Reduction of Homicides in São Paulo and Medellín: What Does the Literature Say?

From the 2000s onwards, Latin American cities São Paulo and Medellín experienced a significant drop in homicidal violence. Considering that the interpretations about this process are not consensual, the purpose of Reduction of Homicides in São Paulo and Medellín: What Does the Literature Say? is to reveal the two main explanatory strands, identified as institutional and criminal. For this, we have conducted a systematic literature review of papers published between 2003 and 2018 investigating the phenomenon’s possible triggering factors. On the selection process of publications suitable for the methodological criteria, 66 works were identified, of which 39 refer to São Paulo and 27 to Medellín.

Keywords:
homicides; São Paulo; Medellín; systematic review