How to Have One of the Smallest Prison Populations in the World and the Threats to This: The Case of Tuvalu

Abstract

This thesis explains the low imprisonment rates in contemporary Tuvaluan society. It argues that the low prison numbers are attributed to the use of the Traditional Justice System for solving disputes, which has been practised long before the colonial period. Since the adoption of new governance, the traditional way of dealing with crime has been undermined and influenced by the global firestorm of law and order around the world. The extent of external forces that also place Tuvalu under threat of a cultural revolution explains the shift in traditional concepts and perceptions. Reflecting on other developing societies and the Nordic region societies, which have shown low imprisonment rates, egalitarian and homogenous social arrangements seem crucial factors in developing this low rate of imprisonment. However, Tuvalu’s governance and systems continue to develop socially, economically and politically, and there is a strong assumption that these developments will undermine traditional values of its culture and beliefs. The thesis explores the ways in which the Tuvaluan society now responds to lawbreakers and troublemakers in the light of these developments.