Incarceration disparities: Prison inmates and the federalization of crime
Abstract
After the 1960s, the federal government's role in crime control grew substantially as barriers to previous involvement were altered. Crime attained national media attention and became increasingly viewed as a serious problem. Whether the federal government should be involved with crime control ceased being an issue; the issue became one of the extent to which the federal government would be involved. Using the Survey of Inmates in State and Federal Correctional Facilities, this research explores how the federal prison population has changed during the period 1991 to 2004 and allows one to determine whether the federal government has changed the nature of its criminal justice focus. Examining the characteristics of inmates in federal prisons gives insight into the implementation and administration of federal criminal laws by illustrating how this population changed over time in response to new criminal legislation. State prisoners are examined first to provide a base line for comparison. Changes in the federal prison population are examined to determine whether they reflect continuing distinctiveness of the federal crime control role or whether the federal government is incarcerating offenders who are similar to state offenders.
Degree
Ph.D.
Advisors
Useem, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Criminology
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