Rural Women Battering and the Justice System: An Ethnography (SAGE Series on Violence against Women)

Book Description

Addressing a significant void in the extant literature on the topic of domestic violence, Rural Woman Battering and the Justice System presents a thorough and arresting look at the experiences of battered women in rural communities. While living in the rural areas of Kentucky, Neil Websdale conducted his ethnographic research, and he situated the voices of rural battered women at the center of his ethnography. He clearly demonstrates how rural patriarchy and the insidious "good ol’ boy network" of law enforcement and local politics sustain and reproduce the subordinate, vulnerable, isolated position of many rural women. Taking into account that traditional patterns of intervention can often put women in isolated communities at further risk, the author recommends a coordinated multiagency approach to rural battering that is spearheaded by state feminist agencies. The chapter on the difficulties of an educated male researcher working with rural battered women offers a definite methodological plus. Illuminating and accessible, Rural Woman Battering and the Justice System makes a most important and timely contribution to the field.

An excellent training resource for anyone working with battered women, especially in rural areas, Rural Woman Battering and the Justice System is highly recommended for law enforcement and criminal justice professionals, practitioners, advocates, shelter personnel, and advanced students in related courses of study, as well as academics and researchers.

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Right On!
Confusing, bewildering, and intense
Monster
Monster
my review for monster

Monster
Walter Dean Myers
Manufacturer: Amistad
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0064407314
Release Date: 2001-05-08

Amazon.com

"Monster" is what the prosecutor called 16-year-old Steve Harmon for his supposed role in the fatal shooting of a convenience-store owner. But was Steve really the lookout who gave the "all clear" to the murderer, or was he just in the wrong place at the wrong time? In this innovative novel by Walter Dean Myers, the reader becomes both juror and witness during the trial of Steve's life. To calm his nerves as he sits in the courtroom, aspiring filmmaker Steve chronicles the proceedings in movie script format. Interspersed throughout his screenplay are journal writings that provide insight into Steve's life before the murder and his feelings about being held in prison during the trial. "They take away your shoelaces and your belt so you can't kill yourself no matter how bad it is. I guess making you live is part of the punishment."

Myers, known for the inner-city classic Motown and Didi (first published in 1984), proves with Monster that he has kept up with both the struggles and the lingo of today's teens. Steve is an adolescent caught up in the violent circumstances of an adult world--a situation most teens can relate to on some level. Readers will no doubt be attracted to the novel's handwriting-style typeface, emphasis on dialogue, and fast-paced courtroom action. By weaving together Steve's journal entries and his script, Myers has given the first-person voice a new twist and added yet another worthy volume to his already admirable body of work. (Ages 12 and older) --Jennifer Hubert

Book Description

FADE IN: INTERIOR: Early morning in CELL BLOCK D, MANHATTAN DETENTION CENTER.

Steve (Voice-Over)
Sometimes I feel like I have walked into the middle of a movie. Maybe I can make my own movie. The film will be the story of my life. No, not my life, but of this experience. I'll call it what the lady prosecutor called me ... Monster.

Customer Reviews:

Right On!.......2007-10-08

I loved the format of this book! What a great way to really get inside a character's head - Chris is into film making, so it makes perfect sense to cast his story, plan his camera angles and set the scene with voiceovers. The diary effect in between chapters, the description of the "set," both in jail and in the courthouse - all of these combined for a dramatic, suspenseful screenplay.
I learned a lot about urban life in the neighborhood from this book, too. I would like to believe that gangs do not initiate, or store owners are safe, or that drugs are hard to come by for low income individuals, but none of that is true. Monster shows that gangs, burglary and drugs are part of everyday life for street kids.

Confusing, bewildering, and intense.......2007-06-26

One would think that these aspects make "Monster" a bad book. But they don't. They're what make "Monster" an original, heart-moving, emotional book. The style makes it stand out, once you remember the characters and what the little comments mean. A movie-script format? It's not dumb - it's interesting, original, and gets everything across.

"Monster", as you've probably seen, is about a teenage boy on trial for armed robbery and possibly second-degree murder. Throughout the book (which is almost always set in the trial, though occasionally we get flashbacks, and every once in a while we get a moment of Steve writing down his thoughts), Steve insists that he's innocent. Throughout the book, though, we don't really find out. The ending leaves the reader mystified and asking themselves so many questions.

Perhaps that's what sent other readers packing. On the other hand, what fun is a story if it doesn't make you think? "Monster" certainly made me think. I sat down and thought about the jury, about the lawyers, about the witnesses. I sat down and thought about the judge and other accused. I thought about if I was on the jury and had had this evidence placed before me, what would I pick? This book made me THINK.

It's an intense read. It's realistic, powerful, and emotional. I found myself crying during moments Steve was. I felt so connected to him, even though most of what we know is through speech and dialogue. I was drawn into this book so well.

This is a great read and a great buy. I highly recommend it.

Monster .......2007-06-06

Steve Harmon is on trial, and in jail for murder. Steve is only 16. Steve begins to realize the facts of the trial are very unbalenced.He also wonders, "Maybe the reason I'm is on trial is because of my rase." This book is a combination of Steve's journal entrees and a play written by Steve. This is a wonderful deep book that I enjoyed immensely! It descries Harlem and the raceisum Steve encounters. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to know more about the real issues in the world.

Monster.......2007-06-06

Nichelle Ennis
Title: Monster
Author: Walter Dean Myers
Harper Collins publisher Inc.
Copyright 1999
Pages: 281

The wrong place at the wrong time could change your life. Steve Harmon is a sixteen year old African male in the violent streets of Harlem, New York. A clerk is dead, gunned down by robbers. All the judge needs is eyes and evidence, and Steve does twenty 4five to life.

All the parts in this book are pretty good, because it leads up to the end, which is the best part, to see if Steve is guilty or not. It's crazy, because your heart starts racing, like you have to be careful what you read, like words are important at that point of the book.

This book is really about adapting to change, pressure, and experience you shouldn't be experiencing until about twenty five years old. This is how a sixteen year old saw another side of his world.

I like different, and this book has that unique. It's good because in the end everything comes together. Flashbacks are involved to make you think. In my opinion everybody would like this book, I mean everybody, from jailbirds to grandparents. I wouldn't change anything about this book.

my review for monster.......2007-06-05

monster is about a sixteen yearold boy who is in jail because he is thought to be in a murder at a store. this author writes this book like a typewritting person in court. the boys name is steven. steven writes his life in jail and his life while he's in court. in this book it has many many different characters so you have to make up many voices for those characters. if you like books like with people in court and need to make many different voices and if you like murder mysteries this book is perfect for you. this book has twists and turns in it. the main characters are steven,king,bobo,the lawyers,and the judge. stevens life story is called monster just like the books title.

The Mediation Process: Practical Strategies for Resolving Conflict

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Detailed and theoretical
Great.

The Mediation Process: Practical Strategies for Resolving Conflict
Christopher W. Moore
Manufacturer: Jossey-Bass
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0787964468

Book Description

Since it was first published in 1986, The Mediation Process has become a landmark resource for mediation practitioners, trainers, students, and professionals in corporate, legal, health care, education, and governmental arenas. This thoroughly revised and expanded third edition has been updated to include coverage of the most contemporary issues in mediation practice and to provide updated bibliographical resources.

Customer Reviews:

Detailed and theoretical.......2006-03-25

As a beginning mediator, I found this book very detailed and theoretical. I am sure that I will return to it again and again as I gain experience. I found "Basic Skills for the New Mediator (2d edition)" by Allan H. Goodman to provide a quicker and more practical overview. When used together, I believe both books are a good basis for the practicing mediator.

Great........2005-10-01

This book was great and exactly how it was described in the review. I received it at a fast pace.
Thanks.

Armed America: The Remarkable Story of How and Why Guns Became as American as Apple Pie

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The Story of Guns in Early America
Who will debunk the debunkers?
Good book, but it won't convince those who "know" it isn't so
Excellent scholarly work
Guns and Apple Pie--You left out Baseball and Mom, Mr. Gun Nut!

Armed America: The Remarkable Story of How and Why Guns Became as American as Apple Pie
Clayton E. Cramer
Manufacturer: Thomas Nelson
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1595550690

Book Description

In this true story of our nation's love affair with firearms, Clayton E. Cramer debunks the myths and takes readers along a winding historical trail full of surprising revelations and riveting anecdotes, explaining the roots of America's gun culture.

Customer Reviews:

The Story of Guns in Early America.......2007-10-06

Clayton E. Cramer has an MA in history from Sonoma State University and has taught history in Boise State University. He published several academic books on history and firearms. His knowledge allowed him to reveal the lies in Bellesiles' book. The 'Acknowledgments' thank those who helped to make this book more entertaining. Cramer notes the changes from the Julian to Gregorian calendar in 1752. Cramer's discussion on Bellesiles' revisionist history begins this educational book. Bellesiles misquoted the historical record to provide false facts for his now discredited book (p.xii). Bellesiles used probate records that were destroyed in the San Francisco earthquake (p.xv)! Another scandal was the dishonesty of university historians (p.xvi). [Upton Sinclair wrote a book in 1922 on corporate control of universities.] Cramer explains the difficulty of evaluating written records from 300 years ago (pp.xviii-xx).

Part I deals with Colonial America (1607-1775). America followed the English tradition of a militia, people armed for their protection against Indians and England's enemies (p.3). Gun ownership was required by the 18th century (p.4). Chapter 2 tells of the class and race prohibitions on gun ownership. Some whites were distrusted for religious reasons. Indians were banned from owning guns (Chapter 3) but acquired them through commerce. They were armed for their fights with other tribes (p.42). Chapter 5 tells of the probate records that record personal property; there are problems with these records (p.55). Ads in newspapers may be more reliable, as well as gunpowder import records (p.56). Chapter 5 lists the hunting practices. Murder rates were higher then (p.78). Fights occurred over political concerns (p.80), and tenant uprisings in NY. Pistols were common (p.83). So too were accidents (p.86). Part II documents the Revolutionary War. There are many detailed records on gun ownership. These chapters cover Guns in New England, the Middle Colonies, the South, and the Continental Army and Militias. "Guns were the great equalizers of social status" (p.166).

Part III covers the Early Republic (1783-1846). There are chapters on Militias, Ammunition, Pistols, Guns and Sport, and Guns and Violence. The militia system was superior to a regular army in three ways (p.178). They were low-cost, they were plentiful, and they were widespread. The militia was politically reliable (p.180)! There were arguments against a standing army (p.183). Gunpowder mills were common in most states (Chapter 11). Chapter 12 examines the availability of pistols in America. Hunting was very common and universal on the frontier (p.201). Violence was all too common because of an "honor culture" (p.224). Dueling was quite common, the laws against it nearly useless (a jury would not convict if it conducted honorably). "Regulators" enforced the laws (p.229). Violence was common, often because of slander (p.232). [No mention of the rate of violent death in England or Europe.]

The 'Epilogue' notes that America was a society where guns were common for military defense, defense of a home and family, as a symbol of citizenship, and for violence. Newspapers, law books, memoirs, travel accounts, and advertisements documented the common ownership of guns. The 'Bibliography' lists the Primary and Secondary sources (pp.244-255).
[Neither Bellesiles or Cramer tell how America was a peaceful refuge from the wars and oppressions of Europe.]

Who will debunk the debunkers?.......2007-07-28

Michael Bellisiles wrote a book that, for some reason, scared the NRA. Bellisiles argued that America's gun culture didn't develop until around the time of the Civil War. He did not argue that America does not have a gun culture. Why the right got so exorcized about whether gun lust has a 17th century or 19th century origin is beyond me. But anyway, Mr. Cramer, we are told, figures prominently in the anti-Bellisiles crusade. This is not a good omen. Yes, Bellisiles lost his post at Emory -- that's in the liberal stronghold of Georgia, folks, where their idea of a historian is Newt Gingrich (can you say 'political pressure?' I knew you could.) Yes the Bancroft prize was withdrawn (ditto). Does any of this lend credence to the claims of Mr. Cramer and his NRA allies that Bellisiles work has been revealed to be a complete 'sham' and discredited in toto? Not at all. The official disciplinary committee that backed his dismissal from Emory took issue with only a few items in Arming America, notably one specific chart of probate data that proved to be in error. The vast majority of professional historians though, however they may feel about the bits of Arming America that have been repeatedly challenged, concede that the vast bulk of this large book is accurate. That leaves Cramer more or less alone in trying to debunk the whole enchilada. As the other negative reviews here indicate, there's a lot of questionable assertion going on here. If Cramer draws different conclusions from the same facts Bellisiles notes, we might compare the logic behind the arguments. Both authors note that laws in early America encouraged gun ownership for the purpose of strengthening militias -- lest the Brits return etc., as they did in 1812. Cramer seems to think this proves guns were popular. Bellisiles argues that the fact people had to have all this coaxing to acquire guns indicates the public was not keen on acquiring them of their own accord. Did the laws passed in the 1960s and 1970s encouraging the addition of safety devices and improved fuel economy in automobiles indicate that these features were in demand, or the opposite?

I wonder how many of the folks who laud Cramer's expose of Bellisiles have actually read Arming America and compared the two cases, and how many only have Cramer's version of Bellisiles to go on. This seems to me a pretty common phenomenon on both right and left: we tend to take reports of someone else's supposed outrageous conduct for granted and join the outrage, without carefully examining whether the actual facts fit the outraged reporter's description.

Interesting ideological footnote: look at the Amazon 'Better together' feature that offers to pair the book on the page you're viewing with another similar book. For Armed America, Amazon suggests another pro-gun book. For Arming America, Amazon suggests... Armed America. Not a bad idea if was reciprocated, eh. So go ahead and buy this book if you're interested in the topic, but buy Bellisiles book as well, and try to think for yourself.

Good book, but it won't convince those who "know" it isn't so.......2007-07-16

A few years ago Michael Bellsiles wrote a book claiming that early Americans didn't own guns, didn't have them, and that historical documentation proved it. He was widely discredited even by many of his anti-gun peers when it was found that much of his research was false or totally inaccurate.

Clayton Cramer spent five years researching the same records Bellesiles "used" and found totally opposite results, guns were very common all over the colonies (the book covers a period from the 1600's to the 1840's). Divided into 3 sections, Colonial America, the Revolutionary war, and the early Republic- Cramer gives exhaustive detail on what America was really like. The author is even careful to note that sometimes a modern reader can't be sure just what some statements from the past meant.
There are a lot of footnotes (unfortunately he gives no indication of just how hard it is for the average person to get at the original documents to read them, he does mention that Bellesiles usually reported just the opposite of what sommething actually said in print.) and a 12 page bibliography to back up his statements.

My worst problem with the book was that the few included photographs are too dark, hard to get any detail from them. It's a good fascinating book that I don't regret owning, it just won't convince anyone who doesn't believe it is true.

Excellent scholarly work.......2007-05-13

This is definitely a book for people who enjoy history through original sources. Mr. Cramer brings together a wealth of material that many "professional" historians can't seem to be bothered with.

Guns and Apple Pie--You left out Baseball and Mom, Mr. Gun Nut!.......2007-05-11

The title alone is so over the top and ridiculous as to invite uncontrollable laughter. Cramer is the almost perfect incarnation of the type "Creepily gun obsessed loner" of which we see many poorer examples in the cheerleading reviews posted here.

Really, these people are to be pitied, lonely and frightened little boys trying to be men and failing so utterly, caressing their rifles in the darkness in the absence of human warmth and comfort, fantasizing psychotically about being John Wayne or Rambo and constantly being drawn back to the cruel truth that they are merely anti-social, hateful, angry, psychologically unbalanced hermits, many of whom will never know emotionally real human companionship, and who are far more likely to use their guns to intimidate or kill their family members or blow their own brains out than to heroically defeat Evil in the form of a 15 year old kid trying to steal a ten speed bike off their front porch at night. What a sad bunch.

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It's Hit with Teenagers
It Could Save Your Life
How to stay out of prison
A Heartbreaking Novel
Life in Prison

Life in Prison
Stanley Williams , and Barbara Cottman
Manufacturer: Chronicle Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1587170949

Book Description

"The true stories I've written in this book are my living nightmares. My greatest hope is that the lessons the stories offer will help you make better choices than I did." Stanley "Tookie" Williams, cofounder of the notorious Crips gang, is a death-row inmate. But in his two decades of incarceration, Williams has also become a respected author and activist whose dedication to ending gang warfare in the lives of inner-city children has earned him a 2001 Nobel Peace Prize nomination. In this award-winning book which has drawn praise from educators, government leaders, and families alike Williams describes the brutal reality of being an inmate. He debunks myths of prisons as "gladiator schools" with blunt, riveting stories of overwhelming homesickness, the terror of solitary confinement, and the humiliation of strip-searches. Williams' words are a frank challenge to adolescent readers to educate themselves, make intelligent decisions, and above all, not to follow in his footsteps.

Customer Reviews:

It's Hit with Teenagers.......2007-06-11

I work with inner-city teenagers, lots of whom already knew who Tookie Williams was and an unfortunate number of whom think prison is "cool." It's fascinating to watch them as they grab this little book because of the cover, thinking they're in for an adventure ride telling them how prison is this great place to make one tougher and stronger, and then see their faces get somber as Williams describes how frightening, lonely, and humiliating prison life truly is.

If you work with kids who aspire to or who are already in the "gangbanger life," I highly recommend this book.

It Could Save Your Life.......2007-02-20

By Brandon Council

Life in Prison was an excellent book because Stanley lets you know how it is in prison. I recommend students and juveniles all over the world to read it. It lets you know what you have to go through in prison if you get beat up or sick. I think if people read this book and go by what it says, it might stop people that are in gangs and are on the street selling drugs or doing wrong. I also think that if people read it they won't commit crimes that lead to life in prison. So if you read this book it might just save your life.

How to stay out of prison.......2007-02-20

LIFE IN PRISON
BY: Nay-Nay Matthews

The book "Life In Prison" is a good book. I didn't think it would turn out like that, but Stanley "Tookie" Williams gives audiences a good reason why they wouldn't want to go to jail or prison.

There are many different reasons why you wouldn't want to go to jail. You have to do what the guards tell you, you have to get strip-searched, and you have a limited time to take a bath and many more things.

In San Quentin prison, they have a book called the "California Code of Regulation." Title 15-crime prevention and corrections. It is a book with 174 pages and more than 200 rules. Some people sit there in read all those rules. They are insane.

Also there is no way on earth I would be able to stay in the hole, let alone for 7 whole years, like "Tookie" did. I couldn't do it. My uncle is in prison now. He has to go in the hole and he can't call us or write us when he has to be in the hole. And I think that's hard to go to prison after reading the horrible details in "Life in Prison."

A Heartbreaking Novel.......2007-02-20

Life In Prison Review
By: Keshonda

In this novel "Life In Prison," I've personally learned a lot. Stanley "Tookie" Williams wrote this book directly for the youth, to encourage us to be something in life. This is a heartbreaking novel of how they treated Mr. Williams over the 25 years he was incarcerated. While reading this, Stanley became someone that I could look up to, even though he's dead.
I think they should've given him a chance to live again. The worst thing to happen in prison is the strip-search; its embassressing how the guards watch you while you check yourself just to make sure you don't have any concealed weapons.
This novel has inspired me to be something in life so I won't end up in jail or prison. I can read this book over and over because it's so touching to my soul. I strongly recommend that you read this novel and I guarantee you will not be disappointed.

Life in Prison.......2007-02-16

Brandon Bynum

The book Life In Prison was about Tookie Williams experience in prison. He said that when you are in prison you feel like you are a dog locked up in a small cage. He said that you only get about 15minutes on the phone and then it automatically cuts off weather you are done or not. The food is nasty and you don't get paid much.
This book made me feel weird? Because there are some people are on death row for a crime that they may have not committed but some of them are lucky if their lawyer finds them not guilty. It doesn't matter how much they pay you they kept you in prison 18 to 30 some year for a crime you didn't commit that's taking 30 or 18 some year from you and your family.
So I disagree with the death penalty because some of the people on death row could have been framed for a crime they didn't commit. Life in prison seems like a more logical explanation because in that time period they could have been found not guilty for there crime.
So I would recommend this book for people who would like to read about Stanley Tookie Williams's experience. I think it was a spectacular book.

Neither Angels nor Demons: Women, Crime, and Victimization (Northeastern Series on Gender, Crime, and Law)

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Neither Angels nor Demons: Women, Crime, and Victimization (Northeastern Series on Gender, Crime, and Law)
Kathleen Ferraro
Manufacturer: Northeastern
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1555536638

Book Description

She is a victim of intimate partner violence, a woman who has been harmed. She is a criminal offender, a woman who has harmed others. Superficially, it seems she is two separate women.

"Victim" and "offender" are binary categories used within law, social science, and public discourse to describe social experiences with a moral dimension. Such terms draw upon cultural narratives of good and bad people and have influenced scholarship, public policy, and activism. The duality of "good" and "bad" women, separated into mutually exclusive extremes of angels and demons, has helped segregate thinking about, and responses to, each group.

In this groundbreaking study, Kathleen J. Ferraro exposes the limits of such thinking by exploring the link between victimization and offending from the perspective of the women charged with the crimes. Interviewing forty-five women charged with criminal offenses (more than half of whom killed their abusers; the others participated in a range of violent crimes related to domestic violence), Ferraro uses their stories to illuminate complex interactions with violent partners, their children, and the legal system. She shows that these women are neither stereotypical angels nor demons, but rather human beings whose complicated lives belie the abstract categorizations of researchers, legal advocates, and the criminal justice system.

Ferraro begins with a general discussion of blurred boundaries and the complexity of experience, and moves from there to discuss women's interactions with the criminal processing system. In the course of her study, she reexamines, and finds wanting, many standard ways of evaluating women's violent behavior, including "mutual combat," "battered woman syndrome," and "cycle of violence." She argues that a more complex, nuanced understanding of intimate partner violence and how it contributes to women's offending will contribute to public policy less focused on control and accountability of individuals than on developing social conditions that promote everyone's safety and well-being and foster a sense of hope.

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Excellent analysis
Good overview, not definitive
Politics of Gun Control - Another liberal hatchet job
Not For Those Who Have Already Made Up Their Minds
Promising concept - fails to deliver on the facts.

The Politics of Gun Control
Robert J. Spitzer
Manufacturer: CQ Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1568029055

Book Description

The authoritative standard for anyone seeking wide-ranging and fair-minded analysis of the American gun debate, The Politics of Gun Control homes in on three key culture shocks that shape the politics of gun control in America today: the shooting at Columbine High School, the clearly delineated positions on the gun issue staked out in the 2000 election, and the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Written with insight and showcasing the wide-ranging debate, this third edition also examines such important issues as the proliferation of concealed-carry laws, liability lawsuits filed against gun manufacturers, NRA political funding of Republicans, and the controversy surrounding the assault weapons ban, bringing this popular and well-respected book right up to date.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent analysis.......2007-08-03

A fine book for anyone interested in understanding how the NRA has hijacked the issue of gun control in the U.S.. Spitzer's analysis is well-reasoned and presented clearly. I recommend this book highly.

Good overview, not definitive.......2005-09-12

Unlike one of the other previous reviewers, though I am generally a conservative, I would agree with this book's primary conclusion: the NRA has had a disproportionate impact on the politics of gun control.

The legal and constitutional analysis of the Second Amendment also does not seem to be much in dispute. Perhaps there is some evidence he does not cite for thinking that it goes back to an individual right to bear arms, but as conceived by those who wrote it, the Second Amendment was clearly intended to protect the rights of state militias.

Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone interested in this issue, scholar and lay reader alike.

Politics of Gun Control - Another liberal hatchet job.......2000-10-27

I read this book because I was required to in College. It is painfully, obvious that it was written from a predetermined conclusion. The history of the NRA is especially vicious. The author chastises the NRA at several points for the NRA early support by Government by subsidies, use of Nat'l parks to train WWII soldiers how to shoot, etc. The author essential argument that anyone that has ever received support from Gov't has duty not to ever to oppose the government in anything. In the beginning he points out that this book he will not examine gun control polices in foreign countries, yet on several instances he cites them (Canada for instance) to make his point, but nevertheless totally neglects gun control failures such as England and Austrailia (See London Times 1/16/2000 for details on this) . He quickly glosses over concealed weapon laws citing statistics showimng their failure, when a number of policy studies have concluded the opposite that Concealed weapon laws do in fact reduce crime. If you want one-sided reading of gun control this is your best bet.

Not For Those Who Have Already Made Up Their Minds.......2000-10-13

I wonder if the reader from Glen Ellen CA and I read the same book? That review seemed to my mind an excellent example of tediously shaving facts to fit one's predilections- much more so than the actual work in question.

I do happen to agree with him in this regard- people who have already made up their minds about the issue will find the book irritating-- in much the same way that baseball fans are irritated by umpires.

Spitzer builds a case for stepping back from the issue far enough to see alternatives clearly, and to understand the larger forces driving the insanity of this battle over weapons of destruction.

The problem for Spitzer is that human beings consistently develop addictions to causes that allow them to release large amounts of adrenaline into their circulatory and central nervous systems in the form of rage, paranoia and righteous indignation. Actually solving the problem would be the equivalent of flushing one's favorite stash of drugs down the toilet. Those who don't want to see this battle over guns ended will find plenty of things to irritate and discomfort them in Spitzer's intelligent analysis.

Promising concept - fails to deliver on the facts........2000-05-24

"Not concerned with the efficacy..." of gun control laws. That about sums up The Politics of Gun Control. Dr. Spitzer started out to write a book exploring the policy resolution ramifications of gun control, but along the way he got sucked into arguments for the pro and con of gun control, and ended up delivering a weak polemic for stricter gun control laws.

Dr. Spitzer's original question intrigued me greatly. How, in a civilized society, does one develop a rational and moral course of action when so many competing interests are so stridently opposed to each other? What are the proper roles of the courts, of the federal government (both legislative and executive branches), of local government, and of advocacy groups, in determining the proper direction for government policy? Sadly, after posing these questions, The Politics of Gun Control fails to deliver, beyond the superfluous finale that the gun control dilemma can be resolved by treating gun control similarly to international arms control. (Suffice it to say I was unconvinced.)

Alternatively, as pro-control literature, The Politics of Gun Control fails utterly. Unlike Dr. Kleck's Targeting Guns, The Politics of Gun Control offers little insight into the methodologies of the studies cited, why one may be better than another, and offers virtually no explanation of the plausible mechanisms that underlie quoted study's results.

For other examples of the failings inherent in The Politics of Gun Control, consider the following:

- Many of the significant citations are taken from newspapers and magazines. While this may be acceptable for anecdotal recollections, it is not sufficient for scientific analysis. When concluding that "easy accessibility of weapons" is a significant contribution to a rise in homicide, one expects a more respected source than the New York Times.

- In the section devoted to participants to the debate, twenty-three pages are devoted to a rather mean-spirited negative portrayal of the National Rifle Association, and only one page to Handgun Control, Inc. In one quote, the rabidly anti-gun Josh Sugarman of the Violence Policy Center is passed off as a "policy analyst".

- The section lambasting the NRA for its position on KTW "cop-killer" bullets blatantly misrepresents critical facts: facts readily available in Osha Gray Davidson's Under Fire: The NRA and the Battle for Gun Control. The result is that readers like "A customer from Michigan" draw erroneous conclusions and disparage a stand that never was.

- The material on "assault weapons" contains the same fabrications reported in HCI's partisan literature, and fails to adequately deal with the objections raised by David Kopel and others. Left unanswered are such critical objections as the irrationality of a ban on "assault weapons" that are fundamentally indistinguishable from other, unbanned, semi-automatic firearms, and that far from being criminal weapons of choice, "assault weapons" are actually under represented in crime. Again, the result is that less knowledgeable readers complain of the non-existent "proliferation of automatic weapons." If a book can be judged by its results, this one failed miserably to produce enlightened readers.

- The claim that firearms are not regulated because they are not under the control of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, is demonstrably false. (Interestingly, Robert Delfray of the National Shooting Sports Foundation reports the CPSC exemption for firearms was instituted because HCI attempted to use the CPSC to ban "the sale of bullets for handguns.") Firearms are manufactured according to SAMI regulations (part of ANSI) in addition to a multitude of access laws, not that you could learn this from The Politics of Gun Control.

- The chapter on the interpretation of the Second Amendment fails to answer any of the arguments raised by pro Second Amendment scholars (who are not necessarily anti-control) such as Clayton Cramer, Robert Cottrol, Stephen Halbrook, David Kopel, Don Kates, Sanford Levinson and Lawrence Tribe. (Most of these authors have works available on Amazon.Com - I suggest you search and decide for yourself.) Many of these scholars appear in the endnotes, so obviously Dr. Spitzer has read their work, but their primary arguments are neither presented nor refuted. Of greater concern is that Dr. Spitzer's work promised to tell us what role, if any, should be assigned to judicial precedent, in deciding the future of gun control. Given that the courts have produced both good and bad decisions, how are we to know which ones are to be given credence and which consigned to the trash heap? After reading this chapter I was left with the feeling that Dr. Spitzer's criteria was based on which cases supported his preferred outcome.

On a general basis, I found especially irritating the emotive, value-based, unsupported, adjectives that are peppered throughout the text. I was looking for an alternative viewpoint, not consistent needling. For pro-control readers this may give you a warm glow; for more doubtful readers it may simply make you grit your teeth and reach for the markup pen.

In the final analysis, Dr. Spitzer begins with the twin propositions that the "purpose of government is to maintain order" and that the "purpose of firearms is the ... destruction of people, animals, and objects." Neither assumption is adequately supported; they are presented to be taken on faith. Perhaps, to one holding such beliefs, the burden of proof for the necessity of gun control is much lighter. To those who actually believe that governments are instituted to secure the blessing of liberty and that firearms are simply a tool for good or ill, The Politics Of Gun Control remains unconvincing.

Average customer rating:

Great Introductory Text

A Welcome Addition to My Library

God is in the details, and vice versa

Couldn't Be Better

Recommended for beginners and experienced mediators alike

Mediator's Handbook
Jennifer E. Beer , and Eileen Stief
Manufacturer: New Society Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0865713596

Book Description

The Mediator's Handbook provides a time-tested, flexible model for effective mediation in diverse environments and situations. Completely revised, this new, expanded edition provides a clear overview of mediation and conflict; a large "Toolbox" section that details the skills and approaches used by professional mediators; and a final section that looks at informal mediation. A valuable resource for all working in corporations, government agencies, community organizations and schools.

Customer Reviews:

Great Introductory Text.......2007-06-25

This was used as a course textbook in an introductory ADR class, and I think it serves that purpose well. A great book for those new to ADR and mediation that clearly outlines the purpose and procedures of mediation. This text does not really discuss the psychological motivations behind party behavior except for briefly touching on cultural patterns. The focus is on the process.

The topics are dealt with step-by-step, and while the illustrations aren't necessary, especially for university-level courses or professionals, this is still a great textbook that adequately covers the role of the mediator and all the steps in mediation as well as tips for how to move the process along and recognize problems.

A Welcome Addition to My Library.......2002-02-04

I am a mediator, arbitrator, and trainer. The Mediator's Handbook is a welcome addition to my library. It is filled with practical advice,theoretical information, wonderful charts, and the nuts and bolts of mediation. I am sure every mediator, new or experienced, will benefit from this book. I recommend that every mediator skim the "Mediator's Handbook" as well as "Basic Skills for the New Mediator" by Allan H. Goodman (which I purchased at the same time) before every mediation.

God is in the details, and vice versa.......2001-09-04

Alternative dispute resolution (ADR) has received lots of attention over the last decade or so, and I'd like it to receive more. Here's a good place to start.

As an [ahem] older law student, I recently signed up to participate in a mediation program through a local courthouse. As I looked around for helpful references, my eye fell naturally on this modern classic by Jennifer Beer. Continuously in print since 1982 and now in its third edition, it's probably _the_ book that did most to teach the American public how to "do" mediation.

It's full of nuts-and-bolts advice on everything from what to say to where to put the chairs. And it's got something some other mediation books lack: a sense of the "spirituality" of mediation.

For the techniques in this volume grew out of the Friends Conflict Resolution Programs (FCRP). And the Religious Society of Friends ("Quakers") is pretty good at conflict resolution.

(It's those "meetings." Some readers may know that in the early days of the United States, a half-century of so before the Emancipation Proclamation, the Friends unilaterally, voluntarily, and unanimously freed every last one of their slaves -- and paid them to boot, if I'm not mistaken. And anybody who has ever attended a Quaker meeting will understand why, even if they've never heard of John Woolman.)

I've got quite a few Quakers in my family tree, so I'm pleased by this approach. But it's very understated and mostly behind the scenes, so the casual reader will notice only that the book has a certain mood or tone.

What's really going on is that the mediation advice herein is implicitly predicated on the presumption that people are competent to settle their own disputes because each of them has "that of God" within. And the extraordinary sensitivity of the advice is based firmly on Quaker sensibilities: namely, respect for the individual conscience as the very voice of God, and a profound belief in the power of _listening_ both to others and to oneself.

The result is a book of advice on mediation that looks an awful lot like a book on how to grasp the "sense of a meeting." Even beyond the nuts and bolts, the "flavor" of the book will itself help the reader get a feel for what mediation is all about. That's a nice feature in a book on ADR, and it's no wonder Beer's book has been in print for so long.

Allan Goodman's _Basic Skills for the New Mediator_ is a good companion volume, by the way. His book is more aimed at people who do mediation in "courtlike" settings, whereas Beer's is for pretty much any context (including workplace and family, both of which she discusses). The two together are a powerful combination of resources, arguably surpassing many more expensive books on the subject.

And for a good history of the subject of ADR, see Linda Singer's _Settling Disputes_, which I've also reviewed.

Couldn't Be Better.......2000-11-12

As a mediator and one who trains others how to mediate, I highly recommend this clearly written,comprehensive mediation handbook. I have yet to see a more practical book on mediation skills.

Recommended for beginners and experienced mediators alike.......1999-07-25

As a trainer of community mediators, I am often asked to suggest books on the subject. One book I definitely recommend is Jennifer Beer's Mediator's Handbook -- and it is also a book I often go back to myself. It's like having a smart, experienced and helpful colleague available whenever I want, whether for specific problem solving or for more general inspirational conversation!

Practical Aspects of Rape Investigation: A Multidisciplinary Approach, Third Edition (Practical Aspects of Criminal and Forensic Investigations)

Average customer rating:

For those interested in Profiling/Criminal Investigation
A bible for Forsenic examiners
Comprehensive Resource Book
Excellent Tool for Investigation and Research
Excellent Criminal Profiling/ Rape Investigation Text

Practical Aspects of Rape Investigation: A Multidisciplinary Approach, Third Edition (Practical Aspects of Criminal and Forensic Investigations)

Manufacturer: CRC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0849300762

Book Description

This multidisciplinary book brings into focus the five different groups involved in rape investigation: the police investigator, the examining nurse, the forensic scientist, the crisis counselor, and the prosecutor. It demonstrates how each must work together for more effective handling of all kinds of sexual assault crimes. Several chapters of this updated bestseller are rewritten by new contributors. New areas of interest include delayed reporting, false rape allegations, elder abuse, and mental retardation.

Customer Reviews:

For those interested in Profiling/Criminal Investigation.......2003-02-14

This book is about as good as it gets. It covers all the bases an investigator should know about sexual assualt and gives you insite into the criminal mind. I also recommened the Crime Classification Manuel by Douglas, burgess, etc and Criminal Profiling 2nd edt. by Brent Turvey.

A bible for Forsenic examiners.......2003-02-06

As a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner, I found this book to be filled with vital information. This book was required reading for a forensic's class, it was anything but.. I highly recommend this book to professionals in this field, but also anyone who is interested in true crime and studying behaviors.

Comprehensive Resource Book.......2000-03-30

Written by some of the leading professionals in the field, this book serves as an excellent resource book for any profesional working in the field of sexual assault investigations. It covers victimology, interview, crime scene considerations, SANE/SART programs and protocols. Criminal Investigative Analysis, Indirect Personality Assessment. Includes exhaustive references. This is the first book to buy to start your own referrence library. A must for the novice and experienced professional alike.

Excellent Tool for Investigation and Research.......1999-12-08

Hazelwood and Burgess provide the novice and the seasoned investigator with vital information about rape investigation and rapists.

Excellent Criminal Profiling/ Rape Investigation Text.......1998-01-09

Practical Aspects of Rape Investigation is probably the best multi-disciplinary rape investigator's text in existence, and certainly the most comprehensive psychological profiling guide that is available in print. It takes you from the myths and the physical evidence collection, up through the profiling process. It's also very heavily focused on victim's issues which are incredibly important, and very often overlooked or misunderstood. I use this book for our online serial rape investigation book, and I can think of no better student or professional text on non-homicidal serial crime. However, the information is useful for rape-homicides as well. Brent E. Turvey, MS, Criminal Profiler, Knowledge Solutions

Heavy Hands: An Introduction to the Crimes of Family Violence (3rd Edition)

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Heavy Hands: An Introduction to the Crimes of Family Violence (3rd Edition)
Denise Kindshi Gosselin
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall
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Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0131188852

Book Description

The first book to explore--in one volume--the causes, consequences, and prevalence of domestic violence and the positive law enforcement response. Using a socio-legal approach--with emphasis on the practical criminal justice perspective--it offers a contemporary view of the criminal justice experience with diverse forms of domestic violence and populations: violence against women; dating violence; sibling abuse; rape and incest; child and elder abuse and neglect; male battering; lesbian and gay violence; specific issues affecting African Americans and American Indians. Balanced and thorough, it exposes the myths about both victims and offenders, showing how women and men, the elderly and children, heterosexuals and homosexuals all can be perpetrators and victims as well. Explores in depth questions such as: What is domestic violence? Why does it happen and what are the consequences? Who are the offenders and who are the victims? What legislation exists relative to family violence? How does the court and law enforcement respond? How to you get help? What resources are available? For professionals in criminal justice, law enforcement, social work, counseling, education, etc., and for anyone wishing to be better, more thoroughly informed on this important issue.

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