Emotions, Crime and Justice

...the book is a must read. It presents a series of state of the art chapters on various subjects that are critical in criminology. The chapters are deeply rooted in the patrimony of criminological literature; many of them offer an excellent balance of theoretical reflection and empirical work; the empirical methodology ranges from insightful qualitative observation, even introspective reflection, to clever quantitative measuring and sophisticated statistics; all chapters witness a critical concern for the instrumental, social, political and moral implications. In short, the book is an example of what I have called 'criminology as I see it ideally' (Walgrave, 2008b). ... if I were still active as a teaching professor, I would urge my students to read this book. They can learn about the broad field of criminology, they can also see how methodological seriousness is the indispensible ground for good scientific work if it is completed by wise and good reflection, and they can experience how important criminology is as a social science for the better understanding of social life and for reflecting on how to improve it. -- Lode Walgrave * Criminology and Criminal Justice, 13(1) *
Emotions, Crime and Justice is a major step toward a more theoretically and practically nuanced conversation. As this book reveals in a series of original essays of great range, depth and sophistication, criminology has much to gain by investigating the emotions underlying crime and punishment. The collection spans a range of theoretical, ethnographic and experimental approaches, a range of criminal justice institutions and roles, and a range of cultures…Perhaps its greatest strength lies in the range of emotional experience it reveals and explores, including the emotions that accompany violence and that animate attitudes toward crime, the emotional experience of obeying or resisting the law, the implicit rules governing the display or feeling of emotions by employees of police departments or prisons, the emotional roots of collective violence and collective reconciliation, and the moral sentiments and public emotions animating democratic discourse on crime and punishment. These are questions that ought to keep scholars occupied for quite some time. For a rich and provocative introduction to the field, read this book. -- Susan A. Bandes * Criminal Law and Criminal Justice Books *
..the authors provide useful insights into the role of emotions in the criminal justice system-a topic that has received limited attention. ...the essays are generally organized in a coherent way. Each piece adds something new to the volume and provides the reader with an understanding of the role that emotions play in various contexts in the criminal justice system. In setting out to provide answers to the various questions posed at the volume's outset, the authors provoke the reader to consider the often overlooked role that emotions have to play in the criminal justice system. This is an important and worthwhile accomplishment. -- Jeffrey Crawford * Saskatchewan Law Review, Volume 72, 2012 *