Adolescents Rebel in Youth Detention Center in Northern Rio de Janeiro

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The General Department of Socio-Educational Actions (DEGASE) of Rio de Janeiro reported yesterday, November 9th, that “an attempt to cause instability” in one of its facilities was controlled by agents and state police officers on Thursday night.

The department takes in minors complying with socio-educational measures and is linked to the State Secretariat of Education.

According to the department’s communication advisor, teenagers from the João Luiz Alves School (EJLA), on Ilha do Governador, in the northern zone of Rio de Janeiro, “made an attempt to cause instability in the facility, to the point of damaging some of their lodgings”.

“The Rapid Action Grouping and the State Police were promptly deployed to control the situation, preventing the disturbance from progressing. We stress that no one escaped, no one was injured, and the situation in the facility is under control,” says the body.

Between Tuesday, November 5th, and Friday, the DEGASE reported a staff strike, which was suspended after a ruling of the Rio de Janeiro State Court of Appeals (TJRJ).

The president of the Court, Judge Claudio Tavares, determined that the president of the Union of Employees of the General Department of Socio-educational Actions of the State of Rio de Janeiro (SIND-DEGASE), João Luiz Pereira Rodrigues, would be arrested if the strike were to extend for another 24 hours.

During the strike, only essential services provided to children and adolescents were upheld, such as meals, personal hygiene, and emergency medical assistance. The transfer of hospitalized adolescents, the holding of hearings, visits to inmates, escorts to hospitals for outpatient non-emergency consultations and other activities were suspended.

In the decision that ordered the end of the strike, Judge Claudio Tavares stated that the strike posed risks to the adolescents’ fundamental rights, in addition to the potential for slow apprehension of adolescents for the hearings, leading to numerous delays in complying with judicial orders.

In a note, the union announced that it will appeal the decision, intending to challenge the “false arguments” made by the state government. In the text, the union says that the strike is legitimate and complied with all legal requirements set out in Law 7.783/89.

“As a result, in a special meeting held on Friday afternoon, it was determined to temporarily suspend the strike, and an act was scheduled at 2 PM next Tuesday, November 12th, after the mediation hearing at the Court of Appeals,” the note said.

Among other claims, DEGASE agents are calling for the reorganization of the professional staff. According to the union, approximately one-quarter of all staff positions are vacant; there are currently 1,500 agents for 25 facilities throughout the state, nine of which are closed regime facilities and the other 16 having a work-release regime.

The union also states that career progressions are stalled and there have been no salary readjustments for five years. In addition, the staff is demanding the introduction of the Additional Service Regime, which rewards overtime.

Overcrowding issues have led the courts in Rio de Janeiro to order the release of adolescents in June, based on a decision by Justice Edson Fachin, of the Federal Supreme Court, which limited the occupation rate of socio-educational facilities at 119 percent of their capacity.

The releases, followed by the Rio de Janeiro State Prosecutor’s Office, prioritized adolescents who committed minor infractions.

At the time of the decision, closed-regime facilities recorded occupation rates of more than 180 percent in the state of Rio de Janeiro, which at the time had 891 places and more than 1,600 detainees.