Rosemary Barberet
Professor of Sociology, John Jay College of Criminal Justice
Key Findings
- During Spain’s transition to democracy in the 1970s and early 1980s, crime and criminological research were not priorities. Rather, the development of a criminal justice system that offered protection and the humane treatment of the incarcerated was the focus.
- Spanish criminology is largely student-centered however no university department of criminology exists in the country.
- Since 1985, criminological research in Spain became more plentiful, empirical and rigorous, however, for it to flourish, it needed to become institutionalized.
- In order for criminology to advance in Spain, funds must be made available to create dedicated research centers, encourage young scholars and ensure politicians embrace an evidence-based approach to criminal justice policymaking.
Description
In the article, “Spain,” Barbaret examines crime and justice in Spain, beginning in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, and continuing to the mid-1980s. As the country enjoyed relatively low crime rates, Spain focused on the protection of rights and the humane treatment of its citizens involved in the efforts to transition Spain to a democracy. As Spain moves out of isolation and takes its place in Europe and the world, crime, criminal justice and criminological research have become increasingly politicized.