Brazil's Top Court: Prisoners' Savings Can Pay Fines
Listen to the story
Brazil's top court made a new rule about prisoners and money.
The court is called the STJ. It is a very important court in Brazil.
Prisoners can have money saved from work in prison. This money is called pecúlio.
The STJ says courts can take some of this money. This is called penhora.
Courts can take up to one quarter of the money.
The money will pay a fine. A fine is money you must pay as punishment.
This fine is a penal fine. It comes from a crime.
The new rule is called a tese. It means an official decision that other courts must follow.
In another news story, the city of Campinas is checking traffic more.
Campinas gives many traffic fines now.
In 2026, Campinas gives one fine about every 35 seconds.
Vocabulary8 words
- STJ
- a very important court in Brazil
- pecúlio
- money a prisoner saves from work
- penhora
- when a court takes someone's money or things
- quarter
- one of four equal parts
- fine
- money you pay as punishment
- penal
- about crime and punishment
- tese
- an official decision that courts must follow
- traffic fines
- money you pay for breaking traffic rules
Quiz
Answer key
1. Courts can take part of a prisoner's savings to pay a fine 2. Up to one quarter 3. Every 35 seconds
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
Brazil's top court made a new _____ about prisoners and money.
The court is called the _____. It is a very important court in Brazil.
Prisoners can have money saved from work in prison. This money is called _____.
The STJ says courts can take some of this money. This is called _____.
Courts can take up to one _____ of the money.
The money will pay a _____. A fine is money you must pay as punishment.
This fine is a _____ fine. It comes from a crime.
The new rule is called a _____.
In another news story, the city of _____ is checking traffic more.
In 2026, Campinas gives one fine about every 35 _____.