Controversial Issues in Criminology

by Fuller, John Randolph; Hickey, Eric W.; Egger, Steven A.

• ISBN13: 9780205272105
• ISBN10: 020527210X
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1998-09-11
• Publisher: Prentice Hall

Summary

Should prostitution be legalized? Are stalking laws effective? Is medical treatment a useful way to deal with criminal offenders? Are restorative justice processes too lenient toward offenders? These are some of the most hotly debated questions in the field of criminology, often sparking discomfort and anger among those who wish to know more about these issues. Now,Controversial Issues in Criminology attempts to provide factual information and a much-needed forum for discussion, utilizing a unique debate format to discuss controversial issues in the field of criminology.KEY TOPICS: Topics addressed in this book were chosen with a conscious effort to include those that are the most controversial. The contributing authors, each solicited because of their expertise in this area, come from a variety of backgrounds, academic disciplines and perspectives. In addition to such hot topics as prostitution, stalking, and the rehabilitation of criminals, the book also covers issues such as the "supersizing" of murder, government research on terrorism, stricter law enforcement for "techno-crimes," and the role of "community corrections." Law enforcement officers, corrections officers, educators, students of law enforcement, and anyone interested in issues of criminal justice and the correctional process.

Table of Contents

About the Editors	vii	(2)
Preface	ix
Controversial Crimes	1	(90)
1. Should Prostitution Be Legalized?	1	(17)
YES: Robert P. McNamara	1	(8)
NO: Jacqueline Boles	9	(9)
2. Are Stalking Laws Effective?	18	(17)
YES: Ronnie Harmon	18	(8)
NO: N. Jane McCandless	26	(9)
3. Multicide: Does Society Need the "Supersizing" of Murder?	35	(16)
YES: Patricia Kirby	35	(7)
NO: Toni DuPont-Morales	42	(9)
4. Should Official (Government) Statistics Be the Primary Source for Research on American Terrorism?	51	(18)
YES: Brent L. Smith	51	(9)
NO: Mark Hamm	60	(9)
5. Does Law Enforcement Need More Power to Fight the Techno-War against Computer and Credit Card Criminals?	69	(22)
YES: Jerome E. Jackson	69	(14)
NO: Robert P. McNamara	83	(8)
Controversial Perspectives	91	(95)
6. Have Community "Corrections" Become Community Control?	91	(19)
YES: Georgia Smith	91	(9)
NO: Karol Lucken	100	(10)
7. From a Peacemaking Perspective, Is Individual Change More Important than Social Change?	110	(18)
YES: Michael Braswell and Wayne Gillespie	110	(9)
NO: M. Joan McDermott	119	(9)
8. Is Left Realism a Useful Theory for Addressing the Problems of Crime?	128	(21)
YES: Martin D. Schwartz and Walter S. DeKeseredy	129	(8)
NO: Stuart Henry	137	(12)
9. Can Students Benefit from an Intensive Engagement with Postmodern Criminology?	149	(18)
YES: Bruce A. Arrigo	149	(10)
NO: David O. Friedrichs	159	(8)
10. Are Restorative Justice Processes Too Lenient toward Offenders?	167	(19)
YES: Arthur V. N. Wint	168	(8)
NO: Duane Ruth-Heffelbower	176	(10)
Controversial Policies	186
11. Is the "Broken Windows" Theory an Effective Way to Reduce Crime?	186	(13)
YES: Craig Fraser	186	(7)
NO: William Norton	193	(6)
12. Should the Juvenile Justice System Get Tougher on Juvenile Offenders?	199	(18)
YES: Sandra Stone	199	(8)
NO: Robert M. Regoli	207	(10)
13. Chemical Corrections: Is Medical Treatment a Useful Way to Deal with Criminal Offenders?	217	(23)
YES: Diana Fishbein	217	(13)
NO: Joyce Carbonell	230	(10)
14. Is the "Three Strikes and You're Out" a Useful Sentencing Policy?	240
YES: Mike Reynolds	240	(8)
NO: John Kramer	248