A/70/289 activities in trafficking, organized theft and mass distribution of illegal merchandise. 79. Research on gangs in Honduras has shed some light on factors that lead adolescents to join or leave a gang. Joining a gang is more likely for a young person whose parents are absent for economic reasons, including as a result of migration, and for whom no other authority figure has stepped in. In one group studied, gang members who had lost their parents saw the gang as a replacement family. In another group, gang members were far more driven by financial reasons, regarding the leader as the boss of the business. Overall, the most common reasons for leaving the gang were the birth of a first child, concern about damage being caused to family members, the opportunity to move to a different neighbourhood, commitment to the community and having a spiritual experience. 80. Children and adolescents in vulnerable situations are easy targets for transnational crime organizations dealing with stolen vehicles or goods, weapons, drugs, metals or persons. Occupying subordinate roles, the youngsters are seen as disposable labour and exposed to a high risk of violence. 81. The drugs trade typically uses children and adolescents for the most dangerous activities, such as monitoring territory, the transport and retail sale of drugs, or theft. Some children may end up being associated with criminal activities, including human trafficking, kidnapping and extortion and contract killings. Boys and girls may participate in human trafficking from an early age, as guides, lookouts or informants. Thereafter, they may be required to take care of safe houses and prevent escapes and later they may be armed and become involved in more dangerous tasks. 82. At the low level of “narco retail”, children’s exposure to violence may be particularly high owing to clashes over territory, the protection of merchandise, or punishment by their adult masters if they fall short of expectations. D. Protecting children from armed violence in the community 83. Responses to young people associated with violent acts often emphasize punitive approaches. That is especially the case when they belong to a gang, although with little distinction between levels of responsibility within such groups. 84. That approach has led to the increasing severity of criminal penalties, the lowering of the minimum age of criminal responsibility and criminalization of the lower levels of illegal organizations, where the involvement of marginalized children and teenagers is concentrated. Young offenders tend to be incarcerated in overcrowded detention centres, at times together with adults, risking engagement with criminal gangs which control their communities beyond the prison walls. Rather than enhancing prevention, this leads to greater violence. 85. To counter the complex and multifaceted phenomenon of armed violence, it is essential to develop a comprehensive agenda where human rights are safeguarded, social inclusion and human development are promoted and people can live free from fear and violence. 86. That can be achieved by securing robust accountability systems, peaceful environments for children and strategies to limit the harmful use of alcohol and firearms, uphold public safety and provide access to justice and restorative justice processes. Those dimensions are addressed below. 15-13244 19/25