“Dignities of access, of freedom, of combat, of respect”. The title of the book launched during the project on “Literary Minds - from the Magic of Books to the Art of Writing” at the Regional Penal Unit of the city of Palmas (CPP), on January 24th, translates well the expectations of 15 inmates participating in the work and this initiative by the National Council of Justice (CNJ), in partnership with the Court of Justice of the State of Tocantins and the state secretariats for Citizenship and Justice and Education.
José, Manuel and Raimundo (fictitious names) are some of the inmates taking part in the project who embraced the opportunity the project provided and had the courage to express their life stories, dreams and hopes in poems.
“For a long time in my life, I saw my name in the headlines, on the police pages. Today, having my name written in a book is a very gratifying opportunity. My self-esteem is through the roof and my heart is soaring,” said José, 51, who, like the others, had the opportunity to write five poems that make up the book.
“We wrote about our childhood, about the friendships we had, about our life, what the future is going to be like. A life trajectory that we have and that we will take with us when we return to society,” said Manuel, 26.
“The Literary Minds project was a major turning point for us who are inmates, right? Because it brought out good parts of us that we didn't know about. So this project brought out things in us that we sometimes don't have the ability to say, to express by speaking, but by writing,” says Raimundo. “Like it or not, it has made many people feel more alive in here, and put out dreams that they want to realize outside,” he adds.
Incentive for sentence remission
Aimed at encouraging sentence remission through reading as an educational social practice in the prison system, the project on Literary Minds is aligned with the guidelines of the Resolution 391/2021 of the CNJ. The initiative provides for reading and writing circles and workshops in prison units and Social Offices, as well as the qualification of literary collections and the structuring of libraries in these spaces.
During the event, the National Justice Councillor and supervisor of the Department for Monitoring and Inspection of the Prison System and the System for the Execution of Socio-Educational Measures, José Rotondano, addressed the inmates to thank them for putting their feelings about dignity down on paper.
“I think that the closer we are to you (inmates), the sooner you will have the opportunity to be recognized as people who have rights, and that these rights cannot be systematically violated. We take care of people,” he said, referring to the judiciary.
At the time, he said that the CNJ is open for; receiving, welcoming and expanding projects presented by inmates.
Closer management
The president of the TJTO, Justice Etelvina Maria Sampaio Felipe, said that the Literary Minds project is in line with what the 2023/2025 administration has been preaching over the last two years: “Closer and more innovative justice”.
“We are closing the administration with a golden key with this project. I would even add, brilliant minds, because the inmates have brilliant minds,” she said. “May this project really be a change, may it give new meaning, and may it bring you all a new life,” she said, adding: ”You are all winners, with a future waiting for each of you out there. Knowledge is power. May you have the power of knowledge.”
During the event, the president handed over ten boxes of clothes donated by the Internal Revenue Service to be uncharacterized.
In thanking the CNJ and the TJTO, the Secretary of Citizenship and Justice, Deusiano Pereira de Amorim, said that all of the more than 800 inmates in the unit are part of the project in the remission of their sentences by reading. “With the support of the Judiciary, we are making progress with improvements, both in the units and in the re socialization of our inmates.”
The judge of the Court of Justice of the State of Bahia and collaborator of the CNJ, Rosemunda Barreto Valente, highlighted the partnership for the realization of the project, stressing that it demonstrates the union of institutional efforts to create real opportunities for transformation. “Today, in this penitentiary, we are witnessing the result of deep and meaningful work.”
Bridge for dialogue and reflexions
In addition to the launch of the literary work, the result of a workshop focused on reflections that demonstrate how the art of writing allows silenced voices to find their way to expression, the event also featured a reading circle with the participation of 12 inmates.
Under the guidance of Professor Everaldo de Carvalho, a civil server from the Department of Penitentiary Administration and Re socialization of the State of Bahia, currently working as a collaborator with the CNJ, who shared his work “The tarnished face”, the participants had the opportunity to express their perceptions of the work.
“Today, we are having a celebration of literature, a celebration of education with the possibility of social transformation and remission as well,” said the professor.
At the end, everyone received certificates for taking part in the workshops. There was also an autograph moment with the participation of the inmate writers and a musical performance by inmates from the prison.
The editor of the book, Alex Giostri, said at the end of the event that the Literary Minds project is increasingly becoming a seed for continued activities.
Present ones
The event was also attended by the assistant Judge to the President of the CNJ, Edinaldo César Santos Júnior; the vice-president of the TJTO, Justice Ângela Prudente; the chief of justice, Justice Maysa Vendramini Rosal; the supervisor of the Group for Monitoring and Inspection of the Prison System and Execution of Socio-Educational Measures (GMF), Justice Pedro Nelson de Miranda Coutinho; the Prosecutor Octahydes Balan Júnior; the Public Defender Napociani Pereira Póvoa; the vice-president of the BAR, Tocantins Section, Larissa Rosena; the manager of Socio-educational Education and the Prison System, Israel de Freitas Silva.
Also taking part were assistant Judges Rosa Maria Gazire Rossi (TJTO), Esmar Custódio Filho and Ariósteres Guimarães Vieira (CGJUS); magistrates Océlio Nobre, Allan Martins Ferreira (from the Criminal Executions Court and president of ASMETO), Jordan Jardim (coordinator of the GMF) and Flávia Afini Bovo (director of the Court of the district of Palmas); the general director of the TJTO, Ana Carina Souto; the chief of staff of the Presidency of the TJTO, Jeane Justino; the chief of staff of the CNJ, Iuri Oliveira; Everaldo de Jesus Carvalho (collaborator of the CNJ); the Public Defender Tássia Gomes Carneiro; Auridéia Loyola, from the BAR of the state of Tocantins; and the director of the CPP, Rodrigo Rocha.
