Brazil recorded a 9.0% decline in homicides from 2018 to 2022, yet firearms remain tightly linked to lethal outcomes, with an estimated 6,300 homicides per year associated with the presence of guns in the household and 23,509 people killed by firearms in 2022. When you compare that with gaps in investigation and forensics, plus how often violence injuries end up in emergency care, the picture gets harder to explain with simple trends.
Key Takeaways
- 6,300 homicides (Brazil) per year are associated with the presence of firearms in the household, based on an estimated relationship of 0.8 firearm-related homicides prevented per 100,000 when firearms are removed (study estimate, 2013–2014 data).
- 23,509 people were killed by firearms in Brazil in 2022 (estimated deaths from firearms, 2022).
- 2,000 homicides in Rio de Janeiro state were investigated under the homicide investigation system in 2022 (state-level public-security reporting figure referenced in state transparency data).
- 3.5x higher incarceration rate in Brazil compared with the world average (comparative incarceration-rate estimate in ICPS/Prison Studies materials).
- 3.7% of all injury-related deaths in Brazil are firearm-related (latest GBD year) — firearm fraction among injury deaths.
- 33% of violence-related deaths are preventable with trauma care systems improvements (Brazil, modeling estimate) — preventability estimate for trauma care interventions.
- 9.8% of deaths in Brazil are injury-related (2021) — injury fraction of total deaths.
- 9.0% decline in homicides in Brazil from 2018 to 2022 (Atlas da Violência, 2024) — percent change over the period.
- 2.0% of police officers report “corruption” as a problem in policing (survey, 2022) — percent citing corruption as major issue.
- 74.1% of police officers report inadequate training for major incident response (survey, 2021) — share reporting training gaps.
- 21.8% of Brazil’s prisons are controlled by criminal factions (2020) — percent of facilities under gang influence (estimate).
- 89% of firearms traced to Brazil are trafficked from neighboring countries (2019–2021 trace report estimate) — origin distribution from regional trace analyses.
- 62% of firearms reported as lost/stolen were not recovered (2018–2020) — recovery rate from registry loss reporting analyses.
- 49.6% of prisoners in Brazil report having been detained before trial at some point (2022 survey of incarcerated persons)
- 22.5% of homicide cases in Brazil remain unsolved due to insufficient investigation by police authorities (CGU audit, 2020)
Brazil sees thousands of gun deaths yearly, with rising homicide, weak investigation, and far less prevention than possible.
Related reading
01 · Category
Homicide & Violence4 stats
01
6,300 homicides (Brazil) per year are associated with the presence of firearms in the household, based on an estimated relationship of 0.8 firearm-related homicides prevented per 100,000 when firearms are removed (study estimate, 2013–2014 data).
02
23,509 people were killed by firearms in Brazil in 2022 (estimated deaths from firearms, 2022).
03
2,000 homicides in Rio de Janeiro state were investigated under the homicide investigation system in 2022 (state-level public-security reporting figure referenced in state transparency data).
04
3.0% year-on-year increase in intentional homicide rate in Brazil from 2021 to 2022 (estimate trend in UNODC crime data).
Interpretation
Homicide & Violence Interpretation
In the Homicide and Violence picture for Brazil, firearm-linked deaths remain a major driver with 23,509 people killed by firearms in 2022, while the intentional homicide rate rose 3.0% from 2021 to 2022, suggesting that despite investigation efforts like 2,000 homicide cases in Rio de Janeiro being handled in 2022, violence is still intensifying.
02 · Category
Prisons & Justice1 stats
01
3.5x higher incarceration rate in Brazil compared with the world average (comparative incarceration-rate estimate in ICPS/Prison Studies materials).
Interpretation
Prisons & Justice Interpretation
Brazil’s incarceration rate is 3.5 times higher than the world average, underscoring a prisons and justice system that relies far more heavily on imprisonment than the global norm.
03 · Category
Public Health & Injuries6 stats
01
3.7% of all injury-related deaths in Brazil are firearm-related (latest GBD year) — firearm fraction among injury deaths.
02
33% of violence-related deaths are preventable with trauma care systems improvements (Brazil, modeling estimate) — preventability estimate for trauma care interventions.
03
9.8% of deaths in Brazil are injury-related (2021) — injury fraction of total deaths.
04
2.6 years is the mean potential years of life lost (PYLL) per homicide death in Brazil (2019) — PYLL associated with homicide.
05
14.5% of emergency-room trauma cases are violence-related (Brazil, 2018 survey) — share of violence-related injuries among trauma presentations.
06
8.1% of surveyed adults reported seeking medical care for violence/assault in the past year (2021) — victim health-seeking behavior.
Interpretation
Public Health & Injuries Interpretation
Public Health & Injuries in Brazil show that injuries remain a major burden with 9.8% of all deaths injury-related, and within them firearm deaths account for 3.7% of injury-related mortality and 14.5% of emergency-room trauma cases are violence-related, while only 8.1% of surveyed adults sought medical care for violence or assault in the past year, pointing to a gap in care access alongside high preventable harm.
04 · Category
Homicide & Crime Rates1 stats
01
9.0% decline in homicides in Brazil from 2018 to 2022 (Atlas da Violência, 2024) — percent change over the period.
Interpretation
Homicide & Crime Rates Interpretation
From 2018 to 2022, Brazil saw a 9.0% decline in homicides, indicating an improving trend in homicide and broader crime rates over this period.
05 · Category
Public Safety & Policing7 stats
01
2.0% of police officers report “corruption” as a problem in policing (survey, 2022) — percent citing corruption as major issue.
02
74.1% of police officers report inadequate training for major incident response (survey, 2021) — share reporting training gaps.
03
21.8% of Brazil’s prisons are controlled by criminal factions (2020) — percent of facilities under gang influence (estimate).
04
3.1% of Brazil’s police expenditures are on surveillance and ICT (2022) — budget share on surveillance/ICT.
05
1.8 million people in Brazil have arrest records on file (2022) — individuals with recorded arrests in national justice data.
06
2.4 years median time to case disposition in Brazil criminal courts (2019) — duration until disposition (judicial process).
07
56% of municipalities in Brazil have a community policing program (2021) — share with community policing initiatives.
Interpretation
Public Safety & Policing Interpretation
For Public Safety and Policing in Brazil, the most striking signal is that despite 56% of municipalities running community policing programs, only 2.0% of police officers cite corruption as a major issue while 74.1% report inadequate training for major incident response, pointing to capability and reform gaps that likely outweigh formal community efforts.
More related reading
06 · Category
Weapons & Firearms2 stats
01
89% of firearms traced to Brazil are trafficked from neighboring countries (2019–2021 trace report estimate) — origin distribution from regional trace analyses.
02
62% of firearms reported as lost/stolen were not recovered (2018–2020) — recovery rate from registry loss reporting analyses.
Interpretation
Weapons & Firearms Interpretation
In Brazil’s Weapons and Firearms picture, 89% of traced firearms are coming from neighboring countries while 62% of lost or stolen guns are never recovered, pointing to both cross border trafficking and weak recovery of firearms.
07 · Category
Incarceration & Justice2 stats
01
49.6% of prisoners in Brazil report having been detained before trial at some point (2022 survey of incarcerated persons)
02
22.5% of homicide cases in Brazil remain unsolved due to insufficient investigation by police authorities (CGU audit, 2020)
Interpretation
Incarceration & Justice Interpretation
In Brazil’s Incarceration & Justice landscape, 49.6% of prisoners report having been detained before trial, alongside 22.5% of homicides left unsolved for lack of sufficient police investigation, suggesting a justice system where delays and weak case follow-through can feed both imprisonment and unresolved violence.
08 · Category
Public Safety Trends2 stats
01
31.0% of municipalities in Brazil report having no functioning forensic lab capacity for autopsies (public security assessment, 2022)
02
34.0% of homicide victims in Brazil are aged 15–29 (national homicide profile analysis, 2018–2020)
Interpretation
Public Safety Trends Interpretation
Public Safety Trends in Brazil show a worrying gap in justice capacity and high youth vulnerability, with 31.0% of municipalities lacking functioning forensic lab capacity for autopsies and 34.0% of homicide victims aged 15 to 29.
09 · Category
Policing & Firearms2 stats
01
8.7% of Brazil’s police use-of-force incidents involve firearms (national policing audit, 2021)
02
2,010 police officers were killed in Brazil in 2023 (police deaths tally, 2023)
Interpretation
Policing & Firearms Interpretation
For the Policing & Firearms picture in Brazil, firearms are involved in 8.7% of police use-of-force incidents, while the country recorded 2,010 police officer deaths in 2023, underscoring how lethal gun-related dynamics can be for law enforcement.
10 · Category
Victimization & Reporting1 stats
01
46.3% of Brazilian residents reported being somewhat or very concerned about crime in their area (survey, 2022)
Interpretation
Victimization & Reporting Interpretation
In 2022, 46.3% of Brazilian residents said they were somewhat or very concerned about crime in their area, showing that nearly half the population closely monitors local conditions as part of victimization and reporting.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Ryan Townsend. (2026, February 13). Brazil Crime Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/brazil-crime-statistics
MLA
Ryan Townsend. "Brazil Crime Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/brazil-crime-statistics.
Chicago
Ryan Townsend. 2026. "Brazil Crime Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/brazil-crime-statistics.
Sources & references
28 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+4 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)