O "novo cangaço" e a atuação da Polícia Judiciária no combate ao crime organizado no estado do Rio Grande do Norte

Abstract

There are numerous cities in Brazil that have already experienced some type of criminal activity related to the actions of what, in police and media rhetoric, is called the “new banditry”. Heavily armed groups invade cities, especially small and medium-sized ones, with the intention of stealing valuables and goods from financial institutions and similar establishments, using a “modus operandi” that makes the event a landmark for those who live in that particular place. As in all of Brazil, the state of Rio Grande do Norte has experienced strong activity by the new banditry since the beginning of the last decade, in events of break-ins, looting and assaults on financial institutions and accredited agencies in several cities. The new banditry can be interpreted based on criminological theories, such as the theory of social labeling, which reflects the stigmas associated with criminals and the impacts of institutional responses, and the theory of rational choice, which analyzes the strategic decisions of those involved, considering the risks and benefits of criminal actions. In this context, the main objective of this research was to evaluate the narrative of state agencies responsible for controlling crime, especially the judicial police, in light of the changes and transformations arising from the dynamics of the “new cangaço”. Methodologically, the research used semi-structured interviews as the main data collection technique. State agents who deal with crime control were interviewed, especially agents who make up the judicial police (civil police and federal police). In the end, the results point to a control of this criminal phenomenon based on a reactive logic, centered on immediate repression and armed confrontation. Although initiatives such as the creation of the City Domain Defense Plan demonstrate an effort at national coordination between security forces, an energetic and lethal approach prevails, to the detriment of preventive and integrated strategies that involve the modernization of police practices and cooperation with other state and non-state agencies.