Exploring the Mandatory Life Sentence for Murder

Murder is often regarded as both the "ultimate" and a unique crime; and whereas courts are normally given discretion in sentencing offenders, for murder, the sentence is mandatory - indeterminate imprisonment. Since the crime and the punishment come as a "package deal," this book looks at both the legal nature of the offense and the current operation of the mandatory life sentence in the UK. Not only does the book adopt a critical approach, by assessing the strengths and weaknesses of the status…