Governing Through Crime – the Case of the European Union

In Governing through Crime, Jonathan Simon offers an ‘interpretation’ of contemporary practices, discourses and experiences of the state in the USA that aims to provide a ‘thick’ account of the use of crime as a governance strategy. In support of his argument, he cites a variety of constitutional, cultural, economic, historical, political and social factors. Many of them are demonstrably US-specific. Therefore, any potential for exploring the application of his ideas to another governmental entity might appear to be precluded. This article challenges that supposition, investigating their possible relevance to an understanding of the European Union’s evolving, and increasingly significant, role as a penal actor.

Journal/Publisher: European Journal of Criminology, Volume 7, Issue 3

Publication type: Article

Number of pages/Page range: 187-213

Language/s (content): English

Date of publication: 03-05-10

Personal data

Full name Estella BAKER

Current occupation Member

University/Institution De Montfort University

Address The Gateway, Leicester

Postal code LE1 9BH

Telephone 0044 116 257 7256

Email ebaker@dmu.ac.uk