American government is in the midst of a reputation crisis. An overwhelming majority of citizens—Republicans and Democrats alike—hold negative perceptions of the government and believe it is wasteful, inefficient, and doing a generally poor job managing public programs and providing public services. When social problems arise, Americans are therefore skeptical that the government has the ability to respond effectively. It's a serious problem, argues Amy E. Lerman, and it will not be a simp...

The numbers are staggering: One-third of America's adult population has passed through the criminal justice system and now has a criminal record. Many more were never convicted, but are nonetheless subject to surveillance by the state. Never before has the American government maintained so vast a network of institutions dedicated solely to the control and confinement of its citizens.A provocative assessment of the contemporary carceral state for American democracy, Arresting Ci...

In The Modern Prison Paradox, Amy E. Lerman examines the shift from rehabilitation to punitivism that has taken place in the politics and practice of American corrections. She argues that this punitive turn has had profoundly negative consequences for both crime control and American community life. Professor Lerman's research shows that spending time in America's increasingly violent and castigatory prisons strengthens inmates' criminal networks and fosters attitudes that increase the like...

"America's foremost opponent of inequality brilliantly shows how the 1 percent rigged the rules, looted the country, and got the ninety-nine percent to pay for it."—Juliet Schor, author of Born to BuyOver recent decades, we've seen a radical redistribution of wealth upward to a tiny fraction of the population. In this book, activist Chuck Collins explains how it happened and marshals wide-ranging data to show exactly what the ninety-nine to one percent div...

**“Timely and important . . . It should be our North Star for the recovery and beyond.” —Hillary Clinton“Sperling makes a forceful case that only by speaking to matters of the spirit can liberals root their belief in economic justice in people’s deepest aspirations—in their sense of purpose and self-worth.” —The New York Times**When Gene Sperling was in charge of coordinating economic policy in the Obama White House, he found himself surprised when serious people i...

How government can implement more successful policies, more oftenFrom healthcare to workplace and campus conduct, the federal government is taking on ever more responsibility for managing our lives. At the same time, Americans have never been more disaffected with Washington, seeing it as an intrusive, incompetent, wasteful giant. Ineffective policies are caused by deep structural factors regardless of which party is in charge, bringing our government into ever-wors...

The Gender of Crime introduces readers to how gender shapes our understanding of every aspect of crime—from defining what crime is to governing how crime is punished. The second edition of this award-winning book maintains the accessible, reader-friendly narrative of the first edition with key updates and new material throughout, including increased focus on the intersections of race, class, gender, and sexuality in crime and punishment; more attention to LGBTQ issues; additional ...

In her latest book, sociologist Diane Crocker challenges the popular perception that crime in Canada is on the rise and argues that public opinion is becoming a bigger barrier to achieving justice than the actual extent of crime. Using the most current data available, her research reveals how we can better assess the effectiveness of crime control policies, as well as our own responses to crime, while promoting democratic values such as equity and accountability.

Public Administration and Public Affairs demonstrates how to govern efficiently, effectively, and responsibly in an age of political corruption and crises in public finance. Providing a comprehensive, accessible and humorous introduction to the field of Public Administration, this text is designed specifically for those with little to no background in the field. Now in its 13th edition, this beloved book includes:Engaging, timely new sections designed to ma...

"Did you think you knew the facts about women and work? Think again . . . a terrific book . . . utterly gripping." —Peter Edelman, author of So Rich, So PoorFor women in professional and corporate jobs, much of the discrimination and inequity faced in the past has been confronted—and at least to some extent, conquered. But the fact is that we have a two-tiered system, where some working women have a full panoply of rights while others have few or none at a...

How the American education system became a "global economy" industryAll across the United States, corporations, politicians, economists, educators – and now, most remarkably, Ivanka Trump – cry out for new “education for the twenty-first century economy.” Meanwhile, millions of Americans face increasing difficulty finding well paying, secure jobs. But the current employment crisis is not so much due to the educational system as it is to a sustained corporate effort...

Perspectives on Deviance and Social Control provides a sociological examination of deviance and social control in society. Derived from the same author team’s successful text/reader version, this concise and student-friendly resource uses sociological theories to illuminate a variety of issues related to deviant behavior and societal reactions to deviance. The authors briefly explain the development of major sociological theoretical perspectives and use current research an...