Correctional Theory: Context and Consequences

by Francis T. Cullen, Cheryl Lero Jonson

Overview

The Second Edition of Correctional Theory: Context and Consequences continues to identify and evaluate the major competing theories used to guide the goals, policies, and practices of the correctional system. Authors Francis T. Cullen and Cheryl Lero Jonson demonstrate that changes in theories can legitimize new ways of treating and punishing offenders, and they help readers understand how transformations in the social and political context of U.S. society impact correctional theory and policy. Designed to motivate readers to become sophisticated consumers of correctional information, the book emphasizes the importance of using evidence-based information to guide decisions, rather than relying on nonscientific commonsense or ideology-based beliefs.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781506306520
Publisher:	SAGE Publications
Publication date:	02/10/2016
Edition description:	Second Edition
Pages:	352
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 9.90(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

Francis T. Cullen is Distinguished Research Professor Emeritus and Senior Research Associate in the School of Criminal Justice at the University of Cincinnati, where he also holds a joint appointment in sociology. He received a Ph.D. (1979) in sociology and education from Columbia University. Professor Cullen has published more than 500 works in the areas of criminological theory, corrections, white-collar crime, public opinion, sexual victimization, and the criminology of Donald Trump. He is author of Rethinking Crime and Deviance Theory: The Emergence of a Structuring Tradition and is coauthor of Reaffirming Rehabilitation, Correctional Theory: Context and Consequences, Environmental Corrections: A New Paradigm for Supervising Offenders in the Community, Criminology, Communities and Crime: An Enduring American Challenge, Corporate Crime Under Attack: The Ford Pinto Case and Beyond, Combating Corporate Crime: Local Prosecutors at Work, Unsafe in the Ivory Tower: The Sexual Victimization of College Women, and Confronting School Violence: A Synthesis of Six Decades of Research. He also is coeditor of Criminological Theory: Past to Present—Essential Readings, Taking Stock: The Status of Criminological Theory, The Origins of American Criminology, Encyclopedia of Criminological Theory, The Oxford Handbook of Criminological Theory, Challenging Criminological Theory: The Legacy of Ruth Rosner Kornhauser, Sisters in Crime Revisited: Bringing Gender Into Criminology, Delinquency and Drift Revisited: The Criminology of David Matza and Beyond, Deterrence, Choice, and Crime: Contemporary Perspectives, The Oxford Handbook of White-Collar Crime, The American Prison: Imagining a Different Future, and Crime and Victimization in the Trump Era. Professor Cullen is a Past President of the American Society of Criminology and of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences. In 2010, he received the ASC Edwin H. Sutherland Award. In 2013, he was honored by his alma mater, Bridgewater State University, with a Doctorate in Public Service. He was selected as the Winner of the 2022 Stockholm Prize in Criminology.

Cheryl Lero Jonson is Assistant Professor in the Department of Criminal Justice at Xavier University. She received a Ph.D. (2010) in criminal justice from the University of Cincinnati. She is coeditor of The Origins of American Criminology, Sisters in Crime Revisited: Bringing Gender into Criminology, The American Prison: Imagining a Different Future, and Deterrence, Choice, and Crime: Contemporary Perspectives. Her published work has appeared in Criminology and Public Policy, Crime and Justice: A Review of Research, and Victims and Offenders. Her current research interests include correctional policy, the impact of incarceration on recidivism, the use of incentives to downsize American prisons, inmate adjustment to conditions of confinement, strategies to prevent school shootings, and work reactions among criminal justice employees. From 2012 to 2015, she served as an Executive Counselor of the Corrections Section of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences.

Table of Contents

Preface
PART I. Crisis in American Corrections
CHAPTER 1. From Theory to Policy: Evidence-Based Corrections
Theories of Corrections
Six Theories in Brief
Utility, Opinion, and Evidence
Evidence-Based Corrections
Conclusion: What’s Ahead?
CHAPTER 2. Correctional Theory in Crisis: America’s Changing Context
What Is Rehabilitation?
The Rise of the Rehabilitative Ideal
Attacking Rehabilitation
The “Nothing Works” Doctrine: Martinson and Beyond
Conclusion: Crisis in Correctional Theory
PART II. The Punishment Response
CHAPTER 3. Just Deserts: Doing Justice or Getting Tough?
The Concepts of Retribution and Just Deserts: Punishing the Crime
Retribution: Just and Painful
Four Problems for Retribution
The Justice Model: Restraining State Discretion
What Went Wrong? Winning the Battle but Losing the War
Conclusion: The Need for Crime Control
CHAPTER 4. Deterrence: Scaring Offenders Straight
The Concept of Deterrence
Is Deterrence a “Conservative” Theory?
The Theoretical Assumptions of Deterrence
Studying Whether Deterrence Works: Assessing Types of Evidence
Policy Changes That Increase Punishment
Macro-Level Studies of Punishment and Crime Rates
Perceptual Deterrence Studies
Deterrence in the Community
The Effects of Imprisonment
Conclusion: The Limits of Deterrence
CHAPTER 5. Incapacitation: Locking Up the Wicked
Too Many Prisoners
More Than Enough Criminals
The Concept of Incapacitation
Estimating the Incapacitation Effect: Studying Individual Offenders
Estimating the Incapacitation Effect: Macro-Level Studies
Conclusion: Compared to What?
PART III. The Social Welfare Response
CHAPTER 6. Restorative Justice: Reintegrative Shaming
The Concept of Restorative Justice
The Appeal of Restorative Justice
Three Problems
Does Restorative Justice Work?
Conclusion: The Limits of Harm
CHAPTER 7. Rehabilitation: What Works to Change Offenders
The Concept of Rehabilitation
Knowing What Works
Challenging Nothing Works: Narrative Reviews
Challenging Nothing Works: Meta-Analytic Reviews
What Does Not Work
What Does Work: Principles of Effective Intervention
What Else Might Work?
Conclusion: Reaffirming Rehabilitation
PART IV. Extending the Vision of Corrections
CHAPTER 8. Reentry: Saving Offenders from a Life in Crime
From Parole to Reentry
The Reentry Problem
Reentry Programs
The Effectiveness Problem
Two Things to Keep in Mind
Conclusion: Saving Offenders From a Life in Crime
CHAPTER 9. Early Intervention: Saving Children From a Life in Crime
Lessons From Childhood Criminology
The Need for Early Intervention
Five Programs That Work—At Least When Done Right
Two More Reasons to Support Early Intervention
Conclusion: Beyond Adult-Limited Corrections
CHAPTER 10. Six Correctional Lessons: Choosing Our Future
Three Themes
Four Lessons
Conclusion: Choosing Our Future
References
Index
About the Authors

Editorial Reviews

This is an excellent text that contributes to the knowledge base by presenting correctional theories in such a way that makes it approachable for students. The discussion of the socio-historical context, how this influenced why the public and criminal justice professionals favored a particular theory, and the resulting policies are important concepts for criminal justice students to understand today… I see its value, and would not hesitate to adopt it for a course.”

Krista S. Gehring

It is my experience that students tend to think of theory as boring and unnecessary. This text does a good job of making theory interesting and explaining why it is important. The authors do a good job of connecting theory, methods, and results. The writing style and ways that the authors explain concepts convey a lot of information, which is often quite complex, in an accessible way.”

Jennifer L. Lanterman

Readable, Affordable, Theoretically Grounded”

Randolph Myers

Focuses on the main and essential ideas while providing a clear and to the point conclusion”

Lior Gideon

[The] writing style was clear and made the subject matter easily accessible to the students. Good, concise discussion of correctional theories including examples that enhanced the material being covered. The authors ask the readers to consider important questions that are not always considered in the public realm in thinking about whether certain correctional practices work or not. These questions helped promote engaging discussions in class.”

Erin A. Orrick

The text is an incredible composite of the literature that has shaped correctional practice. The authors have a great capacity for making research interesting and accessible. Cullen and Jonson have accomplished their goal of motivating readers to become sophisticated consumers of correctional knowledge.”

Betsy Matthews

[Strengths include] Writing style, ease of understanding the material, organization and length”

Charlene Y. Taylor

Not too heavy on academic jargon, making it easier for students to follow and grasp”

Jennifer Cobbina

Abstract theoretical concepts are thoroughly explained and illustrated. It’s all done in a brief, relatively readable format.”

Sheryl L. Van Horne

Book promotes thoughts and avoids the traditional corrections textbook structure and content.”

Jack Atherton

"This is far and away the best book on corrections that I have read. I believe it should be required reading for every criminology and criminal justice student. It considers each of the major correctional strategies in turn, discussing the underlying theories on which they are based and the social factors that have influenced their use. It then systematically reviews the evidence on the effectiveness of each strategy. Further, it does this all in a clear and engaging manner. Students will come away with a good idea of what works, what does not, and what’s promising; and they will be much better prepared to advocate for a correctional system that will effectively reduce crime – one rooted in “betterment and social welfare” rather than “pain and prisons.”"

Robert Agnew

"If you want to understand why theory matters to current correctional policy, you simply must read Cullen and Jonson’s brilliantly written and documented book Correctional Theory: Context and Consequences. They provide an often amusing and yet insightful discussion of the way in which the underlying theories have shaped and been shaped by the prevailing social and political context, and indeed prove that theories matter, context matters, and evidence matters. It is a hopeful and timely book, as the authors convince us that by understanding our history, we can use that history to guide us towards evidence-based policies that do less harm. I highly recommend this book to students, practitioners, and fans of correctional theory and public policy. Everyone will learn something from this wise and clever book. I did."

Adelbert H. Sweet Professor of Law

"Cullen and Jonson provide an incisive and readable analysis of correctional policy that will enlighten and entertain students, scholars, policymakers, and practitioners. They demonstrate the importance of focusing on the critical question of why correctional systems exist and, at the same time, of understanding the contexts and theories that give rise to them. At once incisive and accessible, the book illuminates like no other the critical role of theory and research for achieving evidence-based corrections and, more than that, how to achieve this elusive goal. It is a must-read for anyone who wishes to glean lessons from the past and to understand how we can more cost-efficiently arrive at a correctional system that is more just and makes society a safer, better place."

Daniel P. Mears