Criminological Analysis of the Policy on Alternative Sanctions in the Federal District

Abstract

This study aimed to conduct a criminological analysis of the policy on alternative sanctions in the Federal District. To this end, it employed a descriptive analysis of the Federal District Public Security Master Plan and two documents produced by the Ministry of Justice, as well as a descriptive analysis of eighteen cases randomly selected from the 2nd Prosecutor’s Office for the Execution of Sentences and Alternative Measures of the Public Prosecution Service of the Federal District and Territories (MPDFT). Additionally, a questionnaire composed of both closed-ended and open-ended questions was administered to three members of the MPDFT working in the field of alternatives to imprisonment. The findings indicate that the policy of alternative sanctions to custodial sentences in the Federal District is not effective. The results also highlight a lack of commitment by the district Executive Branch to the effectiveness of such alternatives, as well as structural deficiencies in the implementation of policies related to alternative sanctions.