Critical Criminology Overview

A subfield of criminology that challenges traditional approaches by focusing on power, inequality, and social justice. It aims to expose hidden injustices and promote more equitable societies.

The systematic process of understanding and evaluating social practices and beliefs, often challenging assumptions and exposing hidden inequalities.

The unequal distribution of power, resources, and opportunities in society, often resulting in disparities in access to justice, education, and healthcare.

The belief that all individuals deserve equal rights, opportunities, and treatment, regardless of their race, gender, socioeconomic status, or other factors. It aims to eliminate systemic discrimination and create a just and equitable society.

The process by which individuals internalize the norms, values, and beliefs of their society, often leading to acceptance of existing power structures and social hierarchies.

The perception that the existing state of affairs is inevitable, natural, or simply the way things are, leading to a lack of critical engagement with social issues.

The practice of overlooking, ignoring, or minimizing the suffering of others, often due to factors like distance, social status, or perceived difference.

The pursuit of a more just and equitable world, one that minimizes or eliminates suffering and promotes human dignity for all.

Judging something based on a standard considered the ideal.

A person who uses a set of standards to evaluate something.

The process of evaluating something based on a set of standards.

The current way things are done, the existing system.

A change made to something to make it better.

Moving beyond simply judging something and exploring its complexities and underlying meanings.

A method of analysis that involves destabilizing established assumptions and relationships within society to create new, more just patterns of being. It challenges the status quo and seeks to dismantle systems of oppression.

A type of critical criminology that refrains from judging existing policies or structures and instead focuses on creating alternative ways of being that prioritize justice and fairness.

The process of actively addressing and working to alleviate suffering in the world, especially for marginalized groups.

The act of moving beyond complicity in government practices that disproportionately impact marginalized groups. It involves challenging the systems that perpetuate injustice.

Critical Criminology aims to promote a form of justice that focuses on liberation and empowerment, rather than punishment and control.

The critical criminologist is considered 'critical' not because they are negative, but because they use a questioning approach to open minds and challenge conventional thinking.

A book that marked a significant shift in Canadian criminology by challenging traditional views and advocating for a more critical approach.

A criticism of Critical Criminology that questions the practical implications of its theories and asks how it can be applied to real-world problems.

Critical criminologists argue that using complex language is necessary to push criminological thought in new directions and challenge traditional understandings.

The idea that the application of the law can be legal (following existing rules) but still unfair and unjust.

A criticism of Critical Criminology that argues it can be too focused on abstract theories and not enough on practical solutions.

Examining crime within its wider social context, considering cultural factors, and understanding how systemic issues like poverty and social inequalities influence individual choices.

Analyzing how structural conditions, like economic inequality and lack of opportunity, contribute to criminal behavior.

Exploring the relationship between crime and the prevailing economic system, recognizing how dominant production modes influence crime definitions and punishments.

Investigating how power dynamics and conflicts shape both criminal behavior and the justice system, highlighting how the powerful can influence these systems to their benefit.

A situation where individuals are stigmatized and labeled as criminals due to structural inequalities that make them more susceptible to crime, arrest, punishment, and labeling.

A process involving authorities and others applying criminal labels to individuals, contributing to their negative self-image and reinforcing their criminal behavior.

A type of job that involves little skill, low pay, and limited opportunities for advancement.

A term used to describe the process by which inner cities lose their manufacturing bases and opportunities, becoming centers of poverty and unemployment.

A concept of fairness and impartiality that goes beyond punishment and seeks to address the root causes of injustice.

The tendency to equate justice with punishment, often through harsh measures like war, imprisonment, or vigilantism.

The idea that justice is not a fixed state or ideal, but an ongoing process of striving for fairness and equity. It's always evolving and can't be reached definitively.

Derrida's belief that justice is not achieved by setting specific criteria or standards, but rather by constantly questioning and challenging existing assumptions about fairness and equality.

The claim that justice is not something we can simply declare ourselves to have achieved, as it requires ongoing work and reflection to address systemic injustices.

The idea that true justice should go beyond individual acts of wrongdoing and dismantle the systems that perpetuate inequality and suffering.

The argument that assuming justice is already present within a society can lead to overlooking existing injustices and ignoring the need for further action.

The concept that true justice should be rooted in compassion, understanding, and a willingness to challenge deeply ingrained prejudices and assumptions about 'fairnes'.