The State of Abolitionism

Abstract

This introduction to the special issue on abolitionism provides a detailed synopsis of abolitionist thought found in academic communicational networks. Our main purpose is to introduce readers to the diversity and vitality of abolitionist scholarship. In the penal field, we can distinguish between prison, penal and carceral forms of abolitionism, yet this distinction is not satisfactory, as abolitionism can be articulated to both narrower and more expansive ends. The multiple abolitionist ends are sustained by a variety of logics, premised on assemblages of normative, conceptual and factual elements. This contribution identifies and dissects seven core logics sustaining abolitionist thought in contemporary academia.

Doing Public Criminology with the Criminal Justice Voluntary Sector: Methodological Reflections and Considerations

“…Criminological literature on abolitionism points to various forms including prison abolition, penal abolition, and carceral abolition (Carrier and Piché ) – acknowledging that ‘abolitionist objectives have increased in their scope and complexity in recent years’ (Carrier and Piché , para. 1).…”

Foucault E O Abolicionismo Penal

“…2016. sob uma ideologia de outra era e se apoiando em um falso consenso, unem os órgãos de uma máquina cega cujo objeto mesmo é a produção de um sofrimento estéril. (Hulsman & Celis, 1993, p. 91) Parece claro que a produção acadêmica em torno da abolição penal não foi cunhada sob as mesmas bases teórico-filosóficas, as críticas não são as mesmas, muito menos se percebe uma unidade de propostas (Carrier & Piché, 2015). Logo, melhor seria denominar no plural: "abolicionismos penais", mantendo coerência com a pluralidade de perspectivas que giram em torno do tema.…”

Promises Broken or Promises Kept? An Analysis of the Vision and Current Operation of the Toronto South Detention Centre

“…Instead, prison abolitionism seeks to create treatment, counselling, and conflict resolution that is distinct from punishment and incarceration (Schept, 2015). Hence, the abolitionist movement seeks to dismantle current discourse and build a new discourse of how 'corrections' is viewed and legitimized (Brown & Schept, 2017;Carrier & Piché, 2015b). Therefore, the purpose of the resistance is to attempt social change through destabilizing what philosopher Pierre Bourdieu terms habitus, or more specifically the aspect of habitus termed doxa (Schept, 2012).…”

“…Abolitionists view this process as partly comprising an attrition strategy based on a moratorium to stop the construction of new carceral institutions. An abolitionist perspective contends that this is to be followed by decarcerating as many individuals as possible through alternatives to incarceration and followed lastly by excarcerating individuals while focusing on building a caring community (Knopp et al, 1976;Carrier & Piché, 2015b). By this, decarceration refers to releasing individuals from carceral institutions, whereas excarceration refers to avoiding incarceration altogether (Knopp et al, 1976).…”

“…First, Knopp and colleagues (1976), Piché (2015b), andSaleh-Hanna (2000) all identify that abolitionism entails the logic that punishment neglects the needs of victims, perpetrators, and communities. Carrier and Piché (2015b) identify that penal agents, institutions, and policies take precedence over how a conflict is responded to, leaving those actors involved in the conflict with little input and autonomy. Hence, abolitionism points to reconciliation as an alternative whereby the perpetrator and victim are more involved in the justice process.…”