Gun homicides are the most difficult to solve, study reveals
Homicides committed with firearms are those with the lowest chance of being resolved in Brazil, according to the research "Diagnosis on Homicide Investigation in Brazil", released by the Sou da Paz Institute this Wednesday (8).
The statistical analysis of the survey identified a negative correlation between the rate of firearm homicides and the percentage of clarifications: the greater the presence of this type of crime, the lower the clarification rate.
According to the study, these homicides generally occur in public spaces, are carried out quickly, with a high degree of anonymity and a shortage of witnesses - conditions that make it difficult to collect evidence and identify suspects. Obstacles become worse when victims are inserted in contexts of organized crime, in which fear of retaliation and community silence compromise investigations.
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Opposite extremes
In states such as Ceará (85%), Amapá (84%), Paraíba (84%), Bahia (83%) and Sergipe (83%), more than eight in ten homicides are committed with firearms. Amapá, Bahia and Pernambuco combine a high incidence of crimes with this weapon and low levels of elucidation.
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In the opposite direction, the Federal District, Minas Gerais and Paraná have a lower incidence of homicides by firearms and high rates of clarification, configuring, according to researchers, environments that are more favorable to police action and the functioning of the criminal justice system.
The survey also identified a positive association between the increase in firearm seizures and higher rates of clarification, which reinforces, for the Sou da Paz Institute, the importance of weapons control policies and instruments such as the National Ballistic Analysis System (SINAB), which makes it possible to connect crimes committed with the same weapon in different states.
Source: CNN