Public security beyond repression

The role of the Cities of Care in overcoming exclusion

Abstract

The article analyzes the impact of neoliberalism on public safety and on the urban configuration of Latin America, highlighting the increase in inequality and the criminalization of poverty. The retraction of the State in the provision of social welfare has intensified socio-spatial fragmentation and strengthened the logic of security based on repression and mass incarceration, especially in urban peripheries. In contrast, the text presents the concept of “Cities of Care” as an alternative to the punitive model, emphasizing citizen security, social inclusion and urban infrastructures oriented towards collective well-being. A concrete example of this approach is Recife's COMPAZ Program, which seeks to promote security by offering educational, cultural and social services in vulnerable areas. Community Peace Centers - COMPAZ - demonstrate how the presence of the State can be reformulated to reinforce community ties and reduce violence without resorting to repression. The COMPAZ experience illustrates the viability of social urban planning as a public security strategy, reaffirming the need for policies based on care and citizenship to build fairer and safer cities.