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Future Penal Philosophy and Practice

NCJ Number
110535
Journal
Prison Journal Volume: 67 Issue: 2 Dated: (Fall-Winter 1987) Pages: 76-87
Author(s)
L T Wilkins
Date Published
1987
Length
12 pages
Annotation
This article analyzes criminal justice policies and practices in terms of the relationship between ideas and procedures, philosophies and decisions, actions and reasons for those actions.
Abstract
Empirical data is cited which indicates that little or nothing can be achieved in the reduction of crime by any currently acceptable actions taken against identified offenders. The author argues that this means only that the problem cannot be simplified to the problem of the offender. Variations in the rates of prison incarceration are discussed in the context of the demand for punishment, the differences in punishment, the seriousness or incidence of crime, and differing theories of criminality of general penal philosophy. Other topics discussed include macro versus micro models of social policy, persons versus information about persons, the political basis of justification for punishment, allocation of a national punishment budget, crime and punishment markets, and a scenario about the political climate in 2012. 7 footnotes and 11 references.