Researching the Law at the Valle Verde Campus Library : Physical, Printed Books

With its blend of accessible writing and actual excerpts from Court opinions, this book serves to explain the legal and cultural underpinnings of landmark U.S. Supreme Court decisions of the past 35 years--and to illuminate how these decisions have shaped the trajectory and character of modern American society. As the nation's law defines society, society defines the law. As the nation's fundamental law, the U.S. Constitution is the overarching statement of the people's will. Interpreting the Constitution, however, is no simple task. This book examines more than 100 landmark Supreme Court cases from 1973 to the present, providing readers with insights into decisions that have had a profound impact on American politics, commerce, culture, and life. Organized categorically, this book serves readers either as a comprehensive review of modern constitutional law or as a ready reference source. It includes entries on Supreme Court decision-making regarding high-interest issues such as abortion (Roe v. Wade, 1973; Gonzales v. Carthart, 2007), climate change (Massachusetts v. EPA, 2007), voting rights (Bush v. Gore, 2000), free speech (Texas v. Johnson, 1989), the death penalty (Roper v. Simmons, 2005), immigration (Arizona v. United States, 2012), campaign financing (Citizens United v. FEC, 2010), gun control (District of Columbia v. Heller, 2008), the Affordable Care Act (National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius, 2012), and gay marriage (United States v. Windsor, 2013). The book not only interprets key Court decisions but also provides critical context and perspective that makes the subject matter easier to understand and more meaningful, especially for readers without an extensive background in Constitutional law. Bibliographies are provided at the end of each case to direct those seeking to delve more deeply into specific topics. Provides comprehensive, objective, and accessible coverage of major Supreme Court decisions since the early 1970s Presents easy-to-understand breakdowns of competing perspectives on contemporary constitutional issues that illuminate divisions within the Court Places modern case law into historical perspective for readers of all levels of expertise Enables readers to appreciate that interpreting the U.S. Constitution is not simple, contrary to some political rhetoric regarding the document

The two-volume Encyclopedia of Prisons and Correctional Facilities aims to provide a critical overview of penal institutions within a historical and contemporary framework. The United States has the highest incarceration rate in the world, a fact that has caused lawmakers, advocates, and legal professionals to rethink punishment policies as well as develop new policies on prisoner education and rehabilitation.

Issues of race, gender, and class are fully integrated throughout in order to demonstrate the complexity of the implementation and intended results of incarceration. The Encyclopedia contains biographies, articles describing important legal statutes, and detailed and authoritative descriptions of the major prisons in the United States. Comparative data and examples are employed to analyze the American system within an international context. The Encyclopedia's 400 entries are all written by recognized authorities. The appendix contains a comprehensive listing of every federal prison in the U.S., complete with facility details and service information.

Key Themes

Juvenile Justice
Labor
Prison Architecture
Prison Populations
Prison Reform
Privatization
Race, Gender, Class
Security and Classification
Sentencing Policy and Laws
Staff
Theories of Punishment
Treatment Programs

This brand new edition of Guide to the U.S. Supreme Court reflects the substantial changes in the makeup of the High Court and landmark rulings from recent Court terms. No other reference on the Court offers so much detail and insight in such a readable format. Updated through the 2008-2009 term, this classic resource explains everything readers need to know about the Supreme Court, from its origins and how it functions to the people who have shaped it and the impact of its decisions on American life and the path of U.S. constitutional law. Updates include: The appointments of Chief Justice John G. Roberts, as well as Associate Justices Samuel Alito and Sonia Sotomayor--featuring biographies and background information A new chapter on the emergence of Second Amendment protections for the Right to Bear Arms New content on individual rights New information and detail on how cases currently get to the Court, and how the process has changed over time Expanded content on selecting justices and the confirmation politics of judicial appointments Landmark decisions and key cases: District of Columbiav. Heller (2008)--gun rights and the Second Amendment Boumediene v. Bush (2008)--Guantánamo and habeas corpus Roper v. Simmons (2005)--on death penalty and juveniles Guide to the U.S. Supreme Court covers the Court's entire history; its operations; its power in relation to other branches of government; major decisions affecting the other branches, the states, individual rights and liberties; and biographies of the justices. Appendixes provide additional information on the Court such as the Judiciary Acts of 1789 and 1925 and a list of Acts of Congress found by the Court to be unconstitutional. A general name and subject index speeds research, and a case index quickly guides readers to all decisions discussed in the Guide. Key Features Covers three new Supreme Court justices and the confirmation process Demonstrates how cases get to the Court New content on individual rights New chapter on the Second Amendment

An important reference that provides the historical context and constitutional perspective of more than 1,000 of the most important Supreme Court cases. Landmark Decisions of the United States Supreme Court offers an unparalleled history of the Supreme Court and its impact on American democracy and society.

An insightful, chronological--by chief justice--examination of the Supreme Court that enables students and readers to understand and appreciate the constitutional role the Court plays in American government and society. American citizens need to understand the importance of the Supreme Court in determining how our government and society operates, regardless of whether or not they agree with the Court's opinions. Unfortunately, the role and powers of the third branch of government are not well understood by the American public. After an introduction and overview to the history of the Supreme Court from 1789 to 2013, this book examines the Court's decisions chronologically by Chief Justice, allowing readers to grasp how the role and powers of the Court have developed and shifted over time. The chapters depict the Court as the essential agent of review and an integrated part of the government, regardless of the majority/minority balance on the Court, and of which political party is in the White House or controlling the House or Senate. Useful for high school students, undergraduate students, and general readers researching the Supreme Court in general, investigating specific issues, or seeking answers to personal interest questions Provides an accessible resource for chronologically tracing the development of civil and human rights issues from the Warren Court to the present Examines the legacy of each Chief Justice's Court by its significant cases or decisions as well as its influence on the historical era Notes the dramatic or long-lasting effects of Court decisions and addresses the most controversial decisions of the 21st century, underscoring the significance of Supreme Court decisions on society overall Argues that the Court has long had a political presence and influence rather than existing as simply a legal entity

This anthology contains primary source writings by many of the foremost authorities on prisons and prison administration. Conservative, liberal, and centrist views are represented, introducing your readers to a broad spectrum of opinions on issues such as overcrowding and private prisons. Each chapter asks a pertinent question about the topic, and the viewpoints that follow are grouped into "yes" and "no" categories. This unique approach provides readers with a concise view of divergent opinions on each topic. Contains an extensive bibliography.

The United States boasts the highest incarceration rate in the entire world. Perhaps not coincidentally, mass incarceration has been a financial boon to the private prison industry. Privatization of prisons is seen by some as a solution to state governments' budget problems, but the mission of these for-profit companies is not necessarily aligned with the reform system. The diverse perspectives in this volume examine the history of private prisons in the United States, whether they are more concerned with rehabilitation or financial profit, and what impact they have on criminal justice laws and society at large.

While crime, law, and punishment are subjects that have everyday meanings not very far from their academic representations, "social control" is one of those terms that appear in the sociological discourse without any corresponding everyday usage. This concept has a rather mixed lineage. "After September 11" has become a slogan that conveys all things to all people but carries some very specific implications on interrogation and civil liberties for the future of punishment and social control. The editors hold that the already pliable boundaries between ordinary and political crime will become more unstable; national and global considerations will come closer together; domestic crime control policies will be more influenced by interests of national security; measures to prevent and control international terrorism will cast their reach wider (to financial structures and ideological support); the movements of immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers will be curtailed and criminalized; taken-for-granted human rights and civil liberties will be restricted. In the midst of these dramatic social changes, hardly anyone will notice the academic field of "punishment and social control" being drawn closer to political matters. Criminology is neither a "pure" academic discipline nor a profession that offers an applied body of knowledge to solve the crime problem. Its historical lineage has left an insistent tension between the drive to understand and the drive to be relevant. While the scope and orientation of this new second edition remain the same, in recognition of the continued growth and diversity of interest in punishment and social control, new chapters have been added and several original chapters have been updated and revised.

The number of Americans who live behind bars has increased by 550 percent over the last 40 years. This has been the result of aggressive tough-on-crime legislation that had more harmful effects than lawmakers could have foreseen. Experts now see the problem but disagree on the solutions. Does incarceration limit crime, or does it simply feed into a cycle of problems that harm society and create a criminal class? Are sentences and rehabilitation programs that avoid prison time effective? This compelling volume tackles tough questions from many different angles.

When the tough-on-crime politics of the 1980s overcrowded state prisons, private companies saw potential profit in building and operating correctional facilities. Today more than a hundred thousand of the 1.5 million incarcerated Americans are held in private prisons in twenty-nine states and federal corrections. Private prisons are criticized for making money off mass incarceration--to the tune of $5 billion in annual revenue. Based on Lauren-Brooke Eisen's work as a prosecutor, journalist, and attorney at policy think tanks, Inside Private Prisons blends investigative reportage and quantitative and historical research to analyze privatized corrections in America. From divestment campaigns to boardrooms to private immigration-detention centers across the Southwest, Eisen examines private prisons through the eyes of inmates, their families, correctional staff, policymakers, activists, Immigration and Customs Enforcement employees, undocumented immigrants, and the executives of America's largest private prison corporations. Private prisons have become ground zero in the anti-mass-incarceration movement. Universities have divested from these companies, political candidates hesitate to accept their campaign donations, and the Department of Justice tried to phase out its contracts with them. On the other side, impoverished rural towns often try to lure the for-profit prison industry to build facilities and create new jobs. Neither an endorsement or a demonization, Inside Private Prisons details the complicated and perverse incentives rooted in the industry, from mandatory bed occupancy to vested interests in mass incarceration. If private prisons are here to stay, how can we fix them? This book is a blueprint for policymakers to reform practices and for concerned citizens to understand our changing carceral landscape.

First Published in 1996. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

A handy source for basic statistics on prisoners, penal trends, and programs and services in America's prisons. Prisons in America covers such important subjects as punishment in the United States since colonial times; the most critical penal problems today; units for special populations; key penologists, and more. This work is a source for basic statistics on prisoners, penal trends, programs, services, and more. Listings of professional organizations and print and nonprint resources are also included. Listings of professional organizations and print and nonprint resources

Over the last thirty years, the prison population in the United States has increased more than seven-fold to over two million people, including vastly disproportionate numbers of minorities and people with little education. For some racial and educational groups, incarceration has become a depressingly regular experience, and prison culture and influence pervade their communities. Almost 60 percent of black male high school drop-outs in their early thirties have spent time in prison. In Punishment and Inequality in America, sociologist Bruce Western explores the recent era of mass incarceration and the serious social and economic consequences it has wrought. Punishment and Inequality in America dispels many of the myths about the relationships among crime, imprisonment, and inequality. While many people support the increase in incarceration because of recent reductions in crime, Western shows that the decrease in crime rates in the 1990s was mostly fueled by growth in city police forces and the pacification of the drug trade. Getting "tough on crime" with longer sentences only explains about 10 percent of the fall in crime, but has come at a significant cost. Punishment and Inequality in America reveals a strong relationship between incarceration and severely dampened economic prospects for former inmates. Western finds that because of their involvement in the penal system, young black men hardly benefited from the economic boom of the 1990s. Those who spent time in prison had much lower wages and employment rates than did similar men without criminal records. The losses from mass incarceration spread to the social sphere as well, leaving one out of ten young black children with a father behind bars by the end of the 1990s, thereby helping perpetuate the damaging cycle of broken families, poverty, and crime. The recent explosion of imprisonment is exacting heavy costs on American society and exacerbating inequality. Whereas college or the military were once the formative institutions in young men's lives, prison has increasingly usurped that role in many communities. Punishment and Inequality in America profiles how the growth in incarceration came about and the toll it is taking on the social and economic fabric of many American communities.

This title covers important historical documents from the U.S. Supreme Court as well as other courts in American history. Readers will find in-depth analysis of a broad range of court cases covering critical topics. The set provides detailed, thought-provoking analysis of: Marbury v. Madison Roe v. Wade Plessy v. Ferguson Bush vs. Gore Muller v. Orgeon Each in-depth chapter guides readers with historical insight and comprehension. Written by historians and teachers, several elements explain the document's historical impact and provide thoughtful critical analysis, including a Summary Overview, Defining Moment, Author Biography, Document Analysis, and Essential Themes. Plus, an historical timeline and bibliography of important supplemental readings will support readers in understanding the broader historical events covered. From the earliest decisions of the Supreme Court to the battles over civil rights to divisive events in contemporary America, this set provides thoughtful analysis of court cases allowing readers to gain a better understanding of this crucial topic in American history. An important resource for the history collections of high schools, undergraduate libraries and public libraries.

Understand criminal law! Learn about crimes, the system, and your rights Whether you're studying law, work in law enforcement, or simply want to know more about the criminal justice system, this book will get you up to speed. Criminal Law: A Desk Reference covers the basic to the complex in alphabetical order. Whether it's "alibi" or "writ of habeas corpus," the book makes it easy to find and understand what you're looking for. With this book you'll be able to: learn the law with real-life examples understand procedures from arraignment through appeals see defenses to common crimes, and make sense of controversies regarding police use of force. The fifth edition has been thoroughly updated to reflect the latest criminal law trends and U.S. Supreme Court rulings.

This accessible guide to the U.S. Supreme Court explains the Court's history and authority, its structure and processes, its most important and enduring legal decisions, and its place in the U.S. political system. A 2018 Pew Research Center poll found that while 78 percent of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents believed that the Supreme Court should base its decisions on the "modern" meaning of the Constitution, 67 percent of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents asserted that Justices should rely on the Constitution's "original meaning." The Court often is the final arbiter of polarizing battles that originate in other branches of government. At the same time, however, its structural insulation from Congress, the Presidency, and electoral politics make the Supreme Court--at least in theory--well positioned to rise above the rough-and-tumble of politics. This book examines the power of the Supreme Court in America's system of democratic governance in several ways. These include: reviewing debates over whether justices should interpret the Constitution in line with its "original meaning" or in accordance with present-day understandings; exploring the processes and factors that shape how cases are chosen and decided; considering contentious battles over the selection of justices; and examining the impact of the Court on American culture and society. Offers a primer on the U.S. Supreme Court, an intriguing, complicated, and often-controversial piece of the U.S. legal and political system Identifies the sources of the Supreme Court's authority, the constraints to that authority, and ongoing debates about how the Court should exercise that authority Highlights the uniqueness of the Supreme Court, an institution central to U.S. democracy but designed to be insulated from the public and a check against majority rule Explores legal, political, and social factors that influence the Supreme Court and, in turn, how the Court shapes law, politics, and society Covers key areas of Court decision-making, such as separation of powers between the President and Congress, civil rights (e.g., affirmative action and same-sex marriage), and civil liberties (e.g., freedom of speech and free exercise of religion) Promotes literacy in the workings of democracy in the United States

The Supreme Court is the highest-level judicial body in the United States. Its nine justices are called upon to decide cases that can have tremendous effect on the lives of all Americans. These cases touch on a range of hot-button issues, from marriage equality to government surveillance to corporate monopolization. The fact that the Court's justices serve for life can make the confirmation process highly politicized, with both parties engaging in strategies to delay or block hearings. Despite occasional partisanship, the Supreme Court is designed to be the most neutral of the three branches of government. Justices do not represent political parties but interpret the law in the spirit of the Constitution. This book will introduce you to the day-to-day workings of the Court, including the ways the justices arrive at their decisions, noteworthy figures of the Court's history, and the layout of the Court building. Understanding of the Court is crucial as it continues to shape public life in America. Read on to get the knowledge you need.

This book provides synopses of Supreme Court decisions issued from the October 2000 through October 2004 terms with a focus on providing a quick reference guide for identification of cases of interest. Included are all cases decided by signed opinion and selected cases decided per curiam. Not included are other cases receiving summary disposition and the many cases in which the Court denied review. Each synopsis contains a summary of the Court's holding, and most contain a brief statement of the Court's rationale. Following each synopsis, the vote on the Court's holding is indicated in bold typeface, and authors of the Court's opinion and of any concurring and dissenting opinions, along with Justices who joined those opinions, are identified. Cases are listed alphabetically, and a subject index is appended.