Short Circuit: Electronic Monitoring and the Crisis of the Brazilian Prison System

This book provides an in-depth scientific analysis of criminal offenders electronic monitoring (EM) in Brazil, focusing on the implementation of EM policies, discourses, and rationalities, and the effects of EM on convicts in urban spaces governed by armed militias, criminal gangs, and abusive police forces.

Format: Hardback
Length: 142 pages
Publication date: 01 February 2023
Publisher: Springer International Publishing AG

Drawing upon extensive ethnographic research and genealogical analysis, this groundbreaking book offers the first in-depth scientific examination of electronic monitoring (EM) in Brazil, the largest country in Latin America. It delves into three empirical axes:
1. Implementing EM policies amidst Brazil's collapsing carceral system: The book explores how EM has been implemented in the context of Brazil's overburdened criminal justice system, which faces challenges such as overcrowding, inadequate infrastructure, and high rates of recidivism. It examines the strategies and challenges faced by policymakers, law enforcement agencies, and correctional institutions in implementing EM programs effectively.
2. Discourses and rationalities underlying EM deployment: The book examines the discourses and rationalities that underpin the deployment of EM in Brazil. It explores the ways in which policymakers, law enforcement officials, and correctional authorities justify and explain the use of EM as a tool for crime control and rehabilitation. It also examines the social and cultural implications of EM, including its impact on the rights and freedoms of convicts and the broader community.
3. Effects of EM on convicts transitioning between penal institutions and urban spaces governed by armed militias, criminal gangs, and abusive police forces: The book examines the effects of EM on convicts who are transitioning back and forth between penal institutions and urban spaces governed by armed militias, criminal gangs, and abusive police forces. It explores the challenges and risks faced by these convicts, including the potential for violence, exploitation, and re-offending. It also examines the strategies and interventions employed by correctional institutions and community-based organizations to support and protect these convicts during their transition.

This book is a valuable resource for researchers and practitioners in the fields of criminal justice and public security, both in Brazil and internationally. It provides a comprehensive and nuanced understanding of the complexities and challenges associated with EM in a Latin American context, and offers insights into potential solutions and strategies for improving the effectiveness and fairness of criminal justice systems.

Weight: 418g
Dimension: 235 x 155 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783031218583
Edition number: 1st ed. 2023