PROFESSOR RADZINOWICZ TAKES AS HIS STARTING POINT THE CLASSICAL CODES WHICH THE PHILOSOPHERS OF THE ENLIGHTENMENT PRODUCED IN REACTION TO THE BARBARITIES OF THE LAW UNDER THE ANCIENT REGIME. HE CONTRASTS THEIR LIBERAL HUMANIST THEORIES WITH THOSE OF THE DETERMINIST THINKERS OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY WHO SOUGHT TO EXPLAIN CRIME AS THE INEVITABLE PRODUCT OF CERTAIN PSYCHOLOGICAL, PHYSIOLOGICAL, OR ECONOMIC CONDITIONS. HE ANALYSES THE DEVELOPMENT OF CRIMINOLOGY IN THIS CENTURY AND FINALLY SEEKS TO ESTABLISH A MORE PRAGMATIC APPROACH TO THE COMPLEX PROBLEMS OF ASSESSING CRIMINAL LIABILITY AND CONTROLLING CRIMINAL CONDUCT. IN PARTICULAR, HE REPLACES VAGUE CONCEPTS OF RETRIBUTION WITH A REASONED AND CONSTRUCTIVE ATTITUDE TO PUNISHMENT.