This book offers a history of crime and the criminal justice system in America, written particularly for students of criminal justice and those interested in the history of crime and punishment. It follows the evolution of the criminal justice system chronologically and, when necessary, offers parallels between related criminal justice issues in different historical eras. From its antecedents in England to revolutionary times, to the American Civil War, right through the twentieth century to the age of terrorism, this book combines a wealth of resources with keen historical judgement to offer a fascinating account of the development of criminal justice in America. A new chapter brings the story up to date, looking at criminal justice through the Obama era and the early days of the Trump administration. Each chapter is broken down into four crucial components related to the American criminal justice system from the historical perspective: lawmakers and the judiciary; law enforcement; corrections; and crime and punishment. A range of pedagogical features, including timelines of key events, learning objectives, critical thinking questions and sources, as well as a full glossary of key terms and a Who’s Who in Criminal Justice History, ensures that readers are well-equipped to navigate the immense body of knowledge related to criminal justice history. Essential reading for Criminal Justice majors and historians alike, this book will be a fascinating text for anyone interested in the development of the American criminal justice system from ancient times to the present day.

This updated second edition provides an overview of the origin and development of the American criminal justice system, from the founding of Jamestown, the first English settlement, and tracing history to the events of September 11, 2001. Each chapter begins with an overview of the social, political, and economic forces that shaped society during a given era in American history. What follows, then, is an overview of the ordinary and extraordinary crimes of each era, and how the criminal justice system (police, courts, corrections, and juvenile justice) responded to these crimes, thereby conveying how the system developed over time. "I know of no better text that offers, with such breadth, depth, and clarity, a major survey of America's history seen through the lens of America's most defining of features, crime and justice. The course I teach is a two-semester Honors seminar for undergraduates called US Institutions & Values, one from US origins to 1900, and the other from 1900 to the present, both of which focus on punishment and the prison as essential to understanding American values and institutions. This book does it all and is a steady staple in helping my students understand and grapple with their America and its history." -- Jason S. Sexton, California State University Fullerton "A History of Crime and Criminal Justice in America provides a window into the past and a cure for our collective historical ignorance and amnesia. The authors have done a masterful job of synthesizing and presenting this enormously complex topic. This book will not provide a cure for crime or a magic bullet to reform the criminal justice system, [but] readers who make this fascinating journey through time with Willard Oliver and James Hilgenberg will . . . gain a heightened sense of the complexities of American criminal justice-- and, hopefully, learn to avoid the mistakes of the past." -- Dr. Alexander W. Pisciotta, Kutztown University of Pennsylvania (From the Foreword) The Teacher's Manual (w/Test Bank) is available electronically on a CD or via email. Please contact Beth Hall at [email protected] to request a copy.

Rule of law has vanished in America’s criminal justice system. Prosecutors decide whom to punish; most accused never face a jury; policing is inconsistent; plea bargaining is rampant; and draconian sentencing fills prisons with mostly minority defendants. A leading criminal law scholar looks to history for the roots of these problems—and solutions.

In the second edition of this popular book, the author has thoroughly updated his analysis of the history of American criminal justice, exploring the tension between popular passions and the rule of law. Surveying the topic from the colonial era to the present day, Walker examines changing patterns in criminal activity, the institutional development of the system of criminal justice, and the major issues concerning the administration of justice. Comprehensive and concise, this book is the best single volume treatment of American criminal justice.

CRIME AND PUNISHMENT is a powerful presentation of the scope and history of the American criminal justice system, looking both at how the history of criminal justice has shaped the present system and at today's most critical issues.

Describes the special character of the American criminal justice system which stems from the high degree of direct and indirect popular influence over its administration. Presents the tension between the rule of law, which implies impartiality, and popular justice, which is subject to passions and prejudice.