PUBLIC SAFETY
Brazil's private security industry is booming
Armored car sales hit a record high in Brazil last year. Photo: Nomad Soul/Shutterstock
Though Brazil has seen a decline in murders and other violent crimes in recent years, public safety remains the country's most pressing concern. In a recent poll, voters ranked it above health care and the economy as crucial issues ahead of this year's elections. And that anxiety has quietly built what is now a booming industry.
When it comes to creating a sense of fear in society, there are many directions in which to point the finger. Crime coverage on the news sustains it; social media amplifies it; politicians, when it suits them, inflame it. But Brazil’s anxiety is not merely manufactured, as the country has…
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