Vacuum in Power? Reflections on the Spread of the Primeiro Comando da Capital throughout Brazil

Abstract

EnglishThe article aims to discuss the point of view of managers of the federal prison administration on the factors that brought about the spread of the criminal group Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC) throughout Brazil and the effects of this movement within the prison systems of individual states. Many understand the process as a result of the “absence” of the State in the formulation of public policies and the guarantee of rights. The organization would thus have been the result of power vacuums. On the other hand, there are some points of dissonance in this kind of view, which point out that groups like PCC would have stemmed from actions of the State. The visions are in dispute, corresponding to distinct understandings of the very nature of the State itself. francaisL'article analyse les points de vue des dirigeants de l'administration penitentiaire federale sur les facteurs qui ont cause la diffusion du groupe criminel Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC) au Bresil et les effets de ce mouvement sur les systemes penitentiaires des etats de la Federation du Bresil. Beaucoup considerent le processus comme le resultat de l'“absence” de l'Etat dans la formulation de politiques publiques et la garantie des droits. Le groupe serait donc le resultat de vides de pouvoir. Il y a toutefois certains points de dissonance concernant ce type de vision, qui indiquent que les groupes comme le PCC seraient le resultat de l'action meme de l'Etat. En ce sens, deux visions sont en conflit, correspondant a differentes comprehensions de la nature meme de l'Etat. portuguesO artigo analisa os pontos de vista de gestores da administracao penitenciaria federal sobre os fatores que ocasionaram a difusao do grupo criminoso paulista Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC) pelo Brasil e os efeitos desse movimento nos sistemas prisionais estaduais. Muitos encaram o processo como fruto da “ausencia” do Estado na formulacao de politicas publicas e na garantia de direitos. A organizacao seria, portanto, consequencia de vacuos de poder. Existem, no entanto, alguns pontos de dissonância quanto a este tipo de visao, os quais apontam que grupos nos moldes do PCC seriam fruto da propria acao do Estado. Neste sentido, as visoes encontram-se em disputa, correspondendo a entendimentos distintos sobre a propria natureza estatal.