APPROACHES TO THE HISTORY OF CRIMINAL FACTIONS IN RIO DE JANEIRO IN THE SCIENTIFIC LITERATURE: A SCOPING REVIEW

Abstract

This scoping review aimed to investigate whether and how the history of criminal factions originating from the state of Rio de Janeiro has been addressed in the scientific literature. The research question was: “How are the history, pathways, and developments of the activities of criminal factions from the state of Rio de Janeiro described in the scientific literature?” To answer this, publications were searched in the Virtual Health Library (BVS), SciELO, Scopus, and Web of Science databases. A double-blind procedure was adopted for the selection of publications, and the PRISMA-ScR guidelines were used to summarize the results. It was found that the history of these factions was not the main focus of the studies, being briefly and sporadically addressed. The ways of conceptualizing them varied, ranging from those that emphasized their involvement in drug trafficking, their cultural nature, their governance structure, or their role in political resistance. Regarding the history of the factions, some studies provided data on their origins, others on their trajectory in the drug market, the emergence of a “faction culture” or the relationship between factions and the state. The different ways of conceptualizing these factions and the emphasis on certain aspects of their history over others reflect trends in the broader literature on the subject.