A condensed, more accessible version of the best-selling corrections book on the market, AMERICAN CORRECTIONS IN BRIEF, 3rd Edition, introduces students to the dynamics of corrections in a way that captures their interest and encourages them to enter the field. The brief paperback format makes this book more approachable, and the well-respected author team incorporates several pedagogical elements to promote students' success. Complete with valuable career-based material, insightful guest speakers, illuminating real-world cases, and uniquely even-handed treatment of institutional and community sanctions, the text examines the U.S. correctional system from the perspectives of both the corrections worker and the offender, providing students with a well-rounded, balanced introduction to corrections.

Part I: CORRECTIONAL CONTEXT.
1. What Is Corrections?
2. Punishment of Offenders.
Part II: CORRECTIONS IN THE COMMUNITY.
3. Jails.
4. Probation and Intermediate Sanctions.
5. Probation Supervision.
Part III: INSTITUTIONAL CORRECTIONS.
6. Prisons.
7. Prison Experience.
8. Management and Staffing.
9. Special Populations.
Part IV: CORRECTIONAL ISSUES.
10. Reentry and Community Supervision.
11. Legal Issues and the Death Penalty.
12. Juvenile Corrections.
13. Corrections Today and Tomorrow.

A condensed, more accessible version of the best-selling corrections book on the market, AMERICAN CORRECTIONS IN BRIEF, 3rd Edition, introduces students to the dynamics of corrections in a way that captures their interest and encourages them to enter the field. The brief paperback format makes this book more approachable, and the well-respected author team incorporates several pedagogical elements to promote students' success. Complete with valuable career-based material, insightful guest speakers, illuminating real-world cases, and uniquely even-handed treatment of institutional and community sanctions, the text examines the U.S. correctional system from the perspectives of both the corrections worker and the offender, providing students with a well-rounded, balanced introduction to corrections. In Chapter 2, The Punishment of Offenders, students will review expanded historical background on the various forms of punishment before moving on to new approaches, which includes increased coverage of restorative justice, and how this contrasts with the retributive perspective of crime. This chapter also contains new discussion on the efficacy of three-strikes laws, and concludes with more detailed sections on sentencing disparity and how The Innocence Project has brought attention to wrongful conviction. Chapter 8, Prison Management, contains added coverage on problems within the prison system, such as rape and gangs. The chapter has also been expanded to discuss management of private prisons as well as more information on non-correctional officer jobs for the career-focused student. In Chapter 9, "Special Populations," readers will find expanded information about elderly prisoners and the deinstitutionalization of mentally ill prisoners. There is also a new section on military veteran prisoners and the efforts of the correctional system to respond to them effectively. Chapter 13, The Future Corrections more fully covers the most current and engaging trends in the field. Students will understand where Corrections is headed, with new information on privatization, diversity of corrections personnel, justice reinvestment, the role of technology, and changing prison structures. To provide maximum learning reinforcement and student success, each chapter's learning objectives are carefully integrated within the text, matched to end-of-chapter summary sections, and linked to corresponding quiz/test items. "Focus On. . ." boxes bring to life the real-world relevance of the issues discussed in the text. These boxes -- organized into Correctional Technology, Correctional Policy, and Correctional Practice topic areas -- use vivid, in-depth accounts by correctional workers, journalists, prisoners, parolees, and the relatives of those who are in the system. To reflect the way the corrections system has evolved in recent decades, the authors devote three chapters to community corrections, more than any other corrections textbook on the market. "Careers in Corrections" features present information on various career paths in corrections. The material includes the nature of the work, required qualifications, earnings, and job outlook -- providing valuable insight into who plays what role. "Myths in Corrections" sidebars address common myths and misconceptions about corrections and criminal justice, providing an interesting and effective way to engage students, stimulate class discussion, and encourage critical thinking.