Life imprisonment and human rights

In many jurisdictions today, life imprisonment is the most severe penalty that can be imposed.

Despite this, it is a relatively under-researched form of punishment and no meaningful attempt has been made to understand its human rights implications.

This important collection fills that gap by addressing these two key questions: namely, what is life imprisonment and what human rights are relevant to it?

These questions are explored from the perspective of a range of jurisdictions, in essays that draw on both empirical and doctrinal research.

Under the editorship of two leading scholars in the field, this innovative and important work will be a landmark publication in the field of penal studies and human rights.