"A Criminological and Humanistic Approach to the Enforcement of Sentences: Perspectives on Offender Social Reintegration”

Abstract

Following the 2008 judicial reform of the Mexican criminal justice system, social reintegration has become one of the most relevant issues, emerging as one of its main challenges. Therefore, the objective of this research is to analyze the nature of the National Law on Criminal Enforcement, which constitutes the State’s paramount guideline for reintegrating offenders, as well as to identify the extent to which criminology contributes to achieving such purpose. This is carried out through the review of the explanatory memorandum presented by the legislator in the creation of said law, as well as from a normative, interdisciplinary, and critical perspective. The study concludes that the collaboration of different disciplines—particularly criminology in conjunction with criminal policy—is imperative for the Mexican criminal justice system to fulfill its ultimate objective: social reintegration.