The discourse of criminality and punitive power:: social representations, predictiveness and cognitive economy principle

The inherent irrationality of Criminal law requires a special discursive justification. Discourses do not only reflect the reality, but they possess «their own life». They are themselves realities sui generis. As well, the growing prominent role played by criminal justice discourse in order to legitimise public legally protected interests, as example public health in illicit drug trafficking, is because of the fact that discourse also has a public nature. This public nature is made up among others by social representations. These perceptions follow the reduction of fear and the need for security. Predictability and principle of cognitive economy are mental processes that create social representations, in other words, they reduce fear and to demand security.