Recommended readings for The Battle for the Law
An eye for an eye: what is punishment for?
- In light of the rise in community service orders Ian Johnston asks: Is this a soft option for hard cases? Edinburgh Evening News 24 March 2004
- Claire McCarthy, policy officer at the Howard League for Penal Reform, argues that the rising prison population is leading many young inmates to suicide: When life inside is not worth living Guardian 10 January 2003
Further Readings:
- Asserting that the public are not as enthusiastically punitive as is often supposed, this executive summary calls both for greater public and community involvement in criminal justice and the use of prison as a last resort: Rethinking Crime and Punishment research project report Esmée Fairbairn Foundation (pdf)
- The Lord Chancellor, Lord Falconer’s speech on victim centred justice Department for Constitutional Affairs 03 December 2003
Litigation and litigation avoidance – tying ourselves in knots?
- A comprehensive breakdown of the recent compensation bill which received Royal assent on 25 July 2006 (with a focus on Mesothelioma, the asbestos related cancer): Compensation Act 2006 Deparment for Constitutional Affairs
- From doctors fearful of patient litigation to teachers worried about violating their pupils' rights, Philip K Howard observes that 'a lawsuit culture still corrodes daily relations throughout society': Making civil justice sane City Journal Spring 2006
- A PA report on the government's attempts to tackle unscrupulous 'no-win, no-fee' compensation lawyers whilst respecting the right to practise of 'reputable claims management companies': Clampdown on no-win, no-fee 'cowboys' The Guardian 8 June 2006
Further Readings:
- The Legal Action Group cast doubt on the claim made by the Legal Services Commission that 2005/6 saw more people given legal aid than at any point since the establishment of the Community Legal Service in 2000: Back to the future Legal Action Group September 2006
- '(C)ustomers who buy McDonald's coffee at least weekly say that "morning coffee has minimal taste requirements, but must be hot," to the point of steaming.' Andrea Gerlin provides a fascinating acccount of the now infamous McDonald's hot coffee lawsuit. The Surprising Facts About the McDonald's Hot Coffee Lawsuit The Wall Street Journal 01 September 1994
The rise and rise of human rights – an unalloyed good?
- Although Slavoj Zizek's speech focuses on NATO's intevention in the Balkans, his presentation of the rhetoric of 'human rights' as both depoliticised and depoliticising is instructive. Moreover, Zizek is keen to show how the logic of victimisation underpinning 'pacifist' militarism serves the suppressed political agendas of both NATO and putative victims: Human Rights and its Discontents November 1999
- It seems that 'any fool can make any allegation about the perversity of the Human Rights Act and expect to be taken seriously.' Martin Kettle calls for a defence of the Human Rights Act: The dialogue of the deaf is corroding our human rights Guardian 10 June 2006
- Amy Rogers argues that the protection of human rights, 'a post-Holocaust expression of inalienable humanity,' is in no way incompatible with counter-terrorist legislation: Where do you draw the line The Times 21 March 2006