THE CULTURE OF IMPUNITY IN ANIMAL CRUELTY CRIMES

Abstract

This study analyzes the effectiveness of legal protection for animals in Brazil, focusing on animal abuse crimes and the persistence of a culture of impunity. The problem addressed centers on the paradox between legislative progress and the insufficient effective implementation of existing legal norms. It seeks to analyze whether criminal and administrative sanctions are actually effective and what causes sustain the continuation of these offenses. The research is basic in nature, with a quantitative and exploratory approach, using dialectical and analytical methods. The procedures consist of bibliographic, documentary, and statistical research, with analysis of relevant legislation, institutional reports, and records of animal abuse cases reported in the media, considering criteria of relevance, timeliness, and recurrence. The data were organized into analytical categories related to the typology of violence, the profile of occurrences, and the state response. The results indicate that, although a relevant normative framework exists, its application is limited by failures in enforcement, underreporting, and the low effectiveness of sanctions. Furthermore, a social normalization of these abuses is identified, which compromises the application of the law and perpetuates the scenario of impunity. In short, legal protection, although consolidated on a formal level, lacks material effectiveness. It is therefore imperative to strengthen institutions and implement educational public policies that promote a change in collective consciousness.