Creating Criminals: Prisons and People in a Market Society (Global Issues Series)

Vivien Stern explains the forces dictating the shape and direction of crime patterns and criminal justice responses globally, arguing that many policies being pursued today, including the so-called war on drugs and economic policies that increase inequality, are actually creating crimes. She argues convincingly that the way forward is not harsher prisons or letting commercial corporations make money out of privatized prisons. Instead, a new criminal justice agenda should involve minimal use of the criminal justice system, with policing accountable to local communities, imprisonment as a last resort, morally educative penalties that benefit victims rather than just punishing the perpetrators, and a renewed emphasis on social justice and economic development that benefits all people. Market Society Is Producing More Crime Around The World. More Acts Are Being Defined As Crimes. Ever Increasing Numbers Of People Are Classified As Criminals And More Are Being Locked Up In Prison. With Globalization, The Crime And Punishment Problem Is No Longer Insulated From Pressures Beyond National Borders. The Rich May Retreat Behind Their Expensive Security Into Gated Communities, But The Poor Are More And More At The Mercy Of Criminals And Corrupt Policing. Yet, Vivien Stern Argues, The Trends Towards More Criminalization And More Imprisonment Are Not Making For More Effective Crime Control Or Safer Communities. This Book Demonstrates That The Prospects For The Future Are Serious Unless Ngos And Reformers Join In A New Movement For Reform That Gives More Control Of Justice Policy Back To Communities And Neighbourhoods.--jacket. 1. Behind The Bars : The Injustice Of Prison -- 2. Crime And Its Definition : How Just Is Criminal Justice? -- 3. Crime, A Good Business? : The Impact Of The Free Market -- 4. The 'war On Drugs' And Migration -- 5. 'in The Name Of Justice' : Is There A Better Way? -- 6. Criminal Justice And Social Justice. Vivien Stern. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [200]) And Index. Includes Web Resources. Market society is producing more crime around the world. More acts are being defined as crimes. Ever increasing numbers of people are classified as criminals and more are being locked up in prison. With globalization, the crime and punishment problem is no longer insulated from pressures beyond national borders. The rich may retreat behind their expensive security into gated communities, but the poor are more and more at the mercy of criminals and corrupt policing. Yet, Vivien Stern argues, the trends towards more criminalization and more imprisonment are not making for more effective crime control or safer communities. This important book demonstrates that the prospects for the future are serious unless NGOs and reformers join in a new movement for reform that gives more control of justice policy back to communities and neighbourhoods.