There were regular reports of torture and ill-treatment being used for control, punishment and corruption by police officers, prison guards and other detainees. Detention centres suffered from extreme overcrowding and poor sanitary conditions, while prison staff were unsupported and under-trained.
En février, la cour suprême de l'État de São Paulo a estimé que le colonel Ubiratan Guimarães n'avait aucune responsabilité dans le massacre de 111 détenus commis en 1992 dans la prison de Carandiru.