Vulnerable People and the Criminal Justice System P. Cooper and HHJ H. Norton (Eds.). Oxford: Oxford University Press (2017) 576pp. £55.00hb ISBN 9780198801115
| Date | 01 June 2018 |
| Published date | 01 June 2018 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1111/hojo.12260 |
The Howard Journal Vol57 No 2. June 2018 DOI: 10.1111/hojo.12258
ISSN 2059-1098, pp. 278–291
Book Reviews
The Violence of Austerity V. Cooper and D. Whyte (Eds.). London: Pluto Press (2017)
238pp. £16.99pb ISBN 978745399485
This book reveals in forensic detail the harms suffered by millions of people in the
UK caused by austerity policies. But, be warned: it will make you very angry. Even if
you are well informed, the depth and pervasive nature of austerity violence will shock.
The hammer blows of robustly-evidenced chapter after chapter from academics and
practitioners expose just how bleak and horrifying contemporary living is for many.
The argument that ‘austerity’ is a political, not economic, choice gained controversial
prominence in UK political debates from 2015 onwards. In the snap election in June
2017, the economic policies in the Labour Party manifesto, in contrast to the Conservative
government’s programme, rejected austerity measures. Despite predictions of seat loss,
the shock result was that Labour gained 31 seats and the government majority was
eliminated. It is timely,therefore, for an edited book that explores the impact of ‘austerity’
on the lived experiences of many voting citizens. The editors emphasise that the grim
and costly consequences outlined ‘will take years to be fully realised because of the time
lag between the implementation of austerity policies and the way in which they impact’
(p.24). These words are highly prescient when, barely a month after publication, the
horrific fire at the defectively refurbished Grenfell Tower (El-Gingihy 2017) ensued,
followed, in August 2017, by the final report of the United Nations on the ‘human
catastrophe’ of government policies for disabled people in the UK (Lambert 2017).
Chapters are clustered into four sections: Deadly Welfare;Poverty Amplification; State
Regulation; and State Control. However, other cross-cutting themes, such as criminal
justice, are evident. In Section Four, for example, two chapters examine the prison
service. Mansfield and Cooper show how women are being affected by the ubiquitous
austerity policies of privatisation and the sale of capital assets. In this instance, it is the
privatisation of the probation service and closure of Holloway women’s prison to sell the
land for private development that are ‘generating harmful, and in some cases deadly,
impacts’ (p.188). Sim details the shocking rise in violence for both prisoners and staff
since 2011. However, he also argues strongly that ‘austerity’ has simply amplified ‘the
brutalising nature of prison regimes’ (p.200) that contribute little ‘to reducing recidivism
or ensuring public protection’ (p.200).
The failure to protect the public emergessharply in Sections Two and Three. Austerity
policies have left many migrants, people of colour, and homeless people, unprotected
from increased interpersonal violence towards them. Holder shows how ‘Brexit’ has
triggered a rise in anti-migrant racism and attacks in Northern Ireland that are creating a
‘new lease of life for paramilitarism’ (p.129). McCulloch exposes not only the huge rise in
rough sleeping triggered by austerity measures, but also that ‘people sleeping rough are
almost 13 times more likely to experience violence than the general population’ (p.171).
Furthermore, peaceful demonstrations have triggered the abuse of legislative powers
by State representatives towards citizens. Jackson, Monk and Gilmore give examples
of police misconduct towards fracking protestors, while Paton and Cooper show how
legislation has strengthened the power of bailiffs and enforcement companies. This
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2018 The Howard League and John Wiley & Sons Ltd
Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd, 9600 Garsington Road, Oxford OX4 2DQ, UK
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