Understanding Hunger-Driven Crime: Advancing Methodological Approaches for Geospatial Policy Analysis

• Grant number: 25/12346-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Start date: September 22, 2025
• End date: September 21, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Interdisciplinary Subjects
• Principal Investigator: João Luiz Becker
• Grantee: Fabiano Jorge Soares
• Supervisor: Gareth Alun Jones
• Host Institution: Escola de Administração de Empresas de São Paulo (EAESP). Fundação Getúlio Vargas (FGV). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: University of London, England
• Associated to the scholarship: 24/07211-1 - Steal or starve: does investing in policies against hunger reduce crime? An evaluation of the community restaurant program in São Paulo, BP.DR

Abstract

This research examines the relationship between food accessibility and hunger-driven crimes in São Paulo, Brazil. Using geospatial analysis, the study investigates whether improved access to food security infrastructure reduces criminal offenses motivated by hunger, particularly minor thefts committed under conditions of extreme need. Despite Brazil being a major food producer, over 58% of its population faces some level of food insecurity, with 33 million experiencing hunger. In São Paulo specifically, 50.5% of residents face food insecurity, with 12.5% experiencing hunger, predominantly in peripheral regions. The research employs Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to analyse spatial relationships between food supply facilities, hunger-driven crimes, and urban poverty clusters from 2000 to 2024. By integrating census data, police records, judicial datasets, and supermarket loss data, the study will identify patterns of hunger-motivated theft and evaluate the effectiveness of food security interventions. The methodology includes comprehensive data collection, GIS database development, longitudinal analysis of crime patterns, and comparative analysis of neighborhoods with and without food supply facilities. This innovative approach addresses a critical gap in understanding the socio-spatial dynamics of hunger and crime, potentially informing more effective policy interventions. The research will be conducted in collaboration with the London School of Economics and Political Science. It will leverage their expertise in urban geography and methodological approaches to enhance the analytical framework and situate São Paulo's experience within global debates on urban food security and crime.