Introduction
The politics and consequences of incarceration
Race, gender, and incarceration
The economic impact of incarceration
Political justifications for incarceration
The Politics of Punishment in the United States
Problem ownership, punishment philosophies, and changes in corrections policy over time
Pre-progressive era corrections policy
Positive science and agency autonomy in the progressive era
From experts to politicians: contemporary trends in corrections policy
Political capital and getting tough
Misinformation About the Crime Problem
Victimization and the fear of crime
Media influences on fear of crime
Linking fear to leniency
Nonserious crime as gateway offending?
Categorical contagion
Implications for corrections policy
Incapacitation and errors in prediction
Selective incapacitation
Errors in prediction: false positives
Summary
Misinformation About Public Opinion
Global versus specific attitudes about punishment
Global attitudes about punishment
Specific attitudes about punishment
Public support for alternative punishment philosophies
Public support for correctional rehabilitation
Public support for juvenile justice
Public support for early intervention programs
Summary
Misinformation About Prisons and Crime Control
Prisons and crime control: the empirical evidence
Estimating the effects of prison expansion on crime rates
Why the weak effects?
Rethinking offender decision making
Summary
The Social Costs of Incarceration
Consequences of incarceration for offenders
Heightened risk of personal victimization within prison
Incarceration as a barrier to successful offender reintegration
Consequences of incarceration for communities
Incarceration as a contributor to the breakdown of inner-city communities
Incarceration and racial inequality
Consequences of incarceration for social institutions
Incarceration and public health incarceration and the privatization of punishment
Summary
Conclusions and Recommendations
Rethinking crime control policy
Rethinking corrections policy
Reconnecting research and policy
Some final advice for students and responsible citizens
Parting shots.