Selective mechanism: the criminal justice treatment of drug offenses. The case of Rio de Janeiro
January 26th, 2026
The research report "Engrenagem seletiva: o tratamento penal dos crimes de drogas. O caso do Rio de Janeiro" [Selective mechanism: the criminal justice treatment of drug offenses. The case of Rio de Janeiro], published in 2025 by the Center for Security and Citizenship Studies (CESeC), presents the findings of an original study on the application of the Drug Law in the State of Rio de Janeiro (Law No. 11,343/2006).
The analysis was based on 2,567 first-instance court cases with final judgments, adjudicated between 2022 and 2023, and focused on the offenses addressed by specific articles of the law, including possession for personal use, drug trafficking, and criminal association for the purpose of drug trafficking. The results indicate that the selectivity inherent in the Brazilian criminal justice system is particularly pronounced in the enforcement of the Drug Law, disproportionately affecting a profile historically criminalized in Brazil: men, young people, Afro-descendants, and residents of favelas and urban peripheries. From this perspective, the criminal justice system as a whole – from police intervention to sentencing – functions as a “selective mechanism” that determines who is punished and who remains outside the reach of criminal justice. In this context, the research highlights that racial background, place of residence, and socioeconomic status are key factors influencing every stage of the criminal process, reinforcing existing inequalities and reflecting the structural racism embedded in Brazilian society.
The full report could be read and downloaded at this link.