NARRATIVES OF VULNERABILITY:

PRISON NEWS IN THE NORTHERN REGION OF BRAZIL

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21873/vol13n4202628

Abstract

This article analyzes the media narratives about the prison system in the Northern Region of Brazil, focusing on the system's vulnerabilities and the living conditions of prisoners. The research aims to understand how regional media construct and transmit representations of the prison system, influencing public perception of public security and reintegration policies. The methodology is qualitative, using content analysis, and includes news published between 2022 and 2024 in major media outlets from the region. The results indicate that the media coverage is predominantly negative, highlighting escapes, riots, and poor conditions in prison units, while reintegration initiatives are addressed superficially. There was also a scarcity of diverse voices in the reports, with institutional sources predominating, limiting the plurality of narratives. The analysis showed that, despite its important role in denouncing rights violations, the media also contributes to reinforcing stigmas and a punitive view of the prison system, emphasizing the criminalization of poverty and marginality. The article suggests the urgent need for a more balanced approach, recognizing prisoners as subjects with rights and histories, and advocating for more effective public policies aimed at social reintegration.

Author Biographies

Alyne Crystina Alves Magalhães, Federal University of Tocantins

Master's in Communication and Society from the Postgraduate Program in Communication and Society – PPGCOM. Specialist in Criminal Sciences - UFT. Bachelor of Law – UFT. Lawyer. Currently, she is a guest professor in the Law Course at UFT and a Cabinet Advisor at the Secretariat of Citizenship and Justice. Lattes: http://lattes.cnpq.br/0483937854889842. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3026-5267. Email: alynemagalhaes@uft.edu.br.

Cynthia Mara Miranda, Federal University of Tocantins

Master in Communication and Society (PPGCOM/UFT), Ph.D. in Social Sciences (UnB), and Postdoctoral in Communication (UFMG). Associate Professor at the Federal University of Tocantins, working in the Journalism course and postgraduate programs. Email: cynthiamara@mail.uft.edu.br.

Valmir Teixeira de Araujo, Federal University of Tocantins

Tenured Professor at the Department of Communication at the Federal University of Rondônia (Unir), Ph.D. in Social Communication (UMESP), and postdoctoral researcher at the Federal University of Tocantins (UFT). Member of ABPCom, Intercom, and ABPN. Email: valmir.ptu@gmail.com.

Published

2026-07-27

How to Cite

Alves Magalhães, A. C., Mara Miranda, C., & Teixeira de Araujo, V. (2026). NARRATIVES OF VULNERABILITY:: PRISON NEWS IN THE NORTHERN REGION OF BRAZIL. DESAFIOS - Revista Interdisciplinar Da Universidade Federal Do Tocantins, 13(4), 489–511. https://doi.org/10.21873/vol13n4202628