Rede Justiça Criminal hosts a debate with candidates on how to curtail violence in São Paulo

Summit is open for the public and takes place on Wednesday (18) at Faculdade de Direito do Largo São Francisco (FDUSP)

Atores internacionais destacam eficiência das eleições brasileiras ( Foto: Tânia Rêgo/Agência Brasil)

Public safety is the main concern for São Paulo citizens in the upcoming municipal elections. Mentions of the topic (29%), according to a survey by Genial/Quaest, exceed those of subjects often discussed during election time, such as health (17%), education (5%) and public transportation (5%).

In order to strengthen solutions to curtail violence in the city, Rede Justiça Criminal is holding a debate between candidates of different political denominations for City Council next Wednesday (18) from 07:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. The activity is open to the public and takes place at the Students’ Room at Faculdade de Direito do Largo São Francisco da Universidade de São Paulo (FDUSP).

This round table will include the candidates Adriano Diogo (PT), Carmen Silva (PSB), Carolina Iara (PSOL), and Ingrid Soares (Rede). The mediator will be Bruno Paes Manso, a journalist who specializes in the study of violence and who has written the book “A Fé e o Fuzil” (Faith and the Rifle, in a free translation).

The activity is part of the launch of a proposal agenda entitled ‘Sem o municipio, não há solução para a violência’ (Without the municipality, there is no solution for violence, in a free translation) for the municipal administration , which reveals that, even though public security is seen as being within the purview of the State government, which runs the Civil and Military police forces, cities have a key role in formulating and enforcing public policies that reduce violence levels.

“Human rights entities are reporting, each day, that the multiple causes of violence bear a relation with the lack of access to opportunities, education, labor and dignified housing, food, public transportation and general well-being”, states Janine Salles de Carvalho, executive secretary of Rede Justiça Criminal. “When the State is present only through law enforcement and repression, a war-like sentiment ensues, which holds the population as a hostage of vear”, she concludes.

This agenda, supported by several institutions, including Conectas Direitos Humanos, Instituto de Defesa do Direito de Defesa (IDDD), Instituto Terra, Trabalho e Cidadania (ITTC), Instituto Sou da Paz and Humanitas360, emphasizes that public officials must take advantage of being close to the population in order to understand the dynamics and vulnerabilities of their territories and think of preventive and protective policies.