Punishment: A Critical Introduction

by Thom Brooks

Punishment is a topic of increasing importance for citizens and policymakers. Why should we punish criminals? Which theory of punishment is most compelling? Is the death penalty ever justified? These questions and many more are examined in this highly engaging and accessible guide.

Punishment is a critical introduction to the philosophy of punishment, offering a new and refreshing approach that will benefit readers of all backgrounds and interests. The first comprehensive critical guide to examine all leading contemporary theories of punishments, this book explores - among others - retribution, the communicative theory of punishment, restorative justice and the unified theory of punishment. Thom Brooks applies these theories to several case studies in detail, including capital punishment, juvenile offending and domestic violence. Punishment highlights the problems and prospects of different approaches in order to argue for a more pluralistic and compelling perspective that is novel and ground-breaking.

This second edition has extensive revisions and updates to all chapters, including an all-new chapter on the unified theory substantively redrafted and new chapters on cyber-crimes and social media as well as corporate crimes. Punishment is essential reading for undergraduate and graduate students in philosophy, criminal justice, criminology, justice studies, law, political science and sociology.

Genres: Law

316 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 14, 2008

Reviews

[Kaleb · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just finished this book in my Punishment class. The first half is an overview of all the major theories of punishment; retributivism, deterrence, rehabilitation, restorative justice, and finally, the author's favorite, the unified theory of punishment. The second half is about how these different theories of punishment understand contemporary issues for punishment (death penalty, domestic violence etc).

Overall, great book to better understand punishment and its justification.

[Ietrio · Rating 1 out of 5]

Critical here is used in the Marxist sense of ”talking vaguely about some issue”. Inside, there are some very uncritical thoughts, a rehash of old superstitions. Even the cover is so stereotype and flat.

[Horatio · Rating 4 out of 5]

An accessible, engaging and successful précis of key theories of punishment. I reviewed this for the LSE Review of Books here http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/lsereviewofboo...

[Michelle C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

He repeats himself on a number of occasions, but I think it's only because he wants it to be clear on what it is he is saying. He outlines all major theories of punishment and argues that a unified theory of punishment is the best.