Extending the justice paradigm to non-traditional types of crime

• In Event: Rutgers at 50: The Aims and Consequences of Punishment

Abstract

The early years of the School of Criminal Justice were characterized by debates about how and why to punish people convicted of serious crimes. Andrew von Hirsch, whose classic work, Doing Justice defined a theory of just deserts, was a leading voice for deontological approaches. While the application of desert theory to “street crime” seemed straightforward, its usefulness with other kinds of crimes raised questions. Because desert could not be considered a general theory unless it applied to all types of crimes, several scholars began to explore how the idea could fit to non-traditional criminal conduct.

Author

• Kip Schlegel, Indiana University