ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on homicides and on comparative differences in rates and trends in Brazil's rural and urban sectors. The definition of rural areas that was used as the basis for this statement, should be highlighted. The place of occurrence of a crime should at least be one of the aspects considered in the economic analysis of crime. However, it is very important to take structural-level factors into account in rural victimization models as well. In short, empirical studies have found a positive relationship between urbanization and crime rates. In the north region, illegal logging in agricultural frontier areas on the edges of the Amazon forest has also contributed to violence and homicides in the rural areas. The Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics officially defines a rural area as the space within a municipality outside its urban perimeter. The illegal marketing of Brazilian animal and vegetal products is another relevant fact deserving attention.
