The Health Crisis: Opposing Viewpoints Book

I picked up a 2006 paperback edition of this book. The Book Editor is listed as Clare Hanrahan, Publisher as Bonnie Szumski, and Managing Editor as Helen Cothran. This is the cover:



As has been the case with every book in the Opposing Viewpoints Series that I have read, this one is a decent introduction to a few key points of contention regarding the subject matter. If you're looking for a dive into serious research and debate regarding the structure and implementation of criminal justice, you should look elsewhere. The OVS books that I have read do not require the authors to cite their sources for the figures and claims that they make, which is frustrating because the oppositions make contradictory claims that cannot possibly be true simultaneously. For example, in Chapter 3, Viewpoint 5 the author states "Most pay-to-stay programs follow a sliding scale to assess room and board fees and charge nominal amounts for services and consumables. This effort recoups only a portion of the expense in housing." No citation or figures backup these claims, so we have to take their word for it or go elsewhere to verify it.

I think this book is far less guilty of this than others in the series, however. Most of the arguments are not laden with specific factoids and statistics, though they are full of claims. Many of the authors seem to be making rhetorical arguments about their estimation of the situation, which is a good place to start for someone just dipping their toes in the topic of criminal justice. It is also written in a way that is very easy to understand so that the average high school student could understand its basic premises and nuances.

I would recommend this book as an introduction to criminal justice to anyone with an interest. It is not a place to finish, but a good place to begin.