"The U.S. Department of State rates the criminal threat for Sao Paulo as “critical.” Although statistics show that crime is decreasing in some areas, crime levels in the State of Sao Paulo remain high. Much of Sao Paulo’s crimes and violence can be attributed to mobile street gangs and organized crime groups operating throughout the state. Sao Paulo continues to experience violent crimes such as murder, rape, kidnappings, armed assaults, and burglaries. Every Sao Paulo neighborhood is susceptible to crime. Reports of armed robberies continue to occur regularly in the affluent residential sections of Jardins, Morumbi, Itaim Bibi, and Santo Amaro, where a number of government and business leaders and a majority of the U.S. Consulate employees reside." (Quoted from the article)