CONFERENCE THEME

CRIMINOLOGY IN THE 21ST CENTURY:

PUBLIC GOOD OR PRIVATE INTEREST?

If ever there were a clear division between the public and private realms in criminology, the recent growth in private sector involvement in all spheres of criminal justice has ensured that such a dichotomy is barely sustainable. The growth of the private security industry, private prisons, contractualised correctional services, private mediation and arbitration services and other alternative dispute resolution mechanisms are evidence of the increasing linkages between the public and private sectors. Criminology is now as much shaped by the major national and international management consulting and accounting firms as it is by government and academic policy makers.

Transformations in the nature of government towards smaller, managerial models based on contracting or outsourcing services have become commonplace in English speaking jurisdictions. These changes raise profound technical, legal, political, ethical and philosophical issues relating to the justice system in general and the nature and quality of service delivery, accountability, regulation and enforcement in particular.

This conference seeks to explore the significance of these transformations in criminology, particularly in the areas of:

GENERAL PAPERS

Papers engaging with any aspect of the conference them are encourage. The Conference conveners also welcome contributions on any topics of general criminological interest.

ABSTRACTS

A proposal for a paper should take the form of a short abstract (100-200 words) and should include details of the title, authors and their institutional affiliation as well as contact details. The final date for submission of abstracts is 20th October 2000. See Call for Papers for submission procedures.