Evangelicalism, Penal Theory and the Politics of Criminal Law Reform in England, (Studies in Modern History)
"The criminal statutes of eighteenth-century England have become famous as a 'bloody code', which could impose a death sentence for crimes as minor as pickpocketing or shop-lifting. Beginning in 1808, a small group of politicians began to agitate for the reform of England's laws. This study reexamines their efforts in the light of recent scholarship and closer examination of the sources. It explores the interplay within the debates of penal theories, moral reform and utilitarianism, examining in particular the contribution of Evangelical politicians and philanthropists, and relating their efforts not only to their own beliefs, but to utilitarian ideas and the practical politics of the day. This study shows that these reformers significantly furthered the dialogue that made the content of a society's law of sanctions a measure of its civilization - a criterion of judgement alive today both in discussions of human rights and in debates on social policy."--BOOK JACKET.
Beyond its central premise, the book can be read through the connected lenses of Nonfiction. Those themes offer useful points of attention as the characters, ideas, or world develop, especially where the book complicates the expectations of its primary category.
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What the reading experience may hold
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Nonfiction
Use these as starting points rather than limits; the most memorable books often stretch beyond their catalog labels.
Catalog signals suggest violence, death, or criminal harm. These notes may not be complete; consult a publisher or reader-supplied guide when detailed warnings matter.
These notes are inferred from available catalog information and may not be complete. Check a publisher or reader-supplied guide if you need comprehensive warnings.
Dark tone · Measured pace
A comfortable full-length choice for steady daily reading.
A good fit if…
Readers who want a thoughtful experience and enjoy noticing the connections beneath a book’s surface story.
This book's DNA
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Spoiler-Free Emotional Arc
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A quick reading snapshot
Edition facts and catalog signals to help you decide whether this book fits what you want to read next.
- ISBN-13
- 978-0-3338-0388-2
- Language
- English
- Edition record
- OL10557659M
A more thoughtful way into this book
This guide uses the edition details and category signals above to help you choose deliberately. It does not replace the author's work or a full review.
A comfortable full-length choice for steady daily reading.
Begin with its place in Nonfiction, then notice where the book resists that label.
Read for connection, not completion.
Mark one passage that sharpens the book's central concern and one that complicates it. That tension often reveals more than a quick summary.
Three questions to carry with you
- Whose perspective organizes the story, and whose perspective remains outside it?
- Which sources or lived experiences carry the author’s central argument?
- How does the book change the way you understand its larger subject?
Editorial framework by Wesley Bryan, BookenDeX Founder and Editor.
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Why it fits: shares Nonfiction, a similar reading length, a similar publication era.