Criminal Justice Masterworks

Book excerpt: Criminal Justice Masterworks weaves together three strands of intellectual pursuit: an acquaintance with great writings on criminal justice, the perspective provided by a history of ideas, and the skills of critical thinking. The editors provide a taste of classic works usually known to students only through textbook summaries, short excerpts, or references elsewhere. The masterworks in criminal justice are separated into four areas: criminology, legal studies, police studies, and correctional studies. They include selections from Beccaria on justice and law, torture and the death penalty; Lombroso on biological and social factors in crime; Shaw & McKay on juvenile delinquency; Chambliss on law making and special interest groups; Holmes on the evolution of law; Frankfurter on interpreting statutes; Westley on police solidarity and use of force; Fogelson on the dilemmas of the professional movement in policing; Goldstein on policing in a democratic society; Beaumont & Tocqueville on the reform ideal in penitentiaries; Augustus on probation concepts and strategies; and Clemmer on the effects of imprisonment. The twelve selections are rather extensive in order to convey the main ideas, display the logical and empirical foundations of the works, and allow for critical thinking on the fundamental issues. Criminal Justice Masterworks was developed primarily for use in a capstone seminar for college undergraduates majoring in criminal justice studies. It is also useful as a brief survey of great writings in criminal justice for any advanced undergraduate or beginning graduate student or criminal justice professional. It is for students, teachers, and professionals who want to explore criminal justice ideas and practices at a greater depth.