Crime, criminal justice and religion : a critical appraisal / edited by Philip Birch, Conor Murray, and Andrew McInnes.

"Crime, Criminal Justice & Religion: A Critical Appraisal seeks to bridge a gap in the examination of crime and criminal justice by taking both a historical and contemporary lens to explore the influence of religion. Offering unique perspectives that consider the impact on modern day policy and practice, the book scrutinizes a range of issues such as abortion, hate crime and desistance as well as reflecting upon the influence religion can have on criminal justice professions. The book acts to renew the importance of, and recognise, the influence and impact religion has in terms of how we view and ultimately address crime and deliver criminal justice. One of the first books to cover the area of crime, criminal justice and religion, the book is split into three parts, with part 1 - Contextualising Crime, Criminal Justice & Religion providing an introduction to crime, criminal justice & religion and reflections on the role religion has had, and continues to have, in how crime is understood and how we respond to it. Part 2 - Appraisal of Institutions & Professional Practice considers the issue of religion through institutions and professions of criminal justice, such as the police and legal profession, while part 3 - Appraisal of Contemporary Issues explores a range of crime and criminal justice issues in on which religion has impacted, such as the death penalty and terrorism. Crime, Criminal Justice & Religion will be of primary interest to academics, researchers and students in criminology, law, sociology, psychology, social policy and related HASS disciplines. It will also be of interest to theologians, both as scholars and practitioners. The book is a body of work that will appeal at an international level and will also be a key resource for a range of practitioners across the globe working on issues concerning crime and criminal justice"-- Provided by publisher.