Portuguese 
English 
Spanish 
4 min of reading 
0 comments 
Measure Signed by the Minister of Justice Emerges as Immediate Alternative to the Security PEC and Promises to Integrate Criminal Data, Standardize Recognitions, and Influence the Distribution of Federal Resources
The Minister of Justice, Ricardo Lewandowski, established on Monday (5) two new instruments aimed at organizing and standardizing criminal information in Brazil. The initiative comes at a strategic moment, as the so-called Security PEC remains stalled in the National Congress, with no voting date in sight.
The ordinances create the National Criminal Information System (Sinic) and the National Protocol for Recognition of Individuals in Criminal Proceedings, both originally outlined in the text of the Security PEC. However, in light of the political impasse, the Ministry of Justice decided to preemptively implement parts of these measures administratively.
What Is Sinic and How It Changes Access to Criminal Data in Brazil
The National Criminal Information System (Sinic) is designed to centralize and unify criminal data at the national level. According to the Ministry of Justice, the system will provide direct support for criminal prosecution, strengthen the judiciary’s role, and serve as a basis for public safety policies.
-
The Senate approves a bill that criminalizes misogyny, hatred, or aversion towards women, and includes the crime in the Racism Law with a penalty of up to 5 years.
-
Chamber Approves Bill That Allows Pepper Spray for Women Over 16 and Imposes Strict Rules for Purchase, Possession, and Use as Self-Defense
-
Chamber Approves Law to Combat Leucaena, Fast-Growing Plant That Dominates Land and Threatens Native Species in Various Regions of the Country
-
Asset Division: Know What Cannot Be Divided in Case of Divorce
In practice, Sinic will consolidate information about individuals convicted of specific crimes considered of high social and institutional relevance. Among them are:
- participation in criminal organizations or factions;
- crimes of sexual violence against children and adolescents;
- rape;
- racist crimes;
- restrictions on access to sports venues due to involvement in violent episodes.
Moreover, the system will become the sole official source for issuing the National Criminal Certificate and the Criminal Record Sheet. This means that documents previously issued by courts, civil police, and state identification institutes will be replaced by a standardized national model.
According to the department, this centralization aims to reduce errors, discrepancies, and inconsistencies between state databases. At the same time, the measure promises to speed up inquiries and enhance the reliability of the information used in investigations and legal proceedings.
National Recognition Protocol Seeks to Reduce Errors and Ensure Legal Security
In addition to Sinic, Lewandowski established the National Protocol for Recognition of Individuals in Criminal Proceedings, a measure that addresses long-standing criticisms regarding errors in identifications made during police investigations.
According to the Ministry of Justice, the protocol aims to standardize practices, reduce errors, and increase legal security in the use of individual recognition as evidence. The text defines recognition as the formal procedure by which a victim or witness identifies a possible perpetrator of a crime, always with technical precautions.
The new protocol must be followed by the Federal Police, state civil police, and the National Public Security Force whenever they act in investigative roles.
Moreover, the government established a financial incentive mechanism. Adherence to the protocol will be considered a technical criterion for prioritizing the allocation of federal resources from the National Public Security Fund. That is, states that follow the guidelines will have a better chance of receiving funding.
With this, the government seeks to promote national standardization without currently resorting to a law passed by Congress.
Security PEC Remains Stalled and Exposes Political Impasse
The measures signed by Lewandowski emerge in a context of legislative deadlock. The president of the Chamber of Deputies, Hugo Motta (Republicanos-PB), decided to postpone the vote on the PEC 18/25, known as the Security PEC, and the changes made by the Senate to the anti-faction bill (PL 5582/25).
This decision pushed the debate to after the parliamentary recess, with resumption expected only in February. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Justice opted to act within its administrative competencies to avoid interrupting the implementation of policies considered priorities.
Although the ordinances do not fully replace a constitutional change, experts assess that they create relevant administrative facts. In practice, the government signals that it does not intend to wait indefinitely for a political solution.
Practical Impact and Debate on Institutional Limits
The creation of the systems rekindles the debate about the limits between administrative action and legislative decision. On one hand, the Ministry of Justice argues that it merely regulates technical procedures. On the other hand, critics point out that measures of this magnitude should undergo scrutiny by Congress.
Nonetheless, the advancement of Sinic and the national protocol represents a concrete change in the functioning of Brazilian public safety. The centralization of data and the standardization of investigative practices are likely to impact investigations, legal proceedings, and even funding policies.
While the Security PEC remains in limbo, the federal government bets on immediate execution as a strategy to keep the agenda active and respond to pressure for results.
In your opinion, is the government right to proceed through ordinances while Congress stalls the Security PEC, or should such decisions necessarily undergo legislative debate?
-
Uma pessoa reagiu a isso.