Brazil Crime Stats
Author: Edsel.G
Brazil is one of the world’s most criminalized countries in the world. For every hundred thousand Brazilians, death through homicide can happen to 22-27 individuals. This makes Brazil one of the top 20 countries with the highest homicide rates.
Violence in the country is largely blamed on the culture. Basically, when an individual is threatened, the traditional tendency is to seek a group which can act as deterrence to future aggression, or as a means to inflict injuries to others perceived to be threats. This is the reason why gangs and gang-related violence in the country is among the highest in the world. Gangs are essentially culturally and socially accepted by the general Brazilian public.
However, the biggest and most daunting challenge to the Brazilian authorities is the prevalence of drugs and drug-caused or –related crimes. History has proven that solving the drug crisis is easier said than done because of several reasons: first, Brazil is an important waypoint for the global drug market; the many rivers and coastlines of the country are perfect for drug transportation without being detected by authorities; second, many of the frontliners of the drug trade within the country are young individuals; making them less prone to arrests – and if they are arrested, they can get out of jail in three years or less making them very economical and profitable for the drug lords.
Background:
Definitions
- Age of criminal responsibility: The age at which a person is no longer excluded from criminal liability. The lowest age is indicated for countries where there isn’t a single age limit, for example where different states have different regulations (such as the USA) or there is different limits for boy and girls (such as in Iran). The spectrum is specifically wide for the USA and Mexico (both 6-12 years). Several US states do not stipulate any minimal age for criminal responsibility at all. For further qualifications, exceptions and other notes, please refer to notes.
- Age of criminal responsibility (notes): Additional information, qualifications, exceptions and notes on the age of criminal responsibility stat, which indicates the age at which a person is no longer excluded from criminal liability.
- Believes crime increasing in the past 3 years: Crime increasing in the past 3 years. Based on 0-50 contributions for Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria and 82 more countries and 50-100 contributions for Argentina, Belgium, Bulgaria and 24 more countries and over 100 contributions for Australia, Brazil, Canada and 17 more countries. The surveys were conducted by numbeo.com from July, 2011 to February, 2014. See this sample survey for the United States, respondents were asked "In the past three years would you say the level of crime in your community has increased, stayed about the same, or decreased?". The higher the value, the more survey respondents believe it is high in their country.
- Crime levels: Level of crime. Based on 0-50 contributions for Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria and 82 more countries and 50-100 contributions for Argentina, Belgium, Bulgaria and 24 more countries and over 100 contributions for Australia, Brazil, Canada and 17 more countries. The surveys were conducted by numbeo.com from July, 2011 to February, 2014. See this sample survey for the United States, respondents were asked "How serious you feel the level of crime is?". The higher the value, the more survey respondents believe it is high in their country.
- Drugs > Annual cannabis use: Estimate of percentage of 15-64 year old population who use Cannabis.
- Drugs > HIV infections amongst drug users: Percentage of injecting drug users who are HIV positive.
- Drugs > HIV testing amongst drug users: Estimated percentage of injecting drug users who have been tested for HIV.
- Drugs > Opiates use: Annual prevalence.
- Fear of crime > Feels safe walking alone > At night: Safety walking alone during night. Based on 0-50 contributions for Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria and 82 more countries and 50-100 contributions for Argentina, Belgium, Bulgaria and 24 more countries and over 100 contributions for Australia, Brazil, Canada and 17 more countries. The surveys were conducted by numbeo.com from July, 2011 to February, 2014. See this sample survey for the United States, respondents were asked "How safe do you feel walking alone in this city during the night?". The higher the value, the more survey respondents believe it is high in their country.
- Fear of crime > Feels safe walking alone > During the day: Safety walking alone during daylight. Based on 0-50 contributions for Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria and 82 more countries and 50-100 contributions for Argentina, Belgium, Bulgaria and 24 more countries and over 100 contributions for Australia, Brazil, Canada and 17 more countries. The surveys were conducted by numbeo.com from July, 2011 to February, 2014. See this sample survey for the United States, respondents were asked "How safe do you feel walking alone in this city during the daylight?". The higher the value, the more survey respondents believe it is high in their country.
- Fear of crime > Violent hate crime: Worries being subject to a physical attack because of your skin colour, ethnic origin or religion. Based on 0-50 contributions for Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria and 82 more countries and 50-100 contributions for Argentina, Belgium, Bulgaria and 24 more countries and over 100 contributions for Australia, Brazil, Canada and 17 more countries. The surveys were conducted by numbeo.com from July, 2011 to February, 2014. See this sample survey for the United States, respondents were asked "(How worried are you about)......being subject to a physical attack because of your skin colour, ethnic origin or religion?". The higher the value, the more survey respondents believe it is high in their country.
- Fear of crime > Worries about being attacked: Worries attacked. Based on 0-50 contributions for Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria and 82 more countries and 50-100 contributions for Argentina, Belgium, Bulgaria and 24 more countries and over 100 contributions for Australia, Brazil, Canada and 17 more countries. The surveys were conducted by numbeo.com from July, 2011 to February, 2014. See this sample survey for the United States, respondents were asked "(How worried are you about)......being physically attacked by strangers?". The higher the value, the more survey respondents believe it is high in their country.
- Fear of crime > Worries about being insulted: Worries being insulted. Based on 0-50 contributions for Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria and 82 more countries and 50-100 contributions for Argentina, Belgium, Bulgaria and 24 more countries and over 100 contributions for Australia, Brazil, Canada and 17 more countries. The surveys were conducted by numbeo.com from July, 2011 to February, 2014. See this sample survey for the United States, respondents were asked "(How worried are you about)......being insulted or pestered by anybody, while in the street or any other public place?". The higher the value, the more survey respondents believe it is high in their country.
- Fear of crime > Worries about being mugged or robbed: Worries being mugged or robbed. Based on 0-50 contributions for Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria and 82 more countries and 50-100 contributions for Argentina, Belgium, Bulgaria and 24 more countries and over 100 contributions for Australia, Brazil, Canada and 17 more countries. The surveys were conducted by numbeo.com from July, 2011 to February, 2014. See this sample survey for the United States, respondents were asked "(How worried are you about)......being mugged and robbed?". The higher the value, the more survey respondents believe it is high in their country.
- Fear of crime > Worries about home break and enter: Worries home broken and things stolen. Based on 0-50 contributions for Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria and 82 more countries and 50-100 contributions for Argentina, Belgium, Bulgaria and 24 more countries and over 100 contributions for Australia, Brazil, Canada and 17 more countries. The surveys were conducted by numbeo.com from July, 2011 to February, 2014. See this sample survey for the United States, respondents were asked "How worried are you about....having your home broken into and something stolen?". The higher the value, the more survey respondents believe it is high in their country.
- Illicit drugs: Crime statistics are often better indicators of prevalence of law enforcement and willingness to report crime, than actual prevalence.
- International Court of Justice > Current composition > Term End: Date term of judges of different nationality in the International Court of Justice will come to an end.
- Justice system > Punishment > Capital punishment (last execution year): Year of last use.
- Murder rate: Homicide rate per year per 100,000 inhabitants in various countries.
- Murders > Per 100,000 people: Intentional homicide rate is the estimate of intentional homicides in a country as a result of domestic disputes that end in a killing, interpersonal violence, violent conflicts over land resources, inter-gang violence over turf or control, and predatory violence and killing by armed groups. The term, intentional homicide, is broad, but it does not include all intentional killing. In particular, deaths arising from armed conflict are usually considered separately. The difference is usually described by the organisation of the killing. Individuals or small groups usually commit homicide, whereas the killing in armed conflict is usually committed by more or less cohesive groups of up to several hundred members. Two main sources of data are presented: criminal justice (law enforcement) measures (this series), supplemented by data from national statistical agencies, and measures from public health sources (see other intentional homicide series). These various sources measure slightly different phenomena and are therefore unlikely to provide identical numbers."
- Murders > WHO: Intentional homicide rate is the estimate of intentional homicides in a country as a result of domestic disputes that end in a killing, interpersonal violence, violent conflicts over land resources, inter-gang violence over turf or control, and predatory violence and killing by armed groups. The term, intentional homicide, is broad, but it does not include all intentional killing. In particular, deaths arising from armed conflict are usually considered separately. The difference is usually described by the organisation of the killing. Individuals or small groups usually commit homicide, whereas the killing in armed conflict is usually committed by more or less cohesive groups of up to several hundred members. Two main sources of data are presented: criminal justice (law enforcement) measures (this series), supplemented by data from national statistical agencies, and measures from public health sources (see other intentional homicide series). These various sources measure slightly different phenomena and are therefore unlikely to provide identical numbers."
- Murders committed by youths: Homicide rates among youths aged 10–29 years by country or area: most recent year available (variable 1990–1999).
- Perceived problems > Illegal drugs: Problem people using or dealing drugs. Based on 0-50 contributions for Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria and 82 more countries and 50-100 contributions for Argentina, Belgium, Bulgaria and 24 more countries and over 100 contributions for Australia, Brazil, Canada and 17 more countries. The surveys were conducted by numbeo.com from July, 2011 to February, 2014. See this sample survey for the United States, respondents were asked "(How much of a problem are...) people using or dealing drugs?". The higher the value, the more survey respondents believe it is high in their country.
- Perceived problems > Problem corruption and bribery: Problem corruption and bribery. Based on 0-50 contributions for Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria and 82 more countries and 50-100 contributions for Argentina, Belgium, Bulgaria and 24 more countries and over 100 contributions for Australia, Brazil, Canada and 17 more countries. The surveys were conducted by numbeo.com from July, 2011 to February, 2014. See this sample survey for the United States, respondents were asked "(How much of a problem are...) corruption and bribery?". The higher the value, the more survey respondents believe it is high in their country.
- Perceived problems > Problem violent crimes including assault and armed robbery: Problem violent crimes such as assault and armed robbery. Based on 0-50 contributions for Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria and 82 more countries and 50-100 contributions for Argentina, Belgium, Bulgaria and 24 more countries and over 100 contributions for Australia, Brazil, Canada and 17 more countries. The surveys were conducted by numbeo.com from July, 2011 to February, 2014. See this sample survey for the United States, respondents were asked "(How much of a problem are...) violent crimes such as assault and armed robbery?". The higher the value, the more survey respondents believe it is high in their country.
- Perceived problems > Property crimes including vandalism and theft: Problem property crimes such as vandalism and theft. Based on 0-50 contributions for Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria and 82 more countries and 50-100 contributions for Argentina, Belgium, Bulgaria and 24 more countries and over 100 contributions for Australia, Brazil, Canada and 17 more countries. The surveys were conducted by numbeo.com from July, 2011 to February, 2014. See this sample survey for the United States, respondents were asked "(How much of a problem are...) property crimes such as vandalism and theft?". The higher the value, the more survey respondents believe it is high in their country.
- Prisoners: Total persons incarcerated
- Prisoners > Female: Female prisoners, expressed as a percentage share of the total prison population. Data for 2003.
- Prisoners > Per capita: Data for 2003. Number of prisoners held per 100,000 population.
- Prisoners per 1000: Total persons incarcerated. Figures expressed per thousand population for the same year.
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Punishment > Crimes possibly attracting life sentence:
Possible other sentence.
No date was available from the Wikipedia article, so we used the date of retrieval.
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Punishment > Crimes requiring mandatory sentence:
Mandatory sentence.
No date was available from the Wikipedia article, so we used the date of retrieval.
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Punishment > Has life imprisonment:
Life imprisonment.
No date was available from the Wikipedia article, so we used the date of retrieval.
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Punishment > Life sentence under the age of 18 or 21:
Under age of 18 (or 21).
No date was available from the Wikipedia article, so we used the date of retrieval.
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Punishment > Maximum length of sentence:
Maximum length of sentence (under life).
No date was available from the Wikipedia article, so we used the date of retrieval.
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Punishment > Minimum life sentence to serve before eligibility for requesting parole:
Minimum to serve before eligibility for requesting parole.
No date was available from the Wikipedia article, so we used the date of retrieval.
- Software piracy rate: The piracy rate is the total number of units of pirated software deployed in 2007 divided by the total units of software installed.
- Suicide rates > Suicide rate (both sexes): Suicides per 100’000 residents per year.
- Suicide rates > Suicide rate (females: Female.
- Suicide rates > Suicide rate (males): Male.
- Violent crime > Gun crime > Guns per 100 residents: Number of privately owned small firearms per 100 residents.
- Violent crime > Intentional homicide rate: Homicides per 100’000 residents. Homicide is the death of a person purposefully inflicted by another person (it excludes suicides) outside of a state of war. Homicide is a broader category than murder, as it also includes manslaughter. The exact legal definition varies across countries, some of which include infanticide, assisted suicide, euthanasia and deaths caused by dangerous driving.
- Violent crime > Murder rate: Intentional homicide, number and rate per 100,000 population.
- Violent crime > Murder rate per million people: Intentional homicide, number and rate per 100,000 population. Figures expressed per million people for the same year.
- Violent crime > Murders: Intentional homicide, number and rate per 100,000 population.
- Violent crime > Murders per million people: Intentional homicide, number and rate per 100,000 population. Figures expressed per million people for the same year.
SOURCES: Wikipedia: Defense of infancy (Ages of criminal responsibility by country); Wikipedia: Defense of infancy (Ages of criminal responsibility by country); crime; https://www.unodc.org/documents/data-and-analysis/WDR2011/World_Drug_Report_2011_ebook.pdf, World Drug Report 2011, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), 2011, p. 217.; Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS. Source tables; Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS. Source tables; Wikipedia: List of countries by prevalence of opiates use ("World Drug Report 2011" . United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. 2011. "World Drug Report 2006" . United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. 2006. http://www.unodc.org/documents/wdr/WDR_2009/WDR2009_eng_web.pdf); CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 28 March 2011; Various sources compiled into Wikipedia's: International Court of Justice; Wikipedia: Capital punishment in Europe (Abolition); UN Office on Drugs and Crime, UN Survey of Crime Trends, at http://www.unodc.org/documents/data-and-analysis/IHS-rates-05012009.pdf.; World Health Organisation.; World Health Organization: World report on violence and health, 2002; The Eighth United Nations Survey on Crime Trends and the Operations of Criminal Justice Systems (2002) (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Centre for International Crime Prevention); International Centre for Prison Studies - World Prison Brief; The Eighth United Nations Survey on Crime Trends and the Operations of Criminal Justice Systems (2002) (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Centre for International Crime Prevention). Population figures from World Bank: (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects, (2) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Report (various years), (3) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (4) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (5) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme, and (6) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database.; Wikipedia: Life imprisonment (Summary by country); Fifth Annual BSA and IDC Global Software Piracy Study; Wikipedia: List of countries by suicide rate (Suicide rates per 100,000 by country, year and sex (Table) ); Wikipedia: List of United States extradition treaties; Annexe I of the Small Arms Survey 2007 ; Wikipedia: List of countries by intentional homicide rate by decade; United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Source tables; United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Source tables. Population figures from World Bank: (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects, (2) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Report (various years), (3) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (4) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (5) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme, and (6) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database.
Citation
Brazil Crime Profiles (Subcategories)
| Drugs 4 | Punishment 6 |
| Fear of crime 9 | Suicide rates 3 |
| Perceived problems 4 | United States extradition treaties 3 |
| Prisoners 5 | Violent crime 6 |
- Brazil ranked second for prisoners amongst Christian countries in 2002.
- Brazil has had the highest violent crime > murder rate since 2004.
- Brazil has had the highest violent crime > murders since 2004.
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Brazil is one of the world’s most criminalized countries in the world. For every hundred thousand Brazilians, death through homicide can happen to 22-27 individuals. This makes Brazil one of the top 20 countries with the highest homicide rates.
Violence in the country is largely blamed on the culture. Basically, when an individual is threatened, the traditional tendency is to seek a group which can act as deterrence to future aggression, or as a means to inflict injuries to others perceived to be threats. This is the reason why gangs and gang-related violence in the country is among the highest in the world. Gangs are essentially culturally and socially accepted by the general Brazilian public.
However, the biggest and most daunting challenge to the Brazilian authorities is the prevalence of drugs and drug-caused or –related crimes. History has proven that solving the drug crisis is easier said than done because of several reasons: first, Brazil is an important waypoint for the global drug market; the many rivers and coastlines of the country are perfect for drug transportation without being detected by authorities; second, many of the frontliners of the drug trade within the country are young individuals; making them less prone to arrests – and if they are arrested, they can get out of jail in three years or less making them very economical and profitable for the drug lords.
Posted on 06 Apr 2014
Edsel.G
247 Stat enthusiast
