The youth in conflict with the law in Rio de Janeiro and the role of the defense on infractions

Abstract

The criminalization of juveniles in conflict with the law is a social problem that perpetuates throughout brazilian history. Thus, it is necessary a reflexion on the stigmatizing discourses that affect teenagers in conflict with the law, mainly in the city of Rio de Janeiro, where the state promotes more confinement policies than programs that accelerate the affirmation process of basic rights. At this point, the article brought up the debate about the defense of these adolescents as a guarantee of their fundamental rights, as well as the doctrinal question about the existent branches on Statute of the Child and Adolescent (SCA), integral protection versus guarantees. The article blends theorical and empirical methodology. Among the results found, stand out the mitigated participation of the defense throughout the processing.