NCJ Number
241630
Journal
Criminology & Criminal Justice Volume: 12 Issue: 5 Dated: November 2012 Pages: 500-505
Date Published
November 2012
Length
6 pages
Annotation
This article is additional commentary on the idea of a "Big Society" embraced by the current British Government and how this idea works in the United States in terms of justice reform.
Abstract
In a previous article, "Big Society" in England is defined as a society in which higher levels of personal, professional, civic and corporate responsibility are used to solve problems and improve life for people and their communities. This definition involves the redistribution of power from the state to society, giving people the opportunity to take more control of their lives. This article discusses how the concept of Big Society works in the United States in terms of criminal justice reform and how these changes have been occurring since the 1970s and 1980s. The author suggests that there are four main sources that have led to this rethinking on how the criminal justice system should operate. These four sources that have led to rethinking on how the criminal justice system should operate include research on the traditional system; changes in popular sentiment, specifically discontent with the current system; unease from criminal justice system experts with the main tenets underlying traditional justice approaches; and innovations in sectors outside the criminal justice system, such as changes in technology and industrial boundaries. The author notes that these four sources work well with the concept of Big Society which favors radical realignment over incrementalism. References