The Honest Politician's Guide to Crime Control

The Honest Politician's Guide to Crime Control presents a systematic analysis of crime control policies and their effectiveness in the United States. Morris and Hawkins examine existing criminal justice practices through data and research, challenging conventional approaches to law enforcement and corrections. The authors outline specific policy recommendations across multiple areas including drug laws, gun control, corrections reform, and policing practices. Their work details the costs and consequences of current crime control methods while proposing evidence-based alternatives. The text evaluates political rhetoric around crime and compares it to statistical realities about criminal behavior and public safety outcomes. Case studies and empirical evidence support the authors' critiques of established policies. This book serves as both a critique of politically-driven crime policies and a blueprint for reform based on pragmatic solutions rather than ideology. The authors' focus on data and outcomes over political expediency makes this a significant contribution to criminal justice policy discourse.

This book appears to have minimal online reader reviews available - it was published in 1970 and pre-dates most digital review platforms. No reviews found on Goodreads or Amazon. The reviews that can be found primarily come from academic sources and criminal justice professionals. Readers note the book's practical policy proposals for drug legalization, gun control, and prison reform. Some point to its influence on later criminal justice reform efforts. Several readers mention the book's clear writing style and evidence-based analysis. Legal scholar Franklin Zimring called it "a framework for rational discourse about crime control." Criticisms focus on the dated nature of some statistics and examples from the 1960s. A few readers found the policy recommendations too incremental rather than transformative. This appears to be more of an academic/policy book that influenced professionals in the field rather than reaching a broad general readership. No consumer ratings or review scores are available on major book platforms.

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The Challenge of Crime in a Free Society by President's Commission on Law Enforcement and Administration of Justice This landmark report presents comprehensive research and recommendations for crime control reform in democratic societies.

When Brute Force Fails: How to Have Less Crime and Less Punishment by Mark A.R. Kleiman The book presents cost-effective crime control strategies based on empirical research and policy analysis.

Crime and Public Policy by James Q. Wilson This compilation examines crime control policies through research evidence and case studies from multiple contributors in the criminal justice field.

🔹 The book, published in 1970, was one of the first major works to advocate for the decriminalization of victimless crimes, including gambling, drug use, and prostitution. 🔹 Norval Morris served as dean of the University of Chicago Law School and was a pioneer in the field of law and criminology, helping to shape modern theories of criminal rehabilitation. 🔹 The authors challenged the effectiveness of mandatory minimum sentences decades before this became a mainstream position in criminal justice reform. 🔹 The book predicted many of the problems that would arise from America's "War on Drugs," including prison overcrowding and the creation of black markets. 🔹 Though written over 50 years ago, many of the book's policy recommendations—such as focusing police resources on violent crime rather than victimless offenses—are still being debated in current criminal justice reform discussions.