This book provides a critical analysis of both political and professional developments in policy and practice relating to non-custodial penalties, taking full account of recent developments and the creation of a National Probation Service in 2002. Originally published in 1997, the second edition builds on the strengths of the first, updating throughout and including new sections and chapters to take account of the many changes in this field. Its aim is to unravel the complex institutional goals (the role of community punishment in the criminal justice system), professional goals (what can be achieved by community punishment) and political goals (the packaging and sale of community punishment to the law-abiding public). The central focus is on the changing role of the probation service, and it is addresses two central questions: Is it possible to explain community penalties in ways that do not constantly have to make reference to prison?; and Why is it that, despite persistent attempt
