Chapter 18: New Institutionalism in Criminology: Approaches, Theories and Themes

Susanne Karstedt

New institutionalism in criminology: Approaches, theories and themes Criminology seeks an understanding of crime, criminality and criminal justice. The range of themes and the obvious divide between the strands of “crime” and “justice” have produced an abundance of theories that target either crime or justice, and occasionally both. This has led to scarcity amid abundance as criminologists are reluctant to agree on one single general theory of crime, and even less willing to agree on a general theory of justice. However, the characteristics of its subject (s) have made criminology a seedbed for perspectives rather than fully fledged general theories. Perspectives provide researchers with a framework rather than a set of hypotheses, with concepts that guide questions rather than give answers, and with paradigms rather than a more circumscribed theoretical account. Throughout its recent history as a discipline criminology has profited immensely from such perspectives. The labelling approach note: not ...

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