Chapter 23: Penology

Michael Cavadino

Penology Penology is the study of punishment, including the study of ‘penality’ a useful if slightly annoying word which is used to encompass both concrete penal practices and also the ideas which people have about punishment. At least since the classic work of Durkheim (1960, 1973), penology has always importantly involved an attempt to understand and also to influence changes in the practices, cultures and ideologies that exist in the real world. In this chapter I sketch various developments in penology over the last few decades, all of which can be seen as ways of trying to understand, come to terms with, confront and engage with contemporary trends in punishment itself. Often typically, indeed these attempts have been part of a moral mission, as theorists hope, sometimes desperately, sometimes despairingly, that their work may play a part in reducing the human misery brought about by both crime and punishment. This ...

Users without subscription are not able to see the full content on this title. Please, subscribe or login to access all content on this website.

• Buy The Book