Citation

Jobard F. Howard J. Crim. Just. 2009; 48(3): 235-244.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2009, Howard League for Penal Reform, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/j.1468-2311.2009.00564.x

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Riots that occurred in October and November 2005 in France, as a result of a police chase resulting in the death of two young boys from a deprived area of the Parisian outskirts, force us to shed new light on the political dimension of breakdowns labelled as ‘riots’. To achieve this aim, we examine the accuracy of the notion of ‘race riots’ often used, in England and in the United States, to characterise such violent outbursts. And, with the help of actual political data, we examine how far the riots have led to changes in the politics of France.