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In this paper we address how in the birth of critical criminology in Latin America, one of its key architects, Eugenio Raúl Zaffaroni, poses in detail a problematisation that has acquired a very great centrality in the current debate: the hierarchy, asymmetry and dependency between the Global North and the Global South in the production of criminological knowledge, and offers ways to challenge the reproduction of this dynamic as a long-term phenomenon. His theoretical and political position in the 1980s, defined as a ‘marginal criminological realism’, anticipates a series of revealing points that we rediscover in the contemporary discussion. In this way, this paper seeks to avoid falling into an ‘amnesia’ by revitalising the historical exploration of the critical perspectives on the criminal question. In this exploration, we identify what constitutes, from our point of view, a firm foundation on which to build our own critical work from both a scientific and political point of view in Latin America and, more generally, in peripheral, marginal contexts.

Women’s entry into policing, a traditionally masculine occupation, has been theorized almost entirely through a liberal feminist theoretical lens where equality with men is the end target. From this theoretical viewpoint, women’s police stations in the Global South established specifically to respond to gender violence have been conceptualized as relics from the past. We argue that this approach is based on a global epistemology that privileges the Global North as the normative benchmark from which to define progress. Framed by southern criminology, we offer an alternative way of theorizing the progress of women in policing using women’s police stations that emerged in Latin America in the 1980s, specifically those in the Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina.

When domestic violence was criminalised in countries like Australia, United States and United Kingdom, many saw this as a victory, as the state taking responsibility for violence against women. The problem was that its policing was delegated to a masculinised police force ill-equipped to respond to survivors of gender violence. Latin America took a different pathway, establishing women-led police stations designed specifically to respond to the survivors of gender violence. Our research team looked for inspiration to reimagine the policing of gender violence in the twenty-first century from the victim-centred women-led police stations that emerged in Argentina in the 1980s. By emphasising a preventative over a punitive approach, multi-disciplinary teams of police, social workers, psychologists and lawyers offer survivors a gateway to support, instead of just funnelling them into the criminal justice system. Surveying gender violence sector workers and members of the general public, we sought views on the potential of adapting the protocols of these specialist police stations to Australia. We argue that if staffed by appropriately trained teams to work from both gender and culturally sensitive perspectives, women-led victim friendly police stations could side-step some of the unintended consequences of criminalisation, pathing the way for reimagining the policing of gender violence. Framed by southern criminology the project aims to redress the biases in the global hierarchy of knowledge, by reversing the notion that policy transfer can only flow from the countries of the Global North to the Global South.

Resumen En este trabajo se abordan los modos de compromiso público de los investigadores en el ámbito de la criminología, entendida como un campo de estudios complejo y polivalente, que se encuentra atravesado por diversas tradiciones teóricas y metodológicas que se refieren a un conjunto amplio de problemas de investigación. Las indagaciones producidas en los últimos 20 años sobre este problema han sido construidas sobre un puñado de jurisdicciones del Norte Global. Dialogando críticamente con dicha producción intelectual, este artículo busca presentar una exploración sobre un contexto específico del Sur Global, el caso de Argentina. Se argumenta que la radicación de una buena parte de este campo de estudios en el mundo académico de las Facultades de Derecho en este escenario específico - aunque tal vez esto resulte similar en otros contextos latinoamericanos - trae aparejado ciertos modos de compromiso público de sus participantes que se moldean en relación con los de la figura históricamente precedente, y simultáneamente activa, del penalista. Se identifican estos modos encontrando puntos de contacto con algunos delimitados en los escenarios del mundo de lengua inglesa por Sparks y Loader en una serie de textos recientes, pero se destaca un tipo peculiar de involucramiento que se define como el observador crítico pero realista y reformista. Se definen sus características y se ejemplifica con ciertos protagonistas fundamentales del campo criminológico argentino que provienen del mundo del derecho. Finalmente, se señalan ciertas direcciones en que esta indagación debería avanzar en el futuro cercano. Abstract This paper addresses the question of the modes of public engagement of researchers in the field of criminology, understood as a complex field of studies, which is traversed by various theoretical and methodological traditions that refer to a broad set of research problems. The research produced in the last 20 years on this problem have been done on few jurisdictions in the Global North. In a critical dialogue with this intellectual production, this article seeks to present an exploration of a specific context of the Global South, the case of Argentina. It is argued that the embeddedness of a good part of this field of studies in the academic world of Law Faculties in this specific scenario - although this may be similar in other Latin American contexts - brings with it certain modes of public commitment of its participants that they are molded in relation to those of the historically preceding and simultaneously active figure of the criminalist. These modes are identified, finding points of contact with some delimited in the settings of the English-speaking world by Sparks and Loader in a series of recent texts, but a peculiar type of involvement is highlighted that is defined as the “critical but realistic and reformist observer”. Its characteristics are defined and exemplified by certain fundamental protagonists of the Argentine criminological field that come from the world of law. Finally, certain directions are pointed out in which this inquiry should advance in the near future. Resumo O presente trabalho aborda os modos de engajamento público de pesquisadores da área da criminologia, entendida como um campo de estudos complexo e versátil, que é atravessado por diversas tradições teórico-metodológicas, que remetem a um amplo conjunto de problemas de pesquisa. Os questionamentos produzidos nos últimos vinte anos sobre esse problema foram produzidos a partir do Norte Global. Em um diálogo crítico com a referida produção intelectual, este artigo procura explorar um contexto específico do Sul Global, o caso da Argentina. Argumenta-se que a inserção de boa parte desse campo de estudos no mundo acadêmico das Faculdades de Direito neste cenário específico - embora possa ser semelhante em outros contextos latino-americanos - traz consigo certos modos de compromisso público de seus participantes, que são moldados em relação àqueles da figura historicamente anterior, e simultaneamente ativa, do criminalista. Esses modos são identificados, encontrando pontos de contato com alguns delimitados nas configurações do mundo anglófono por Sparks e Loader em uma série de textos recentes, mas é destacado um tipo peculiar de envolvimento que é definido como o “crítico, mas realista e observador reformista”. Suas características são definidas e exemplificadas por certos protagonistas fundamentais do campo criminológico argentino, vindos do mundo do direito. Por fim, apontam-se certas direções nas quais esta investigação deve avançar em um futuro próximo.

En este trabajo se abordan los modos de compromiso público de los investigadores en el ámbito de la criminología, entendida como un campo de estudios complejo y polivalente, que se encuentra atravesado por diversas tradiciones teóricas y metodológicas que se refieren a un conjunto amplio de problemas de investigación. Las indagaciones producidas en los últimos 20 años sobre este problema han sido construidas sobre un puñado de jurisdicciones del Norte Global. Dialogando críticamente con dicha producción intelectual, este artículo busca presentar una exploración sobre un contexto específico del Sur Global, el caso de Argentina. Se argumenta que la radicación de una buena parte de este campo de estudios en el mundo académico de las Facultades de Derecho en este escenario específico – aunque tal vez esto resulte similar en otros contextos latinoamericanos – trae aparejado ciertos modos de compromiso público de sus participantes que se moldean en relación con los de la figura históricamente precedente, y simultáneamente activa, del penalista. Se identifican estos modos encontrando puntos de contacto con algunos delimitados en los escenarios del mundo de lengua inglesa por Sparks y Loader en una serie de textos recientes, pero se destaca un tipo peculiar de involucramiento que se define como el observador crítico pero realista y reformista. Se definen sus caracteristicas y se ejemplifica con ciertos protagnistas fundamentales del campo criminológico argentino que provienen del mundo del derecho. Finalmente, se señalan ciertas direcciones en que esta indagación debería avanzar en el futuro cercano.

Based on an ethnographic study of “Punta de Rieles” prison in Uruguay, where more than 600 prisoners coexist with increased levels of autonomy in a relatively peaceful environment, and that heavily relies on responsibilization as a strategy of governance, we seek to contribute to the analysis of the characteristics and boundaries of responsibilization in prison settings beyond the Global North. Considering the strong link between responsibilization and neoliberalism in recent prison studies, we describe the loose, lay and informal nature of responsibilization and the elements of collectivism that are present in our case study, connecting this strategy with broader political and cultural developments in this national context.

Women’s police stations are a distinctive innovation that emerged in postcolonial nations of the global south in the second half of the twentieth century to address violence against women. This article presents the results of a world-first study of the unique way that these stations, called Comisaría de la Mujer, prevent gender-based violence in the Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina. One in five police stations in this Province was established with a mandate of preventing gender violence. Little is currently known about how this distinctive multidisciplinary model of policing (which includes social workers, lawyers, psychologists and police) widens access to justice to prevent gender violence. This article compares the model’s virtues and limitations to traditional policing models. We conclude that specialised women’s police stations in the postcolonial societies of the global south increase access to justice, empower women to liberate themselves from the subjection of domestic violence and prevent gender violence by challenging patriarchal norms that sustain it. As a by-product, these women’s police stations also offer women in the global south a career in law enforcement—one that is based on a gender perspective. The study is framed by southern criminology, which reverses the notion that ideas, policies and theories can only travel from the anglophone world of the global north to the global south. The article has been kindly translated into Spanish by one of the authors María Victoria Puyol - and can be viewed in both English and Spanish Cómo las Comisarias de la Mujer empoderan a las mujeres, amplían el acceso a la justicia y previenen la violencia de género

El ingreso de las mujeres a la policía, una ocupación tradicionalmente masculina, ha sido teorizada casi enteramente a través de los lentes teóricos del feminismo liberal donde la igualdad con los hombres es el objetivo final. Desde este punto de vista teórico, las comisarías de la mujer en el Sur Global creadas específicamente para responder a la violencia de género han sido conceptualizada como vestigios del pasado. Nosotros argumentamos que esa interpretación está basada en una epistemología global que privilegia al Norte Global como referencia normativa a partir de la cual definir el progreso. Enmarcados en la criminología del sur, ofrecemos una forma alternativa de teorizar el progreso de las mujeres en la policía empleando las comisarías de la mujer que emergieron en América Latina en los 1980s, específicamente aquella en la Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina.

In the last years there has been a growing effort from different theoretical perspectives to interrogate critically the impact of colonialism in the past and present of institutions and practices of crime control, both at the central and peripheral contexts, as well as in the production of knowledge in the criminological field. In this feature piece we examine this debate. We offer a critical account of key themes and problems that emerge from the intimate relationship between colonialism and punishment that directly challenge the persistent neglect of these dimensions in mainstream criminological scholarship. We aim to foreground the relevance of this relationship to contemporary enquiries. We highlight that decolonization did not dismantle the colonial roots of the cultural, social and political mechanisms informing contemporary punishment. They are still very much part of criminal justice practice and are thus also central to criminological knowledge productions.

Este artículo se centra en el «preso-emprendedor» como agente en las relaciones de gobierno en una prisión de varones en Montevideo, Uruguay. Se trata de Punta de Rieles, una prisión atípica en la que la responsabilización de los presos juega un papel fundamental como estrategia de gobierno desplegada por las autoridades y agentes estatales para responsabilizar a los reclusos de desarrollar, con amplios niveles de autonomía, una gama abierta de actividades promovidas oficialmente. Entre ellas destaca la producción de bienes y servicios. La mayoría de estas actividades se generan a partir de iniciativas de los presos. Para obtener la autorización y el apoyo de las autoridades penitenciarias para llevarla a cabo, se anima a los privados de libertad a diseñar el proyecto de actividad productiva y redactar una solicitud formal. Este «preso-emprendedor» ocupa una posición singular en la población de esta institución carcelaria. Está sujeto a responsabilización, se le pide que haga un «uso positivo» del tiempo y que desarrolle formas de autogobierno. Sin embargo, simultáneamente, como «empleador" de otros presos, se convierten y actúa como agente de gobierno y estructura el campo de acción del «preso-empleado». A su vez, este rol gubernamental implica toda una serie de relaciones colaborativas, pero también conflictivas con los agentes estatales, especialmente con los guardias. Este trabajo aborda la peculiar posición del «preso-empresario» en cuanto a su rol gubernamental y sus vínculos con los agentes del Estado, como forma única de gobierno en esta prisión no tradicional latinoamericana.

Issues of vital criminological research and policy significance abound in the global South, with important implications for South/North relations and for global security and justice. Having a theoretical framework capable of appreciating the significance of this global dynamic will contribute to criminology being able to better understand the challenges of the present and the future. We employ southern theory in a reflexive (and not a reductive) way to elucidate the power relations embedded in the hierarchal production of criminological knowledge that privileges theories, assumptions and methods based largely on empirical specificities of the global North. Our purpose is not to dismiss the conceptual and empirical advances in criminology, but to more usefully decolonize and democratize the toolbox of available criminological concepts, theories and methods.As a way of illustrating how southern criminology might usefully contribute to better informed responses to global justice and security, this article examines three distinct projects that could be developed under such a rubric. These include, firstly, certain forms and patterns of crime specific to the global periphery; secondly, the distinctive patterns of gender and crime in the global south shaped by diverse cultural, social, religious and political factors and lastly the distinctive historical and contemporary penalities of the global south and their historical links with colonialism and empire building. En el Sur Global abundan cuestiones vitales para la investigación criminológica y de relevancia política, con importantes implicancias para las relaciones Sur/Norte y para la seguridad y la justicia globales. Contar con un marco teórico capaz de apreciar la importancia de esta dinámica global contribuirá para que la criminología pueda entender mejor los desafíos del presente y del futuro. Empleamos la teoría del Sur de una manera reflexiva para dilucidar las relaciones de poder enraizadas en la producción jerárquica de conocimiento criminológico que privilegia teorías, supuestos y métodos basados en las especificidades empíricas del Norte Global. Nuestro propósito no es desestimar los avances teóricos y empíricos realizados sino, en forma más productiva, descolonizar y democratizar la caja de herramientas criminológicas disponibles. Como una forma de ilustrar cómo la Criminología del Sur podría ser útil para contribuir a informar mejor las respuestas a la justicia y la seguridad globales, este artículo examina tres proyectos distintos que podrían ser desarrollados bajo esta rúbrica. Estos incluyen, en primer lugar, ciertas formas y patrones de delitos específicos de la periferia global; en segundo lugar, los patrones distintivos de género y delito en el Sur Global; y, finalmente, las peculiaridades históricas y contemporáneas de la penalidad en el Sur Global y sus vínculos históricos con el colonialismo y la construcción del imperio.

Como es sabido desde fines de los años 1990s procesos de cambio político decisivo emergieron en diversos contextos nacionales de América del Sur, ligados al ascenso de alianzas y programas políticos construidos en torno a vocabularios vinculados más o menos estrechamente a las tradiciones locales de la Izquierda, con distintos niveles de radicalidad e importantes diferencias entre sí, ligadas también al conjunto de elementos que integraban la situación política peculiar de cada escenario...

In the last two decades, there has been an extraordinary growth in incarceration rates in South America, with some variations across national contexts but generally in line with the same trend. Twenty years ago, incarceration rates were relatively low in most countries in the region; despite that knowledge, it has proved difficult to reconstruct the official data for that period. In 1992, with the exclusion of the small countries with less than one million inhabitants in the Northern region of South America such as Guyana, French Guyana and Surinam, only three countries had 100 prisoners or more per 100,000 inhabitants: Uruguay (100), Venezuela (133) and Chile (154) (see Figure 1). Several other national contexts reflected ‘Scandinavian’ rates, such as Argentina (62), Peru (69), Ecuador (75) and Brazil (74). Download the PDF file to continue with this introduction to the articles in the dossier within this issue of the journal.

This paper analysed the connection between the emergence and consolidation of a postneoliberal political program and alliance – Kirchnerism – and penal policies in Argentina. Three key moments are identified in this recent period. After the experience of an intense punitive turn during the 1990s and early 2000s, Kirchnerist political alliances tried to deploy a progressive political discourse and agenda on penal issues. Nevertheless, this initially coincided with a strong wave of penal populism ‘from below’ that continued the precedent trend towards increasing punitiviness. Since 2005, and for a brief moment, this tendency stopped. However, after that and during the presidencies of Fernandez de Kirchner a more volatile and contradictory scenario was generated. The incarceration rate between 2002 and 2014 in Argentina grew substantially as did the rate of convictions. Meanwhile the percentage of suspended sentences as part of the total convictions and the percentage of custodial sanctions both fell. Especially in relation to incarceration, these levels of change are not as stark as those of the preceding decades. However, the trends persist. Therefore, the question of how to transcend the dynamics of the punitive turn remains a pending and urgent political subject. The article argues the importance of analysing why a punitive turn is interrupted and presents an explanation of it.

Knowledge is a commodity and knowledge production does not occur in a geo-political vacuum. With respect to this, it has to be argued that neo-imperialism involves economic and knowledge flows across continuous space, which is transnational and distinct from the old forms of colonialism which were based on country-to-country occupation. In the context of contemporary geo-politics, these conditions render territorial terrain as less important than discursive terrain (Lo 2011). So, how is global knowledge in the social sciences (and more specifically in criminology) produced and shared? Where does this production take place? Who are the producers? Whose experiences and whose voices are reflected in dominant academic discourses? How is knowledge disseminated and who gets access to it? These are some of the questions that the project of southern criminology seeks to tackle. To access the full text of the introductory article to this special issue on southern criminology, download the accompanying PDF file.

In this paper, I will analyze the metamorphosis of penal policy during the process of democratization of the last three decades in Argentina. The beginning of the transition was characterized by an elitist, formalist, and expert-driven mode of penal policy-making that produced several initiatives towards penal moderation. In this context, a certain contraction of punitiveness was produced. This pattern changed in the 1990s. In the context of the extreme neoliberal reforms, some initiatives had emerged oriented towards the increase of penal severity and extension, in an ambivalent landscape. But in the second half of this decade, penal populism emerged “from above” as a reaction of the elites that changed radically the mode of penal policy-making and fueled a great growth of punitiveness. After the crisis of 2001, there was a new wave of penal populism “from below” supported by strong social mobilizations around the figure of the victim. This radical mutation of the mode and orientation of penal policy-making generated an image of an epochal change that seemed to set up a new relationship between penalty and democracy. However, in the mid-2000s some symptoms of blockage of penal populism started to appear, creating tensions and contradictions still present today.

Desde el año 2008, el Programa Delito y Sociedad de la Universidad Nacional del Litoral lleva adelante una Encuesta sobre Delito, Sensación de Inseguridad y Sistema Penal a una muestra representativa de ciudadanos mayores de 15 años que residen en la ciudad de Santa Fe, Argentina. Entre otras problemáticas sociales, esta Encuesta indaga sobre los contactos de las/los ciudadanas/os con la institución policial y las actitudes públicas con respecto a la policía. El presente artículo describe una serie de observaciones empíricas surgidas de las diferentes ondas de la Encuesta, a lo largo del período 2008 a 2019. En primer lugar, detalla los distintos tipos de experiencias de contacto, diferenciando si han sido iniciados por la policía (involuntarios) o por las/los ciudadanas/os (voluntarios). En segundo lugar, expone las valoraciones generales y específicas que las/los ciudadanas/os producen a partir de dichas experiencias. Finalmente, analiza el vínculo entre ambos temas, esto es, si los distintos tipos de contacto impactan o no en las valoraciones específicas y generales que la ciudadanía construye con respecto a la policía. Sobre estos dos objetos —y su relación—, se explora simultáneamente su evolución a lo largo del tiempo como sus particularidades en torno las variables género, edad, nivel educativo y haber atravesado o no una experiencia de victimización.