The study of crime and delinquency is an interdisciplinary inquiry which brings together the theoretical and methodological insights of sociology, economics, political science, psychology and law. The field consists of two interrelated but separable areas of concern: the development and implementation of laws which define acts and people as criminal or delinquent, and the social, psychological and biological forces that cause people to commit acts of crime and delinquency. Much of the work of social scientists studying crime and delinquency leads to the debunking of commonplace myths. In a field as diverse and politically sensitive as the study of crime and delinquency, there are few incontrovertible facts and theories. In the history of the study of crime and delinquency, four overarching, general paradigms have dominated research and theory: the social psychological, sociological, biological and Marxian. The social psychologists see crime and delinquency as emanating from the life experiences of individuals.

X JL that the government look at the experience of countries that had decrimi? nalized drugs. It was her understanding that in other countries the crime rate and incidence of drug abuse had actually declined with decriminalization. The White House was apoplectic and dismissed the idea out of hand. One would think that the Surgeon General had proposed legalizing rape. The administration's denials came faster than planes flying cocaine from Venezuela to Miami: under no circumstances would there be such an inquiry. The administration's response is particularly unfortunate since the Surgeon General's proposal was not to legalize drugs, as the U.S. press erroneously reported. She proposed only that we look at the facts to see if the experience of other countries might provide a clue to a better approach than the U.S. War on Drugs, which almost everyone, including the Attorney General Janet Reno, acknowledges has been a complete failure. The ineffectiveness and absurdity of putting so many people in prison for drug offenses have led police chiefs, prison wardens, some big-city mayors, and even some conservative politicians and pundits like William Buckley, Former Secretary of State George Schultz, and Nobel economist Milton Friedman to speak out in favor of decriminalization. Many judges, who are under legal proscription to sentence drug offenders to long-term mandatory sentences, also recognize the injustice and folly of the system and often refuse to impose the required sentences

Using Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) mortality and census data with Supplementary Homicide Reports, we compare 25- and 30-year homicide trends for four age-race-sex categories in 172 U.S. cities. The comparisons indicate that one of the most salient aspects of homicide in the United States from 1980 to 2010 was the disproportionate involvement of young Black men as homicide victims and offenders. The persistence of these rates before, during, and after a sharp rise followed by a dramatic drop in the overall rates suggests the need for a focus on specific explanations for this aspect of urban homicide.

We demonstrate the usefulness and importance of achieving descriptive and explanatory synthesis between the fields of state crime and green criminology when analyzing events that embody both state and “green” crime elements. Utilizing the case of the nineteenth century North American bison slaughter (1865–1890), we present an analysis that attends to the state and green crime elements present in this singular event and show that the bison slaughter exemplifies the type of case that benefits from a synthesis of the state and green criminology perspectives. That is, we can best understand the bison slaughter and other similar events when drawing jointly upon the resources offered by the state and green criminology fields. We conclude this paper with an explanation of the bison slaughter that utilizes a political–economic framework and the complementary concepts of structural contradictions and hegemony, showing, among other things, that political economy is one vital approach that meets the explanatory goals of both state crime and green criminology, aiding our understanding of cases like the bison slaughter. As the world moves forward into a future defined by various ecological, political and economic insecurities, scholars from both disciplines will increasingly encounter events that are impossible to fully understand without engaging with each other. This paper is thus an attempt to motivate the sowing of cross-disciplinary seeds of heightened collaboration between state crime scholars and green criminologists.

The 20 chapters in Courts, Law, and Justice cover a wide range of sharply contested topics, including drug and gun control laws as well as the ins and outs of the criminal justice system as encountered by arrested suspects, during the trial process, and during the sentencing phase. This volume looks closely at Miranda rights and the impact of polygraphs and DNA testing; legal and procedural issues during prosecution, including exclusionary rules and double jeopardy; and sentencing and punishment for crimes, including for offenses such as DUI and sex offenses. The role of the victim during the prosecutorial process is also examined. Addressing such engaging topics as asset forfeiture, DNA evidence, double jeopardy, expert witnesses and hired guns, eyewitness testimony and accuracy, insanity defense, the jury system, mandatory sentencing, plea bargaining, polygraphs, three-strikes laws, and more, the authors of this volume all closely examine the development of the justice system and consider the key opinions supporting or contesting the laws and policies used during investigation, prosecution, and sentencing. The Series: The five brief, issues-based books in SAGE Reference's Key Issues in Crime & Punishment Series offer examinations of controversial programs, practices, problems or issues from varied perspectives. Volumes correspond to the five central subfields in the Criminal Justice curriculum: Crime & Criminal Behavior, Policing, The Courts, Corrections, and Juvenile Justice. Each volume consists of approximately 20 chapters offering succinct pron examinations, and Recommended Readings conclude each chapter, highlighting different approaches to or perspectives on the issue at hand. As a set, these volumes provide perfect reference support for students writing position papers in undergraduate courses spanning the Criminal Justice curriculum.

The authors of the 20 chapters in Juvenile Crime and Justice address various hotly debated topics along three loosely connected themes: prevention, prosecution, and corrections. Each author presents arguments both in favor of and opposed to various treatments, programs, and punishments, examining issues such as youth curfews, juveniles in adult courts, legal representation for juveniles, juvenile boot camps, group homes, out-of-home placement, and more. The chapters included cover the leading arguments pertaining to key topics in this field and point out where more research needs to be done-which, at present, includes many of the most controversial issues in juvenile justice policy. The Series: The five brief, issues-based books in SAGE Reference's Key Issues in Crime & Punishment Series offer examinations of controversial programs, practices, problems or issues from varied perspectives. Volumes correspond to the five central subfields in the Criminal Justice curriculum: Crime & Criminal Behavior, Policing, The Courts, Corrections, and Juvenile Justice. Each volume consists of approximately 20 chapters offering succinct pron examinations, and Recommended Readings conclude each chapter, highlighting different approaches to or perspectives on the issue at hand. As a set, these volumes provide perfect reference support for students writing position papers in undergraduate courses spanning the Criminal Justice curriculum.