LABELLING APPROACH: A LEGAL ANALYSIS OF THE MARGINALIZATION OF STREET CHILDREN BASED ON THE NOVEL "CAPTAINS OF THE SANDS"

Abstract

The article analyzes how Capitães da Areia, by Jorge Amado, engages with Law and Criminology by portraying the marginalization of street children. Based on the Labelling Approach, it investigates the stigmatization process of these children and its connection with the Brazilian legal system. This analysis highlights how criminalization and social exclusion reinforce the cycle of marginalization, making their reintegration into society difficult. Despite the existence of legal instruments such as the 1988 Federal Constitution and the Statute of the Child and Adolescent (ECA), the ineffective application of these norms contributes to the persistence of stigma, revealing a gap between what is established by law and the reality faced by these minors. Amado’s novel, by humanizing these marginalized figures, exposes structural failures in the system and denounces the absence of effective policies. Finally, this study proposes a reflection on the need to revise public policies to ensure greater protection and inclusion of these children, securing their rights and better living conditions.