Sense and Nonsense About Crime and Drugs: A Policy Guide

By Samuel E. Walker

Book Overview

Samuel Walker's SENSE AND NONSENSE ABOUT CRIME, DRUGS, AND COMMUNITIES was one of the first books to challenge common misconceptions about crime, and the new Eighth Edition remains uniquely effective at doing so. Described as a "masterful critique" of American policies on everything from crime control, to guns, to drugs, this incisive book cuts through popular myths and political rhetoric while emphasizing current research and proven practice. The result is a lucid, research-based work that clearly reveals what does not work in crime policy while identifying shared characteristics of successful approaches, including carefully defined, narrowly focused, problem-oriented programs in policing and prosecution. This engaging text captures the full complexity of the administration of justice while providing readers with a clear sense of its key principles and general patterns.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1285459024
• ISBN13: 9781285459028
• Release Date: May 2014
• Publisher: Cengage Learning
• Length: 448 Pages
• Weight: 1.32 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.3" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Good deal and good delivery!

Got my order for a good deal, in the exact condition they reported and in amazing time!

Dense but excellent overview...

I am a professor who has used this book in my Crime class. The book is excellent in that it organizes policies around conservative and liberal viewpoints. It then brings in the latest research to either support or debunk the viewpoints of conservatives and liberals. The book is very dense and does an excellent job of addressing current crime policies. The focus is ultimately, what works and what doesn't regarding crime policies. The last chapter summarizes what does work. I like the book because it appeals to all students regardless of their political beliefs because Walker shows how BOTH conservatives and liberals are wrong in how they attempt to "fix" the crime problem. The biggest weakness of this book is that it is light on the theory but again, this book is about policies, not theory. In regards to a previous reviewer, professors preview books before they use them, so if their professor did not like this book, they probably should never have used it in the first place. I suspect that the professor did not take the time to preview the book and hoped that it would fit their plans for the class. It appears that in this case, the professor wanted a book with theory and was disappointed when there was none. That is not a fault with this book, but with the professor.

quick delivery

My order was processed and sent very quickly. Arriving just in time for the new semester. The book was in great condition with no highlighting. Thanks for the great service.

Very good for critical thinkers

This book is highly recommended for anyone who wants to take a critical look at the administration of justice in the U.S. Dr. Walker has a very simple, straightforward style of writing that makes this book accessible to virtually anyone, even someone with limited background in the area. His information is very up-to-date and his arguments are clear, concise and well-supported.