Brazil registers 11% drop in murders in first quarter this year

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – After an increase in violent crimes in 2020, the country again recorded a drop in homicides, robbery, and bodily injury followed by death, in the first three months of 2021. Only 5 states report an increase in the number of deaths. A tool created by news site G1 tracks murders on a monthly basis.

Brazil registered an 11% drop in murders in the first 3 months of this year compared to the same period in 2020. This is shown in the national homicide index created by G1, based on official data from 26 states and the Federal District.

In January, February and March, 10,663 violent deaths were registered, against 12,007 in the first quarter of 2020. That is, 1,344 fewer. The number includes victims of homicides (including femicides), robberies and bodily injury followed by death.

The drop comes after a violent 2020, despite the novel coronavirus pandemic. Last year, the country registered an increase in murders after having dropped for 2 consecutive years.

The data point out that:

There were 10,663 murders in the 1st quarter, 1,344 fewer deaths than in the same period in 2020;
Only 5 states registered an increase in the number of deaths;
Roraima registered the highest increase in crimes: 19%;
The Federal District registered the largest drop: -37%.

The survey, which compiles monthly data, is part of the Violence Monitor, a partnership between G1, the Center for the Study of Violence of the University of São Paulo (NEV-USP), and the Brazilian Public Safety Forum.

What do experts say?

According to Bruno Paes Manso, from NEV-USP, the circumstantial variations raised by the Violence Monitor are more useful to raise questions than to provide answers. According to him, 3 months is a short time to detect a trend. “If the curve continues to drop, it will be good news which will still require debate and reflection for us to identify the causes.”

Samira Bueno, the Brazilian Public Safety Forum’s executive director, says that the decrease in murders in the first quarter of 2021 is news to be celebrated, but points out that it is still too early to assess whether there is, in fact, a trend.

National homicide index – description

The tool created by G1 enables the tracking of data on violent crime victims on a monthly basis in Brazil. It counts the victims of homicides (including femicides), robberies and bodily injury followed by death. Together, these cases comprise the so-called lethal and intentional violent crimes.

G1 journalists around the country requested the data, through the press office and the Access to Information Law, following the methodological standard used by the forum in the Brazilian Yearbook of Public Safety.

The federal government announced the creation of a similar system under ex-minister Sergio Moro. But the data are not as current as in G1’s tool.

The data collected monthly by G1 do not include deaths resulting from police intervention. This is because there is greater difficulty in collecting these data in real time and systematically from state governments. The closed balance for the year 2020 was published last month. This year’s figures will be released at a later date.

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