Justice Blind?: Ideals and Realities of American Criminal Justice - Softcover

Robinson, Matthew B

3.7

10 ratings by Goodreads

9780135147740: Justice Blind?: Ideals and Realities of American Criminal Justice

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0135147743 ISBN 13: 9780135147740

Publisher: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2008

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Updated in a new 3rd edition, this book is rganized around a “planned change” approach and provides a critical assessment of how well the American criminal justice system achieves its goals. Unlike most other criminal justice books—which cover the traditional topics from the perspective of how “things are supposed to be,” this book compares these ideals with the realities of criminal justice today and provides a critical interpretation of the role of race, ethnicity, and gender in criminal justice.

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From the Back Cover:

Justice Blind? Ideals and Realities of American Criminal Justice, 3rd Edition provides a thought-provoking critique of American criminal justice, one aimed at bringing about real-world change in our political and criminal justice agencies.

“This text is an excellent example of critical criminology for introductory students. The coverage of current issues is great, and Robinson injects the importance of factors such as politics and the media. The text inspires critical thinking in students!” Lisa Anne Zilney, Montclair State University
“Robinson provides a rigorous social commentary regarding social institutions and their roles in the criminal law making and criminal justice systems. For example, the media as a player (rather than a reporter) in American criminal justice is new to many students, and this is a challenge that Robinson invites them to consider, with excellent information along the way.” Demetra Pappas, Seton Hall University
“The book’s greatest strength is that it is more than just an introductory text. It explains the [criminal justice] system and is realistically critical of it.” Gary R. Perlstein, Portland State University
“I like the author’s willingness to challenge the conventional wisdom. Critical criminology is crucial to the advancement of the field.” Joan Crowley, New Mexico State University.

Justice Blind? Ideals and Realities of American Criminal Justice, 3rd Edition critically examines criminal justice and media processes including the political and ideological nature of law-making, crime, and terrorism. Other topics include: policing, bail and plea bargaining, sentencing, punishment through incarceration and the death penalty, the war on drugs, and that role that race, class, and gender play in criminal justice.

About the Author:

Matthew B. Robinson is Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science and Criminal Justice at Appalachian State University (ASU). He earned his Ph.D. in Criminology and Criminal Justice at the Florida State University in 1997. Robinson teaches and does research in the areas of criminological theory, the war on drugs, capital punishment, and injustices of the criminal justice system. He has published more than 50 pieces of research, including 6 books: Justice Blind? Ideals and Realities of American Criminal Justice (Prentice-Hall, 2002, 2005), Why Crime? An Integrated Systems Theory of Antisocial Behavior (Prentice-Hall, 2004), Spatial Analysis of Crime: Theory and Practice (with Derek Paulsen, Allyn & Bacon, 2004), Lies, Damned Lies, and Drug War Statistics (State University of New York Press, 2007), and Death Nation: The Experts Explain American Capital Punishment (Prentice-Hall, 2008). He also has served as Board Member and President of the Southern Criminal Justice Association (SCJA). Robinson was awarded the William C. Strickland Outstanding Young Scholar Award from Appalachian State University in 2002.

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