This book is based on an in-depth conversation between Howard Burton and Julian Roberts, Professor of Criminology at the University of Oxford. Julian Roberts is an international expert on sentencing throughout the common-law world and is strongly involved in connecting scholars with practitioners as well as promoting greater public understanding of sentencing. This thought-provoking conversation covers a wide range of topics related to criminal justice, including plea bargaining, the involvement of victims in criminal sentencing procedures, victim impact statements, parole, sentencing multiple and repeat crimes, community-based sentencing, alternate dispute resolution, rehabilitation, and more.

This carefully-edited book includes an introduction, Copping a Plea, and questions for discussion at the end of each chapter:

1. Sentencing and Deterrence - Considerable ambiguity


2. Plea Bargaining - Reasonable or worrying?


3. Involving the Victim - An additional perspective


4. Punishment - Parole, prisons and philosophy


5. Comparing and Contrasting - Best and worst practices


6. Towards the Future - Progress?

About Ideas Roadshow Conversations Series (100 books):

Presented in an accessible, conversational format, Ideas Roadshow books not only explore frontline academic research featuring world-leading researchers, including 3 Nobel Laureates, but also reveal the inspirations and personal journeys behind the research. Howard Burton holds a PhD in physics and an MA in philosophy, and was the Founding Director of Canada’s Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics.