THE CRISIS OF THE IRREGULAR SITUATION AND THE GENESIS OF INTEGRAL PROTECTION FOR CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS

Abstract

The 1970s are the milestone of the crisis of the Military Dictatorship in Brazil. Even with its economic miracle, the living conditions of the working class and, in particular, of their daughters and sons were even more precarious due to the increase in income concentration. The leaden years point to the accelerated growth of the Brazilian population and, at its side, the expansion of illiteracy, malnutrition and infant mortality. The revision of the Code of Minors published in 1979 only legitimized in the legal field the criminalization of poverty and repressive measures against so-called minors. In light of this reality, social movements aimed at protecting children and adolescents accentuate a political organization, adding to the social struggles against the Military Regime. Thus, the present work, the result of doctoral research, discusses the aforementioned historical context and its repercussions in the struggle for the integral protection of children and adolescents.