Objective: This article presents the results of a violence and criminality diagnosis in the municipality of Jundiaí, São Paulo.
Material and methods: Official data on external mortality for the duration of the 1997-2003 period were analysed as well as criminal occurrences in the municipality during the 2001-2005 period in order to estimate their magnitude and distribution both across the population and on space. An opinion poll was carried out and qualitative data were produced through focus groups with the population and public security professionals.
Results: It was verified that traffic accidents are the main cause of violent mortality in the municipality followed by homicides. It was further established that the victims are mainly young males.
Conclusions: Additionally, official sources present limitations to the elaboration of a deepened analysis given that popular perceptions of specific problems, particularly drugs traffic, school violence and crimes against property reveal under-notification or even inexistence of consistent data on these phenomena.