Penal Theory Policy & Practice

This module examines penal theory and practice in a theoretical, comparative and historical way, and engages critically with the theoretical justifications and policy proposals for punishment. The first part of this module examines the philosophical and historical bases of punishment in general and the prison in particular. The module focuses strongly on how the term crisis has been used to describe almost every aspect of the penal system. In particular it examines the background and current contexts of the crisis. The course also reflects on the concepts of 'place', 'space' and 'time' as sources of suffering and emphasises the significance of vulnerability and imprisonment. The course critically evaluates the future promise of the penal system through an examination of the issue of the privatisation of punishment and its role in future penal policy.