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It is worth asking some questions concerning how and why it came about, who were the pro-tagonists, the antagonists, and in how far an outside observer would have attributed the suc-cess of anti slavery activities to economic necessity. | It is worth asking some questions concerning how and why it came about, who were the pro-tagonists, the antagonists, and in how far an outside observer would have attributed the suc-cess of anti slavery activities to economic necessity. | ||
*1765 After the tragic Sally slave ship voyage, Moses Brown, one of four funding Rhode Island brothers, turns abolitionist and converts to Quakerism | |||
1787 | *1787 Society for Effecting the Abolition of Slavery Th Clarkson, Gr Sharp et al. Small group, forceful ideology | ||
1807 Slave Trade Act | *1807 Slave Trade Act Abolition of slave trade in British Empire Pressing others to abolish their slave trades | ||
Pressing others to abolish their slave trades | *Slavery remains legal in B Empire until Slavery Abolition Act 1833. As part of the deal, parliament agreed to pay £20m in compensation, not to slaves but to the slave owners. - US, DK, S, NL consent, F follows 1848, BR 1852 after robust threats; ES, P high compensations make them end the trade, too. | ||
Slavery remains legal in B Empire until Slavery | |||
US, DK, S, NL consent | |||
F follows 1848 | |||
BR 1852 after robust threats | |||
ES, P | |||
===The End of Slavery=== | ===The End of Slavery=== | ||
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:"..there are 'rebellions' which are not rebellions, but great revolutions, and thre are 'rebels' who, however absolutely their immediate purpose may have failed, and however unjustly contemporary historey may have recoreded their actions, shall yet be known to posterity as patriots pure and lofty, whose motives and deeds shall evokte the admiration of all succeeding times" (Nelson Page, cited by Aptheker 1966: 110). | :"..there are 'rebellions' which are not rebellions, but great revolutions, and thre are 'rebels' who, however absolutely their immediate purpose may have failed, and however unjustly contemporary historey may have recoreded their actions, shall yet be known to posterity as patriots pure and lofty, whose motives and deeds shall evokte the admiration of all succeeding times" (Nelson Page, cited by Aptheker 1966: 110). | ||
The moral vs. the economic view of how and why abolition came about | #The moral vs. the economic view of how and why abolition came about | ||
The ideological conflict: equality vs. diversity (separate, but equal) | #The ideological conflict: equality vs. diversity (separate, but equal) | ||
Diversity and verticality (John C. Calhoun, 1782-1850): slavery as „a good – a great good“; the destructive potential of liberty and equality ideals; liberty was not a universal right but should be 'reserved for the intelligent, the patriotic, the virtuous and deserving.' Signs of this today? Explaining political rhetoric as bridging the gap. | #Diversity and verticality (John C. Calhoun, 1782-1850): slavery as „a good – a great good“; the destructive potential of liberty and equality ideals; liberty was not a universal right but should be 'reserved for the intelligent, the patriotic, the virtuous and deserving.' Signs of this today? Explaining political rhetoric as bridging the gap. | ||
The greates revolution in human history? | #The greates revolution in human history? | ||
Gradualism vs. Abolitionism: relative merits (Donald Black; moral time; were they right after all? Less human suffering with gradualism than with abolitionism? Another contradiction: abolitionist compression of moral time is needed to provide the motivational force for estab-lishing the visible illegitimacy of slavery, but the same fervor produces strife and bloodshed and wounds that do not heal). If gradualism is distinct from abolitionism, what does that say about the right of today’s critics of the prison system to call themselves (or be called) | #Gradualism vs. Abolitionism: relative merits (Donald Black; moral time; were they right after all? Less human suffering with gradualism than with abolitionism? Another contradiction: abolitionist compression of moral time is needed to provide the motivational force for estab-lishing the visible illegitimacy of slavery, but the same fervor produces strife and bloodshed and wounds that do not heal). If gradualism is distinct from abolitionism, what does that say about the right of today’s critics of the prison system to call themselves (or be called) abolitionists? | ||
#The role of morality. Slavery was considered cruel and inhuman. The arguments were moral in nature, not consequentialist or utilitarian, even though such considera-tions did play a supportive role. The same holds true for the abolitionist campaigns against the death penalty. This type of punishment is considered the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrad-ing punishment by organizations such as Amnesty International. Abolitionism is inextricably linked to thinking the Absolute. Therefore, the term abolition is found most frequently togeth-er with adjectives such as radical, total, unconditional, complete, instant, immediate, and the like. | |||
===Reading=== | |||
*Hochschild, Adam (2005) Bury the Chains: Prophets and Rebels in the Fight to Free an Empire's Slaves. Hough-ton-Mifflin | |||
==Prostitution== | |||
===History=== | |||
The abolition of slavery was still a topic of the day, when Josephine Butler (1828-1906) helped create the very same moral outrage and collective action to abolish a different kind of legal oppression. As an upper-class progressive Christian feminist she was especially con-cerned with the welfare of prostitutes, leading a long campaign for the repeal of the Conta-gious Diseases Acts from 1869 to 1886. | The abolition of slavery was still a topic of the day, when Josephine Butler (1828-1906) helped create the very same moral outrage and collective action to abolish a different kind of legal oppression. As an upper-class progressive Christian feminist she was especially con-cerned with the welfare of prostitutes, leading a long campaign for the repeal of the Conta-gious Diseases Acts from 1869 to 1886. | ||
These acts had been introduced (1864, 1866, 1869) to control the spread of venereal diseases among the military personnel, giving magistrates the power to order genital examinations of prostitutes for symptoms of VD, and to detain infected women in a closed institution (lock hospital) for up to three months; to refuse the examination meant imprisonment. Police had the power over women: it was sufficient for a police officer to accuse a woman of prostitution to make magistrates order an examination. An accusation was enough to make women lose their livelihoods. | These acts had been introduced (1864, 1866, 1869) to control the spread of venereal diseases among the military personnel, giving magistrates the power to order genital examinations of prostitutes for symptoms of VD, and to detain infected women in a closed institution (lock hospital) for up to three months; to refuse the examination meant imprisonment. Police had the power over women: it was sufficient for a police officer to accuse a woman of prostitution to make magistrates order an examination. An accusation was enough to make women lose their livelihoods. | ||
Escalation: In 1869, the "Association for the Extension of the Contagious Diseases Acts" was formed to campaign to extend their operation beyond specified ports and garrison towns, leading to vehement opposition from Christians, feminists and supporters of civil liberty and to the setting up of the Ladies National Association for the Repeal of the Contagious Diseases Acts. Later, male supporters were also allowed, and despite vilification and occasional physical assaults on Mrs. Butler, and the Acts were repealed in 1886. | Escalation: In 1869, the "Association for the Extension of the Contagious Diseases Acts" was formed to campaign to extend their operation beyond specified ports and garrison towns, leading to vehement opposition from Christians, feminists and supporters of civil liberty and to the setting up of the Ladies National Association for the Repeal of the Contagious Diseases Acts. Later, male supporters were also allowed, and despite vilification and occasional physical assaults on Mrs. Butler, and the Acts were repealed in 1886. | ||
===Discussion=== | |||
What is the real abolition: that of repressive laws against prostitutes or that of prostitution as such? | What is the real abolition: that of repressive laws against prostitutes or that of prostitution as such? | ||
Those who advocate the abolition of prostitution speak of “white slavery”. They find it mis-guided to speak of abolitionism and to attack laws regulating prostitution. Rather, they want to reserve the term to efforts against prostitution proper. | Those who advocate the abolition of prostitution speak of “white slavery”. They find it mis-guided to speak of abolitionism and to attack laws regulating prostitution. Rather, they want to reserve the term to efforts against prostitution proper. | ||
Who is right? And why? | Who is right? And why? | ||
===Reading=== | |||
Miriam, Kathy (2005) Stopping the Traffic in Women: Power, Agency and Abolition in Feminist Debates over Sex-Trafficking. Journal of Social Philosophy. Volume 36, 1, 1–17 | *Miriam, Kathy (2005) Stopping the Traffic in Women: Power, Agency and Abolition in Feminist Debates over Sex-Trafficking. Journal of Social Philosophy. Volume 36, 1, 1–17 | ||
Moore, Roderick (1993) Josephine Butler (1828-1906). Feminist, Christian, and Libertarian. London: Libertarian Alliance | *Moore, Roderick (1993) Josephine Butler (1828-1906). Feminist, Christian, and Libertarian. London: Libertarian Alliance | ||
==Death Penalty== | |||
===History=== | |||
Until the mid-18th century a very wide range of offenses, including even common theft, were punishable by death (Black Act, 1723). Evidently, for political reasons, the punishment was not always enforced. Later in the 18th century, though, a marked shift transformed European values; humanitarianism and the ideal of moral progress of the human race began a movement to limit the scope of capital punishment. | Until the mid-18th century a very wide range of offenses, including even common theft, were punishable by death (Black Act, 1723). Evidently, for political reasons, the punishment was not always enforced. Later in the 18th century, though, a marked shift transformed European values; humanitarianism and the ideal of moral progress of the human race began a movement to limit the scope of capital punishment. | ||
1721 Montesquieu | 1721 Montesquieu | ||
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2014 Two thirds of all countries have abolished the death penalty. Two thirds of mankind live in countries with death penalty. 140 countries do not apply the death penalty. 58 countries are retentionist. | 2014 Two thirds of all countries have abolished the death penalty. Two thirds of mankind live in countries with death penalty. 140 countries do not apply the death penalty. 58 countries are retentionist. | ||
===Protagonists, Milestones, and Setbacks=== | |||
U.S.A.: National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty (NCADP). Founded in 1976. More than 100 affiliate organizations. Today, 18 States of the USA are death penalty-free. | U.S.A.: National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty (NCADP). Founded in 1976. More than 100 affiliate organizations. Today, 18 States of the USA are death penalty-free. | ||
Amnesty International (2014): 98 countries have abolished the death penalty completely. 7 retain it for exceptional cases (war); 35 have abolished it in praxi, but not de lege. | Amnesty International (2014): 98 countries have abolished the death penalty completely. 7 retain it for exceptional cases (war); 35 have abolished it in praxi, but not de lege. | ||
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In the advertisement, Mr. Trump says that Mayor Edward I. Koch ''has stated that hate and rancor should be removed from our hearts.'' ''I want to hate these muggers and murderers,'' Mr. Trump wrote. ''They should be forced to suffer and, when they kill, they should be executed for their crimes.'' | In the advertisement, Mr. Trump says that Mayor Edward I. Koch ''has stated that hate and rancor should be removed from our hearts.'' ''I want to hate these muggers and murderers,'' Mr. Trump wrote. ''They should be forced to suffer and, when they kill, they should be executed for their crimes.'' | ||
===Reading=== | |||
Evans, Richard (1996) Rituals of Retribution: Capital Punishment in Germany, 1600-1987. Oxford University Press | *Evans, Richard (1996) Rituals of Retribution: Capital Punishment in Germany, 1600-1987. Oxford University Press | ||
Garland, David (2010) Peculiar Institution. America's Death Penalty in an Age of Abolition. OUP/Harvard Uni-versity Press | *Garland, David (2010) Peculiar Institution. America's Death Penalty in an Age of Abolition. OUP/Harvard Uni-versity Press | ||
==Prisons== | |||
===Quakers=== | |||
The Religious Society of Friends (Quakers, 1981): | |||
:Friends, partly through their own experiences in the prisons of the seventeenth century, became concerned about the treatment of the accused or convicted. Friends witnessed to their concern for the Divine Spirit in humans by seeing prisons as an alternative to corporal or capital punishment. Subsequently, they worked for reform of these prisons. | |||
:Today, Friends are becoming aware that prisons are a destructive and expensive failure as a response to crime. We are, therefore, turning our efforts to reform prisons to efforts to replace them with non-punitive, life-affirming and reconciling responses. | |||
:The prison system is both a cause and a result of violence and social injustice. Throughout history, the majority of prisoners have been the powerless and the oppressed. We are increasingly clear that the imprisonment of human beings, like their enslavement, is inherently immoral and is as destructive to the cagers as the caged. | |||
:The challenge before us is to use alternatives based on economic and social justice and on the fulfillment of human needs. Some alternatives to prisons have already been developed and more are needed to bring about reconciliation and healing within the community. Friends need to seek out, develop and support such programs. | |||
:At the same time, we need to foster awareness in ourselves and others of the roots of crime and violence in society to ensure that our lives do not unintentionally reinforce these evils. Prison abolition is both a process and a long-term goal. In the interim, there is a great need for friends to reach out to and to support all those affected: guards, prisoners, victims and families. | |||
:We recognize a need for restraint of those few who are exhibiting dangerous behaviour. The kind of restraint used and the help offered during this time must reflect our concern for that of God in every person.” | |||
=== Gradualism === | |||
No criminal policy should counteract materially or ideologically the goal of reducing and finally abolishing the prison system. | |||
Gradualists favour a slow and steady reduction of the prison system. They advocate | |||
#ending overcriminalization by limiting prison sentences to serious crime | |||
#correcting the sentencing system by substituting, for incarceration, supervised release, probation, restitution to victims, and/or community work; decreasing terms of imprisonment by abolishing mandatory minimum sentencing; decreasing ethnic disparity in prison populations; fighting wrongful convictions; fighting class, race, gender bias in the judicial system | |||
#community-controlled courts, councils, or assemblies to control the problem of social crime (there would be fewer prisoners if society treated people more fairly) | |||
Organizations: GIP (Michel Foucault); ICOPA, KROM, KRIM, KRAK and Thomas Mathiesen (negative reforms; unfinished; an alternative to prisons is any contradiction to the prison system's means and ends. Shifting the focus from the offender to the victim, e.g.). | |||
Most arguments against prisons are not based on moral principle, but could be understood as arguments in favor of reforming the prison and making it more just. Thomas Mathiesen: 8 arguments for a prison building moratorium (UN congress Milano, 1985): | |||
#special prevention does not work and violates human rights | |||
#General prevention does not work | |||
#Overcrowding should be prevented by other means than building more prisons | |||
#New construction is irreversible | |||
#Prisons have an expansionist, self-maintaining and self-expanding character | |||
#Prisons are humiliating | |||
#Prisons reveal how a society thinks about human beings and conflict resolution | |||
#Prisons are a waste of money. | |||
The injustice of the prison system: | |||
#Lack of proper legal representation: Eighty percent of people accused of crimes [in the United States] are unable to afford a lawyer to defend them." The US Supreme Court held in 1963 that a poor person facing felony charges "cannot be assured a fair trial unless counsel is provided for him." | |||
#War on drugs conceals racial tension. Appr. one quarter of people in U.S. prisons or jails have been convicted of a drug offense. On any given day, 30 percent of African-American males aged 20- 29 are under correctional supervision. They constitute 13 percent of all drug users, but 35 percent of those arrested for drug possession, 55 percent of persons convicted, and 74 percent of people sent to prison. | |||
=== Abolitionism === | |||
*The Massachusetts Statewide Harm Reduction Coalition says: the prison system is in violation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948, which is prescribing life, liberty, equality and justice to all people without discrimination of any sort as an inalienable right. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights has also abolished all forms of slavery and genocide, including torture, repression and oppression that prisons thrive upon. | |||
The Massachusetts Statewide Harm Reduction Coalition says: the prison system is in violation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948, which is prescribing life, liberty, equality and justice to all people without discrimination of any sort as an inalienable right. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights has also abolished all forms of slavery and genocide, including torture, repression and oppression that prisons thrive upon. | *Imprisonment is seen by some as violent behaviour producing a "boomerang effect of dehumanisation" on the society. Furthermore, prisons are used as a "default asylum" for many individuals with mental illness: "why do governmental units choose to spend billions of dollars a year to concentrate people with serious illnesses in a system designed to punish intentional lawbreaking, when doing so matches neither the putative purposes of that system nor most effectively addresses the issues posed by that population?" (Amanda Pustlinik) | ||
Imprisonment is seen by some as violent behaviour producing a "boomerang effect of dehumanisation" on the society. Furthermore, prisons are used as a "default asylum" for many individuals with mental illness: "why do governmental units choose to spend billions of dollars a year to concentrate people with serious illnesses in a system designed to punish intentional lawbreaking, when doing so matches neither the putative purposes of that system nor most effectively addresses the issues posed by that population?" (Amanda Pustlinik) | |||
*Dutch criminologist Herman Thomas Bianchi is no friend of prisons, either: | |||
Dutch criminologist Herman Thomas Bianchi is no friend of prisons, either: | |||
They remind him of concentration camps. And he is prepared to sketch his ideas. Holland contains ten thousand incarcerated persons. Six hundred of them present an acute danger. They would fit in one pris-on. He lived among Mohawks in an American reservation a couple of times. They are unfamiliar with criminal law. Jesus said a wrongdoer should be invited seventy times seven times to make up. According to Indian practise, you should ask ten times. But our criminal law does not ask once. Bianchi believes so-ciety should try to induce each criminal to show remorse and to make up. Prison could serve as a last re-sort for those who are absolutely unwilling or unable to show remorse. This principle of reconciliation, restorative justice, is gaining more proponents worldwide. | They remind him of concentration camps. And he is prepared to sketch his ideas. Holland contains ten thousand incarcerated persons. Six hundred of them present an acute danger. They would fit in one pris-on. He lived among Mohawks in an American reservation a couple of times. They are unfamiliar with criminal law. Jesus said a wrongdoer should be invited seventy times seven times to make up. According to Indian practise, you should ask ten times. But our criminal law does not ask once. Bianchi believes so-ciety should try to induce each criminal to show remorse and to make up. Prison could serve as a last re-sort for those who are absolutely unwilling or unable to show remorse. This principle of reconciliation, restorative justice, is gaining more proponents worldwide. | ||
Nor has Heinz Steinert been friend of prisons (in: Feest & Paul 2008): | Nor has Heinz Steinert been friend of prisons (in: Feest & Paul 2008): | ||
Abolitionism needs to be expanded to questions of „pain infliction“, discrimination, in general: damage done by the state. Can imprisonment be reconciled with human rights? Since in Europe imprisonment and punishment is concentrated on „foreigners“, what is it that makes the status of „foreigner“ so open to infringement of rights and fair treatment? Abolitionisms needs to be expanded to questions of citizenship and human rights in war and peace. Has one of the technocratic arguments against imprisonment been refuted? If not, how come we can – in a time of quality management and evaluation – afford such a monstrous error? Is it because the fantasy is we can get rid of certain people for good (by prison or by transportation)? Do societies and states foster eliminatory fantasies again? If so, do we understand why there are no other ideas for possible solutions of the problems brought about by the present mode of production? Can we provide some? Abolitionism needs to be expanded to questions of how this mode of production works. | Abolitionism needs to be expanded to questions of „pain infliction“, discrimination, in general: damage done by the state. Can imprisonment be reconciled with human rights? Since in Europe imprisonment and punishment is concentrated on „foreigners“, what is it that makes the status of „foreigner“ so open to infringement of rights and fair treatment? Abolitionisms needs to be expanded to questions of citizenship and human rights in war and peace. Has one of the technocratic arguments against imprisonment been refuted? If not, how come we can – in a time of quality management and evaluation – afford such a monstrous error? Is it because the fantasy is we can get rid of certain people for good (by prison or by transportation)? Do societies and states foster eliminatory fantasies again? If so, do we understand why there are no other ideas for possible solutions of the problems brought about by the present mode of production? Can we provide some? Abolitionism needs to be expanded to questions of how this mode of production works. | ||
===Discussion=== | |||
How successful has prison abolition been? Does the prison fit the abolitionist moral catego-ries? What is the future of prisons: expansion or oblivion? Utilitarianism vs. Rigorism What about this wikepdia definition of the prison abolition movement?: | How successful has prison abolition been? Does the prison fit the abolitionist moral catego-ries? What is the future of prisons: expansion or oblivion? Utilitarianism vs. Rigorism What about this wikepdia definition of the prison abolition movement?: | ||
The prison abolition movement is a movement that seeks to reduce or eliminate prisons and the prison system, and replace them with more humane and effective systems. It is distinct from prison reform, which is the attempt to improve conditions inside prisons; however, relying on prisons less can signifi-cantly improve their conditions by eliminating overcrowding.- Some organizations such as the Anarchist Black Cross seek total abolishment of the prison system, not intending to replace it with other govern-ment controlled systems. Anarchist organizations believe that the best form of justice arises naturally out of social contracts. However, many supporters for prison abolition intend to replace it with other systems, reducing prisons to a smaller role in society. | The prison abolition movement is a movement that seeks to reduce or eliminate prisons and the prison system, and replace them with more humane and effective systems. It is distinct from prison reform, which is the attempt to improve conditions inside prisons; however, relying on prisons less can signifi-cantly improve their conditions by eliminating overcrowding.- Some organizations such as the Anarchist Black Cross seek total abolishment of the prison system, not intending to replace it with other govern-ment controlled systems. Anarchist organizations believe that the best form of justice arises naturally out of social contracts. However, many supporters for prison abolition intend to replace it with other systems, reducing prisons to a smaller role in society. | ||
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Sweden has closed 4 prisons lately. What does that mean? | Sweden has closed 4 prisons lately. What does that mean? | ||
===Reading=== | |||
Christie, Nils (1994/2013) Crime control as industry. London: Routledge | *Christie, Nils (1994/2013) Crime control as industry. London: Routledge | ||
Davis, Angela (1999) The Prison Industrial Complex, CD-ROM (Audiobook), AK Press | *Davis, Angela (1999) The Prison Industrial Complex, CD-ROM (Audiobook), AK Press | ||
Mathiesen, Thomas (2000) Prison on trial, 2nd ed., Winchester | *Mathiesen, Thomas (2000) Prison on trial, 2nd ed., Winchester | ||
Morris, Mark (1976). Instead of Prisons: A Handbook for Abolitionists. Syracuse, NY: Prison Research Education Action Project. | *Morris, Mark (1976). Instead of Prisons: A Handbook for Abolitionists. Syracuse, NY: Prison Research Education Action Project. | ||
Religious Society of Friends. Minute on Prison Abolition Approved by the Canadian Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends in 1981 (Minute 93) | *Religious Society of Friends. Minute on Prison Abolition Approved by the Canadian Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends in 1981 (Minute 93) | ||
==Penal Law, Criminal Justice, Punishment== | |||
===History=== | |||
Penal law, criminal justice, and punishment by state organs seem to be a necessary evil to most people, let alone politicians. They seem natural and therefore eternal. | Penal law, criminal justice, and punishment by state organs seem to be a necessary evil to most people, let alone politicians. They seem natural and therefore eternal. | ||
It is intriguing to see how even the most peaceful visions of a perfect society seem unable to exclude crime and punishment from their sketches of utopia. | It is intriguing to see how even the most peaceful visions of a perfect society seem unable to exclude crime and punishment from their sketches of utopia. | ||
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To him, so-called crimes should not be analyzed within the framework of the crime discourse, but the discourse itself should be subjected to analysis. So, for him, “crimes” were just one kind of problematic situations among others, and he questioned the reasons for separating them from other problematic situations. This lent itself to jokes about him, but this was his revolutionary contribution, a contribution still to be spelled out, and to taken to action. | To him, so-called crimes should not be analyzed within the framework of the crime discourse, but the discourse itself should be subjected to analysis. So, for him, “crimes” were just one kind of problematic situations among others, and he questioned the reasons for separating them from other problematic situations. This lent itself to jokes about him, but this was his revolutionary contribution, a contribution still to be spelled out, and to taken to action. | ||
===Discussion=== | |||
Is René van Swaaningen right when he states: | Is René van Swaaningen right when he states: | ||
First, I like to stress that abolitionism’s positive, reconstructive message has been taken up by various other perspectives. I see very clear traces of abolitionist thought in ‘restorative justice’ (Braithwaite, etc.), peacemaking criminology (Pepinsky, etc.), the ‘social harm’ approach (Hillyard, etc.), constitutive criminology (Henry & Milovanov-ic). | :First, I like to stress that abolitionism’s positive, reconstructive message has been taken up by various other perspectives. I see very clear traces of abolitionist thought in ‘restorative justice’ (Braithwaite, etc.), peacemaking criminology (Pepinsky, etc.), the ‘social harm’ approach (Hillyard, etc.), constitutive criminology (Henry & Milovanov-ic). The ‘penal core’ of abolitionism has got under serious pressure in the ‘punitive turn’ in many Western countries, notably in the Netherlands; the country with the largest in-crease in imprisonment in the whole world – albeit we started at a very low level. In a climate where a punitive populism rules traditional penal abolitionism is easily dis-carded as loony idealism. So, many (previous) abolitionists have changed their focus a bit, by first arguing against punitiveness as such. The literature on ‘the new punitive-ness’ can be seen as a reformulation of abolitionism’s negative critique. As an academic perspective abolitionism was in a way ‘not good enough’: it was often theoretically sloppy, there was little sound empirical research done in the tradition and the moralistic undertone was often too dominant. At least my students are no longer used to normative, prescriptive discourse and even get irritated when ‘science’ is mixed up with moralism; particularly Left wing moralism. We can still get the aboli-tionist message across amongst the present generation students, I think, but we have to use another tone than 25 years ago: less ‘standpoint criminology’, more practical, em-pirical arguments, more connection with concrete policy debates and with different criminological debates (in: Feest & Paul 2008). | ||
The ‘penal core’ of abolitionism has got under serious pressure in the ‘punitive turn’ in many Western countries, notably in the Netherlands; the country with the largest in-crease in imprisonment in the whole world – albeit we started at a very low level. In a climate where a punitive populism rules traditional penal abolitionism is easily dis-carded as loony idealism. So, many (previous) abolitionists have changed their focus a bit, by first arguing against punitiveness as such. The literature on ‘the new punitive-ness’ can be seen as a reformulation of abolitionism’s negative critique. | |||
As an academic perspective abolitionism was in a way ‘not good enough’: it was often theoretically sloppy, there was little sound empirical research done in the tradition and the moralistic undertone was often too dominant. At least my students are no longer used to normative, prescriptive discourse and even get irritated when ‘science’ is mixed up with moralism; particularly Left wing moralism. We can still get the aboli-tionist message across amongst the present generation students, I think, but we have to use another tone than 25 years ago: less ‘standpoint criminology’, more practical, em-pirical arguments, more connection with concrete policy debates and with different criminological debates (in: Feest & Paul 2008). | *Does the criminal law protect? What is the relevance of the dark figures? | ||
Does the criminal law protect? What is the relevance of the dark figures? | |||
What is the moral ground for and against criminal justice? | What is the moral ground for and against criminal justice? | ||
What makes it difficult to argue for the abolition of the criminal justice system? | What makes it difficult to argue for the abolition of the criminal justice system? | ||
Hegel and the negation of the negation of law | Hegel and the negation of the negation of law | ||
===Reading=== | |||
De Folter, Rolf S. (1986) On the methodological foundation of the abolitionist approach to the criminal justice system. A comparison of the ideas of Hulsman, Mathiesen and Foucault. Contemporary Crises 10: 39-62. | De Folter, Rolf S. (1986) On the methodological foundation of the abolitionist approach to the criminal justice system. A comparison of the ideas of Hulsman, Mathiesen and Foucault. Contemporary Crises 10: 39-62. | ||
Deleuze, Gilles (1990 and 1993) Postskriptum über die Kontrollgesellschaften. In: Deleuze, Gilles: Unterhand-lungen. 1972-1990, Frankfurt am Main 1993 | Deleuze, Gilles (1990 and 1993) Postskriptum über die Kontrollgesellschaften. In: Deleuze, Gilles: Unterhand-lungen. 1972-1990, Frankfurt am Main 1993 | ||
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Von Trotha, Trutz (1983) Limits to Pain. Diskussionsbeitrag zu einer Abhandlung von Nils Christie. In: Krimi-nologisches Journal, Heft 1/1983, S. 34- 53 | Von Trotha, Trutz (1983) Limits to Pain. Diskussionsbeitrag zu einer Abhandlung von Nils Christie. In: Krimi-nologisches Journal, Heft 1/1983, S. 34- 53 | ||
==Further Reading== | |||
Bianchi, Herman Th. (1994) Justice As Sanctuary: Toward a New System of Crime Control. Bloomington: Indiana University Press | Bianchi, Herman Th. (1994) Justice As Sanctuary: Toward a New System of Crime Control. Bloomington: Indiana University Press | ||
Christie, Nils (2009) Restorative Justice: Five Dangers Ahead. In: Paul Knepper, Jonathan Doak, and Joanna Shapland, eds., Urban Crime Prevention, Surveillance, and Restorative Justice. Effects of Social Technologies. CRC Press: 195-203 | Christie, Nils (2009) Restorative Justice: Five Dangers Ahead. In: Paul Knepper, Jonathan Doak, and Joanna Shapland, eds., Urban Crime Prevention, Surveillance, and Restorative Justice. Effects of Social Technologies. CRC Press: 195-203 |