Crime and Punishment explores the development, diversity, and duality of attitudes and arguments related to crime and punishment.Included are approximately 175 full or excerpted documents---speeches, legislation, magazine and newspaper articles, essays, memoirs, letters, interviews, novels, songs, and works of art---as well as overview information that places each document in context. Entries are organized into chapters that feature a general overview of the chapters subtopic. The following standard subheads are included in each entry:

• Date
• Source
• About the Author
• Introduction
• Primary Source
• Significance
• Further Resources

All titles contain an introduction to its topic, a chronology of major events associated with the topic, and a general index.