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Dirk Van Zyl Smit

Emeritus Professor of Comparative and International Penal Law,

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Biography

Following his retirement on 31 July 2020, Dirk van Zyl Smit is Emeritus Professor of Comparative and International Penal Law at the University of Nottingham. From 1982 to 2005 he was Professor of Criminology at the University of Cape Town, where he was also Dean of the Faculty of Law from 1990 to 1995. In 2012 he was Global Visiting Professor at the New York University School of Law. In recent years he has also held appointments as a visiting professor at the Humboldt University in Berlin, the Paul Cezanne University in Aix en Provence and the Catholic University of Leuven.

He holds BA and LLB degrees from the University of Stellenbosch and a PhD from the University of Edinburgh. In 2008 he was awarded an honorary doctorate in law by the Ernst-Moritz-Arndt University of Greifswald in Germany. He has been an Alexander von Humboldt Fellow at the Max Planck Institute for Foreign and International Penal Law in Freiburg and a Senior Fulbright Research Fellow at the New York University School of Law. He is also an Advocate of the High Court of South Africa.

Expertise Summary

Dirk van Zyl Smit's books include Principles of European Prison Law and Policy (with Sonja Snacken 2009), Taking Life Imprisonment Seriously in National and International Law (2002). He has edited European Penology? (with Tom Daems and Sonja Snacken 2013); Release from Imprisonment: European Perspectives (with Nicola Padfield and Frieder Dünkel 2010); and Prison Labour: Salvation or Slavery? International Perspectives (1999) and Imprisonment Today and Tomorrow - International Perspectives on Prisoners' Rights and Prison Conditions (2nd ed. 2001), both with Frieder Dünkel; and He is founding co-editor of the journal Punishment and Society and the author of many articles on criminological theory and on sentencing and imprisonment.

In South Africa Dirk van Zyl Smit was actively involved in law reform as the primary consultant for the Correctional Services Act 1998 and a member of the National Council on Correctional Services from 1995 to 2004. He was also project leader of the committee of the South African Law Commission investigating sentencing and author of its report and draft legislation: a New Sentencing Framework (2000).

Internationally, he has advised the governments of Bangladesh, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Malawi on new prison legislation and Malaysia on legislation on the international transfer of prisoners. He was expert adviser to the Council of Europe on the European Prison Rules (2006), the European Rules on Juvenile Offenders subject to Sanctions or Measures (2019) and the Recommendation on the Foreign Prisoners (2012). For the United Nations Office for Drugs and Crime he prepared its Handbook on Alternatives to Imprisonment (2007) and, with Roisin Mulgrew, the Handbook on the International Transfer of Sentenced Persons (2012).

Research Summary

Dirk van Zyl Smit researches in all aspects of sentencing and punishment including their international and comparative applications. He is currently leading a research project on Life Imprisonment… read more

Selected Publications

  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D and WEATHERBY, P, 2014. Whole Life Sentences and the Tide of European Human rights Jurisprudence: What is to be Done?. Human Rights Law Review. 14(1), 59-84
  • TOM DAEMS, DIRK VAN ZYL SMIT and SONJA SNACKEN, eds., 2013. European Penology? Hart.
  • DRENKHAHN, K., MORGENSTERN, C. and VAN ZYL SMIT, D., 2012. What is in a name? preventive detention in Germany in the shadow of European human rights law Criminal Law Review. 2012(3), 167-187
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D., 2010. Regulation of prison conditions Crime and Justice. 39, 503-563

Current PhD Students

  • Qi Chen: Community sanctions and measures in China - an empirical and comparative study (co-supersied with Dr Roisin Mulgrew)
  • David Hayes: Identifying the Socially Constructed Penal Impact of Community Sentencing in England and Wales: A Conceptual and Empirical Study (co-supervised with Dr Candida Saunders)
  • Budiman Lufti: Rethinking the Death Penalty in Malaysia (co-supervised with Dr Olympia Bekou)
  • Ed Wright: A Sociological Investigation into the 'Lived Experience' of Electronic Monitoring under the Home Detention Curfew (co-supervised with Dr Candida Saunders)

Recent PhD Students

Current Research

Dirk van Zyl Smit researches in all aspects of sentencing and punishment including their international and comparative applications. He is currently leading a research project on Life Imprisonment Worldwide funded by the Leverhulme Trust

Videos and podcasts that deal with his research include:

the Hoffinger Lecture that he gave the on "Life Imprisonment Across Jurisdictions and Continents" at New York University on 21 September 2012;

the lecture on "American Exceptionalism in Parole Release Supervision" that he presented as part of the 2nd Annual Robina Institute Conference, "American Exceptionalism in Crime and Punishment," on 23 April 2013 at the University of Minnesota Law School; and

a lecture in the symposium "Soering After 25 Years" Gray's inn/Middlesex University, 20 June 2014.

  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D and CORDA, A, 2017. American Exceptionalism in Parole Release and Supervision: A European Perspective. In: REITZ, K, ed., American Exceptionalism in Crime and Punishment Oxford University Press. 367-409
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, DIRK, SNACKEN, SONJA and HAYES, DAVID, 2015. 'One cannot legislate kindness':(1) Ambiguities in European legal instruments on non-custodial sanctions PUNISHMENT & SOCIETY-INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PENOLOGY. 17(1), 3-26
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D and WEATHERBY, P, 2014. Whole Life Sentences and the Tide of European Human rights Jurisprudence: What is to be Done?. Human Rights Law Review. 14(1), 59-84
  • TOM DAEMS, DIRK VAN ZYL SMIT and SONJA SNACKEN, eds., 2013. European Penology? Hart.
  • 2013. Droit de toute personne condamnée à la réclusion criminelle à perpétuité d’avoir une perspective de libération. Cour européenne des droits de l’homme, Grande chambre, 9 juillet 2013, n° 66069/09, 130/10, 3896/10 Vinter et autres c/ Royaume-Uni Actualité Juridique Pénal. 494-496
  • 2013. Legitimacy and the Development of International Standards for Punishment”. In: TANKEBE, J. and LIEBLING, A., eds., Legitimacy and Criminal Justice: an International Exploration Oxford: Oxford University Press Oxford University Press. 267-292
  • DRENKHAHN, K., MORGENSTERN, C. and VAN ZYL SMIT, D., 2012. What is in a name? preventive detention in Germany in the shadow of European human rights law Criminal Law Review. 2012(3), 167-187
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D., 2012. L’Europe à la veille de rendre illicite les peines incompressibles?. In: LECUYER, Y., ed., La perpétuité perpétuelle: Réflexions sur la réclusion criminelle à perpétuité Presse Universitaires de Rennes. 91-109
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D., 2012. Punishment and Human Rights. In: SIMON, J. and SPARKS, R., eds., Handbook on Punishment and Society Sage. 395-415
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D., 2012. Non-custodial sanctions and European human rights law. In: ROBERTS, J. and ZEDNER, L., eds., Principles and Values in Criminal Law and Criminal Justice: Essays in honour of Andrew Ashworth Oxford University Press. 191-208.
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D., 2012. La Chambre suprême des États-Unis ordonne à l’État californien de libérer des milliers de détenus Actualité Juridique Pénal. 108-110
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D., 2012. “The Cruelty of Life without Hope”. In: CLAESSEN, J. and DE VOCHT, D, eds., Humaan strafwerk.: Liber Amicorum Gerard de Jonge. Wolf Legal Publishers. 409-423
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D. and STEYN E., 2011. Le système pénitentiaire sud-africain. In: J-P CÉRÉ and C JAPIASSÚ, eds., Les systèmes pénitentiaires dans le monde 2nd edition. Dalloz. 353-380
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D. and SNACKEN, S., 2011. Pozaeuropejskie wpływy penologii europejskiej. In: STAŃDO-KAWECKI, B. and KRAJEWKSI, K., eds., Problemy penologigii i praw człowieka na początku xxi stulecia: Księga poświęcona pamięci Profesora Zbigniewa Hołdy 33. Lex. 535-546
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D. and SNACKEN, S., 2011. Shaping penal policy from above? The role of the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights. In: CRAWFORD, A., ed., International and Comparative Criminal Justice and Urban Governance Cambridge University Press,. 168-190
  • PADFIELD, N, VAN ZYL SMIT, D. and DÜNKEL, F., eds., 2010. Release from Prison: European Policy and Practice Willan.
  • DÜNKEL, F, LAPPI-SEPÄLÄ T, MORGENSTERN, C, VAN ZYL SMIT, D and (EDS), 2010. Kriminalität, Kriminalpolitik, strafrechtliche Sanktionspraxis und Gefangenenraten im europäischen Vergleich Forum Verlag.
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D., 2010. Regulation of prison conditions Crime and Justice. 39, 503-563
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D., 2010. Outlawing irreducible life sentences: Europe on the brink? Federal Sentencing Reporter. 23(1), 39-48
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D. and SPENCER, J.R., 2010. The European dimension to the release of sentenced prisoners. In: PADFIELD, N., VAN ZYL SMIT, D. and DÜNKEL, F., eds., Release from prison: European policy and practice Willan. 9-46
  • BAECHTOLD, A and DÜNKEL, F. & VAN ZYL SMIT, D., 2009. Die Europäische Grundsätze über Sanktionen an jugendlichen Straftätern Schweizerische Zeitschrift für Kriminologie/Swiss Journal of Criminology. 9(2), 49-59
  • DÜNKEL, F., BAECHTOLD, A. and & VAN ZYL SMIT, D., 2009. Europäischen Grundsätze über Sanktionen an jugendlichen Straftätern verabschiedet. In: BUNDESMINISTERIUM FÜR JUSTIZ, ed., "Jugendliche im Gefängnis" – Modelle im Umgang mit straffälligen Jugendlichen neuer wissenschaftlicher Verlag. 141-158
  • SNACKEN, S. & VAN ZYL SMIT, D., 2009. Rechten van gedetineerden benaderd vanuit recente Europese ontwikkelingen. In: T DAEMS ET AL, ed., Achter tralies in België Academia Press. 241-270
  • SNACKEN, S. & VAN ZYL SMIT, D. and VAN ZYL SMIT, D., 2009. Europäische Standards zu langen Freiheitsstrafen: Aspekte des Strafrechts, der Strafvollzugsforschung und der Menschenrechte Neue Kriminalpolitik. 21(2), 58-68
  • DÜNKEL, F and BAECHTOLD, A. & VAN ZYL SMIT, D., 2009. Die Europäische Empfehlung für inhaftierte und ambulant sanktionierte jugendliche Straftäter (European Rules for Juvenile Offenders Subject to Sanctions or Measures, ERJOSSM)”.. In: BUNDESMINISTERIUM DER JUSTIZ, ed., Das Jugendkriminalrecht vor neuen Herausforderungen? Jenaer Symposium Forum Verlag Godesberg. 297-316
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D. and SNACKEN, S., 2009. Principles of European prison law and policy: penology and human rights Oxford University Press.
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D. and SNACKEN, S., 2009. Prawa Więźniów W Perspektywie Europejskiej Ostatnich Lat Archiwum Kryminologii. 37, 7-34
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D., 2008. Die Durchsetzung europäischer Prinzipien im Strafvollzug – Parallelen zur Abschaffung der Todesstrafe?“ Greifrecht. 6, 88-95
  • SNACKEN, S. & VAN ZYL SMIT, D., 2008. The prisoner as rechtsburger: a European perspective. In: FRANKE, A and DE LANGEN, M. & MOERINGS, M., eds., Constante Waarden; Liber amicorum prof. mr. Constantijn Kelk Boom juridische uitgewers. 573-584
  • DÜNKEL, F. & VAN ZYL SMIT, D., 2008. Implementación del encarcelamientio juvenil y dercho constiucionel en Alemania. In: A SERRANO MAÍLLO AND J L GUZMÁN DÁLBORA, ed., Procesos de infracción de normas y de reaccion a la infracción de normas: dos Tradiciones criminológicas: nuevos estudios en homenaje al Professor Alfons Serrano Gómez Dykinson. 205-232
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D., 2008. Lange vrijheidsbeneming in binnen- en buiteland Sancties. 6, 317-327
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D. and DÜNKEL, F., 2007. The implementation of youth imprisonment and constitutional law in Germany Punishment & Society. 9(4), 347-369
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D. & STEYN, E., 2007. Le système pénitentiaire sud-africain. In: CÉRÉ, J.P. & JAPIASSÚ, C., ed., Les systèmes pénitentiaires dans le monde Dalloz. 1-23
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D., 2007. Notes on a new sentencing framework for South Africa. In: OPEN SOCIETY FOUNDATION, ed., Sentencing in South Africa Open Society Foundation. 40-45
  • DÜNKEL, F and BAECHTOLD, A. & VAN ZYL SMIT, D, 2007. Europäische Mindeststandards und Empfehlungen als Orientierungspunkte für die Gesetzgebung und Praxis dargestellt am Beispiel der Empfehlungen für inhaftierte Jugendliche und Jugendliche in ambulanten Maßnahmen. In: GOERDELER, J. & WALKENHORST, P., ed., Jugendstrafvollzug in Deutschland Forum Verlag. 114-140
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D., 2007. Prisoners' Rights. In: JEWKES, Y., ed., Handbook on Prisons Cullompton: Willan. 566-584
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D., 2007. Responding to crimes against international law. In: PAVLICH, G. and BRANNINGAN, A., eds., Governance and Regulation in Social Life: Essays in honour of W.G. Carson Routledge-Cavendish. 120-129
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D., 2006. Humanising imprisonment: a European project? European Journal of Criminal Policy Research. 12, 107-120
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, DIRK, 2006. Life imprisonment: recent issues in national and international law. International journal of law and psychiatry. 29(5), 405-21
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D., 2005. International imprisonment International and Comparative Law Quarterly. 54(2), 357-386
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D., 2005. Civil disabilities of former prisoners in a constitutional democracy: building on the South African experience. In: MELE, C. and MILLER, T.A., eds., Civil penalties, social consequences New York: Routledge. 255-272
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D., 2005. El Derecho en materia de imposicion de penas en Inglaterra y Gales: un estudio casuistico. In: La politica legislative penal en Occidente: Un perspectiva comparada Editorial Tirant lo Blanch, Valencia. 63-104
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D, 2005. Review of Fran Lisa Buntman, Robben Island and Prisoner Resistance to Apartheid (2003) Punishment and Society. 7, 231-234
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D, 2005. Review of Alison Liebling, Prisons and their Moral Performance (2003) British Journal of Criminology. 45, 765-767
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D, 2005. Review of Florence Bernault (ed), A history of prison and confinement in Africa (2003) Punishment and Society. 7, 234-236
  • VAN ZYL SMIT,D. and ASHWORTH, A., 2004. Disproportionate sentences as human rights violations Modern Law Review. 67(4), 541-560
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D. and VAN DER SPUY, E., 2004. Importing Criminological Ideas in a New Democracy: Recent South African Experiences. In: Criminal Justice and Political Cultures: National and International Dimensions of Crime Control 184-208
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D. and DUNKEL, F., 2004. Preventive detention of dangerous offenders re-examined: a comment on two decisions of the German Federal Constitutional Court (BVerfG - 2 BvR 2029/01 of 5 February 2004 and BVerfG - 2 BvR 834/02 - BvR 1558/02 of 10 February 2004) and the Federal Draft Bill on Preventive Detention of 9 March 2004 German Law Journal. 5, 619-637
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D., 2004. The death penalty in Africa African Human Rights Law Journal. 4(1), 1-16
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D. and VAN DER SPUY, E., 2004. Importing criminological ideas in a new democracy: recent South African experiences. In: Transferring Criminological Ideas Willan Publishing, Cullompton, UK. 184-208
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D., 2004. Sentencing and Punishment. In: Constitutional Law of South Africa 2nd edition. Juta, Sandton, South Africa. 1-36
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D., 2004. Swimming against the Tide: Controlling the size of the prison population in the new South Africa. In: Justice Gained? Crime and Crime Control in South Africa's Transition Juta, Sandton, South Africa. 227-258
  • VANZYLSMIT,D., 2004. Review of M. Tonry and R. Frase (eds), Sentencing and Sanctions in Western Countries (OUP, 2001) Punishment and Society. 6, 115-116
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D., 2004. De blik van een buitestaander op de voorstellen tot hervorming van de straftoemeting in Belgie Fatik. 22(101), 5-9
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D AND DUNKEL, F, 2004. Nachtragliche Sicherungsvewahrung Kriminalpadagogische Praxis. 43, 47-57
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D, 2003. Aspekte der Strafzumessung in der internationalen Strafjustiz Zeitschrift fuer die gesamte Strafrechtswissenchaft. 115(4), 931-957
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D., 2003. The Impact of United Nations Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Standards on Domestic Legislation and Criminal Justice Operations. In: The Application of United Nations Standards and Norms in Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice 133-140
  • VANZYLSMIT,D., 2003. Civil Disabilities of Former Prisoners in a Constitutional Democracy: Building on the South African Experience Acta Juridica. 221-237
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D., 2003. Criminological Ideas and the South African Transition. In: Criminology: Conflict Resolution and Restorative Justice Palgrave Macmillan Ltd, Basingstoke, UK.
  • VANZYLSMIT,D., 2003. Review of N. Padfield, Beyond the Tariff: Human Rights and the Release of Life Sentence Prisoners (Willan Publishing, 2002) The Howard Journal of Criminal Justice. 42(4), 397-398
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D, 2003. Prison rules as instruments for protecting prisoners' rights. In: Proceedings of the Second Pan-African Conference on Penal and Prison Reform in Africa Penal Reform International, Paris. 121-126
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D, 2002. Let the Punishment fit the Crime Without Prejudice. 2(1), 6-7
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D., 2002. Mandatory Sentences: A Conundrum for the New South Africa. In: Sentencing and Society: International erspectives Ashgate Publishing Group, Aldershot & London. 90-109
  • VANZYLSMIT,D., 2002. Punishment and Human Rights in International Criminal Justice Human Rights Law Review. 2, 1-17
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D, 2002. Sentencing and the International Criminal Court Sentencing Observer. 1, 1-2
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D, 2001. Human Rights and Sentencing Guidelines Law Democracy and Development. 5, 45-52
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D., 2001. Tough Justice: South African Style?. In: Victim Policies and Criminal Justice on the Road to Restorative Justice: A Collection of Essays in Honour of Tony Peters (Samenleving, Criminaliteit & Strafrechtspleging) 225-237
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D, 2001. Harte Strafjustiz: Typisch fuer Sud-Afrika Zeitschrift fuer Strafvollzug und Straffalligenhilfe. 50, 71-76
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D., 2001. Human Rights and Sentencing Guidelines. In: Resolving the Tension between Crime and Human Rights: An Evaluation of European and South African Issues 295-304
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D., 2001. Abolishing life imprisonment? Punishment and Society. 3(2), 299-306
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D. and DÜNKEL, F., eds., 2001. Imprisonment Today and Tomorrow - International Perspectives on Prisoners' Rights and Prison Conditions Second. Kluwer Law International, Deventer, NL.
  • VANZYLSMIT,D. and STEYN,E., 2000. Prosecuting Authority in the New South Africa CIJL yearbook. 8, 137-155
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D., 2000. The Place of Criminal Law in Contemporary Crime Control Strategies European Journal of Crime, Criminal Law and Criminal Justice. VOL 8(PART 4), 361-376
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D., 2000. Mandatory sentences: A conundrum for the new South Africa? Punishment and Society. VOL 2(PART 2), 197-212
  • VANZYLSMIT,D. and COYLE,A., 2000. Editorial: International Regulation of Punishment Punishment and Society. 2, 259-262
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D, SARKIN, J, STEYN, E, PASCHKE R, 2000. Individual Liberty in Crisis? Reflections on the decision of the Constitutional Court in S v Dlamini; S v Dladla and Others; S v Joubert; S v Schitekat South African Journal on Human Rights. 16, 292-312
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D. and DUNKEL, F., eds., 1999. Prison Labour: Salvation or Slavery? - International Perspectives(Onati International Series in Law and Society) Ashgate Publishing Group, Aldershot & London.
  • VANZYLSMIT,D. and OPPERT,A., 1999. Unbegrenzte M?glichkeiten Hinsichtlich Lebenslanger Freiheitsstrafen in den U.S.A.? Zeitschrift für die gesamte Strafrechtswissenchaft. 111, 558-576
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D., 1999. Mandatory Minimum Sentences and Departures from them in Substantial and Compelling Circumstances South African Journal on Human Rights. VOL 15(NUMBER 2), 270-276
  • VANZYLSMIT,D., 1999. Criminological Ideas and the South African Transition British Journal of Criminology. 39, 198-215
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D., 1999. Anchoring the Treatment of Sentenced Prisoners in a Rights Discourse: The Example of Rewards for Prison Labour in German Law South African Law Journal. VOL 116(NUMBER 3), 613-623
  • VANZYLSMIT,D., 1999. Life Imprisonment as the Ultimate Penalty in International Human Rights Law Criminal Law Forum. 9, 5-54
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D., 1999. South Africa. In: Prison Labour: Salvation or Slavery? International Perspectives Ashgate Publishing Group, Aldershot & London. 211-240
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D. and DUNKEL, F., 1998. Arbeit im Strafvollzug - Ein Internationaler Vergleich. In: H-J ALBRECHT ET AL, ed., Internationale Perspektvien in Kriminologie und Strafrecht Festschrfit feur Gunther Kaiser Duncker und Humblot GmbH, Berlin, Germany. 1161-1200
  • VANZYLSMIT,D. and CORDER,H., 1998. Privatised Prisons and the Constitution South African Journal of Criminal Justice. 11, 475-490
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D., 1998. Change and Continuity in South African Prisons. In: Comparing Prisons Systems: Towards a Comparative and International Penology (International Studies in Global Change Series) Routledge, London and New York. 401-426
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D, 1998. The South African Correctional Services Act In: Proceedings of the Second International Conference on Modern Trends in Corrections. 97-116
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D, 1998. Political Prisoners Unesco Courier. 31-34
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D., 1998. Changing Prison Life University of Toronto Law Journal. 48, 451-457
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D., 1998. Leave of Absence for West German Prisoners, Legal Principle and Administrative Practice British Journal of Criminology. 28, 1-18
  • VANZYLSMIT,D., 1997. Some Features of Correctional Reform in South Africa Acta Criminologica (South African Journal of Criminology). 11, 45-57
  • VANZYLSMIT,D., 1997. Review of R.L. Abel, Politics by Other Means. Law in the Struggle against Apartheid in South Africa (Routledge, 1995) Journal of Law and Society. 24, 613-617
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D., 1997. Equality in Criminal Law. In: Law in Motion. Proceedings of the First World Conference on Law, Brussels, 9-12 September 1996 Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, Boston. 466-489
  • VANZYLSMIT,D. and DUNKEL,F., 1996. Gefangnisarbeit - Ein 'Reservat der Sklaverei'? Neue Kriminalpolitik. 4, 9-10
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D, 1996. Sentencing and Punishment. In: M. CHASKALSON ET AL, ed., Constitutional Law of South Africa Juta, Cape Town. 1-21
  • VANZYLSMIT,D., 1995. Review of T. Peters and J. Goethals (eds), De Achterkant van de Criminalteit (1993) and A. Neys, T. Peters, F. Pieters and J. Vanaker (eds), Tralies in de Weg (1994) Acta Criminologica (South African Journal of Criminology). 8, 94-96
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D., 1995. Taking Life Imprisonment Seriously. In: The Quest for Justice: Essays in Honour of Michael McGregor Corbett, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of South Africa 309-327
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D., 1995. Prisoners' Rights. In: R. LOUW, ed., 1994 South African Human Rights Yearbook 6. 268-280
  • VAN ZYL SMIT and PINNOCK, D AND SCHARF, W, 1995. South African Criminal Justice in Transition The Criminologist. 20(4), 5-9
  • VANZYLSMIT,D., 1995. Constitutional Jurisprudence and Proportionality in Sentencing European Journal of Crime, Criminal Law and Criminal Justice. 4, 369-380
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D. and DUNKEL, F., 1995. Die Behandlung von Gefangenen mit langen Haftstrafen und Ausgestaltungen des Langstrafenvollzugs im internationalen Vergleich. In: H MULLER-DIETZ AND M WALTER, ed., Strafvollzug in den 90er Jahren: Perspektiven und Herausforderungen Festgabe fur Karl Peter Rotthaus Centaurus, Pfaffenweiler. 115-137
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D., 1995. South African Prisons and the Standards of International Human Rights Law. In: The Protection of Human Rights in African Criminal Proceedings Kluwer Law International, Deventer, NL. 191-208
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D., 1995. Reentering The International Community: South Africa and Extradition Criminal Law Forum. VOL 6(NUMBER 2), 369-376
  • VANZYLSMIT,D. and LOSCHNIG-GSPANDL,M., 1994. Rechtliche Grundlagen und Grenzen gemeindebezogener Sanktionen Monatschrift für Kriminologie und Strafrechtsreform. 77, 307-315
  • VANZYLSMIT,D., 1994. Is Capital Punishment Constitutional? The answer from Hungary South African Journal of Criminal Justice. 7, 348-352
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D., 1994. South Africa. In: F. DUNKEL AND J VAGG, ed., Untersuchungshaft und Untersuchungshaftvollzug: International vergleichende Perspektiven zur Untersuchungshaft sowie zu den Rechte [Waiting for Trial] Mak Planck Institute for Foreign and International Criminal Law, Frieburg, Germany. 651-698
  • VANZYLSMIT,D., 1994. Degrees of Freedom Criminal Justice Ethics. 13, 31-38
  • VANZYLSMIT,D., 1994. Review of C. van den Wyngaert (ed.), Criminal Procedure Systems of the European Community (London: Butterworths, 1993) South African Journal of Criminal Justice. 7, 385-387
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D and VETERE, E AND NEUDECK, K, 1994. The Ninth United Nations Crime Conference European Journal of Crime, Criminal Law and Criminal Justice. 2, 62-78
  • VANZYLSMIT,D. and CAMERON,E., 1994. The Administration of Justice, Law Reform and Jurisprudence Annual Survey of South African Law. 507-539
  • VANZYLSMIT,D., 1994. Review of J.D. Brewer, Black and Blue: Policing in South Africa (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1994) Criminal Law Review. 707
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D., MILTON, J.R. and VAN DER MERWE, S.E., 1994. Criminal Law: South Africa. In: C. FIJNAUT AND L. DUPONT, ed., International Encyclopaedia of Criminal Law Kluwer Law International, Deventer, NL. 1-256
  • VANZYLSMIT,D., 1994. Review of M.W. McMahon, The Persistent Prison: Rethinking Decarceration and Penal Reform (University of Toronto Press, 1993) Monatschrift für Kriminologie und Strafrechtsreform. 77, 193
  • VANZYLSMIT,D., 1993. Public Protest and Violence in South Africa - Past Wrongs and Future Rights Tilburg Foreign Law Review. 2, 321-340
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D, 1993. Constitutionalism and the implementation of punishment. In: L. GLANZ, ed., Managing Crime in the New South Africa HSRC, Pretoria. 300-303
  • VANZYLSMIT,D., 1993. Legal Standards and the Limits of Community Sanctions European Journal of Crime, Criminal Law and Criminal Justice. 1, 309-331
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D., 1992. Arestowanie poprzedzajace rozprawe i areztowanie bez rozprawy w Republice Poludniwej Afryki. In: Zatrzymanie i tymczasowe aresztowanie a prawa czlowieka 311-350
  • VAN ZYL SMIT,D., 1992. South African Prison Law and Practice Juta.
  • VANZYLSMIT,D., 1992. Is Life Imprisonment Constitutional? Public Law. 263-278
  • VANZYLSMIT,D., 1992. A Legitimate Prison System in a Future South Africa? Legal Studies Forum. 16, 167-192
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D., 1991. Helderstroom Prison, South Africa. In: The State of Prisons - 200 Years On Routledge, London and New York. 69-87
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D., CAMERON, E. and MARCUS, G., 1991. The Administration of Justice, Law Reform and Jurisprudence Annual Survey of South African Law. 556-618
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D, 1991. England: Streitpunkt Lebenslanglich Neue Kriminalpolitik. 3, 19-20
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D. and DUNKEL, F., eds., 1991. Imprisonment Today and Tomorrow Brill, N.V. Boekhandel en Drukkerij N.H. E.J., Leiden, Netherlands.
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D, 1991. Review of A La Guma, The Stone Country New Era. 39
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D. and HANSSON, D.S., eds., 1990. Towards Justice?: Crime and State Control in South Africa (Contemporary South African Debates Series)
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D, 1989. Review of A Black Sash Report, Inside South Africa's Death Factory South African Journal of Criminal Justice. 2, 269
  • VANZYLSMIT,D., 1989. Adopting and Adapting Criminological Ideas: Criminology and Afrikaner Nationalism in South Africa 13, 227-251
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D., 1989. The Nature and Effect of Legislative and Quasi-Legislative Administrative Acts (Part II) SA Publiekreg (South African Public Law). 4, 41-59
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D, 1989. Review of NC Steytler, The Undefended Accused South African Journal on Human Rights. 5, 89
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D., CAMERON, E. and MARCUS, G., 1989. The Administration of Justice, Law Reform and Jurisprudence Annual Survey of South African Law. 500-566
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D., 1988. Presence of Legal Advisers at the Interrogation of Suspects by the Police South African Journal of Criminal Justice. 1, 295-300
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D., 1988. South African Prisons and International Law South African Journal on Human Rights. 4, 21-36
  • VANZYLSMIT,D., 1988. Indigence and the Right to Counsel South African Journal on Human Rights. 4, 363-369
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D, 1988. Review of R Harris and D Webb, Welfare, Power and Juvenile Justice: The Social Control of Deliquent Youth Social Work/Maatskaplike Werk. 24, 52
  • VANZYLSMIT,D., CAMERON,E. and MARCUS,G., 1988. The Administration of Justice, Law Reform and Jurisprudence Annual Survey of South African Law. 482-536
  • VANZYLSMIT,D., 1988. The Nature and Effect of Legislative and Quasi-Legislative Administrative Acts (Part I) SA Publiekreg (South African Public Law). 3, 193-210
  • VANZYLSMIT,D., 1987. 'Normal' Prisons in an 'Abnormal' Society? A Comparative Perspective on South African Prison Law and Practice South African Journal on Human Rights. 3, 147-166
  • VANZYLSMIT,D. and TAITZ,J., 1987. Sentencing: The Ratio between a Fine and an Alternative Period of Imprisonment 11, 220-225
  • VANZYLSMIT,D., CAMERON,E. and MARCUS,G., 1987. The Administration of Justice, Law Reform and Jurisprudence Annual Survey of South African Law. 545-591
  • VANZYLSMIT,D., 1986. The Limits of the Criminal Sanction Journal for Juridical Science. 11, 186-193
  • VANZYLSMIT,D. and ISAKOW,N.M., 1986. The Decision on How to Plead: A Study of Plea Negotiation in Supreme Court Criminal Matters 10, 3-20
  • VANZYLSMIT,D. and CAMERON,E., 1985. The Administration of Justice, Law Reform and Jurisprudence Annual Survey of South African Law. 573-621
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D. and ISAKOW, N.M., 1985. Assessors and Criminal Justice South African Journal of Criminal Justice. 1, 218-235
  • VANZYLSMIT,D., 1985. The Legislative Entitlement of Security Detainees and Prisoners' Rights South African Journal on Human Rights. 1, 160-165
  • VANZYLSMIT,D., 1985. 'Professional' Patent Agents and the Development of the English Patent System International Journal of the Sociology of Law. 13, 79-105
  • VANZYLSMIT,D., 1985. Facts from Figures: The Case of Influx Control 9, 89-91
  • VANZYLSMIT,D., 1985. Public Policy and the Punishment of Crime in a Divided Society: A Historial Perspective on the South African Penal System 1, 54-67
  • VANZYLSMIT,D., 1984. Public Policy and the Punishment of Crime in a Divided Society: A Historial Perspective on the South African Penal System Crime and Social Justice. 21/22, 146-162
  • VANZYLSMIT,D. and OFFEN,L., 1984. Corporal Punishment - Joining Issue 8, 69-74
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D, 1984. Review of D Garland and P Young (eds), The Power to Punish South African Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology. 8, 104
  • VANZYLSMIT,D., 1984. The Compulsory Appointment of Assessors Reassessed South African Law Journal. 101, 212-216
  • VANZYLSMIT,D. and CAMERON,E., 1984. The Administration of Justice, Law Reform and Jurisprudence Annual Survey of South African Law. 507-579
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D., 1984. Prisons. In: The Law of South Africa Vol. 21. Juta & Co Ltd., Sandton, South Africa. 107-173
  • VANZYLSMIT,D. and CAMERON,E., 1983. The Administration of Justice, Law Reform and Jurisprudence Annual Survey of South African Law. 496-528
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D., 1983. Professionalism and the Access to Legal Services. In: Criminal Justice in South Africa: Selected Aspects of Discretion 77-88
  • VANZYLSMIT,D., 1983. Criminology and Criminal Justice (Inaugural Lecture, University of Cape Town) 7, 107-124
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D. and DEAN, W.H., eds., 1983. Constitutional Change in South Africa: The Next Five Years
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D, 1983. Review of F Andreano and JJ Siegfried (eds) The Economics of Crime South African Law Journal. 100, 364
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D, 1982. Review of T Platt and P Takagi (eds) Crime and Social Justice South African Law Journal. 99, 498
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D, 1982. Review of E du Toit, Straf in Suid-Afrika South African Law Journal. 99, 156
  • VANZYLSMIT,D. and CAMERON,E., 1982. The Administration of Justice, Law Reform and Jurisprudence Annual Survey of South African Law. 580-611
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D, 1982. Review of J van der Westhuizen, Meting van Misdaad De Rebus. 48
  • VANZYLSMIT,D. and CAMERON,E., 1981. The Administration of Justice, Law Reform and Jurisprudence Annual Survey of South African Law. 503-532
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D, 1981. Convicts on the Hard Road: Reflections on the system of convict labour introduced by John Montagu (1844-1853) De Rebus. 223-226
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D, 1981. Review of R Quinney, Criminology South African Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology. 98, 297
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D, 1981. Review of K Kamenka and A Erh-Soon Tay (eds) Law and Social Control South African Law Journal. 98, 472
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D, 1981. Review of D Marr, Barwick Politikon. 8, 119
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D, 1981. Review of R Tomasic and I Dobinson, The Failure of Imprisonment: An Australian Perspective South African Law Journal. 98, 478
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D, 1981. A Private Person's title to prosecute: Mkhanya v Bailey 1980 (4) SA 813 (T) South African Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology. 5, 78-79
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D, 1980. Review of AP Hare, G Wiendieck and MH von Broembsen (eds) South Africa: Sociological Analyses (Review article on section on Law and Crime) South African Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology. 4, 88
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D, 1980. Criminological Theory and the Sociology of Law South African Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology. 4, 244-249
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D, 1980. Review of JM Atkinson and P Drew, Order in Court South African Law Journal. 97, 328
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D and CAMERON, E, RUDOLPH, H, 1980. Judicial Appointments, Public Confidence and the Court Structure: Proposals for a New Approach De Rebus. 430-435
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D, 1980. Review of SE van der Merwe, Handleiding tot Artikels 112 en 115 van die Strafproseswet South African Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology. 4, 323
  • VANZYLSMIT,D. and CAMERON,E., 1980. The Administration of Justice, Law Reform and Jurisprudence Annual Survey of South African Law. 511-548
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D, 1980. Review of B Edelman, Ownership of the Image South African Law Journal. 97, 332
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D, 1979. The Compulsory Appointment of Assessors South African Law Journal. 96, 173-177
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D, 1979. Review of JC Ferreira, Strafproses in die Laer Howe South African Law Journal. 96, 669
  • VANZYLSMIT,D. and CAMERON,E., 1979. The Administration of Justice, Law Reform and Jurisprudence Annual Survey of South African Law. 695-742
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D, 1979. Section 112(3) of the Criminal Procedure Act: Khumalo 1978 (1) SA 516 (N) and Balepile 1979 (1) SA 701 (NC) South African Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology. 3, 74-77
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D, 1978. Review of S Falk Moore, Law as Process: An Anthropological Approach South African Law Journal. 95, 445
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D, 1978. Review of Sir Robert Mark, Policing a Perplexed Society South African Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology. 2, 221
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D, 1978. Review of A Rabie, Theories of Punishment South African Law Journal. 95, 441
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D, 1977. The Treatment of Official Crime Statistics in South African Criminology South African Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology. 1, 123-134
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D, 1976. Review of S McConville, The Use of Imprisonment - Essays in the changing state of English penal policy Crime, Punishment and Correction. 5, 72
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D, 1975. Review of J Hogarth, Sentencing as a Human Process Crime, Punishment and Correction. 4, 73
  • VAN ZYL SMIT, D., De levenslange vrijheidsstraf internationaal vergeleken Justitiële verkenningen. 39(1), 12-31.

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