Sense and Nonsense About Crime and Drugs: A Policy Guide

Walker's SENSE AND NONSENSE was the first book to challenge common misconceptions about crime and remains the most effective at doing so. Described as a "masterful critique" of American policies – on everything from crime control to guns to drugs – Walker cuts through myths and political rhetoric and confronts both conservative and liberal propositions relative to current research and proven effectiveness. The result is a research-based, lucid work that stimulates critical thinking and enlivens class discussions. Walker captures the complexity of the administration of justice while providing students with a clear sense of the general patterns.

Samuel Walker is Professor Emeritus of Criminal Justice at the University of Nebraska, Omaha, where he taught for 31 years before retiring in 2005. He is the author of 13 books on policing, criminal justice history and policy, and civil liberties. His current research involves police accountability, focusing primarily on citizen oversight of the police and police Early Intervention Systems (EIS) systems. Originally trained as a historian, he is completing a book on U.S. presidents and civil liberties. His personal web site, with information on police accountability is http://samuewalker.net.