Abstract
Shame and shaming are highly important aspects of the study of crime, crime sciences and criminal and restorative justice. This chapter takes selected aspects into account and presents the state-of-the-art in research and practice regarding four questions: (1) How are experiences of shame, crime and criminal behaviour related? (2) What effect does shaming (sanctions) have in criminal law and regulatory systems? (3) What is reintegrative shaming in the context of crime and criminal justice and how does it impact on crime? (4) How does culture impact on the topics of shame and shaming in the context of criminal law, justice and criminal (risky) behaviour? The chapter concludes by presenting questions for reflections on crime and shame with regard to (1) individuals and groups, (2) family members, relatives and friends affected by criminal behaviour/offender behaviour and (3) professionals (such as therapists, psychologists, mediators, lawyers) working with criminals, offenders and lawbreakers in the context of crime and shame.
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Notes
- 1.
Restorative justice focuses on crime less as a violation of the law, legal processes, and punishment of the offender, but rather on the emphasis that crime harms individuals as well as the community and therefore needs to include the promotion of accountability and repair (Garland, 2001). The focus is here on the violation of the individual and the community, not as much on the state. Therefore offenders are encouraged to take responsibility and action to repair harm (Braithwaite, 1989).
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Mayer, CH. (2019). Crime and Shame: Reflections and Culture-Specific Insights. In: Mayer, CH., Vanderheiden, E. (eds) The Bright Side of Shame. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-13409-9_9
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