Response to DQ2B

Respond to the person's DQ below.  Write as if you are speaking directly to them.  Use APA format and in text citations.  Offer additional insight or offer a different view.

The Politics of Injustice: Crime and Punishment in America/Power, Politics, and Crime/The Perpetual Prison Machine: How America Profits from Crime

Although American cities tend to see a rise in crime as the population increases, urbanization is not the sole motivating factor. Urbanization does not cause crime, albeit, factors such as income, and lack of employment within an urbanized city has the tendency to increase crime. Lawmakers should make a concentrated effort to improve lax laws versus building more prisons.

Problem Statement

Why are we incarcerating more and more people, and why states continue to build and fill more prisons?

Limitations and Implications of the Research

Limitations: 1) limited to three resources, 2) data is limited and does not contain numerical data, 3) does not use human subjects, 4) it is a retrospective study, and 5) it does not contain enough information to support generalizability, or sustainability.

Implications: 1) crime is driven by multiple factors, 2) laws are ineffective in reducing crime, 3) jail or prison does not fit all crime, and 4) geographic location and urbanization and does not cause crime.

References

Roth, M. P. (2011). Crime and punishment: A history of the criminal justice system (2nd ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing.

Wells, W. (2010, December). The politics of injustice: Crime and punishment in America/Power, politics, and crime/The perpetual prison machine: How America profits from crime. Justice Quarterly, 17(4), 865-871.