CJ Prof Authors Two New Texts

Willard M. Oliver --Photo by David Gonzales

Willard M. Oliver, associate professor of criminal justice at Sam Houston State University, says that criminal justice in America has changed greatly in the last 400 years, and international terrorism will have a major effect on our lives in the foreseeable future.

Oliver is the author of two new primary criminal justice textbooks--"A History of Crime and Criminal Justice in America" and "The Public Policy of Crime and Criminal Justice in America."

Oliver's "History..." provides an overview of the origin and development of the American criminal justice system from the arrival of the first settlers during the Colonial period into the 21st century.

"I am surprised at how much criminal justice has developed and changed over our history," said Oliver. "We often think of America as being somewhat punitive, especially in regard to many states retaining and using the death penalty.

"But if you look at our history, we have become far less punitive and more rehabilitative across time."

Oliver's history is co-authored with James F. Hilgenberg Jr., a former chair and now professor emeritus of history at Glenville State College in West Virginia.

Each chapter begins with an overview of the political, economic, social, and cultural forces that shaped society within each time period. Following the overview, the history of ordinary crime, as well as extraordinary high profile criminal acts, is examined.

The text then uses this discussion of historical context and crime as a foundation to describe and analyze the development and impact of police, law, courts, corrections, and juvenile justice during the various eras of American history.

Oliver said that the public policy textbook, co-authored with Nancy E. Marion, is "the first full-fledged textbook on the public policy of crime and criminal justice and is meant as an introductory textbook to both undergraduate and graduate students."

The book concludes with a focus on the criminal justice system, including police, courts, corrections and juvenile justice. It uses a real-world example, the 1994 Crime Bill, to convey how the public policy process directly impacts the criminal justice system.

"The 1994 Crime Bill was the most comprehensive federal criminal justice policy legislation to date and has had a significant impact upon the criminal justice system, and especially in the area of policing." said Oliver.

"While the debate still reigns over whether or not it actually contributed to the reduction in crime since its passage, it did promote the concepts of community policing across a broader swath of American communities."

Currently, he said, the issue of Homeland Security is the public policy related to criminal justice that is starting to have an impact and "may very well be the overarching policy for police over the next decade."

Looking at criminal justice from a historical perspective can help ordinary citizens as well as students understand how our global society and international terrorism are likely to affect our foreseeable future, Oliver said.

"I think that by understanding our history, we can better understand what America has always stood for, a country of freedom and democracy that we are willing to fight and die for," said Oliver.

"Whether it is the soldiers overseas or the cop on the beat, we strive to retain these freedoms for all Americans. Understanding the public policy process helps us to understand how we go about working to ensure these freedoms, while facing the daunting task of managing an open society, fighting a global war on terrorism, and adjusting to a world without walls."

Oliver has been working on both textbooks since moving to Sam Houston State from Radford University in Virginia in the summer of 2003.

He said he is indebted to the College of Criminal Justice and SHSU "for giving me the opportunity and resources to be able to write two major textbooks simultaneously."

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SHSU Media Contact: Frank Krystyniak
Sept. 8, 2005
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