Thread: The crimes over there...

I was wondering how are the crimes over there? Are there certain places which should be avoided especially for those who are new there?

Crime in Brazil has reached a very high level. The rate of crime continues to rise particularly in the urban areas. Brazil's murder rate is more than 4 times than that of the US. Foreign tourists are often targets of crime.

That's really scary to hear about it, I thought Brazil to be pretty safe... safer than countries like US but instead it's the other way around.

well yes thats alarming,its not as safe as states but certainly quite safer than places like columbia and somalia or iraq,people need to be cautious and vigilant when they go around to new places thats the smart traveller,go in groups of 4-5 or more.

What does the government gonna do about this and what are the main cause for it? Here at my place crime rate has gone up too.

The main reason of the rising crime rate is unemployment and poverty. The Brazilian Govt. is trying to control the crimes but with little or no result.

I think, U.S is also one of the main reason which pushed the country more in the depth of poverty. But still its a big concern as the crime rate can reduce the tourist visit to Brazil.

Same here, cost of living is getting higher and the pay is low for most jobs and with the unemployment and so on it creates more "jobs" for crimes and such.

Is over-population there in your country ?? I don't have much idea about malaysia , but still i read about, the huge booming of I.T industries there in one of the conference.

It's not over-populated at all, as for IT industries we do have some projects and stuff but of course not as grand like some other countries, crimes seems to be under control a little as more police started to patrol around at night.

For those who live near to the favelas life must be scary. A friend of mine lives in Penha and was caught by a 'bala perdida' while sitting on his patio, he has to live there because he has to rent out his Flamego apartment because he can't afford the taxes to live there.

May I know what's 'bala perdida'? Is it a robber or something? Sorry to hear about it, I guess one needs to be careful and get some information when traveling to any country.

Bala Perdida is the name they give to stray bullets. The weapons found in these favelas can reach several miles.

I guess favelas would be a gun or such then, that's sound really scary as the those bullets may hit vital organs. How's your friend now, still living at the same place?

Favelas are the shanty towns that are all around Rio and Sao Paulo and elsewhere, there are as many people living there as in houses. Drugs and guns and gangs. Life expectancy is low. Much of the drug money is controlled by police. You should see the Brazilian films Cidade de Deus (City of God) and Homen do Ano (Man of the Year). My friend was wounded in the arm and was in bandages for 3 months, he was lucky as many die. Thanks for asking.

I'm sorry to hear about it and thanks for telling me all this, it makes me know more about Brazil as apart from most nice things that I usually read about, I also get to know the bad ones as well.

Originally Posted by cardi

Favelas are the shanty towns that are all around Rio and Sao Paulo and elsewhere, there are as many people living there as in houses. Drugs and guns and gangs. Life expectancy is low. Much of the drug money is controlled by police. You should see the Brazilian films Cidade de Deus (City of God) and Homen do Ano (Man of the Year). My friend was wounded in the arm and was in bandages for 3 months, he was lucky as many die. Thanks for asking.

WOW, i didn't know it was that bad!

I'm sorry to hear that about your friend, i hope he gets better!

I am very shocked about that statement, makes me wonder!

One of my friends travelled to Brazil and ended up being involved in a hold up. One minute she was shopping at the grocer and the next she was on the floor begging for her life. It pretty much scared her to death but she still describes Brasil as a wonderful experience.

I am an American and live in a large city about 20 minutes out of Rio. The city I live in has everything and there is no need for me to go to Rio. I go to Rio for the beach and the tourist attractions and have never had a problem though I am aware that there are problems. In my city I walk to the bank almost everyday and withdraw money and have never had a problem. We dont have a car and it is a 15 minute walk into the city and I have never seen gang type or suspicious people that we call perps in NY. As to compare to the States the murder rate is higher but it is mostly in the bad neighborhoods as it is in the US.

I do think that Brazil is having bad press about its crime rate. The crimes are just concentrated in the bad neighborhoods, just like any country in the world.

Originally Posted by basu06

Crime in Brazil has reached a very high level. The rate of crime continues to rise particularly in the urban areas. Brazil's murder rate is more than 4 times than that of the US. Foreign tourists are often targets of crime.

Gosh! This is scary! It would give a bad reputation to the nation & affect the tourism. So what the Govt doing to fight crime?

Originally Posted by nuaeman

I was wondering how are the crimes over there? Are there certain places which should be avoided especially for those who are new there?

I have been living here for 5 years before i lived in Dublin(Rep. of Irleland )for 6 years and the UK before that for the most part of my life. I would say crime here is very different to crime in most western countries. Car theft(for joyriding or resale )is very , very low, break ins are very low, pick pocketing, snatching handbags, beating people up for fun(a great British and Irish pastime) etc-general street crime is low compared to similar sized cities in the UK and Ireland for sure and i recon the US too. I am speaking generally here, there are streets where gangs work most nights ´aquiring´ handbags,phones etc from the public. Also you get these groups on some of the beaches that run down the beach ´snatching ´´ what they can get. BUT still the amount of people affected per head of the population would be much less that UK or Ireland. I live in what on paper is the most dangerous place in Brazil alot of the time(this figure is a monthly thing and is number of homocides per head) i dont see street crime and havent been a victim, the people who kill each other are mostly bad guys killing others.
I have been lucky and have fitted in and appeared Brazilian not long after i got here also i dont socialize with other non Brazilians, maybe things would be different if i did. I will say now after being here for a while on the rare occasion i am with a gringo i do feel slightly nervous sometimes depending on the situation-but in the same situ alone i wouldnt(sounds strange but...)
That said kidnapping , which is a much more terrible crime, is too common and as a foreigner here it is the one thing i think about from time to time.
Dont listen to the scaremongerers, many people like to talk about how dangerous the places they have been to are , i think they think it makes them appear brave or something.

Originally Posted by basu06

Crime in Brazil has reached a very high level. The rate of crime continues to rise particularly in the urban areas. Brazil's murder rate is more than 4 times than that of the US. Foreign tourists are often targets of crime.

It's really sad crimes are reaching to such great levels! Isn't govt doing anything to stop or reduce the crime rates?

Originally Posted by Thiago

It's really sad crimes are reaching to such great levels! Isn't govt doing anything to stop or reduce the crime rates?

Most of the murders are scumbags killing other scumbags so i guess the police arent to worried. Other murders are fequently man kills wife or lover kills ...... crimes of passion. Serial killings or killing sprees common in the US , and this is what effcts you and i , are very very uncommon. I dont believe the figure 4 times more murders than the US but its possible.
As i said common street crime , car theft , bag snatching, physical attacks, rape, etc is way, way below that in the US , or UK.

I am currently living in Rio and will openly admit that it is not very safe in some areas. Unfortunately, Rio has more favelas than decent places to stay. In minas Gerais I hardly heard about killings and people getting hit by stray bullets- in Rio it is something you cannot run from, because the shanty towns are scattered on the highest areas in the city. São Paulo is a lot better, you can walk without worrying about being hit by a stray bullet when you are passing a shanty town because these areas are on the outskirts of the city.

Anyway part of life- still come to Rio lots of things to see and do here.

Hi all,

Unfortunately, violence has been dominating all the world, and Brazil suffers with the same problem too.

When in Brazil, I recommend you not display jewelry, expensive watches, and keep staying in groups.

You never accept invitations of strange people, and never go to strange places, particularly at night.

Have a good time in Brazil!

hey Brazilianbraniac, is it really true about shanty town? then it is so much risk to stay in that area. but still there are lot of places in Rio where you can live in peace.what do you think?

I have lived in são paulo for 20 years and I have never been robbed or kidnapped. I know the city has problems (many!), but my point is, it's just relative. I guess for locals is easier because we know where to go, so it's probably more dangerous to tourists.

but that should not keep you away from Brazil. Just plan your trip well and take basic safe measures. and enjoy the sun.

I think crimes can happen everywhere in the world! Thanks for the aforementioned experiences though. Through this we are aware of the bad possibilities. Well.. wherever you are going, just be vigilant! Walk in group if possible and keep your eyes on suspicious ones..

Enjoy BRAZIL.. Enjoy Travelling!

The crime rates in Brazil is increasing due to the bad income distribution, and because the Brazilian Press/Brazilian Media publishes more criminal news than U.S.A. for example, maybe to put the screws on the Brazilian Government to resolve the problems.

U.S.A. Press doesn´t emphasize crime news as Brazilian Press does. I have heard that California state, is one of the most violent places in the world (correct me please, if I was wrong).

According to some sites, Brazil placed 9th in the top 10 most dangerous places on earth! And Iraq came first! U.S is not on the list but in statistics, there are about 50 murder cases each day.. still so scary!!

I was born in São Paulo, and I have never been robbed (Thanks God). Depends of the circumstances, anyway, you should be careful where you go at night, and I recommend you always go out in groups.

Good luck for you and no scaring!

Originally Posted by mprado

I was born in São Paulo, and I have never been robbed (Thanks God). Depends of the circumstances, anyway, you should be careful where you go at night, and I recommend you always go out in groups.

Good luck for you and no scaring!

Good thing you are a local. What if foreigners like us? Is it really not that scary? And yeah, travelling in group is a very important thing to do when you are travelling.

Do's:
- Stare at everyone, everywhere, as everyone will stare at everyone else in Brazil. It’s polite to do so and you will always be aware of your surroundings. This is very important. If you keep looking down and don’t acknowledge with your eyes anyone who is closer to you than two meters away, you may be a potential victim of pickpockets. The good side of it is lots of flirting and smiles while staring
- Carry in you wallet only the money that you will need for that day, and leave the rest in your inside money belt/hidden pocket inside your clothes, together with credit/debt cards, air tickets and passport.
- If you are visiting a VERY crowded place with thousands of people, make sure to carry nothing in your pockets, don’t wear any jewelry neither a wristwatch, nor a wallet. Don’t wear an external money belt either and don’t keep anything in your socks. Keep your money for that day in a separate inside pocket in your bermuda shorts or trousers.
- Report to the tourist police if you are a victim of any crime.
- Always ask at the reception of your hostel if it is safe to walk through the streets that you plan to go, as in a few cases side streets off main walkways are not so safe in downtown areas.
- Get a taxi when moving between far-away neighborhoods, it’s faster than buses and inexpensive (about US$0.32 per km). Unlike most Latin American countries, taxis in Brazil have meters and are totally safe; almost all drivers have a big photo-ID card facing the passenger.
- Look at both sides of the street before crossing…unfortunately in most cities pedestrians don’t have the right of the way.
- Wear your daypack in front of your chest in crowded areas, not on your back.
- Accept help from reasonably well dressed locals who approach you speaking English. Brazilians are always proud of being able to help while practicing their basic language skills.
- Use ATM machines preferably inside banks and shopping malls. Note that in some cities ATMs function only from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- If you want to look like a local as much as possible: do wear walking shoes, not hiking boots; avoid carrying a bottle of water around; wearing a bermuda shorts and a plain T-shirt will do in most informal situations.
- Follow your instincts and use common sense, but remember that what FEELS dangerous in a culture may not BE dangerous somewhere else…and contrary to some people’s beliefs, all big cities are different; touching others in some parts of Brazil is common among people from the same social class, and part of the communication process, although it may be perceived as a sign of danger for those who are more formal and not used to body contact.

Don'ts:
- Don’t get drunk, you will hardly see a Brazilian get drunk. Try to drink up to your limit and stop before feeling tipsy or getting drunk; if you do get drunk keep a low profile, otherwise people may loose respect for you and you may be mocked at.
- Drug consumption other then alcohol is a criminal offense in Brazil, so if you are into it, don’t do it in public, otherwise you run the risk of getting in trouble with both the police and the guys who are trying to sell you the drugs.
- If you (hello single guys…) happen to get involved with prostitutes, the odds of being robbed will be much higher, it’s your choice…and if the girl is under 18 you will end up in jail if caught.
- In the unlikely event that you are help up at gun point or knife, don’t resist neither fight; make sure that you see (or feel) the gun or knife, but don’t look at the thief’s face. It’s rare but not impossible, it happens daily to an average of only 5 foreign tourists out of thousands in the most dangerous cities in Brazil.
- Don’t stay in extremely cheap accommodation, as the owners won’t probably be prepared to deal with foreigners. Also, a few things may not be as safe as they should: windows and door locks, food, electric showers…
- Don’t leave anything unattended in public places. Sometimes the rule in the streets is: “if you are not holding it, who grabs it first owns it”
- Don’t feel unsafe only because a beggar or a poor kid asks for money, they are not thieves…ignore at first or just say não once, don’t give any money, don’t smile and don’t maintain eye contact...do as the locals do.
- Don’t walk through half-dark and deserted streets after 10 p.m.
- Don’t go to the beach after dark.
- Don’t become paranoid, all the above will become your second nature after the first or second day…

Unhappily, violence is growing up too fast all around the world, because the world population has been growing up too fast, too.

Sometimes we have the impression that the violence is growing up for some local reason, but the main reason is that the world population has reached about 8 billions.

The more people, the more crimes.

Anyway, the high crime rate in Brazil is related to the poverty and bad income distribution.

Brazilian Govt. is trying to reduce the poverty in Brazil, by raising the class medium average.

Brazilian police forces are using a new tool to respond to gunshots in urban areas — Shotspotter. The Shotspotter system uses a network of sensors on rooftops and telephone poles. These receptors send the location signal to a central computer that maps the exact location. The system also records the sound of the gunshot within a 3.2 square kilometer area. Real-time information provided by the system allows police forces to locate and respond quickly to incidents, while the collection of historical data tracks crime trends.

Very good, we hope the Shotspotter helps to protect the citzens from violence in the world.

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Here is a very good link that will take you to a site that has a lot of useful statistical data on the crime rates in Brazil. Enjoy!

Brazilian Crime data, statistics, facts and figures

There are lot of stupid people living in Brazil. I hope you guys take good care.