REFORMATIVE SENTENCING IN COMPARISON OF UK, USA, FRANCE AND RUSSIA
AUTHOR – VEDHA GEETHAN, STUDENT AT SCHOOL OF EXCELLENCE IN LAW (SOEL), THE TAMILNADU DR. AMBEDKAR LAW UNIVERSITY
BEST CITATION – VEDHA GEETHAN, REFORMATIVE SENTENCING IN COMPARISON OF UK, USA, FRANCE AND RUSSIA, INDIAN JOURNAL OF LEGAL REVIEW (IJLR), 5 (14) OF 2025, PG. 922-936, APIS – 3920 – 0001 & ISSN – 2583-2344.
CHAPTER 1
1. INTRODUCTION
Reformative sentencing represents a major transformation in modern penology. Unlike traditional punitive systems that focus primarily on retribution and incapacitation, reformative sentencing emphasises the offender’s potential for positive change. The essence of this philosophy is that criminal behaviour is not always the product of inherent wickedness but often arises from social, psychological, economic, or environmental circumstances.
For this reason, criminal justice systems across the world increasingly rely on mechanisms such as counselling, probation, community service, therapeutic courts, and vocational rehabilitation to address the underlying causes of criminality.
Countries like the United Kingdom (UK), United States of America (USA), France, and Russia represent four distinct legal cultures, each with its own historical development, sentencing policies, and approach to rehabilitation. Despite their differences, these nations share a common understanding that recidivism cannot be reduced through punitive measures alone. This study aims to compare their reformative sentencing frameworks, exploring both statutory and institutional mechanisms that shape offender rehabilitation.