| Between 1870 and 1910, the Mexican government of Porfirio Diaz arguably relied on the ideas of Aguste Comte to create economic and social policies. However, it is hard to find evidence that Comte's sociology produced a real effect on Mexican social policy. This is especially true with respect to criminal law, criminal justice and the administration of justice. While both Canada and the USA were influenced by Enlightenment ideals and moved in new directions to create more rationalized systems of justice--Mexico failed to 'modernize' its system of law and its institutions. This paper looks at this critical time period and asks 3 general questions: (1) How did Canada and the United States come to accept the 'rehabilitative philosophy' encompassed by the Cinncinati Convention and Mexico did not? (b) How did Canada and the United States come to develop separate institutions for juvenile justice and Mexico did not? (c) Given the law and order crisis in modern Mexico, can the Mexican justice system deal with crime without the philosophical underpinnings that are clearly present in Canada and the USA? |
Updated 05/20/2006