Crime and Punishment in America Reference Library: Almanac, 2 Volume set - Hardcover

Many middle- and senior-high-school students are intrigued by true crime stories, and this set puts lots of useful introductory information in their hands. The modern criminal justice system of the U.S. is traced in three parts (four volumes plus a separate softbound index). The longest and most comprehensive section, Almanac, is 25 chapters in two volumes. It covers topics such as the development of the American justice system; types of crime (violent, property, white collar, organized, environmental); the court system; juvenile and military justice; and the effects of race and ethnicity.

Volume 3, Biography, contains alphabetically arranged profiles of 26 individuals. Deciding which authors to include is always a tough call, but this volume is disappointing. Although it covers major figures such as J. Edgar Hoover, Timothy McVeigh, Ernest Miranda, and Earl Warren, it also includes authors Charles Dickens and Truman Capote and reformer Jane Addams, who could have been dropped in favor of people more closely connected to the set's main themes.

Volume 4, Primary Sources, has excerpts from 18 interviews and documents, thematically and somewhat chronologically arranged. Examples include the Magna Carta, "The Plea of Clarence Darrow," the RICO Act, and "The Al-Qaeda Training Manual." In addition to the excerpts, entries are supplemented by helpful material such as definitions of words used.

The set is up-to-date, with information on the AMBER Alert and the Kobe Bryant, Michael Jackson, and Scott Peterson cases. References are listed in each chapter and at the end of each volume under "Where to Learn More" (many of the cited books are from 2004). Numerous photos and political cartoons illustrate the text, but some will add little to a reader's understanding^B (for example, inmates making whips in a description of Madison and the Constitution). Indexing is adequate;^B Cherry Hill Prison is described in Primary Sources but not indexed there.

Nothing quite comparable exists for middle- and senior-high-school libraries. This will be used by students for research and personal interest and by teachers for background information and classroom activities. Susan Gooden
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