ONTINGENCIES AND METACONTINGENCIES IN A LAW ON DIMINISHING TIME IN PRISON THROUGH EDUCATION

Abstract

This work is a result of an analysis of contingencies and metacontingencies involved in the process of approval of Brazilian Law No. 12,433/2011, which provides for the reduction of part of detention period (remission) conditioned on time dedicated to studying in prison. Metacontingencies involved in legislative process of such law, its interlocking contingencies and its aggregate products were identified. The metacontingencies were classified in accordance to the role they played in the legislative process, as follows: General, Original and Procedural. The General Metacontingency covers the entire process, which was understood as a system composed by subsystems (commissions and the plenary of both, House of Representatives and Senate), in charge of Procedural Metacontingencies. Original Metacontingencies involve the drafting process of the bills, their interlocking contingencies are unknown and only the aggregate products were accessible. With the analysis, it was found that part of the interlocking behavioral contingencies, such as agreements and lobbies, do not become public, occurring on backstage of the legislative entities. It was also identified the chaining and merging of metacontingencies. The propositions exposed contingencies that contributed to increase the frequency of study behavior and others that reduced the frequency of such behavior. At the end, it was demonstrated not only the utility of the concept of metacontingency to perform complex analysis but also how the participation of behavior analysts in the law-making process can contribute to a better cultural planning and social control of the law. Key words: contingency, metacontingency, social control, legislative process, remission.