The Penal System: An Introduction - Softcover

Cavadino, Mick; Dignan, James; Mair, George

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1446207250 ISBN 13: 9781446207253

Publisher: SAGE Publications Ltd, 2013

Synopsis

Now in its fifth edition, The Penal System: An Introduction remains the most complete, accessible and authoritative resource for your studies in Criminal Justice and Criminology. Fully revised and updated to account for recent changes in the Criminal Justice System, the new edition includes:

• Expanded material on restorative justice
• An expanded section on gender and the Criminal Justice System
• Greater coverage of comparative issues, focussing especially on Scotland
• An annually updated companion website, keeping you up-to-date with relevant legislation and crucial developments
• An accessible writing style balanced against a critical and scholarly approach
• A glossary of key terms that you′ll encounter throughout your studies
• Continued critical coverage of the deepening penal crisis, including sections on the managerial crisis and the crisis of accountability 

The Penal System consolidates and builds on the successful formula of the fourth edition, bringing the text in line with the key issues facing the Criminal Justice System today. It will prove essential reading across all undergraduate levels for modules on Criminal Justice and Prisons/Punishment.

About this title

About the Author:

Michael Cavadino, who is Emeritus Professor of Law at the University of Central Lancashire, is an internationally known author and researcher in the fields of penology (the study of punishment) and mental health law. He is co-author of the leading textbook on the penal system of England and Wales (M Cavadino, J Dignan and G Mair, The Penal System: An Introduction, 5th ed., Sage Publications 2013). His other works include Mental Health Law in Context: Doctors′ Orders? (Dartmouth, 1989) and M Cavadino and J Dignan, Penal Systems: A Comparative Approach (Sage Publications, 2006).

George Mair is Professor of Criminal Justice and Head of the Department of Social Science at Liverpool Hope.  Previously (1995-2012), he was Professor of Criminal Justice in the School of Law at Liverpool John Moores University; and prior to that (1979-1995) he was a member of the Home Office Research and Planning Unit, latterly as Principal Research Officer leading a team carrying out research and policy-advice on community penalties.  He has been a member of the Merseyside Probation Board (2001-2007), and a member of the Liverpool Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (1999-2006).

Review:

From its original publication onwards, The Penal System has proved itself a sure and authoritative guide to the post-war history and character of the penal system of England and Wales. Unrivalled as a textbook on the subject, its authors, now strengthened by the addition of George Mair, combine the analysis of trends with a clear sense of narrative and an eye for the telling detail. It is a masterly achievement, invaluable for students and teachers alike.
David Downes
Professor Emeritus of Social Policy, The Mannheim Centre for Criminology and Criminal Justice, London School of Economics

I have read successive editions of The Penal System since I was an undergraduate. It has been an indispensible companion on my journey through the criminal justice system. Today it continues to be a vital resource for critically examining and understanding the use of punishment in England and Wales.
Dr. Jamie Bennett
Research Associate, Centre for Criminology, University of Oxford

The Penal System, written by three heavyweights of penological study, is an excellent introductory text for anyone interested in this area. It is intelligently written and explains complex issues in an accessible and engaging way. I will definitely be recommending this to my Penology Students.
Dr. Karen Harrison
Senior Lecturer in Law, University of Hull

While there is clearly a great deal of researched and developed expertisecontained in this book, it lacks experiential insights into the penal system whichmeans that some of the theories explored are untested. The book is, however, a positive contribution to undergraduate studies in terms of understanding the criminal justice system at a macro level; and it may represent a valuable resource to other authors and researchers. While I have outlined some of my reservations above I would, nonetheless recommend it as prerequisite reading for those wishing to further their theoretical understanding of the penal system. -- Gary Monaghan, Prison Governor, HMP Wormwood Scrubs

About this edition

• Publisher: SAGE Publications Ltd
• Publication date: 2013
• ISBN 10: 1446207250
• ISBN 13: 9781446207253
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 5
• Number of pages: 400