Religion And Criminal Justice

"Religion and Criminal Justice helps readers become religiously literate, especially as religion relates to criminal justice. The book addresses the influence of religion on the development of the justice system in the United States and enables readers to understand how this influence extends into the present day. Section 1 presents numerous perspectives on the relationship between religion and criminal justice and includes an introduction to religious studies. Section 2 discusses the major religious traditions in America, and Section 3 is composed of various essays on religion and criminal justice that are designed to stimulate lively and thought-provoking classroom discussions. The book also features six real-world case studies that give students the opportunity to consider how religion has affected criminal justice issues. Religion and Criminal Justice adds a new dimension to the study of the criminal justice system by asking readers to consider how aspects of that system may be grounded in religious beliefs both past and present. The book will make a thoughtful addition to general criminal justice courses as well as courses about terrorism or corrections, and courses in religious studies. William J. Cook, Jr., who holds a Ph.D. in criminal justice from the Graduate School and University Center of the City University of New York, is a professor in the Department of Criminal Justice at Westfield State University, Massachusetts. In addition to having practical experience in law enforcement and intelligence, Dr. Cook has served as a department chair and coordinator for graduate studies in criminal justice. He is a recipient of the John F. Nevins Outstanding Educator Award and a co-recipient of the MacNamara Award for Research Scholarship from the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences. He is the author of the book Security Systems: Considerations, Layout, and Performance."

Annotation Miller demonstrates how religion affects every aspect of the judicial system by focusing on religious appeals by attorneys in closing arguments of death penalty sentencing trials. She explores whether these appeals lead jurors to make legally impermissible decisions, as some courts have feared. Can religious appeals lead jurors to rely on the Bible instead of state law? Her results show that the more participants relied on Biblical authority, the more they relied on their instincts and the less they relied on evidence and judges' instructions. Gender, devotionalism, belief in a literal Biblical interpretation, and an individual's cognitive processing style also affected verdicts.

This book is a printed edition of the Special Issue "Religion and Crime: Theory, Research, and Practice" that was published in Religions

This collection, by leading legal scholars, judges and practitioners, together with theologians and church historians, presents historical, theological, philosophical and legal perspectives on Christianity and criminal law. Following a Preface by Lord Judge, formerly Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales, and an introductory chapter, the book is divided into four thematic sections. Part I addresses the historical contributions of Christianity to criminal law drawing on biblical sources, early church fathers and canonists, as far as the Enlightenment. Part II, titled Christianity and the principles of criminal law, compares crime and sin, examines concepts of mens rea and intention, and considers the virtue of due process within criminal justice. Part III looks at Christianity and criminal offences, considering their Christian origins and continuing relevance for several basic crimes that every legal system prohibits. Finally, in Part IV, the authors consider Christianity and the enforcement of criminal law, looking at defences, punishment and forgiveness. The book will be an invaluable resource for students and academics working in the areas of Law and Religion, Legal Philosophy and Theology.

It is often assumed that the law and religion address different spheres of human life. Religion and ethics articulate complex systems of moral reasoning that concern norms, deliberation of ends, cultivation of disposition, and transformation of moral agency. Law, in contrast, seeks to govern human conduct through procedural justice, rights, and public good. Doing Justice to Mercy challenges this assumption by presenting the reader with an urgent conversation between the law and religion that yields a constructive approach, both theoretically and practically, to the complex role of mercy in our legal process. Authored by legal practitioners, activists, and theorists in addition to theologians and ethicists, the essays collected here are informed by timeless principles, and yet they could not be timelier. The trend in sentencing moves toward an increased severity, and the number of incarcerated people in the United States is at an all-time high. In the half-decade since 9/11, moreover, homeland security has established itself as a permanent fixture in our lives. In this atmosphere, the current volume seeks initially to clarify how justice and mercy intertwine in relation to a number of issues, such as rehabilitation, the death penalty, domestic violence, and war crimes. Exploring the legal, philosophical, and theological grounds for mercy in our courts, the discussion then moves to the practical ways in which mercy may be implemented. Contributors:Marc Mauer, The Sentencing Project * Lois Gehr Livezey, McCormick Theological Seminary * Ernie Lewis, Public Advocate, Commonwealth of Kentucky * Jonathan Rothchild, Loyola Marymount University * Albert W. Alschuler, Northwestern University School of Law * David Scheffer, Northwestern University School of Law * David Little, Harvard Divinity School * Matthew Myer Boulton, Andover Newton Theological School * Mark Lewis Taylor, Princeton Theological Seminary * Sarah Coakley, Cambridge University * William Schweiker, University of Chicago Divinity School * Kevin Jung, College of William and Mary * Peter J. Paris, Princeton Theological Seminary * W. Clark Gilpin, University of Chicago Divinity School * William C. Placher, Wabash College

Religion and Criminal Justice helps readers become religiously literate, especially as religion relates to criminal justice. The book addresses the influence of religion on the development of the justice system in the United States and enables readers to understand how this influence extends into the present day. Section 1 presents numerous perspectives on the relationship between religion and criminal justice and includes an introduction to religious studies. Section 2 discusses the major religious traditions in America, and Section 3 is composed of various essays on religion and criminal justice that are designed to stimulate lively and thought-provoking classroom discussions. The book also features six real-world case studies that give students the opportunity to consider how religion has affected criminal justice issues. Religion and Criminal Justice adds a new dimension to the study of the criminal justice system by asking readers to consider how aspects of that system may be grounded in religious beliefs both past and present. The book will make a thoughtful addition to general criminal justice courses as well as courses about terrorism or corrections, and courses in religious studies.

Religion and Criminal Justice helps readers become religiously literate, especially as religion relates to criminal justice. The book addresses the influence of religion on the development of the justice system in the United States and enables readers to understand how this influence extends into the present day. Section 1 presents numerous perspectives on the relationship between religion and criminal justice and includes an introduction to religious studies. Section 2 discusses the major religious traditions in America, and Section 3 is composed of various essays on religion and criminal justice that are designed to stimulate lively and thought-provoking classroom discussions. The book also features six real-world case studies that give students the opportunity to consider how religion has affected criminal justice issues. Religion and Criminal Justice adds a new dimension to the study of the criminal justice system by asking readers to consider how aspects of that system may be grounded in religious beliefs both past and present. The book will make a thoughtful addition to general criminal justice courses as well as courses about terrorism or corrections, and courses in religious studies.

This unique collection brings together international contributors from a range of disciplines to explore crime and responses to crime through a religious/faith-based lens. At a time when religion is under the media spotlight in terms of religiously-motivated hate crime, terrorism and child abuse this book provides an important platform for academic debate. It examines these and other key issues including: faith as a coping strategy, religion as a motivating factor and the role of religion and morality in shaping criminal justice responses. This collection clearly places religion/faith at the heart of criminological enquiry and illustrates its relevance in addressing wider social issues and would be of benefit to students and academics researching or studying in these areas. It will also be of interest to community and criminal justice practitioners and those with an interest in community engagement and multi-faith work.