|  ElCiudadano.cl |  Noticias

El Ciudadano

Original article: Los rucos y el problema de pensar soluciones a corto plazo en seguridad pública

By Sharun Uttamchandani Mujica, Political Scientist

The integration of municipalities into public security management has been a significant process, marking an unprecedented transfer of responsibilities—both formal and informal—towards local governments and mayors.

It is logical to understand this shift, as municipalities are empowered and obligated to ensure proper utilization of Public National Property. In discussions within various institutional and political arenas, mayors in the Metropolitan Region have reached a consensus that homeless individuals residing in rucos (also referred to as informal or precarious housing) represent one of the foremost challenges facing urban communes.

This issue has taken center stage in public and political discussions across different platforms. One of these has been the field of political communication, where municipalities have strategically highlighted this problem through social media, morning television shows, and other channels.

In these developments, not only has a significant issue been identified and classified as a new phenomenon, but a clear and seemingly powerful adversary has also been pinpointed. So formidable is the occupant of the rucos that mayors have found it necessary to confront them directly.

As a result, residents of Ñuñoa, Puente Alto, and Peñalolén have witnessed their mayors engaging verbally with those improperly occupying public spaces. Some mayors have even donned bulletproof vests for these encounters, all part of a narrative portraying municipalities and mayors as being present and active on the ground.

This scenario has opened a cycle of discussions reminiscent of the 1990s, an era when vagrancy was still penalized as a criminal offense under the Penal Code.

Among the opposing views in this debate, two legislative initiatives have emerged that address the same issue. On one hand, a group of right-wing legislators, led by Claudia Mora (RN), is directly proposing that the mere establishment of a rucos should be punishable by a minimal prison term.

Additionally, Jorge Alessandri, the deputy and president of the Chamber, has proposed a project backed by the mayor of San Miguel. This initiative specifies that criminal classification will apply only when the occupants of a rucos are armed, have committed a crime, or there is suspicion of criminal activity.

Both proposals exhibit problems in content and practical application, as well as potentially severe operational consequences.

First, the legal interests at stake are exceedingly vague in both cases, considering that municipalities—supported by law enforcement—already possess the authority and responsibility to clear public spaces. Furthermore, these projects emphasize crimes specifically associated with rucos, which introduces confusion by reclassifying offenses that are already included in the Penal Code, such as those related to drugs, theft, or firearms.

However, the core challenge behind these initiatives lies in their applicability and operational character.

Both proposals suggest minimal prison sentences, which implies an additional burden on the penal system without any clear understanding of the potential results from their enforcement.

This added burden would likely overwhelm police procedures conducted by Carabineros, fill holding cells in police stations, and overload various local prosecutor’s offices—resulting in a situation where these individuals may not even fulfill the proposed sentences. Thus, the risk that this legislation could become ineffective is alarmingly high.

The issue of homelessness is a tragedy, not just for its impact on the community and public spaces but also because of the undeniable links that rucos maintain with more complex networks of criminality, making these individuals the weakest and most vulnerable link in chains of power and violence.

It is well known that those living in these settings, often struggling with drug dependencies and severe mental health issues, may become involved in frontline roles for drug traffickers, reselling stolen goods, or operating junkyards trading in stolen materials, among other activities.

Ultimately, the incentives (or, as some say, the offerings) for engaging in criminal activity are amplified, and it relies on the coordination between state institutions to effectively reduce and dismantle these networks.

Finally, it is striking that once again, the Chilean state as a whole is considering failed formulas to address these nuisances that trouble the press, public opinion, and political performance.

Increasing penalties or classifying new offenses has been at the heart of all short-term agendas that have promised to eradicate crime in Chile, yet without success. The real need here is for a genuine mental health policy, drug addiction programs, and, above all, access to housing.

To this end, there are programs, think tanks, universities, and a multitude of professionals dedicated to intervention, treatment, and understanding the profound reality of the drama that has led thousands to live on the streets.

The fact that this issue has gained such prominence presents an opportunity for the state to allocate resources seriously towards understanding the root causes of this crisis. Accordingly, it is essential for policies moving forward to effectively identify the underlying criminal phenomenon rather than merely the immediate visible problem.

At the same time, it is crucial to establish a comprehensive intervention program that is the responsibility of the state through the central government, rather than relying solely on the capacities and goodwill of municipalities.

Sharun Uttamchandani

La entrada Addressing Short-Term Solutions in Public Security: The Challenge of Rucos se publicó primero en El Ciudadano.