The Rule of Law
in Brazil
Key Findings from the General
Population Poll 2022
Acknowledgements
The Rule of Law in Brazil: Key Findings from the General Population Poll 2022 was produced by the World Justice Project under the research oversight of Alejandro Ponce and the executive direction of Elizabeth Andersen.
The production of this report was led by Ana María Montoya and Tanya Primiani. This report was prepared by Said Aarji, Erin Campbell, James Davis, Joshua Fuller, Skye Jacobs, Ana María Montoya, Santiago Pardo González, Enrique Paulin, Tanya Primiani, Hannah Rigazzi, Natalia Rodríguez Cajamarca, Jeison Sabogal Sánchez, Victoria Thomaides, Carlos Toruño Paniagua, and Moss Woodbury.
Mariana Lopez was the graphic design lead for this report, with support from Raquel Medina. Photo for cover provided by Agustin Diaz Gargiulo via UnSplash.
Sampling, fieldwork, and data processing in Brazil were conducted About Brazil Market Research, based in Brazil. Data collection in Argentina was conducted by StatMark Group, based in the United States. Data collection in Paraguay was conducted by Datum Internacional S.A. and BM Business Partners, based in Peru and Uruguay, respectively. Scripting of the questionnaire in the online platform SurveyToGo was conducted by Ezekiel Agwata of Polar Solutions.
The findings in this report are taken from the General Population Poll (GPP) conducted for the World Justice Project in 2022. The GPP’s conceptual framework and methodology were developed by Mark David Agrast, Juan Carlos Botero, and Alejandro Ponce. The methodology for this iteration of the GPP was developed by Lindsey Bock, Ana Cárdenas, Alicia Evangelides, Joshua Fuller, Nora Futtner, Amy Gryskiewicz, Verónica Jaso, Ana María Montoya, Alejandro Ponce, Eréndira González Portillo, Tanya Primiani, Natalia Rodríguez Cajamarca, Victoria Thomaides, and Marcelo Torres.
This report was made possible with the support of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs' Office of Western Hemisphere (INL). The views expressed in this report are those of the survey respondents and do not necessarily represent the views of INL.
© Copyright 2023 by the World Justice Project.
Requests to reproduce this document should be sent to:
Alejandro Ponce
World Justice Project
1025 Vermont Avenue NW, Suite 1200
Washington, DC 20005, USA
Email: [email protected]
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ABOUT
THIS REPORT
ABOUT THIS REPORT
EFFECTIVE RULE OF LAW reduces corruption, combats poverty and disease, and protects people from injustices large and small. Strengthening the rule of law is an important objective for governments, donors, and civil society organizations around the world. To be effective, rule of law development requires clarity about the fundamental features that define the rule of law, as well as an adequate basis for its evaluation and measurement.
The Rule of Law in Brazil: Key Findings from the General Population Poll 2022 presents question-level data drawn from the General Population Poll (GPP), an original data source designed and collected by the World Justice Project. To provide a more in-depth view of trends in perceptions of rule of law in Brazil, this report also presents select findings over time and compared to Brazil’s regional peers within the Southern Cone subregion of Latin America and the Caribbean.
The GPP was conducted between June and August 2022 through face-to-face interviews to a nationally representative sample of 1,109 Brazilian households. This poll was designed to capture data on the experiences and perceptions of ordinary people regarding a variety of themes related to the rule of law.
This report represents the voices of people in Brazil and their experiences with the rule of law in their country.
The data derived from the General Population Poll is presented in this report as thematic briefs, each one highlighting a different dimension of the rule of law from the perspective of Brazilians. These thematic briefs focus on the current rule of law ecosystem in Brazil while simultaneously illuminating changes over time and comparisons across the following peer countries in the Southern Cone region: Argentina and Paraguay. Each section touches upon perceptions of and attitudes towards the following topics: accountability, authoritarianism, fundamental freedoms, corruption, bribery victimization, trust in institutions, the criminal justice system and its actors, police performance, crime victimization, support for victims of crime, security, and access to justice.
EXECUTIVE FINDINGS
The Rule of Law in Brazil: Key Findings from the General Population Poll 2022 provides a comprehensive overview of how citizens perceive and experience the rule of law in Brazil alongside comparative findings across the Southern Cone region. The findings in this report indicate some positive trends in the general public’s perspective on the rule of law in Brazil, including improvement in perceptions of fundamental freedoms, increasing levels of trust in institutions, and improvement in perceptions of personal safety. Despite these positive developments, however, these findings highlight the fact that many challenges—including relatively negative perceptions of fundamental freedoms, negative perceptions of personal safety, negative views on criminal justice system performance—persist. At the regional level, prominent trends include high perceptions of authoritarian behavior, negative perceptions of government accountability, and low confidence in criminal justice system performance.
SECTION 1
Authoritarianism, Fundamental Freedoms, and Accountability
1. Authoritarianism
Most respondents in Argentina and Brazil agreed that top government officials engage in authoritarian behavior. On average, Argentinians most often felt that top government officials attempt to undermine the judiciary, whereas Brazilians most often felt that top government officials attempt to undermine electoral systems and opposition parties and attack the media.
- When asked about authoritarian tendencies in Brazil, respondents most often felt that top government officials attack or attempt to discredit the media and civil society organizations that criticize them (77%), attack or attempt to discredit the electoral system and other supervisory organs (75%), and resort to misinformation to shape public opinion in their favor (75%).
2. Fundamental Freedoms
On average, more respondents believe that their freedoms of expression, political participation, election, and religion are guaranteed in Argentina and Brazil compared to 2018 and 2017, respectively. In 2022, Argentinians had the most positive perceptions of the state’s respect for overall fundamental freedoms, on average, compared to other respondents in the Southern Cone. In contrast, Brazilians had the most negative perceptions of the state’s respect for freedoms of expression and political participation, while Paraguayans had the most negative perceptions of the state’s respect for electoral freedoms and freedom of religion, on average.
- When asked about respect for fundamental freedoms in Brazil, respondents had more favorable views on freedoms of political participation, with 83% of respondents agreeing that people can attend community meetings. Conversely, Brazilians had less favorable views on electoral freedoms, with 42% of respondents agreeing that local government officials are elected through a clean process.
- Between 2017 and 2022, Brazil’s most significant trends in public opinions on freedoms include improvements in the perceptions that local government officials are elected through a clean process (up 18 percentage points), people can attend community meetings (up 17 percentage points), religious minorities can observe their holy days (up 17 percentage points), and people can join any political organization (up 17 percentage points).
3. Accountability
Perceptions of accountability are extremely negative in surveyed Southern Cone countries. Less than one-quarter of all respondents in the region believe that high-ranking officials would be held accountable for breaking the law. Only 14% of respondents in Argentina and Paraguay believe that high-ranking government officials would be held accountable for breaking the law, marking a decline of 5 percentage points in Argentina since 2018. Public perceptions of impunity improved in Brazil, where 24% of respondents believe that high-ranking government officials would be held accountable for breaking the law, compared to 14% in 2017.
SECTION 2
Corruption and Trust
4. Corruption
Public views on the pervasiveness of corruption among the legislature, national executive officials, and judges and magistrates deteriorated in both Argentina and Brazil between 2022 and the last year of data collection. Out of all Southern Cone countries, on average, more Paraguayans reported perceptions of corruption across all actors than their regional peers, whereas Brazilians reported the same least frequently.
- Between 2017 and 2022, Brazil’s most significant trends in public opinions on the pervasiveness of corruption include an increase in percentage of respondents who believe that most or all national government officers engage in corrupt practices (up 10 percentage points) and a decrease in the percentage of respondents who believe the same of police officers (down 7 percentage points).
- Members of political parties and the National Congress are considered the most corrupt actors in Brazil. Approximately 77% of respondents believe that most or all members of Brazilian political parties and the legislature are involved in corrupt practices.
- Teachers in public schools are considered the least corrupt actors in Brazil, with 16% of respondents reporting that they believe most or all teachers are involved in corrupt practices.
5. Bribery Victimization
On average, respondents in the Southern Cone reported paying a bribe most often in Paraguay and least often in Argentina. Throughout the region, respondents most frequently had to pay a bribe when requesting a government permit and least often when using a public health service or securing a place at a public school.
6. Trust
Respondents in the Southern Cone trust people living in their country more than any other public actor. Respondents in the Southern Cone most often reported having some or a lot of trust in people living in their country and expressed the lowest levels of trust in national government officers. On average, respondents in Paraguay least often reported having some or a lot of trust in actors across all institutions. In contrast, respondents in Brazil reported the highest overall levels of trust.
- Levels of trust in Brazil improved across every institution between 2017 and 2022. Trust in police officers improved the most in Brazil in this time period, with 51% of respondents reporting some or a lot of trust in 2022 compared to 33% in 2017.
SECTION 3
Security and Criminal Justice
7. Crime Victimization
On average, roughly one-fifth (22%) of all respondents surveyed in the Southern Cone reported experiencing a crime in the last 12 months. On average, more than half (57%) of those respondents reported their crime experience to an authority.
- One-fifth (20%) of Brazilians reported experiencing a crime in the last 12 months, a figure just below the regional average (22%).
- More than half (55%) of Brazilian respondents who were victims of a crime did not report the crime to an authority, with those respondents most often citing the belief that reporting would not help as their reason for not reporting (55%).
8. Security
Only one-third (33%) of all respondents in the Southern Cone feel safe or very safe when walking in their neighborhood at night, on average. Perceptions of safety declined in Argentina, where 31% of respondents reported feeling safe or very safe walking in their neighborhood at night in 2022, compared to 36% in 2018. In contrast, perceptions of safety improved in Brazil by 10 percentage points between 2017 and 2022. Compared to respondents in regional peer countries, Paraguayans most often reported feeling safe in their neighborhood at night (40% of respondents).
- Brazilians who live in an urban area were less likely to feel safe walking in their neighborhood at night than respondents with other sociodemographic characteristics, while Brazilians who have a lighter skin tone were more likely to feel safe.
9. Criminal Justice
Across the Southern Cone, respondents are most confident, on average, that the criminal justice system ensures equal treatment of victims and least confident that the criminal justice system ensures uniform quality of service. On average, respondents in Paraguay reported the highest levels of confidence in the criminal justice system overall, while respondents in Brazil reported the lowest levels of confidence. Average perceptions of the criminal justice system’s overall performance deteriorated in Argentina between 2018 and 2022, while average perceptions of the criminal justice system’s overall performance improved in Brazil between 2017 and 2022.
- Brazilians were most confident that the criminal justice system ensures equal treatment of victims (48%) and is effective in delivering justice (40%). Brazilians were least confident that the criminal justice system ensures timeliness (27%) and ensures uniform quality of service (28%).
- Perceptions of adherence to proportionate punishments and equal treatment of victims in the Brazilian criminal justice system improved the most between 2017 and 2022, with increases of 21 and 20 percentage points, respectively.
10. Police Performance
When asked about their impressions of police performance, respondents in Brazil had the most negative views on absence of discrimination and accountability and the most positive views on crime control and public service, on average.
- When asked about their impressions of police performance, respondents in Brazil were most confident that:
- Police perform effective and lawful investigations (52%).
- Police are not involved in corrupt practices (52%).
- Police resolve security problems in the community (44%).
- Respondents in Brazil were least confident that:
- Police do not serve the interests of politicians (20%).
- Police do not use excessive force (23%).
- Police are investigated for misconduct (32%).
- Police are held accountable for violating laws (32%).
- Police are held accountable for accepting bribes (32%).
- In Brazil, respondents most often indicated that suspects with a darker skin tone and suspects with tattoos would most likely be at a disadvantage in a criminal investigation.
11. Victim Support
Less than one-third of all respondents in Argentina and Brazil, on average, believed that victims of crime receive adequate support and protection. In both countries, respondents were most confident that crime victims are addressed by the police using accessible language.
- Brazilians were most often confident that victims are addressed by the police using accessible language (42%) and receive a clear explanation of the crime reporting process (38%).
- Brazilians were least often confident that victims receive effective and timely medical and psychological care (26%), receive adequate care and protection as victims of domestic violence (27%), and receive protection from the police if their safety is in danger (27%).
SECTION 4
Access to Justice
Roughly 2 in 5 (41%) respondents in the Southern Cone reported experiencing a legal problem in the last two years, on average. While the prevalence and severity of problems vary by country, the most common problems relate to consumer issues. On average, 47% of respondents in the Southern Cone reported that their legal problem has been resolved and the average time reported to resolve the problem was approximately 8.4 months.
- Thirty-two percent (32%) of Brazilians reported experiencing a legal problem in the last two years (a figure below the regional average of 41%). The most commonly reported problems included consumer issues and debt resolution.
- Less than one-third (30%) of surveyed Brazilians with a legal problem obtained advice from a person or organization that could help them better understand or resolve their problem, and 1 in 6 (16%) reported that it was difficult or nearly impossible to find the money required to resolve their problem.
- More than half (52%) of respondents in Brazil who resolved their legal issue experienced at least one hardship during the resolution process. The most frequently cited hardship was health-related – 39% of respondents reported experiencing a physical or stress-related illness.
Note: In addition to the data found in regional charts included in this report, comparative data for regional peer countries referenced in the Executive Findings can be found in each country’s respective report.
THEMATIC FINDINGS
SECTION I
AUTHORITARIANISM, FUNDAMENTAL FREEDOMS,
AND ACCOUNTABILITY
AUTHORITARIANISM
CHART 1.
Perceptions of Authoritarian Behaviors
Percentage of respondents who believe that top government officials...
◆Argentina Brazil
ATTACKS ON ELECTORAL SYSTEMS AND OPPOSITION PARTIES
ATTACKS ON THE JUDICIARY
ATTACKS ON THE MEDIA AND MISINFORMATION
Source: WJP General Population Poll 2022
CHART 2.
Perceptions of Authoritarian Behavior, by Support for the Current Administration
Percentage of respondents in Brazil who believe that top government officials...
Government Supporter Non-Government Supporter
ATTACKS ON ELECTORAL SYSTEMS AND OPPOSITION PARTIES
ATTACKS ON THE JUDICIARY
ATTACKS ON THE MEDIA AND MISINFORMATION
Source: WJP General Population Poll 2022
CHART 3.
Attitudes Towards Authoritarianism and Rule of Law
Percentage of respondents who agree with the following statements
The president can attack the media, civil society, and opposition groups
The president must respect the media, civil society, and opposition groups
None of the above
The president can undermine independent authorities
The president must respect independent authorities
None of the above
Government efficiency is more important than citizen influence
It is important that citizens have a say in government matters, even at the expense of efficiency
None of the above
The president should not be bound by the laws or courts
The president must always obey the law and the courts
None of the above
It is not necessary to obey the laws of a government that you did not vote for
It is important to obey the government in power, no matter who you voted for
None of the above
Source: WJP General Population Poll 2022
FUNDAMENTAL FREEDOMS
CHART 4.
Fundamental Freedoms in Brazil Over Time
Percentage of respondents who believe the following statements
EXPRESSION
People can express opinions against the government
Civil society organizations can express opinions against the government
Political parties can express opinions against the government
The media can express opinions against the government without fear of retaliation
The media can expose cases of corruption
Source: WJP General Population Poll 2014, 2017, and 2022
PARTICIPATION
People can attend community meetings
People can join any political organization
People can organize around an issue or petition
ELECTIONS
Local government officials are elected through a clean process
People can vote freely without feeling harassed or pressured
RELIGION
Religious minorities can observe their holy days
Source: WJP General Population Poll 2014, 2017, and 2022
CHART 5.
Perceptions of Fundamental Freedoms in the Southern Cone
Percentage of respondents who believe the following statements
EXPRESSION
People can express opinions against the government
Civil society organizations can express opinions against the government
Political parties can express opinions against the government
The media can express opinions against the government without fear of retaliation
The media can expose cases of corruption
Source: WJP General Population Poll 2021 and 2022
PARTICIPATION
People can attend community meetings
People can join any political organization
People can organize around an issue or petition
ELECTIONS
Local government officials are elected through a clean process
People can vote freely without feeling harassed or pressured
RELIGION
Religious minorities can observe their holy days
Source: WJP General Population Poll 2021 and 2022
GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY
CHART 6.
Perceptions of Accountablity in the Southern Cone Over Time
Percentage of respondents in Brazil and regional peer countries who believe that high-ranking government officials would be held accountable for breaking the law
Argentina Paraguay Brazil
Source: WJP General Population Poll 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2021, and 2022
THEMATIC FINDINGS
SECTION II
CORRUPTION AND TRUST
CORRUPTION
CHART 7.
Perceptions of Corruption by Institution Over Time
Percentage of respondents who believe that most or all people working in the following institutions are corrupt
MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL CONGRESS
POLICE OFFICERS
EXECUTIVE
Local Government Officers
National Government Officers
JUDICIARY
Prosecutors Judges & Magistrates
Public Defense Attorneys
Source: WJP General Population Poll 2014, 2017, and 2022
CHART 8.
Perceptions of Corruption in the Southern Cone, by Institution
Percentage of respondents who think people in the following groups are involved in corrupt practices
◆Argentina Brazil ◆Paraguay
THE MEDIA AND POLITICAL PARTIES
NATIONAL AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT
ADMINISTRATIVE AND BUREAUCRATIC INSTITUTIONS
SECURITY AND JUSTICE INSTITUTIONS
Source: WJP General Population Poll 2021 and 2022
CHART 9.
Attitudes Towards Corrupt Behaviors in the Southern Cone
Percentage of respondents who believe the following behaviors are always or usually acceptable
◆Argentina Brazil
BRIBES OFFERED
BRIBES REQUESTED
NEPOTISM AND EMBEZZLEMENT
Source: WJP General Population Poll 2022
BRIBERY VICTIMIZATION
CHART 10.
Bribery Victimization in Brazil and Regional Peer Countries
Percentage of respondents who paid a bribe in the last three years to access the following services, out of those who used these services
REQUEST A GOVERNMENT PERMIT OR DOCUMENT
REQUEST PUBLIC BENEFITS OR ASSISTANCE
OBTAIN A BIRTH CERTIFICATE OR GOVERNMENT ISSUED ID
SECURE A PLACE AT A PUBLIC SCHOOL
USE A PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE
Source: WJP General Population Poll 2021 and 2022
TRUST
CHART 11.
Trust in Institutions Over Time
Percentage of respondents who have a lot or some trust in...
PEOPLE LIVING IN THEIR COUNTRY
POLICE OFFICERS
EXECUTIVE
Local Government Officers
National Government Officers
JUDICIARY
Prosecutors Judges & Magistrates
Public Defense Attorneys
Source: WJP General Population Poll 2014, 2017, and 2022
THEMATIC FINDINGS
SECTION III
SECURITY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE
CRIME VICTIMIZATION
CHART 12.1
Types of Crimes Experienced by People in Brazil
Victimization rate, by type of crime
CHART 12.2
Crime Victimization Rates and Reporting
Data on crime victimization and reporting in Brazil
Note: For additional information on how Chart 12.1 and Chart 12.2 were produced, please see the Appendix.
Source: WJP General Population Poll 2022
SECURITY
CHART 13.1
Perceptions of Security in Brazil Over Time
Percentage of respondents who reported that they feel safe or very safe walking in their neighborhood at night
Source: WJP General Population Poll 2014, 2017, and 2022
CHART 13.2
Impact of Sociodemographic Characteristics on Perceptions of Safety
Likelihood that respondents feel safe or very safe walking in their neighborhood at night
Note: The results in this infographic were obtained from a logit regression. Each point indicates the average marginal effect of the corresponding sociodemographic characteristic on the predicted probability of a respondent to answer “safe” or “very safe” to the question “How safe do you feel walking in your neighborhood at night?” The lines indicate the 95% confidence intervals of each average marginal effect. For additional information on how Chart 13.2 was produced, please see the Regression Key linked in the Appendix.
Source: WJP General Population Poll 2022
CRIMINAL JUSTICE
CHART 14.
Perceptions of the Criminal Justice System in Brazil
Percentage of respondents who are confident that the criminal justice system...
2022 2017
Note: For additional information on how Chart 14 was produced, please see the Appendix.
Source: WJP General Population Poll 2017 and 2022
CHART 15.
Criminal Justice Actors
Perceptions of criminal justice actors in Brazil
Prosecutors Public Defense Attorneys Judges & Magistrates
TRUST IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE ACTORS OVER TIME
Percentage of respondents who have a lot or some trust in prosecutors, public defense attorneys, and judges and magistrates
PERCEPTIONS OF CORRUPTION ACROSS CRIMINAL JUSTICE ACTORS OVER TIME
Percentage of respondents who believe that most or all prosecutors, public defense attorneys, and judges and magistrates are corrupt
PERCEPTIONS OF EFFECTIVENESS ACROSS CRIMINAL JUSTICE ACTORS OVER TIME
Percentage of respondents who believe that prosecutors, public defense attorneys, and judges and magistrates do their job well
Note: Variables in Effectiveness category are as follows: Prosecutors prosecute crimes committed in an independent manner and are not subject to any sort of pressure; Public defenders do everything they can to defend poor people that are accused of committing a crime; Judges decide cases in an independent manner and are not subject to any sort of pressure.
Source: WJP General Population Poll 2014, 2017, and 2022
POLICE
CHART 16.
Perceptions of the Police
Opinions on the effectiveness and legitimacy of law enforcement
EFFECTIVENESS
Serve the Public
Percentage of respondents who believe that the police...
Crime Control and Safety
Percentage of respondents who believe that the police...
LEGITIMACY
Due Process
Percentage of respondents who believe that the police...
Discrimination
Percentage of respondents who believe that the police do not discriminate against suspects based on....
Source: WJP General Population Poll 2022
Corruption
Percentage of respondents who believe that the police...
Trust and Crime Reporting
Percentage of respondents who...
Accountability
Percentage of respondents who believe that the police...
Note: For additional information on how Chart 16 was produced, please see the Appendix
Source: WJP General Population Poll 2022
VICTIM SUPPORT
CHART 17.
Perceptions of the Treatment of Crime Victims
Percentage of respondents who are confident that crime victims...
Note: For additional information on how Chart 17 was produced, please see the Appendix.
Source: WJP General Population Poll 2022
THEMATIC FINDINGS
SECTION IV
ACCESS TO JUSTICE
ACCESS TO JUSTICE JOURNEY
CHART 18
Justice Journey in Brazil
Paths followed by Brazilians who experienced a legal problem in the last two years
Source: WJP General Population Poll 2022
Note: For additional information on how Chart 18 was produced, please see the Appendix.
Source: WJP General Population Poll 2022
PROJECT DESIGN
METHODOLOGY
To present an image that accurately portrays the rule of law as experienced by ordinary people, data in this report is drawn from the General Population Poll (GPP), an original data source designed and collected by the World Justice Project (WJP). The GPP captures the experiences and perceptions of ordinary citizens concerning the performance of the state and its agents and the actual operation of the legal framework in their country.
The General Population Poll used to collect data in Brazil in 2022 features several new questions that highlight perceptions on issues salient to the region, including corruption, authoritarian behaviors, police performance, criminal justice, and security. In total, the General Population Poll questionnaire includes 115 perception-based questions and 77 experience-based questions, along with sociodemographic information on all respondents. Additionally, the GPP in Brazil was administered to a sample of 1,109 respondents.
Data Collection
The GPP in Brazil was conducted for the WJP's The Rule of Law in Brazil: Key Findings from the General Population Poll 2022 with sampling, fieldwork, and data processing by About Brazil Market Research, based in Fortaleza, Brazil. About Brazil Market Research administered the surveys between June and August 2022, conducting face-to-face interviews using a multi-stage stratified random sampling design. The target population group for this survey included Brazilians aged 18 years or older residing across eight states throughout the country.
SAMPLE SIZE AND SAMPLE FRAME
The General Population Poll in Brazil represents an achieved total sample size of 1,109 interviews distributed proportionally across five regions. About Brazil Market Research based the sampling frame on the most recent population figures from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), acquiring a proportionally stratified sample by region, age, gender, socioeconomic status, and level of urbanization.
In order to address all relevant topics while controlling the questionnaire length, the World Justice Project split three of the survey modules into two versions (Option A and Option B) and randomly assigned one option to each respondent for each module. These modules included: Hypothetical Situations, Civic Participation, and Institutional Performance. Aside from these modules, the questionnaires are identical. A link to the complete survey instrument, in English and Portuguese, can be found in the Appendix of this report.
SAMPLING
Regions and states were selected to achieve a nationally representative sample of the country. Within municipalities, census sectors were randomly selected, and the number of census sectors assigned to each municipality was proportionate to each municipality’s population. Within each census sector, survey administrators performed a systematic random route based on listed addresses to sample households and used a Kish grid to select respondents. If the selected respondent declined to be interviewed or otherwise did not meet the characteristics of the target quota, the interviewer moved on to the next household.
DESCRIPTION OF THE SAMPLE
COVERAGE: Interviews were distributed across regions to create a nationally representative sample. The majority of interviews (54%) took place in the Southeast region, followed by 21% in the Northeast, 15% in the South, 7% in the North, and 3% in the Midwest.
GEOGRAPHY: Fourteen percent (14%) of respondents resided in rural areas and municipalities, while 86% of respondents resided in metro areas or cities.
RACIAL AND ETHNIC BACKGROUND: Forty-three percent (43%) of respondents identified themselves as White, followed by Mixed Race, (35%), and Black (20%).
GENDER: Fifty-three percent (53%) of respondents were female and 47% were male.
EDUCATION: Most respondents (72%) reported that they had received at least a high school diploma or vocational degree, and the remaining 28% of respondents received up to a middle school diploma.
RESPONSE RATES
| Eligible household, non-interview | 393 |
| Refusals | 58 |
| Break-off | 133 |
| Non-contact | 202 |
INTERVIEWING AND QUALITY CONTROL
In total, 87 interviewers worked on this project, including 47 female interviewers. Enumerators worked in 18 groups of four to five interviewers. Interviews were conducted in Portuguese.
The supervisory team directly oversaw 11% of all interviews in the
field. During data processing, 160 interviews (approximately 14% of the
sample) were selected for audio review by local supervision teams and
194 (approximately 18% of the sample) were selected for audio review by
the central office. All interviews under 30 minutes were reviewed in
full and disqualified if not properly conducted. After quality control,
180 interviews were rejected from the final sample. Interviews averaged
45 minutes in length and ranged from 28 to 101 minutes.
DATA REVIEW AND JUSTIFICATION
As part of the data analysis process, the team consulted several third-party sources in order to contextualize and validate perception-based data captured by the General Population Poll and compare it with the objective rule of law situation in-country. Peer data sources consulted include select indicators measured by the Latin American Public Opinion Project (LAPOP)'s AmericasBarometer, Latinobarómetro, Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem), Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index, the Bertelsmann Stiftung's Transformation Index (BTI), and Freedom House's Freedom in the World. While certain trends captured by the 2022 General Population Poll in Brazil are comparable to trends in perceptions data measured by other indices, the experiences and perceptions presented in this report may not always coincide with the reality of Brazil's rule of law performance as measured by other sources.
HISTORICAL DATA
Historical data in this report derives from the WJP Rule of Law Index®'s General Population Poll that is typically administered every two to three years using a nationally representative probability sample ranging from 500 to 1,000 respondents. These household surveys were administered in the three largest cities of most countries until 2018, when the World Justice Project transitioned to nationally representative coverage as the preferred methodology for polling. The historical polling data used in this year's reports was collected in the following intervals: Data for Argentina was collected in 2016, 2018, and 2022. Data for Brazil was collected in 2014, 2017, and 2022. Data for Paraguay was collected in 2021.
ADDITIONAL COUNTRIES
The Rule of Law in Brazil: Key Findings from the General Population Poll 2022 includes comparisons to the following Southern Cone countries surveyed by the World Justice Project during the same period: Argentina and Paraguay. This report is additionally part of a series that presents findings from the following five sub-regions within Latin America and the Caribbean: Andes (Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru); Southern Cone (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay); Eastern Caribbean (Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago); Greater Antilles, The Bahamas, and the Guianas (The Bahamas, the Dominican Republic, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Suriname); and Central America (Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama). Together, these 26 countries are a portion of the 140 countries and jurisdictions included in the WJP Rule of Law Index 2022 report. Detailed information regarding the methodology of the Rule of Law Index is available at: www.worldjusticeproject.org.
| Country | Polling Company | Methodology | Sample |
| Argentina | StatMark Group | Face-to-face | 759 |
| The Bahamas | DMR Insights Ltd. | Face-to-face | 500 |
| Barbados | DMR Insights Ltd. | Face-to-face | 500 |
| Belize | CID Gallup | Face-to-face | 1,500 |
| Bolivia | Captura Consulting | Face-to-face | 1,000 |
| Brazil | About Brazil Market Research | Face-to-face | 1,109 |
| Colombia | Tempo Group SA | Face-to-face | 1,000 |
| Costa Rica | CID Gallup | Face-to-face | 1,005 |
| Dominica | DMR Insights Ltd. | Face-to-face | 500 |
| Dominican Republic | CID Gallup | Face-to-face | 1,002 |
| Ecuador | StatMark Group | Face-to-face | 1,005 |
| El Salvador | CID Gallup | Face-to-face | 2,010 |
| Grenada | DMR Insights Ltd. | Face-to-face | 500 |
| Guatemala | Mercaplan | Face-to-face | 2,002 |
| Guyana | StatMark Group | Face-to-face | 500 |
| Haiti | CID Gallup | Face-to-face | 507 |
| Honduras | Mercaplan | Face-to-face | 2,000 |
| Jamaica | StatMark Group | Face-to-face | 1,001 |
| Nicaragua | CID Gallup | Telephone | 1,014 |
| Panama | CID Gallup | Face-to-face | 2,023 |
| Paraguay | Datum Internacional S.A./BM Business Partners | Face-to-face | 1,000 |
| Peru | Datum Internacional S.A. | Face-to-face | 1,029 |
| St. Lucia | DMR Insights Ltd. | Face-to-face | 500 |
| St. Vincent and the Grenadines | DMR Insights Ltd. | Face-to-face | 500 |
| Suriname | D3: Designs, Data, Decisions | Face-to-face | 502 |
| Trinidad and Tobago | CID Gallup | Face-to-face | 1,001 |
APPENDIX
APPENDIX
Methodological Materials
GENERAL POPULATION POLL (GPP)
The General Population Poll in South America was designed to capture high-quality data on the realities and concerns of ordinary people on a variety of themes related to the rule of law, including authoritarianism, government accountability, bribery, corruption, police performance, crime and security, and access to justice.
VARIABLES USED IN INFOGRAPHICS ON CRIME VICTIMIZATION
This table lists the question-level variables from the General Population Poll used to construct Chart 12.1 and the “Reasons the crime was not reported” table in Chart 12.2.
World Justice Project Crime Rates and Reporting Variable Map
REGRESSION TABLES FOR REGRESSION ANALYSIS USED IN INFOGRAPHIC ON PERCEPTIONS OF SECURITY
This document includes the question-level variables from the General Population Poll used in the regression analysis and the regression results featured in Chart 13.2.
World Justice Project Regression Tables
VARIABLES USED IN INFOGRAPHIC ON THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM
This table lists the question-level variables from the General Population Poll used to construct Chart 14.
World Justice Project Criminal Justice System Variable Map
VARIABLES USED IN INFOGRAPHIC ON THE POLICE
This table lists the question-level variables from the General Population Poll used to construct Chart 16.
World Justice Project Police Performance Variable Map
VARIABLES USED IN INFOGRAPHIC ON PERCEPTIONS OF THE TREATMENT OF CRIME VICTIMS
This table lists the question-level variables from the General Population Poll used to construct Chart 17.
World Justice Project Victim Support Variable Map
VARIABLES USED IN INFOGRAPHIC ON ACCESS TO JUSTICE
This table lists the question-level variables from the General Population Poll used to construct Chart 18.
ABOUT THE WORLD JUSTICE PROJECT
The World Justice Project (WJP) is an independent, multidisciplinary organization working to create knowledge, build awareness, and stimulate action to advance the rule of law worldwide. Effective rule of law is the foundation for communities of justice, opportunity, and peace–underpinning development, accountable government, and respect for fundamental rights.
The WJP builds and supports a global, multidisciplinary movement for the rule of law through three lines of work: collecting, organizing, and analyzing original, independent rule of law data, including the World Justice Project Rule of Law Index; supporting research, scholarship, and teaching about the importance of the rule of law, its relationship to development, and effective strategies to strengthen it; and connecting and building an engaged global network of policymakers and advocates to advance the rule of law through strategic partnerships, convenings, coordinated advocacy, and support for locally led initiatives.
Learn more at: worldjusticeproject.org.
OTHER PUBLICATIONS
For more information click on the publication.
WJP Rule of Law Index 2022 Insights
Highlights and data trends from the WJP Rule of Law Index 2021
WJP Mexico States Rule of
Law Index 2020-2021
Perceptions and experiences in 32 states
World Justice Challenge 2021
Outcome Report
For more information or to read these reports, visit worldjusticeproject.org/our-work
