Contagion, Counter-Terrorism and Criminology

This book provides a detailed exploration of the impact of counter-terrorism measures on the penal trajectories of three EU countries: the UK, France and Poland. Through detailed, empirical and theoretically-informed analysis, it explores the synergistic relationship between counter-terrorism measures and control-measures aimed at 'ordinary' crimes, in order to map the process of "contagion". The field of counter-terrorism has been identified by both academics and stakeholders alike as one which holds particular potential for the adoption of more punitive strategies. Without more detailed scrutiny of the impact of EU counter terrorism legislation and policy, important questions about the real character of criminal justice in the EU remain unanswered.

Contagion, Counter-Terrorism and Criminology also probes the hegemonic power of terrorism and the securitization agenda more generally, and discusses the implications for criminology as a discipline. It brings criticalcriminological insights, concerning macro level penal transformation (i.e. the discourse on punitiveness and risk), into an area traditionally dominated by law and human rights scholars. Hamilton's analysis of these three countries should be of interest to students and scholars of criminology, criminal justice, law, human rights, security studies, politics, international relations and socio-legal studies.

Auteur

Claire Hamilton is Professor of Criminology at Maynooth University Department of Law, Ireland.

Résumé

This book considers the impact of post 9/11 counter-terrorism laws outside of the counter-terrorism context, a process described here as 'contagion'. It does so via a detailed empirical examination of the impact of counter-terrorism measures on the criminal justice systems of three selected EU countries with varying histories and experience of terrorism, namely, the UK, France and Poland. In particular, the book explores the synergistic relationship between counter-terrorism measures and control measures aimed at 'ordinary' crimes and asks what the implications are for the direction of travel of the criminal law in general. It probes the hegemonic power of terrorism and the securitisation agenda more broadly and discusses the implications for criminology as a discipline does it, for example, have a role in social contestation of contagion? This book will be suitable for academics and students interested in political violence, terrorism and counterterrorism as well as practitioners and experts working in the area.

Contenu

1. Introduction: Counter-terrorism and the 'Contagion Thesis'.- 2. Counter-Terrorism in the UK.- 3. Counter-Terrorism in Poland.- 4. Counter-Terrorism in France.- 5. A Precautionary Consensus?.-6. Contagion, Counter-Terrorism and Criminology: Strategies for Contestation?