The study “Where Does Impunity Live?”, published by “Instituto Sou da Paz” with data provided by the United Nations (UN), shows that impunity is fueling the perpetration of crimes in Brazil. The work revealed that, on average, only 1 of every 3 homicides that occurred in Brazil between 2015 and 2021 was solved. In 2021, 35% of the 40,240 intentional homicides that occurred in Brazil were solved. In 2015, 32% of the country’s 52,463 homicide cases were solved. In the period analyzed, from 2015 to 2021, the total number of homicides fell by 23%. But this did not increase the proportion of cases solved.
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Best and Worst
The best results in clarifying deaths that occurred in 2021 are in Minas Gerais and Paraná, both with a 76% elucidation rate. At the other extreme, with the worst results, are the states of Bahia and Rio Grande do Norte, which clarified, respectively, 15% and 9% of their homicides in 2021.
Prison Population
With the third largest prison population on the planet, Brazil has 642,638 people imprisoned in a closed regime, of which 11% are behind bars because of homicides. The majority of the country’s prisoners were accused of crimes against property (40%) or those related to illicit drugs (21%).
Responsible Agents
Information on homicides is divided into data systems from three different institutions: the Civil Police, which investigates the authorship of the murders, the Public Prosecutor’s Office, which denounces those identified by investigations as the perpetrator, and the Court of Justice, which judges the cases. In other words, for these institutions to work together, a coordinated effort is needed, which has not happened frequently.
Responses from Stakeholders
The Civil Police of Rio Grande do Norte, the worst state in terms of homicide solution rate according to the study, said it is undergoing restructuring, with an increase in personnel and the acquisition of equipment. The note also states that the civil police of the states are working together to create a National Homicide Elucidation Index.
The Civil Police of Bahia stated that it is undergoing restructuring and that homicide investigations continue to improve.
The Justice and Public Security Ministry stated that the reduction of intentional violent deaths is a priority issue, and that it allocates 80% of the funds to actions that combat this type of crime. When contacted, the National Council of the Public Ministry (CNMP) and the National Council of Justice (CNJ) did not respond.
Analysis:
When the State does not investigate correctly and does not hold those responsible for a death accountable, it sends the message that these crimes are not important. This is an incentive for them to keep happening. Clarifying homicides is essential for the Brazilian population to trust public security and the justice system. When the State does not respond, society loses trust in institutions, often resorting to non-republican ways of resolving conflicts. Another point is that it is already established in the criminal field that one of the most effective actions in reducing homicides is arresting the criminals quickly and punishing them.
Source: Folha de São Paulo
