Clear, Todd R. : John Jay College of Criminal Justice

Todd R. Clear is Distinguished Professor of Criminal Justice at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, The City University of New York. He has conducted extensive research on a range of topics in corrections, including sentencing policy, probation and parole supervision, institutional programs, corrections administration, and community justice. He has received awards from the American Probation and Parole Association, the International Association of Community Corrections, and the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges for his work. During 2001 he was President of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences and Vice President of the American Society of Criminology. Among his books are: CONTROLLING THE OFFENDER IN THE COMMUNITY (with V. O'Leary), HARM IN AMERICAN PENOLOGY, THE COMMUNITY JUSTICE IDEAL (with David Karp) and AMERICAN CORRECTIONS (with G. Cole).


Cole, George F. : University of Connecticut

George F. Cole is Professor of Political Science-Emeritus at the University of Connecticut. A specialist in the administration of criminal justice, he has published extensively on such topics as prosecution, courts, and corrections. George Cole is also co-author with Christopher Smith of THE AMERICAN SYSTEM OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE, co-author with Todd Clear of AMERICAN CORRECTIONS, and co-author with Marc Gertz and Amy Bunger of CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: POLITICS AND POLICY. He developed and directed the graduate corrections program at the University of Connecticut and was a Fellow at the National Institute of Justice (1988). Among his other accomplishments, he has been granted two awards under the Fulbright-Hays Program to conduct criminal justice research in England and the former Yugoslavia. In 1995 he was named a Fellow of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences for distinguished teaching and research.

AMERICAN CORRECTIONS is intended for the Introduction to Corrections course, typically a sophomore and junior level course offered by the Criminal Justice or Sociology departments at two- and four-year schools. This course comprises the second-to-third largest market in criminal justice. When offered by a Criminal Justice department, this course is one of the first courses criminal justice majors take after the Introduction to Criminal Justice course. When offered at four-year schools without formal Criminal Justice programs, the Sociology department typically offers the Introduction to Corrections course with smaller enrollments per class. Some two-year schools offer a degree in corrections rather than criminal justice. At such schools, the Introduction to Corrections course plays a pivotal role in the training programs.

Todd R. Clear, one of the country's leading experts in the study of corrections, and George F. Cole, considered by many as the "founding father" of modern criminal justice study, have combined talents once again for the new Sixth Edition of their market-leading AMERICAN CORRECTIONS. A great author team, Clear's expertise in corrections complements Cole's organizational view of the system. Together, they present a well-rounded, balanced approach to corrections. Clear and Cole takes a sociological and humanistic approach to corrections. It treats institutional and alternative sanctions in a balanced fashion and offers a look at the system from the perspective of both the corrections worker and the offender. It also presents the concept of corrections as a "system" of interconnected organizations and carries this theme throughout the book. While this approach appeals to both sociologists and criminal justice types alike, it is particularly appealing to a growing portion of the market: the professors with sociological backgrounds who are now teaching the introduction to corrections course. From a more practical standpoint, many find this text appealing because it provides comprehensive, thorough coverage without being overwhelming. At 22 chapters and 560 pages, it is very compatible with standard, semester-long courses. Such effective compatibility continues in the Sixth Edition with a new visually engaging four-color interior design.

Features

• Clear and Cole continue their tradition of well-balanced discussions that are informed by history, law, psychology, sociology, and public policy, with comprehensive, interdisciplinary discussion on all aspects of the U.S. corrections system and a focus on the humanistic aspects of the system.
• Weaving the theme of corrections as a system of large and small, interconnected organizations throughout the text, Clear and Cole provide students with a solid understanding of how each component fits into the overall system.
• Distinctive chapter pedagogy includes features such as: "Work Perspectives" (profiles of correctional practitioners and offenders), "Focus" (in-depth accounts of journalists, prisoners, etc that provide current, real-life examples of correctional practices), "Do the Right Thing" (narratives of real dilemmas that confront correctional practitioners with questions that foster critical thinking), and "Comparative Perspectives" (articles that provide insight into corrections in other countries).

Part One: THE CORRECTIONAL CONTEXT.

1. The Corrections System.
2. The Early History of Correctional Thought and Practice.
3. The History of Corrections in America.
4. The Punishment of Offenders.
5. The Law of Corrections.
6. The Correctional Client.

Part Two: CORRECTIONAL PRACTICES.

7. Jails: Detention and Short-Term Incarceration.
8. Probation.
9. Intermediate Sanctions and Community Corrections.
10. Incarceration.
11. The Prison Experience.
12. Incarceration of Women.
13. Institutional Management.
14. Institutional Programs.
15. Release from Incarceration.
16. Making It: Supervision in the Community.
17. Corrections for Juvenile Offenders.

Part Three: CORRECTIONAL ISSUES AND PERSPECTIVES.

18. Incarceration Trends.
19. Race, Ethnicity, and Corrections.
20. The Death Penalty.
21. Surveillance and Control in the Community.
22. Community Justice.

Epilogue: American Corrections Today and Tomorrow.
Glossary.