The convergence of tough-on-crime politics, stiffer sentencing laws, and jurisdictional expansion in the 1970s and 1980s increased the powers of federal prosecutors in unprecedented ways. In Hard Bargains, social psychologist Mona Lynch investigates the increased power of these prosecutors in our age of mass incarceration. Lynch documents how prosecutors use punitive federal drug laws to coerce guilty pleas and obtain long prison sentences for defendants—particularly those who are African American— and exposes deep injustices in the federal courts. As a result of the War on Drugs, the number of drug cases prosecuted each year in federal courts has increased fivefold since 1980. Lynch goes behind the scenes in three federal court districts and finds that federal prosecutors have considerable discretion in adjudicating these cases. Federal drug laws are wielded differently in each district, but with such force to overwhelm defendants’ ability to assert their rights. For drug defendants with prior convictions, the stakes are even higher since prosecutors can file charges that incur lengthy prison sentences—including life in prison without parole. Through extensive field research, Lynch finds that prosecutors frequently use the threat of extremely severe sentences to compel defendants to plead guilty rather than go to trial and risk much harsher punishment. Lynch also shows that the highly discretionary ways in which federal prosecutors work with law enforcement have led to significant racial disparities in federal courts. For instance, most federal charges for crack cocaine offenses are brought against African Americans even though whites are more likely to use crack. In addition, Latinos are increasingly entering the federal system as a result of aggressive immigration crackdowns that also target illicit drugs. Hard Bargains provides an incisive and revealing look at how legal reforms over the last five decades have shifted excessive authority to federal prosecutors, resulting in the erosion of defendants’ rights and extreme sentences for those convicted. Lynch proposes a broad overhaul of the federal criminal justice system to restore the balance of power and retreat from the punitive indulgences of the War on Drugs.

Almost half of everything sold in America is listed at some kind of promotional price. People don't only want a deep discount, they expect it - and won't settle for anything less. In this playful, deeply researched book, journalist Mark Ellwood takes a trip into this new landscape. From the floor of upscale department store Sergdorf Goodman to the bustling aisles of a Turkish bazaar, from the outlet Disneyworld of rural Pennsylvania to a town in Florida that can claim to be couponing's spiritual capital, Ellwood shows how some people are, quite literally, born to be bargain junkies thanks to a quirk of their DNA. He also uncovers the dark side of discounting: the sales-driven sleights of hand that sellers employ to hoodwink unsuspecting buyers. Bargain Feveris a manual for thriving in this new era, when deal hunting has gone from being a sign of indigence to one of intelligence. There's never been a better time to be a buyer - at least if you know how the game works. 'This book is a bargain hunter's bible.' Michael Tonello, author of Bringing Home the Birkin'Bargain Fever is just as fierce, funny, tenacious, and tantalizing as its author. I love this book.' Kelly Cutrone, founder, People's Revolution, and author of Normal Gets You Nowhere'A book after my own heart. Bargain Fever lifts the veils off the sales, ensuring even more that you'll never pay retail again.' Carmen Wong Ulrich, financial contributor, CBS This Morning, and author of Generation Debt'Highly informative and entertaining.' Booklist

Clark Howard, the bestselling author of Get Clark Smart and host of the nationally syndicated radio program The Clark Howard Show, wants to show you how to get the best bang for your buck--whether you are at the supermarket, buying new clothes, renovating your home, or going to the movies. Learn how to pay $12.95 for a CD that costs $19.95. Find out why a $90 VCR just may work better than a $300 VCR.

By Jenn McKinlay, author of the Library Lover's mysteries and the Cupcake Bakery mysteries, writing as Josie Belle Maggie Gerber and those discount divas, the Good Buy Girls, are gearing up for their first big holiday thrift shop sale. But one of the Girls—Joanne Claramotta, pregnant with her first child—is acting less than festive. It could be hormones. Or it could be Diane Jenkins, the young knockout her husband, Michael, hired as his new deli assistant. Calming Joanne’s nerves proves impossible when Maggie finds Michael unconscious on his deli floor—and with Diane next to him, strangled to death with her apron strings. Then Maggie discovers something even more disturbing. There’s no record of Diane having been hired. In fact, she has no history at all. It’s as if she never even existed. Now Maggie fears that unwrapping Michael’s secrets could really kill her holiday spirit. INCLUDES BARGAIN-HUNTING TIPS!

America's best-selling and best-loved guide to baby gear is back with an updated and revised edition! Yes, a baby book that actually answers the big question about having a baby: How am I going to afford all this? With the average cost of a baby topping $7400 for just the first year alone, new parents need creative solutions and innovative ideas to navigate the consumer maze that confronts all parents-to-be. Baby Bargains is the answer! Inside, you'll discover: * BEST BET PICKS for cribs, car seats, strollers, high chairs, diapers and more! * CHEAT SHEETS for your baby registry--create a baby registry in minutes with our good, better, best ideas. * SEVEN THINGS no one tells you about baby gear, from nursery furniture to feeding baby. * THE TRUTH ABOUT STROLLERS--and which brands work best in the real world. * Dozens of SAFETY TIPS to keep baby safe and affordably baby proof your home. * DETAILED CHARTS that compare brands of cribs, high chairs, car seats and more. This new 14th edition adds the latest tips and advice on getting bargains on baby gear, including: Streamlined recommendations by parenting lifestyle, from a crib for space-challenged urban parents to an affordable car seat for Grandma's car. New recommendations for baby feeding, from baby food processors to storage ideas for homemade baby food. BUDGET-FRIENDLY picks for dozens of items, from high chairs to infant car seats. Expanded coverage of new baby gear items, like extra-large playpens, sleep soothers and more

Platkin, known as the Diet Detective, returns to show readers how to turn their favorite foods into calorie bargains, with this easy-to-follow road map for healthy eating.