Julian Roberts

Julian Roberts holds an LL.M. from the University of London and a Ph.D from the University of Toronto. In 2023 Julian was appointed Kings Counsel (Honorary) for contributions to sentencing in England and Wales and internationally.  In  2022 he received the American Society of Criminology 2021 Sellin-Glueck Award for scholarship that considers Criminal Justice Internationally and Comparatively.

Julian was a member of the Sentencing Council of England and Wales from 2008-2018. He is currently Executive Director of the Sentencing Academy, a London-based institute which links scholars with practitioners, and promotes greater public understanding of sentencing in England including 'Paying for the Past' (with Richard Frase) published by the Oxford University Press in 2019. He has edited or co-edited 21 scholarly volumes, including: Sentencing the Self-Convicted: The Ethics of Pleading Guilty (2023) and Sentencing and Artificial Intelligence published by Oxford University Press in 2022. 

Julian has been a Visiting Professor at a number of universities, including: Faculty of Law, University of Ferrara; Faculty of law, University of Minnesota; European Public Law Program, Athens (2015); Global Law School, University of Haifa (2012); Institute of Criminology, University of Cambridge (2012); Visiting International Professor, Faculty of Law, Université Libre de Bruxelles (2009-2010); School of Law, King’s College London (2009-2010; 2005-2006); Faculty of Law, Catholic University of Leuven (2007-2008). From 2014-2018 he was co-Director of the Criminal History Project located in the Robina Institute, Faculty of Law, University of Minnesota. This multi-year project conducted research into the use of prior convictions in the US sentencing guidelines. 

Books Authored, Co-authored or Edited

Ambos, K., Roberts, J.V., Duff, R.A., and Weigend, T. (eds.) (2025) Core Issues in Criminal Law and Criminal Justice. Volume 3. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

 Roberts, J.V., and Freiberg, A., and Hester, R. (2025) Sentencing Guidance and Sentencing Commissions: Comparative Perspectives. New York: Oxford University Press.

 Roberts, J.V. (ed.) (2024) Criminal Justice in Canada. 7th Edition. Toronto: Emond.

 Zaibert, L., Roberts, J.V. and Ryberg, J. (2024) When the State Errs: Official Misconduct as Sentence Mitigation. London: Hart Bloomsbury.

 Ambos, K., Roberts, J.V., Duff, R.A., and Weigend, T. (eds.) (2022) Core Issues in Criminal Law and Criminal Justice. Volume 2. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Ryberg, J. and Roberts, J.V. (eds.) (2022) Sentencing and Artificial Intelligence. Studies in Penal Theory and Philosophy. New York: Oxford University Press.

Roberts, J.V. and Grossman, M. (eds.) (2021) Criminal Justice in Canada. (Sixth Edition).Toronto: Thomson Nelson.

Ambos, K., Roberts, J.V., Duff, R.A., and Weigend, T. (eds.) (2020) Core Issues in Criminal Law and Criminal Justice. Volume 1. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Roberts, J.V. and Cole, D. (eds.) (2020) Sentencing in Canada: Essays in Law, Policy and Practice. Toronto: Irwin Law.

Frase, R. and Roberts, J.V. (2019) Paying for the Past: Prior Record Enhancements in the US Sentencing Guidelines. New York: Oxford University Press.

Ryberg, J., Roberts, J.V., and De Keijser, J. (2017) More than a Single Crime. Sentencing the Multiple Count Offender. New York: Oxford University Press.

Roberts, J.V. (Ed.) (2015) Exploring Sentencing Practice in England and Wales. London: Palgrave Macmillan.

Manson, A., Roberts, J.V., Healy, P., Ives, D., and Trotter, G. (Eds.) (2016) Sentencing and Penal Policy in Canada. (Third Toronto: Emond Montgomery.

Roberts, J.V. and Grossman, M. (Eds.) (2015) Criminal Justice in Canada. (Fifth Edition). Toronto: Thomson Nelson.

Roberts, J.V. (2015) Criminal Justice. A Very Short Introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Ryberg, J. and Roberts, J.V. (Eds.) (2014) Popular Punishment. The Normative Significance of Public Opinion for Sentencing Theory and Practice. Studies in Penal Theory and Philosophy. New York: Oxford University Press.

Ashworth, A. and Roberts, J.V. (Eds.) (2013) Sentencing Guidelines: Exploring the English Model. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Zedner, L. and Roberts, J.V. (Eds.) (2012) Principles and Values in Criminal Law and Criminal  Justice: Festchrift Essays in Honour of Andrew Ashworth. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Mitchell, B. and Roberts, J.V. (2012) Sentencing for Murder: Exploring the Mandatory Sentence  of Life Imprisonment for Murder. Oxford: Hart Publications.

Roberts, J.V. (Ed.) (2011) Mitigation and Aggravation at Sentencing. Cambridge Studies in Law and Society. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Roberts, J.V. and von Hirsch, A. (Eds.) (2010) Previous Convictions at Sentencing: Theoretical and Applied  Perspectives.  Studies in Penal Theory and Ethics. Oxford: Hart Publishing.

Bottoms, A. and Roberts, J.V. (Eds.) (2010) Hearing the Victim: Adversarial Justice, Crime Victims, and the State. Cullompton: Willan Publishing.

von Hirsch, A., Ashworth, A. and Roberts, J.V. (Eds.) (2009) Principled Sentencing. Readings on Theory and Policy. (Third edition). Oxford: Hart Publishing.

Roberts, J.V. (2008) Punishing Persistent Offenders. Community and Offender Perspectives on the Recidivist Sentencing Premium. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Manson, A., Roberts, J.V., Healy, P., Ives, D., and Trotter, G. (Eds.) (2008) Sentencing and Penal Policy in Canada. (Second Edition). Toronto: Emond Montgomery

Roberts, J.V. and Hough, M. (2005) Understanding Public Attitudes to Criminal Justice. Maidenhead: Open University Press. Chinese Translation published in 2010.

Roberts, J.V. (2004) The Virtual Prison. Community Custody and the Evolution of Imprisonment. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Hough, M. and Roberts, J.V. (2004) Youth Crime and Youth Justice: Public Opinion in England and Wales.  Bristol: The Policy Press.

Roberts, J.V., Stalans, L.S., Indermaur, D., and Hough, M. (2003) Penal Populism and Public Opinion. Lessons from Five Countries. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

von Hirsch, A., Roberts, J.V., Bottoms, A.E., Roach, K., and Schiff, M. (Eds.) (2003) Restorative and Criminal Justice. Competing or Reconcilable Paradigms? Oxford: Hart Publishing.

Roberts, J.V. and Hough, M. (Eds.) (2002) Changing Attitudes to Punishment. Public Opinion, Crime and Justice.  Cullompton: Willan Publishing.

Roberts, J.V. (Ed.) (2000) Criminal Justice in Canada. Toronto: Harcourt Brace.

Roberts, J.V. and Cole, D. (Eds.) (1999) Making Sense of Sentencing. Toronto: University of Toronto Press.

Roberts, J.V. and Stalans, L. (1997) Public Opinion, Crime, and Criminal Justice. Boulder: Westview Press.

Roberts, J.V. and Mohr, R. (Eds.) (1994) Confronting Sexual Assault. A Decade of Legal and Social Change. Toronto: University of Toronto Press.

Roberts, J.V. and Hudson, J. (Eds.) (1993) Evaluating Justice: Policies and Programs. Toronto: Thompson Educational Publishing.