ABSTRACT
Society may respond to transgressions of the law in various ways. These usually entail some form of punishment being inflicted on an offender, the nature of which alters over historical time periods. This chapter examines the concepts of punishment and sentencing.
Specifically, the chapter:
discusses the concept of punishment;
examines diverse views concerning the purpose of punishment;
analyses the strengths and weaknesses of restorative justice as a response to crime;
considers sociological approaches to the study of punishment;
evaluates why the nature of punishment changes over time;
discusses post-war sentencing trends in England and Wales.
