Book Launch - Rethinking Criminal Justice: Punishment, Abolition and Moral Psychology

The Criminal Justice Centre and the Centre for Critical Legal Studies at Warwick Law School invite you to the book launch of Alan Norrie’s Rethinking Criminal Justice: Punishment, Abolition and Moral Psychology.

Alan will be joined by Henrique Carvalho (Law), Anastasia Chamberlen (Sociology), Fabienne Peter (Philosophy) and Amanda Wilson (Law) to explore the book’s legal, criminological, sociological and philosophical themes.

For 200 years, the penal equation ‘crime plus blame equals punishment’ has meant prison crises, a permanent crime problem, violent and damaged lives. The retributive theory of punishment supports this; fully developed, it could transform it. A moral psychology of violation distinguishes primitive and mature retributivism, explaining punishment’s necessary failure and guilt, forgiveness and reconciliation’s power. ‘Atonement’ means both punitive ‘payback’ and being ‘at one’ again with self and others. Reconciliation for offender, victim and society leads to punishment’s deep, tendential abolition.

Alan Norrie’s mature retributivism is rooted in human ontology, in the metaphysical animal that thinks and loves. Speaking to law, philosophy, criminology and criminal justice, his moral psychology considers victims who victimise, grief at violation, denial and mourning and the loving prison. Exploring ethics, psychoanalysis, social theory, testimony and film, his psychologically developed moral philosophy challenges basic assumptions about punishment and the penal equation.

This will be a hybrid event. Please register to attend in-person or online using the links below.

All Warwick staff and students are welcome to attend.

Event Details

Date: Friday 10 October 2025

Time: 14:00 - 16:00

Location: Hybrid - OC0.04/Online