5 MustRead Criminal Justice Books
To some of us, criminal justice is a profession, but it’s also an area of interest for many outside the field of work. Whether you work in criminal justice of just find it interesting, here are some books to put on your reading list.
America’s Constitution: A Biography by Akhil Reed Amar This book is an important read, because it will help you to under the Constitution on a deeper level. While most people think of the Constitution as the document to which all laws must be subjected, this book will make you think more about the problems with following this rule without question. However, you’ll also gain a new respect for the value of the Constitution in our nation’s history and the role it still plays today. R|R
Inside the Criminal Mind by Stanton Samenow This book was written in 1984 and has become a classic in the criminal justice field. It challenges many of the reasons that we used to believe about why people commit crimes. The book has now been updated and revised to include another 20 years of information, so it remains as relevant as ever. It’s critical to understand the criminal mind if we want to learn to prevent crimes and improve our society as a whole. R|R
The Culture of Fear: Why Americans Are Afraid of the Wrong Things by Barry Glassner Barry Glassner wrote this book in 2010 while working as a sociology professor. Glassner challenged the idea that crime rates are worse than ever as many Americans believe. Instead, he argues that our fear has increased dramatically while the level of actual danger in our society has remained the same. The increase in fear is due to the prevalence of the media in our lives, as well as organizations who profit from fear. Glassner says that our increase in fear has many social reprecussions that we should R|R all be concerned about.
Cops Don’t Cry: A Book of Help and Hope for Police Families by Vali Stone Whether or not you’ve worked in the criminal justice field, you’ll benefit from reading Cops Don’t Cry. It’s important that everyone understands the level of stress that our police force is faced with day in and day out. This book will also help you to gain empathy for the families of law enforcement who struggle daily with the fear of losing their loved one on the job.
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You Don’t Need a Title to be a Leader by Mark Sanborn This book is another great read for anyone in interested in pursuing a career in criminal justice as well as for anyone who wants to make a difference regardless of their job title. Sanborn argues that leadership is about so much more than titles, and that anyone can be a leader exactly where they are now. If you seek to make a difference in your career or even in your daily life, you should work on developing leadership R|R skills. This book will tell you how!