This twentieth anniversary issue includes a themed section, guest edited by Stephanie Hayman, that provides a uniquely accessible overview of criminal justice developments in North America.
All too often politicians and their advisers have flown across the Atlantic in search of solutions to the most pressing crime problems of the day.
So it is not too difficult to come up with a list of initiatives that began in different parts of the continent; offender behaviour programmes for prisoners; zero tolerance policing and the broken windows theory of maintaining social order; drug courts; community justice centres; gang disruption programmes - these are just some examples.
The contributors attempt to consider critically some of the policies and practices that have emerged from that continent and the merits of policy transfer to the UK and Europe. Following the historic election of Barack Obama and recent political change in Canada the themed section also seeks to explore the changing criminal justice landscape in those countries with contributions from some of their most well known criminologists.
In this edition
Sarah Armstrong and Fergus McNeill consider a new opportunity to change how penal reform is managed and how the public is engaged
By Sarah Armstrong and Fergus McNeill
Rod Morgan asks if the greater use of out-of-court summary sanctions is desirable and if there are sufficient safeguards in place
By Rod Morgan
Caroline Hunter and Judy Nixon draw attention to evidence that suggests anti-social behaviour is a gendered issue
By Caroline Hunter and Judy Nixon
Barry Loveday assesses proposals to make the police more locally accountable and empower local communities
By Barry Loveday
Jonathan Jackson, Emily Gray and Stephen Farrall explore recent approaches to the fear of crime
By Jonathan Jackson, Emily Gray and Stephen Farrall
Stephanie Hayman reviews the contributions to this themed section
By Stephanie Hayman
Jonathan Simon links the war on crime to the war on terror and considers if President Obama will chart a new course
By Jonathan Simon
Torin Monahan critiques the emergence of data-sharing ‘Fusion Centres’ intended to reduce crime and prevent terrorism
By Torin Monahan
Elliott Currie dissects the ‘deep and continuing crisis’ within the American criminal justice system
By Elliott Currie
George Pavlich takes a critical look at restorative justice practices in Canada
By George Pavlich
Todd Clear considers the impact of high rates of incarceration on crime prevalence in poor American neighbourhoods
By Todd Clear
Amanda Petteruti reviews the startling over-representation of African Americans and other minority communities at each stage of the criminal justice process
By Amanda Petteruti
Dawn Moore reflects on the structure of Drug Treatment Courts in North America and assesses their achievements
By Dawn Moore
Anthony Doob and Jane B Sprott examine the imprisonment rates of young Canadians following the introduction of the Youth Criminal Justice Act in April 2003
By Anthony Doob and Jane B Sprott
Anthony A Braga and Christopher Winship consider Boston’s Operation Ceasefire and the ways in which the model might be implemented in other communities affected by youth violence
By Anthony A Braga and Christopher Winship
James Sheptycki examines the use of guns in crime and suggests that there has been a ‘pistolisation’ of civil society
By James Sheptycki
Faye Taxman outlines a radical ‘shared decision’ model of probation that operates to empower offenders
By Faye Taxman
Maurice Punch offers a personal view of ‘zero tolerance’, suggesting that it is a vacuous sound-bite that can seriously distort policing
By Maurice Punch
Roger Grimshaw describes a new Centre for Crime and Justice Studies research project supported by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation
By Roger Grimshaw
