The Citizen and the State

This is a timely, thought-provoking book which challenges us to re-evaluate our interpretations of justice, human rights, proportionality and the criminal justice system. Underpinned by critical thinking and rigorous scholarship throughout, this book is essential reading for anyone seeking a more nuanced understanding of the precarious balance between ‘effective’ justice policies and our civil liberties. -- Neil Chakraborti
Angus Nurse provides an incredibly lucid and unswervingly critical analysis of the criminal justice system. Picking apart the underlying conflicts, inconsistencies and contradictions between the citizen and the state that emerge through the normal working practices of criminal justice processes, this book represents an important step toward understanding the complex intersection of human rights, justice and inequality. Through a range of assiduously selected examples, Nurse illustrates the power imbalances that characterise the legal landscape of contemporary society, in contexts as varied as the suppression of dissent, creative and sexual expression, and public enquiries. In a world where access to justice for the most vulnerable in society is becoming increasingly tenuous, The Citizen and the State: Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties in Conflict is essential reading for those interested in redefining who justice is for. -- Oliver Smith
Dr Angus Nurse has written extensively on a number of social issues such as human rights, environmental crime and green criminology. Prior to becoming an academic he had a professional background as an Ombudsman and for an NGO as a wildlife investigator.  He has brought this wide knowledge and experience together in a critical manuscript that deconstructs the questions of what and who the criminal justice system is for? The work is accessible and is usefully underpinned with case examples. The conflict between civil liberties and criminal justice will deservedly appeal to a wide audience, beyond criminology and legal scholars. -- Anthony Goodman
Dr Angus Nurse has written a concise, accessible and engaging introduction to the big ideas driving the debates around the criminal justice system. It is an exploration as to what we want and should expect from our justice system and the balance between upholding the rights of its citizens and delivering effective justice on the part of the state. -- Jon Robins
A hallmark of Angus Nurse’s scholarship has been discussing complex issues (such as animal harm and wildlife crime) in clear and accessible ways. In (The Citizen and the State) Nurse tackles questions regarding the purpose and operation of criminal justice and the extent to which the balance between criminal justice and civil liberties is problematic. Nurse’s elegant prose and thoughtful cases and examples – examined through the lenses of critical criminology and human rights – shed new light on the inherent conflict between the citizen and the state in a post-9/11 world. A timely and important book! -- Avi Brisman