Heng Choon (Oliver) Chan and Samuel MY Ho (eds), Psycho-criminological perspectives of criminal justice in Asia: Research and practices in Hong Kong, Singapore, and beyond
| Published date | 01 June 2018 |
| Date | 01 June 2018 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1177/0004865817731837 |
| Subject Matter | Book Reviews |
Australian & New Zealand
Journal of Criminology
2018, Vol. 51(2) 311–315
!The Author(s) 2016
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DOI: 10.1177/0004865817731837
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Book Reviews
Heng Choon (Oliver) Chan and Samuel MY Ho (eds), Psycho-criminological perspectives of criminal justice
in Asia: Research and practices in Hong Kong, Singapore, and beyond. Routledge: Abingdo n, 2017; 298 pp.
ISBN 9781138680654, £105.00 (HBK)
Reviewed by: Rebecca W.Y. Wong, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Psycho-Criminological Perspectives of Criminal Justice in Asia makes a novel attempt to
examine the Asian criminal justice system from a psychological–criminological perspec-
tive with a mixed theoretical and practical approach. The book brings together expertise
from criminal justice practitioners and academic researchers from Hong Kong and
Singapore to highlight essential areas for discussion. In essence, this book seeks out to
answer two major questions. First, how can we make sense of the Asian criminal justice
system from a psycho-criminological viewpoint? Second, is it valid to hold the assump-
tion that theories and practice in assessing offenders are universal and can be transferred
to other cultures with minimal modifications? The collection of chapters in the book
answers these two questions in a coherent manner, making it accessible for students,
academics, and practitioners.
The editors’ emphasis on practicality by drawing on a wide range of real-life case
studies is to be applauded. A glimpse into the lives of service users in the criminal justice
system offers valuable insights on how psychological theories and assessments are
applied in real life to offenders. The case of Alan (pp. 152–154) whom was sentenced
to life imprisonment for murder at the age of 18 highlights the importance of clinical
interventions for violent offender’s rehabilitation. Further, the case illustration of Ben
(pp. 173–179) also gives insights on how different therapeutic approaches and pre-sen-
tencing assessments are adopted for violent sex offenders in Hong Kong. In particular,
this case study demonstrated the real-life application of the Hong Kong Risk Assessment
Scale for Sexual Offenders (HK-RASSO) and underlined the possibility for further
development of localized assessment tools. By incorporating real case studies of service
users, this book bridges the gap between theory and application.
The book is divided into three parts: policing and legal system, offender rehabilitation
and treatment, and research and future directions. Part 1 of the book is focused on the
pre-conviction process when offenders enter the legal system. Chapters are arranged in
the logical order from youth gang offenders, children giving evidence, the application of
the insanity defence, fitness to plead, and the decision-making process of juries in
Singapore and Hong Kong. Part 2 then moves on to the process of rehabilitation and
treatment. The seven chapters in Part 2 offer insight to localized rehabilitation services in
Hong Kong and Singapore. Discussions are categorized into two general themes: (1) an
overview of rehabilitation and psychological assessments offered by correctional services
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