Visions of Social Control: Crime, Punishment and Classification (Paperback)

by Stanley Cohen (Author) "There have been two transformations - one transparent, the other opaque, one real, the other eventually illusory - in the master patterns and strategies for..." (more)
Key Phrases: destructuring ideologies, adversarial nihilism, destructuring movements, Nineteen Eighty-Four, Third World (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"A major achievement ... in range and in analysis it is quite the best thing to have appeared in the area for many years."

Sociological Review

"A model worthy of emulation and a challenge to all, regardless of theoretical, methodological or ideological persuasion."

American Journal of Sociology

"A rich, provocative, and at times brilliant analysis of social control, punishment and classification. Cohen's use of historical, theoretical and empirical description, his unique vision and objective argumentation, and his compassion and involvement with the issues make this an essential text for anyone interested in social control... Cohen has permanently broadened and illuminated the discourse in this field."

Law and Society Review

Product Description
Visions of Social Control is a wide ranging analysis of recent shifts in ideas and practices for dealing with crime and delinquency.
In Great Britain, North America and Western Europe, the 1960's saw new theories and styles of social control which seemed to undermine the whole basis of the established system. Such slogans as 'decarceration' and 'division' radically changed the dominance of the prison, the power of professionals and the crime-control system itself.

Stanley Cohen traces the historical roots of these apparent changes and reforms, demonstrates in detail their often paradoxical results and speculates on the whole future of social control in Western societies. He has produced an entirely original synthesis of the original literature as well as an introductory guide to the major theoreticians of social control, such as David Rothman and Michael Foucault. This is not just a book for the specialist in criminology, social problems and the sociology of deviance but raises a whole range of issues of much wider interest to the social sciences. A concluding chapter on the practical and policy implications of the analysis is of special relevance to social workers and other practitioners.

This is an indispensable book for anyone who wants to make sense of the bewildering recent shifts in ideology and policy towards crime - and to understand the broader sociological implications of the study of social control.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Polity (January 15, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0745600212
• ISBN-13: 978-0745600215
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #952,189 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent and Inspiring, November 9, 2002

By	Hadar Aviram (Albany, California United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Visions of Social Control (Hardcover)

Stanley Cohen's Visions of Social Control is a unique book in criminological theory. It looks at imprisonment and its alternatives through a macro-historical perspective, comparing models and approaches all over the map, from Rothman to Foucault and Ignatieff. It's written in a fascinating way, and gives examples and illustrations that are sharp and to the point. Scholars and teachers of criminal justice, and sociology of law, will find the firs chapter - The Master Patterns - and the fifth chapter - The Professionals - expecially useful and interesting.

0 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars visions...warns us of the dangers of soft on crime solutions, December 22, 1996

By A Customer

as we all know, now is the key time in determining the future of our criminal justice policy. any new soft on crime approaches in the juvenile justice system such as legalizing runaways, parent "training" or even something benevolent as expanding gun tracing would definately cause a totalitarian society in the US to result. It would probably take just a few months. Nuclear war would follow immediately, killing all life on the planet

0 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A warning of the future that will be coming, January 27, 1997

By A Customer

The orwellian future is something that we see it today is something that can be Abated, however the nationalizing of The 17 cities program. A technichal data base which will not only resualt in the totlaitarian state, but the end of all human exisistence through a bloody INdo-Pak Nuclear war. This war will encompass all of asia and cause a direct russian Russian nato expansion as predicted by Daniel Silver, Justin Oberman, Lucas Cioffi and David Glass of Edgemont Debate