Wither Criminal Justice: An Argument for a Reformed Discipline
- ASU Author/Contributor (non-ASU co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
- Matthew B. Robinson Ph.D., Professor (Creator)
- Institution
- Appalachian State University (ASU )
- Web Site: https://library.appstate.edu/
Abstract: The American criminal justice system fails to achieve justice, reduce crime, and provide equal protection to Americans regardless of their social class, race, and gender. But, criminal justice as an academic area of study has become a popular and fast growing liberal arts major in the United States, churning out tens of thousands to work in the criminal justice system. Given the demonstrable harms caused by criminal justice, which are suffered disproportionately by the least powerful people, academic criminologists and criminal justicians have the obligation to promote a reformed discipline. This article briefly summarizes the evidence of bias in the criminal justice system and then turns to how these biases relate to criminal justice as an academic discipline. Using the war on drugs as an example, I argue that the practice of criminal justice as an academic endeavor runs counter to the goal of promoting social justice in America. One of the ironic conclusions of this article is that criminal justice as an academic discipline must get smaller if we are to achieve larger goals of social justice outlined here.
Wither Criminal Justice: An Argument for a Reformed Discipline
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Additional Information
- Publication
- Robinson, Matthew B. (2001). Wither criminal justice: An argument for a reformed discipline. Critical Criminology: An International Journal 10(2): 97-106. Springer (ISSN: 1205-8629) DOI: 10.1023/A:1013193509105 The original publication is available at www.springerlink.com
- Language: English
- Date: 2001