NCJ Number
107643
Editor(s)
G F Cole
Date Published
1988
Length
516 pages
Annotation
Trends and issues in criminal justice (police, prosecution, courts, and corrections) are examined in 25 articles.
Abstract
The relationship between politics and the administration of justice is examined in two models of criminal process and discussions of power, resources, and bureaucratic organizations. Police issues considered include the exercise of police discretion, the police personality, police and neighborhood safety, and the nature of police reform. Prosecutorial decisionmaking and factors influencing it are examined in case studies of the decision to prosecute, the impact of victim input, and the processes involved in adaptation to the plea bargaining process among new prosecutors. Factors influencing the relationships between defense attorneys and their clients and prosecutors also are examined. The role of the bail bondsman in the criminal courts is considered; factors, including race and the local political culture, in sentencing outcomes are delineated. Norms, role relationships, leadership patterns, and general conditions in correctional institutions are described, together with the impact of court-ordered prison reform. Parole board discretion also is discussed. Finally, policy and reform issues related to crime control, plea bargains, sentencing alternatives, and determinate sentencing are discussed. Chapter tables, figures, references, and notes.