AVALIAÇÃO ECONÔMICA DO IMPACTO DO PROGRAMA DE CONTROLE DE HOMICÍDIOS FICA VIVO

This article investigates the effect of Fica Vivo program for homicide control started at the end of 2002 in Belo Horizonte and currently under the command of the Government of Minas Gerais. The study uses data from the census of 2000 accomplished by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics and official records from the Military Police of Minas Gerais. Our findings through the difference-in-difference method show that those census sectors contained in the pilot program presented a change in crime rate 2.7% lower than the rest of the city from 2000 to 2004. Moreover, the results suggest that part of this decrease comes from a better performance of police presence in the treatment group.