Punishment and Society: An Introduction to Penology

Criminologists have a long-standing interest in how offenders are punished. Situating punishment historically and comparatively before focusing on the functions, experiences and implications of modern techniques of punishment, this course introduces students to the key thinkers, ideas, problems and debates within the field of penology. This entails evaluating theories, studies, trends and practices of punishment. We will consider the history and changing function of punishment before analysing issues such as: court/trial administration, sentencing,rehabilitation,prison privatisation, mass incarceration, incapacitation, juvenile detention, probation, justice reinvestment, restorative justice, collateral penality, and alternatives to prison. We will contemplate how broader social, economic and political forces significantly shape the everyday administration of punishment and explore how criminal justice policies and programs differentially impact upon particular groups, ensuring their over-representation in prison facilities. We will also explore the arguments and activities of prison reform activists and imagine the future of penality.