ABSTRACT
The driving force behind the growing range of sanctions has been a concern for the ‘individualisation’ of justice. Such are the conflicts and contradictions within the aims of even a single justice system that it is not surprising to find considerable disparities in outcome. This chapter presents three major problems when examining the distribution of justice in different places: differences in criminal justice systems; problems of defining the legitimacy of disparities in justice; and problem of deciding who dispenses justice. Two important questions are raised by these rather tentative reflections on the distribution of justice. The first concerns the need for a community perspective. The second question concerns the terms of reference for a community perspective. The evidence implicating community factors in decision-making within the criminal justice system is patchy and diffuse. The relationship between attitudes and the characteristics of the communities served is strong.
