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Punitive populism or social policy?

Title of the magazine or publication:
Per la pau, número 41

Authors:

  • Albert Sales Campos (Institut Metròpoli)

[*] Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Publication date:
05/2023

Pages:
11

Resume:

Punitive populism is a political strategy consisting of using criminal law to gain electoral advantages by assuming the premise that increasing the severity of punishments implies a reduction in crimes. Following this strategy, policymakers propose and approve measures to toughen sentences to provide an immediate, and seemingly simple, response to social concerns such as high-profile crimes or the fear of an increase in criminal activities involving repeat offenders.

The article takes a journey through the main axes of punitive discourse over the last thirty years: the centrality of the prison system, the instrumentalization of victims, and the electoral use of fear.

Link to the original text: https://www.icip.cat/perlapau/en/article/punitive-populism-or-social-policy/

Download the article Punitive populism or social policy?

Sales Campos, A. [Albert]. (2023). Punitive populism or social policy?. Per la pau, número 41, 11.
https://www.institutmetropoli.cat/en/altrepublicacion/punitive-populism-or-social-policy/