Criminalising Poverty: Challenges, Consequences And Pathways For Reform
- IJLLR Journal
- Mar 26
- 1 min read
Abhinav Patel, Amity University Lucknow
Dr. Roshni Shrivastava, Assistant Professor, Amity University Lucknow
ABSTRACT
The criminalisation of poverty has become a critical issue in contemporary criminal justice discourse. Across many jurisdictions, laws and enforcement practices disproportionately affect individuals from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, effectively transforming poverty into a condition subject to punishment. This research paper examines the mechanisms through which poverty becomes criminalised, the structural and institutional factors that sustain this phenomenon, and the social and legal consequences faced by marginalised communities. It also explores the barriers encountered by individuals within the justice system, including legal debt, cash bail systems, and policing strategies that target minor offences often associated with poverty. Finally, the paper evaluates potential reforms aimed at reducing the criminalisation of poverty, including policy changes, judicial reforms, and investment in social welfare programs. Through academic research and critical analysis, this paper argues that addressing poverty through punitive legal mechanisms undermines social justice and exacerbates inequality. Instead, comprehensive reforms rooted in social support, equitable legal practices, and restorative approaches are necessary to build a more just and humane legal system.
