The UAB to award criminologist Anthony Bottoms an honorary degree

Professor Sir Anthony Bottoms is one of the main defenders of humanistic criminal policies grounded on empirical bases. He was educated at Oxford and Cambridge, and became lecturer in criminology at the University of Sheffield. He returned to Cambridge in 1984 to become director of the Institute for Criminology and later director of the Centre for Penal Theory and Penal Ethics.

His work is based on the concept that the most advanced criminal policies must include empirical support of their effectiveness. He developed this idea in different areas with the aim of demonstrating that more humanistic punitive systems could be more effective: for example, he studied how alternative punishments could be used to lower prison sentences, and verified that young offenders have the intention of changing and in this case social support, rather than a punitive response, make the process easier.

The new honorary doctor has lectured in the UAB master's degree and bachelor's degree in Criminology, and participated in the events commemorating ten years since the first edition of the master's degree. He also participates in UAB research activity by welcoming UAB researchers for a stay at the Cambridge Institute for Criminology. And in 2016, he inaugurated the 11th Spanish Conference on Criminology, organised by the UAB and the Centre for Legal Studies and Specialised Training. His research lines in subjects such as alternative punishments, quality of life in prisons, and abandonment and reinsertion have greatly influenced criminology experts in Catalonia.

Sir Bottoms holds numerous distinctions, among which are the Sellin-Glueck Award by the American Society of Criminology and the European Criminology Award by the European Society of Criminology. He also has been awarded honorary degrees from Sheffield University, Queen's University, Belfast, and Malmö University.