NCJ Number
55224
Editor(s)
J BALDWIN,
A K BOTTOMLEY
Date Published
1978
Length
319 pages
Annotation
A COLLECTION OF WRITINGS ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE POLICY AND PRACTICES IN ENGLAND REFLECTS BOTH PROGRESS IN CRIMINOLOGICAL RESEARCH AND QUESTIONS THAT REMAIN TO BE ANSWERED.
Abstract
MANY OF THE WRITINGS DESCRIBE EMPIRICAL WORK, MOST COMMONLY IN THE 'SOCIAL ADMINISTRATION' VEIN, I.E., RESEARCH OCCUPYING THE MIDDLE GROUND BETWEEN MACROANALYSIS AND MICROANALYSIS AND FOCUSED ON QUESTIONS OF PRACTICAL, RATHER THAN PURELY SOCIOLOGICAL, INTEREST. THE WRITINGS ARE PRESENTED IN SIX SECTIONS, EACH ACCOMPANIED BY AN INTRODUCTORY OVERVIEW AND A LIST OF SUGGESTED READINGS. THE OPENING SECTION CONCERNS APPROACHES TO THE STUDY OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND INCLUDES ARTICLES ON SOCIOLOGICAL RESEARCH AND ON FALSE DICHOTOMIES IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE RESEARCH. POLICE IN SOCIAL CONTROL, PERSPECTIVES ON THE RIGHT TO SILENCE, AND POLICE DECISIONMAKING ARE THE SUBJECTS OF WRITINGS ON POLICE AS GATEKEEPERS OF THE CRIMINAL PROCESSS. A SECTION ON NEGOTIATED JUSTICE INCLUDES WRITINGS ON BAIL AND BAIL NEGOTIATION, PLEA BARGAINING, NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN DEFENDANTS AND POLICE, AND INCONSISTENT PLEADERS. WRITINGS ON TRIAL AND CONVICTION EXAMINE THE DEFENDANT'S PERSPECTIVE, THE STAGING OF JUSTICE IN MAGISTRATES' COURTS, JURY ROOM DISCUSSIONS, JURY DUTY IN BRITAIN, RELIABILITY OF TESTIMONY IN CRIMINAL TRIALS, AND WRONG CONVICTIONS. A SECTION ON SENTENCING INCLUDES PAPERS ON AIMS AND INFORMATION IN SENTENCING, SOCIAL INQUIRY (PRESENTENCE) REPORTS, DISPARITY IN TRAFFIC OFFENSE SENTENCING, SEVERE SENTENCES AS DETERRENTS, TREATMENT EVALUATION, AND PROBLEMS IN PENAL TREATMENT. JUVENILE JUSTICE, PAROLE DECISIONMAKING, THE BALANCING OF JUDICIAL AND EXECUTIVE CONTROL OF SENTENCING, INDETERMINATE SENTENCES, AND DETERMINANTS OF THE LENGTH OF TIME INMATES SERVE IN CUSTODY ARE THE SUBJECTS OF PAPERS CONCERNED WITH JUDICIAL AND EXECUTIVE DISCRETION IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE. SUPPORTING DATA AND LISTS OF REFERENCES ACCOMPANY SOME OF THE WRITINGS. FOR ABSTRACTS OF INDIVIDUAL ARTICLES, SEE NCJ-28058, 34802, AND 55225-55231. (LKM)