Drawing on the insights of leading scholars, the Handbook situates contemporary sentencing within a broader historical and social context. It traces the policies that gave rise to mass incarceration, the shifting philosophies behind punishment, and the consequences of punitive sentencing. From the enduring legacies of the war on drugs to the rise of "crimmigration" and the lessons from COVID-19's shock to the courts, the volume looks at the forces that influence sentencing decisions and the policy levers available to reformers.

This volume also confronts the longstanding inequalities associated with sentencing practices, including racial and citizenship-based disparities. It examines how decisions made at various stages of the criminal justice process - from legislation to charging to parole - contribute to disparities. Some chapters identify opportunities for reform, offering insights for a sentencing paradigm that balances crime control, due process, and equality.