Denetimli Serbestlik Rejiminin Sosyolojik Anatomisi: Mübeccel Kıray’ın “Tampon Mekanizma” Kavramı Üzerinden Bir Okuma

This article examines the probation system implemented in Turkey since 2005 not merely as a technical penal enforcement model, but as a "buffer mechanism" that manages the tensions between the individual and society, social control and social support, and criminal justice and social order. The study centers on Mübeccel Belik Kıray’s concept of the “buffer mechanism” as a sociological framework and analyzes the institutional functions of the probation system through this conceptual lens.The article begins with a sociological account of deviance, crime, and social control, followed by a discussion on the historical evolution of the concept of punishment and penal philosophy, situating the development of modern penal systems within broader structural transformations. It then examines the emergence and institutionalization of the probation system in Turkey. Subsequently, Kıray’s theory of social change and particularly her concept of the buffer mechanism are elaborated in depth. In the final section, the probation system is discussed in relation to this theoretical framework, highlighting its sociological implications.The article discusses the probation system in terms of its three fundamental functions: serving as a “transitional mechanism between the criminal justice system and society,” establishing an “institutional balance between social control and social support,” and “mitigating the tension between crime and social order.” Through this framework, it argues that the probation system functions not only as a legal instrument but also as an intermediary institution that contributes to the production of social stability.