MACMILLAN Law, Insecurity and Risk Control: Neo-Liberal Governance and the Populist Revolt (Crime Prevention and Security Management)

This book examines our contemporary preoccupation with risk and how criminal law and punishment have been transformed as a result of these anxieties. It adopts an historical approach to examine the development of risk control measures used across the US, UK, New Zealand, Australia and Canada - particularly since the 1980’s - with the rise of the "security sanction". It also takes a criminological and sociological approach to analysing shifts in criminal law and punishment and its implications for contemporary society and criminal justice systems. Law, Insecurity and Risk Control analyses the range and scope of the ‘security sanction’ and its immobilizing  measures, ranging from control over minor incivilities to the most serious crimes. Despite these innovations, though, it argues that our anxieties about risk have become so extensive that the "security sanction" is no longer sufficient to provide social stability and cohesion.  As a consequence,  people have been attracted to the ‘magic’ of populism in a revolt against mainstream politics and organisations of government, as with the EU referendum in the UK and the US presidential election of Donald Trump in 2016. While there have been political manoeuvrings to rein back risk and place new controls on it, these have only brought further disillusionment, insecurity and anxiety. This book argues that the "security sanction" is likely to become more deeply embedded in the criminal justice systems of these societies, as new risks to both the well-being of individuals and the nation state are identified.  Review “It is beautifully and devastatingly written. It combines heart-stirring prose with astutely observed empirical examples. I have long followed Pratt’s research and writing, and this book, in my opinion, is simply his finest.” (Jo Phoenix, The British Journal of Criminology, August 18, 2021) “Law, Insecurity and Risk Control makes a major contribution to our understanding of the recent history and current landscape of criminal justice across the Anglo common law world. … It is full of rich nuggets of empirical material drawn from across the Anglo world … that he relies on to both develop and illustrate the analysis. In addition, it is a compelling read.” (Russell Hogg, International Journal for Crime, Justice and Social Democracy, Vol. 10 (2), 2021) Review “This is a timely, thought-provoking and authoritative book. John Pratt has provided us with a critical, engaging and highly prescient account of the impacts of neo-liberal governance on the criminal justice system and the broader management of ‘security’ in an age of pervasive risk and uncertainty. Masterful writing, by one of Criminology’s finest scholars” (Professor Gabe Mythen, University of Liverpool, UK) “Caught between its core commitment to shifting economic risk to ordinary citizens and workers, and the growing backlash of populism, John Pratt shows how the neoliberal state increasingly turns to novel sanctions that are placing the rule of law in crisis. A global analysis of astounding breadth. Theoretical criminology at its best” (Professor Jonathan Simon, Centre for the Study of law and Society, UC Berkeley, US) “Many will already know and admire John Pratt's contributions to studies of risk and criminal justice. Law, Insecurity and Risk Control is the culmination of those efforts. In charting the rise of 'the security sanction', Pratt here also tells an engrossing story about the transformations that have engulfed Anglophone countries in recent decades. In Pratt's view the populist revolt is no longer merely the shadow or counterpart of neo-liberal government; it is the token of its failure to develop a viable habitat in which humans can flourish. This is not just a book about the present and future of criminal justice, but about the future of democracy as a way of life” (Professor Richard Sparks, School of Law, Edinburgh University, UK) “In Law, Insecu