From Russia to The Democratic Republic of Congo to Myanmar, Chris Stephen ponders the future of prosecuting war criminals who think themselves untouchable in this timely new book, part of Melville House UK’s FUTURES series.

As the world grows increasingly turbulent, war crimes justice is needed more than ever. But it is failing. The International Criminal Court in the Netherlands, the world’s first permanent war crimes court, opened in 2002 but it has jailed just five war criminals to date. Meanwhile, wars continue to rage around the globe. So what has gone wrong, and can it be fixed?

Journalist and war correspondent Chris Stephen takes a colourful look at the erratic history of war crimes justice, and the pioneers who created it. He examines its shortcomings, and options for making it more effective, including the case for prosecuting the corporations and banks who fund warlords. Casting the net wider, he examines alternatives to war crimes trials, and peers into the minds of war criminals themselves.

With war law advocates fighting for justice on one side, and reluctant governments unwilling to relinquish control on the other, will the world of the future be governed by rule-of-law, or might-is-right?

The Future of War Crimes Justice is a fascinating book that offers a compelling exploration into the operations of institutions such as the ICC (The International Criminal Court) and many other global courts. The book serves as a valuable resource for readers seeking to grasp the complexities of war justice by providing them with facts and historical information. I was really astonished at how much money the ICC has spent in the last twenty years, and for so little gain.

Now, I will admit the law is something I’m interested in, I studied it at A Level, so this book might appeal to me a little more than someone who has no real interest in the subject. However, I think the contents of the book are something everyone should learn about and understand.

Author Chris Stephens has used his experience as a journalist and war correspondent to write this book with the average Joe in mind. He has not used big, fancy words or long descriptions in his writing so that it is easy to understand for everyone.

The Future of War Crimes Justice is a small book but boy it packs a lot in. From looking at how war crimes laws were put into place, to events that are happening today this book covers them all. I loved the read. I was intrigued by it and I learnt so much along the way.

The book is part of Melville House UK’s new FUTURES series which currently has another three books in the series and more to follow later this year.

Chris Stephen has reported from nine wars for publications including The Guardian and The New York Times magazine. He writes on war crimes developments for journals including the International Institute for Strategic Studies and is author of Judgement Day: The Trial of
Slobodan Milosevic, published by Atlantic Books. He lives in London.