The politics of imprisonment [electronic resource] : how the democratic process shapes the way America punishes offenders / Vanessa Barker. Barker, Vanessa. Criminal justice, Administration of United States States. Criminals United States States. Imprisonment United States States. Equality United States States. Discrimination in criminal justice administration United States States. HV9950 .B357 2009 365.973 22 Includes bibliographical references and index. Description based on print version record. 'The Politics of Imprisonment' examines how the democratic process and social trust shape penal sanctioning in the United States. Drawing on a range of archival sources, Barker shows that higher levels of civic engagement tend to support milder punishments whereas lower levels tend to support more coercive criminal justice policies. New York ; Oxford : Oxford University Press, c2009. c2009. 2009 Text 1 online resource (256 p.) : http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195370027.001.0001 eng Studies in crime and public policy Studies in crime and public policy. United States United States United States United States United States States.