Categorizing homicides in Brazil: a typology proposal

• In Event: Addressing Violence: International and Local Approaches

Abstract

Every year, roughly 50.000 homicides are perpetrated in Brazil. Nevertheless, only 8% are cleared, which means that a suspect and a motivation are appointed after the police investigation. Using the records of the cases cleared, gathered under a sample of homicide proceedings finished in 2014, we established a homicide typology that takes into account the circumstances surrounding the crime, the motives of the perpetrator, the relationship between the victim and offender as well as the sociodemographic characteristics of the individuals involved. It appears that homicide cases are structured in an interpretable way in which a previous motivation can be accommodated in a more complex typology. Subsequently, we tested the influence of this typology on the length of time of the criminal proceedings and in the sentencing of this trial, which reveals that different homicides have diverse patterns of judicial decisions.

Authors

• Alexandre Diniz, PUC - Minas

• Ludmila Ribeiro, UFMG