Violência policial e suas representações sociais: análise de crenças compartilhadas

Abstract

Data from the Brazilian Public Security Yearbook (FBSP, 2026) indicate that, despite a reduction in other categories of Intentional Violent Deaths, police lethality reached its highest level in the historical series in 2025, with 6,602 deaths. Against this backdrop, this qualitative study aimed to examine the Social Representations of police violence among individuals who consider this practice unacceptable. The study included 10 participants previously selected through an online questionnaire. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using Thematic Categorical Analysis (Bardin, 2011), grounded in Social Representations Theory. The findings were organized into four thematic categories and revealed predominantly critical representations of police violence, understood as a structural phenomenon associated with excessive practices, selectivity, and social inequalities. The results also highlighted representations concerning the influence of media narratives, the recognition of institutional factors such as police working conditions and training, and the understanding that the use of force may be considered legitimate only when guided by the principles of necessity and proportionality. It is concluded that police violence is understood as a socially constructed phenomenon, shaped by shared knowledge, experiences, and social discourses, highlighting the contribution of Social Representations Theory to understanding this phenomenon and to informing public policies aimed at promoting human rights and improving public safety.