Abstract

BELL, Emma. Insisting on neoliberalism: The persistente influence of neoliberalism in contemporary penality. Delito soc. [online]. 2014, vol.23, n.38, pp.50-62. ISSN 0328-0101.

This paper seeks to address the question of whether neoliberalism continues to be a useful explanation for contemporary penal trends. It begins by giving a very brief definition of neoliberalism before moving on to a demonstration of the ways in which the paradigm continues to exacerbate punitive trends, taking the example of the UK. Whilst it is not suggested that neoliberalism alone can explain such punitive trends and that local variables must also be taken into account, it is argued that it continues to be an important contributing factor. It is above all politically necessary to recognise the role played by neoliberalism if we wish to escape from the current penal impasse and forge genuinely new alternatives.

Keywords : Neoliberalism; Punitiveness; Penality; UK; Great Recession.