Violence, Drug-Related Crime, and State Responses: A Comparative Analysis of Brazil and Ukraine

This study presents a comparative analysis of drug-related crime, violence, and stateresponses in Brazil and Ukraine using publicly available open data from internationalorganizations. The research aims to examine how different political, social, and institutionalcontexts influence patterns of violence and human rights challenges. Data from the UnitedNations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the World Bank, the World Prison Brief,Amnesty International, and Human Rights Watch was analyzed using descriptive statisticsand qualitative comparative methods.The findings indicate that Brazil demonstrates consistently higher levels of violent crime,particularly related to organized and drug-related criminal activity, while Ukraine’s patternsof violence are significantly shaped by the context of armed conflict and security challenges.Despite these differences, both countries face concerns related to law enforcementaccountability and human rights protection. The study highlights how governance structuresand political stability play a crucial role in shaping state responses to crime and violence.This research contributes to a broader understanding of the intersection between criminologyand international relations and demonstrates the value of open data for ethical andindependent research.