DOCSLIB.ORG

Mental Health and Physical Activity Level in Military Police Officers from Sergipe, Brazil

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Mental Health and Physical Activity Level in Military Police Officers from Sergipe, Brazil Motricidade © Edições Sílabas Didáticas 2020, vol. 16, n. S1, pp. 136-143 http://dx.doi.org/10.6063/motricidade.22334 Mental Health and Physical Activity Level in Military Police Officers from Sergipe, Brazil Victor Matheus Santos do Nascimento 1*, Levy Anthony Souza de Oliveira1, Luan Lopes Teles1, Davi Pereira Monte Oliveira1, Nara Michelle Moura Soares1 , Roberto Jerônimo dos Santos Silva1 ORIGINAL ARTICLE ABSTRACT The objective of the present study was to analyse the association between the level of physical activity and mental health indicators in this population. A total of 254 military police officers, male and female, aged between 21 and 55, participated in military battleships and police companies in the metropolitan region of Aracaju, Sergipe. They responded to an assessment form, available online, on Google Forms, containing questions about socio-demographic, anthropometric and occupational characteristics, quality of sleep (Pittsburgh scale), stress (EPS-10), anxiety and depression (HAD scale), Exhaustion syndrome (MBI - GS), suicidal ideation (YRBSS - adapted), and Physical Activity level (IPAQ-short). Officers classified as "insufficiently active" had a higher risk for "burnout syndrome" (OR = 2.49; CI: 95% 1.42-4.43) and a greater feeling of "deep sadness" (OR = 1.85; CI: 95% 1.03-3.33) compared with physically active colleagues. In addition, longer service time was a protective factor against anxiety (OR = 0.30; CI: 95% 0.13-0.68), burnout syndrome (OR = 0.28; CI: 95% 0.12 -0.67) and deep sadness (OR = 0.25; CI: 95% 0.11-0.57). Older officers are more likely to be affected by "deep sadness" (OR = 2.80; CI: 95% 1.37-5.71). It was concluded that physical activity is associated with changes in the mental health of the police officers evaluated. Keywords: anxiety disorders, mental health, physical fitness, public health, psychological exhaustion. INTRODUCTION Physical inactivity is a risky behavior that may Scientific studies have shown that police work lead to health problems such as obesity, is characterized by high occupational stress. hypertension, and diabetes (Health Organization Police officers are exposed to acute and chronic [WHO], 2017). Furthermore, there is evidence of stressful events at work, which may compromise an association between physical activity with psychological well-being and physical health depressive conditions, alcohol consumption, and (Lucas et al., 2012; Magnavita & Garbarino, smoking (Gigantesco et al., 2015; Ströhle, 2009). 2013). Exposure to these events may increase However, although it is well documented in burnout syndrome, anxiety, and suicidal ideation the literature that physical activity is an essential (Miranda & Guimarães, 2016; Taris et al., 2010; way of promoting health, quality of life, and Vancini et al., 2018). In addition, this public has physical and mental well-being, in the structure an extensive working day, with alternating shifts, and organization chart of the Military Police there which may influence the development of are currently no comprehensive policies for unhealthy behaviors, such as consuming low stimulating the practice of physical activity and nutrient density foods, poor sleep quality, and a physical training programs for agents. However, high prevalence of physical inactivity and when police intervention is necessary, these excessive sedentary behavior (da Silva et al., professionals may sometimes need to carry out 2014). actions in an energetic manner, such as running, carrying equipment, armaments, and 1 Universidade Federal de Sergipe, São Cristovão, Brazil * Autor correspondente: Núcleo de Pesquisa em Aptidão Física, Saúde e Desempenho de Sergipe, Departamento de Educação Física, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Campus Universitário – Bairro Jardim Rosa Elze. CEP: 49100- 000. São Cristovão/SE, Brasil. E-mail: [email protected] 137 | VM Santos, LAS Oliveira, LL Teles, et al. transporting an injured individual (Boyce et al., Instruments 2006). The short version of the International Physical In addition to this physical demand, these Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) was used to moments of maximum effort may also affect the analyze the level of physical activity (Matsudo et mental aspects of the military police, given that al., 2001). We characterized the classification of many of these individuals experience stressful the instrument into two levels; the experiences due to exposure to risky situations as characterization of "Active = 0" was given for part of this profession (Nelson & Smith, 2016). "very active" and "active", and "Low levels of These experiences may trigger anxiety, post- physical activity = 1" was given for "insufficiently traumatic stress syndrome, and depression active" and "sedentary". (Acquadro Maran et al., 2018; Lee et al., 2016; The body mass index (BMI) was calculated Vancini et al., 2018). In addition, the presence of using the values obtained for mass and height, one or more of these factors may increase the risk self-reported by participants (Vieira et al., 2006). of self-inflicted injuries, which ends up The calculated BMI was characterized into two decreasing the effectiveness of the subject's levels: BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 kg/m2 as action as a military police officer (Van der Meer “Eutrophic (<25.0 kg/m2) = 0” and BMI equal to et al., 2017). or greater than 25.0 kg/m2 as "Overweight = 1". However, although documented for other An interview was conducted to collect data on professional areas, it is not yet evident in the socio-demographic and occupational factors. literature that physical activity may be considered Socio-demographic factors included sex, age, and a protective agent for police officers against economic class. Occupational factors included job harmful mental health conditions. Based on the characteristics, workplace, length of service, and above, the purpose of the present study was to weekly workload. Continuous variables were analyze the association between physical activity dichotomized from the median (Box 1). In the level and mental health indicators in this socioeconomic classification, categories A to B2 population. were characterized as "Upper/upper-middle class = 0", and C1 to E, as "Middle class = 1". This METHOD characterization is justified based on the salary of Participants a police officer. While a soldier's salary can vary A cross-sectional design was employed in this between 3,370-4,805 Brazilian reais, included up study. The sample was calculated based on the to economic class C1 (Brasil, 2019), the other population of 2,227 police officers active in 2018, positions can vary between 5,600-25,000 and the population was delineated by the number Brazilian reais. For the continuous values of age, of military police officers active in battalions and length of service, and weekly workload, the companies in the metropolitan region of Aracaju median of these variables were used as a reference (Aracaju, Nossa Senhora de Socorro, São and then characterized into two levels, as shown Cristóvão and Barra dos Coqueiros). The sample in Box 1. calculation was done using the Barbetta equation, Suicidal ideation among the military police taking into account the maximum tolerable error was assessed based on some questions adapted of 5% and 95% interval (Bar-betta., 2008). 254 from the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance (N) police officers were identified. Male and System (YRBSS) (Kann et al., 2018), according to female military police officers, active on duty, Box 1, as these are direct questions about suicidal aged between 21 and 55, participated in the behavior. present study. The EPS-10 stress perception scale (Siqueira The Sergipe State Military Police Command Reis et al., 2010) was used to assess the authorized data collection. Police officers on individual's perceived stress. This questionnaire medical leave from work were excluded. This consists of 10 questions, and the subject should study was approved by the Ethics and Research answer based on their thoughts and feelings in Committee-CEP (Nº: 2.729.750). Mental and physical health in police officers | 138 the previous 30 days. All characterizations are 0 to 21. Values between 0 and 10 were shown in Box 1. characterized as "Normality = 0" and values The HAD scale was used to assess the level of above 10 points as "Sleep disorders = 1" (Table anxiety and depression. Participants answered 14 1) (Bertolazi, 2008; Buysse, Reynolds, Monk, questions: seven focused on the level of anxiety Berman, & Kupfer, 1989). and the other seven on the level of depression. The Maslach Burnout Inventory - General Each component's questions were summed, and Survey (MBI-GS) (Maslach et al., 2001) was used the result was assessed according to the to measure Burnout Syndrome in military classification (Botega et al., 1995). personnel. This survey is a quantitative inventory, The Pittsburgh scale consisting of 10 built with a Likert scale, numbered from 0 to 6. questions, was used to assess sleep quality. This Final scores between 0-60 points were questionnaire measures the usual; bedtime and characterized as "Normality = 0" and scores sleep quality, wake-up time, and hours of sleep between 61-100 points as "Presence of Burnout = per night. Seven scores were summed and 1" (Box 1). combined into a global score, which can vary from Box 1 Representative chart of the questions used to assess the study variables. Dependent variables Questions used Categorization During the past 12 months, have you felt excessively No Deep sadness sad or hopeless? Yes (ref) No During
Load more

Recommended publications
  • BRAZILIAN Military Culture
    BRAZILIAN Military Culture 2018 Jack D. Gordon Institute for Public Policy | Kimberly Green Latin American and Caribbean Center By Luis Bitencourt The FIU-USSOUTHCOM Academic Partnership Military Culture Series Florida International University’s Jack D. Gordon Institute for Public Policy (FIU-JGI) and FIU’s Kimberly Green Latin American and Caribbean Center (FIU-LACC), in collaboration with the United States Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM), formed the FIU-SOUTHCOM Academic Partnership. The partnership entails FIU providing research-based knowledge to further USSOUTHCOM’s understanding of the political, strategic, and cultural dimensions that shape military behavior in Latin America and the Caribbean. This goal is accomplished by employing a military culture approach. This initial phase of military culture consisted of a yearlong research program that focused on developing a standard analytical framework to identify and assess the military culture of three countries. FIU facilitated professional presentations of two countries (Cuba and Venezuela) and conducted field research for one country (Honduras). The overarching purpose of the project is two-fold: to generate a rich and dynamic base of knowledge pertaining to political, social, and strategic factors that influence military behavior; and to contribute to USSOUTHCOM’s Socio-Cultural Analysis (SCD) Program. Utilizing the notion of military culture, USSOUTHCOM has commissioned FIU-JGI to conduct country-studies in order to explain how Latin American militaries will behave in the context
    [Show full text]
  • Amnesty International
    amnesty international BRAZIL Extrajudicial execution of prisoner in Corumbá July 1993 AI Index: AMR 19/16/93 Distr: SC/CO/GR INTERNATIONAL SECRETARIAT, 1 EASTON STREET, LONDON WC1X 8DJ, UNITED KINGDOM £BRAZIL @Extrajudicial execution of prisoner in Corumbá Amnesty International is concerned at reports that indicate that Reinaldo Silva, a Paraguayan citizen, was extrajudicially executed on 20 March 1993, by members of the military police while in custody at the Hospital de Caridade, Corumbá, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. According to the information received by Amnesty International, Reinaldo Silva, age 18, was being sought by the police accused of killing an off-duty police officer, on 19 March, in Corumbá, during a failed attempt at assaulting a taxi driver. During the exchange of fire with the off-duty police officer Reinaldo Silva was wounded in the cheek. The following day he gave himself up to the police under the protection of the Paraguayan consul in Corumbá, to whom the authorities had given assurances for Reinaldo Silva's physical safety. Reinaldo Silva was taken under police custody to the local hospital, Hospital de Caridade, to be treated for his wound. While he was undergoing treatment, the hospital was reportedly invaded by over 40 uniformed military police officers, who stormed the hospital's emergency treatment room and, overcoming the resistance of the hospital staff and the police guard, shot Reinaldo Silva dead. After killing Reinaldo Silva the police officers reportedly celebrated in the street by firing their weapons to the air. After the killing, the general command of the Mato Grosso do Sul military police ordered the removal of the commander of the Corumbá military police force from his post and the detention of the police officers involved in the assassination.
    [Show full text]
  • Public Safety Policy in the State of Minas Gerais (2003-2016): Agenda Problems and Path Dependence
    International Journal of Criminology and Sociology, 2018, 7, 121-134 121 Public Safety Policy in the State of Minas Gerais (2003-2016): Agenda Problems and Path Dependence Ludmila Mendonça Lopes Ribeiro1,* and Ariane Gontijo Lopes2 1Department of Sociology (DSO) and Researcher of the Center for Studies on Criminality and Public Safety (CRISP), Brazil at the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Brazil 2Ph.D Candidate at the Department of Sociology (DSO), Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Brazil Abstract: In this paper, we reconstitute the Minas Gerais state public safety policy with regard to its agenda and discontinuity over thirteen years (2003-2016). Our purpose is to present reflections that help understand the impasses which ultimately led to the burial of a reputedly successful public policy and to a return to the old way public safety has historically been managed by Brazilian federative states. Our findings inform that the priority agenda of integration promoted by the State Secretariat of Social Defense did manage to institutionalize itself for some time. Nonetheless, as the office goes through political transformations, priorities in the agenda also change, denoting path dependence, given the resumption of the institutional arrangement that existed prior to 2003, with police institutions on one side and the prison system on the other. In this context, the novelty is the permanence of prevention actions. Keywords: Public Safety, Discontinuity, Agenda Problem, Path dependence, Minas Gerais. I. INTRODUCTION The result from this historical conception on the causes of crime in Brazil was a reduction of public In national and international imaginary, Brazil safety to an excessive surveillance over certain layers stands as a nation marked by violence.
    [Show full text]
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in the Military Police of Rio De Janeiro: Can a Risk Profile Be Identified?
    International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health Article Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in the Military Police of Rio de Janeiro: Can a Risk Profile Be Identified? Fernanda Dias Campos 1,2 , Maria José Chambel 2 ,Sílvia Lopes 2,3 and Paulo C. Dias 3,* 1 Military Police of the State of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 20031-040, Brazil; [email protected] 2 CICPSI, Faculdade de Psicologia, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-013 Lisboa, Portugal; [email protected] (M.J.C.); [email protected] (S.L.) 3 Centre for Philosophical and Humanistic Studies, Faculty of Philosophy and Social Sciences, Universidade Católica Portuguesa, 4710-302 Braga, Portugal * Correspondence: [email protected] Abstract: Background: Significant exposure to critical incidents characteristic of military police work has a potentially traumatic effect and multiple consequences for the mental health of these professionals, such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). This study aims to investigate the occurrence of PTSD in this occupational group and its correlations with socio-demographic and occupational variables. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study of Rio de Janeiro’s Military Police officers (n = 3.577). Data was collected from self-reported questionnaires applied in an institutional health program. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist—Civilian version was used to assess PTSD. Results: Rates of 16.9% for full PTSD and 26.7% for partial PTSD were found. Based on logistic regression analysis, female officers and police officers in lower ranks of the military hierarchy and performing administrative duties were found to be at most risk of developing PTSD. Conclusions: These results suggest the need to further understand the predictive organizational and individual Citation: Dias Campos, F.; Chambel, M.J.; Lopes, S.; Dias, P.C.
    [Show full text]
  • Download Download
    Notes on law and police occupational culture in Brazil’s Military Polices: An explorative study OÑATI SOCIO-LEGAL SERIES, FORTHCOMING DOI LINK: HTTPS://DOI.ORG/10.35295/OSLS.IISL/0000-0000-0000-1200 RECEIVED 11 FEBRUARY 2021, ACCEPTED 30 APRIL 2021 JULIA MAIA GOLDANI∗ Abstract This research discusses the relations between law and police culture in the context of Brazil’s Military Polices, aiming to contribute both to discussions about these corporations’ non-compliance with legal standards and to socio-legal knowledge on policing. Pierre Bourdieu’s conceptualization of the juridical field, along with Erving Goffman’s theory of interaction rituals, are used to design a qualitative exploratory study that combines semi-structured interviews with lower-rank officers and observation of criminal trials in which these participated as witnesses. Due to COVID- 19, methods were adapted to online platforms. The analysis suggests that Brazil’s juridical field structurally conditions the development of its police culture, although not in the ways intended. Additionally, law appears as an important symbolic figure in the construction of the officers’ occupational selves, and it is argued that contact with legal institutions engenders particular strategies of self-presentation, aimed at safeguarding both appearances and internal ideas about the profession. Key words Police culture; sociology of law; military polices of Brazil; Pierre Bourdieu; Erving Goffman Resumen Esta investigación se ocupa de las relaciones entre el derecho y la cultura policial en el contexto de las Policías Militares de Brasil. Se intenta así aportar tanto al debate This paper presents the main data and theoretical reflections developed by the author in her Master’s Thesis, presented at the IISL’s International Master in Sociology of Law programme in September 2020.
    [Show full text]
  • Rio De Janeiro Declaration 2011
    Rio de Janeiro Declaration By invitation of the Coordination of the Pacification Police Unit of the Military Police of Rio de Janeiro state, and in partnership with Viva Rio, we have come together in Rio de Janeiro and present the following conclusions. We are public security and law enforcement professionals from seventeen countries (Germany, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, El Salvador, the USA, Guatemala, the Netherlands, Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru, Portugal, the United Kingdom, Switzerland and Uruguay), including several authorities who have developed innovative drug policies in countries such as Portugal and Uruguay. We have gathered here to rethink the repressive law enforcement policies against the trade and use of illegal drugs, which we have spent a great part of our lives enforcing. We are concerned about the very few results that have been achieved in so many years of battle, as we seem to be stuck in a vicious cycle. We are even more concerned about a number of negative consequences for which we have paid a high price in resources and lives. We reaffirm the continued need for tough enforcement against organized crime, money laundering and corruption, but we are no longer satisfied with the “War on Drugs” doctrine. We are looking for other, more effective and more constructive approaches. Individual choices that lead to drug use are the result of complex psychological and social factors, which affect people from childhood onwards and in particular during adolescence. Family, religious faith, school and the community all play a role in this, but in many countries current drug policies dump the entire issue on the police and the penal system.
    [Show full text]
  • Military Justice in the State of Pernambuco After the Brazilian Military Regime: an Authoritarian Legacy
    Military Justice in the State of Pernambuco after the Brazilian Military Regime: An Authoritarian Legacy Author(s): Jorge Zaverucha Source: Latin American Research Review, Vol. 34, No. 2 (1999), pp. 43-73 Published by: The Latin American Studies Association Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2503912 Accessed: 19-02-2018 19:46 UTC JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected]. Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at http://about.jstor.org/terms The Latin American Studies Association is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Latin American Research Review This content downloaded from 200.156.103.137 on Mon, 19 Feb 2018 19:46:05 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms MILITARY JUSTICE IN THE STATE OF PERNAMBUCO AFTER THE BRAZILIAN MILITARY REGIME: An Authoritarian Legacy* Jorge Zaverucha Universidade Federal de Pernambuco Abstract: This article is based on research conducted in the archives of the Audi- toria Militar do Estado de Pernambuco. It substantiates the violation of the basic principle of equality before the law resulting from the existence in Brazil of two different court systems-one civil and the other military-with varying legal proceedings and sentences for similar crimes committed by civilian police and mil- itary police.
    [Show full text]
  • Policing Issues in Garrison Communities
    Chapter a Policing Issues in Garrison Communities This project was supported by grant number 2014CKWXK033 awarded by the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions contained herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Depart- ment of Justice. References to specific agencies, companies, products, or services should not be considered an endorsement by the author(s) or the U.S. Department of Justice. Rather, the referenc- es are illustrations to supplement discussion of the issues. The Internet references cited in this publication were valid as of the date of publication. Given that URLs and websites are in constant flux, neither the author(s) nor the COPS Office can vouch for their current validity. Recommended citation: Margaret Brunner. Police Executive Research Forum. 2016. Policing Issues in Garrison Communities. Emerging Issues Series. Washington, DC: Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. Published 2016 Contents Letter from the Director v Letter from the PERF Executive Director vii Acknowledgments ix Policing Issues in Garrison Communities 1 Interagency Coordination 3 A unique challenge: continuity of relationships . .3 Promising practices for maintaining military-civilian police relationships . 3 Integrating the military into police academies . .4 Recruiting and hiring veterans for civilian police positions . 4 Information sharing between civilian and military partners. 5 Interoperability of communications equipment . 6 Jurisdictional issues . 7 Critical incidents and active shooters. .. 8 Recommendations following the Department of Defense’s changes in the NDAA . 9 Mental Health and Military-Related Suicide 11 Mental health and the military .
    [Show full text]
  • Citizen Security in Brazil
    Security and Insecurity in Brazil in times of the World Cup José Luiz Ratton (Federal University of Pernambuco, Brazil) Relative participation of the regions – Absolute number of aggressions (international violent deaths) – 2000/2010 70.0 60.0 58.3 50.0 40.0 36.1 31.6 2000 30.0 2010 20.4 20.0 11.5 12.4 10.0 8.5 7.5 8.4 5.3 0.0 Região Norte Região Nordeste Região Sudeste Região Sul Região Centro-Oeste Noting the internal dynamics of Brazilian regions, we see that in 2000, the Brazilian southeastern region pulled up rates, with a homicide rate of 36.52 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants, when the Brazilian rate was 26.71 per 100,000. The Northeast, in 1996, had a rate lower than the national rate, with 19.36 per 100,000 inhabitants. However, taking the latest figures released by Datasus (2013), which includes information on mortality between 1996 and 2011, there is remarkable reversal of position: the southeastern rate drops to 19.95 while the northeast rises to 36.24. 40.0 35.0 30.0 Região Norte 25.0 Região Nordeste 20.0 Região Sudeste Região Sul 15.0 Região Centro-Oeste Brasil 10.0 5.0 0.0 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 These dynamics bring substantial changes in the ranking of the most violent states. In 2000 the three most violent states in the country were Pernambuco, with a rate of 54.18, Rio de Janeiro, with 50.92, and Espírito Santo, with 46.23, ie two states in the southeast and one in the northeast.
    [Show full text]
  • The “Ethical” Soldier? How the Military Police in Rio De Janeiro Practice
    Etnográfica Revista do Centro em Rede de Investigação em Antropologia vol. 24 (1) | 2020 Inclui dossiê “Merecimiento y lenguajes de la injusticia” The “ethical” soldier? How the Military Police in Rio de Janeiro practice human rights morality O soldado “ético”? Como a Polícia Militar do Rio de Janeiro pratica a moralidade dos direitos humanos Sara León Spesny Electronic version URL: http://journals.openedition.org/etnografica/8299 DOI: 10.4000/etnografica.8299 ISSN: 2182-2891 Publisher Centro em Rede de Investigação em Antropologia Printed version Date of publication: 1 February 2020 Number of pages: 133-154 ISSN: 0873-6561 Electronic reference Sara León Spesny, « The “ethical” soldier? How the Military Police in Rio de Janeiro practice human rights morality », Etnográfica [Online], vol. 24 (1) | 2020, Online since 25 February 2020, connection on 27 February 2020. URL : http://journals.openedition.org/etnografica/8299 ; DOI : 10.4000/etnografica. 8299 Etnográfica is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. etnográfica fevereiro de 2020 24 (1): 133-154 The “ethical” soldier? How the Military Police in Rio de Janeiro practice human rights morality Sara León Spesny The Pacifying Police Unit was created to implement proximity policing strategies in some favelas of the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It was set to reconfigure the relationship between the Military Police and the residents of these neighborhoods, historically based on violence and fear. Drawing from a yearlong ethnography of the daily work of a Pacifying Police station, I argue that this new perspective of policing has set human rights as a discourse that soldiers acknowledge, but find ambivalent and contradictive ways of enacting as a way of morality and police prac- tice.
    [Show full text]
  • The Politics of Crime and Militarised Policing in Brazil
    IJCJ&SD 9(2) 2020 ISSN 2202-8005 The Politics of Crime and Militarised Policing in Brazil Roxana Pessoa Cavalcanti University of Brighton, United Kingdom Jeff Garmany The University of Melbourne, Australia Abstract This article queries the effects of international police assistance in the Global South, focusing specifically on Brazil. Utilising recently declassified documents accessed in Washington, DC, this article shows how United States officials sought to intervene in Latin American politics through international police assistance to Brazil during the 1960s–1980s. The article considers the geopolitical motivations behind these programs and highlights the connections between international police assistance, weak democratic institutions in Latin America and legacies of authoritarian policing in the region. The academic objectives are twofold: to foreground debates that emphasise the need for Southern Criminological research perspectives and to explore the broader effects of international police assistance programs in the Global South. By drawing attention to these issues, the article contributes to studies of policing, politics and public security in contexts like Brazil, where extreme levels of everyday violence are a threat to democracy and human rights. Keywords Policing; police assistance; crime; USA; Brazil; Southern Criminology. Please cite this article as: Cavalcanti RP and Garmany J (2020) The politics of crime and militarised policing in Brazil International Journal for Crime, Justice and Social Democracy 9(2): 102-118. https://doi.org/10.5204/ijcjsd.v9i2.1157 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence. As an open access journal, articles are free to use with proper attribution. ISSN: 2202-8005 © The Author(s) 2020 Roxana Pessoa Cavalcanti, Jeff Garmany: The Politics of Crime and Militarised Policing in Brazil Introduction Since The Economist denounced him as ‘Latin America’s latest menace’ in September 2018, Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro has consistently remained in the international spotlight.
    [Show full text]
  • The Challenge of Military Police Training in the State of Rio De Janeiro: Utopia Or Real Possibility?
    Universal Journal of Management 5(12): 570-580, 2017 http://www.hrpub.org DOI: 10.13189/ujm.2017.051204 The Challenge of Military Police Training in the State of Rio de Janeiro: Utopia or Real Possibility? Marcio Pereira Basilio1,2,*, Vicente Riccio3 1Department of Production Engineering, Federal Fluminense University, Brazil 2General Staff, Military Police of the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 3Department of Public Law Material, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Brazil Copyright©2017 by authors, all rights reserved. Authors agree that this article remains permanently open access under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0 International License Abstract This study represents research that sought to depends in large part on effective training. The training understand the formative process of public security process is also important because it seeks to convey professionals in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from the information as well as to develop skills, attitudes, and perspective of the military police officer. Training is the concepts. In a repressive security policy, police officers are systematic process of orienting the comportment of people trained to act in a reactive manner. However, in a policy toward organisational directives. In the case of public based on management and prevention, police officers are security organisations, these objectives adhere to the trained to react proactively toward the resolution of objectives of the security policy promoted by the problems that emerge in everyday life. government. The relevance of this study resides in its The process of training should make the necessary academic consideration of the model of military police knowledge available to police officers to carry out their training and its influence on the implementation of public daily activities [1].
    [Show full text]