The evolution of illicit mining offenses has wide influence on the increasing violence indices in mining municipalities in Colombia, as deducted from the present research carried out with the objective of explaining the impact of illegal mining on coexistence and citizen security in the cited municipalities. Method. Research was of a mixed type, with a descriptive exploratory scope, composed by a sample of 129 public and private officers distributed into 42 municipalities belonging to 10 departments. Results were analyzed from the integrating theory of crime, and they revealed high deterioration levels for coexistence and citizen security in municipalities with a mining vocation, as evidenced by high homicide rates, personal injuries and extortion, this situation being well exploited by illegal armed groups to perpetuate violence and underdevelopment spirals in the areas where they commit their offenses.