Robert M. Bohm

Jeffery T. Walker

Bohm and Walker?s thought-provoking volume addresses many of the American public?s misconceptions about crime and criminal justice. These understandings are often inaccurate and based on myths. Each of this anthology?s 27 chapters demystifies or debunks one of these current myths, setting the record straight.DEMYSTIFYING CRIME AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE is organized to follow a logical progression through the criminal justice process. Part One addresses myths about crime; Part Two examines myths about law enforcement; Part Three investigates myths about the administration of justice; and Part Four focuses on myths about punishment and corrections.A unique feature of the book is that every chapter follows the same format. Each chapter opens with a brief section introducing a myth or a set of myths about a particular topic. Next follows the ?Kernel of Truth? section, which identifies accurate aspects of the myth or myths. The authors assume that for myths to be believable and accepted, they usually must contain at least a kernel of truth. In the third section, ?The Truth or Facts,? the authors debunk the myth or myths by providing evidence. This is followed by ?Interests Served by the Myth,? which illuminates how the interests of specific individuals or groups are promoted by the creation and perpetuation of the myth or myths. Finally, ?Policy Implications of Belief in the Myth? highlights some of the practical and often undesirable consequences of belief in the myth or myths.Written in clear, accessible language, DEMYSTIFYING CRIME AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE engages the reader with straightforward analysis, cutting-edge information, and research. Designed to stimulate critical thinking and class discussion, this mindset-challenging volume offers students a deeper understanding of crime and criminal justice.

Demystifying Crime and Criminal Justice

The first true textbook on the death penalty, this text provides an exhaustive introduction, starting with its history and taking the reader through the facts, issues, opinions and controversies surrounding capital punishment. The author’s motivation has been to understand what motivates the "deathquest" of the American people, leading a large percentage of the public to support the death penalty. The book will educate readers so that whatever their death penalty opinions are, they are informed ones. Discussion questions accompany each chapter. Appendix contains ABA guidelines for appointment and performance of defense counsel in death penalty cases.

An Introduction to the Theory and Practice of Capital Punishment in the United States

DeathQuest

The literature on capital punishment is voluminous. For nearly 250 years, scholars have discussed and debated such issues as its deterrent effect, or lack thereof; retributive and religious arguments; costs; administration, including miscarriages of justice and whether it is imposed in an arbitrary and discriminatory manner; and whether methods of execution are cruel and unusual.Conspicuously missing from this literature is the human element; the impact of capital punishment on the lives of those who are involved in the process by calamity, duty, or choice. Capital Punishment's Collateral Damage seeks to rectify that omission by allowing participants in this ritual of death to describe in their own words their role in the process and, especially, its effects on them. In this way, we can begin to understand the reach of capital punishment beyond just the victim and the perpetrator. We can begin to understand the collateral damage of capital punishment.

Capital Punishment's Collateral Damage

"We are convinced that a good education in criminal justice-and in liberal arts generally-can significantly improve the performance of most criminal justice personnel by equipping them, as this text does, to think critically, act ethically, and solve problems effectively. Introduction to Criminal Justice, Tenth Edition, is not just for students interested in pursuing a career in criminal justice, however. It also is for students who simply want to learn more about this important social institution, which is vital to a free and democratic society. All citizens need to know their legal rights and responsibilities. The better informed citizens are, the better able they are to protect themselves. A major theme of this book is that much of what the public "knows" about criminal justice in the United States is myth-that is, it is either wrong or significantly misunderstood. Consequently, in addition to presenting current, accurate information about criminal justice in the United States and generally accepted interpretations of historical and modern developments, this book "sets the record straight" in areas where, we believe, many people are being misled. With the help of a quality education in criminal justice, people will feel more comfortable and better equipped to participate in criminal justice policy formulation. They also will be more effective in solving problems in their communities. They will have the critical thinking skills they need if they are to be constructive participants in a democratic nation and to have greater control over their own destinies"--

Introduction to Criminal Justice

James R. Acker

Charles S. Lanier

Comprises 21 essays which analyze changes in capital punishment and its administration over the last 25 years and explores issues relevant to the present and future of the death penalty in America. The essays address capital punishment public opinion, law and politics, the justice of the death penalty, the utility of the capital sanction, jury decision making, defense counsel, race discrimination, mitigation theory, cost, habeas corpus, victims, the role of mental health professionals, and executive clemency. No index. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Reflections on the Past, Present, and Future of the Ultimate Penal Sanction

America's Experiment with Capital Punishment

Gavin Lee

Capital punishment is one of the more controversial subjects in the social sciences, especially in criminal justice and criminology. Over the last decade or so, the United States has experienced a significant decline in the number of death sentences and executions. Since 2007, eight states have abolished capital punishment, bringing the total number of states without the death penalty to 19, plus the District of Columbia, and more are likely to follow suit in the near future (Nebraska reinstated its death penalty in 2016). Worldwide, 70 percent of countries have abolished capital punishment in law or in practice. The current trend suggests the eventual demise of capital punishment in all but a few recalcitrant states and countries. Within this context, a fresh look at capital punishment in the United States and worldwide is warranted. The Routledge Handbook on Capital Punishment comprehensively examines the topic of capital punishment from a wide variety of perspectives. A thoughtful introductory chapter from experts Bohm and Lee presents a contextual framework for the subject matter, and chapters present state-of-the-art analyses of a range of aspects of capital punishment, grouped into five sections: (1) Capital Punishment: History, Opinion, and Culture; (2) Capital Punishment: Rationales and Religious Views; (3) Capital Punishment and Constitutional Issues; (4) The Death Penalty’s Administration; and (5) The Death Penalty’s Consequences. This is a key collection for students taking courses in prisons, penology, criminal justice, criminology, and related subjects, and is also an essential reference for academics and practitioners working in prison service or in related agencies.

Routledge Handbook on Capital Punishment

This text is a short primer on basic and modern criminological theories.

A Primer on Crime and Delinquency

This fourth edition of the first true textbook on the death penalty engages the reader with a full account of the arguments and issues surrounding capital punishment. The book begins with the history of the death penalty from colonial to modern times, and then examines the moral and legal arguments for and against capital punishment. It also provides an overview of major Supreme Court decisions and describes the legal process behind the death penalty. In addressing these issues, the author reviews recent developments in death penalty law and procedure, including ramifications of newer case law, such as that regarding using lethal injection as a method of execution. The author’s motivation has been to understand what motivates the "deathquest" of the American people, leading a large percentage of the public to support the death penalty. The book will educate readers so that whatever their death penalty opinions are, they are informed ones.

This fifth edition of the first true textbook on the death penalty engages the reader with a full account of the arguments and issues surrounding capital punishment. The book begins with the history of the death penalty from colonial to modern times, and then examines the moral and legal arguments for and against capital punishment. It also provides an overview of major Supreme Court decisions and describes the legal process behind the death penalty. In addressing these issues, the author reviews recent developments in death penalty law and procedure, including ramifications of newer case law, such as that regarding using lethal injection as a method of execution. The author’s motivation has been to understand what motivates the "deathquest" of the American people, leading a large percentage of the public to support the death penalty. The book educates readers so that whatever their death penalty positions are, they are informed opinions.

This slim volume offers a comprehensive survey of the major criminological and delinquency theories including their philosophical foundations and policy implications. The text can be used as either a primary text or as a supplement for other texts, anthologies, or collections of journal articles.

Robert M. Bohm

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