Determinants of the dark figure of crime in Brazil: an analysis using PNAD data 2009

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1590/0101-41615043fflm

Keywords:

dark figure of crime, probit analyses, law and economics

Abstract

This article estimates the dark figure of the crime for theft, robbery and physical aggression (bodily injury) using a national representative survey from Brazil (PNAD 2009). In order to obtain a complete profile of the occurrence of this phenomenon in Brazil, several estimates are made considering demographic, economic and social aspects. Subsequently, a probit regression model is estimated in order to identify the main determinants of the dark figure of crime. The results show that, on average, 62.55% of theft, robbery and physical aggression cases do not reach police records and people with lower educational level and younger people generally contribute to increase the dark figure of crime. These and other results obtained directly contribute to public security policies as well as to obtain crime statistics.

 

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Australian Institute of Criminology. “Estimates of the Costs of Crime in Australia in 1996” Trends & Issues in crime and criminal justice, No. 72 (August 1997).
Biderman, Albert D., and Albert J. Reiss Jr. "On exploring the" dark figure" of crime." The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science 374, no. 1 (1967): 1-15.
Bug, Mathias, Martin Kroh, and Kristina Meier. "Regional crime rates and fear of crime: WISIND findings." DIW Economic Bulletin 5, no. 12 (2015): 167-176.
Deaton, Angus et al. “Panel data from time-series of cross-sections”. Econometric Research Program, Princeton University, 1985.
MacDonald, Ziggy. “Revisiting the dark figure: A microeconometric analysis of the under-reporting of property crime and its implications.” British Journal of Criminology 41, no. 1 (2001): 127-149.
Messner, Steven F. "The “dark figure” and composite indexes of crime: Some empirical explorations of alternative data sources."Journal of Criminal Justice” 12, no. 5 (1984): 435-444.
Penteado Filho, N. S.. Manual Esquemático de Criminologia. São Paulo, Saraiva, 2017.
Quinteros, Daniel. "Delitos del espacio público y el problema de la" cifra negra": una aproximación a la no-denuncia en Chile.” Política criminal 9, no. 18 (2014): 691-712
Sheu, Chuen-Jim, and Shu-Pin Chiu. “Determinants of property crime victims to report to the police in Taiwan.” International Review of Victimology 18, no. 3 (2012): 251-267
Skogan, Wesley G. “Dimensions of the dark figure of unreported crime.” Crime & Delinquency 23, no. 1 (1977): 41-50.
Soares, R. R. (2004). Development, crime and punishment: accounting for the international differences in crime rates. Journal of development Economics, 73(1), 155-184.
U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics. “Victimization Not Reported to the Police, 2006-2010”, National Crime Victimization Survey, NCJ 238536 (August, 2012).

Published

09-12-2020

Issue

Section

Articles

How to Cite

Caetano, F. M. ., Ribeiro, F. G. ., Yeung, L., & Ghiggi, M. P. . (2020). Determinants of the dark figure of crime in Brazil: an analysis using PNAD data 2009. Estudos Econômicos (São Paulo), 50(4), 647-670. https://doi.org/10.1590/0101-41615043fflm