The Demobilization Process of Paramilitaries in Colombia: Between Politics and Justice

The phenomenon of paramilitarism in Colombia has received an ambiguous treatment, balancing between political and criminal issues; an oscillation that has been intimately linked to the evolution of the Colombian internal conflict. This contribution analyzes the recent negotiations held with paramilitary groups by the administration of Alvaro Uribe Vélez (2002-2010). After a brief account of the dependency path that has determined this historical episode, I propose an assessment of the use of judicial categories by the various actors of the negotiations. The main argument is that those categories –war criminal, political criminal, drug smuggler, etc.– do not depend on the intrinsic nature of an armed actor, but are socially constructed by a conflictive process of material and symbolic struggles. The capacity to categorize private violence, as legitimate or illegitimate, political or criminal, appears as one of the basic manifestations of the state’s action, as well as one of the main conflicts presiding at the rocess of state formation.

Dificultades en la integración y cooperación de los cuerpos policiales de América Latina en la lucha contra el narcotráfico. Estudio de caso: AMERIPOL

La presente investigación analiza los principales retos que afectan la cooperación e integración de los cuerpos policiales latinoamericanos en la lucha contra el narcotráfico. Para realizar dicho análisis se toma como caso de estudio AMERIPOL, organización creada en el año 2007 y que actualmente constituye el único mecanismo de cooperación policial en el hemisferio americano. Se considera que la cooperación e integración de los cuerpos policiales en la lucha contra el narcotráfico en la región enfrentan dos retos principales: la disparidad de los marcos jurídicos entre los Estados y la descoordinación política. Estos retos suponen la existencia de factores que impiden una política de cooperación conjunta contra las drogas y por tanto, el desarrollo de actitudes aislacionistas que limitan la cooperación en contra de éste flagelo

La pelota no se mancha: Un estudio histórico sobre el desarrollo y la política en FIFA

Esta investigación se centra en la Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) como organización política. Intenta responder dos interrogantes primordiales: 1) ¿cómo la FIFA ha constituido el poder que tiene actualmente y, así, hacerse del monopolio indiscutido del fútbol? Y 2) ¿cómo ha cambiado en el tiempo la política interna de FIFA y su vínculo con la política internacional? Para lograr esto, se realiza un estudio histórico, basado principalmente en documentos, que intenta caracterizar y analizar los cambios de la organización en el tiempo. Se enfatizan las últimas dos presidencias de FIFA, de João Havelange y Joseph Blatter, como casos de estudio.

O processo de construção da identidade do profissional Perito Criminal Federal

Segundo o Código de Processo Penal brasileiro, a Perícia é imprescindível, e não pode ser substituída pela confissão do acusado, nos crimes que deixem vestígios. Esta pesquisa inicia um estudo acerca da construção da identidade profissional do Perito Criminal Federal, o Perito que atua no âmbito da Polícia Federal no Brasil. A abordagem acadêmica foi adotada no sentido de serem identificadas as principais questões que contribuem na construção da identidade desse profissional. O objetivo principal do trabalho é o reconhecimento pelo Perito Criminal Federal do seu papel para a sociedade, de modo que se vislumbrem iniciativas que possam incentivar a busca de melhorias, de aprimoramento na formação e evolução dos profissionais, beneficiando não apenas a motivação e satisfação profissional, mas, sobretudo, a resposta que este produz para a sociedade. O resultado da pesquisa revelou que sua identidade, como a de qualquer profissional, está em constante metamorfose, e sofre a influência de sua história e verdades individuais e das influências do ambiente social e profissional. O estudo demonstrou que existem lacunas a serem preenchidas na visão do próprio profissional com relação ao retorno quanto ao resultado efetivo do seu trabalho, além da preocupação com o equilíbrio entre quantidade e qualidade na produção de Laudos Periciais Criminais. Observou-se ainda a existência de um ambiente organizacional desfavorável quanto ao cumprimento de leis e recomendações, internacionais e nacionais, que preconizam a necessidade de autonomia para a realização do trabalho pericial, de forma a garantir a prova isenta e neutra em busca da justiça. Também ficou nítida a necessidade de maior comunicação e discussão interna acerca da visão de futuro da profissão. É primordial para a efetivação de uma sociedade democrática, que respeita os direitos humanos e zela pela segurança pública, uma Perícia Criminal Federal consciente de sua identidade, efetiva, que possa atuar com motivação, celeridade e qualidade em prol da justiça para os cidadãos brasileiros.

Gestão de pessoas na perícia criminal de Minas Gerais: condições motivacionais, relações interpessoais, liderança, qualidade no trabalho e na vida

O perito criminal é o profissional que se utiliza de conhecimentos técnicos e específicos na análise dos vestígios de um crime, a fim de descobrir a forma como este se deu e, também, sua autoria. O trabalho pericial pode contribuir com a absolvição ou a condenação de um acusado e, assim, atender aos anseios de justiça da sociedade. Apesar da importância dessa atividade, os métodos e instrumentos de trabalho disponíveis para os peritos pouco evoluíram desde a criação da carreira no estado de Minas Gerais, que convivem, ainda, com locais de trabalho inadequados e, também, com a escassez de recursos materiais e humanos, somados à carência de comunicação e de autonomia na tomada de decisões das chefias; os resultados também apontaram para a interferência de outros agentes públicos, no local do crime, antes do início do trabalho pericial e, ainda, que a comunicação ineficiente traz problemas às relações interpessoais no trabalho. A nova gestão pública determinou metas que devem ser cumpridas, pressionando o profissional a otimizar os resultados do trabalho, sem ter, em contrapartida, melhorias nas suas condições. Além do exposto, o contato direto e frequente com vítimas de violência, ou com o material a elas relacionado, possibilita impacto negativo sobre as emoções do perito criminal, na falta de apoio especializado para lidar com tais situações. Esse contexto alerta para a necessidade da preservação da integridade emocional do perito criminal e, também, para emprego de estímulo à motivação da categoria. A fim de compreender as condições emocionais do perito criminal de Minas Gerais, de como impactam sua qualidade da vida e de trabalho, foi utilizado o método qualitativo de pesquisa, iniciando-se com uma etapa de pesquisa exploratória, na qual vinte e dois profissionais responderam a um questionário semiestruturado. Posteriormente, duzentos e quarenta e oito peritos criminais responderam a questionários semiestruturados; conversas e entrevistas semiabertas foram gravadas com outros dez peritos aposentados ou aguardando a publicação oficial da aposentadoria. As questões foram descritivas, aproximando-se da atitude fenomenológica, buscando compreensão, quando, diante de depoimentos e questionários, a análise de conteúdo e do discurso desempenharam o papel de apoio metodológico. Os sentimentos recorrentes entre os peritos são os negativos, relacionados a medo, apreensão, humilhação, frustração, injustiça, angústia e revolta. Porém, sentimentos positivos também apareceram, esses relacionados à esperança de melhoria de condições laborais, ao entendimento da necessidade da cooperação e da confiança nos pares e, também, do empenho na contribuição social. As conclusões indicam que é necessário a promoção sistemática da comunicação interna e externa, além da intensificação da interação e da cooperação, a fim de favorecer a liderança e o reconhecimento do trabalho pericial, apoiando o envolvimento do profissional com a carreira. A complexidade encontrada nas questões relacionais apreendidas, e os indícios de implicações com a problemática da autonomia na Perícia Criminal, sugere retomada investigativa futura.

Um dos caminhos da educação na Penitenciária de Marília / SP

Pós-graduação em Educação - FFC

Ataque sexual infanto-juvenil doméstico: da revelação à responsabilização criminal do agressor

Pós-graduação em Psicologia - FCLAS

Ordem social, Polícia Civil e justiça criminal na cidade de São Paulo (1889-1930)

The article aims to review the discussion on police role within institutional reform in São Paulo First Republic implementation. The main argument refers to the formation of brazilian judicial system and to the continuity of the debate on public policies reforms, administration of justice and police control over lower social classes, by means of a criminalization of the poverty. The judicial administration was reformed, but that opened space for police institutions to act without constraints. Despite theses changes, state institutions were also used by tradicional social elites in neo-patrimonial ways, allowing the maintenance of unlawful practices within the system.

Tempering the EU? NGO Advocacy in the Area of Freedom, Security, and Justice

The European Union’s (EU) area of Freedom, Security and Justice (AFSJ) portfolio comprises policy areas such as immigration and asylum, and police and judicial cooperation. Steps were taken to bring this field into the mandate of the EU first by the Maastricht Treaty, followed by changes implemented by the Amsterdam and Lisbon Treaties, the last one ‘normalizing’ the EU’s erstwhile Third Pillar. As the emergent EU regime continues to consolidate in this field, NGOs of various kinds continue to seek to influence policy-making and implementation, with varying success. This article seeks to establish the context in which NGOs carry out their work and argues that the EU-NGO interface is impacted both by the institutional realities of the European Union and the capacities of EU-oriented NGOs to seize and expand opportunities for access and input into the policy cycle. Using EU instruments representing three different policy bundles in AFSJ (immigration, asylum and judicial cooperation in criminal matters), the article seeks to map out NGO strategies in engaging and oftentimes resisting European Union policy instruments.

Secondary victimization of crime victims by criminal proceedings

It is conceivable that criminal proceedings cause psychological harm to the crime victims involved, that is, cause secondary victimization. To investigate this hypothesis, negative and positive effects of criminal proceedings were investigated, as perceived by 137 victims of violent crimes who were involved in trials several years previously. Trial outcome and procedure variables were measured as potential causes of secondary victimization. Results show a high proportion of victims reporting overall negative effects. Powerful predictors were outcome satisfaction and procedural justice, but not subjective punishment severity, interactional justice, and psychological stress by criminal proceedings. The practical implications of the results pertain to whether victims should be advised to report the crime to the police or not, and to appropriate prevention and intervention measures of secondary victimization by criminal proceedings.

The Europeanisation of Criminal Law and the Criminal Law Dimension of European Integration. Research Papers in Law, 3/2005

From the Introduction. In the academic year 1991-1992, Utrecht University, on my initiative, started to offer courses in European criminal law. This initiative came at a symbolic moment, just prior to the entry into force of the EU Treaty of Maastricht1 and the outlining of European policy in the areas of Justice and Home Affairs (JHA). The Director of the Legal Department, Paul DEMARET, was aware of the significance of this development and I have been given the opportunity to teach this subject at the College of Europe since 1995. Since then, JHA has evolved into one of the main areas of EU legislation. Now we are again on the threshold of an important historical feat. In June 2003, the European Convention reached agreement concerning a draft Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe.2 The use of the term “Constitution” for the future EU Treaty is not simply cosmetic. The realisation has dawned that EU integration must be embedded in a treaty document which also regulates the rights and duties of citizens, not just with respect to European citizenship, but also with respect to, for example, Justice. Where JHA is concerned, this result acknowledges that the harmonisation of criminal law and criminal procedure and transnational cooperation cannot preclude the harmonisation of principles of due law and fair trial. Despite the substantial Europeanisation of criminal law, many criminal lawyers are defending the achievements and typicalities of their national criminal law like never before. EU initiatives are assessed from the perspective of the national agenda and national achievements. We are still too far removed from a European criminal law policy that is both European and enjoys national support. The core issue is therefore not how to keep our criminal (procedural) law national and free from European influences, but rather how to ensure democratic decision making, the quality of the constitutional state and the guarantees of criminal law in a national administrative model which has to operate increasingly interactively within a European and international context. In this contribution, the contours of the Europeanisation of criminal law are outlined and analysed. First, attention will be paid to the EC and, second, to the JHA. Following this, an evaluation and a look ahead at the current IGC are indicated.

European Criminal Law and General Principles of Union Law. Research Papers in Law, 5/2005

From the Introduction. The European Court of Justice, partly followed in this by the European legislator, has regulated Community law and policy through a set of general principles of law. For the Community legal order in the first pillar, general legal principles have developed from functional policy areas such as the internal market, the customs union, the monetary union, the common agricultural policy, the European competition policy, etc., which are of great importance for the quality and legitimacy of Community law. The principles in question are not so much general legal principles of an institutional character, such as the priority of Community law, direct effect or Community loyalty, but rather principles of law which shape the fundamental rights and basic rights of the citizen. I refer to the principle of legality, of nulla poena, the inviolability of the home, the nemo tenetur principle, due process, the rights of the defence, etc. Many of these legal principles have been elevated to primary Community law status by the European Court of Justice, often as a result of preliminary questions. Nevertheless, a considerable number of them have also been elaborated in the context of contentious proceedings before the Court of Justice, such as in the framework of European competition law and European public servants law.

The New EU Criminal Law Competence in Action: The Proposal for a Directive on Criminal Sanctions for Insider Dealing and Market Manipulation. IES WORKING PAPER 5/2013

The aim of this paper is to analyse the proposed Directive on criminal sanctions for insider dealing and market manipulation (COM(2011)654 final), which represents the first exercise of the European Union competence provided for by Article 83(2) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. The proposal aims at harmonising the sanctioning regimes provided by the Member States for market abuse, imposing the introduction of criminal sanctions and providing an opportunity to critically reflect on the position taken by the Commission towards the use of criminal law. The paper will discuss briefly the evolution of the EU’s criminal law competence, focusing on the Lisbon Treaty. It will analyse the ‘essentiality standard’ for the harmonisation of criminal law included in Article 83(2) TFEU, concluding that this standard encompasses both the subsidiarity and the ultima ratio principles and implies important practical consequences for the Union’s legislator. The research will then focus on the proposed Directive, trying to assess if the Union’s legislator, notwithstanding the ‘symbolic’ function of this proposal in the financial crisis, provides consistent arguments on the respect of the ‘essentiality standard’. The paper will note that the proposal raises some concerns, because of the lack of a clear reliance on empirical data regarding the essential need for the introduction of criminal law provisions. It will be stressed that only the assessment of the essential need of an EU action, according to the standard set in Article 83(2) TFEU, can guarantee a coherent choice of the areas interested by the harmonisation process, preventing the legislator to choose on the basis of other grounds.

The Politics of Retrospective Justice in Germany & the Czech Republic. CES Germany & Europe Working Papers, No. 05.4, 1994

Ongoing German and Czech efforts to confront legacies of injustice in their recent pasts provides opportunity to examine policies of retrospective justice adopted from where there is no threat of old elites with residual power. Instead of evoking existing explanations of these measures that concentrate on normative issues, the role of former dissidents, or mode of transition, this account focuses on the importance of the character and structure of the political representation in post-Communist regimes in general, and in the German and Czech successor regimes in particular.