02/23/2024 – 21:53
The minister of the Federal Supreme Court (STF), Gilmar Mendes, defended this Friday (23) the installation of cameras and geolocation equipment in police uniforms and vehicles. The measure is already partially adopted in some states, but there is no obligation.
“According to the literature on the subject, measures adopted are notable for their efficiency in combating possible abuses committed by public agents, proving to be a fundamental instrument in promoting a public security policy effectively concerned with fundamental rights”, stated the minister in a speech at the opening of the Pact for Rio seminar, an event held at Fundação Getúlio Vargas (FGV).
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The Ministry of Justice and Public Security is discussing the drafting of a bill that would institutionalize the use of cameras on police uniforms throughout the country. Linked to the department, the National Council for Criminal and Penitentiary Policy (CNPCP), which is formed by representatives of civil society, has already approved a recommendation in this sense: it was suggested that states adopt cameras that record automatically and that the data be stored for a period of three to six months.
In a speech, Gilmar Mendes mentioned the Action for Noncompliance with Fundamental Precepts (ADPF) 635, filed by the PSB, in which the STF restricted the carrying out of police operations in the communities of Rio de Janeiro during the period of the covid-19 pandemic, admitting only those involving exceptional situations.
Furthermore, the Court ordered the Rio de Janeiro government to develop a plan to reduce police lethality and promote the control of human rights violations by security forces. “This order is part of a vision of public security that is in accordance with best international practices. It’s the idea that the problem of fighting crime is everyone’s job,” he said.
For the minister, combating crime must be carried out not only through direct combat, but also with measures that attack associated factors. “There is no room for magical solutions and hasty deliberations. In the area of public security, in general, the answers are to increase penalties or transform certain crimes into heinous crimes and so on.”
He pointed out social issues involved in the discussion. “It is undeniable that the most vulnerable populations are those most punished by the scourge of violence and crime. It is necessary to overcome the culture of incarceration, preventing those convicted of minor crimes from being exposed to the dynamics of criminal organizations, many of which are installed within the prison system,” he concluded.
Hardening
The opening of the seminar held at FGV was also attended by the Minister of Cities, Jader Barbalho Filho; the Attorney General of the Republic, Paulo Gonet; the president of the Chamber of Deputies, Arthur Lira (PP-AL); the governor of Rio de Janeiro, Cláudio Castro, and the mayor of Rio de Janeiro, Eduardo Paes.
Cláudio Castro spoke out in favor of tightening criminal legislation for those who commit violent crimes. He defended an alignment of the Legislative, Judiciary and Executive authorities in this regard.
The governor's proposal involves greater rigidity in the application of sentences and a reduction in the possibilities of progression of criminal regimes and benefits, especially for those convicted of drug and weapons trafficking. “The true Federative Pact is only possible through the meeting of Powers, civil society and the press”, he said.
Castro proposes these measures in the same week that the Senate approved the end of “freedom” for prisoners. Now, the Chamber of Deputies will consider the version of the text prepared by the senators, which ends the temporary release of prisoners on holidays and commemorative dates.
The tightening of criminal legislation and the reduction of prisoners’ rights is criticized by different researchers who study public security and consider such measures ineffective in combating organized crime. Furthermore, experts believe that limiting the prisoner's possibilities for socializing with his family makes his social reintegration difficult, which can impact criminal recidivism data.
For deputy Arthur Lira, the Legislature has an important role in combating crime and treats the issue with care, but he assessed that updating laws in isolation is not always an effective measure. The president of the Chamber of Deputies considered that there is no “magic bullet” and that Brazil has been making progress with the drop in violent death rates.
“When something happens that shocks us, what arrives on my desk are dozens and dozens of bills asking for increased sentences. I am absolutely sure that the rigor of the law is necessary to reduce crime, but they alone do not solve all the chronic problems of a penitentiary system that needs to be updated.”
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