An Edinburgh Law School graduate, Professor Garland earned his LLB in 1977 before completing an MA in criminology at the University of Sheffield. He returned to Edinburgh to undertake a PhD, which he was awarded in 1984, and subsequently joined Edinburgh Law School as a lecturer. 

He was appointed to a personal chair in penology in 1992. In 1997, he moved to New York University, where he continues to shape the field on a global scale. His work has profoundly influenced how scholars, students and policymakers think about punishment and its place in society. 

Professor Garland’s laureation address was given by Professor Richard Sparks, during which he said: “Any of our graduating students who have taken a course in criminology – especially punishment and society – will already be aware of David’s work. Anyone who studies criminological theory or the sociology of punishment anywhere in the world is aware of it.”

From early publications such as The Power to Punish, co-edited with Peter Young, and his first book Punishment and Welfare, to more recent monographs including Peculiar Institution: America’s Death Penalty in an Age of Abolition and the forthcoming Law and Order Leviathan, Professor Garland has continually advanced critical understanding of criminal justice and state power.

On 2 July 2025, Professor Richard Sparks will interview Professor Garland and discuss his forthcoming book. There will also be an opportunity for the audience to ask questions.

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