A study of crime in Sao Paulo, Brazil and its implication on local society

Introduction

Crime refers to any action or the emission which constitutes an on wrongdoing that can be prosecuted by a country and remains to be punishable by the law (L.C.C, 2005). There is no conduct which will end up constituting a crime not unless it is declared by the law of a state. Some forms of crime, for instance criminal damage and theft, might be civil torts through which the victim/s might resort claiming compensation for the damages caused.

Nonetheless, a crime usually evolves whenever an individual breaks the law through an overt action, neglect, or omission which may result into a punishment. When a person has breached a rule or has violated a law, he or she will be said to have committed a criminal offense. Basically, there are two main types of crime that a person can be punishable for; property crime and violent crime. Property crime is the type of criminal offense committed whenever an individual steals, destroys, or damages another person’s property for instance vandalizing a building or stealing a car (Lott, 2010). In most states, property crimes are the most criminal offences committed by individuals. On the other hand, a violent crime evolves whenever a person attempts harm, harms or threatens to harm another person or even conspires to harm another person. This is to mean that they are criminal offenses which entails force or threat of force for example homicide or robbery.

In connection to that, crime in Sao Paul, Brazil, majority of the crimes committed in this state entails an outstanding incidence of violent and non-violent crimes. According to statistics, Brazil possesses a relatively higher violent crime rates such as robberies and murders. It is extensively believed that majority of the life-threatening criminal offenses in Brazil can be traced from the perspective of alcoholism and drug trade (Meade, 2010). The country is also regarded as the higher importer of cocaine as well as the main route of the international drug trade.

Research question

How can we understand the causes to crime in Sao Paulo, Brazil city and what are the possible solutions?

Crime prevalence rate in the city

With respect to the above research question, below are they various types of criminal offenses as well as their rates in the city.

25. a) Murder _ in 2012, the statistics which was collected indicates that the city had recorded a murder rate of about 25.3% per 100,000 population. It was found that there were a total of 50,108 murders in the city in 2012. In 2015, it crime rate statistics indicated that the city had about 32.4% per 100,000 within 64,357 homicides (Un-Habitat (2012).

Historically, the rate of crime in the city has remained to be high as compared to other surrounding neighborhoods. In 2012, the city registered about 22.8 homicides per 100000 inhabitants which is basically relatively higher than what the WHO (world health organization) considers to be acceptable (Meade, 2010). This translates to 10 homicides per 100000 occupants or a rise of 11% between 2010 and 2012.

Regardless of the fact that the 2000s, the murder rate in Brazil has been increasing considerably, bucking this trend indicates that the city of Sao Paulo is now approaching 10 murders per 100,00 mark down from its highest rate of 35.7% in 1999 (Meade, 2010). The murder rates of the city set a new record between 2009 and 2011, surpassing the preceding murder statistics which was set in 2003. In 2003 alone, the city had a crime rate of 28.9 thus remained to be an outstanding record for murders per 100,000 in the country. The police crime statistics post extensively lower numbers unlike the health ministry. Generally, it is noted that about 500,000 people do lose their life through firearms in the city between 1979 and 2003. According to the crime statistics collected by the United Nations (UN), it was found that in 2005; nearly 50% of those who die from firearms during the previous ten years in the city are aged between 15 to 24 years (Un-Habitat (2012).

1. b) Robbery, assault and kidnapping _ Carjacking in the city is one of the criminal offenses which are common each day. Visitors and local citizens alike are regularly besieged by criminals, particularly during public festivals for instance the Carnaval. Bag snatching and pick pocketing are also at a high rise. In most times of the day, bandits do operate in hotels, in outdoor markets as well as on public transport facilities or terminals (Oyeyinka et al, 2010). Express kidnapping is also crime witnessed in the city. Often there are cases of people abducted and forced to withdraw money from banks through ATMs so as to secure their release.

Cases dealing with assaults each day are drawing more attention. Rape cases have ultimately grown to about 99% between 2010 and 2012. This was so because the city registered about 25.26 rapes per 100000 inhabitants which are relatively higher than homicide cases.

2014. c) Corruption and domestic violence _ in the city, corruption is perceived as being a social problem which has remained to be pervasive. According to the Corruption Perceptions Index, the city scored 43% in 2014. Corruption was then cited to be amongst the issues that ended up provoking 2013 protest in Brazil (Un-Habitat (2012). Although corruption is regarded as being a serious offense, it has remained to be an important part of the city’s politics. For about 15 years that have passed, despite the fact that corruption as well as the embezzlement of funds has greatly evolved in the city politics, electorate continues to elect for those politicians convicted for the same crime (Oyeyinka et al, 2010).

From the statistics concerning domestic violence, it is indicated that about 10 to a5 women are murdered each pay in the city. Between 2002 and 2007, it was found that about 8% of all the homicide victims were female. Conversely, this remained to relatively low as compared to rate of male victimization which was found to constitute 92% of the total homicides victims in the city as per 2002. Additionally, physical violence is the type of crime which stands to be higher by recording 78%. Moral violence is the second with 28% which is of course virtually linked with some psychological violence, cited by 27%. Out of the 66% domestic violence that was recorded, husbands or partners were the ones who were responsible for most of the attacks (Un-Habitat (2012). 76% of the battered women indicate that they no longer stay with their husbands. Nonetheless, although 32% of the still live with their abusers, 18% of them still suffer the attacks. Those who still live with their male abusers are still the victims of this violence. Although 40% of them are being assaulted rarely, 20% do suffer the attacks on daily basis.

Factors that contribute to high crime rate

Brazil is regarded as the leading supplier and drug trafficking route. Because of that, the continuous increase in the drug trafficking in the city is one of the contributing factors of the high rates of crime in the city (Edwards et al, 2010). This is also contributed by the excessive availability of firearms which are used by drug traffickers in protecting their territory, returns from such illegal business as well as to deal with rivals. Nonetheless, the increased drug use and abuse and gang culture and affiliation have also contributed a lot in that they offer a favorable attitude towards the lifestyle of the gangsters including drug use and violence (U.N.H.S.P, 2007).

High unemployment rate is also another contributing factor for crime in the city. The lack of unemployment as well as the positive social outlets for majority of the youth continues to encourage them to engage in crime. Usually, a lot of people do move to the city for the search o white collar jobs and better living standards in return. Contrary to that, a lot of them, especially youths, do not manage to secure on and because of that they resort violence and crime so as to contain their lives in the city (U.N.H.S.P, 2007). Illegal owning of firearms, which is of course comes as a result of unemployment as well as the massive levels of poverty experienced by huge percentage of individuals.

In addition to that, the lack of reassurance that any person responsible for committing a crime in the city will be brought and held accountable for such a crime, is another factor which encourages people to continue committing a crime (Edwards et al, 2010).   For example, it is noted that have passed, despite the fact that corruption as well as the embezzlement of funds has greatly evolved in the city politics, instead of ensuring that those politicians who are found having committed a crime are brought to justice, the electorate the country continues to elect for them. In addition to that, this makes people not to feel safe reporting some offenses which might have been committed to them or their property because of the fear of retaliation.

Determinants of Crime victimization in the city

With regard to the rates of crime in the city, the determinants through larceny or burglary takes into account the investment of the victim in self-protection as well as criminals with some heterogeneous ability. Such determinants end up generating a non-increasing relationship amongst the income of an individual (which remains to be much attracting to the criminal) and the likelihood of him or her being victimized (Edwards et al, 2010).

This then suggests that rich people are less likely to experience victimization unlike the middle class or lower class individuals of the city.  This is to imply that in normal circumstance, rich people do received good security and their areas where they stay or when they move from one place to another within their city, the security they are given reduces their chances of becoming victims of crime. On the other hand, middle come lower class individuals rarely do received the adequate security both when living or moving from one place to another within the city. This then means that their victimization likelihood will be higher although that of the middle class individuals is relatively higher as compared to lower class individuals.

According to the victimization survey for Sao Paulo state, it indicates that the victimization likelihood is greatly influenced by the size of the city.  The population characteristics of the city, for instance income, the political status of a person or education levels of its inhabitants, have a huge impact to the extent at which a person will be the victim of crime (Moser, 2004). This then suggest that, when is well educated it means that his or her chances of being the victim of crime, especially corruption, are low unlike the uneducated ones. The reason for this is because the uneducated individuals do not have widespread opportunity of defending their rights when it comes to corruption in the city.  

In connection to the above, such investment is likely to generate some non-monotonic relationship among the income and victimization in case of the offenders with different levels of skills (F´abio & Louren, 2009). For instance, individuals who are prone to be the victims of crime often self-select themselves to the city. Therefore, being in the city of Sao Paulo cannot be taken as being the determinant of victimization. It is the position that one holds that will determine it.

Moreover, it can also be suggested that crime and the size of the city does not have a profound relationship to each other, and thus the same applies also to the income of the victim and the victimization likelihood. The reason for that is because, whenever people decide to live in the city, they do not consider their victimization likelihood.

On the other hand, the size of the city can also be taken as being an important factor for determining the likelihood of a person becoming the victim of larceny (F´abio & Louren, 2009). It should then be realized that the rate of crime does not usually increase with the increase in the city size. Contrary to that, education and income accounts for huge percentage of the city size affect thus the likelihood of an individual being a victim of violence. This then means that, crime victimization in the city decreases with the increase of the victims’ income.

How crime affect local businesses and safety of residents

        Local business

Basically, criminal offense which is done o business entails corruption and embezzlement of business funds, stealing or vandalizing of business properties.  As the state of the economy of the city tightens, the rate of crime is also increasing drastically. This comprises also some sort of violence to corporate espionages. Currently it is estimated that a large number of businesses have applied for bankruptcy because of such crimes although a number of them have managed rise. Majority of individuals are now faced with increasing financial pressure that has resulted to the sharp spike in all aspects of the controversial behaviors or crime (Palmer, 2012). As people remain to be struggling with medical expenses, fore-closures, layoffs and so on, it increases the possibility or chances of an employee stealing from his or her organization. These actions in the city of Sao Paulo are punishable by the law because of the negative effects it has on the well-being of the business as discussed below;

1. a) Loss of revenue _ once any business organization in the city has been compromised by such illegal actions, it makes it relatively harder for such a business to be in the position of running its daily economic activities (Palmer, 2012). The reason for this is because it cannot manage to acquire the necessary resources required to run it efficiently and successfully because its funds will already be affected. This is equally discouraging since running an enterprise with full of debts is extremely difficulty.
2. b) Damage reputation _ whenever a certain business organization in the city will be faced with crime, for instance corruption and embezzlement of funds, it reputation will be damaged. The reputation of not only the client but also for the potential investor who had been invited to invest in that particular business will also be ruined. This will make them to remain with doubts as whether the business will sustain itself or not. They will also be bothered about their general security in the organization. The clients of the business will also develop a negative impression about it thus making the business to perform poorly in return (b, 2003).
3. c) Reduced production _ whenever consumers’ losses interest on the product or services that are offered by certain business, the production levels of that business organization will be affected. The output from employees working in that business will also diminish (b, 2003). The only choice such a business will be left with is to lay-off a certain percentage of them. This is unfortunate scenario that a business can experience because of corruption. It will also remain to be frustrating for the owners for losing his or her business.

           Safety of residents

Every citizen in the city remains to be negatively impacted by this social, political, and economic factor. There is no one the society who escapes its impact as well as the violence that has affected the city. Crime interferes with the people’s daily life, their ability to trust each other or the fabric of their community or way of life (U.N.H.S.P, 2007). Because of this, the safety of its citizens is threatened in various ways as discussed below; 

Crime in the city, challenges the fabric of the community as well as the peoples’ way of life. For instance stealing has the capacity of deterring people from accessing and using various public facilities for example open spaces and parks and public transport (Penglase, 2014). People remain to be afraid of working in streets, afraid of travelling to other neighborhoods within the city. Crime also will end up discouraging the city’s residents from participating in various social activities.

Conclusion

In the city of Sao Paulo Brazil, crime and violence is regarded as being a social tragedy as well as a great expense for the Brazilian Government. Although the recent statistics which have been collected indicates that the city is improving in terms of controlling violence and crime, still the city is not safer for living or working. Nonetheless the living conditions of its youths have not improved hence the likelihood of the upholding these immoral activities are higher.

On the other hand, issues which deal with drug trafficking, drug use and drug abuse, illegal owning of firearms, unemployment rates and disintegration of the social ties of families due to domestic violence have remained to be persistent in the city. This have it hard to control curb the chances of a person becoming the victim of crime or violence. Nonetheless, crime and violence in the city have extensively destroyed the economic growth of businesses due to loss of revenue, business properties and so on. The safety of the people also remains to be threatened hence restricting people from enjoying staying in the city.

 

References

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