Second edition with additional material by the author, and a new foreword by one of the UK's leading penal reformers. * Classic and original - one of the works that paved the way for the development of the Restorative Justice movement * Argues that the real need is for fundamental rethinking of crime and punishment, rather than short-term tinkering with a prison system that is in an intolerable state of crisis. * Demonstrates that neither the conservative idea of deterrence through punishment nor the liberal ideal of rehabilitation has worked in practice. * Proposes the basis for a radical but carefully worked out practical philosophy which would place the emphasis on the offender making amends to the victim and society for the damage caused.

Martin Wright is a former Director of the Howard League for Penal Reform, Policy Officer of Victim Support and Librarian of the Cambridge Institute of Criminology. He is a Senior Research Fellow, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, De Montfort University, Leicester.