This thesis took around four months to get completed. During this time, over 13,000 people were murdered in Brazil – more than the total of Syrian War victims in 2019 (Globo 2019; SOHR 2020). But...Show moreThis thesis took around four months to get completed. During this time, over 13,000 people were murdered in Brazil – more than the total of Syrian War victims in 2019 (Globo 2019; SOHR 2020). But comparing tragedies is not this work’s purpose. Instead, the aim is to contribute to the understanding of the complexity of violence and security in the state of São Paulo, the most populated federal unit of Brazil. The violence has become so dire in the whole country that major media, as well as international organizations, started calling it an epidemic (World Bank 2018; Boechat 2018). To understand how the epidemic works, public security is approached with the perspective of perception of safety, which is argued to be underrated in the Brazilian context. The first chapter offers an overview of the current academic debate, with public security and perception of safety being the guiding concepts. The second part has a rather political point of view. Public policies in the field of security are analyzed, with an emphasis on the paradigms that guided legislative decisions. That is also how the chapter with the case study begins. The effectivity and consequences of individual decisions are questioned. Next, the perspective shifts from political to social, challenging the way security and violence are put in numbers and arguing that homicide is overestimated as an indicator. Additionally, the reliability of how crime data are collected and published is assessed. For there is a vigorous debate about what made homicide rates drop so much in São Paulo, but very little effort has been made to question the data on which this debate is based. Since the fall is confirmed, the factors that could explain the consistent drop in killings in the state since the turn of the century are analyzed. Then, the link – or better, its absence – between homicide rates and perception of security is examined. Despite a considerable murder reduction, São Paulo is still far from not being regarded as dangerous by its people. Therefore, public security elements that deserve greater heed are outlined. Finally, the conclusion zooms out from the case study and places it in a wider perspective.Show less
The following paper will examine the period of time between 2006-2012, when Felipe Calderón took presidential power in Mexico. Due to the fact that Mexico is a transit country for many criminal...Show moreThe following paper will examine the period of time between 2006-2012, when Felipe Calderón took presidential power in Mexico. Due to the fact that Mexico is a transit country for many criminal organizations, crime and violence are rampant throughout the country. Calderón's solution to combat this increase in violence, was to implement the military into daily affairs and to militarize the Mexican police force. The reasons that led to such a tactic and the effects that have been produced as such will be analyzed.Show less
The thesis centers in the analysis of what would be the consequences or influences on the Brazilian state and the Brazilian society would be, by the privatization of security. It first analyzes the...Show moreThe thesis centers in the analysis of what would be the consequences or influences on the Brazilian state and the Brazilian society would be, by the privatization of security. It first analyzes the different elements of Private security. Elaborating on what Private Security involves, the difference between private and public security and illustrating the different factors that could stimulate the growth of Private Security. Moreover,it looks on the consumption of Private security. It analyzes the role of Private Security in Latin America, starting with the analysis of criminality and the falling of security, continuously looking at the influence of neoliberalism and the further expansion of Private security in the Latin American region. Lastly, it introduces the example of Brazil. It starts by elaborating on the actual Brazilian situation towards security ,then it analyzes the current debate on Private security in Brazil. The analysis of this debate is done by going through all of these before mentioned points.Show less
