Penology & punishment

This exciting book presents 50 key facts related to crime and criminal justice policy in Britain. Offering thought-provoking insights into the study of crime, this fascinating “go to” book reveals the myths and realities of crime in contemporary Britain.

Why have so many radical thinkers advocated for the abolition of prisons and punishment and why have their ideas been so difficult to communicate and garner widespread support? This book outlines the long and nuanced history of penal abolitionism and shows how these ideas have continued topicality.

Drawing on Ireland’s experience of transforming law, policy and practice and combining theory with real-life experiences, this compelling book demonstrates how a progressive rights-based approach to child detention can be implemented.

The year 2023 marks 50 years of mass incarceration in the United States and this timely volume addresses the ramifications of this policy on justice-impacted people and our communities. It offers practical solutions for advocates, policy and lawmakers for addressing mass incarceration and its effects to create a more just, fair and safer society.

From the trials of Oscar Pistorius to O. J. Simpson and Michael Jackson, this innovative book provides a critical review of 11 high profile criminal cases. It delivers an accessible examination of the sociological and psychological processes underpinning the construction of guilt and innocence in criminal trials, the media and wider society.

This engaging book presents the shocking truth about the lives and deaths of children in custody. Drawing on human rights legislation, it outlines the harsh realities of penal child custody. The issues are explored through the lens of protection, not punishment, and the author finds there can be only one conclusion: child prisons must close.

Offering a succinct approach to the vocabulary and terminology of historical and contemporary approaches to crime and punishment, it includes concise but robust definitions of key terms and concepts from expert contributors in a user-friendly A-Z format with clear direction to related entries and further reading.

This is the first single authored book to trace the emergence of Convict Criminology and explore its relevance beyond the USA to the UK and other parts of Europe. It presents uniquely reflexive scholarship combining personal experience with critical perspectives on contemporary penology, focussing explicitly on men.

The ultimate expression of power is the ability to act beyond the confines of law. Illuminating the condition of ‘panoramic power’, this book offers new thinking on damaging structures of power and privilege – and the political activities needed to achieve intervention and change.

Can the criminal justice system achieve justice based on its ability to determine the truth? This book investigates the concept of truth and scrutinises how well the criminal justice process facilitates truth-finding. It bridges the gap between what people expect from the justice system and what it can legitimately deliver.

Bringing together cutting-edge feminist research, this collection uses participatory, inclusive and narrative methodologies to highlight the lived experiences of women involved with the criminal justice system.

This timely and unique contribution brings together leading scholars from criminology and theology to challenge criminal justice orthodoxy. They question the dominance of retributive punishment, and consider alternatives which draw on Christian ideas of hope, mercy and restoration.