This book investigates how surveillance technologies, framed as tools for state reform, paradoxically reveal and exacerbate state weakness in Mexico's War on Crime. Keith Guzik analyzes the implementation of these technologies, focusing on their material targets like cell phones and bodies, and argues that they represent an attempt to assert control in a context of national fragility. The book explores the challenges faced by the Mexican government in deploying these systems, suggesting that their use offers a complex picture of state capacity and presents avenues for civic engagement rather than state retreat.

The book is recognized for its innovative analysis of surveillance technologies and their impact on governance, particularly within the context of Mexico's ongoing struggle with crime. It challenges conventional views by positing surveillance as a marker of state frailty rather than a demonstration of power. The work is noted for its focus on the material aspects of surveillance and its potential implications for civic participation. This perspective offers a nuanced understanding of state control in contemporary societies.