Book Review: Letter to the President on Crane Control
| Author | Allen A Bartholomew |
| DOI | 10.1177/000486587701000110 |
| Published date | 01 March 1977 |
| Date | 01 March 1977 |
| Subject Matter | Book Review |
64
BOOK REVIEW
ANZJ
Crim
(1977) 10
Letter
to the President on Crime Control, from Norval Morris
and
Gordon
Hawkins, University of Chicago Press (1977) ISBN 0 226 53998 9, $1.95
All to easily criminology may
be
seen as an ivory tower discipline, adiscipline
concerned with philosophical problems or the application of complex statistics
to
head
counting exercises. These undertakings, particularly the latter are, of
course, needed,
but
it is essential
that
the opinions of criminologists,
and
the
results of their researches, should reach the general public
and
by
no means the
least important
members
of the community are the various leaders including the
politicians.
The
authors of this book (letter) are well known to professional criminologists
and
also to those who are less involved on a fuD-time basis with the subject.
Their earlier
book,
The
Honest Politicitm's Guide to Crime Control, is in the class
of criminological best-seller
and
this
new
publication is likely to
win
its place in
the same category. Its format is
both
novel
and
pleasing whilst the timing of its
launching is quite brilliant -Inauguration Day.
It is immediately
apparent
that first-class writers who
know
their subject can
write brilliantly
and
informatively on selected topics such that all types of reader
may benefit perusing the pages. As
much
of criminology is an aspect of politics
in action it is imperative that the
man
in the street, or on a
Clapham
omnibus, is
aware of the issues
and
informed of the facts. This book achieves this.
The
authors address themselves to seven major topics; (1) crime priorities; (2)
gun control; (3) courts
and
sentencing; (4)
drug
offences; (5) rational use of the
police force; (6) prisons; and (7) compensation for victims of violence. In
addition there is a
brief
section on capital punishment
and
abortion.
The
former
topic is of particular interest in that Gary Gilmour was executed in Utah, the first
execution in the United States for nerly ten years, only two
days
before
Jimmy
Carter was sworn in as 39th President.
This book, at $1.95, should be
read
by
all
and
for the teacher of criminology it
could well
be
the basis of some seven
or
more
seminars.
Apart
from all else, the
writing is most agreeable: " 'an American
boy
born in 1974 is
more
likely to die
by
murder
than an American soldier in World War II was to die in combat.'
...
Other
nations
may
question our claim to
be
the land of the free; they can hardly
deny our right to recognition as the
home
of the brave." (p. 5).
Melbourne
ALLEN
A
BARTHOLOMEW
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