OUTSOURCING PROFILE OF AMAZONAS PRISONS

Abstract

This article examines the outsourcing and co-management model implemented in Amazonas prisons, assessing its legal foundations, implementation modalities and operational effects. The study is basic in nature and uses a mixed-methods approach, combining bibliographic review and documentary analysis of official reports and statistical data to profile outsourced units, compare internal practices with publicly managed prisons, and verify compliance with Brazil’s Penal Execution Law. The working hypothesis posits that the Penal Execution Law is not fully applied under public management and that private participation can enhance implementation, albeit with significant fiscal costs. Findings show that co-management improves the provision of essential services (food, healthcare, vocational and educational activities) and operational efficiency, but does not solve the persistent overcrowding problem (average occupancy 36,38% in H1 2025) and results in a higher average cost per inmate. The study concludes that outsourcing can be a valuable tool if paired with robust state oversight and broader public policies to reduce incarceration rates.