Theoretical integration in the sociology of punishment

• In Event: Punishment & Society. Theoretical advances and problems

Abstract

The question of the possibility of integrating theories has been the subject of significant debate in criminology, although mainly in its etiological branch. The conflicting point of the debate focus on whether the assumptions of the different theories, especially at the ontological level, make them incompatible. In studies of punishment and society, following the exposition of the four or five main currents identified in Garland's classic work, the problem has been mostly ignored. The choice has been made for a superficial superposition or, more commonly, for a parallel coexistence of the main theories. This communication reviews Garland's multifaceted construction of the concept of punishment and explores the possibility of considering the different theoretical currents at the same time, and whether they are compatible or exclusive. To this end, the discussion will focus on the conception of law and the notion of the criminal justice system.

Author

• Ignacio González Sanchez, University of Girona