An insightful look at the realities of crime & justice that challenges basic assumptions & misconceptions about specific crimes or parts of the criminal justice system.

Americans are fascinated with crime, criminals, and criminal justice. For all the public interest, however, relatively little is known about these topics that dominate newspaper headlines each and every day in the United States. This book provides readers with an accurate and up-to-date picture of crime and justice in the United States. Myths and Realities of Crime and Justice: What Every American Should Know addresses the major topics in this broad field and presents recent findings from criminologists and criminal justice practitioners in a reader-friendly manner. Combining up-to-date facts with an engaging narrative, this book will dispel many of the preconceived notions and distorted pictures about crime and justice that continue to perpetuate in the United States. This one-of-a-kind criminal justice book offers everything you need to know about crime, criminals, police. Book jacket.

Illustrates the issue of economic inequality within the American justice system. The best-selling text, The Rich Get Richer and the Poor Get Prison contends that the criminal justice system is biased against the poor from start to finish. The authors argue that even before the process of arrest, trial, and sentencing, the system is biased against the poor in what it chooses to treat as crime. The authors show that numerous acts of the well-off--such as their refusal to make workplaces safe, refusal to curtail deadly pollution, promotion of unnecessary surgery, and prescriptions for unnecessary drugs--cause as much harm as the acts of the poor that are treated as crimes. However, the dangerous acts of the well-off are almost never treated as crimes, and when they are, they are almost never treated as severely as the crimes of the poor. Not only does the criminal justice system fail to protect against the harmful acts of well-off people, it also fails to remedy the causes of crime, such as poverty. This results in a large population of poor criminals in our prisons and in our media. The authors contend that the idea of crime as a work of the poor serves the interests of the rich and powerful while conveying a misleading notion that the real threat to Americans comes from the bottom of society rather than the top. Learning Goals Upon completing this book, readers will be able to: Examine the criminal justice system through the lens of the poor. Understand that much of what goes on in the criminal justice system violates one’s own sense of fairness. Morally evaluate the criminal justice system’s failures. Identify the type of legislature that is biased against the poor.

Be a police officer. Work in law enforcement. Make a difference in your community. Wouldn't it be wonderful if you could start earning the salary you deserve right now? If you are interested in a career in law enforcement, this book was written specifically with you in mind. The vital information herein is rarely shared but absolutely necessary to adequately prepare you for a professional law enforcement career. This book was purposely written for college and high school students who are contemplating a career in law enforcement. It is essential for the many military veterans returning to civilian life or, for that matter, any working person who wants to "make a difference." Look inside, read a few pages. I hope you will be inspired to move forward and accomplish your career goals. Learn to be like water flowing over a rock, instead of always swimming upstream. All references to police are, for the most part, interchangeable with corrections officers, probation, parole, etc. Consider only that we are getting on the same page, if you will, in terms of the references made to police in general. After years of diligent work experience, which included reviewing national law enforcement standards and challenges, here the discipline is pared down into a self-help book designed for aspiring law enforcement professionals to absolutely: 1. Save money and time; 2. Learn many of the unwritten and necessary requirements for the purpose of actually getting hired in a preferred position with a desirable agency; 3. Increase your individual knowledge base to become that worthy applicant through understanding the facets of the job, which includes identifying the characteristics, qualities, and requirements in detail before you apply. Consider this purchase your ultimate career conflict resolution management tool. Be confident that in acquiring this book you have made a worthwhile investment in your future. When, and if, you do move forward on this career path, congratulate yourself on what will no doubt be an exhilarating journey into a law enforcement career. We are definitely not going out of business, you know! And, law enforcement could really use your help, life experience and the commitment to public service. This is a career choice filled with rich, meaningful, and humbling experiences. Some of the most exceptional people in life work in law enforcement.

The social construction of crime is often out of proportion to the threat posed. The media and advocacy groups shine a spotlight on some crimes and ignore others. Street crime is highlighted as putting everyone at risk of victimization, while the greater social harms from corporate malfeasance receive far less attention. Social arrangements dictate what is defined as crime and the punishments for those who engage in the proscribed behavior. Interest groups promote their agendas by appealing to public fears. Justifications often have no basis in fact, but the public accepts the exaggerations and blames the targeted offenders. The net-widening effect of more laws and more punishment catches those least able to defend themselves. This innovative alternative to traditional textbooks provides insightful observations of myths and trends in criminal justice. Fourteen chapters challenge misconceptions about specific crimes or aspects of the criminal justice system. Kappeler and Potter dissect popular images of crimes and criminals in a cogent, compelling, and engaging manner. They trace the social construction of each issue and identify the misleading statistics and fears that form the basis of myths—and the collateral damage of basing policies on mythical beliefs. The authors encourage skepticism about commonly accepted beliefs, offer readers a fresh perspective, and urge them to analyze important issues from novel vantage points.

An Engaging and Accessible Overview of Crime and Justice in America For all their interest in crime, most Americans know very little about the reality of crime and the criminal justice system in the United States—and most of what Americans do know is a loose collection of accumulated truths, half-truths, and outright fallacies. Myths and Realities of Crime and Justice: What Every American Should Know, Second Edition provides a concise but thorough overview of criminal behavior, crime, and the criminal justice system in the United States. Using up-to-date social science research to debunk many of the beliefs Americans hold about crime, the book examines key topics such as serial killers and mass murders, gun violence, criminal victimization, identity theft, policing and police corruption, plea bargaining, jury nullification, wrongful convictions, the death penalty, and the “CSI Effect.” The fully revised and updated second edition of this popular text includes the most recent crime and criminal justice data, and covers several recent high-profile crimes, including the Newtown shooting, the Jerry Sandusky case, and the Trayvon Martin case. It also includes new sections on recent trends in crime rates, street gangs, and hate crimes. Ideally suited for students in criminal justice programs as well as professionals who work within or in tandem with the criminal justice system, Myths and Realities of Crime and Justice: What Every American Should Know, Second Edition is a thorough, engaging, and highly relevant portrait of crime and justice in America.