Description

Assessing the Boundaries of Public Criminology: On What Does (Not) Count

The author interrogates the project of a “public criminology” and assesses what counts as scholarly engagement within this criminological framework through an analysis of its objectives, publics, and practices. In this context, Piché criticizes public criminology for pursuing a reformist agenda that buttresses the status quo and fails to promote struggle with those most affected by interpersonal and state violence. The article argues that penal abolitionism can push the boundaries of “public criminology” by challenging dominant notions of criminalization and punishment and working in solidarity with those most affected by state violence.

public criminology, penal abolitionism

Citation: Social Justice Vol. 42, No. 2 (2015): 70-90