Austerity, institutional violence and the criminology of peace

The recent economic crisis sparked across the Western world a series of austerity measures in an attempt to “balance the books”. The rationale for these measures was presented as a necessary evil, whilst a number of human rights organisations have argued that these measures are doing a great level of social harm. At this stage Criminology, as a discipline, has not engaged deeply with these matters, potentially viewing them as outside of its traditional socio-legal framework of understanding. This research will be exploring the way austerity policies have influenced social institutions leading them to become institutions of oppression. The consideration here is to review the way social policies influence the lives of those who live in, or under, the poverty line. The question we pose is not whether austerity is an act of violence. Instead the focus is on whether the institutions influenced by the cuts become the vehicles that impose a socially aggressive agenda. Moreover, it will be suggested that such an agenda has a particular focus on those traditionally associated with welfare benefits. In essence, has welfare become unsustainable and toxic