The Rich Get Richer and the Poor Get Prison

The Rich Get Richer,the Poor Get Prison 40th Anniversary Edition is a classic text that takes the issue of economic inequality seriously and asks why our prisons are filled with the poor. It presents extensive evidence from mainstream data that the criminal justice system does not function in the way it says it does or in the way that readers believe it should. The authors develop a theoretical perspective from which readers might understand these failures and evaluate them morally, and they do it in a short text written in plain language. New to this edition: Presents recent data comparing the harms due to criminal activity with the harms of dangerous—but not criminal—corporate actions, Updates research on class discrimination at every stage of the criminal justice system, Updates statistics on crime, victimization, incarceration, and wealth, Increased material for thinking critically about criminal justice and criminology, New material on global warming and why Black Lives Matter protests did not cause increases in crime in 2020, Expanded discussion of marijuana and drug legalization, Stronger chapter overviews, clearer chapter structure, and expanded review questions, Streamlined and condensed prose for greater clarity.

Format: Hardback
Length: 284 pages
Publication date: 28 April 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

For over four decades, this seminal work has taken the issue of economic inequality seriously, posing profound questions: Why are our prisons filled with the poor? Why are the tools of the criminal justice system not being utilized to safeguard Americans from predatory business practices and to punish affluent individuals who cause widespread harm?

This revised edition remains committed to engaging readers in critical thought-provoking exercises: Why has the United States relied so heavily on tough crime policies, despite evidence of their limited effectiveness? How much of the decline in crime rates can be attributed to these policies? Why does the United States have a higher crime rate compared to other developed nations, and what can be done to address this issue? Are the morally blameworthy harms of the rich and poor equally translated into criminal laws that protect the public from harms on the streets and harms from corporate suites? How much class bias exists in the criminal justice system, both when the rich and poor engage in the same acts and when the rich use their leadership of corporations to perpetrate mass victimization?

The Rich Get Richer, the Poor Get Prison reveals to readers that a significant portion of what transpires within the criminal justice system undermines their sense of fundamental fairness. It presents extensive evidence from mainstream data that the criminal justice system does not function in the manner it claims or in the way that readers might expect. The authors develop a theoretical framework from which readers can understand these failures and evaluate them morally, all within a concise and accessible text written in plain language.

While readers who may not fully subscribe to the broader theoretical perspective will still engage in extensive critical thinking to identify their own ingrained assumptions about crime and criminal justice, this book serves as a valuable tool for promoting deeper understanding and analysis of these critical issues.

Weight: 720g
Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032440729
Edition number: 13 ed