NCJ Number
118511
Editor(s)
O Trager
Date Published
1988
Length
215 pages
Annotation
This compendium of newspaper editorials, columns, articles, and cartoons published between 1984 and 1988 examine crime trends and patterns in the United States, legislation, law enforcement efforts, and judicial decisions regarding the rights of the accused, white-collar crime, organized crime, gun control, drug-related crimes, victim services, pornography, capital punishment, prison privatization, and other issues.
Abstract
The accompanying discussions and summaries note that the United States Supreme Court in the 1970's and 1980's has narrowed the rulings of the Warren Court related to due process, including the protection against illegal search and seizure, the right against self-incrimination, and the rights to counsel and trial by jury. They also note that although public officials have repeatedly claimed success in addressing organized crime, it continues to operate in its usual manner. The discussion of gun control points out that three current views are that people rather than guns kill, that handguns exist only to kill and should be tightly restricted, and that certain violent encounters are more likely to have lethal consequences if guns are readily available. In addition, the rising use of crack cocaine, the government's self-declared "War on Drugs," and the growing prospect of employee drug testing have all contributed to the controversy regarding drugs and crime. Discussions also note that crime victims received little attention before the 1970's and that child abuse is probably the most underreported of all crimes. The final section traces the history of inmate rights, with emphasis on United States Supreme Court decisions. Judicial decisions and public attitudes toward the death penalty are also summarized.