Evangelicalism, Penal Theory and the Politics of Criminal Law Reform in England, (Studies in Modern History)

the long version

"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.