ABSTRACT
To some extent, this is a hybrid chapter including a number of different features loosely connected under a heading of ‘Social pathology, thehe courts and the penal system’. In the first part, I want to look at what Barbara Wootton defined as social pathology, which includes the so-called Bowlby thesis, problem families and ‘Twelve criminological hypotheses’. Then I want to look at the courts. Barbara Wootton was a magistrate for many years and throughout retained an interest in the courts and court procedures. This is followed by discussions on sentencing, the tariff and juvenile justice. She sat for many years in the juvenile courts and held interesting views on the way the juvenile justice system should develop. Then there is a discussion on Barbara Wootton’s views on the penal system, ending with her contributions to some of the House of Lords debates concentrating mainly on the Second Reading of the Murder (Abolition of the Death Penalty) Bill.
