Punishment is a complex human institution. It has normative, political, social, psychological, and legal dimensions, and ways of thinking about each of them change over time. For this reader on punishment, Michael Tonry, a leading authority in the field, has composed a comprehensive collection of 28 essays ranging from classic and contemporary writings on normative theories by philosophers and penal theorists to writings on restorative justice, on how people think about punishment, and on social theories about the functions punishment performs in human societies. This volume includes an accessible, non-technical introduction on the development of punishment theory, as well as an introduction and annotated bibliography for each section. The readings cover foundational traditions of punishment theory such as consequentialism, retributivism, and functionalism, new approaches like restorative, communitarian, and therapeutic justice, as well as mixed approaches that attempt to link theory and policy. It follows the evolution and development of thinking about punishment spanning from writings by classical theorists such as Kant and Hegel to recent developments in the behavioral and medical sciences for thinking about punishment. The result is a collection of empirically-informed efforts to explain what punishment does that should spark contemplation and debate about why and how punishment is carried out.

About the Author
Michael Tonry is Sonsky Professor of Law and Public Policy at the University of Minnesota Law School, and Senior Fellow at the Netherlands Institute for the Study of Crime and Law Enforcement at Free University Amsterdam.

Reviews
Law students, especially, will value this historically informed, multi-disciplinary, and yet cutting-edge anthology on two of the perennial though most problematic questions of criminal law. * John Kleinig, Director of the Institute for Criminal Justice Ethics and Professor of Philosophy, John Jay College of Criminal Justice *
Why Punish? How Much? is a brilliantly organized and highly focused collection on punishment purposes, compiled at a time when the discussion of purposes at all levels is sometimes incoherent and often incomplete. I recommend this volume to lawyers, judges and students of criminal law and criminology alike. * Marc L. Miller, Professor of Law, University of Arizona College of Law *
This is a wonderful selection of historical and contemporary readings that together address all the main themes of punishment theory. The editor's clear and insightful introductions situate the texts and allow readers to make sense of the debates. It will make an ideal textbook for any course on punishment theory. * Matt Matravers, Director of the School of Politics, Economics, & Philosophy, University of York *



Book Information
ISBN 9780195328868
Author Michael Tonry
Format Paperback
Page Count 456
Imprint Oxford University Press Inc
Publisher Oxford University Press Inc
Weight(grams) 1g
Dimensions(mm) 178mm * 249mm * 31mm