In 2023, Brazilian states allocated R$ 78.9 billion to security forces, with an uneven distribution across different agencies. For every R$ 10 spent, approximately R$ 6 went to the Military Police, R$ 2.29 to the Civil Police, and R$ 0.28 to the forensic police. The remaining R$ 1.43 was allocated to shared expenses, though it is unclear which specific agency receives this funding. The study Public Security Investment Funnel and Prison System in 2023, conducted by the Justa organization, which focuses on the political economy of justice, analyzed data from 22 states, excluding Maranhão, Paraíba, Piauí, Rio Grande do Norte, and Roraima, which did not provide data.
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The Study
The study found that in total, Brazilian states spent R$ 98.6 billion in 2023, with R$ 78.9 billion going to the police forces and R$ 19.8 billion to the penitentiary system. In contrast, only R$ 16 million, or 0.02% of the total security expenditure, was allocated to policies for ex-prisoners. Only six states have dedicated budgets for this group, focusing on psychological support, social assistance, professional training, and education, among other initiatives.
Ostensive Policing
The analysis highlights that the distribution of funds favors ostensive policing, focused on confrontation tactics, at the expense of investments in investigation and evidence production. This strategy reflects a preference for direct law enforcement presence on the streets rather than strengthening the infrastructure needed for investigative work, which is crucial for the prevention and resolution of crimes in a more effective and sustainable manner.
Penitentiary System
Brazil has one of the largest prison populations in the world, and investment in the penitentiary system remains disproportionately low compared to spending on public security. The amount allocated to the penitentiary system, which manages nearly 700,000 prisoners, represents only a small fraction of the funds allocated to law enforcement agencies. The lack of significant investment in policies for ex-prisoners reflects a gap in the reintegration process and efforts to prevent recidivism.
São Paulo
In São Paulo, the R$ 15.6 billion budget for security forces in 2023 was clearly allocated: R$ 10.5 billion for the Military Police, R$ 4.3 billion for the Civil Police, and R$ 721 million for the Forensic Police. Additionally, R$ 128 million was allocated to shared expenses between the agencies. The state had 80,037 active military police officers, including firefighters, and 21,089 civil police officers. These security investments exceeded the budgets of other areas such as administration, science and technology, and housing, highlighting the significant burden of security spending.
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro led the proportion of security investments relative to its budget in 2023, with 10.6% of the total allocated to the Military Police (R$ 7.9 billion) and the Civil Police (R$ 2.1 billion). Together, these agencies received more funding than the state’s education budget, which was R$ 9.9 billion. The penitentiary system in Rio, which manages approximately 47,300 prisoners, received R$ 1.3 billion in investments. Interestingly, there were no allocated resources for ex-prisoner policies in the state’s 2023 investment plan or budget law, reflecting a lack of focus on strategies for social reintegration and reducing recidivism.
Analysis:
Brazil’s public security model has critical flaws, the country not only imprisons excessively but also does so ineffectively. This model is deeply ingrained in the nation’s security budget, which continues to funnel vast amounts of resources into maintaining an extensive, but largely inefficient, system of ostensible policing. Rather than focusing on more effective crime prevention or investigative work, the budget allocation perpetuates a cycle where the primary focus is on maintaining a visible police presence. However, this approach fails to address the underlying causes of crime or offer sustainable solutions.
This expenditure pattern disproportionately favors low-quality imprisonment over the crucial work of investigation and evidence production. By relying predominantly on high-profile, preventive policing, the system overlooks the need for structured, in-depth criminal investigation and intelligence gathering, which are essential to resolving crimes effectively. The result is a police force overwhelmed by the demands of visible law enforcement, with little support or infrastructure for dealing with more complex criminal activity. This structure not only places immense pressure on military police officers, who are the frontline in this model, but also limits their capacity to engage in more sophisticated and investigative policing.
Sources: A Folha de SP.
