Citation

Pereira DV, Mota CM, Andresen MA. Int. J. Offender Ther. Comp. Criminol. 2015; 61(14): 1570-1592.

Affiliation

Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada andresen@sfu.ca.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2015, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/0306624X15623282

PMID

26723297

Abstract

In this article, we investigate the determinants of homicide in Recife, Brazil, considering social disorganization theory. Using georeferenced homicide data, 2009-2013, and census data, we analyze homicide in Recife using a spatial regression technique that controls for spatial autocorrelation and heteroskedasticity at the census tract level. Overall, we find that homicide in Recife, Brazil, is characterized by social disorganization theory. Specifically, positive relationships are found for inequality, rented houses, and quantity of people, but negative relationships are found for income, literacy, percentage of married people, water supply, public illumination, the percentage of women responsible for the house, and population density. Overall, we find that social disorganization theory provides an instructive framework for understanding homicide in Recife, Brazil. However, there are specific contexts to Brazil that are different from North American contexts.

Language: en