Why Punish Perpetrators of Mass Atrocities? : Purposes of Punishment in International Criminal Law Paperback / softback

This edited volume provides, for the first time, a comprehensive account of theoretical approaches to international punishment.

Its main objective is to contribute to the development of a consistent and robust theory of international criminal punishment.

For this purpose, the authors - renowned scholars in the fields of criminal law, international criminal law, and philosophy of law, as well as practitioners working at different international criminal courts and tribunals - address the question of meaning and purpose of punishment in international law from various perspectives.

The volume fleshes out the predominant dimensions of a theory of international punishment and highlights the differences between 'ordinary' (domestic) crime and international crimes and their respective enforcement.

At the same time, throughout the volume a major focus is on the practical consequences of the different theoretical approaches, in particular for the activities of the International Criminal Court.