This chapter examines justice in an absolute sense, and also justice in the context of the criminal justice system. The criminal justice system is the set of rules and practices under which government institutions and agencies act in order to prevent or control crime, to deal with those who break the law, and to support victims. ‘Justice’ in the context of ‘criminal justice’ refers to the extent to which the system aims to prevent or reduce offending; ensures that those who are accused, convicted, and sentenced are treated fairly (justly); and works to support victims and communities. Justice should be guaranteed by the law, especially the criminal law, in any state and should be clearly present in all decisions about crime and social issues made by those working for the state. As such, justice is core to almost every aspect of the criminal justice system. The chapter also considers broad definitions of justice; frameworks called criminal justice models on which understandings of justice in the criminal justice system can be anchored; philosophical ideas about the concept of justice; and the main systems used to bring about criminal justice.
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3. What is ‘justice’?
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17. Feminist criminology: Inequalities, powerlessness, and justice
Michele Burman and Loraine Gelsthorpe
This chapter addresses complexities and continuing concerns in thinking about feminist perspectives and contributions to criminology. It charts feminist contributions to criminology over time, dwelling on paradigmatic shifts in substantive, epistemological, and methodological terms, and the ways in which feminism has transformed criminological research and practice. The chapter explores contemporary feminist research agendas focused on issues of powerlessness, justice, and inequality, addressing research on violence against women, digital technology, human trafficking, migration, and criminal justice. The notion of feminist criminology as a transitional phase towards a more humanistic stance in relation to crime and justice in a globalized context is also explored.
Book
Alison Liebling, Shadd Maruna, and Lesley McAra
As the most comprehensive and authoritative single volume on the subject, the seventh edition of the acclaimed Oxford Handbook of Criminology is a completely revised collection of 44 essays by leading authors in the field. It is organized into four sections: constructions of crime and justice; borders, boundaries, and beliefs; dynamics of crime and violence; and responses to crime. Criminology is expanding its borders and seeking new answers to questions of crime and punishment, citizenship, and democratic living, including issues of state crime and globalization. Some of the newest areas of study in criminology include migration, asylum, and the integration of global populations following war or famine; privacy and the governance of ‘big data;’ and the movement to abolish the police and prisons. All of these topics, as well as classic questions of the causes and consequences of crime, receive attention here. The editors have also made room for greater inclusiveness and diversity, with a wider range of newer scholars, and taking account of new developments in the fields of zemiology and green criminology, as well as previously neglected themes such as victimology, sexual violence, and atrocity crimes. The chapters contain extensive references to aid further research, and the book is accompanied by an online resource centre featuring: selected chapters from previous editions; guidance on answering essay questions; practice essay questions; web links; and figures and tables from the text.
