"The Routledge Handbook on American Prisons is an authoritative volume that provides an overview of the state of American prisons and synthesizes the research on the many facets of the prison system. The United States is exceptional in its use of incarceration as punishment. It not only has the largest prison population in the world, but also the highest per-capita incarceration rate. Research and debate about mass incarceration continues to grow, with mounting bipartisan agreement on the need for criminal justice reform. Divided into six sections (Historical and Theoretical Context; Prisons: Security, Operations and Administration; Types of Offenders; Living and Dying in Prison; Prison Programming and Preparing for Release; and Future Directions), the volume covers the development and evolution of American prisons, and then explores the key issues fundamental to understanding the U.S. prison system, including the characteristics of facilities; inmate risk assessment and classification; prison administration and employment; for-profit prisons; special populations; overcrowding; prison health care; prison violence; the special circumstances of death row prisoners; collateral consequences of incarceration; prison programming; and parole. The final section examines reform efforts and ideas, and offers suggestions for future research and attention. With contributions from leading scholars around the globe, this book is a valuable resource for scholars with an interest in American prisons and the issues surrounding them. It is structured to serve scholars and graduate students studying corrections, penology, institutional corrections, and other related topics"-- Provided by publisher.

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