The dynamics of drug‐related organised crime and corruption in Brazil from a development perspective

Purpose - This essay aims to examine the relationship between socio‐economic forces and drug‐related organised crime in Brazil. It focuses on both judicial structures and social service delivery to illustrate how they impact the shaping of criminal networks – a recurrent situation in many Latin American countries. Design/methodology/approach - Drawing from previous research on drug trafficking conducted for Amazonian states and the cities of Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, this paper takes the viewpoint put forward by key development literature along with well established works on crime and corruption in order to conclude on interactions of important political, social and economic factors with crime. Findings - It finds that some transformations introduced during the 1980s are a crucial element to understand the building up of criminal organisations. Furthermore, the absence of an effective judicial system, the lack of social service delivery by the government and cultural factors are central elements to take into account when seeking to address drug‐related crime. Practical implications - A balance between positive and negative measures to combat organised crime and a better understanding of the institutional environment should be sought while designing public policies to address crime in Brazil. Moreover, further research is needed in order to gather a greater amount of reliable data, as well as an accurate appraisal of different strategies to prevent organised crime to broaden its incidence in the country. Originality/value - The paper is a good starting point for those aiming to comprehend how organised crime operates in Brazil (and possibly in some Latin American countries).