Perceptions of public security and justice professionals regarding human rights

• Grant number: 25/15913-9
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: August 01, 2026
• End date: July 31, 2029
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - Sociology - Other specific Sociologies
• Principal Investigator: Maria Gorete Marques de Jesus
• Grantee: Maria Gorete Marques de Jesus
• Host Institution: Centro de Educação e Ciências Humanas (CECH). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• City of the host institution: São Carlos
• Associated researchers: Ariadne Lima Natal ; Elizabete Pellegrini Garcia ; Fernanda Novaes Cruz ; Luiza Meira Bastos ; Mariana Thorstensen Possas ; Núbia dos Reis Ramos
• Associated scholarship(s): 26/21293-6 - Perceptions of public security and justice professionals regarding human rights, BP.IC

Abstract

The aim of this research is to investigate the perceptions of public security professionals (civil and military police officers) and justice system actors (judges, prosecutors, and public defenders) regarding human rights, considering how these actors understand, mobilize, and incorporate this concept into their daily professional practices. The central hypothesis is that the meanings attributed to human rights by these professionals directly influence their institutional decisions and behaviors, thereby impacting how the justice and public security systems operate in Brazil.The project is situated within a political and social context marked by growing disputes over the meanings and uses of human rights. While the 1988 Constitution and national plans enshrined human rights as a foundational principle of the democratic state, recent decades have seen the rise of narratives that associate them with impunity and the privileging of "criminals," particularly since the 2010s. The election of Jair Bolsonaro in 2018 intensified this process. These disputes make it even more urgent to understand how professionals directly involved in law enforcement interpret and apply the notion of human rights in their work.The proposal is grounded in sociological literature that conceptualizes human rights as social representations-that is, symbolic constructions shaped by values, experiences, and interactions, and frequently contested and redefined in political, legal, and institutional contexts. The project engages with four major sociological frameworks: (i) the role of institutional cultures in shaping public agents' actions; (ii) inter-institutional dynamics; (iii) shared values and worldviews among professionals within the criminal justice system; and (iv) the construction of professional identities in contexts of public exposure and social pressure.From a methodological perspective, the research adopts a multi-method approach, combining quantitative and qualitative techniques. The first stage involves content analysis of digital social media and institutional blogs maintained by professional associations, aiming to map discourses about human rights. Next, semi-structured interviews will be conducted with professionals selected based on the initial findings. The third stage consists of document analysis of institutional materials (internal regulations, reports, public statements). All data will be analyzed using methodological triangulation, ensuring analytical rigor and interpretive depth.Expected outcomes include: (i) the development of a detailed diagnosis of how the studied professionals perceive human rights; (ii) the production of empirical inputs for public policies aimed at the training and professional development in human rights; (iii) the promotion of dialogue with the professionals themselves, enabling a feedback process and institutional enhancement; and (iv) the dissemination of findings through scientific articles, academic events, digital media, and outreach materials aimed at civil society.The research will be submitted to the Research Ethics Committee, ensuring confidentiality, anonymity, and free and informed consent from all participants. By examining how human rights are perceived by key law enforcement actors, the project seeks to contribute to democratic strengthening, the protection of fundamental rights, and the production of critical and socially relevant knowledge within the field of Social Sciences. (AU)