Authored by Steven Messner and Richard Rosenfeld, both highly respected scholars and researchers, CRIME AND THE AMERICAN DREAM, 5th Edition is the seminal work in a major segment of criminological theory. The foundation of the book is institutional anomie theory (an offshoot of Mertonian anomie theory), which the authors posit helps to explain why America's over-emphasis on the pursuit of materialistic gain contributes to the country's high rate of violent crime. Featuring a very clear and accessible writing style, this is a theory book that students will actually understand. Important Notice: Media content referenced within the product description or the product text may not be available in the ebook version.

Recent years have seen a heightened awareness of the plight of victims of crime and their neglect by the traditional criminal justice system. Many jurisdictions have adopted a "Bill of Rights" for the victim; public funds have been established to compensate victims; courts have been enjoined to order offenders to make restitution; welfare agencies have developed programs to provide victims with assistance; and courts are inviting victims to testify at the sentencing hearings of their offenders. These reforms have been accompanied by a growing body of literature. What has been lacking until now is an overview that looks at their philosophical underpinnings and considers how these different proposals are conceptually related to one another and to other prevailing criminal justice doctrines and ideologies. Leslie Sebba fills this gap in Third Parties. Sebba first establishes a set of criteria by which to evaluate reforms by identifying the parameters of an optimal criminal justice system. From this perspective, he then discusses individual victim-related reforms. What emerges most clearly from Sebba's timely and encyclopedic work is the need to rethink many of the issues involved. The first book-length study of its kind, this volume is recommended reading for policy makers in the field of victim reform and is essential for scholars and students in victimology, victims and the criminal justice system, the sociology of law, criminal justice policy, and law and social policy. Leslie Sebba is professor of criminology on the faculty of law at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He is the coauthor of "Rehabilitation as Punishment: The Treatment of Drug-Addict Offenders" and "Punishment under the "Service Work" Law: An Evaluation" and the co-editor of "Criminology in Perspective: Essays in Honor of Israel Drapkin." He is one of the founding editors of "The International Review of Victimology."

Includes bibliographical references (p. 639-665) and indexes.

This book informs readers about the latest research and the most promising and effective programmes for understanding, preventing and controlling juvenile delinquency.

Designed to assist criminal justice students and practitioners to conduct research on problems and issues facing the criminal justice system. It is based upon the authors' collective experience as researchers and instructors in criminal justice research and policy analysis. The definitions and examples provided in the book will help students and practitioners to both comprehend research articles and reports and to conduct their own research.