1. Dealing with Lawbreakers

2. Medieval Criminal Justice
Trial by ordeal
Severe public punishment/executions

3. A Reform Movement The Enlightenment Depart from “supernatural” theory
Assumptions about human nature

4. Classical Response to Crime
On Crimes and Punishment, Beccaria (1764)
Underlying theory

5. Principles of Deterrence
Certainty
Swiftness
Severity

6. Empirical Research on Deterrence
There is moderate support for the effect of certainty, little to none for severity

7. Specific v. General Deterrence
Specific Deterrence
General Deterrence

8. Formal v. Informal Punishment
Informal = unofficial punishment
Informal enhances formal sanctions

9. Goals of Punishment Deterrence Incapacitation Rehabilitation
Retribution

10. The “System” of Criminal Justice An Ideal Model
Crime
Police
Prosecutor
Court
Corrections

11. The Ideal Courtroom Adversarial System
The facts of each case are heard
Witnesses are called
Justice prevails

12. Courtroom Reality The Courtroom Workgroup
Punishment based on the “going rate”

13. State Felony Convictions by Guilty Plea (No Trial)
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, 1998

14. Sentencing: Three Focal Concerns
Offender’s blameworthiness
Protection of the community
Practical concerns
Use an example: young. Black, male versus Professor convicted for drug possession

15. Prison Prison (currently ~ 1/2 million inmates) Current conditions
Recidivism
Expensive
Current conditions
Overcrowding
Few rehabilitative services
Aging prison population
Security is main concern

16. Community-Based Corrections
Less costly than prison
If revoked -> prison (technical violations)
Probation involves the most offenders (about 2 million)

17. Criminal Justice Funnel
1,000 felony crimes % not reported
370 reported to police % not arrested
42 prosecuted % not convicted
41 convicted in court 32% no prison/jail
28 imprisoned
Tough and weak on crime - KEEP
2-3% of felony crimes
result in imprisonment