Julian Roberts

Julian Roberts holds an LL.M. from the University of London and a Ph.D from the University of Toronto. In 2023 Julian was appointed Kings Counsel (Honorary) for contributions to sentencing in England and Wales and internationally. In 2022 he received the American Society of Criminology 2021 Sellin-Glueck Award for scholarship that considers Criminal Justice Internationally and Comparatively.

Julian was a member of the Sentencing Council of England and Wales from 2008-2018. He is Executive and Founding Director of the Sentencing Academy, a London-based institute which links scholars with practitioners, and promotes greater public understanding of sentencing in England.

His latest books include Sentencing Guidelines and Commissions: Comparative Perspectives. (2025, Oxford University Press, 2025, with A. Freiberg and R. Hester) and An Advanced Introduction to Sentencing. (2025, Edward Elgar with A. Freiberg). He has authored, edited or co-edited 39 scholarly volumes.

Julian has been a Visiting Professor at a number of universities, including: Faculty of Law, University of Ferrara; Faculty of Law, University of Minnesota; European Public Law Program, Athens (2015); Global Law School, University of Haifa (2012); Institute of Criminology, University of Cambridge (2012); Visiting International Professor, Faculty of Law, Université Libre de Bruxelles (2009-2010); School of Law, King’s College London (2009-2010; 2005-2006); Faculty of Law, Catholic University of Leuven (2007-2008). From 2014-2018 he was co-Director of the Criminal History Project located in the Faculty of Law, University of Minnesota. This multi-year project conducted research into the use of prior convictions in the US sentencing guidelines.