Economic Analysis of Police Operations in Areas Controlled by Organized Crime

Abstract

Public security is a constitutionally established social right, and, for it to be effectively realized, positive state provisions through public policies are necessary. However, the materialization of this right, especially in favelas and peripheral regions, is hindered by the current public security model adopted, based mainly on the excessive use of force and armed confrontation. As a consequence, favela residents deal in their daily lives with a series of rights violations, in addition to police lethality. In order to obtain recognition and resolution of these problems, ADPF 635 was filed before the STF, which, among other points, presents the restriction of police operations as a solution. The present study aims to evaluate the impact caused by the actions of public security agents during police operations, as well as the consequences of suspending them as an alternative to this problem. The methodology used assumes an explanatory character, with a deductive method, and is based on bibliographical research on Economic Analysis of Law, with special attention to externalities. Based on the data collected, the work concludes that the construction of efficient mechanisms to combat criminality in these areas requires a broader approach than simply resorting to armed confrontation as the main strategy, since it negatively impacts the functioning of public services. Likewise, adopting a policy of inertia by security forces when restricting operations is not an ideal way to guarantee the right to public security, even if under the justification of reducing lethality and other rights violations, due to the tendency of strengthening illicit networks in these regions.