Shame and criminal justice

This essay summarizes and reflects upon the theory of reintegrative shaming . Through concrete examples it shows how certain societies communicate disa pproval of wrongdoing with respect. Yet in all societies we find cc mix of reintegrative and stigmatizing forms of shaming. Hence in all societies it is argued that the structure of shame is important to explaining the patter n of crime. Normative and explanatory theories of crime are integrated in a way that conceives of restorative justice as an implication. The meta mess age of the essay Is that integration of theories can bear fruit prescriptiv ely and descriptively.