Consumer Protection and the Criminal Law: Law, Theory, and Policy in the UK

Description

To what extent should criminal law be used to protect the consumer? In this important new study Peter Cartwright evaluates the role of criminal law sanctions in consumer protection from an economic and social perspective. The author examines the rationales for protecting consumers, and considers the role that legal techniques play in fulfilling these. He then evaluates the interests that consumer law protects, such as physical integrity and economic interests. In addition, he analyses the nature of criminal law doctrines such as strict, corporate, and vicarious liability, and suggests that such doctrines require re-evaluation in the light of the reality of the corporate entity. This study will be of interest to academics, undergraduate and post-graduate students and practitioners.

Peter Cartwright is a lecturer in the School of Law at the University of Nottingham. He specialises in consumer protection, criminal law and banking regulation. His publications include Consumer Protection in Financial Services (Kluwer 1999) as well as numerous articles.

'... the breadth of Cartwright's scholarship and lucid writing style have enabled him to produce a book which both advances the academic debate about regulatory crime, while providing an excellent resource for graduate and undergraduate students in consumer law, criminal law and in regulation. I would expect to see Consumer Protection and Criminal Law widely included on reading lists.' Colin Scott, Law Quarterly Review 'Should the state intervene in the relationship between consumers and producers? In this book the author evaluates the role of criminal law sanctions in consumer protection from an economic and social perspective. He argues that traders (particularly corporations) should be held to account for their activities towards consumers.' Journal of Consumer Policy 'This is a book which ought to be read by layers and legislators not only in relation to consumer policy but other areas subject to regulatory regimes. It will also be of value to students of these areas not least for its excellent analysis and clarity of exposition.' SCOLAG Legal Journal