Au théâtre pénal. Quelques hypothèses pour une lecture sociologique du « crime »

Abstract

This paper is an attempt to formulate some hypotheses of sociological nature on « crime », which could start a debate to which not only sociologists but also scholars in other social sciences might contribute. As a preliminary, the author reminds us of the obstacles which, from the very birth of the social sciences, are threatening every attempt of a sociological understanding of crime. Then he delineates the three penal logics currently coexisting (1) individual complaints ; (2) byproducts of the police enforced social order ; (3) finally, byproducts of administrative or private organisations' control procedures. The hypotheses are then presented : in the background of these three penal logics, three organising dimensions can be perceived : — the private or public appropriation of space — the contrast between two types of crime management : the first one based on private property, the second one on state power. — the requirements of the specific logic at work in the penal field.