"Understanding justice" is one of a series of student textbooks designed to cover the major areas of debate within the fields of criminology, criminal justice and penology. It provides a comprehensive account of the ideas and controversies that have arisen within law, philosophy, sociology and criminology about the punishment of criminals. Written in a clear, accessible style, it summarises major philosophical ideas - retribution, rehabilitations, incapacitation - and discusses their strengths and weaknesses. The sociological perspectives of Durkheim, the Marxists, Foucault and their contemporary followers are analyzed and assessed. A section on the criminological perspective on punishment looks at the influence of theory on penal policy, and at the impact of penal ideologies on those on whom punishment is inflicted. The contributions of feminist theorists, and the challenges that pose to masculinist accounts of punishment, are included. The concluding chapter presents critiques of the very idea of punishment, and looks at contemporary proposals which could make society's response to crime less dependent on punishment than at present.