Lectures Range From The Symbolic Power Of Crime Leaders To The Cognitive Mechanisms Exploited In Virtual Frauds

The activities of criminal organizations in Brazil go beyond the mere practice of crimes. These increasingly articulated structures are consolidated through a symbolic process: the construction of narratives that glorify their leaders and naturalize criminality as a legitimate form of power and belonging. As Judge Demétrius Gomes Lopes pointed out during his lecture on the second and final day (March 27th) of the IV Meeting on Intelligence in the Judiciary, this process contributes to organized crime assuming, in certain communities, a symbolic and sometimes leading role precisely where the State fails to be present.

This phenomenon of mythification, as the magistrate explained, does not happen by chance, but it is directly related to social, economic and cultural factors, finding fertile ground in contexts marked by exclusion and the absence of guarantees for basic rights. In these realities, criminal organizations begin to offer what should be the role of the State, such as protection, financial aid and even a distorted version of justice.

The image of the criminal leader then moves away from the figure of a simple lawbreaker and takes on the role of “provider” or “defender” of the community. The challenge, according to the speaker, is to understand that the fight against crime requires more than repression: it is necessary to dispute this symbolic field, rescuing the feeling of belonging and trust in public institutions.

Another highlight of the presentation of the judge was the role of communication and culture in the construction and dissemination of these mythologized images. Songs, films and even everyday expressions contribute for feeding the idea of the power and invulnerability of these groups, especially among young people in situations of social vulnerability. For him, demystifying these organizations requires coordinated action between the State and society, based on effective public policies, institutional strengthening and valuing education.

Demétrius Gomes Lopes concluded his presentation by stressing that tackling this phenomenon requires strategies that combine public security, social development and, above all, a state narrative capable of countering the myth of crime as a way of rising up and gaining power.

Next, the lecture on “Cybersecurity and Neuroscience”, given by Milena Santana de Araújo Lima, a police officer, highlighted another aspect of the contemporary crime: crimes committed in the virtual environment. The police officer presented concrete cases, highlighting that this type of practice has become increasingly recurrent, and reinforced the importance of basic protection measures, such as activating two-step verification in applications, to prevent criminals from acting.

Still on social media, Milena warned of the risks of interacting with unknown and attractive profiles, which are often used as a bait for love scams.

The expert also talked about how criminals exploit human vulnerabilities to carry out scams, and how society can protect itself. She explained that the evolution of scams is directly linked to the way the human brain makes decisions.

"Scammers study how the mind works and exploit cognitive shortcuts that we use to process information quickly. This makes it easier for them to mislead their victims," he said.

Among the main points addressed was the use of persuasion techniques as a strategy to manipulate emotions and speed up impulsive decision-making. A recurring example is the bank scams, in which the fraudster creates a sense of urgency so that the victim provides sensitive data without thinking about the consequences.

The speaker also drew attention to the fact that the advance of digital technologies has made it possible to apply increasingly sophisticated scams. Even experienced people can be fooled, as criminals use a combination of social engineering and advanced technological tools to construct highly convincing situations.

As a form of prevention, she recommended being wary of alarming messages, checking the authenticity of bank communications and avoiding clicking on suspicious links. She also stressed the importance of digital education, pointing out that only with accessible and continuous information it will be possible to strengthen the ability of society to recognize and avoid fraud.