nmp21@cam.ac.uk
Professor of Criminal and Penal Justice; Director, Cambridge Centre for Criminal Justice
Interests
I have a very broad academic lens, interested in all things criminal, from substantive law, through procedure and evidence to sentencing, and what goes on in prison (and post-sentence enforcement generally). I am engaged in both ‘hard’ law and in socio-legal-criminological research, in England and in Europe. My main research interest is sentencing law, especially into the law and practice of release from (and recall to) prison.
Research centres and interest groups
Publications
Books
Criminal Law: Core Texts Series (OUP, 2016) 10th Edition
Publisher:
Published Jul 2016
The Criminal Justice Process: Text and Materials (with Jonathan Bild), 2016) 5th Edition
Published Jan 2016
Release from Prison – European Policy and Practice (with Dirk van Zyl Smith and Frieder Dünkel) (eds) (Willan, 2010)
Publisher:
ISBN:
1-843927-41-1
ISBN 13:
978-1-84392-741-9
Published Jan 2010
Who to release? Parole, fairness and criminal justice (ed) (Willan Publishing, 2007)
Publisher:
ISBN:
1843922274
ISBN 13:
978-1843922278
Published Mar 2007
Discretion: its uses in criminal justice and beyond (with L Gelsthorpe) (eds) (Willan Publishing, 2003)
Publisher:
ISBN:
1-903240-99-9
ISBN 13:
978-1-90324-099-1
Published May 2003
Beyond the Tariff: Human rights and the release of life sentence prisoners (Willan Publishing, 2002)
Publisher:
ISBN:
1-903240-88-3
ISBN 13:
978-1-90324-088-5
Published Oct 2002
A Guide to the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (with Biggs, S, and Farrell, S) (Butterworths, 2002)
Sentencing: Theory, Law, and Practice (with Nigel Walker) (OUP, 1999) 2nd Edition
Publisher:
ISBN:
0406063257
ISBN 13:
978-0406063250
Published Sep 1999
A Guide to the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 (Butterworths, 1998)
Articles
"The Function of the Parole Board – avoiding failure or promoting success?" (2020) Public Law 468
Citation:
(2020) Public Law 468
Published: Jul 2020
"Epilogue: Shaping the Future of Sentencing " [2020] Criminal Law Review 429-435
Citation:
[2020] Criminal Law Review 429-435
Published: Mar 2020
"Giving and getting parole: the changing characteristics of parole in England and Wales " (2019)11 European Journal of Probation 153
Citation:
(2019)11 European Journal of Probation 153
Published: Nov 2019
"Deaths while under probation supervision: what role for human rights legislation? " (2019) 90 The Political Quarterly 439
Citation:
(2019) 90 The Political Quarterly 439
Published: Nov 2019
"Deaths while under probation supervision: what role for human rights legislation? " (2019) 90 The Political Quarterly 439-448
Citation:
(2019) 90 The Political Quarterly 439-448
Published: Jan 2019
"When will I get out? " (2019) 78 Cambridge LJ 11-14
Citation:
(2019) 78 Cambridge LJ 11-14
Published: Jan 2019
"Exploring the impact of Council of Europe institutions through a cross-jurisdictional collaboration " ECAN Bulletin, No 39 (2018) 21-30 (Hoard League for Penal Reform)
Citation:
ECAN Bulletin, No 39 (2018) 21-30 (Hoard League for Penal Reform)
Published: Jun 2018
"Non-custodial deaths: Missing, ignored or unimportant? " 19 Criminology and Criminal Justice 160-178
Citation:
19 Criminology and Criminal Justice 160-178
Published: Jan 2018
"Monitoring prisons in England and Wales: who ensures the fair treatment of prison-ers? " (2018) 70 Crime, Law and Social Change 57-76
Citation:
(2018) 70 Crime, Law and Social Change 57-76
Published: Jan 2018
"The role of the Parole Board" Independent Monitor, Sept 2017
Citation:
Independent Monitor, Sept 2017
Published: Sep 2017
"Legal constraints on the indeterminate control of ‘dangerous’ sex offenders in the community: an English human rights perspective " (2016) 2 Erasmus Law Journal 55
Citation:
(2016) 2 Erasmus Law Journal 55
Published: Dec 2016
"Justifying Indeterminate Detention – on what grounds? " (2016) Criminal Law Review 795-820
Citation:
(2016) Criminal Law Review 795-820
Published: Nov 2016
"Legal constraints on the indeterminate control of ‘dangerous’ sex offenders in the community: an English human rights perspective " (2016) 2 Erasmus Law Review 55-66
Citation:
(2016) 2 Erasmus Law Review 55-66
Published: Apr 2016
"The magnitude of the offender rehabilitation and “Through the Gate” resettlement revolution " (2016) Criminal Law Review 99- 115
Citation:
(2016) Criminal Law Review 99- 115
Published: Feb 2016
"Joint enterprise: the implications of an unfair and unclear law " (2015) Criminal Law Review 252-269
Citation:
(2015) Criminal Law Review 252-269
Published: May 2015
"The right to self-representation in English criminal law" (2102) 83 Revue International de Droit Penal 357-375
Citation:
(2102) 83 Revue International de Droit Penal 357-375
Published: Dec 2012
"Recalling conditionally released prisoners in England and Wales " (2012) 4 European Journal of Probation 34-45
Citation:
(2012) 4 European Journal of Probation 34-45
Published: Nov 2012
"An Entente Cordiale in Sentencing? " (2011) 175 Criminal Law and Justice Weekly 239-42, 256-9, 271-4 and 290-293
Citation:
(2011) 175 Criminal Law and Justice Weekly 239-42, 256-9, 271-4 and 290-293
Published: Sep 2011
"Time to Bury the Custody “Threshold”? " (2011) Criminal Law Review 593-612
Citation:
(2011) Criminal Law Review 593-612
Published: May 2011
"Drogues, criminalite et pronounce des peines en Angleterre et au Pays de Galles" (2009) 31 Archives de Politique Criminelle 221-238
Citation:
(2009) 31 Archives de Politique Criminelle 221-238
Published: Dec 2009
"Parole and early release: the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008 changes in context " [2009] Criminal Law Review 166-187
Citation:
[2009] Criminal Law Review 166-187
Published: Mar 2009
"The implementation of the European Arrest Warrant in England and Wales " (2007) 3 European Constitutional Law Review 253-268
Citation:
(2007) 3 European Constitutional Law Review 253-268
Published: Dec 2007
"The Parole Board in Transition " (2006) Criminal Law Review 3-22
Citation:
(2006) Criminal Law Review 3-22
Published: Dec 2006
"The Revolving Door at the Prison Gate: Exploring the dramatic increase in recalls to prison " (2006) 6 Criminology and Criminal Justice 329-352
Citation:
(2006) 6 Criminology and Criminal Justice 329-352
Published: Dec 2006
"A little legal knowledge - a dangerous thing or a key management tool?" (2002) 142 Prison Service Journal 2 - 5
Citation:
(2002) 142 Prison Service Journal 2 - 5
Published: Dec 2002
"Turning Academics into Teachers? " (1998) 3 Teaching in Higher Education 133-142
Citation:
(1998) 3 Teaching in Higher Education 133-142
Published: Dec 1998
"Up the Ladder: Why do women get off?" (1997) Cambridge (the Journal of the Cambridge Society)
Citation:
(1997) Cambridge (the Journal of the Cambridge Society)
Published: Dec 1997
Book Chapters
"Prisoner Resettlement in England and Wales", Prisoner Resettlement in Europe (Taylor & Francis, 2019)
Publisher:
Published Jan 2019
"The game of crime and punishment", Games: Conflict, Competition, and Cooperation , 2019)
Published Jan 2019
"Sentencing and Punishment in Japan and England: A Comparative Discussion" (with Weitzdorfer J and Shiroshita, Y), Crime and Justice in Contemporary Japan (Springer Series on Asian Criminology and Criminal Justice Research, 2018)
Publisher:
Published Jan 2018
"England and Wales: an uncertain relationship with European institutions" (with S. Creighton, and R. Pirosa) in Cliquennois, G and de Suremain, H (eds) (ed(s)), Monitoring Penal Policy in Europe (Routledge, 2017)
"Preventive Sentencing", Contemporary Sex Offender Risk Management (Palgrave Macmillan, 2017)
Publisher:
Published Jan 2017
"The English jury: issues, concerns and future directions", The Psychology of Crime, Policing and the Courts (Taylor and Francis, 2016)
Publisher:
Published Dec 2016
"Reflections on sentencing in England and Wales", The Psychology of Crime, Policing and the Courts (Taylor and Francis, 2016)
Publisher:
Published Dec 2016
"PUTTING THE HUMAN INTO SENTENCING RESEARCH: LAW IN PRACTICE, NOT JUST LAW IN BOOKS", Humanisme et Justice (Dalloz, 2016)
"Dominant executive decision-making: England and Wales: Does it matter who enforces English sentences", Offender release and supervision: the role of courts and the use of discretion (Wolf Legal Publishers, 2015)
Publisher:
Published Dec 2015
"Article 8 and the rehabilitation of offenders: a view from Cambridge, England", Liber Amicorum : Essays in Honour of President Spielmann (Wolf Legal Publishers, 2015)
Publisher:
Published Dec 2015
"Surveillance électronique en Angleterre et au Pays de Galles : l’heure d’une réévaluation ?", Droit Pénal et Nouvelles Technologies (L'Harmattan, 2015)
Publisher:
Published Dec 2015
"Front Door and Back Door Sentencing", Encyclopedia of Criminology and Criminal Justice (Springer, 2014)
Publisher:
Published Dec 2014
"Exploring or Measuring the Success of Sentencing Guidelines", Sentencing Guidelines: Exploring the English model , 2013)
Published Dec 2013
"Out of court, out of sight? Criminal sanctions and non-judicial decision-making" (with Morgan, R and Maguire, M) in Maguire, M., Morgan, R. and Reiner, R. (ed(s)), The Oxford Handbook of Criminology (Oxford University Press, 2012)
Publisher:
Published Dec 2012
"Alternative futures for the magistracy?", The Magistracy at the Crossroads (Waterside Press, 2012)
Publisher:
Published Dec 2012
"Intoxication as a sentencing factor: Mitigation or Aggravation?", Aggravation and Mitigation at Sentencing (Cambridge University Press, 2011)
Publisher:
Published Dec 2011
Reports
Parole: Reflections and possibilities A discussion paper (2018, Howard League for Penal Reform
Body / Institution:
Howard League for Penal Reform
Published: Jan 2018
Exploring the barriers to release: Stage Two of an Exploratory Study (Parole Board oral hearings 2016-2017)
Body / Institution:
The Parole Board
Link to report
Published: May 2017
Non-natural deaths following prison and police custody: Data and Practice Issues, 2016 (Equality and Human Rights Commission) co-author with Jake Phillips, Loraine Gelsthorpe and Sarah Buckingham
Body / Institution:
Equality and Human Rights Commission
Published: Dec 2016
Exploring the barriers to release: Avoiding or managing risks. Report of a Pilot Study (Parole Board oral hearings 2016)
Body / Institution:
The Parole Board
Link to report
Published: Nov 2016
The JAP: lessons for England and Wales?
Body / Institution:
Criminal Justice Alliance
Link to report
Published: Oct 2015
Understanding Recall 2011
Body / Institution:
University of Cambridge Faculty of Law Research Paper No. 2/2013
Published: Aug 2013
Deaths on Probation: an analysis of data regarding people dying under probation supervision
Body / Institution:
Howard League for Penal Reform
Published: Dec 2012
The sentencing, management and treatment of ‘dangerous’ offenders
Body / Institution:
Council for Penological Co-operation on ‘dangerous’ offenders’, Council of Europe
Published: Dec 2010
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