@article { , title = {The Paradox of Scottish Life Imprisonment}, abstract = {More people are serving life sentences in Scotland as a proportion of the national population than in any other country in Europe. Yet Scotland claims to adopt a welfarist rather than a penal approach to criminal justice. This paper uses a wide range of data to explain the factors underpinning this paradox. It focuses on key aspects of the imposition and implementation of life sentences, providing, for the first time, an analysis that goes behind headline figures. The paper concludes that, notwithstanding the commitment to welfare in penal policy, the high rate of life imprisonment is driven by both increased punitiveness and attempts to reduce the risk that serious crime poses to society. Finally, the paper outlines strategies for reducing the use of life imprisonment, which may be more effective because they pay close attention to the Scottish penal context, but which have relevance for other jurisdictions seeking to reverse penal excess.}, doi = {10.1163/15718174-02801004}, eissn = {1571-8174}, issn = {0928-9569}, issue = {1}, journal = {European Journal of Crime, Criminal Law and Criminal Justice}, note = {Will need to set 24 month embargo on publication. SHERPA/ ROMEO and online information for this journal indicates a 12 month embargo but on the email from the managing editor accepting the article for publication a 24 month embargo is indicated. Have contacted to Brill to see if this indicates a recent change of policy for this journal. KJB 21.01.2020 No response from journal so have set 24 month embargo as in email from editor. KJB 17.03.2020}, pages = {76-102}, publicationstatus = {Published}, publisher = {Brill Academic Publishers}, url = {https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/3773900}, volume = {28}, keyword = {Political Science and International Relations, Sociology and Political Science, Law}, year = {2020}, author = {van Zyl Smit, Dirk and Morrison, Katrina} }