The panorama of urban violence in Brazil and its capitals

This article presents a descriptive epidemiological analysis of accidents and violence in Brazil and in the Brazilian capitals in recent years.

The unprecedented magnitude and intensity of social violence in Brazil, expressed in the epi- demiological and criminal indicators based on lethal and nonlethal events, is even greater than in countries in state of war.
The death rates from violence in the main urban centers in Brazil show a continuously increasing trend since the 80s and rank today among the highest in the American continent. According to data from the Ministry of Health, Brazil passed from 59.0 deaths from external causes (accidents and violence) per 100 thou- sand inhabitants in the 80s to 75.2 in 2002. West-European countries show rates lower than 3 premeditated deaths per 100 thousand inhabitants and the United Sates show rates between 5 and 6 premeditated deaths per 100 thousand inhabitants.