Corrections looks at the correctional system and offers arguments for and against the practice of the laws and policies that comprise corrections, from parole and probation to imprisonment, to the application of the death penalty. The 20 included chapters, written by eminent scholars and experts in the fields of criminology, police science, law, sociology, psychology, and other disciplines, take on such contested topics as what the goals of the correctional system should be (deterrence, rehabilitation, retribution, or something else?) and how they should be achieved; who should make these decisions; and how to balance the goals of the correctional system with the civil rights of the inmates. Prison conditions and the treatment of prisoners, as well as the changing definition of cruel and unusual punishment, are also examined.The SeriesEach volume consists of approximately 20 chapters offering succinct pro/con examinations, and Recommended Readings conclude each chapter, highlighting different approaches to or perspectives on the issue at hand. As a set, these volumes provide perfect reference support for students writing position papers in undergraduate courses spanning the Criminal Justice curriculum. Each title is approximately 350 pages in length.

Capital Punishment/Death Penalty

Capital Punishment/Death Penalty

Capital punishment/death penalty

There are many lively debates surrounding the ethics, efficacy, and policy implications of capital punishment as they pertain to its use within the United States. Globally, the United States is one of about 60 nations that regularly employ this type of punishment.

However, within the group of Western industrialized nations, it remains the only country that routinely puts people to death. To the extent that the United States shares similar legal and political systems with other Western industrialized countries, it has not followed the trend of most European and Western-hemisphere states that have abolished the use of capital punishment within the last four decades.

Historically, what has been called the exceptionalism of the United States is a relatively new phenomenon. While the ...

  • Loading...
locked icon

Sign in to access this content

Get a 30 day FREE TRIAL

  • Watch videos from a variety of sources bringing classroom topics to life
  • Read modern, diverse business cases
  • Explore hundreds of books and reference titles