Brazil sets new record for homicides • Hacker News Board

Re: Brazil sets new record for homicides

#11

Post by everdev » Fri, Aug 10, 2018, 6:08 PM UTC

mfoy_ wrote: post #9

anoncoward111 wrote: post #3

I recently moved to a "bad neighborhood" and was very surprised to learn that there was only one murder here last year, and it was between friends who had stolen something from each other. There were only around 13,000 murders last year in the US, a number that used to be more like 26,000 during the crack epidemic 30 years ago. US population has increased by 10s of millions since then, but murders continue to drop. A…

I mean, there's more to a "good" or "bad" neighbourhood than how many people die each year. There's all the other types of crime, for instance... That, and if you want to raise a family, what kind of role models and community surrounds your children is important.

On the flip side, it probably helps if good role models are willing to take their chances in establishing their presence in an at risk community. Change has to start somewhere.

Re: Brazil sets new record for homicides

#12

Post by lbrito » Fri, Aug 10, 2018, 6:09 PM UTC

mavdi wrote: post #6

While still shocking, life in Brazil isn't the kinda Aleppo like bloodshed this article portrays. Majority of victims are young male gang members sucked into the drug turf wars.

More or less. But Brazil is, for example, the world's largest armored (bulletproof) car market. I could name a large amount of social and cultural effects of this low-intensity war we have going on.

Re: Brazil sets new record for homicides

#13

Post by joe_the_user » Fri, Aug 10, 2018, 6:10 PM UTC

mavdi wrote: post #6

While still shocking, life in Brazil isn't the kinda Aleppo like bloodshed this article portrays. Majority of victims are young male gang members sucked into the drug turf wars.

The majority of deaths in the war in Syria have also been combatants with only being minority civilians, a substantial minority certainly but I suspect there's a reasonable minority of "civilians" killed in Brazilian drug wars.

This 63K killed/year figure seems to exceed some years of the Syrian civil war. Brazil is a larger country but the drug war is concentrated in a minority of the country. The one thing you're not getting is bombed out apartment buildings and mass population displacements.

Edit: I mean, "not Aleppo like" is true for some interpretation of the phrase but one certainly shouldn't view this a "no reason to worry if you haven't consciously entered the drug trade" or something.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casualties_of_the_Syrian_Civil...

Re: Brazil sets new record for homicides

#14

Post by coliveira » Fri, Aug 10, 2018, 6:10 PM UTC

mavdi wrote: post #6

While still shocking, life in Brazil isn't the kinda Aleppo like bloodshed this article portrays. Majority of victims are young male gang members sucked into the drug turf wars.

Correct, and this happens because Brazil is one of the most disgustingly unequal countries in the world. There was a small pause during the leftist governments when there was a noted improvement in social support for the poor, but the recent events have brought even that to an end. The current government is not only corrupt but is completely anti-people. Their plan is to cut the little existing social net, destroy public education, and put everyone who complains under military surveillance.

Re: Brazil sets new record for homicides

#15

Post by coliveira » Fri, Aug 10, 2018, 6:12 PM UTC

0x4f3759df wrote: post #5

Another crazy stat: 132 politicians in Mexico murdered since September.

Politicians have also been murdered in Brazil. The most known case is municipal representative Marielle from Rio.

Re: Brazil sets new record for homicides

#16

Post by jandrewrogers » Fri, Aug 10, 2018, 6:14 PM UTC

anoncoward111 wrote: post #3

I recently moved to a "bad neighborhood" and was very surprised to learn that there was only one murder here last year, and it was between friends who had stolen something from each other. There were only around 13,000 murders last year in the US, a number that used to be more like 26,000 during the crack epidemic 30 years ago. US population has increased by 10s of millions since then, but murders continue to drop. A…

Murders in the US are extremely unevenly distributed. Most Americans live their entire lives without ever knowing anyone who was murdered. Many "bad neighborhoods" are not bad because of the prevalence of murder, but because of the prevalence of burglary, theft, etc.

Re: Brazil sets new record for homicides

#17

Post by [deleted] » Fri, Aug 10, 2018, 6:14 PM UTC

anoncoward111 wrote: post #3

I recently moved to a "bad neighborhood" and was very surprised to learn that there was only one murder here last year, and it was between friends who had stolen something from each other. There were only around 13,000 murders last year in the US, a number that used to be more like 26,000 during the crack epidemic 30 years ago. US population has increased by 10s of millions since then, but murders continue to drop. A…

[deleted]

Re: Brazil sets new record for homicides

#18

Post by rvr_ » Fri, Aug 10, 2018, 6:14 PM UTC

Brazilian here. Our criminality numbers are _probably_ higher than the official numbers. The country is huge and diverse, but even the most pacific states and cities are in a bad shape if compared to almost any other country. More than 70% of the deaths are related to gang conflicts.

Drugs are not the only problem. We also have a lot of cargo/truck stealing, street-level robbery, an enormous black market of stolen mobile phones, etc.

We have some affluent startup hubs, there are innovation in e-commerce, payments, banking, HR and many more, but our tech elite is complete out-of-sync with our major problem: violence. Maybe a fresh HN discussion can put some light on the issue.

Re: Brazil sets new record for homicides

#19

Post by woliveirajr » Fri, Aug 10, 2018, 6:14 PM UTC

Among all the violence in Brazil, homicides happen mainly in drug-related problems: fights over territory are the majority, "punishments" for unpaid debts come second, and robbery (not exactly kill to steal afterwards, more like "I will kill you just to be sure you won't come after me, nor will identify me").

Guns are out of control in criminal hands, while population in general don't even have one at home. So, given that the cost of ammo is low (in black market), killing is used to gain territory or to send messages to drug users with debt or to general population.

Re: Brazil sets new record for homicides

#20

Post by duncanawoods » Fri, Aug 10, 2018, 6:17 PM UTC

lbrito wrote: post #7

TremendousJudge wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm pretty sure it's about the same in Brazil too, most murders are drug and gang related

Yes, about 80% are drug related.

What is the conflict that's causing such a high rate?

I associate Col/Mex deaths with cartels warring over trafficking routes but what is happening in Brazil? Is it just street trade?