In January 2000, Illinois Governor George Ryan declared a moratorium on executions-the first such action by any governor in the history of the United States. Despite a long history as a death penalty proponent, Ryan was emotionally moved after allowing an execution in 1999. He was also profoundly disturbed by the state's history-12 men had been executed and 13 had been exonerated since the return of the death penalty in Illinois in 1977. More had been proven innocent than had been executed. Three years later, in 2003, Ryan pardoned four death row inmates based on their actual innocence and then commuted the death sentences of 167 men and women. This was the largest death row commutation in U.S. history. At that time, 12 states and the District of Columbia barred the death penalty. His actions breathed new life into the movement to abolish the death penalty in the United States. Over the next 15 years, Illinois and seven other states would abolish the death penalty-New Jersey, Maryland, New Mexico, Connecticut, Delaware, New York and Washington. Today, the push to reform the criminal justice system has never been stronger in America, a nation that incarcerates more men and women than any other country in the world and also wrongfully convicts hundreds of men and women. Although the number of executions carried out every year continues to drop in the U.S., the death penalty still exists in 31 states. Moreover, in some non-death penalty states, factions seek to reinstate it. Until I Could Be Sure: How I Stopped the Death Penalty in Illinois is, in his own words, the story of George Ryan's journey from death penalty proponent to death penalty opponent. His story continues to resonate today. He defied the political winds and endured the fury and agony of the families of the victims and the condemned as well as politicians, prosecutors and law enforcement. It is a story of courage and faith. It is a timely reminder of the heroic acts of a Republican Governor who was moved by conscience, his faith and a disturbing factual record of death row exonerations.

This timely book provides a critical consideration of one of the most pressing matters confronting global and regional strategies for suppressing transnational organized crime today: the question of the scope and rationale of States' criminal jurisdiction over these cross-border offences. It shines a light on the complex challenges posed by transnational organized crime to international criminal law. Fulvia Staiano analyses the ways in which transnational organized crime has pushed States, as well as international organizations and institutions, to rethink the boundaries and rationale of territorial and extraterritorial State jurisdiction. The book examines consolidated instances of transnational organized crimes, such as human trafficking, migrant smuggling and trafficking in firearms, but also looks at emerging phenomena which have come to the attention of scholars and practitioners in more recent times, including cybercrime. In doing so, it draws a connection between States' responses to 'old' and 'new' transnational crimes while providing an up-to-date analysis of international practice in this field. Contributing to the broader academic debate on the need to conceptualize transnational criminal law as an area of study separate from international criminal law, this book will be a key resource for postgraduate students, researchers and academics in the fields of public international law, criminal law, international relations, as well as social and political studies.

If no one knows you're in danger, no one can save you...The Baxter house in the Lowther Hills, in Scotland, has been up for sale for decades. It's dilapidated and near-derelict, and nobody is interested in it. But for one potential buyer, the remote location and rat-infested cellar are just what he's looking for. For the first year, Mackenzie's marriage to Derek was ideal. Now though, Derek believes she is having an affair, and when she fears her husband is becoming controlling, she knows she's made a terrible mistake. But Mackenzie has a drinking problem, so when she threatens to leave Derek and then disappears, no one believes she has been abducted. It will fall to DS Geddes to untangle the truth... Owen Mullen is a best-selling author of psychological and gangland thrillers. His fast-paced, twist-aplenty stories are perfect for all fans of Robert Galbraith, Ian Rankin and Ann Cleeves. What readers say about Owen Mullen: 'Owen Mullen knows how to ramp up the action just when it's needed... he never fails to give you hard-hitting thrillers that have moments that will stay with you forever...' 'One of the very best thriller writers I have ever read.' 'Owen Mullen writes a good story, he really brings his characters to life and the endings are hard to guess and never what you expected.'

Juvenile Delinquency: Why Do Youths Commit Crime? focuses on why juveniles commit crime. It includes discussions on what constitutes criminal behavior by juveniles, the general theories on delinquency, and discussions that tie the theories with real life situations. The book opens the students' eyes to the fascinating concepts involving juvenile delinquency, and is designed to provide a complete study of the behavior, beliefs, conditions, and reactions to deviance by young offenders. Throughout Cliff Roberson and Elena Azaola gives students a detailed discussion of and what constitutes juvenile delinquency to allow for better understanding of this phenomenon. In each of the chapters, the authors encourage the student to develop new insights on criminal behavior of juveniles. The book makes the subject come alive by the generous use of "down to earth" examples of the issues involved in the area. While each chapter builds on the previous chapters, the book is written in a manner to reduce the necessity of memorization by students. Each chapter begins with chapter objectives that highlights key points for the student and brief chapter outlines. Each chapter closes with a practicum, chapter summary, and discussion and review questions which enhance student learning. The book closes with a glossary where student may refer to they key terms and words throughout the text.

As mob families go, the Philadelphia Mafia is the most dysfunctional familyof all--with brother turning against brother, sons turning on their fathers.In 1993, an embittered legacy of rivalry and hatred exploded into a brutal, bloody battle between old world mobster and the young, flamboyant JoeyMerlino. However, this would be warfare different from any other. This time, theFBI had it all down on tape.

Among the mobsters caught on tape:

John Stanfa, the violent, often irrational, paranoid old-school mob don battlinga new generation of savage young turks.

Rosario Bellocchi, the young Sicilian-born hitman in love with his boss'sdaughter, who would do anything to get ahead--even kill his best friend.

John Veasey, the two-hundred-pound mad dog hitman who once had to postponea hit--in order to visit his parole officer.

Drawing on four years of investigative work, and more than two thousandtaped conversations, veteran true crime journalist George Anastasia takes readersinside the world of mobsters at war, and FBI agents so close on their heels thatt hey even watched onehit unfold live through asurveillance camera.

The phenomenal growth of penal confinement in the United States in the last quarter of the twentieth century is still a public policy mystery. While there is unanimous condemnation of the practice, there is no consensus on the causes nor any persuasive analysis of what is likely to happen in the coming decades. In The Insidious Momentum of American Mass Incarceration, Franklin E. Zimring seeks a comprehensive understanding of when, how, and why the United States became the world leader in incarceration to further determine how the use of confinement can realistically be reduced. To do this, Zimring first profiles the growth of imprisonment after 1970, emphasizing the important roles of both the federal system and the distribution of power and fiscal responsibility among the levels of government in American states. He also examines the changes in law enforcement, prosecution and criminal sentencing that ignited the 400% increase in rates of imprisonment in the single generation after 1975. Finally, Zimring then proposes a range of strategies that can reduce prison population and promote rational policies of criminal punishment. Arguing that the most powerful enemy to reducing excess incarceration is simply the mundane features of state and local government, such as elections of prosecutors and state support for prison budgets, this book challenges the convential ways we consider the issue of mass incarceration in the United States and how we can combat the rising numbers.

Secrets. Lies. Revenge. With the odds stacked against her, Samantha Reynold is determined to prove she's tough enough to be the boss. But when a secret from the past threatens to ruin Sam's reputation, she suddenly feels very alone in this dark new world. There's only one man she can turn to - rival club owner, Sebastian Stoker. Seb knows first-hand how secrets and lies can tear a family apart. He wants to protect Sam at all costs, but siding with her could threaten his own position as head of the Stoker family and risk accusations of betrayal. With loyalties divided and two families at war - the fallout could be deadly. Don't miss book two in the gripping new Allegiance series perfect for fans of Kimberley Chambers, Heather Atkinson and Caz Finlay. What people are saying about Edie Baylis! 'From start to finish, fast paced and gripping. Gangland fiction at its best! Bestselling author Kerry Kaya. 'Shocking and thrilling at the same time. It will take your breath away!' Bestselling author Gillian Godden 'Edie Baylis has produced another fantastic gangland read. I loved the characters and was gripped from the first page. A massive 5 stars!' Bestselling author Caz Finlay.

Motor City Mafia: A Century of Organized Crime in Detroit chronicles the storied and hallowed gangland history of the notorious Detroit underworld. Scott M. Burnstein takes the reader inside the belly of the beast, tracking the bloodshed, exploits, and leadership of the southeast Michigan crime syndicate as never before seen in print. Through a stunning array of rare archival photographs and images, Motor City Mafia captures Detroit's most infamous past, from its inception in the early part of the 20th century, through the years when the iconic Purple Gang ruled the city's streets during Prohibition, through the 1930s and the formation of the local Italian mafia, and the Detroit crime family's glory days in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, all the way to the downfall of the area's mob reign in the 1980s and 1990s.

Human trafficking is a phenomenon that encompasses more than a perceived threat to the sovereignty and security of states and their citizens. It is the ultimate manifestation of the current social, economic, cultural, and political landscape being so entrenched in discrimination, inequality, exclusion, and exploitation across the globe. Based on theoretical and empirical evidence from a cross-country study, this book unfolds the basic structure of these criminal organizations, the sophisticated methods and technology used, and the interactions and roles played by state and non-state actors. Through a more holistic lens, Siddhartha Sarkar examines the complex network of human trafficking governance-transnational cooperation, legislation, and enforcement-required to tackle this global problem.

Picturing Punishment examines representations of criminal bodies as they moved in, through, and out of publicly accessible spaces in the city during punishment rituals in the seventeenth-century Dutch Republic. Once put to death, the criminal cadaver did not come to rest. Its movement through public spaces indicated the potent afterlife of the deviant body, especially its ability to transform civic life. Focusing on material culture associated with key sites of punishment, Anuradha Gobin argues that the circulation of visual media related to criminal punishments was a particularly effective means of generating discourse and formulating public opinion, especially regarding the efficacy of civic authority. Certain types of objects related to criminal punishments served a key role in asserting republican ideals and demonstrating the ability of officials to maintain order and control. Conversely, the circulation of other types of images, such as inexpensive paintings and prints, had the potential to subvert official messages. As Gobin shows, visual culture thus facilitated a space in which potentially dissenting positions could be formulated while also bringing together seemingly disparate groups of people in a quest for new knowledge. Combining a diverse array of sources including architecture, paintings, prints, anatomical illustrations, and preserved body parts, Picturing Punishment demonstrates how the criminal corpse was reactivated, reanimated, and in many ways reintegrated into society.

The often-tenuous relationship between law enforcement and communities of color, namely African Americans, has grown increasingly strained, and the call for justice has once again ignited the demand for criminal justice reform. Rebuilding the trust between the police and the citizens that they have sworn to protect and serve requires that criminal justice practitioners and educators collaborate with elected officials and commit to an open, ongoing dialogue on the most challenging issues that remain unresolved but demand collective attention and support. Reform measures are not limited to policing policies and practices, but rather extend throughout the criminal justice system. There is no denying that the criminal justice system as we know it is flawed, but not beyond repair. Global Perspectives on Reforming the Criminal Justice System provides in-depth and current research about the criminal justice system around the world, its many inadequacies, and why it urgently needs reformation. Offering a fully fleshed outline of the current system, this book details the newest research and is incredibly important to fully understand the flaws of the criminal justice system across the globe. The goals of this book are to improve and advance the criminal justice system by addressing the glaring weaknesses within the system and discuss potential reforms including decreasing the prison population (decarceration) and improving police/community relations. Highlighting topics that include accountability, community-oriented policing, ethics, and mass incarceration, this book is ideal for law enforcement officers, trainers/educators, government officials, policymakers, correctional officers, court officials, professionals, researchers, academicians, and students in the fields of criminal justice, criminology, sociology, psychology, addictions, mental health, social work, public policy, and public administration.

Human Trafficking: Global History and Perspectives argues that, far from being a recent development, human trafficking is rooted in the history of the human condition and has only been amplified by globalization. Using a multidisciplinary approach that traces the historical roots of human trafficking in global history, the chapters explore case studies from different parts of the world to show that human trafficking is not only a global phenomenon but a localized enigma. The contributors contend that the causes, and thus, the solutions, are rooted in local and regional social, cultural, political, and economic conditions of victims. The case studies include global, regional, and local examples to analyze the complex causes and effects of human trafficking as well as the legal ramifications.

Guns 360 takes a comprehensive and common-sense approach to some of the most difficult issues facing not only the criminal justice system but also society as a whole: firearm possession, regulation, and control. Issues related to firearms cut across all dimensions of society and are a concern to everyone from the members of the general public, law enforcement, academics, politicians, public health agencies, and the media. An interdisciplinary approach is needed to fully understand and appreciate the many facets related to firearms. Firearm related issues cover more than mere ownership and possession. School shootings and mass shootings dominate the headlines and cause fear for both parents and students. Firearm regulation and licensing divide politicians and create solid one issue voting blocks. Firearms used in domestic violence incidents and weapons owned and used by the mentally ill generate more victims than solutions. The marketing, messaging, and purchasing of firearms are all shaped by a variety of criminological, sociological, and psychological forces used to influence commercial behavior. This book combines academics in the fields of criminology, psychology, sociology, philosophy, economics, communications with practical experts with law enforcement, military, management, forensics, public health, medicine, and digital forensics backgrounds. This multidisciplinary approach has been brought together to further our understanding of firearms and their impacts on our society from every angle. Firearms will never disappear, nor will the controversy surrounding them suddenly turn into agreement. What can be accomplished however is an increased knowledge, understanding, and discussion of the complex topics involved within these dabates.

Crime in TV, the News, and Film provides a fresh look at the interplay between criminal events and the media outlets that cover them. The authors' diverse backgrounds-- a criminologist researcher, a documentarian and media professor, a police officer, and a criminologist who is a former TV reporter-- allow for frank discussion. Combining field experience with criminological research, the book gives insight to the everyday media operations that can produce most people's views on crime and profoundly influence public opinion-- public opinion that often frames public policy. Viewers of crime dramas and consumers of news will gain a new understanding of the way their programs are produced. Readers will become more aware of the issues and biases that sometimes cloud perceptions of crime and criminals. Finally, both experts and scholars interested in the subject will improve their discernment of media stories and media depictions, shining a light on crime in a hazy field. This book can be used in the classroom for an array of courses in the fields of media and communications, criminology, sociology, and more.