Well Excuse Me! - Remorse, Apology, and Criminal Sentencing

There is a growing body of literature on apology and law. Until recently, most of this literature has dealt with apology in private or civil law, but there is now a significant body of literature developing on apology in criminal law. Most of this literature is very positive about the potential legal role of apology and in this way extends into law a general cultural celebration of apology and other expressions of remorse - a celebration so pervasive that some have even referred to present day America as a "culture of apology." In this essay the author expresses considerable skepticism about our culture of apology and raises doubts about the general idea of integrating apology and remorse into criminal sentencing.