Author Description

This book focuses on the activities of three strategically placed individuals -- James Q. Wilson, Dato Steenhuis, and David Faulkner - in influencing criminal policy-making in three modern states. James Q. Wilson was an academic commentator who articulated and legitimized a hard-edged approach to criminal policy in the U.S. His book, "Thinking about crime", published in 1975, caught the political and media tide and made an enormous impact, becoming at once the standard rebuttal to the liberal criminal policy vision. His prolific publishing and numerous advisory roles maintained his importance in the policy debate. In the Netherlands, Dato Steenhuis, a very senior prosecutor who also held top research posts within the Ministry of Justice, was a key figure in challenging his country's traditionally mild and tolerant criminal policy. The managerial approach he advocated did much to replace the liberal humanitarianism that had previously characterized this area of policy. David Faulkner was a senior official responsible for criminal policy in England and Wales, and used his considerable skills to work with ministers and within the constraints incumbent on a senior civil servant, to give shape and vision to criminal policy.