Table Of Content

Cover page Page: i Halftitle page Page: i Series page Page: ii Title page Page: viii Copyright page Page: x Dedication page Page: xi Contents Page: xii Preface Page: xiv Acknowledgements Page: xvii List of illustrations Page: xviii Chapter 1 Introducing criminal justice Page: 1 The objectives of criminal justice Page: 2 Punishing and preventing crime Page: 3 Key principles of criminal justice Page: 5 Models of criminal justice Page: 6 Components of criminal justice Page: 9 Public perceptions Page: 10 Limits on the power of the CJS Page: 11 Discretion in criminal justice decision-making Page: 12 Limits on the effectiveness of criminal justice Page: 13 Criminal injustice Page: 15 Chapter 2 Between the crime and the court Page: 18 Public vs private policing Page: 18 Fix those windows! ‘Broken windows’ Page: 24 Increased powers of the police Page: 25 Responding to crime without going to court Page: 26 ‘On the spot’ fines Page: 27 Official cautions Page: 28 Bailing the defendant Page: 29 False positives and false negatives Page: 31 Pre-trial developments Page: 31 To charge or not to charge Page: 32 Negotiating justice: ‘let’s make a deal’ Page: 33 Sentence reductions for a guilty plea Page: 36 The limited time offer Page: 36 Chapter 3 In court and on trial Page: 39 Prosecutors and judges: elected or appointed? Page: 39 Judges and juries Page: 40 Juries Page: 42 Specialized courts: making the CJS fit the offender Page: 47 Juvenile courts Page: 50 The wrong man: when criminal justice fails Page: 52 Chapter 4 Why punish … and how? Page: 57 Sentencing objectives Page: 59 Rehabilitation Page: 62 Sentencing objectives in practice Page: 63 Sentencing disparity Page: 65 The sentence of the court Page: 66 Guidance for courts at sentencing Page: 67 Mitigating and aggravating factors at sentencing Page: 70 Principal sentencing options Page: 72 International variation in imprisonment rates Page: 73 Financial penalties Page: 74 Community-based punishments Page: 75 Supervising offenders in the community Page: 78 Community or custody: which is more effective? Page: 79 You be the judge Page: 80 Chapter 5 In and out of prison Page: 82 The state of prisons today Page: 83 Who’s in prison? Page: 86 Women and children in prison Page: 87 ‘Lifers’ Page: 88 The crimes that lead to imprisonment Page: 90 Repeat business: ‘you again!’ Page: 91 Why don’t prisons rehabilitate? Page: 92 The bottom line on prisons Page: 94 Release from prison Page: 95 Parole Page: 96 Against parole Page: 97 The benefits of parole Page: 98 The effect of information on public attitudes Page: 101 Home confinement: the virtual prison Page: 102 Life in the virtual prison Page: 103 Life after release Page: 104 Escaping a criminal past Page: 105 Chapter 6 Hearing the crime victim? Page: 107 Finding a role for the victim Page: 107 Categories of crime victim Page: 111 The participatory victim Page: 113 Victim impact statements Page: 114 Are victim impact statements beneficial? Page: 116 Victim recommendations at sentencing and parole Page: 117 Chapter 7 The future of criminal justice Page: 121 Appendix: extract from the Court of Appeal judgment Page: 126 Further reading Page: 130 Index Page: 133 Social media Page: 138 Online Catalogue Page: 139 Forensic Psychology Page: 140

Description:

The criminal justice system is wide ranging; from the crimes themselves and policing to the sentencing of offenders and prisons. In this Very Short Introduction Julian V. Roberts draws upon the latest research and current practices from a number of different countries around the world. Focusing on the adversarial model of justice found in common law countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia, he discusses topics such as the uses of imprisonment, the effects of capital punishment, and the purposes of sentencing. Considering the role of the victim throughout the criminal justice system, as well as public knowledge and attitudes towards criminal justice, Roberts critically assesses the way in which the system functions and its importance around the world. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.