This book discusses in depth the rise and fall of the determinate ideal, once heralded as a replacement to the old order of criminal justice. Using new materials and combining political, empirical, and theoretical perspectives, Griset examines the attempt in New York State to establish determinate sentencing -- "punishment for its own sake" -- to replace the existing policy of rehabilitation. In portraying New York's experience against the backdrop of a national reform agenda, she analyzes the development and ultimate failure of a major social movement.

This book evaluates the impact of tough sentencing reforms on the courts, prisons, and crime. It also unpacks the resulting policy implications.

In this provocative work, Frances E. Gill argues that self-determination (freedom of the individual to act according to choice) is a universal goal of correctional counseling. Gill leads the reader through a rigorous philosophical justification of the paternalism of state punishment in service of this goal.

Publisher's description: Criminal punishment in America is harsh and degrading-more so than anywhere else in the liberal west. Executions and long prison terms are commonplace in America. Countries like France and Germany, by contrast, are systematically mild. European offenders are rarely sent to prison, and when they are, they serve far shorter terms than their American counterparts. Why is America so comparatively harsh? In this novel work of comparative legal history, James Whitman argues that the answer lies in America's triumphant embrace of a non-hierarchical social system and distrust of state power which have contributed to a law of punishment that is more willing to degrade offenders.

In response to recognition in the late 1960s and early 1970s that traditional incarceration was not working, alternatives to standard prison settings were sought and developed. One of those alternatives -- community-based corrections -- had been conceived in the 1950s as a system that might prove more progressive, humane, and effective, particularly with people who had committed less serious criminal offenses and for whom incarceration, with constant exposure to serious offenders and career criminals, might prove more damaging than rehabilitative. The alternative of community corrections has evolved to become a substantial part of the criminal justice and correctional system, spurred in recent years not so much by a progressive, humane philosophy as by dramatically increasing prison populations, court orders to "fix" overextended prison settings, and an economic search for cost savings. Encyclopedia of Community Corrections explores all aspects of community corrections, from its philosophical foundation to its current inception. Features & benefits: 150 signed entries (each with cross references and further readings) are organized in A-to-Z fashion to give students easy access to the full range of topics in community corrections; a thematic reader's guide in the front matter groups entries by broad topical or thematic areas to make it easy for users to find related entries at a glance; a chronology in the back matter helps students put individual events into broader historical context; a glossary provides students with concise definitions to key terms in the field; a resource guide to classic books, journals, and web sites (along with the further readings accompanying each entry) guides students to further resources in their research journeys; and appendix offers statistics from the Bureau of Justice.

Presents the findings of the first national assessment of sentencing reforms. This report offers lessons learned in the diverse efforts to structure sentencing over the past two decades. These lessons are offered in the context of a historical perspective of sentencing practices used in the U. S., with a discussions of the issues that led to the structured sentencing movement. They are based on a national survey of existing sentencing practices in the 50 States & the District of Columbia. Sources for further information. Bibliography. Charts & tables.