Despite living in an era of decreasing crime rates, Canadians express concern over crime and push politicians to respond in increasingly punitive ways. Canadians also express little confidence in our justice system. The result is that our response to crime can be both disproportionate and ineffective. 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. Crime in Canada evaluates the criminal justice system's responses to crime-what works and what does not-and proposes solutions for moving forward. About the Issues in Canada Series: Addressing the key issues that challenge Canada today, these short books are written by experts to engage readers, explore debates, and evaluate solutions. Contents: Part I: Crime and Crime Control in Canada
1. Introduction
2. Evaluating Criminal Justice Responses Part II: Traditional Responses to Crime in Canada
3. Prisons
4. Non-Custodial Sentences Part III: Alternative Responses to Crime in Canada
5. Restorative Justice
6. Specialized Courts
7. Harm Reduction Part IV: Conclusion: Where should we go from here? About the Author: Diane Crocker holds a Ph.D. in Sociology from York University. She is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology and Criminology at Saint Mary's University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Her research areas include violence against women, criminal harassment and the use of law to address social problems, particularly those that disproportionately affect women. Recently she completed a project on the effects of the Anti-Terrorism Act and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act on immigrants and minority groups in Atlantic Canada. She is also working on a collection of edited papers about the criminalization of poverty (to be published in Spring 2010) and has produced a report for the Department of Justice Canada on the effects of the criminal harassment law on victims of stalking. Over the next few years, Dr. Crocker will be focusing on the Nova Scotia Restorative Justice Program as part of a large collaborative project with academics and community researchers.
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