Through gripping case histories and first-hand reporting, Chris Daw takes us inside the criminal justice system, asking why it’s broken and what can be done about it.

'Chris is a powerful force for good in the national debate on criminal justice.' –The Secret Barrister 'Extraordinary' – Krishnan Guru-Murthy Chris Daw QC has been practising criminal law for over 25 years, navigating Britain’s fractured justice system from within. He has looked into the eyes of murderers, acted for notorious criminals, and listened to the tangled tales woven by fraudsters, money launderers and drug barons. Yet his work takes place at the heart of a system at breaking point – one which is failing perpetrators, victims and society – and now he is convinced that something must change. Drawing on case histories and global reporting, and published with a new afterword on law in the global pandemic, Justice on Trial presents a radical set of solutions for crime and punishment. By turns shocking, moving and pragmatic, Daw’s account offers rare inside access to a system in crisis and a roadmap to a future beyond the binary of good and evil. Updated with a new afterword on law and the global pandemic.

"Chris is a powerful force for good in the national debate on criminal justice. You should all go out and buy his book." - The Secret Barrister

"Emotionally searing … A political homme sérieux with a determination to reform our disintegrating criminal justice system." - The Tablet

"Will stand as a blueprint for criminal justice reform for decades to come … A must read for those in power who genuinely want a system that works." - Inside Times