The Great São Paulo Homicide Drop

Abstract

The homicide rates in the city and state of São Paulo were cut in half in the years from 2001 to 2007. The decline in the city of São Paulo was especially striking and parallels the decline in New York City in the 1990s. It can be confirmed with a number of independent data sources and was significantly larger than in other Brazilian cities. The decline may be attributed to more effective policing methods including the better enforcement of strict gun-control legislation. It demonstrates that effective measures can be taken to reduce lethal crime in a developing country without waiting to solve underlying socioeconomic problems.