The Mythology of Crime and Criminal Justice

Exploration of riveting issues in the criminal justice field! This much-acclaimed volume challenges many popular preconceived notions of crime, criminals, and crime control as it provides an insightful exploration of factors that shape popular conceptions of crime. The roles of the media, government, and other special-interest groups in promoting myths are highlighted. It demystifies images of child abduction, serial murder, organized crime, white-collar crime, and drugs. In addition, it discusses popular attitudes on the "lenient" criminal justice system and the death penalty.