Harm in American Penology
Author | : Todd R. Clear |
Publisher | : State University of New York Press |
Total Pages | : 264 |
Release | : 1994-11-22 |
ISBN-10 | : 9780791499269 |
ISBN-13 | : 079149926X |
Rating | : 4/5 (26X Downloads) |
Download or read book Harm in American Penology written by Todd R. Clear and published by State University of New York Press. This book was released on 1994-11-22 with total page 264 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book analyzes the sources and results of the fourfold increase in the U.S. correctional population since 1970. It considers the following themes: the value of punitiveness, defined as penal harm; research on crime and criminals; concerns about victims of crime; and concerns about community safety. It also analyzes the relationship between social problems and penal harm, such as poverty and crime during the twenty-year period of correctional expansion. The author argues that a careful review of proposals for expanded penal harm cannot be justified. The growth in corrections was not caused by crime nor has it reduced crime. Clear describes a new strategy for corrections based on his examination of the politics of social control and the growth in penal harm.