THE PUBLIC MANAGER IN PRISONS – MANAGEMENT OF PROFESSIONALS AND PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS

Abstract

The digital book "The Public Manager in Prison Establishments – Management of Professionals and Private Partnerships" aims to offer a thorough and in-depth analysis of the role of the public manager in the Brazilian prison context, highlighting the complexity of his/her role, the challenges faced and the possible strategies for building a more just, efficient and humane penal system. Structured in three interconnected chapters, the work covers different dimensions of prison management, from legislation to administrative practice, from theory to concrete intervention in the daily life of penal establishments. Chapter 1 – Brazilian Prison System presents a historical and normative review of the prison system, contextualizing the emergence of modern prisons based on foreign models, especially the North American and European ones. The transition from physical punishment to custodial sentences is highlighted, with the purpose of regenerating and reintegrating the prisoner into society. The theoretical approach is based on authors such as Michel Foucault, who analyzes prison as a mechanism of social control with moral and economic functions, and on Brazilian scholars such as Silva (2001), who reinforce the social role of punishment in building a safer society. This chapter also discusses the importance of the Penal Execution Law (Law No. 7,210/84), its humanitarian principles and its proposal to offer prisoners dignified conditions through legal, educational, social and health assistance. Despite regulatory advances, it is clear that the reality of Brazilian prisons still lacks significant improvements in their infrastructure and services provided, which requires greater protagonism from prison managers. Chapter 2 – Public Management in the Prison System: Commitment, Limits and Possibilities delves deeper into the reflection on the role of public managers in penal establishments. Being a manager in the prison system goes far beyond coordinating administrative routines. It involves assuming an ethical commitment to society and to the fundamental rights of inmates, acting as a link between the State, civil servants, prisoners and civil society. This chapter discusses the need for technical, coordinated and proactive action, capable of integrating multidisciplinary teams (psychologists, social workers, educators, lawyers, prison police officers) in favor of resocialization. The manager is presented as an articulating agent, responsible for ensuring the application of public policies established by the LEP, coordinating efforts to improve working conditions, investing in ongoing training for staff and adopting management strategies based on results. The limitations imposed by the structural precariousness of penitentiaries are also addressed, which often make more effective actions unfeasible, reinforcing the importance of the manager in seeking innovative solutions through coordination with other spheres of public power and the private sector. In Chapter 3 – Prison Labor and Strategic Partnerships: A Viable Alternative for Social Reintegration, the focus is on the implementation of public-private partnerships within the prison system as a mechanism for promoting reintegration into society. This chapter explores the possibilities for productive inclusion of prisoners through paid work, highlighting the direct benefits of work activities: sentence reduction, income generation, skills development, and strengthening of self-esteem. The book recognizes, however, the obstacles faced in implementing these partnerships, such as social stigma, fear in the business sector, and the lack of regulation by the Consolidation of Labor Laws (CLT). Even so, the decisive role of prison managers in making these initiatives viable is reinforced by ensuring the legality of the process, supporting the adaptation of prisoners to the work environment, and showing companies the benefits of their collaboration. The chapter concludes by emphasizing that such partnerships, when well managed, have the potential to significantly reduce recidivism rates, reduce prison system costs, and offer a concrete alternative to the purely punitive logic that still predominates in Brazilian prisons.
This work, therefore, aims to contribute to the debate on public management in the penal system, offering theoretical and practical support to public security professionals, academics, managers, and others interested in building a prison model oriented toward human dignity, administrative efficiency, and the effective social reintegration of individuals deprived of liberty. It is an invitation to reflection and critical action, with the aim of devising a new prison management model that overcomes the logic of exclusionary incarceration and focuses on social transformation as a collective project.