Crime in Brazil - Overview

Overview

The Swiss-based NGO Small Arms Survey says that, in light of recent improvements, Brazil is no longer one of the most violent places on Earth. Kidnappings occur, but increased police know-how has somewhat alleviated the problem. Prostitution per se is not a crime in Brazil, unlike procuring. The Government of Brazil has recently increased efforts to combat child prostitution and sex tourism. In 2010, there were 473,600 people incarcerated in Brazilian prisons and jails. Drugs are responsible for 85,000 of the total tally.

It is believed that most life-threatening crime in Brazil can be traced back to drug trade and alcoholism. Brazil is a heavy importer of illicit cocaine, as well as part of the international drug routes. Arms and marijuana employed by criminals are mostly locally-produced.

New legislation has brought stricter punishment to domestic abuse and driving under the influence. Thousands of human trafficking and slavery cases are reported annually, usually associated with sugarcane plantation or, in the cities, illegal immigrants from Asia and Latin America. Crime rates vary greatly across the country, with a higher incidence in metropolitan suburbs and in border zones.

White-collar crime is targeted mainly by public prosecutors and the Federal Police, and receives new attention from lawmakers: the crime of money laundering was introduced in 1998. The Internet is also home to numerous Brazilian hackers, while online hate speech, heavily penalized in the Brazilian Penal Code, eludes officers. Land crime is propitiated by bureaucracy and government tolerance, and conflicting ownership claims, particularly in rural areas, challenge the rule of law; deforestation, once rampant, today has sharply declined as negative incentives are imposed and satellite tracking is perfected.

A lingering problem are human rights violations during the capture and custody of suspects, which were mentioned in a recent United Nations report. On the other hand, criminal charges have been described as exceedingly lax, allowing violent criminals an early return to society. The justice system is slow, largely because of loopholes that allow for numerous appeals. According to the U.S. Department of State, a majority of crimes are not solved.

Crime in Brazil is a common theme in the popular media globally, to the point that it is believed to tarnish the country's image. Locals often complain that Brazil's fame as a criminal hotspot is hysterical, going far beyond actual statistical comparisons. Various Brazilian organizations have protested against depictions of crime in programs such as The Simpsons, Law and Order: Criminal Intent and in the movie Turistas.