Church of England's Mission and Public Affairs Council.At a time when the Government is engaged in major reform of the courts, what should be our response, as Christians, to crime? This topical exploration aims to step back from the debate onprisons and crime rates and ask why people are punished, for what purpose and how the experience of being subject to trial affects their citizenship and ability to be part of a community. Written by those who are both Christians and national experts in their field, this collection of essays particularly considers:■the reform of sentencing and the future of the criminal courts;■the principles of restorative justice and responsible sentencing;■Christian involvement in the criminal justice process, whether individually or as a community.This timely contribution to the debate calls for a fundamental reassessment of the sentencing process and argues that the Christian faith provides a new vision for the future of criminal justice: through redemption and reconciliation rather than retribution and punishment.