The anthology "Crime, Justice, and Social Control" explores formal and informal dimensions of social control and demonstrates that law and the criminal justice system are set within the wider context of social control. Combining theory with key policy issues and offering a wealth of current articles and research, the text addresses the challenges facing criminal justice practitioners, researchers, and elected officials.
Part I outlines the origins and types of social control from a sociological perspective to prepare students for analyzing criminal justice and social control issues. Part II builds on these foundational theories by further exploring adjudication and sentencing, policing and investigations, correctional policies and issues, and juvenile justice. Each section raises key questions under discussion by academics, policy makers, and elected officials, and helps students understand the complexity and range of challenges faced by those involved in the criminal justice process. Students have the opportunity to reflect on alternative policy options and formulate personal views about social control. Topics include: Banning Deviant Behavior; Social Class and Crime; Wrongful Convictions; Racial Profiling; and Morality, Ethics, and the Death Penalty.
The selections are written in an accessible style and deal with high interest topics such as the public response to youth wearing hoodies, school violence, and discipline.
Christine Curtis undergraduate and graduate education is in sociology, with an emphasis in criminology. Professor Curtis teaches courses in Social Control and Research Methods for the School of Public Affairs Criminal Justice program at San Diego State University. She has been the principal investigator on numerous state and federally funded research projects related to law enforcement, courts, corrections, and juvenile justice. In addition, Professor Curtis served as the president of the Western Society of Criminology, and in 2010 she received the prestigious June Morrison-Tom Gitchoff Founders Award for significant improvement in the quality of justice. She is the current co-editor of "Western Criminology Review."
Stuart Henry earned his Ph.D. at the University of Kent, United Kingdom. Dr. Henry is a professor of criminal justice and Director of the School of Public Affairs at San Diego State University. He is the author or editor of 28 books, and over 100 professional journal articles on topics ranging from criminological theory and deviant behavior, to law and society, and occupational crime. His books include "The Hidden Economy, Criminological Theory, Constitutive Criminology, What is Crime?, Essential Criminology, The Politics of Interdisciplinary Studies," and "Social Deviance." Dr. Henry is the current co-editor of "Western Criminology Review.""