Institute that grants pardons to those accused of crimes without violence| Photo: Archive/Agência Brasil

The Brazilian Institute of Criminal Sciences (IBCCrim) sent this week to the government and the National Council of Justice (CNJ) a suggestion of an emergency pardon for people accused of crimes without violence or serious threat, with the aim of reversing the penitentiary crisis in Rio Grande. From north.

In addition to the pardon, a list of suggestions prepared by lawyers and researchers specializing in public safety was presented. The idea is to reduce prison overcrowding.

In the 20-page document, IBCCrim acknowledges the seriousness of the wave of violent attacks that hit the state in March, but considers that the situation could have been foreseen, as well as actions could have been taken by the Public Power to prevent the events.

According to the Institute, five years after the RN was the scene of a massacre that resulted in 74 inmates being killed at the Alcaçuz Penitentiary, in January 2017, nothing has changed to prevent further massacres. “There was no implementation of any public policy capable of resuming State control of the prison environment and achieving a minimum of dignity for the prisoner population”, said IBCCrim.

Data from the CNJ’s Geopresídios System, pointed out by the Institute, show that there are currently 8,521 prisoners in the RN penitentiary system, 2,100 more than capacity.