The machinery of criminal justice author stephanos bibas new york oxford university press 2012 285 pp reviewer ronald wright september 2012 stephanos bibas is an expert skeptic of expertise in criminal justice he has written a wide ranging book that traces the historical rise of insiders full time professionals in . In the machinery of criminal justice author stephanos bibas surveys these developments over the last two centuries considers what we have lost in our quest for efficient punishment and suggests ways to include victims defendants and the public once again these ideas range from requiring convicts to work or serve in the military to moving . Two centuries ago the criminal justice system was primarily run by laymen in court victims and defendants interacted face to face while lay jurors from the community sat in judgment jury trials passed moral judgment on crimes vindicated victims and innocent defendants denounced guilty defendants and reconciled and healed wounded relationships. Two centuries ago the american criminal justice was run primarily by laymen jury trials passed moral judgment on crimes vindicated victims and innocent defendants and denounced the guilty but over the last two centuries lawyers have taken over the process silencing victims and defendants and in many cases substituting a plea bargaining system for the voice of the jury. Part of the criminal procedure commons criminology commons criminology and criminal justice commons dispute resolution and arbitration commons inequality and stratification commons law and society commons and the public law and legal theory commons repository citation bibas stephanos the machinery of criminal justice 2012