community leaders.
This repository consists of two layers:
WikiCombo: Assembled information into thematic pages on major topics.
WikiSources: Raw notes and transcripts from every interview.
Research based on WikiCombo materials includes:
"Gang rule: Understanding and countering criminal governance" (Christopher Blattman, Gustavo Duncan, Benjamin Lessing and Santiago Tobón). Accepted at the Review of Economic Studies
"Civilian alternatives to policing: Evidence from Medellin’s community problem-solving intervention Operación Convivencia" (Christopher Blattman, Gustavo Duncan, Benjamin Lessing and Santiago Tobón).
If you have access, you can log in below:
To request access, you can send an email to info@wikicombo.com providing:
Your name, affiliation, and profession
A motivation statement
Access will be granted on the basis of the information provided. Note that the University of Chicago and Universidad EAFIT Institutional Review Boards and participant consents limit access to a modest number of researchers and journalists doing research in Medellín. Accessing WikiCombo will typically require Institutional Review Board approval from the applicant's organization.