Willan - Punishment and Politics: English Crime Control Policy

Explore the complex landscape of criminal justice reform in England and Wales with Punishment and Politics. This work examines the significant changes introduced by the Labour government, which has initiated a massive restructuring of the legal system through various new pieces of legislation. As criminal justice issues remain a central part of political debate, this text looks closely at the foundation of these reforms. It questions the certainty and validity of the evidence used to drive policy changes. Despite massive investments of tens of millions of pounds into research aimed at creating evidence-based policy, the actual impact and application of this data remain highly controversial. This book provides a deep look into how policy is shaped and the tensions between political discourse and scientific research. It is an essential read for those interested in the legal, social, and political mechanisms that govern crime control and how research is utilized in the making of national policy.