Book Review: Squires, P., & Stephen, D. E. (2005). Rougher Justice: Anti-Social Behaviour and Young People. Cullompton, UK: Willan. 238 pp

• Author: Simon I. Singer
• Date: 01 June 2008
• Published date: 01 June 2008
• DOI: 10.1177/1057567708319534
• Subject Matter: Articles

allows him to make his point that this philosophy may be best suited to address the current needs of

the justice system but may be confusing to the reader at times.

Cornwell also makes sure to raise some important questions and criticisms. He questions the right of

victims to have a role in criminal justice, as well as the concept’s applicability for serious crime and for

offenders in custody. He also explores the dangers of “bifurcation,” where certain offenders are deemed

“amenable to rehabilitation” whereas others are deemed “incorrigible” and therefore not eligible for restora-

tive justice. These different strengths and weaknesses are carefully weighed against each other to evaluate

the relative usefulness of restorative justice as a penal philosophy. Cornwell concludes, however, that

implemented properly, restorative justice is a promising alternative to traditional theories of punishment.

This ties into the overarching question this book explores—can one develop an inclusive philos-

ophy of punishment? It is clear that there are many legitimate goals of punishment, including retri-

bution, reform, rehabilitation, and possibly reparation. Cornwell argues that all these goals can be

met in a continuous and consequential fashion to create justice for all. He proposes a method that

starts and ends within a restorative framework, whereby retribution (i.e., imprisonment) is fixed and

determinant, but that criminal sentences should also involve postincarceration supervision that is meant

to reform and rehabilitate. This strategy allows for the aims of both retribution and rehabilitation to

occur. Although this seems like a logical suggestion, Cornwell is not clear in explaining exactly how

the retributive or even rehabilitative part of a sentence can be explicitly “restorative” or how bringing

the different theories of punishment together under a restorative rubric satisfy the criteria for an

inclusive theory of punishment.

The text also includes three chapters by guest authors that examine ways in which restorative

philosophy and practice have been put in use in different parts of the world. Judge F. W. M. McElra

describes how restorative-focused family group conferencing transformed youth justice in New

Zealand and how the Sentencing Act of 2002 successfully integrated restorative principles into the

administration of justice. Prof. John R. Blad, on the other hand, describes how the Netherlands is not

practicing restorative justice on a large scale. Indeed, sentencing policies have become much more

conservative and punishment-oriented in recent years. However, Prof. Blad outlines the ways in

which constructive sanctioning and what he calls “restorative detention” can successfully incorporate

restorative principles into mainstream justice. Finally, Dr. Robert Corimer chronicles the large body

of research and policy employing restorative justice as an effective tool for offenders and victims

across Canada, focusing on Canada’s role in developing the United Nations Guidelines for the use

of restorative justice in criminal justice systems.

Ultimately, Cornwell’s attack on traditional philosophies, exploration of restorative philosophy

in punishment theory, and different examinations of how restorative justice can transform penal policy

provide an optimistic roadmap for the future of criminal justice. The only criticism is the intentionally

vague conceptualization of restorative justice, which is somewhat remedied by the three case studies

which give specific examples of how this philosophy is translated into practice.

Meredith Rossner

St. Joseph’s University, Philadelphia

Squires, P., & Stephen, D. E. (2005). Rougher Justice: Anti-Social Behaviour and Young

People. Cullompton, UK: Willan. 238 pp.

DOI: 10.1177/1057567708319534

Squires and Stephen have written a very good book, one that should be read by all those concerned

with the determinants of youth crime and policies to control its occurrence. It is an important book

236 International Criminal Justice Review