This volume investigates the normative foundations of criminal law and the political morality required to justify the state's power to criminalize conduct. The authors, a distinguished group of legal scholars and philosophers, analyze the relationship between the state, the individual, and the moral limits of penal authority. By examining the intersection of political theory and criminal jurisprudence, the text provides a framework for understanding how a liberal society can legitimately define and punish criminal behavior.

Legal scholars and philosophers recognize this work as a significant contribution to the field of criminal law theory. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which is intended for an audience of advanced students and professionals in jurisprudence.