Calunga: a travessia de adolescentes na exploração do trabalho infanto-juvenil vinculado ao tráfico de drogas

Abstract

The present study, of a quali-quantitative nature, is based on the historical-dialectical materialist method. It aimed to problematize the insertion of adolescents into drug trafficking and some of the implications of its mischaracterization as a form of child labor exploitation in the application of deprivation of liberty measures today, as well as its connections to structural racism. To this end, we outlined three specific research objectives. The first sought to investigate some of the main socio-historical determinants of the emergence of child labor in Brazil. The second aimed to map the current situation of child labor in the country. The third problematized data indicating how institutions that make up the Child and Adolescent Rights Guarantee System have disregarded the insertion of adolescents into drug trafficking as an expression of child labor. The hypothesis put forward is that this relationship attests to the predominance of the punitive role of the Brazilian state over the adoption of protective measures, with racism as a structuring determinant. As analytical elements, the research drew upon studies and systematized data on child labor in drug trafficking, including the national panorama of the execution of socio-educational measures, legal frameworks concerning children's and adolescents' rights, and international recommendations for child protection. The results of the analysis regarding the disregard for this type of labor within the context of child labor in drug trafficking revealed multiple determinants leading to adolescents' involvement in drug trade. However, social vulnerability, combined with structural racism, stands out as one of the main factors driving the reproduction of violence. This extends from the family and socio-territorial context to judicial determinations that lead to the placement of adolescents in socio-educational detention units with precarious structures, further limiting their chances of healthy and safe development. Instead, these conditions contribute to recidivism in infractions. Undoubtedly, child labor is a social phenomenon that permeates the historical processes of formation and transformation of social relationships, while also constituting a violation of children's rights. Moreover, it connects to the enduring legacy of slavery by perpetuating a condition of subalternity and social alienation that marginalizes Black individuals through degrading labor experiences from an early age. The complexity of this issue required an in-depth analysis of reality to avoid the risk of a focused and reductionist discussion.