Cheap and Efficient Justice? Neoliberal Discourse and Criminal Infringement Notices

Methven, E

Cheap and Efficient Justice? Neoliberal Discourse and Criminal Infringement Notices

Methven, E

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Publisher:: University of Western Australia
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: University of Western Australia Law Review, 2019, 45 (2), pp. 65 - 98
Issue Date:: 2019-07-12

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Methven, E https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3428-3905	en_US
dc.date.issued	2019-07-12	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	University of Western Australia Law Review, 2019, 45 (2), pp. 65 - 98	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/135273
dc.description.abstract	Criminal infringement notices (CINs) are now a familiar component of the criminal justice system, especially in the policing of public order and minor offences. Successive Australian state and territory governments have implemented CIN schemes with the objective of reducing administrative demands and trial backlogs, cutting down on paperwork, freeing up police time, saving costs and keeping police ‘on the beat’. This article examines how CINs have been rationalised on the basis of neoliberal economic values, which have overshadowed ordinary criminal justice concerns of morality and responsibility. It focuses on the introduction of criminal code infringement notices in Western Australia for two offences: disorderly behaviour, and steal anything up to the value of $500. The author argues that there is a need to recognise—and to resist—the encroachment of neoliberal economisation discourses into the realm of criminal law.	en_US
dc.publisher	University of Western Australia	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	University of Western Australia Law Review	en_US
dc.title	Cheap and Efficient Justice? Neoliberal Discourse and Criminal Infringement Notices	en_US
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	2	en_US
utslib.citation.volume	45	en_US
utslib.location.activity	Australia	en_US
utslib.for	1801 Law	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Law
utslib.copyright.status	open_access
pubs.consider-herdc	true	en_US
pubs.issue	2	en_US
pubs.publication-status	Published	en_US
pubs.volume	45	en_US

Abstract:

Criminal infringement notices (CINs) are now a familiar component of the criminal justice system, especially in the policing of public order and minor offences. Successive Australian state and territory governments have implemented CIN schemes with the objective of reducing administrative demands and trial backlogs, cutting down on paperwork, freeing up police time, saving costs and keeping police ‘on the beat’. This article examines how CINs have been rationalised on the basis of neoliberal economic values, which have overshadowed ordinary criminal justice concerns of morality and responsibility. It focuses on the introduction of criminal code infringement notices in Western Australia for two offences: disorderly behaviour, and steal anything up to the value of $500. The author argues that there is a need to recognise—and to resist—the encroachment of neoliberal economisation discourses into the realm of criminal law.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/135273