Suchergebnisse

"For the past thirty years, I have been teaching, studying, and researching social problems in the US. The topics have always been challenging and fascinating, while at the same time they have been frustrating and often disappointing. I always found examples of social programs that were effective at targeting a specific aspect of a complex problem, but too often these extraordinary ideas were applied beyond their capacity. Then, once the program failed to be a panacea, policymakers discounted the actual value of the program in its original design. I felt a similar frustration when enormous resources were dedicated to programs that, while politically popular, had little chance at succeeding because they were based on inaccurate assessments of the problem. It is easy to see why students might feel that a social problems course offers little encouragement to find solutions. When I had the opportunity to write a comprehensive social problems textbook for Oxford University Press, I was presented with a moment to frame the issues in an objective way: to explain clearly and effectively not only the nature and complexity of specific social problems, but how sociological theory is a useful lens through which these problems can be understood. I also had the chance to point out that there are, in fact, solutions that work. As I tell my students, the question is not really what caused the problem -- we know these are social problems and that means they have social causes. The interesting question is: what we are willing as a society to do about them?"--

Introduction -- The criminalization of immigration in the United States -- The police and immigration -- Immigration and the courts -- Detention and Deportation of immigrants -- The consequences of criminalizing immigration -- Framing the immigration problem.

Homelessness is one of the most compelling social problems in the United States. Dating from the early years in Colonial America to the current problems relating to homeless women and children, homelessness has been the topic of discussion of scholars, social activists, and policy makers. Many types of social problems are linked to homelessness, including poverty, substance abuse, foster care, and crime. As a result, unpacking the issues has proven to be a challenge for anyone interested in this topic. Homelessness in America offers an assessment of what is known about each segment of the home

Part 1: An introduction to multiculturalism -- Group dynamics, communication, and social interaction -- Part II: Cultural specifics in the criminal justice system -- African Americans and the criminal justice system -- Hispanic Americans and the criminal justice system -- Asian Americans and the criminal justice system -- Native American and the criminal justice system -- Women and the criminal justice system -- The LGBT community and the criminal justice system -- The elderly and the criminal justice system -- Juveniles and the criminal justice system -- Part III: Internal issues in the criminal justice system and multiculturalism -- Policing and multiculturalism -- Courts and multiculturalism -- Corrections and multiculturalism -- Preparing for multiculturalism in the criminal justice system: training and policy -- The future of diversity and multiculturalism in criminal justice: strategies for success.

"While most edited books about crime typically concentrate on a particular dimension of it-the police, the court system, or the theories of crime, this book is unique in that it connects a specific problem like crime to a larger set of social problems in American society. Thus, by understanding the challenges presented by poverty, racism, inadequate education, gender, and other issues, one gains a greater understanding of the interplay between these problems as well as how they influence and are influenced by the nature of crime. This book draws on a number of researchers who have examined these relationships and offer students invaluable insight into the complexities of the problems facing society"--