Brazilian Architecture & Crime

Brazilian achitecture is much more urban here in Brazil, even in small towns and cities. There are no suburbs really, which is fine with me. Houses do not have large lawns, so towns and cities are more densely populated. This makes for a nice city center with lots of movement and commerce. The city radius of Jau (pop. 150,000 approx.) is about 2 kilometers… walking distance to downtown for everybody.

Houses are almost always encircled by walls. The houses and walls form a continuous barricade to guard against burglars. Often times there will be a small greenspace, patio, or a small pool between a house and the estate's outer wall. If there are valuable items in this greenspace, there is usually barbed wire or an electric fence lining the top of the walls. If there is no electric fence guarding the perimeter, windows and doors are barred.

All of this defense is to guard against would-be burglars. There’s a large economic gap between the haves and the have-nots here. Most people are not criminals here of course (Brazilians are VERY nice people). But, some people, usually those without any legitimate prospects for a good life, will take advantage of the opportunities that are present.

My Brazilian family has never been the victim of a house burglary. They are vigilant and keep their property secured. Just last week though, one of their trucks was burglarized. The truck was unattended and had a dossier of receipts and delivery agreements sitting in the front seat. The burglar must have thought the folder might contain money as well.

If you're in Brazil, be vigilant. Don't make yourself an easy target, protect your belongings, stay out of shady areas, avoid dicey situations, and you should be fine... Use your common sense.