Structural racism and penal selectiveness: how the criminal justice system reinforces inequalities
Structural racism and penal selectiveness: how the criminal justice system reinforces inequalities
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51473/rcmos.v1i2.2025.1568Keywords:
structural racism; penal selectivity; criminal justice; social inequality; incarceration.Abstract
This research analyzes how structural racism and penal selectivity manifest themselves in the Brazilian criminal justice system, reinforcing historical and social inequalities. The study addresses the relationship between law, racial structure, and mass incarceration, highlighting that the penal system, far from being neutral, acts as a mechanism of control and exclusion for Black and peripheral populations. Based on a theoretical review, it was possible to identify that institutional racism is present in police practices, judicial decisions, and penal policies, configuring a pattern of structural discrimination. The analysis highlights the need to rethink legal practices and promote anti-racist training among legal professionals to ensure effective compliance with the constitutional principles of equality and human dignity. It concludes that Brazilian criminal justice still reflects the racial hierarchies that structure society.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Ámon Gabriel Guimarães Nunes, Monique da Fonseca Cavalcante, Paulo Eduardo Queiroz da Costa (Autor)
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