ABSTRACT
In March 2015 Brazil reached a landmark: it had been 30 years since the end of military dictatorship in Brazil and the restoration of democracy. Th is ensuing period is one of the longest democratic cycles the country has enjoyed. However, Brazil’s democracy did not advance seamlessly during this period. Th ere was progress in several areas of the country’s development agenda, such as the fi ght against absolute poverty, and the consolidation-albeit inconsistently applied-of such rights as consumer protection. Since the return of democracy a number of protections have been enshrined in the nation’s new Civil Code, there has been increased use of alternative criminal penalties, and there has been new investment in police training regarding the principles of human rights.
