Public security and governance in the view of managers:

the Viva Brasília - Nosso Pacto pela Vida Program

Abstract

The objective of this work is to describe and analyze the main social representations shared by the managers participating in the Viva Brasília – Nosso Pacto pela Vida program in the construction of meanings for the problem of public security and for the governance model implemented by this public policy. It is questioned how managers socially represent Pacto Pela Vida and what impacts these views shared by research participants suggest for the implementation of public policy. The Theory of Social Representations is used as a theoretical framework and methodological device for the analysis of public policy. The technique for data collection consisted of semi-structured interviews. It appears that the representations of managers coincide with official discourses on the perception of public security as a complex problem, which requires a multidisciplinary set of approaches and intersectoral action. However, while the Guiding Document qualifies the policy as a model of citizen security, the managers represent it as a program aimed at maintaining public order. It is concluded that the social representations of managers focus on ideas of management by results and coordination between interdependent actors as central elements for understanding governance in public security