RIGHTS OF PERSONS DEPRIVED OF LIBERTY AND WORKING CONDITIONS OF PENAL POLICE OFFICERS: AN INSTITUTIONAL ANALYSIS OF THE PRISON SYSTEM IN ACRE

Abstract

This article aims to investigate the situation of the Brazilian prison system, highlighting its main obstacles and challenges. Based on this diagnosis, the discussion focuses on the effectiveness of prisoners’ rights and the improvement of the working conditions of penal police officers, who are essential to public security and the stability of the criminal execution system. This study focuses on the Francisco de Oliveira Conde Prison (PFOC). The research examines the gap between the guarantees established by the 1988 Federal Constitution and the reality of the prison unit, which characterizes an “institutional state of affairs.” The central issue lies in how the lack of adequate working conditions for penal police officers directly affects the protection of the rights of persons deprived of liberty. Dehumanization within the prison system results from systematic state neglect: by failing to ensure the health, safety, and proper working conditions of officers, including the lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) and exhausting work shifts, the State perpetuates a cycle of violence and neglect that affects both those who guard and those who are guarded. Therefore, the main purpose of this study is to investigate this relationship of mutual dependence, demonstrating that public security and fundamental rights are inseparable dimensions.