A very British arms race

Shami Chakrabarti

Chapter 22 in Research Handbook on Penal Policy, 2026, pp 430-440 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: Chapter 22 looks back on over 30 years of political direction and penal developments that led to the present crisis in the UK criminal justice and penal systems. It reflects on a trust in British democracy and the rule of law that can rarely have been so fragile since the advent of universal suffrage. It suggests a very strong relationship between “law-and-order politics” going back to at least the advent of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 and a public disillusionment with both politics and law that has reached chronic levels in 2025.

Keywords: Tony Blair; Michael Howard; Penal policy; Arms race; Law and order (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781035308521
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