September/October 2006
Book Review
Crime and Punishment in America: A Set of Resources
Mary Beth Simiele
Edited by Carolyn Karis
Crime and Punishment in America -- Set. (2004): ISBN: 0-7876-9162-3. $224.
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- Crime and Punishment in America Cumulative Index. (2004). Sarah Hermsen, Project Editor. Detroit: Thomson Gale. ISBN 0-7876-9174-7. Pages 451.
- Hanes, Richard C. and Sharon M. Hanes. Crime and Punishment in America Almanac. (2004). Sarah Hermsen, Project Editor. Detroit: Thomson Gale. ISBN 0-7876-9167-4. Pages 39.
- Hanes, Richard C. and Kelly Rudd. Crime and Punishment in America Biographies. (2004). Sarah Hermsen, Project Editor. Detroit: Thomson Gale. ISBN 0-7876-9163-1. Pages 191.
- Hanes, Sharon M. Crime and Punishment in America Primary Sources. (2004). Sarah Hermsen, Project Editor. Detroit: Thomson Gale. ISBN 0-7876-9168-2. Pages 232.
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Popular culture is currently saturated with references to crime and punishment, with television shows, news programs, movies and novels piquing the public’s interest in criminal investigation, law, legal history and a variety of other related topics. The four-volume reference set entitled Crime and Punishment in America provides an overview of historical and recent topics related to criminal activity and the American legal system. The set includes a Primary Sources volume, a Biographies volume and two Almanac volumes with twenty-five chapters of broad overviews on various topics in the areas of crime and U.S. law. Searchable by an excellent index, the subjects range from forensic sciences and American Indian criminal justice systems to violent crime, and from Prohibition to September 11, 2001. Current economic and social aspects of crime are addressed as well as the formative years of American law.
The Primary Sources volume excerpts laws, speeches, court cases and other legal documents that have been major influences on the growth of our nation’s criminal and legal systems, from portions of the Magna Carta to the USA Patriot Act. An excerpt of the Examination of Sarah Good is used in a section on the Salem Witch Trials; a segment of a speech given by former F.B.I Director Louis J. Freeh amplifies information on computer crime. Contained within chapters with introductions that explain their significance, these well-chosen primary sources present the historical record on crime and punishment in enlightening and engaging ways. Accompanying text explains the language and legal terminology that might be difficult to fully grasp otherwise.
The Biographies volume discusses twenty-six criminals and crime fighters that the authors believe played key roles in the annals of American crime and punishment. The personal history of each individual is described as well as his or her contribution to the legal and/or criminal field. Historic figures like Allen Pinkerton are included as well as current individuals such as Henry C. Lee, a well renowned forensic scientist, and Kip Kinkel, an infamous school shooter. Although the entries are listed in simple alphabetical order using the subject’s last name, the index provides a means to search by topic as well.
Unlike other reference sets that include the cumulative index within one or more of the volumes, the cumulative index of the Crime and Punishment is published as a separate paperback 39-page supplement.
While this four-volume set was generally complete and thorough, I was disappointed by the limited coverage of hate crimes. Found in a chapter entitled Race and Ethnicity, the information neglected hate crimes motivated by sexual orientation or religion. Although the 1998 murder of Matthew Sheppard had a major influence on hate crime legislation in the United States and 9/11 brought about an increase in hate crimes perpetrated against Muslims, neither were included in the set.
Each volume has a timeline, a "Research and Activity Ideas" area, a glossary of important terms and a bibliography. The end of each chapter in each of the volumes also features a "For More Information" section. Here the authors list both print and Web-based sources that they recommend using to gather more information on the topics included in the chapter. Accessibility and availability is always an issue when including web information in printed sources but a random sampling of the URLs confirms that they are still working and enrich the set’s value.
The intriguing images and fascinating stories will appeal to students and can be understood by a variety of reading levels in grades 8-12. Whether researching a school paper or satisfying personal curiosity, The Crime and Punishment in America set will answer students’ need for information on the historical or current workings of criminal and legal systems. I recommend this resource, Crime and Punishment in America, as a reasonably priced guide to accurate, current, comprehensive and understandable information on aspects of crime in the United States.
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Mary Beth Simiele is currently a first year MLIS student at the University of Washington's Information School. She has spent the last three years working full-time as a library technician at Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, WA.
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