Provides a theoretical and policy-oriented consideration of how and why we punish criminal offending, particularly through the use of imprisonment. The course has an inter-disciplinary approach utilising law, history, sociology, and criminology. Considers various theoretical contributions to our understanding of punishment including the work of Durkheim, Foucault, Weber, Marxist approaches, and David Garland. Also considers contemporary law and public policy issues, including juvenile detention, women in prison, the imprisonment of ethnic and racial minorities, inequality and imprisonment, privatisation, torture, deaths in custody, the death penalty, and the impact of law and order policies on punishment.