The temporary release of prisoners from the semi-open regime in the state of São Paulo began this Tuesday (23). In total, around 32 thousand inmates left prison units and must return by January 5th, according to the official calendar of the penitentiary system.
The release took place in several regions of the state, but concentrated greater movement in the Paraíba Valley. In the early hours of the morning, Tremembé registered an intense flow of exits, mainly because it houses units that bring together prisoners involved in crimes of great national repercussion.
At the Tremembé Penitentiary Progression Center, more than 2,300 inmates received authorization to leave the prison during the period. In addition, the municipality’s Penitentiary II, known for holding inmates involved in media cases, released approximately 116 prisoners.
Among the beneficiaries is Lindenberg Alves, convicted of the murder of Eloá Pimentel, which occurred in 2008. He is serving his sentence at Tremembé Penitentiary II and had judicial authorization for temporary release.
Police reinforcement
Faced with the increase in the number of inmates in circulation, the São Paulo Military Police began a special operation to reinforce policing. The action will continue until January 6th and prioritizes areas with a greater history of occurrences during the temporary exit period.
According to the corporation, the strategy seeks to reduce crimes such as theft, robbery and drug trafficking, offenses that tend to increase on dates associated with the benefit. The reinforcement includes extensive patrolling and preventive actions at points considered sensitive.
Data from the Penitentiary Administration Secretariat indicate a scenario of care. In the last three temporary releases carried out in 2025, more than 3,060 prisoners did not return to prison units within the deadline and were considered fugitives from justice.
How “saidinha” works
To access the benefit, the prisoner must meet legal criteria. Among them are proof of good behavior and the minimum serving of part of the sentence, which corresponds to one sixth of the total for first-time offenders and one quarter for repeat offenders.
In the Tremembé region, the authorities expect that around 3,100 inmates will return according to the established schedule. Failure to comply with the deadline results in the loss of the right to the semi-open regime and regression to the closed regime.
