Criminal Justice Policy

This chapter discusses the major participants in criminal justice policy and identifies types of crime. It explains the causes of crime and outlines criminal procedure. This chapter examines perspectives on punishment and contemporary crime issues: hate crimes, child abduction, and racially biased policing. It explores contemporary policing techniques and criminal justice issues and also discusses the USA Patriot Act/USA Freedom Act. Proponents of rehabilitation believe that socioeconomic deprivation often contributes to criminal behavior, a condition that must be rectified by society. Punishment for criminal acts usually involves the loss of liberty through incarceration. In the 1990s, child abductions, sexual assault, abuse, and murder became a highly visible part of criminal justice policy. Narrative policy analysis is a very effective way of understanding the impact of criminal justice policy in society. The policy innovation model is particularly useful in exploring crime policy reforms that have been adopted at the state level.