NCJ Number
186013
Date Published
1998
Length
15 pages
Annotation
The author argues that criminal justice and crime control policies of the past two decades have not reduced crime and that liberal policies are more likely to achieve justice.
Abstract
The 1967 report of the President's Commission on Law Enforcement and Administration of Justice recommended crime policies that attacked crime causes, that rehabilitated offenders, and that upheld civil rights. Many of these ideas, however, were criticized by conservatives as not effectively dealing with crime control. The principal thrust of criminal justice policies over the past 20 years has been an effort to enhance crime control, specifically to arrest, prosecute, convict, and punish more offenders, or at least those who are guilty of serious crimes. The author believes these policies have failed and indicates it is time to put an emphasis on justice back into criminal justice. He discusses myths associated with criminal justice policies and the need to adopt more liberal criminal justice policies, to implement criminal justice reform, to reduce official misconduct, to provide equal employment opportunity, and to stimulate community renewal. 37 notes