NCJ Number
181253
Journal
British Journal of Criminology Volume: 38 Issue: 1 Dated: Winter 1998 Pages: 1-39
Editor(s)
Richard Sparks
Date Published
1998
Length
39 pages
Annotation
This paper seeks to look beyond criminalization models to the macro, middle, and micro levels, arguing that criminalization is a flawed strategy for dealing with male violence against women caused by a failure to theorize social control adequately, a failure that has led feminists and other progressive social movements to misidentify penalty as synonymous with social control.
Abstract
The first part of the paper examines the realities of criminalization agendas and increased punitiveness through incarceration rates. The second part explains the dependence on criminal law and criminal justice institutions by feminists and new social movements. Focusing on wife assault and battery, this part points out strategies of criminalization have benefited privileged white women at the expense of women of color, aborigines, and immigrants and identifies problems with the failure to engender social control concepts. The third part looks at what is known about policies and strategies having the potential to transcend criminalization and facilitate social transformation, paying special attention to the construction, roots, and maintenance of hegemonic masculinity. Overall, the author argues that effective social control of aberrant behavior must be sought outside criminal justice institutions and that the feminist and progressive focus should shift toward examining how to create less violent persons (particularly men), families, communities, and societies. 239 references and 28 footnotes