Questioning Punishment

This book questions punishment as a concept, social phenomenon, and contemporary practice, examining its nature, targets, objectives, and implications. It challenges the idea of common-sensical, necessary, and unavoidable punitive justice and offers an innovative structure organized around five central questions. It is essential reading for those engaged with the sociology of punishment and prisons, criminal justice, and theoretical criminology.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 228 pages
Publication date: 06 October 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This book delves into the multifaceted concept of punishment, exploring its nature, societal phenomenon, and contemporary practices. It unpacks the underlying assumptions that support punishment, examines its targets, objectives, and implications, contextualizes punishment within social contexts, and challenges the notion that punitive justice is inherently common-sensical, necessary, and unavoidable.

Questioning Punishment employs an innovative structure, organized around five central questions:

• What is punishment?
• Who are the targets and subjects of punishment?
• How is punishment perpetuated and experienced?
• When and where does punishment occur, and why do we punish?
• What are the implications of this inquiry for understanding punishment and broader pursuits of justice?

Throughout its pages, the book offers a comprehensive exploration of punishment, shedding light on its historical roots, cultural variations, and legal frameworks. It critically examines the various purposes and functions of punishment, including retribution, deterrence, rehabilitation, and social control. The book also explores the ethical and moral dilemmas associated with punishment, such as the issue of proportionality, the rights of the accused, and the potential for abuse and discrimination.

By engaging with these critical questions, Questioning Punishment challenges readers to reevaluate their assumptions about punishment and its role in society. It encourages a nuanced and critical perspective on the issue, promoting a more informed and ethical approach to criminal justice and social policy. This book is a valuable resource for scholars, researchers, policymakers, and practitioners interested in the sociology of punishment and prisons, criminal justice, and theoretical criminology.

Weight: 450g
Dimension: 216 x 138 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367469252