• Provides the firm foundation of knowledge of sentencing law, penal policy and penal justifications that students need to fully grasp the subject.
• Fully reviews the practice of punishment in general and refers to human rights issues where appropriate, thus ensuring that students are fully aware of the significance of key UK and European legislation.
• Covers the key themes and topics studied on sentencing and punishment courses at undergraduate and postgraduate level, using case studies and discussion questions to stimulate students and encourage them to reinforce their knowledge by relating theory to practice.
• Accompanied by an online resource centre which provides students with updates, links to key sites and documents and guidance in answering the problem questions, thus enabling them to easliy keep pace with developments and conduct self-assessment.

New to this edition

• More material covering the impact of imprisonment in relation to particular groups of prisoners.
• Restructured material in chapters 2 and 3 provides clearer discussion of retributivist justifications and the 'normal' sentencing framework.
• More detailed discussion of the impact and interpretation of the 'dangerousness' provisions of the Criminal Justice Act 2003.
• An increased level of international comparison, to encourage critical evaluation.

Readership: This book is suitable for undergraduates and postgraduates studying modules on sentencing and punishment.

Susan Easton, Reader in Law, Brunel University, and Christine Piper, Professor of Law, Brunel University

"Review from previous edition 'In England... authors have shed a bright light on the at times obscure landscape of sentencing... Susan Easton and Christine Piper... follow this tradition with their comprehensive and impressive work, Sentencing and Punishment: The Quest for Justice' Criminal Law Forum, December 2007"

""This excellent new book is a particularly refreshing new edition to texts in this area and criminal justice generally...The integration of theory with practice successfully, and justifiably, complicated the issues but does so in a way that is always accessible (primarily because of the clarity of language but aided by an excellent glossary of terms, chapter summaries, coherent sub-headings and helpful cross referencing." Youth Justice, August 2006"

""In addition to being an invaluable guide to those attempting to navigate the complex surface of current penal policy, the book should also stimulate fresh perspectives amongst those familiar with the topography of the current penal terrain." Howard Journal, 2006"

""(A) stimulating account of the role of sentencing law and penal policy in England and Wales." The Student Law Journal, December 2005"

""A well-written and accessible text which provides excellent value for money." The Student Law Journal, December 2005"

Sentencing Principles and Policies
1: Penologies, principles and policies
2: Just constraints
3: Just deserts: developments in retributivist sentencing
4: Utility and deterrence
5: Risk and danger
6: Making amends
7: Mitigating the sentence
8: Treating children differently
Punishing offenders
9: Justice in the modern prison
10: Equality and difference in punishment
11: Experiencing imprisonment
12: Just punishment in the community
13: Punishing young offenders
14: Future directions