Sense and Nonsense about Crime and Drugs : A Policy Guide

by Walker

• ISBN13: 9780534554361
• ISBN10: 0534554369
• Edition: 5th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2000-07-28
• Publisher: Wadsworth Publishing

Summary

Walker's SENSE AND NONSENSE was the first book to challenge common misconceptions about crime and remains the most effective at doing so. Described as a "masterful critique" of American policies on everything from crime control to guns to drugs Walker cuts through myths and political rhetoric and confronts both conservative and liberal propositions relative to current research and proven effectiveness. The result is a research-based, lucid work that stimulates critical thinking and enlivens class discussions. Walker captures the complexity of the administration of justice while providing students with a clear sense of the general patterns.

Table of Contents

List of Propositions	xiii
Foreword	xvi
Preface	xviii
THINKING CLEARLY ABOUT CRIME	1	(74)
Crime and Policy: A Complex Problem	3	(23)
The Miracle of Falling Crime Rates	3	(3)
Is It for Real?	4	(1)
The Great American Paternity Fight	5	(1)
Understanding the Crime Problem	6	(2)
America's Two Crime Problems	6	(2)
Wagging War on Crime	8	(5)
Race and the War on Crime	9	(2)
The War on Crime and the Criminal Justice System	11	(1)
The Futility of Waging ``War'' on Crime	11	(1)
Crime Policy: A Plague of Nonsense	12	(1)
The Ground Rules	13	(4)
Thinking Clearly about Crime Prevention	14	(1)
Reducing Crime: The New Community Focus	15	(1)
The Larger Context: Recent Social Trends	16	(1)
Guilty: Liberals and Conservatives	17	(1)
Crime Control Theology	17	(5)
Conservative Theology	18	(2)
Liberal Theology	20	(1)
A Word about Rules	21	(1)
Ideological Confusion: Switching Sides	22	(1)
Conclusion	22	(1)
Notes	23	(3)
Models of Criminal Justice	26	(15)
The Crime Commission's Model	28	(1)
The Criminal Justice Wedding Cake	29	(9)
Celebrated Cases: The Top Layer	29	(2)
Serious Felonies: The Second and Third Layer	31	(5)
Prior Relationship: A Policy Dilemma	36	(1)
Hard or Soft on Crime? Unraveling the Paradox	36	(1)
The Lower Depths: The Fourth Layer	37	(1)
Conclusion	38	(1)
Notes	39	(2)
The Going Rate	41	(21)
Evaluating the System	41	(2)
The Funnel	43	(9)
Rejections and Dismissals: Loophole?	46	(4)
From Indictment to Punishment	50	(1)
An International Perspective on the Going Rate	51	(1)
The Courtroom Work Group	52	(6)
The Limits of Reform	54	(1)
The Dynamics of Reform	55	(1)
Criminal Justice Thermodynamics	55	(2)
How Many Mistakes?	57	(1)
Conclusion	58	(1)
Notes	59	(3)
The Career Criminal	62	(13)
Wolfgang's Birth Cohort	62	(2)
Other Cohort Studies	64	(2)
From Research to Policy	66	(1)
The Prediction Problem	67	(4)
The Rand Selective Incapacitation Study	69	(2)
How Much Crime Do They Do?	71	(1)
Conclusion	72	(1)
Notes	73	(2)
``GET TOUGH'': THE CONSERVATIVE ATTACK ON CRIME	75	(92)
Unleash the Cops!	77	(22)
More Cops	77	(8)
The Police and Crime	78	(1)
The Lessons of Kansas City	79	(3)
Focused Police Officer Activities	82	(2)
Sorting Out the Issues	84	(1)
Faster Response Time	85	(1)
More Detectives	86	(3)
Myths and Realities of Detective Work	86	(2)
Targeting Career Criminals	88	(1)
Eliminate the ``Technicalities''	89	(6)
Repeal the Exclusionary Rule	89	(4)
Abolish Miranda	93	(2)
Conclusion	95	(1)
Notes	95	(4)
Deter the Criminals	99	(22)
Deterrence Theory	99	(4)
Assumptions Underlying Deterrence	100	(2)
From Theory to Practice: Four Problems	102	(1)
The Risk of Crime: Some Preliminary Evidence	102	(1)
The Death Penalty	103	(4)
Sorting Out the Issues	103	(1)
Executions and Crimes: Sellin's Studies	104	(1)
Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullets	105	(1)
Delays and Deterrence	106	(1)
Brutilization Theory?	107	(1)
Summary	107	(1)
Deterring the Drunk Driver	107	(8)
The ``Killer Drunk'' and Other Myths	107	(2)
Deterrence and Drunk Driving	109	(2)
Drunk Drivers in Court	111	(2)
Crackdown Costs	113	(1)
Some Good News: Alternative Strategies for Dealing with Drunk Drivers	113	(2)
Deterring Burglars and Robbers	115	(2)
The Rand Inmate Survey	116	(1)
Deterring Domestic Violence	117	(1)
Conclusion	118	(1)
Notes	119	(2)
Lock 'Em Up	121	(26)
Getting Criminals off the Street	121	(1)
Preventive Detention	122	(7)
A Short History of Bail Reform	122	(1)
Preventive Detention in Operation: Washington, D.C.	123	(1)
The 1984 Federal Bail Reform Act	124	(1)
Crime on Bail: Myths and Reality	125	(2)
The Prediction Problem Revisited	127	(2)
Speedy Trial: A Better Way	129	(1)
Incapacitation	129	(6)
Selective Incapacitation: The Rand Formula	129	(3)
Gross Incapacitation: Zedlewski's New Math	132	(2)
Incapacitation: A Sober Estimate	134	(1)
Mandatory Sentencing	135	(5)
Two Case Studies	136	(3)
Mandatory Sentencing and Crime	139	(1)
Three Strikes---We Are All Out	140	(3)
Implementation	141	(1)
Impact	141	(1)
Summary---Striking Out	142	(1)
Conclusion	143	(1)
Notes	143	(4)
Close the Loopholes	147	(20)
Prosecute the Career Criminal	147	(3)
Getting Tough in San Diego	147	(2)
Other Prosecution Programs	149	(1)
Abolish the Insanity Defense	150	(6)
Sorting Out the Issues	151	(1)
The Reality of the Insanity Defense	151	(1)
Aftermath of Acquittal	152	(1)
Danger to the Community	153	(1)
The Impact of Abolition	153	(3)
Abolish Plea Bargaining	156	(5)
Alaska Bans Plea Bargaining	157	(2)
Other Experiments	159	(1)
In Search of Plea Bargains	159	(2)
Restrict Appeals	161	(2)
Limiting Appeals	161	(1)
Appeals in Practice	162	(1)
Conclusion	163	(1)
Notes	163	(4)
THE MIDDLE GROUND: GUNS AND VICTIMS	167	(40)
Protect Crime Victims	169	(15)
The Victims' Rights Movement	170	(4)
The Costs of Crime	172	(1)
New Laws and Programs	172	(1)
Critics of the Movement	172	(1)
Sorting Out the Issues	172	(1)
Criteria for Evaluation	173	(1)
Victim Assistance Programs	174	(3)
Police-Victim Recontact	175	(1)
Victim Compensation	176	(1)
Expanding the Victim's Voice	177	(2)
The Impact of Victim's Voice Laws	178	(1)
Speedy Trial	179	(1)
Getting Tough on Crime	180	(1)
Mandatory Arrest for Domestic Violence	181	(1)
Conclusion	181	(1)
Notes	182	(2)
Control Gun Crimes	184	(23)
The Problem with Guns---and Gun Policy	184	(2)
Gun Ownership and Gun-Related Violence	186	(2)
Types of Guns	186	(1)
Gun Ownership	186	(1)
Handgun-Related Violence	187	(1)
Handguns as Self-Protection	187	(1)
Gun-Related Laws	188	(1)
The Policy Alternatives	188	(1)
Public Attitudes toward Gun Control	189	(1)
Ban Handguns	189	(4)
Ban Possession	189	(1)
The Limits of ``Banning'' Handguns	190	(1)
Ban Bullets	191	(1)
Ban the Manufacture and Importation of Handguns	191	(1)
Buy Back Handguns	191	(1)
Buy Saturday Night Specials	192	(1)
Ban Assault Weapons	192	(1)
Summary	193	(1)
Regulate the Sale and Possession of Handguns	193	(2)
Restrict the Use of Handguns	195	(5)
Restrict the Carrying of Handguns	195	(2)
Boston: Operation Cease Fire	197	(1)
Guns at Airports and Schools	198	(1)
Get Guns Off the Street: The Kansas City Experiment	199	(1)
More Guns?	200	(1)
Get Though on Weapons Offenses	200	(2)
Getting Tough in Detroit	201	(1)
Conclusion	202	(1)
Notes	203	(4)
REFORM: THE LIBERAL PRESCRIPTION	207	(42)
Treat 'Em!	209	(27)
Rehabilitating Criminals	209	(2)
The Philosophy of Rehabilitation	209	(1)
The Politics of Rehabilitation: The Willie Horton Furlough	210	(1)
The ``Nothing Works'' Controversy	211	(2)
Was Martinson Right?	212	(1)
The Prediction Problem Revisited	212	(1)
Traditional Rehabilitation Programs	213	(9)
Diversion	213	(3)
Probation	216	(3)
Parole	219	(3)
The New Intermediate Punishments	222	(7)
Boot Camps	222	(2)
Intensive Probation Supervision	224	(3)
Home Confinement and Electronic Monitoring	227	(1)
Summary: Lessons of the Intermediate Punishment Movement	228	(1)
Restorative Justice	229	(2)
Restorative Justice in Operation	230	(1)
Conclusion: Is Rehab Running on Empty?	231	(1)
Notes	232	(4)
Reform the Law and the System	236	(13)
Eliminate Injustice	236	(3)
Does Justice Matter?	238	(1)
Decriminalization	239	(6)
The Rationale for Decriminalization	240	(2)
The Terms of the Debate	242	(1)
The Impact of Decriminalization	243	(2)
Summary	245	(1)
Conclusion	245	(1)
Notes	246	(3)
THE DRUG PROBLEM	249	(32)
Sense and Nonsense About Drugs	251	(30)
The Drug Problem	251	(5)
Hysteria over Drugs	251	(1)
Myths and Realities about Drugs and Crime	252	(3)
The Drug Policy Choices	255	(1)
The War on Drugs: Policy and Consequences	256	(5)
The Impact of the War on Drugs	257	(1)
Police Crackdowns	258	(1)
Interdiction and Eradication	259	(1)
Tougher Sentencing	260	(1)
Limits of the Criminal Law: The Lessons of History	261	(2)
The Lessons of History	262	(1)
When Social Control Does Work	262	(1)
Demand Reduction: Drug Education	263	(3)
``Just Say No''	263	(1)
DARE: Success or Failure?	264	(1)
But Some Education Programs Do Work	265	(1)
Drug Treatment	266	(4)
Varieties of Treatment	267	(1)
Does Treatment Work?	267	(2)
But Something Positive Has Happened	269	(1)
Legalize Drugs?	270	(5)
Varieties of Legalization	271	(1)
The Impact of Legalization	272	(1)
A Specific Proposal	272	(3)
Conclusion	275	(1)
Notes	275	(6)
CONCLUSIONS	281	(12)
In the End: What Works?	283	(10)
A Great American Paternity Fight	284	(1)
A Quick Review of What We Have Learned	285	(2)
Crime Prevention: The Maryland Report	287	(3)
Conclusion	290	(1)
Notes	290	(3)
Index	293