São Paulo - Mêtro

Crime and insecurity
In spite of the high pressure on the speed of construction and the lack of financial means, the São Paulo metro system developed into a highly adequate and relatively safe system. Efficiency rates and service quality are high. Prices are affordable, even for members of the underprivileged class. The stations and trains are tastefully designed, clean, and well-maintained. Crime rates are significantly lower than that on the street. In 1990, 5.1 passengers out of a million became victimised by property crime in the metro system of São Paulo. In 1994, this number had decreased to 4.2 passengers per million. Robbery of ticketsellers used to be a problem in 1991 when there was a total of 115 cases. In 1994, this number had, however, decreased to 30 incidents. The number of vandalism cases was only 258 in 1991 and has, after a rapid increase in 1992, stabilised to around 638 cases in 1994. The problem of crime is only a minor problem when compared with the high number of health problems with which the metro company is dealing every year. In 1994, there were 3,880 recorded crime cases, 2,092 accidents, and 12,957 health problems. The majority of health problems occur during the summer months when many underprivileged metro passengers faint due to hunger.

Source: López, M.J.J., Crime Prevention Guidelines for the Construction & Management of Metro Systems, Den Haag: RCM-advies 1996, pg. 26-28.

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