TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2008//
TI  - Punishing Persistence: Explaining the Enduring Appeal of the Recidivist Sentencing Premium
JO  - British journal of criminology
A1  - Roberts, J. V.
SP  - 468
EP  - 481
VL  - 48
IS  - 4
N2  - All jurisdictions--whether common or civil law--punish repeat offenders more severely. In this sense, the Recidivist Sentencing Premium is as universal as the principle of proportionality. Retributive sentencing theorists fall into two camps: one group rejects the use of previous convictions at sentencing while the second assigns a very limited role for criminal antecedents. This article explores the issue and proposes a culpability-based justification for considering previous convictions at sentencing. According to this proposal, previous convictions justify more severe treatment in the way that premeditation is used as an aggravating circumstance. Offenders who plan their crimes and offenders with previous convictions should be considered more blameworthy and hence worthy of harsher punishments. This model is considered with reference to community views of sentencing.<p /> 
LA  - 
SN  - 0007-0955
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/bjc/azn017
ID  - ref1
ER  -