Modern Histories of Crime and Punishment

Dubber (law, SUNY Buffalo School of Law) and Farmer (law, U. of Glasgow, UK) compile 12 chapters by scholars of law, sociology, history, and criminology from the US, UK, and Canada who discuss the history of criminal law. Early versions of the chapters were presented at a workshop in June 2005 at SUNY Buffalo Law School. They reflect a variety of approaches without regard to traditional domestic or systemic boundaries and explore issues in Canadian, English, German, Indian, and US criminal law, and jury verdicts in common law and civil law countries. Questions relating to postcolonial theory and modernity are addressed as well. Chapters cover the history and theory of criminal responsibility and agency, general theories of crime and punishment, and the comparative history of criminal law. The readings can be used to supplement courses and seminars on the subject. Annotation c2007 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)