The Politics of Sentencing Reform in Brazil
Autonomous Bureaucrats, Constrained Politicians and Gradual Policy Change
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 5158366 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Rodrigo M Nunes (0000-0003-4397-5898, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2015 |
| Volume | 47 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 121-148 |
| Publication date | 2015-02-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of Latin American Studies (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0022-216X • E-ISSN: 1469-767X |
| Publisher | Cambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1017/s0022216x14001060 |
| OpenAlex | W2121807628 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 10 |
| References cited | 27 |
Popular attitudes towards crime in Latin America induce local legislators to support harsh sentencing frameworks. What, therefore, explains the adoption of non-prison sentences across the region? Using Brazil as a case study, this article claims that sentencing reform is a consequence of the growing autonomy of bureaucrats who manage the criminal justice system. Insulated from patronage networks and granted broad mandates to pursue solutions to pressing penal crises, these policy elites use their position in the state to develop new rules and facilitate their approval despite popular opposition to measures that limit the state's punitive capacity. The findings point to the importance of bureaucratic autonomy for the enactment of policies that can benefit the underprivileged but do not enjoy widespread support from voters
Autonomy · Bureaucracy · Criminal justice · Latin Americans · Opposition (politics) · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Prison · Punitive damages · Sociology · State (computer science) · Crime Patterns and Interventions · Crime, Illicit Activities, and Governance · Criminal Justice and Corrections Analysis · Law · Public Administration
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Modernizing Leviathan
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Politician’s Dilemma
The Transformation of the Workers' Party in Brazil, 1989–2009
Activists beyond Borders
Public Choices and Policy Change
Punishing the Poor
The populism of fear
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| Unique citing works | 10 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1 |
| Citation span | 2016 - 2026 (11) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 10 |