Homicides in Brazil down 23% in first two months of 2019

A survey released Wednesday (Jun 12) by the Ministry of Justice and Public Security shows a 23 percent reduction in the number of homicides reported in Brazil in the first two months of 2019. The decline was seen in the nine types of crime making up the statistics, compared to the same period in 2018.

According to the ministry, the first two months of 2018 saw 8,489 cases of murder, which was down to 6,543 in 2019. Attempted murder went down 15.1 percent (6,431 cases to 5,461).

As for rape, the reduction was reported at seven percent, with 7,284 cases in the first two months, against 7,843 reported in the same time span last year.

As for car theft, the decline was observed at 10.9 percent (40,527 to 36,123 cases) respectively. Crimes of bodily injuries followed by death sank six percent (151 to 142 cases).

Thefts against financial institutions, the survey found, fell from 169 to 107 cases and cargo theft from 3,877 cases to 2,301. Robbery followed by death showed a drop from 321 to 260 cases (19%).

Justice Minister Sergio Moro said the outcome comes as a result of integrated action with local governments. Declines could be even more significant, he said, if the anti-crime package of measures devised by the federal government were approved by the Legislative.