Sentencing and Society

’Sentencing is at the heart of criminal justice, and sentencing reforms have been at the core of the major changes that we have witnessed in one jurisdiction after another over the last thirty years. This excellent, international collection - focused not just on sentencing law and practice but upon the social and political dynamics that drive this crucial institution - will be essential reading for anyone concerned with punishment and its place in modern societies.’ David Garland, New York University, USA ’For an accused person in the criminal process, for a victim, and for the public, the sentence imposed on the offender is typically the main concern of the criminal process. Increasingly, for politicians, it is the same: legislators in many jurisdictions have taken an interest in sentencing. This book is a must read for anyone seriously interested in sentencing. No longer can any of us look only at our own laws and our own political processes to understand sentencing. In the 28 chapters of this book, written by people from almost a dozen different countries, one sees, repeatedly that - for better or worse - globalization has made its way into the sentencing process. Sentencing systems in different countries are varied and sentencing itself, and the control of sentencing, are changing in many countries. This book, however, reminds us how similar the issues and the influences are across widely different countries. Nobody with a serious interest in sentencing can afford to ignore this book.’ Professor Anthony N. Doob, Centre for Criminology, University of Toronto, Canada ’...an interesting backlash against inflexible policies of sentencing.’ The Law and Politics Book Review ’...a rich resource of talent and ideas for anyone seeking a comparative and interdisciplinary understanding of the nature and ramifications of one of the central and most complex features of the criminal trial process.’ Adelaide Law Review 'This is an inform