Exploring the Variation in Incarceration across Countries

• In Event: Cross-National Analyses of Crime and Punishment

Abstract

Incarceration has far-reaching implications for individuals, communities, and perceptions of the criminal justice system in all corners of the globe, yet there remain uncertainties about the forces that can account for temporal and spatial variability in the use of incarceration internationally. The bulk of prior research has focused on assessing incarceration patterns within selected nations, and especially the United States. Additionally, existing studies of cross-national incarceration trends have focused primarily on structural background variables, thus neglecting potentially important dimensions of political context and collective sentiment. We contribute to this literature by examining observed variation in the use of incarceration across and within a relatively large sample of nations and by considering several factors emphasized in both classic and contemporary theoretical accounts.

Authors

• J.W. Andrew Ranson, Florida State University

• Eric Baumer, Florida State University