In many criminal justice systems a new trend towards incapacitation can be witnessed. A ubiquitous want for control seems to have emerged as a consequence of perceived safety risks. This can be seen not only in the mass incarceration of offenders but also in the disqualification of offenders from jobs, in chemical castration in cases of sexual crimes, the increased use of electronic monitoring and in the life-long monitoring of individuals who pose certain risks. Trends towards incapacitation are now even spreading to public administration and the employment sector, in the refusal of licenses and the rejection of employees with past criminal records. This book discusses the topic of incapacitation from various angles and perspectives. It explores how theories of punishment are affected by the more recent emphasis on incapacitation and how criminal justice practice is changing as a consequence of this new emphasis. Many contributors express criticisms with this trend towards incapacitation. They argue for a better calibration of measures to the severity of the misconduct. In addressing an increasingly important development in criminal justice, the book will be an essential resource for students, researchers, and policy-makers working in the areas of criminal law, sentencing, probation and crime prevention.
A Yankee Book Peddler UK Core Title for 2012 'The editors and authors of this collection are to be congratulated on a fine work. It is an excellent book that should assume a prominent position in the library of any criminologist, forensic psychologist or psychiatrist, lawyer, social worker or researcher working in environments where incapacitation is employed as a policy tool. Politicians, in particular, could learn much from reading it carefully, reflecting on its contents, and considering the evidence it contains in the development of penal policies.' Psychiatry, Psychology and Law 'This path-breaking book is brilliantly conceived and flawlessly executed. Each chapter makes a distinctive contribution so that the volume provides a comprehensive analysis of this troubling topic. Although it focuses on the Netherlands, there is enough information about other countries to show that the expansion of incapacitation is a universal phenomenon. There are enough provocative ideas in this book to keep researchers busy for a generation.' Malcolm M. Feeley, University of California, Berkeley, USA 'Providing a fascinating insight into the changing forms of incapacitation, this volume delineates the spread of what the editors call 'the urge to control and disable'. Blessed with contributions from outstanding scholars, Incapacitation serves not only as an invaluable penological resource, but also to advance thinking about the changing characters of punishment and penal practices.' Cyrus Tata, Strathclyde University, Scotland
