Crime and Pollution in Fortaleza

Crime Data in Fortaleza

Crime Perception and Concerns

In 2024, Fortaleza faces significant challenges with its crime rates, earning the city a high crime index. Residents express a high level of anxiety regarding property and violent crimes.

Concerns about personal safety are prevalent, with a stark contrast in feelings of safety during daylight and nighttime hours.

Some notable concerns include:

• Property Crimes - Property crimes, including theft and home break-ins, are a prominent concern for the people of Fortaleza, prompting high anxiety levels amongst citizens. This issue is viewed as a crucial challenge for the city's administration to address.
• Drug-Related Issues - Drug-related crimes are another pressing concern in Fortaleza, affecting the community's sense of security and exacerbating public fears. The public sees drug activity as a core issue impacting several neighborhoods.
• Violent Crimes - Violent crimes, particularly fears of mugging and robbery, significantly impact residents' perception of safety in Fortaleza. These crimes contribute to a feeling of vulnerability among the population.
• Public Safety - Public safety perceptions in Fortaleza are markedly low. Residents generally feel unsafe, especially at night, with frequent reports of assault and robbery influencing their daily lives.

Crime Trends and Safety

• Rising Crime Concerns - There is a pervasive feeling that crime is rising in Fortaleza, reinforcing the urgent need for effective crime prevention strategies. This growing concern extends across many aspects of daily life.
• Specific Fears - The fear of being mugged or robbed is particularly strong, compounded by concerns about property theft and drug-related crime. These issues weigh heavily on the public consciousness, alongside worries about corruption and racial or ethnic-based victimization.

Summary of Crime in Fortaleza

Despite these issues, initiatives to combat crime by improving law enforcement and engaging local communities are being called for. Addressing high-priority areas such as property crimes and drug issues is critical for improving public confidence in safety.

Crime Rankings

Fortaleza ranks 3rd on the Crime rankings in Brazil. The crime ranking by city for Brazil is based on a continuously updated index, incorporating data up to 36 months old and calculated twice a year. Cities are ranked on a scale from "very low" to "very high" crime levels, with safety being the inverse, where a high safety index indicates a safer city.

1. Salvador

Brazil

2. Recife

Brazil

3. Fortaleza

Brazil

4. Rio de Janeiro

Brazil

5. Porto Alegre

Brazil

6. Sao Paulo

Brazil

7. Campinas

Brazil

8. Curitiba

Brazil

9. Belo Horizonte

Brazil

10. Brasilia

Brazil

Air Quality and Pollution Levels

Fortaleza's pollution data for 2024 shows moderate challenges, with air quality fluctuating based on urban activity levels. Public perceptions vary, with some residents expressing concerns about the long-term impacts on health.

While pollution levels are within a moderate range, efforts to improve air quality remain necessary, particularly in addressing particulate matter from urban sources.

• PM2.5 (Fine Particulate Matter) - The PM2.5 levels in Fortaleza are notably low, indicating relatively clean air compared to global urban centers. This reflects positively on the health outlook for the city's residents, although vigilance is required to maintain these levels.
• PM10 (Coarse Particulate Matter) - Similarly, PM10 levels are low, suggesting that air quality, while subject to local variations, remains largely within safe bounds.

Waste and Noise Pollution

Waste management emerges as a significant concern among Fortaleza's citizens, with inadequate garbage disposal services contributing to negative perceptions of hygiene and cleanliness.

Noise and light pollution are further concerns, although the impact varies across different parts of the city, affecting quality of life for many residents.

• Garbage Disposal Satisfaction - Many residents are dissatisfied with garbage disposal services, identifying it as a pressing issue that undermines the city's aesthetic and contributes to environmental distress.
• Noise and Light Pollution - Noise and light pollution, while not rated as severely as waste issues, continue to affect urban living standards, particularly in more densely populated areas where nightlife and traffic are constant.

Green Spaces and Water Quality

Fortaleza’s green spaces face public dissatisfaction, which is seen as a critical issue needing improvement to enhance urban life quality.

Water quality and accessibility suffer mixed reviews, with some residents calling for improvements to ensure cleaner and more reliable water supply.

• Green and Parks Quality - The quality of green spaces in Fortaleza is a concern, with citizens seeking better maintenance and more available areas to support recreational and environmental needs.
• Drinking Water Quality - While not the top concern, issues with water quality highlight the need for investments in infrastructure to ensure that water accessibility meets residents’ needs adequately.

Pollution Rankings

The pollution ranking for Brazil is based on a combination of visitor perceptions and data from institutions like the World Health Organization. The Pollution Index estimates overall pollution levels by considering air and water pollution, garbage disposal, and other factors, with air pollution given the highest weight, while the Pollution Exp Scale uses an exponential function to highlight extremely polluted cities.

1. Sao Paulo

Brazil

2. Rio de Janeiro

Brazil

3. Porto Alegre

Brazil

4. Belo Horizonte

Brazil

5. Campinas

Brazil

6. Curitiba

Brazil

7. Brasilia

Brazil