Review: Criminalising Social Policy: Anti-social Behaviour and Welfare in a De-civilised Society John J. Rodger Willan Publishing, 2008; pp 235; £18.99, pbk ISBN: 978—1—84392—326—8
| Author | Donald G. Evans |
| Date | 01 March 2009 |
| DOI | 10.1177/02645505090560010404 |
| Published date | 01 March 2009 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
Reviews 83
offender interests, has been marginal. This is surely one of the great tragedies of
contemporary criminal justice in England and Wales, and again the laxity of
probation service interest in restorative justice (certain individuals notwithstanding)
played a part, given that its moral superiority to a merely rehabilitative philosophy
was first signalled by Nils Christie as early as 1977.
Still, while there are lessons to be learned, spilled milk is not to be wept over.
What needs to happen next is more important. In reflecting on future forms of
practice with offenders and victims, as well as on strategies for resisting the more
politically destructive uses of victim rhetoric, which only serve to increase and
intensify punitiveness towards offenders, this compendium offers much. Simon
Green’s thoughtful analysis of the important concept of vulnerability would help
any probation practitioner to sharpen their thinking on victim issues, as would
Caroline Hoyle’s shattering of shibboleths in her piece on domestic violence, to
name only two among many outstanding chapters. Each chapter offers advice on
further reading, but after taking all this in any reader could be forgiven for feeling
fatigued – though one could be quietly confident of having been equipped with
more than enough knowledge to appraise the way things are and to set out to
improve them.
Mike Nellis
Professor of Criminal and Community Justice,
University of Strathclyde
Criminalising Social Policy:
Anti-social Behaviour and
Welfare in a De-civilised
Society
John J. Rodger
Willan Publishing, 2008; pp 235; £18.99, pbk
ISBN: 978–1–84392–326–8
John J. Rodger is a Reader in Social Policy and Associate
Dean in the School of Social Sciences at the University of the
West of Scotland. His last book provided an informative and
stimulating discussion of the transition – From a Welfare State to a Welfare Society
(Macmillan, 2000); his latest offering depicts the changing focus of social policy in
Britain with an...
To continue reading
Request your trial