You Decide! Current Debates in Criminal Justice

by Waller, Bruce N.

• ISBN13: 9780205514106
• ISBN10: 0205514103
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2008-07-29
• Publisher: Pearson

Summary

This book offers students a unique opportunity to examine strong yet very readable competing views on twenty of the major issues in contemporary criminal justice. It features the works of major writers in the discipline and explores the ideas, orientations and arguments driving the field. Each essay quickly draws readers into the debate using accompanying questions and encourages readers to assess arguments and determine their own conclusions.Where to Find Moresections highlight additional resources that can be used to explore each issue in more detail.For anyone interested in the criminal justice system

Table of Contents

Preface	p. ix
Introduction	p. xi
Should the Police Practice Discretion When Enforcing the Law?	p. 1
Police Should Exercise Discretion in Deciding When to Arrest	p. 3
Police Discretion Has No Place in a Democracy	p. 13
Should the Police Use Trickery and Deceit in Investigations and Interrogations?	p. 24
Some Police Deceit and Trickery Is Legitimate	p. 26
Lying by Police Should Be Generally Prohibited	p. 41
Should a Victims' Rights Amendment Be Added to the U.S. Constitution?	p. 51
The Constitution Should Include a Victims' Rights Amendment	p. 53
There Should Be No Victims' Rights Amendment	p. 61
Should the Use of Jailhouse Informants Be Abolished?	p. 72
Jailhouse Informants Are a Legitimate Part of the Criminal Justice System	p. 74
Use of Jailhouse Informants Promotes Injustice	p. 78
Is Plea Bargaining a Legitimate Way of Settling Criminal Cases?	p. 86
Plea Bargaining Should Be Abolished	p. 88
Plea Bargaining Can Be Acceptable and Fair	p. 94
Must Juries Be Cross-Sectional Representations of the Community?	p. 102
Fair Deliberation Rather Than Cross-Sectional Representation Is the Goal	p. 104
Cross-Sectional Representation is Essential for Jury Fairness	p. 113
Jury Nullification: Should Jurors Ever Refuse to Follow the Law?	p. 124
Jurors Should Be Permitted to Follow Their Consciences	p. 126
Jurors Should Always Follow the Law	p. 133
Is the Restorative Justice Model the Best Model for Criminal Justice?	p. 138
Restorative Justice Promises Much More Than It Can Deliver	p. 140
Restorative Justice Is a Major Advance Over Conventional Criminal Justice	p. 151
Should Shaming Be an Element of Criminal Punishment?	p. 165
Legitimate Criminal Punishment Requires Shaming the Person Convicted	p. 167
There Are No Positive Grounds for Shaming Punishments	p. 175
Should There Be Mandatory Minimum Sentences for Criminal Offenses?	p. 184
Mandatory Minimums Are Good Policy	p. 186
Mandatory Minimum Sentences Are a Disaster	p. 193
Is Selective Incapacitation An Effective Policy for Reducing Crime?	p. 199
Selective Incapacitation Is the Best Model for Stopping Criminal Behavior	p. 201
Selective Incapacitation is an Ineffective Criminal Policy	p. 207
Supermax Prisons: Valuable or Vile?	p. 214
Supermax Prisons are a Valuable Element of the Correctional System	p. 216
Supermax Prisons Are Part of the Problem Rather Than the Solution	p. 221
What Are the Rights of Criminals and Prisoners?	p. 232
The Rights of Prisoners Should be Restricted	p. 234
The Rights of Prisoners Must Be Protected	p. 240
Should There Be Laws Requiring Registration and Community Notification for Convicted Sex Offenders?	p. 253
There Should Be Laws Requiring Community Notification of the Presence of Convicted Sex Offenders	p. 255
Community Notification Laws Do More Harm Than Good	p. 261
Should the Death Penalty Be Abolished?	p. 269
The Death Penalty Is Morally Justifiable	p. 271
The Death Penalty Is Morally Wrong	p. 282
Are Boot Camps a Good Way to Deal With Youthful Offenders?	p. 296
Juvenile Boot Camps Can Be Promising Programs	p. 298
Juvenile Boot Camps Raise Serious Questions	p. 308
Should We Eliminate the Special System of Juvenile Justice?	p. 319
The Distinct Juvenile Justice System Should Be Eliminated	p. 321
The Juvenile Justice System Must Be improved and Preserved	p. 331
Should We Continue the "War on Drugs"?	p. 344
The War on Illegal Drugs Must Continue	p. 346
The War on Drugs Is Counterproductive	p. 355
Is the Patriot Act a Necessary Protection Against Terrorism Or a Threat to Our Civil Liberties?	p. 367
The Patriot Act Is a Necessary Protection Against Terrorism	p. 370
The Patriot Act Is a Threat to Our Civil Liberties	p. 376
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