The Punishment of Crime in Colonial New York

The Author: Dennis Sullivan is the Director of the Institute for Economic and Restorative Justice. He holds a doctorate in criminal justice from the State University of New York at Albany. He has authored with Larry Tifft The Struggle to be Human: Crime, Criminology, and Anarchism. He has also written The Mask of Love: Corrections in America, Toward a Mutual Aid Alternative . He is also adjunct professor of criminal justice at the State University of New York at Albany.

"Dennis Sullivan's study of the punishment of crime in the upper Hudson Valley will be a major contribution to the growing bibliography of works relating to New Netherland. Researchers who work with primary source material will appreciate his rigorous use of the Dutch records at the New York State Archives. Sullivan has added another piece to the mosaic which will one day reveal New York's unique and rich colonial beginnings." (Charles Gehring, Director of the New Netherland Project)
"We know very little about punishment in seventeenth century America, and until now what we did know was shrouded in myth and half truths. In a book of outstanding scholarship, Dr. Sullivan has placed the many speculations about punishment's functions squarely in the midst of a thorough-going history of the period. With style and verve he has brought the world of seventeenth century punishment to life. His attention to detail and relentless pursuit of the smallest piece of information is an inspiration. Every corner of knowledge concerning punishment practice has been examined and examined again. Each footnote is a gold mine of information on punishment practice, historical documents, and theoretical texts on punishment. Dr. Sullivan has made a very significant contribution not only to the history and theory of punishment, but also to the history of seventeenth century Albany. Historians who follow him will thank him for his thorough documentation and open minded approach to his topic." (Graeme Newman, University of Albany)