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Drawing on criminology, philosophy and theology, this book develops a theory of ‘redemptive criminology’ for practice in criminal justice settings. The therapeutic impulse for the text is a focus on the individual practitioner’s ability to embrace difference with the other, to resist harsh penal measures and to bring about change from ‘the bottom up’.
By challenging concepts and practices of rehabilitation, the authors argue for the possibility of redemption and for forgiveness as the starting point. Using real-life examples and an interpretative approach, the book explores the connections between victims, perpetrators and the community. The text articulates challenges for the justice system and offers new insights into punishment and retribution.
Aaron Pycroft is Reader in Criminal Justice and Social Complexity at the University of Portsmouth.
Clemens Bartollas (1935-2025) was Professor of Criminology at the University of Northern Iowa.
1. Introduction
2. Immanence and Spaces of Possibility
3. The Dynamics of Forgiveness
4. Apprehending the Victim
5. Gifting Repentance
6. Actualization
7. The Redemptive Practitioner
8. Conclusion