“Memories and nostalgia, good things I lived with. I didn't listen to your advice, I fell into jail”. The verses written by a prisoner from the Prison Unit of the district of Tocantinópolis are featured on one of the pages of the book: Starting again with Cordel – A New Look at Life, published in 2023 by the Judiciary in partnership with the State Prosecution and the Department of Education of the State of Tocantins (Seduc). The work contains more than a hundred cordels and, in each verse or rhyme, brings a little of the history and learning of those who don't want to see life pass behind bars.
“The thoughts that came up while I was writing were memories of the times when I was free. I recounted experiences I'd had, such as a trip to Switzerland, the life I led on the streets and other reflections that I've matured in here,” shared the prisoner from the district of Tocantinópolis, noting that he never imagined he'd be a published author.
For him, literature and education were decisive in his personal transformation. “Without study, you're nobody. Before, I didn't think about progressing in my studies; here in prison I had that opportunity. I finished high school and now I'm studying at the university. I've evolved in both reading and knowledge, and I'm grateful for the opportunity I've had, despite being in prison,” he said.
“When I leave, I want to continue studying and become a better person,” he said about writing a new chapter in his story.
The literature project that culminated in the publication of the collection of cordels began in 2019 in the district of Tocantinópolis. There are three works in all, with the participation of inmates, prison staff, teachers, legal professionals and representatives of partner institutions, such as the State Prosecution and the Public Defender's Office.
As the head of the Penal Unit of the district of Tocantinópolis, Diego Ribamar Ferreira Rocha, explains, the project aims to promote re-socialization and give inmates dignity so that they have a new chance in life when they are reintegrated into society. “Education changes human beings, and human beings change the world. It's our goal as criminal police officers, not just to guard and watch, to encourage inmates to study and work, so that they can return to society in a dignified condition, with at least a basic structure to reintegrate into society and return to their homes,” he said. “We saw in their faces the satisfaction of being part of this project, of expressing their emotions and experiences,” he added.
The publication of the book: Starting again with Cordel – A New Look at Life - was the work of an inter-institutional commission. The Judiciary contributed, through the Criminal Court of the District of Tocantinópolis, with the allocation of pecuniary penalties for printing the works.
“Pecuniary punishment is also known as alternative punishment. Through it, Judges can allocate resources to public or private social organizations, as in the case of projects for prison units,” explained Célia Regina Cirqueira Barros, assistant for Support to the Judicial and Administrative Service of the CGJUS.
“Thus, in addition to fulfill its punitive function, the pecuniary penalty contributes directly to the financing of relevant social initiatives,” she added.
“The Criminal Court of the district of Tocantinópolis has already contributed to the publication of three literary works with this focus, the mechanism of which, provided for in the Penal Enforcement Law of Brazil, allows prison time to be reduced through a commitment to educational activities on the part of the inmates,” emphasized Judge Helder Carvalho Lisboa, of the Court of the District of Tocantinópolis.
Evolution
At the Barra da Grota Penal Treatment Unit in the district of Araguaína, the progress made with reading is repeated. One of the inmates serving time there entered prison without having completed elementary school, but with the educational projects promoted at the unit he had the opportunity to take the National Exam for the Certification of Youth and Adult Competencies (ENCCEJA) and now he wants to attend high school. “Studying and reading act as therapy for our minds in here,” he said, stressing that he wants to be an example to his daughter.
“I want to teach my daughter everything I've learned here. I'm going to show her that education is fundamental and that knowledge is everything in the life of a human being,” he said.
In the district of Araguaína, the Barra da Grota Penal Treatment Unit has four education projects. Actions include movie therapy, reading, basic education and high school classes and free reading, which encourage the production of literary content. “We believe that education is a tool for transformation, essential for society within the unit. To give you an idea, in 2023, seventy-four inmates took the National High School Exam (Enem) and thirty-eight passed. These projects have brought significant improvements to their lives, proving that education is a path to change,” said Paulo Freitas, the Director of the prison.
At the Agriculture Farm Penal, in the district of Cariri, reading has also been transforming the lives of inmates. One of them, who benefited from a professional education project, is learning the techniques for growing vegetables from books.
“This course is another learning experience for us inmates. It's an opportunity to apply what we've learned when we leave here and to have a new profession on the outside. In here, I've already received certificates that I didn't have, and I'm very proud of that. I'm very grateful for the opportunity.
Education in the prisonal system
The State of Tocantins has twenty-five penal units, all of which have the Remission of Sentence for Reading (RPL) project. Of these, twenty-one have schools that offer regular classes, allowing inmates to transform their routines through knowledge. From 2023 to 2024, the number of inmates benefited from the program increased significantly, jumping from three thousand and eighty-one remissions in the year to four thousand and one by August, according to data from the Management of Social Reintegration, Work and Income to Prisoners, of the Secretariat of Citizenship and Justice of the State of Tocantins.
As well as getting time off for reading, inmates have the opportunity to take part in the National Exam for the Certification of Competence of Young People and Adults (Encceja) and the National High School Exam (Enem). Vocational courses are also offered in various areas, such as plumbing, electrical, civil construction, baking, confectionery, sewing, olericulture, among others.
As Letícia Guimarães, a pedagogue at the Barra da Grota prison, points out, the Federal Constitution and the Law on National Education Guidelines and Bases (Law No. 9.394 of 1996) establish education as a right for all, including those deprived of their liberty.
“The reports of the inmates show that they feel more valued and that they belong to society. Education within the prison treatment unit fulfills its social function, promoting significant changes in the lives of inmates,” she said.
According to the Penal Enforcement Law No. 12.433, of June 29th, 2011, prisoners in a closed or semi-open regime can reduce part of their sentence through work or study. The law establishes that for every 12 hours of study, the inmate is entitled to one day off their sentence, as long as this workload is spread over at least three days.
