Abolitionism. Some Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

Abstract

In the 1970's penal abolitionism seemed on its way to become one of the most important currents of critical criminology. At least, this was the situation in Germany. Thomas Mathiesen and Nils Christie, but also LoukHulsman and (to a lesser degree) Herman Bianchi established very loyal communities in Germany. Young German scholars, some of whom are today leading German criminologists (like Karl Schumann or Sebastian Scheerer) took up their ideas. And this promised a potent theoretical tool with important and radical practical implications. However, by the end of the 1980's, critical criminologists took up other issues and abolitionism is hardly mentioned any more in the criminological discourse in Germany. A double question then arises, what became of abolitionism as a movement?, and, is abolitionism still valid as a theoretical and/or strategic approach? This paper explores the results of an email survey including nine abolitionist scholars, which led to a lively exchange of views and a lively discussion. This exchange started by the end of August 2007 and petered out by the end of September of the same year. We decided to group some excerpts in the guise of seven fictitious Frequently Asked Questions: 1) What is abolitionism? 2) Does abolitionism require the abolition of all prisons? 3) Are there any practical successes abolitionism can claim? 4) What about positive alternatives? 5) What became of the abolitionist movement/movements? 6) What about academic abolitionism? 7) Is there a future for abolitionism?