A history of modern American criminal justice / Joseph F. Spillane, David B. Wolcott.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 308-311) and index.

Introduction -- The challenge of policing, 1830s-1920s -- Progressivism and the courts, 1890s-1920s -- Punishment in the progressive era, 1890s-1930s -- Dark days in the South, 1870s-1930s -- Criminal justice research and professionalism, 1920s-1960s -- Liberalism's twin revolutions, 1930-1960s -- The expanding federal state, 1920s-1990s -- The politics of law and order, 1960s-2000s -- American criminal justice in global context, 1800s-2000s.

"This text focuses on the modern aspects of the history of criminal justice, from 1900 to the present. A unique thematic approach, rather than a chronological approach, sets this book apart from comparable books on the subject, with chapters organized around themes such as policing, courts, due process, and prison and punishment. Making connections between history and contemporary criminal justice systems, structures, and processes, this text offers the latest in historical scholarship, made relevant to the needs of current and future practitioners in the field."--Page 4 of cover.