Criminal Justice Policy Origins and Effectiveness

Taking a balanced, reasoned approach, Criminal Justice Policy: Origins and Effectiveness provides an overview of a major policy in each chapter, discussing the type of crime that the policy targets and giving a summary of the empirical evidence on the policy's effectiveness at reducing crime. The text reviews the academic research on policy effectiveness and covers both the theoretical foundation and empirical status of each policy.

Jacinta M. Gau is Associate Professor in the Department of Criminal Justice at the University of Central Florida. Her research focuses on procedural justice, order maintenance, and issues concerning race and policing.

Chapters 2-15 open with an Introduction and end with a Conclusion, Discussion Questions, and References.
Chapter 1. Introduction
Analytical Lens
Chapter 2. Deterrence and Incapacitation
Retribution and Rehabilitation
Assumptions and Empirical Tests of Deterrence Theory
Assumptions and Empirical Tests of Incapacitation Theory
Policy Implications
Chapter 3. Drug Policy
A Brief History of Drug Trends
Legal and Political Origins of Federal Drug Laws and Policies
Drug Laws and Policies
Prescription Drugs
Examining the Rationales
The Empirical Status of Drug Policy
Chapter 4. Sex-Offender Policy
History of Sex-Offender Laws and Policies
Examining the Rationales
The Empirical Status of Sex-Offender Policies
Alternative SO Policies
Chapter 5. Gang Policy
Theoretical Explanations for Gang Membership and Activity
The Roles of Violence and Drugs in Gang Operations
Gang Structure, Organization, and Rivalries
Gang Policies
Examining the Rationales
The Empirical Status of Modern Gang Policy
Chapter 6. Juvenile Justice
History and Origins of the Juvenile System
Definitions and Overview of Juvenile-Court Procedures
Disproportionate Minority Contact
Juvenile-Justice Policies
Examining the Rationales
The Empirical Status of Juvenile-Justice Policies
Chapter 7. Gun Policy
Gun Policy and the Constitution
Primary and Secondary Gun Markets
Gun Policies
Examining the Rationales
The Empirical Status of Modern Gun Policy
Chapter 8. Mass Incarceration
Historical Trends in Incarceration
Contemporary Incarceration Trends
Examining the Rationales
The Empirical Status of Mass Incarceration
Chapter 9. The Death Penalty
History and Origins of the Death Penalty
Controversies in Death-Penalty Policy
Examining the Rationales
The Empirical Status of the Death Penalty
Chapter 10. Intermediate Sanctions
Origins and Types of Intermediate Sanctions
Politics and Public Opinion
Examining the Rationales
The Empirical Status of Intermediate Sanctions
Chapter 11. White-Collar Offending
What is White-Collar Offending?
History of White-Collar Offending Laws and Policies
Examining the Rationales
Theories of White-Collar Offending: Implications for Law and Policy
Chapter 12. Human Trafficking
Defining Human Trafficking and the Role of Consent
Trafficking's Prevalence and Victims
Is Human Trafficking a Form of Organized Crime?
Human-Trafficking Policies and their Origins
Examining the Rationales
The Empirical Status of Human-Trafficking Policies
Future Directions for Human-Trafficking Policies
Chapter 13. Police Policy
A Brief History of Policing in the US
Contemporary Police Policies and their Origins
Examining the Rationales
The Empirical Status of Police Policies
Chapter 14. Correctional Treatment and Rehabilitation
Mental Illness and Substance Abuse among Criminal Offenders
History of Correctional Treatment and Rehabilitation
Current Trends in Correctional Treatment and Rehabilitation
Rehabilitation Techniques and Programs
Rehabilitation Techniques and Programs
The Empirical Status of Correctional Treatment and Rehabilitation
Chapter 15. Community-Based Crime Control
Hard Lessons: How the Punishment-Oriented System is Backfiring
The Theoretical Origins of Community-Based Control
The Theoretical Origins of Place-Based Crime Prevention
Tying it together: Communities as Places
Reducing Fear of Crime
Promoting Cohesion, Informal Control, and Quality of Life
Police-Community Collaboration
Community Courts
Restorative Justice and Victim-Centered Approaches
Enlisting Local Leaders, Groups, and Nonprofits
Adjusting the Ideology: Applications from Public Health