ENHANCING THE STATUS OF THE PENAL POLICE IN TOCANTINS: A FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS AND ITS INFLUENCE ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PENAL EXECUTION LAW

Abstract

This paper investigates the process of institutional transition and the professional advancement of the Penal Police career in the State of Tocantins. The central problem examines the extent to which the institutionalization and effective valuation of this career influence the efficacy of penal execution, balancing internal security control with the guarantee of the fundamental rights of those in custody. The general objective is to analyse the relationship between the restructuring of the career, consolidated after Constitutional Amendment No. 104/2019, and the effectiveness of penal execution, verifying its reflections on institutional security and the promotion of citizenship within the prison environment. The methodology adopts a qualitative, exploratory, and interpretative approach, grounded in a systematic literature review of Penal Execution Law and critical criminology, documentary research focused on the state (Law No. 3,879/2022) and federal regulatory framework, as well as content and jurisprudential analysis (with emphasis on ADPF 347). The results indicate that professionalization and functional autonomy (police power) generate positive impacts on disciplinary control and integration with other security agencies, although personnel deficits and structural precariousness still limit the full provision of assistance provided for in the Penal Execution Law (LEP). It concludes that the valuation of the Penal Police is a necessary.condition to overcome the "Unconstitutional State of Affairs" in the Tocantins system, but its full efficacy depends on continuous investments in infrastructure and human resources to harmonize security with social reintegration.