Synthesizing the latest scholarship in law and the social sciences on criminal sentencing and corrections, this book provides a thorough, balanced, and accessible survey of the major policy issues in these fields of persistent public interest and political debate.

• Provides readers with an accessible introduction to important, timely topics of public debate

• Maintains a neutral, balanced perspective on a subject often a matter of heated partisanship

• Reveals the subtle connections between different aspects of the criminal justice system that are often missed in policy discussions

• Synthesizes leading academic work in law and the social sciences

• Provides a balanced assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of significant reform proposals