Covering the key themes and topics studied on sentencing and punishment courses at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, this new and exciting textbook is an accessible account of recent developments in sentencing and punishment from the standpoint of penal theories, policy aims and punishment practice, and human rights. It reviews - from philosophical, legal and practical perspectives - changing ideas as to what counts as 'just' punishment, and provides an integrated discussion of the law and legitmacy of the process of calculating and implemeting punishment. Using case studies and other learning tools to stimulate students, this book explains and evaluates recent and proposed changes in penal policy and sentencing practice.