The research investigates the concept of penal populism, exploring its relationship with political populism and criticizing its application in Brazilian criminal policy. The central issue questions the adequacy of the concept of penal populism, derived from foreign traditions, to analyze political-criminal dynamics in Brazil, given its detachment from Brazilian political theory. The hypothesis suggests that using penal populism as an explanatory category lacks solid theoretical and methodological foundation, reproducing the problems of the political populism concept in political science. The general objective is to critically evaluate penal populism, while specific objectives include investigating its origin, permanence, and impact, as well as relating it to political and punitive power. The methodology combines bibliographical review, historical analysis, and theoretical critique, with an emphasis on Brazilian and foreign authors. The research concludes on the need to rethink concepts that shape criminal policy and political science in Brazil.