There are many controversial aspects of our criminal justice system, and this encyclopedia examines the most significant controversies throughout American history with emphasis on current debates, trends, and issues. Arranged alphabetically, approximately 100 entries cover background, explanations, notable cases and events, various sides of an issue, and what to expect in the future. Entries are objective and factual, allowing readers to formulate their own conclusions. Sidebars and case examples help to illustrate each entry, and sources for further reading point readers to other important materials. Given the prevalance of controversial criminal justice topics in the news, this timely reference is an important resource for anyone interested in crime and justice. Entries include: Boot Camps, Corporal Punishment, DNA Evidence, Domestic Violence, Expert Testimony, Eye Witness Identifications, Gun Control, Homeland Security, International Criminal Court, Legalization of Marijuana, Mental Health and Insanity, Police Brutality, Prison Violence, Racial Profiling, School Violence, Sex Offender Laws, Stalking Laws, Supermax Prisons, Three Strikes, Treating Juveniles as Adults, War on Drugs, and more.

Criminology: An Integrated Approach is the first criminology textbook to provide an integrated perspective on the developing global and historical relations that unite the studies of criminology/criminologists, criminal justice/justicians, and crime/crime control in the 21st century. In order to achieve this integration, the book is divided into three parts. Part I, "a unifying analysis of crime and crime control" does three things: First, the studies of criminology and criminal justice are reunited in the context of globalization. Second, the official and unofficial forms of crime and criminal behavior are examined domestically and globally. Third, unlike most criminology texts, theories are also used to explain the administration of criminal justice, the behavior of law enforcement and crime control, as well as the policies of sentencing and punishment. Part II, "explaining criminal behavior and crime" outlines the changing historical conditions of criminological inquiry and provides detailed overviews of the various contributions made from economics and law, biology, psychology, and sociology. These criminological theories are also subject to a critique based on the partialities of most of these explanations and on the need for developing integrated explanations. Part III, "integrating criminological strands," is divided between presenting elaborations of contemporary criminological integrations that transcend disciplinary boundaries and elaborating on both domestic and international policies of crime reduction and justice enhancement in an age of globalization.

Among the most tumultuous conflicts of modern America is the war over legal and undocumented immigrants currently residing within U.S. borders. Since the passing of the 1965 Immigration and Naturalization Act, America has witnessed an unprecedented flow of immigrants onto its shores, with increased diversity of race and culture. Battleground: Immigration examines the most critical issues surrounding immigration today, including effects on the economy, education, and employment, as well as the viability of the foreign-born in American society. All sides of the immigration debate are explored in this comprehensive 2-volume set, with special weight given to the very specific issues that have arisen in post-9/11 America: homeland security and border control, 9/11's impact on legislation and civil liberties; the Department of Homeland security and its role in border control; transnational organized crime, human smuggling and trafficking; and post 9/11 border control and security impact on immigration. With direct ties to the curriculum, this set is a valuable resource for students of sociology, current events, American history, political science, ethnic studies, and public policy.

"An excellent overview of the position of women working as police officers in both Canada and the United States, past and present. The integration of theory, empirical evidence, and policy implications is striking." - Nancy Jurik, Arizona State University

Everyone is part of a family, but what constitutes a family is one of the most hotly debated issues in the United States today. Battleground: The Family provides extensive coverage of those critical issues in U. S. culture concerning current and future family life, such as dating, marriage, parenting, work and family, abuse, and divorce. The scholarly contributors to this set provide unbiased coverage on these often incendiary topics, allowing students to assess the role of these controversies in their own lives. Entries thoroughly introduce the topic of concern, describe the problem as it currently exists, provide context for the controversies surrounding it, synthesize the current knowledge on the topic, and guide the reader to additional areas for consideration. Battleground: The Family serves as a starting point for those advanced high school and beginning undergraduate students who wish to pursue a more detailed study of family controversies and cultural concerns for classroom assignments. Non-specialist readers will also find this a useful resource in critically assessing current trends and conflicts in constituent groups' conceptions of family.

Over the past five decades, prominent criminologist Gregg Barak has worked as an author, editor, and book review editor; his large body of work has been grounded in traditional academic prose. His new book, Chronicles of a Radical Criminologist, while remaining scholarly in its intent, departs from the typical academic format. The book is a a first-person account that examines the linkages between one scholar's experiences as a criminologist from the late 1960s to the present and the emergence and evolution of radical criminology as a challenge to developments in mainstream criminology. Barak draws upon his own experiences over this half-century as a window into the various debates and issues among radical, critical, and technocratic criminologies. In doing so, he revisits his own seminal works, showing how they reflect those periods of criminological development. What holds this book together is the story of how resisting the crimes of the powerful while struggling locally for social justice is the essence of critical criminology. His seven chapters are divided into three parts—academic freedom, academic activism, and academic praxis—and these connected stories link the author's own academic career in Berkeley, California; Las Vegas, Nevada; Chicago; Alabama; Ann Arbor, Michigan; and across the United States. Barak's eventful scholarly life involved efforts to overcome laws against abortion and homosexuality; to formalize protective practices for women from domestic violence and sexual assault; to oppose racism and classism in the criminal justice system; to challenge the wars on gangs, drugs, and immigrants; and to confront the policies of mass incarceration and the treatment of juvenile offenders.

Covering some of the most hotly contested topics in crime and criminal justice, including proposed sentencing and prison reforms, controversial developments like Stand Your Ground laws, and Supreme Court decisions, this work supplies essential background, current data, and a range of viewpoints on these important issues. Should people be able to use lethal force before retreating? What are the arguments for and against executing mentally ill inmates? Should police always need warrants to search individuals or their property? How can we best hold accountable white collar offenders? Why do men perpetrate crime at higher rates than women? This two-volume set grapples with the answers to these complex questions and many more, enabling readers to better understand current crime/punishment issues within the context of America's ever-evolving culture, economy, and politics. This multidisciplinary reference work offers a current and thorough compilation of the most important and hotly contested topics related to crime and criminal justice. Organized alphabetically, each entry presents scholarly research and authoritative sources to inform readers about the subject.