The selectivity of Brazilian penitentiary system and the profile of the incarcerated population: an opportune debate

Abstract

The debate on crime and public security in Brazil is very wide and surrounded by controversies in public discussions. Regarding the penitentiary system, the studies highlight its fragility and selectivity. Therefore, this paper aims to draw a profile of the incarcerated in the Brazilian states during the period 2005 to 2010, taking into consideration several issues broadly discussed in the literature such as age, educational level of the prisoner, the color, the total fulfillment of the sentence, the level of recidivism, the age group and committed crime. Thereafter, we developed the analysis of correlation and regression between the rate of the prison population and the types of crimes to approach the relationship between the two factors. We conclude that what has occurred in Brazil is the privilege of a “repressive” action rather than a “preventive”, which contributes to the increase in prison population without an impact on crime rates.