Why Punish Perpetrators of Mass Atrocities?

Examines the purpose of international punishment and how different theories of punishment influence the practice of the International Criminal Court.

This book is the first comprehensive volume on theories of international punishment and serves as a basis for further research and discussion. It will be of great interest to academics, practitioners and students of international criminal law and justice.This edited volume provides, for the first time, a comprehensive account of theoretical approaches to international punishment. Its main objective is to contribute to the development of a consistent and robust theory of international criminal punishment. For this purpose, the authors - renowned scholars in the fields of criminal law, international criminal law, and philosophy of law, as well as practitioners working at different international criminal courts and tribunals - address the question of meaning and purpose of punishment in international law from various perspectives. The volume fleshes out the predominant dimensions of a theory of international punishment and highlights the differences between 'ordinary' (domestic) crime and international crimes and their respective enforcement. At the same time, throughout the volume a major focus is on the practical consequences of the different theoretical approaches, in particular for the activities of the International Criminal Court.