Public Security

The murder of 12 children in a school in Rio de Janeiro has called attention to an essential aspect of security and violence prevention: gun control. Brazil has strict laws governing gun ownership, which have inspired similar legislation around the world. Its Disarmament Law enacted in 2003 imposes restrictions on the gun sales and the right to carry guns. If it were being fully enforced, perhaps, these tragic deaths could have been averted.

A prison with no security guards, is not a paradox, it is a reality in close to 100 units across Brazil. The APAC units in Minas Gerais guide offenders towards recovery through an intense schedule of activities and shared responsibilitities. Recidivism rates are low, and partnership with locals a necessity.

New research to come out of Brazil's National Space Research Institute proposes a method to generate maps and estimates of crime risk, initial findings consider homicides in São Paulo.

Despite record number of voters in the recent elections in the United States, 5.3 million Americans were barred from the voting booths. Nathaniel Wolfson, from Brown University tells us why, and what the new presidency may mean for criminal justice reform in the nation.

Located in Kenya's vast pastoral North-Eastern region, once known as the country’s “arms supermarket” and a “no go zone” due to insecurity, Isiolo has recently experienced a significant reduction in armed violence.

Shift in cocaine routes threatens security in W. Africa, while inflating cocaine-related offenses and adversely affecting public health in Europe.

In sharp contrast to their counterparts in Latin America, women have taken places in high command in Nicaragua's national police force. Elizabeth Rodríguez Obando, head of the nation's police academy, gave an exclusive interview to Comunidad Segura.

Brazil's levels of armed violence are higher than in many countries at war. Urbanization, the lack of public policy for those at risk, the unchecked, ready availability of small arms, and weak and corrupt public security institutions are  to blame for impelling the surge in gun violence.

Not much has changed over the past 30 years according to long time analyst Elizabeth Sussekind, except that more people, more people who are poor, and more people of African descent are behind bars in Brazil, suggesting the criminalization of poverty. 

Unlike countries such as  the United States and Canada, there is no single federal entity in charge of collecting and organizing crime data in Brazil. Investing in such a system would pave the way for increased accountability in the public security and justice system, and less impunity.