This volume brings together a topical collection of articles on penal reform in the United States, Europe, Japan, and other English-speaking countries. Unique and wide-ranging, the volume offers some of the broadest efforts to characterise recent penal trends and analyse their causes and consequences. The articles, written by national and international authorities, originally appeared in the journal Overcrowded Times, and have been updated and presented with a new introduction.

This volume brings together a collection of articles on penal reform in the United States, Europe, Japan, and other English-speaking countries. Unique and wide-ranging, the volume provides material on penal policy development and research and presents an international, comparative focus. Written by leading national and international authorities, it offers some of the broadest efforts to characterize recent penal trends and to analyze their causes and consequences.