Incarceration Nation

How the United States Became the Most Punitive Democracy in the World

By Peter K. Enns | Publisher: Cambridge University Press

About the book

The rise of mass incarceration in the United States is one of the most critical outcomes of the last half-century. Incarceration Nation offers the most compelling explanation of this outcome to date. This book combines in-depth analysis of Barry Goldwater and Richard Nixon's presidential campaigns with sixty years of data analysis. The result is a sophisticated and highly accessible picture of the rise of mass incarceration. In contrast to conventional wisdom, Peter K. Enns shows that during the 1960s, 70s, 80s, and 90s, politicians responded to an increasingly punitive public by pushing policy in a more punitive direction. The book also argues that media coverage of rising crime rates helped fuel the public's punitiveness. Equally as important, a decline in public punitiveness in recent years offers a critical window into understanding current bipartisan calls for criminal justice reform.

Editions of Incarceration Nation

Hardcover
ISBN 9781107132887
Paperback
ISBN 9781316500613

Read an Excerpt

The rise of mass incarceration in the United States is one of the most critical outcomes of the last half-century. Incarceration Nation offers the most compelling explanation of this outcome to date. This book combines in-depth analysis of Barry Goldwater and Richard Nixon's presidential campaigns with sixty years of data analysis. The result is a sophisticated and highly accessible picture of the rise of mass incarceration. In contrast to conventional wisdom, Peter K. Enns shows that during the 1960s, 70s, 80s, and 90s, politicians responded to an increasingly punitive public by pushing policy in a more punitive direction. The book also argues that media coverage of rising crime rates helped fuel the public's punitiveness. Equally as important, a decline in public punitiveness in recent years offers a critical window into understanding current bipartisan calls for criminal justice reform.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Incarceration Nation about?

The rise of mass incarceration in the United States is one of the most critical outcomes of the last half-century. Incarceration Nation offers the most compelling explanation of this outcome to date. This book combines in-depth analysis of Barry Goldwater and Richard Nixon's presidential campaigns with sixty years of data analysis. The result is a sophisticated and highly accessible picture of the rise of mass incarceration. In contrast to conventional wisdom, Peter K. Enns shows that during the 1960s, 70s, 80s, and 90s, politicians responded to an increasingly punitive public by pushing policy in a more punitive direction. The book also argues that media coverage of rising crime rates helped fuel the public's punitiveness. Equally as important, a decline in public punitiveness in recent years offers a critical window into understanding current bipartisan calls for criminal justice reform.

What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Incarceration Nation?

Society and Social Sciences > Social services and welfare, criminology > Crime and criminology > Penology and punishment

Where can I read a sample of Incarceration Nation?

You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9781107132887

Who is/are the Author/s of the book Incarceration Nation?

Peter K. Enns

Who is the Publisher of the book Incarceration Nation?

Cambridge University Press

What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?

Incarceration Nation is available as hardcover(ISBN 9781107132887) and paperback(ISBN 9781316500613)