Abstract

CAMPOS, Maria Elda Alves de Lacerda; FERREIRA, Luiz Oscar Cardoso; BARROS, Maria Dilma de Alencar  and  SILVA, Hallmeberg Lucena. Deaths from homicide in a municipality in Brazil's Northeast, based on police data, from 2004 to 2006. Epidemiol. Serv. Saúde [online]. 2011, vol.20, n.2, pp.151-159. ISSN 1679-4974.  http://dx.doi.org/10.5123/S1679-49742011000200004.

OBJECTIVE: this paper describes the characteristics and circumstances of violent events that led to homicides in the Municipality of Petrolina, State of Pernambuco, Brazil, between 2004 and 2006. METHODOLOGY: descriptive cross-sectional study with data collected from police reports and police investigations. RESULTS: in the period 2004-2006, 406 homicides were recorded; the incidence among men was 11.7 times higher than in women; the age range of 20 to 29 years was the most affected group, for both sexes; 72.2% of homicides were committed in urban areas, of which 76.4% occurred in public spaces, mainly on Saturday and Sunday nights; firearms were responsible for most deaths among both sexes; fights between men and between women were caused mainly by trivial matters and passion, respectively. CONCLUSION: results indicate the seriousness of the problem and the need for integrated policies to face it.

Keywords : violence; homicide; aggression.

        · abstract in Portuguese     · text in Portuguese     · Portuguese ( pdf )