In this Very Short Introduction Julian V. Roberts identifies the principal objectives of the criminal justice system and the way in which it works around the world. Analysing a number of case studies about a wide variety of issues, including court processes, sentencing, and prison life, he draws upon the latest research and practice.

• Acknowledgements


• Preface


• 1: Introducing criminal justice


• 2: Between the crime and court


• 3: The case goes to court


• 4: Why punish ... and how?


• 5: The inside story of life inside


• 6: Release from prison


• 7: Hearing the victim?


• Postscript: the future of criminal justice


• Appendix A: Court of Appeal Judgment


• Further reading

Julian V. Roberts is a Professor of Criminology in the Faculty of Law, University of Oxford. He is Associate Editor of the European Journal of Criminology and the Canadian Journal of Criminology. He has been a Visiting Professor at the Haifa Law School; School of Law, Kings College; the Institute of Criminology, University of Cambridge; the Centre of Criminology, University of Toronto; the School of Criminology, Catholic University of Leuven; the Department of Criminology, Université Libre de Bruxelles; and the Department of Justice, Canada.