In Brazil, the analysis of statistics shows that crime and criminality data are produced and that they are part of our criminal justice system history. Nevertheless, these data are not transformed into information and knowlegde, even after the re-democratization of the country. The raising amount of produced data, which results from the technological modernization of the state, causes the opacity of excessive exposure and allows the circulation of transparency discourses without the occurence of actual changes in governmental rules and practices. To sum up, the re-definition of those statistics role does not rely on technical aspects, which are controlable and depend on decision making; it relies on political aspects that can attribute responsibilities and resolve conflicts.
criminal statistics; transparency; opacity; democracy