Remorse

Remorse is a powerful, important and yet academically neglected emotion. This book, one of the very few extended examinations of remorse, draws on psychology, law and philosophy to present a unique interdisciplinary study of this intriguing emotion. The psychological chapters examine the fundamental nature of remorse, its interpersonal effects, and its relationship with regret, guilt and shame. A practical focus is also provided in an examination of the place of remorse in psychotherapeutic interventions with criminal offenders. The book's jurisprudential chapters explore the problem of how offender remorse is proved in court and the contentious issues concerning the effect that remorse - and its absence - should have on sentencing criminal offenders. The legal and psychological perspectives are then interwoven in a discussion of the role of remorse in restorative justice. In Remorse: Psychological and Jurisprudential Perspectives, Proeve and Tudor bring together insights of neighbouring disciplines to advance our understanding of remorse. It will be of interest to theoreticians in psychology, law and philosophy, and will be of benefit to practising psychologists and lawyers.

Dr Michael Proeve, formerly of University of South Australia. His research interests include forensic psychology and the psychological treatment of offenders. Dr Proeve has extensive experience in clinical psychological practice, particularly in the forensic and correctional contexts. He was formerly the Director of the Sex Offender Treatment and Assessment Program, Adelaide, South Australia. He is a member of the Australian Psychological Society. Dr Steven Tudor is a Lecturer in the School of Law, La Trobe University, Australia. His research interests include jurisprudence, criminal procedure and criminal justice. Prior to becoming a full-time academic, Dr Tudor worked in policy advice for the Victorian Department of Justice, practised at the Victorian Bar and served as a judge's associate in the Supreme Court of Victoria and the Federal Court of Australia.