Penal Populism and Public Opinion

by Julian V. Roberts; Loretta J. Stalans; David Indermaur; Mike Hough

• ISBN13: 9780195302394
• ISBN10: 0195302397
• Format: Nonspecific Binding
• Copyright: 2002-12-05
• Publisher: Oxford University Press Academic US

Summary

Although criminal justice systems vary greatly around the world, one theme has emerged in all western jurisdictions in recent years: a rise in both the rhetoric and practice of severe punishment at a time when public opinion has played a pivotal role in sentencing policy and reforms. Despitethe differences among jurisdictions, startling commonalities exist among the five countries-the U.K., USA, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand--surveyed here. Drawing on the results of representative opinion surveys and other research tools the authors map public attitudes towards crime andpunishment across countries and explore the congruence between public views and actual policies. Co-authored by four distinguished sentencing policy experts, Penal Populism and Public Opinion is a clarion call for limiting the influence of penal populism and instituting more informed, research-based sentencing policies across the western world.

Table of Contents

Foreword	p. v
Preface	p. vii
Penal Populism and Public Opinion	p. 2
Penal Populism in Context	p. 3
Public Opinion about Crime and Punishment	p. 21
Recent Penal Policy Developments	p. 35
Explaining the Rise of Punitive Penal Policies	p. 61
The Influence of the Media	p. 76
Public Judgment in Real Criminal Cases	p. 93
Juvenile Crime and Juvenile Justice	p. 107
Sex Offenders and Sexual Predators	p. 129
The War on Drugs	p. 143
Responding to Penal Populism	p. 160
Notes	p. 187
References	p. 203
Index	p. 226
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