Criminal factions and paramilitary mafia groups have expanded their footprint in Brazil and now reach the neighborhoods of at least 28.5 million people, according to a Datafolha poll commissioned by the Brazilian Forum on Public Safety.
Conducted June 2-6 with 2,007 respondents in 130 municipalities across all regions, the survey finds that 19% of the population lives in areas with an organized crime presence – up five percentage points from last year’s 14%.
The phenomenon is reported more often in state capitals, large cities, and the Northeast, and affects both lower and higher-income groups at similar rates. Exposure is higher among Black Brazilians (23%) than among white Brazilians (13%).
