Visions for Change: Crime and Justice in the 21st Century (3rd Edition)

Rating:
Summary: Not as textbook, but a liberal manifesto
Review: As a Criminal Justice instructor who has reviewed this text (and almost had to use it) I cannot recommend this book. It portends to be a book about solutions, when in fact it essentially attacks every aspect of policing and the criminal justice system as it exists today, and the only solutions it provides are from the left to far left. There is no balance of opinion, no counter-point, and absolutely no effort on the part of the authors to inform students that they are in fact only getting one side of the issue. Far too often do I see this approach by liberal writers and educators: attempting to pass off their out of the mainstream ideas as fact. College is a marketplace of ideas, discussion, and debate. However, this book turns the debate into a one sided discussion on how awful and wholly without merit the current system is. I am not one as a CJ educator that believes we are to be cheerleaders for law enforcement. However, we do need to present the good with the bad, and this book would do nothing but discourage would-be law enforcement professionals. If the goal is to make such persons believe the profession they are about to enter into is completely corrupt and without merit, this is the "test" to use. If forced to use this book, I would suggest supplementing it with articles or texts that offer a counterpoint. That is, if you are interested in giving your students both sides of the issue - which I believe we as educators are charged to do, not just simply indoctrinate them with the opinions of those with whom you might agree. This book is nothing more than an attempt to indoctrinate, not foster intelligent debate and discussion on the topics contained therein. A candidate for zero stars, if that choice were available.