What is the crime rate in Brazil?

According to the Bureau of Diplomatic Security in the United States, Brazil's crime rates are critically high in several areas. For instance, in 2012 there were 24 murders per 100,000 residents in the city of Rio de Janeiro.

Rates for crimes such as sexual assault, robbery and drug trafficking, are also critically high in Brazil. In 2008, efforts to control murder rates in poor regions of Rio de Janeiro caused numbers to drop by nearly half, but crimes such as murder and robbery remain high in the country. Gang and drug trafficking activities are common, and affect the frequency of homicides and other crimes in the country. According to Bloomberg, in 2013, Brazil ranked number one for auto theft.