WHAT IS PUBLIC SAFETY?

Abstract

Public safety, despite its undeniable importance for social cohesion, does not have a unified and widely used definition, especially because there are many meanings for this construct. In this sense, the objective of this paper is to discuss, in light of legislation and scientific literature, the difficulty of conceptualizing public safety and the consequences of this apparent semantic obscurity. This is a qualitative study, of the theoretical essay type, developed from a narrative review of literature. Through the research, it was found that the concept varies according to the worldview and pre-established moral codes, and the action does not require technical contours that support the reason, the mode, and the scope of professional praxis. Finally, a concept is proposed to guide reflections.