Assessing the efficiency of penitentiary system in Minas Gerais, Brazil

Evidence from Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA)

Bibliographic Data

ID12926591
AuthorsMARIA EDUARDA SOUZA COSTA (0009-0004-3259-4082, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto), Leandro Moreira (Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp)), Enzo Barberio Mariano (0000-0002-9577-3297, Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp)), Diogo Ferraz (0000-0002-0443-3183, University of Hohenheim, corresponding author)
Year2026
Volume84
Pages100824-100824
Publication date2026-01-22
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational journal of law, crime and justice (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1756-0616 • E-ISSN: 1876-763X
PublisherElsevier BV (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1016/j.ijlcj.2026.100824
OpenAlexW7125386537
LanguageEN
References cited36

Brazil faces a persistent penitentiary crisis marked by institutional fragility, social inequality, and chronic underinvestment, while empirical evidence on the efficiency of its prisons remains limited. This study addresses this gap by evaluating the performance of 55 Penitentiary Units (PUs) in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais using a dual-model framework based on Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). Two dimensions of institutional performance are examined: Custodial Services Efficiency (CSE), which captures each PU’s ability to ensure secure accommodation, supervision, and administrative control; and Social Services Efficiency (SSE), which reflects the provision of staff-based services related to inmate well-being, including healthcare, education, and psychosocial support. These two dimensions are integrated into a composite index, the Prison System Efficiency Index (PSEI), which provides a global efficiency score for each PU. The findings reveal that nearly 90% of PUs operate with low or very low efficiency, and that small PUs tend to outperform larger ones. Paradoxically, PUs in less urbanized areas often show higher SSE scores despite custodial constraints. By revealing structural asymmetries and scale-related disadvantages, the results contribute to international debates on prison governance and demonstrate the need for more equitable and evidence-based penal policy in the Global South. • Proposes the Prison System Efficiency Index (PSEI) to assess efficiency. • DEA-based findings reveal urgent need for equity-driven prison reform. • 90% of prisons operate inefficiently in Brazil’s second most populous state. • Small prisons outperform large ones despite limited resources. • Penal efficiency is disconnected from rights, reintegration, and equity

Composite index · Corporate governance · Data envelopment analysis · Empirical evidence · Index (typography · Prison · Advanced Queuing Theory Analysis · Efficiency Analysis Using DEA · Healthcare Operations and Scheduling Optimization

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