Crime is one of the most significant political issues in contemporary American society. Crime control statistics and punishment policies are subjects of constant partisan debate, while the media presents sensationalized stories of criminal activity and over-crowded prisons. In the highly politicized arena of crime and justice, empirical data and reasoned analysis are often overlook or ignored. The Handbook of Crime and Punishment, however, provides a comprehensive overview of criminal justice, criminology, and crime control policy, thus enabling a fundamental understanding of crime and punishment essential to an informed public. Expansive in its coverage, the Handbook presents materials on crime and punishment trends as well as timely policy issues. The latest research on the demography of crime (race, gender, drug use) is included and weighty current problems (organized crime, white collar crime, family violence, sex offenders, youth gangs, drug abuse policy) are examined. Processes and institutions that deal with accused and convicted criminals and techniques of punishment are also examined. While some articles emphasize American research findings and developments, others incorporate international research and offer a comparative perspective from other English-speaking countries and Western Europe. Editor Michael Tonry, a leading scholar of criminology, introduces the 28 articles in the volume, each contributed by an expert in the field. Designed for a wide audience, The Handbook is encyclopedic in its range and depth of content, yet is written in an accessible style. The most inclusive and authoritative work on the topic to be found in one volume, this book will appeal to those interested in the study of crime and its causes, effects, trends, and institutions; those interested in the forms and philosophies of punishment; and those interested in crime control.

Introduction: Crime and Punishment in AmericaMichael Tonry Part I: The Context 1. Crime, Criminal Justice, and Public Opinion, Julian V. Roberts & Loretta J. Stalans 2. Minorities, Crime, and Criminal Justice, Janet L. Lauritsen & Robert J. Sampson 3. Gender, Crime, and Criminology, Kathleen Daly Part II: Topical Crime Problems 4. Street Gangs, Malcolm W. Klein 5. White-Collar Crime, Neal Shover 6. Organized Crime, James B. Jacobs & Christopher Panarella 7. Family Violence, Richard J. Gelles 8. Drug Control, Robert MacCoun & Peter Reuter Part III: Causes of Crime 9. Individual Differences and Offending, David P. Farrington 10. Communities and Crime, Per-Olof H. Wikstrom 11. Economic Conditions, Work, and Crime, Anne Morrison Piehl Part IV: Crime Reduction 12. Restorative Justice, John Braithwaite 13. Deterrence and Incapacitation, Daniel S. Nagin 14. Crime Prevention, Trevor Bennett 15. Treatment of Sex Offenders, Vernon L. Quinsey Part V: Pre-Conviction Processes and Institutions 16. American Policing, Lawrence W. Sherman 17. Prosecution, Candace McCoy 18. Jails, Richard S. Frase Part VI: Post-Conviction Processes and Institutions 19. The Juvenile Court, Barry C. Feld 20. Senencing, Kevin R. Reitz 21. Probation and Parole, Joan Petersilia 22. Prisons, Roy D. King 23. Private Prisons, Richard W. Harding Part VII: Punishment 24. Penal Theories, Andrew von Hirsch 25. Intermediate Sanctions, Michael Tonry 26. Correctional Treatment, Gerald G. Gaes 27. Capital Punishment, Roger Hood

Edited by Michael Tonry, Department of Law and Public Policy, University of Minnesota

The volume provides an overview of areas ranging from the political context in which crime occurs and criminal justice policy reactions take place to specific subject, the etiology of crime, crime reduction strategies, and punishment debates. The articles do a good job of highlighting measurement and methodological weaknesses in the literature. They also cite cross national comparisons where appropriate note the evolution of punishment policies, and generally provide a historical framework for the current state of crime and criminal justice affairs.--Choice