The myth of overpunishment : a defense of the American justice system and a proposal to reduce incarceration while protecting the public / Barry Latzer, JD, PhD.
Includes bibliographical references (pages 151-153) and indexes.
Contents:
Foreword / by Senator Tom Cotton -- Introduction -- Part One. A Short History of Punishment in America -- 1. Maim and Shame: Colonial-Era Punishments -- 2. The Silent Treatment: Birth of the Penitentiary -- 3. Black Gulag: Convict Lease -- 4. Progressives -- 5. Southern Regressivism -- 6. The Decline of Death -- 7. The Failure of Leniency -- Part Two. The Age of Leniency -- 8. The Buildup -- 9. Denying the Crime Tsunami -- 10. The Myth of Overpunishment -- 11. Decarceration? -- 12. E-carceration -- A Selective Bibliography -- Acknowledgments -- Notes -- Name Index -- Subject Index.
Summary:
"Justice is on trial in the United States. From police to prisons, the justice system is accused of overpunishing. It is said that too many Americans are abused by the police, arrested, jailed, and imprisoned. But the denunciations are overblown. The data indicates, contrary to the critics, that we don't imprison too many, nor do we overpunish. This becomes evident when we examine the crimes of prisoners and the actual time served. The history of punishment in the United States, discussed in vivid detail, reveals that the treatment of offenders has become progressively more lenient. Corporal punishment is no more. The death penalty has become a rarity. Many convicted defendants are given no-incarceration sentences. Restorative justice may be a good thing for low-level offenses, or as an add-on for remorseful prisoners, but when it comes to major crimes it is no substitute for punitive justice. The Myth of Overpunishment presents a workable and politically feasible plan to electronically monitor arrested suspects prior to adjudication (bail reform), defendants placed on probation, and parolees."-- provided by publisher.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.