Violence, Security and Public Perceptions in Brazil

This paper will address the social and political context which favored the growth of violent crime in large Brazilian cities. Next, the role and practices of both the civil and the military police shall be analyzed in respect to public order control, and more specifically, as they relate to the effects of violent police actions not only during the authoritarian regime but also in the course of the country’s democratic reconstruction. Finally, we will examine how crime rates growth and police behavior impacted the public opinion, with a focus on the conflicting positions of pro and against human rights.