Commander’s Decisions: Challenges in Domestic Violence Response

This teaching case aims to describe the main amendments to Law No. 11,340 of 2006 (the Maria da Penha Law) and to analyze the challenges faced by the commander of a police unit in responding to reports of institutional violence committed by police officers during interventions in cases involving crimes within intimate relationships. The military police organization faces difficulties in providing more efficient responses to domestic violence incidents — a serious social issue. The primary legislation addressing this matter, Law No. 11,340, has undergone 16 amendments in the past seven years. The challenges of implementing these legislative changes go beyond legal compliance during police responses. They also point to a hypothesis: the difficulty faced by police officers in legitimizing the legal provisions. Pedagogical objectives: I. Discuss the application of procedures outlined in the Military Police Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), analyzing the norms and principles underpinning their creation to enhance understanding of their importance in addressing domestic violence incidents. II. Foster critical reflection on the theories that support practices within the Criminal Justice System, exploring the limits and possibilities of decision-making in cases related to domestic violence. III. Bridge theory and practice by highlighting the relevance of this topic for undergraduate and postgraduate students in Public Administration, Public Policy, Public Management, Public Security, Law, and related fields.