Police violence “a la Bonaerense” (THESIS VERSION)

Abstract

One question that is often raised has to do with the magnitude of the problem of police violence in Argentina: in other words, is this an issue of a few rotten apples seeking personal gain within a mostly benevolent environment or is it rather about a few good men trying to uphold their personal and professional integrity within an environment permeated by corruption and violence? The answer one receives to this question depends on whom you ask. In the Argentine case, the police generally give the first answer, while family members of victims of police violence and human rights activists give the second answer. Politicians tend to answer on the basis of whichever way the political wind is blowing at the moment. Academics, for their part, including myself, conclude that police violence in Argentina is systematic and that it occurs as a result of a number of structural dynamics. I distinguished three broad categories of police violence: gatillo fácil and torture; the invention of crime, and the police “business”. The methodical use of these types of police violence shows that the police’s understanding of law enforcement is incompatible with the principles of citizenship.