The how and why of criminal justice policy making is frequently overlooked in criminal justice texts. Stolz fills that gap with this reader, which introduces students to the study of criminal justice policy making at the federal level by drawing on the discipline of political science. Each chapter includes
. academic and government publications that acquaint the reader with federal criminal justice policy-making structures and processes
. criminal justice policy-making issues related to each branch of government
. several political science frameworks, used to explain how governmental structures and processes affect criminal justice policy

Stolz begins with an introduction to the background of federal criminal justice policy making. She then moves to the three branches of the federal government involved in the process. In addition, a chapter on non-decision making, where policy makers do not consider certain alternative policies, is included. Each chapter begins with a careful introduction by the editor and concludes with recommendations for further reading, including important electronic resources for further consideration. The selections in this work include academic and government publications and speeches that help to shed light on this important area of criminal justice studies. This unique volume provides the tools for analyzing how criminal justice policy is made.