Public Confidence in Criminal Justice

A History and Critique

Nonfiction, Social & Cultural Studies, Political Science, Government, Public Policy, Social Science, Crimes & Criminals, Criminology, Reference & Language, Law
Cover of the book Public Confidence in Criminal Justice by Elizabeth R. Turner, Springer International Publishing
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Elizabeth R. Turner ISBN: 9783319678979
Publisher: Springer International Publishing Publication: December 4, 2017
Imprint: Palgrave Macmillan Language: English
Author: Elizabeth R. Turner
ISBN: 9783319678979
Publisher: Springer International Publishing
Publication: December 4, 2017
Imprint: Palgrave Macmillan
Language: English

In this book, Liz Turner argues that survey methods have gained an unwarranted and unhealthy level of dominance when it comes to understanding how the public views the criminal justice system. The focus on measuring public confidence in criminal justice by researchers, politicians and criminal justice agencies has tended to prioritise the production of quantitative representations of general opinions, at the expense of more specific, qualitative or deliberative approaches. This has occurred not due to any inherent methodological superiority of survey-based approaches, but due to the congruence of the survey-based, general measure of opinion with the prevailing neoliberal political tendency to engage with citizens as consumers.

By identifying the historical conditions on which contemporary knowledge claims rest, and tracing the political power struggles out of which sprang the idea of public confidence in criminal justice as a real and measurable object, Turner shows that things could be otherwise. She also draws attention to the ways in which survey researchers have asserted their dominance over other approaches, suppressing convincing claims by advocates of deliberative methods that a better politics of crime and justice is possible. Ultimately, Turner concludes, researchers need to be more upfront about their political objectives, and more alert to the political responsibilities that go along with the making of knowledge claims. Providing a provocative critique of the dominant approaches to measuring public confidence, this timely study will be of special interest to scholars of the criminal justice system, research methods, and British politics.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

In this book, Liz Turner argues that survey methods have gained an unwarranted and unhealthy level of dominance when it comes to understanding how the public views the criminal justice system. The focus on measuring public confidence in criminal justice by researchers, politicians and criminal justice agencies has tended to prioritise the production of quantitative representations of general opinions, at the expense of more specific, qualitative or deliberative approaches. This has occurred not due to any inherent methodological superiority of survey-based approaches, but due to the congruence of the survey-based, general measure of opinion with the prevailing neoliberal political tendency to engage with citizens as consumers.

By identifying the historical conditions on which contemporary knowledge claims rest, and tracing the political power struggles out of which sprang the idea of public confidence in criminal justice as a real and measurable object, Turner shows that things could be otherwise. She also draws attention to the ways in which survey researchers have asserted their dominance over other approaches, suppressing convincing claims by advocates of deliberative methods that a better politics of crime and justice is possible. Ultimately, Turner concludes, researchers need to be more upfront about their political objectives, and more alert to the political responsibilities that go along with the making of knowledge claims. Providing a provocative critique of the dominant approaches to measuring public confidence, this timely study will be of special interest to scholars of the criminal justice system, research methods, and British politics.

More books from Springer International Publishing

Cover of the book Economic Crisis, Development and Competitiveness in Southeastern Europe by Elizabeth R. Turner
Cover of the book Functional Analysis in Interdisciplinary Applications by Elizabeth R. Turner
Cover of the book Information Geometry and Population Genetics by Elizabeth R. Turner
Cover of the book Counseling Asian Indian Immigrant Families by Elizabeth R. Turner
Cover of the book Advances in Dynamic Games by Elizabeth R. Turner
Cover of the book Fundamentals of IP and SoC Security by Elizabeth R. Turner
Cover of the book Clinical Handbook of Insomnia by Elizabeth R. Turner
Cover of the book Modeling the Renewable Energy Transition in Canada by Elizabeth R. Turner
Cover of the book Quantum Mechanics in Matrix Form by Elizabeth R. Turner
Cover of the book The Functional Analysis of Quantum Information Theory by Elizabeth R. Turner
Cover of the book Big Data Benchmarking by Elizabeth R. Turner
Cover of the book A Metaheuristic Approach to Protein Structure Prediction by Elizabeth R. Turner
Cover of the book Thermo-Hydro-Mechanical-Chemical Processes in Fractured Porous Media: Modelling and Benchmarking by Elizabeth R. Turner
Cover of the book Introduction to Scientific Computing and Data Analysis by Elizabeth R. Turner
Cover of the book Accounting Choices in Family Firms by Elizabeth R. Turner
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy