Endorsements

Justifying (in)justice reveals the forms of disavowal, denial and obfuscation that are vital in allowing punitive and discriminatory state practices to appear unremarkable, inevitable and just. Focusing on the state's startlingly severe response to the English 'riots' of 2011, the book explores the imaginations and narratives - about crime, criminals, the public and punishment - that served to normalise and legitimise the harsh and inequitable punishment of the 'rioters'. Drawing on unique insights from interviews with prosecutors, sentencers, defence lawyers and policymakers at the heart of the response, alongside analysis of media and political debates, Peacock shows how forms of ignorance were mobilised to justify and normalise this response, from amnesia about police racism and Britain's long history of unrest, to distorted imaginations of public opinion about justice, and widespread denial about the violence of the prison system. Taken together, these shared narratives worked to justify the state's punitive reaction to the riots, and to foreclose debate about the need for meaningful political and economic change in the wake of the unrest. Looking to recent events in Britain and beyond, Justifying (in)justice offers timely insight into the cultural processes underpinning the punitive systems that disproportionately harm marginalised and racially minoritised communities. In a context where political obfuscation about structural racism demands sustained critical attention, the book offers insight into how such ignorance is produced, managed and sustained and offers valuable analysis for those seeking to challenge and dismantle it.