How Do Judges Decide?: The Search for Fairness and Justice in Punishment (Key Questions for Criminal Justice) [Paperback]

Cassia C. (Cathleen) Spohn (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 28, 2002 | ISBN-10: 0761987606 | ISBN-13: 978-0761987604 | Edition: 1

The appropriate amount of punishment for a given crime is an issue that has been debated by scholars, philosophers and legal professionals since the beginning of civilizations. This book seeks to address this issue in all of its complexity by providing a comprehensive overview of the sentencing process in the United States.

The book begins by discussing the overall concept of punishment and then proceeds to dissect individual aspects of punishment. Topics include: the sentencing process; responsibility of the judge; disparity and discrimination in sentencing; and sentencing reform.

This book is an ideal text for introductory courses on the judicial system, criminal law, law and society. It can be an essential resource to help students understand patterns in the wide discretion and latitude given to judges when determining punishments within the framework of the United States judicial system.

 

Editorial Reviews

Review

"It is the most comprehensive analysis of sentencing practices in the United States in general, and of how judges decide in particular.  It provides ample statistics of the realities of punishment and provides readers with the conclusions from several decades of research investigating judicial discretion." (Richard D. Hartley ) --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

About the Author

Cassia Spohn received her PhD in political science from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1978. Prior to joining the faculty at Arizona State University, she was the Kayser Professor of Criminal Justice at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, where she served as Director of Graduate Studies for 12 years and as Department Chair for one year. Dr. Spohn is the author of How Do Judges Decide? Second Edition (SAGE, ©2009), and co-author of Criminal Courts (SAGE, ©2010). She also is co-author of two books: The Color of Justice: Race, Ethnicity, and Crime in America (Cengage, ©2007) and Rape Law Reform: A Grassroots Movement and Its Impact (Springer, ©1992). She has published more than 75 articles on topics such as the effects of race/ethnicity and gender on sentencing decisions, sentencing of drug offenders, prosecutors' charging decisions in sexual assault cases, and the deterrent effect of imprisonment. She is currently working on a project investigating case attrition and case clearances in sexual assaults reported to the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department.

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Sage Publications, Inc; 1 edition (January 28, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0761987606
• ISBN-13: 978-0761987604
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,031,663 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #76 in Books > Law > Procedures & Litigation > Jury

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Customer Reviews

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4.0 out of 5 stars Easy Read, March 9, 2011

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This review is from: How Do Judges Decide?: The Search for Fairness and Justice in Punishment (Paperback)

Law books tend to be wordy and dense but this one is the opposite. The concepts are interesting and it provides a lot of easy-to-follow examples throughout.