An Engaging and Accessible Overview of Crime and Justice in America For all their interest in crime, most Americans know very little about the reality of crime and the criminal justice system in the United States—and most of what Americans do know is a loose collection of accumulated truths, half-truths, and outright fallacies. Myths and Realities of Crime and Justice: What Every American Should Know, Second Edition provides a concise but thorough overview of criminal behavior, crime, and the criminal justice system in the United States. Using up-to-date social science research to debunk many of the beliefs Americans hold about crime, the book examines key topics such as serial killers and mass murders, gun violence, criminal victimization, identity theft, policing and police corruption, plea bargaining, jury nullification, wrongful convictions, the death penalty, and the “CSI Effect.” The fully revised and updated second edition of this popular text includes the most recent crime and criminal justice data, and covers several recent high-profile crimes, including the Newtown shooting, the Jerry Sandusky case, and the Trayvon Martin case. It also includes new sections on recent trends in crime rates, street gangs, and hate crimes. Ideally suited for students in criminal justice programs as well as professionals who work within or in tandem with the criminal justice system, Myths and Realities of Crime and Justice: What Every American Should Know, Second Edition is a thorough, engaging, and highly relevant portrait of crime and justice in America.

The social construction of crime is often out of proportion to the threat posed. The media and advocacy groups shine a spotlight on some crimes and ignore others. Street crime is highlighted as putting everyone at risk of victimization, while the greater social harms from corporate malfeasance receive far less attention. Social arrangements dictate what is defined as crime and the punishments for those who engage in the proscribed behavior. Interest groups promote their agendas by appealing to public fears. Justifications often have no basis in fact, but the public accepts the exaggerations and blames the targeted offenders. The net-widening effect of more laws and more punishment catches those least able to defend themselves. This innovative alternative to traditional textbooks provides insightful observations of myths and trends in criminal justice. Fourteen chapters challenge misconceptions about specific crimes or aspects of the criminal justice system. Kappeler and Potter dissect popular images of crimes and criminals in a cogent, compelling, and engaging manner. They trace the social construction of each issue and identify the misleading statistics and fears that form the basis of myths—and the collateral damage of basing policies on mythical beliefs. The authors encourage skepticism about commonly accepted beliefs, offer readers a fresh perspective, and urge them to analyze important issues from novel vantage points.

A world list of books in the English language.

Technology has become increasingly important to both the function and our understanding of the justice process. Many forms of criminal behaviour are highly dependent upon technology, and crime control has become a predominantly technologically driven process – one where ‘traditional’ technological aids such as fingerprinting or blood sample analysis are supplemented by a dizzying array of tools and techniques including surveillance devices and DNA profiling. This book offers the first comprehensive and holistic overview of global research on technology, crime and justice. It is divided into five parts, each corresponding with the key stages of the offending and justice process: Part I addresses the current conceptual understanding of technology within academia and the criminal justice system; Part II gives a comprehensive overview of the current relations between technology and criminal behaviour; Part III explores the current technologies within crime control and the ways in which technology underpins contemporary formal and informal social control; Part IV sets out some of the fundamental impacts technology is now having upon the judicial process; Part V reveals the emerging technologies for crime, control and justice and considers the extent to which new technology can be effectively regulated. This landmark collection will be essential reading for academics, students and theorists within criminology, sociology, law, engineering and technology, and computer science, as well as practitioners and professionals working within and around the criminal justice system.