Revista Brasileira de Estudos Regionais e Urbanos

Does a Federal Penitentiary impact crime? Evidence from Catanduvas, Brazil

Leonardo Schmitz Mosca — 2026-01-09

The investment in prison infrastructure is a policy to fight crime. On the other hand, if it influences in the spatial displacement of crime, the construction of a penitentiary may generate negative localized effects. Dispite this, there are few studies evaluating the potential localized effects arising from the establishment of new maximum-security prisons. We use a 24-year longitudinal data on sinthetic control models to estimate the impacts of the construction of the Catanduvas Maximum-Security Penitentiary on homicide rates in its microregion. Furthermore, we combine the observation of spatial spillover effects with the synthetic control methodology to achieve better fit between the pretreatment control and the synthetic unit. Our findings suggest a transient and isolated increase in local homicidies, which support that the prison did not act as a catalyst for long-term local violence.

Regional innovation system: An analysis of the scientific and technological configurations of Minas Gerais

Letícia Rodrigues — 2026-01-09

Considering the role of innovation in the socioeconomic development of a region, the local agents that contribute to innovative activities must be accurately analyzed so that actions can be precisely designed to stimulate scientific and technological progress in the studied region. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to assess the regional innovation system of Minas Gerais through a principal component analysis. Based on the results, it is possible to classify the 66 microregions of Minas Gerais into four different groups, namely: knowledge-creator regions, demanding urban regions, rural regions with potential for development and industrially underdeveloped regions. Evidently, the microregions differ in their capacities to create knowledge and in their urban and industrial structures. This conclusion corroborates the current notion that the innovative scenario of Minas Gerais is unequal and underdeveloped, similar to the national context.

The influence of rural credit on the conservation of the Amazon biome

Paulo Guilherme Alarcon Fernandes — 2026-01-09

The advance of deforestation in the Amazon concerns society, while rural credit stimulates agricultural activity in the region. This study investigates the main drivers of deforestation and analyzes the effects of rural credit restrictions in the Amazon biome, as well as their potential to promote sustainability. Using the Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR) method for 2021, the results show that, in most municipalities, the relationship between deforestation rates, rural credit amounts, and cattle numbers was negative. This suggests that these variables contribute to forest preservation and highlights the effectiveness of Resolution 3545, which limits financial resources for agriculture linked to deforestation. In some areas, rural activities are supporting environmental preservation through the adoption of sustainable and organic farming practices. As a future research direction, the study recommends extending the time frame to capture longterm effects.

Spatial Analysis of Indirect Land Use Changes: Soybean and Sugarcane's Impact on Amazon Deforestation

Pedro Henrique Batista de Barros — 2026-01-09

Global demand for food and biofuels has accelerated the expansion of agricultural frontiers, intensifying deforestation in tropical regions such as the Brazilian Amazon. While cattle ranching remains the primary direct driver, a substantial share of forest loss stems from indirect landuse change (ILUC) associated with soybean and sugarcane expansion in distant regions. Using a spatial dynamic panel model and economic, political, and land-use data, this study quantifies the magnitude and spatial diffusion of these indirect effects. Results indicate that soybean expansion indirectly accounted for 21,400 km2 of deforestation (13.7% of the total), whereas sugarcane expansion contributed 42,300 km2 (26.7%). These findings reveal strong cross regional displacement dynamics within Brazil’s land-use system, showing that deforestation in the Amazon is partly driven by agricultural expansion outside the biome. Policies focused solely on local control are therefore insufficient; spatially coordinated strategies are required to internalize ILUC effects and foster sustainable land-use transitions.

Economic Integration of Minas Gerais: The State's Mosaic through the Lens of the Interregional Input-Output Matrix

Carla Cristina Aguilar de Souza — 2026-01-09

This study investigates the integration of the Intermediate Geographic Regions (Regiões Geográficas Intermediárias – RGInt) of Minas Gerais (MG) based on interregional trade flows and regional output multipliers. Using an interregional Input-Output Matrix (IOM) estimated for 2019, the study maps the flows among the 13 RGInt, identifying competitive advantages and polarization/propulsion effects. The results indicate that, despite competitiveness in sectors such as agribusiness, the economy of Minas Gerais is regionally fragmented, with low productive integration. The metalworking supply chain shows integrative potential, although it remains concentrated in Belo Horizonte (BH), while the fashion supply chain exhibits limited regional articulation. Productive heterogeneity and the concentration of technological sectors constrain regional synergies. The study highlights the importance of public policies to strengthen strategic value chains in the state.

Evaluation of the impact of the family health support unit (NASF) on hospitalizations for ambulatory care sensitive conditions (ACSC) in Brazil between 2007 and 2019

Rafaela Niels Da Silva — 2026-01-09

This study evaluated the impact of the Family Health Support Centers (NASF) on hospital admissions for Conditions Sensitive to rimary Care (ICSAP) in Brazil between 2007 and 2019. To this end, Difference-in-Differences (Diff in-Diff) and Propensity Score Matching (PSM) regression models were estimated using DATASUS data, and the results were validated through robustness tests. The findings indicated that the municipalities’ gradual adoption of NASF was associated with a significant reduction in ICSAP admission rates, which is consistent with the impact of the NASF management model on improving primary care and preventing avoidable hospitalizations.