Diagnosis of Brazilian criminal legislation

critique and suggestions

Authors

  • Damásio E. de Jesus Conselho Nacional de Política Criminal e Penitenciária, CNPCP, Brasil

Keywords:

Symbolic Criminal Law, Law and Order Movement, Custodial penalty, Alternative penalties, Penal reform

Abstract

The text examines the current Brazilian criminal system, pointing out the shift from a classical, guarantee-based, and subsidiary Criminal Law to a symbolic, promotional, and interventionist Criminal Law, founded on instilling fear. It analyzes the negative effects of the Law and Order Movement, responsible for the enactment of severe laws, such as the Heinous Crimes Law and the Organized Crime Law. It argues the failure of custodial penalties as a generic sanction and proposes, in the long term, decriminalization, streamlining of Justice, and reduction of the prison population, and, immediately, the expansion of probation, the effective application of alternative penalties, the establishment of special criminal courts, and the application of the Penal Execution Law.

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Author Biography

Damásio E. de Jesus, Conselho Nacional de Política Criminal e Penitenciária, CNPCP, Brasil

Membro do Conselho Nacional de Política Criminal e Penitenciária.

References

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Published

1995-12-01

How to Cite

JESUS, Damásio E. de. Diagnosis of Brazilian criminal legislation: critique and suggestions. Brazilian Journal of Criminal Science, São Paulo, v. 12, n. 12, p. 107–117, 1995. Disponível em: https://publicacoes.ibccrim.org.br/index.php/RBCCRIM/article/view/3427. Acesso em: 20 oct. 2026.
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