Crime e infância: a criança pela ótica policial no contexto republicano através dos relatórios de chefes de polícia do estado de Minas Gerais (1895-1918)

Abstract

This research aims to provide an overview of how, during the First Republic, childhood was understood in situations of conflict through the police perspective. By analyzing the annual reports of police chiefs from the state of Minas Gerais, from 1895 to 1918, the goal is to understand the discursive mechanisms involved in the process of institutionalizing and criminalizing childhood. By examining the crimes reported in the reports and the discursive excerpts discussing crime and child welfare, it was possible to perceive how the historical transformations at the turn of the 19th to the 20th century impacted the police view of childhood. The research investigates the nuances between the protection of childhood and its criminalization. The central goal is to reflect on the police discourse on childhood and youth, aiming to understand the role of the police in constructing the context in which these children and adolescents were inserted. Through the qualitative and quantitative analysis of the reports, a database was created relating crime and childhood in the state of Minas Gerais. By deepening the analysis on the region of Juiz de Fora, we used criminal cases mentioned in the reports. These criminal cases are available at the Historical Archive of Juiz de Fora. Additionally, we analyzed local newspapers to identify mentions of the cases and childhood in the city’s periodicals. Therefore, the research aims to analyze how the relationship between the police and childhood developed, investigating the concepts and theoretical frameworks that supported the republican daily life.