Increase in youth crimes is seen as a systemic collapse

Experts tell Agência Brasil that recent attacks in public places and buildings by young children and adolescents (“arrastões”) are a sign of the inability of the government (“Poder Público”) and civil society to deal with the problems of these young people.

On Monday, August 22, a second “arrastão” took place in Vila Mariana, in the southern area of the city of São Paulo. A large group of youngsters swept through a hotel grabbing everything of value and threatening people. After seven of them were taken into custody, they all claimed to be less than 12 years old. Under Brazilian law, anyone under 12 cannot be arrested. So the less-than-magnificent seven were taken to a tutelary center (“Conselho Tutelar”) where they rioted.

Then, yesterday, August 23, three of the seven escaped from a shelter they were taken to after they had destroyed the tutelary center. Two others were found to be over 12 years of age and sent to a juvenile holding center (“Fundação Casa, antiga Febem”).

“We are facing a situation that has simply gotten out of control and we have to go back to basics: we need to start with the public schools. We have to get beyond palliatives. We are just putting band aids on tumors,” said Antonio Carlos Melheiros, a judge at a juvenile court (“desembargador e coordenador da área de Infância e Juventude do Tribunal de Justiça de São Paulo”).

Melheiros says it is not only the support system for youths that has flaws, but the family structure. “Nowadays the Fundação Casa is doing a very good job. The problem is that when the children leave they return to a family that is dysfunctional, where there is misery, hunger and unemployment, not to mention problems with drinking and violence.”

According to Ariel de Castro Alves, president of the Child Foundation in São Bernardo do Campo and vice president of the Bar Association’s (“OAB”) National Commission on Children and Adolescents, the safety net that is supposed to protect children does not do so, and that just shows how flawed educational and social programs are, along with difficulties in the family itself. “These are closely interconnected problems that involve the basic family unit, the government and society as a whole. There is a need for constant outreach to families, constant oversight of programs to create income and follow-up in all cases of alcoholism or other psychological disturbances.”

As for tutelary council centers and juvenile courts, Ana Paula de Olivieira, of the Vila Mariana Tutelar Council, says they are overworked, overextended and under equipped. “Today there are 37 tutelary councils in São Paulo, with another 5 in the pipeline. However, the National Council for Child Rights (“Conanda”) says a city the size of São Paulo should have at least 112 councils.”