Lethal violence across areas of the rural-urban continuum: Evidence from Pernambuco, Brazil

This study examines the nature and levels of homicides in Pernambuco, a northeastern Brazilian state with a long history of rural violence. Drawing on over 19,870 homicide records (2017–2022), we use spatial data analysis techniques and Negative Binomial regression to investigate the spatiotemporal distribution of these killings. Although violence tends to be concentrated in urban centres such as the metropolitan area of Recife, its nature varies markedly across the rural–urban continuum. In remote, impoverished regions, killings often involve bladed weapons, arising from interpersonal male conflicts, but also include femicide, while, in major centres, homicides mainly arise from drug trafficking and disputes between gangs, and are often committed using firearms. Additionally, high homicide rates along state borders point to the role of cross-border interactions and economic activities in driving violence in these areas. Findings reveal the shortcomings of mainstream criminological theories in capturing the normalization of violence in contexts marked by profound socio-economic inequalities and enduring conflict. By challenging the myth of rural areas as homogeneous and inherently non-violent, the study offers a more nuanced understanding of the patterns and drivers of lethal violence in a part of the Global South that has yet to be fully explored in the international literature. • Varied homicide patterns across rural–urban Pernambuco are presented . • Firearms dominates in major urban areas, while bladed weapons in remote areas. • Border regions show high homicide rates driven by cross-border dynamics . • Findings challenge the belief of rural areas as crime-free , non-violent areas. • Study exposes limits of mainstream theories in rural Global South contexts .