The politics of punishment : political cultures and comparative penology

Abstract

In this paper I argue that if we are to make sense of why punishment practices differ between jurisdictions, then we should focus on the political cultures that shape penal practices. Political culture is conceived of here as a 'practical consciousness' (Williams 1964), made up of implicit and express cultural values and political commitments. Political culture informs how governments understand society and their role within it, and permeate decisions about how they should best respond to the problems of crime, punishment and social order. By grasping these differences in the politics of punishment, we can better illuminate the local and contingent forces that are fundamental in shaping differences in cross-national penality.