Social Justice - Theories, Issues, and Movements. Critical Issues in Crime and Society. (Electronic book text)

An eye for an eye, the balance of scalesfor centuries, these and other traditional concepts exemplified the publics perception of justice. Today, popular culture, including television shows like Law and Order, informs the publics vision. But do age-old symbols, portrayals in the media, and existing systems truly represent justice in all of its nuanced forms, or do we need to think beyond these notions? Social Justice: Theories, Issues, and Movements responds to the need for a comprehensive introduction to these issues. The authors argue that common conceptions of criminal justice - which accept, for the most part, a politically established definition of crime - are too limited. Instead, they show the relevancy of history, political economy, culture, critique, and cross-cultural engagement to the advancement of justice. Drawing on contemporary issues ranging from globalization to the environment, this essential textbook, ideal for course use, encourages practitioners, reformists, activists, and scholars to question the limits of the law in its present state in order to develop a fairer system at the local, national, and global levels.