In 2000, more Brazilian prisoners left prison by escaping than were legally released.
According to the BBC, that year around 3,500 inmates escaped prisons in the Brazilian state of Sao Paulo, which the article claims is more than the number who had completed their sentences and were legally released. At notoriously overcrowded Brazilian prisons, escapes and escape attempts are common and are often funded by organized crime figures trying to spring their fellow gang members.

The prisons are so overcrowded that some areas inside the prison are termed "no-go" areas, meaning prison gangs have taken control of the area and guards and officials won't even go near them.