INEFFECTIVENESS OF INCREASING PENALTIES IN COMBATING CRIMINALITY IN THE LAST 20 YEARS

Abstract

The present research aims to address the role of the State in ensuring security, health, and leisure, as well as the function of the judiciary in protecting individual, collective, and social rights, in addition to resolving conflicts. In the context of Criminal Law, the application of the law aims to punish offenders, however, often this application is not effective, resulting in a significant number of people not complying with the imposed sentences. The toughening of penalties does not seem to deter criminal behavior, and society is frightened by the feeling of danger due to the fragility of the judicial system. Therefore, the research proposes an analysis of normative effectiveness and compliance with sentences as a means of combating crimes in Brazil, emphasizing the importance of correcting deficiencies in the punitive system instead of merely increasing penalties.