Product Description
FOR USE IN SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES ONLY. When Conover's request to shadow a recruit at the New York State Corrections Officer Acadamy was denied, he decided to apply for a job as a prison officer. So begins his odyssey at Sing Sing, once a model prison but now the state's most troubled maximum-security facility.Amazon.com Review
Most people know it's easier to get into prison than it is to get out. But for a journalist, just getting into Sing Sing, New York's notorious maximum-security prison, isn't easy. In fact, Ted Conover was so stymied by official channels that he took the only way in--other than crime--and became a New York State corrections officer: "I wanted to hear the voices one truly never hears, the voices of guards--those on the front lines of our prison policies, the society's proxies." Newjack is Conover's account of nearly a year at ground zero of the criminal justice system. What it reveals is a mix of the obvious and the absurd, with hypocrisies not unexpected considering that the land of the free shares with Russia the distinction of having the world's largest prison population. As of December 1999, it was projected that the number of people incarcerated in the United States would reach 2 million in 2000.

This is the world Conover enters when he, along with other new recruits, undergoes seven weeks of pseudomilitary preparation at the Albany Training Academy. Then it's off to Sing Sing for the daily grind of prison life. Conover correctly and vividly captures the essence of that life, its tedium interspersed with the adrenaline rush of an "incident" and the edge of fear that accompanies every action. He also details how the guards experience their own feelings of confinement, often at the hands of the inmates:

A consequence of putting men in cells and controlling their movements is that they can do almost nothing for themselves. For their various needs they are dependent on one person, their gallery officer. Instead of feeling like a big, tough guard, the gallery officer at the end of the day often feels like a waiter serving a hundred tables or like the mother of a nightmarishly large brood of sullen, dangerous, and demanding children. When grown men are infantilized, most don't take to it too nicely.

Customer Reviews (115)

wow
A real look at life inside. This is a great book, it had me from the get go and I couldn't put it down.

This book held my interest end to end! Great book.
This book gave GREAT insight into the prison system at least in Sing Sing. I found it fascinating.

Good book overall
I'm about half way through the book now. I have to say that I enjoy the insider look into the prison.. although so far I can't say anything has been particularly surprising. As such, I don't feel I have really learned all that much yet. Nevertheless, Conover's writing style is informal and inviting, making this an easy and interesting read.

fascinating!
An in-depth examination inside the prison world from the viewpoint of a corrections officer, no holds barred. Fascinating account that is very well written. The author's pace in answering all the question one would have about the prison system has a natural flow that is not predictable. Loved that the author included an epilogue - who wouldn't be curious as to the reception of the book.

The Real Deal
It's exceedingly refreshing to come across Ted Conover, who is clearly the real deal as an investigative journalist. This is a very good read, that bogs down only periodically as Conover describes the boot camp training aspects of becoming a guard at Sing Sing. Once there, though, his profiles of various prisoners and correction officers is spot on, and fascinating. The only omission, from my view, is that he doesn't give us any information on the aftermath----what happened once other guards and prisoners saw the book and recognized that he had been playing mole all along.

That's but a small criticism, though.I'll certainly be reading Conover's other work.He compares favorably with William Langewiesch (American Ground) and Dexter Filkins (The Forever War) as an investigative journalist. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Horrifying
Although the book focuses primarily on one particular case- to the point of becoming annoying- the rest of it is full of useful info. Every teacher should read this book.

Interesting but Dry.
I just finished this book a few days ago. I gave it a few days to sink in. I find it interesting, and full of some important details. It is mostly based on Kip Kinkel and his story, and has a number of interesting details. But, I am afraid that it doesn't understand the main point. In fact, the author argues with the main lesson of Columbine and most other school shootings. The author sates that bullying might be a cause, and then he dismisses it on his own as being too trivial a reason to kill.

At Columbine, bullying was the reason. Bullying, teasing, and the resulting hyper-vigilant state that resulted were the reasons for the killing.
This book delves into many other valid reasons, but, in the opinion of this reader, it missed the main cause.
The killers are angry enough at being humiliated that they will consider killing. They will consider it, think about it, and dream about it.

I did like the effort the author put into the research. He has covered many school shootings. It is now up to the reader to decipher the actual reasons from all of the examples.
And, how sad that there are so many examples.
Randy Brown
A Columbine Parent.

Authoritative and insightful
Kudos to Mr. Lieberman, An authoritative and insightful examination of a most disturbing phenomenon permeating modern society across the globe. Well researched and well documented, this work casts a light into the dark corners of this disturbing subject. It lends credibility to the theory that youth in this electronic age do in fact become desensitized to violence from exposure to the over the top mayhem put forth today in film and first person shoot 'em up video games. My own children have graduated and moved forward in their lives and I now have grandchildren whose future lies in this Bizzaro world. Mr Lieberman's work is scholarly and in no part sensationalized for the sake of selling books. I wish that I had had this understanding and knowledge at my disposal when my youngest son was caught up in a post Columbine knee jerk reaction percipitated by a frenetic gaggle of teachers and administrators. Between these covers lies both knowledge and understanding. Parents,grandparents,educators and administrators will all benefit from this compelling volume

Lieberman's, "School Shootings," is on target
Not only is Lieberman's historical research on the subject of School Shootings, thorough and meticulous, his book reaches higher. Lieberman's theories, deductions and analysis have an inescapable ring of truth.

It's a matter of perception for which the author is blessed.
Even a cursory, uncritical reading will convince you cultural currents, i.e. electronic games and TV which Lieberman will demonstrate, are programming the minds of our children.

Besides, School Shootings is a delight to read.

Frank

The most comprehensive review of school shootings
Joseph Lieberman's analysis of school shootings is the most comprehensive work on the topic. His work ranges from the 19th century to the present, from rampage shootings to school invasions. He comes to his analysis through his study of one of the most bizarre school shootings in the history of this country, Kip Kinkel's rampage shooting of his school in 1998 after killing his mother and father for the ostensible reason that they would be embarrassed and humiliated by his actions. The Springfield, Oregon rampage shooting is explored in the greatest detail; however other shootings are also analyzed, including those at Moses Lake, Washington, Pearl, Mississippi, Jonesboro, Arkansas, Columbine, Virginia Tech, and Northern Illinois University. In each case, he focuses attention on important characteristics that even an expert in the field might not have known. In addition, he investigates school invasions such as the West Nickel Mines invasion in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. He examines these heart-rending phenomena with compassion and understanding.

Lieberman asks important questions about why such events occur. He looks at parenting, media, psychopathology, legal aspects, and the role of the police. He also explores the devastating aftermath of such violent events. Victims are physically and psychologically scarred for life.

I recommend this book for anybody who wants to further their understanding of school related violence. The book contains a great deal of information to digest. Because of the topic, it is not an easy read; however, Lieberman writes clearly and concisely. ... Read more

Product Description
What causes young people to offend? What influence do schools have on young peoples' offending behaviour in relation to other possible causal factors? These critical criminological and educational questions are addressed in "Schools and the Problem of Crime". The book examines the causes of offending in the school context among 3,103, male and female, Year 10 pupils (age 14-15), in twenty state schools in Cardiff. The findings of one of the largest empirical studies of its kind in the UK are used to examine the role of schools, family background, neighbourhood, young peoples' social situation and dispositions, and lifestyles on pupils' offending behaviour. Critically, the interplay and relationships between these causal factors are disentangled in gaining a greater understanding as to why young people offend in the school context and why young people do not, as well as examining why some schools experience higher offending rates than others. The book employs an integrative analytical approach which is theoretically led.Through gaining an understanding of the factors that cause young people to offend it is envisaged that future crime prevention strategies can be better informed and targeted. ... Read more

Product Description
Payne focuses on the impact of social organization on school disorder.Communal school organization includes supportive relationships among school members, collaboration and participation of these members, and common norms and goals held by the members.This school organization influences student attachment and commitment to the school which, in turn, affects the level of disorder in the school.In addition, she explores the interaction between communal school organization and the size and racial composition of a school finding that communal school organization matters more for schools which are more racially diverse.Her conclusions include the work’s implications for the prevention of delinquency. ... Read more

Product Description
Millions of dollars are spent each year improving school security, but little has been done to assess the influence of these strategies on school violence or student fear. Phaneuf examined the influence of school security practices on student fear, student bonding, and school climate in a sample of secondary schools. Her results indicated that the use of security practices in schools did not influence levels of student fear or bonding. Several school- and community-level variables were better predictors of student fear and bonding than was the use of school security strategies. Among these variables were community poverty and disorganization, the percentage of black teachers, school auspices (public, private, Catholic), community gang problems, and student enrollment. ... Read more

Product Description
This well-respected text has been significantly revised throughout for the second edition. Richard Lawrence has added a new chapter on the juvenile justice system early in the book, and has updated the material to link school crime to a broader perspective within the juvenile justice system. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

great book
this is a must read for anyone wanting insights into JD and school crime. THe reading is light, Facts presented in succinct user friendly way. ... Read more

Product Description
Understanding delinquency and reasons why young adolescents disengage in education and later drop out of school has continually puzzled practitioners and theoreticians. While there have been works that have focused on delinquency and disengagement in education, the role that the family plays on reducing delinquency has generally remained unknown. Theoretical concepts that explain the propensities toward delinquent behavior and disengagement in education are discussed comprehensively in this unique book. "Adopted and cited in the 104th Congress, 2nd Session / Senate Document 104-20, Page 13, "National Debate Topic for High Schools, 1996-97", (Pursuant to 44 United States Code, Section 1333). ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A must for teachers, reseachers, and parents.
In this book, Drennon-Gala emphasizes the role of the family in reducing delinquency and educational disengagement. He goes beyond the emotional overtone to address what research actually reveals--in fact, he develops a new instrument during the process. For many psychologists who ponder about academic disengagement of students and special educators who wonder about labels, this book provides a serious dimension to the discourse.

The "blame game" has continued to intrude in the education of children and youth. Shamelessly, the parents blame the schools, and the schools blame the parents. By doing so, more "victims" are created in schools and communities. Drennon-Gala believes "the home may no longer, because of the two parent working household, be the place for the early adolescent to receive the social support." He argues that "intervention programs to address a newly defined 'at-risk' group would be as important to the school as are the teachers that fill the schools." He concludes that an "interaction between early adolescents and the significant adults at school and in the home" is needed to reduce or eliminate socially inappropriate behaviors at all levels.

I recommend this book for the "neophyte" and "experienced" research-scholars and teacher-scholars. This book is a great resource material for both pre service and in-service preparations of teachers. Dedicated parents, teachers, and community leaders can no longer feel helpless--it is time they started believing their efforts can amount to something, i.e., reducing dropout rates and increasing academic engagement. To a larger extent, this book affirms the old African proverb that is now popular in America's political discourse, i.e., IT TAKES A WHOLE VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD.

Proof of the impact of parental and teacher social support.
The author shows that criminologists no longer can afford to overlook the causal importance of social support in the problem behavior of youths.His insightful analysis reveals that support from significant adults--parents, teachers--does much to insulate adolescents against the disquieting tangle of school disengagement and delinquent involvement. ... Read more

Product Description
Provides the outcome of the National Research Council's unique effort to glean lessons from six case studies of lethal student violence. These are powerful stories of parents and teachers and troubled youths, presenting the tragic complexity of the young shooter's social and personal circumstances in rich detail. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Best Source for Researching Rampage School Shootings
I'm working on my doctoral project (kind of like a discertation) to finish up my doctorate in psychology.My project is of course about rampage school shootings and I'm currently working on the literature review.Deadly Lessons is by far the best source for researching rampage school shootings because four chapters are about descriptive case studies of four shootings, which constute the most empirically-based information you can find about these types of attacks. ... Read more

Product Description
Coon s work answers questions about how some schools have chosen to address school safety through the use of security products. Using data from a national sample of U.S. public schools, the book examines the use of cameras, metal detectors, x-ray devices, and alarms in schools. Coon also considers whether security technology use in schools is consistent with previous research about the use of such products or theories about the adoption of innovation among organizations. Finally, she examines different goals of security technology based on whether the products are directed toward keeping unauthorized people out of the school or aimed at monitoring student behavior. Coon concludes that school and neighborhood characteristics are generally better predictors of technology adoption than levels of school crime and disorder. ... Read more

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"It was hard in the beginning; I didn't think I was going to like it."–student

"This ain't even a real school, man. This is for discipline."–student

"I want to go to college and become a paramedic."–student

"Know what you learn in this program? You learn to suck up."–student

"The school district would not like what I'm doing here, but I think these kids need it."–history teacher

"This is my real ministry."–community liaison

These are only some of the voices in Law and Order and School, Shira Birnbaum's riveting study of an education and rehabilitation program for troubled teenagers in a Southern city. Locally acclaimed as one of the better programs of its kind in the region, "Academy" exemplifies a new kind of institution, providing transitional school services under contract with both educational and juvenile justice agencies.

Birnbaum's narrative focuses on curriculum, teaching, behavior management, and the social organization and culture of the program, offering a close-up view of the everyday classroom interactions that frame student achievement and, ultimately, program outcomes. What do students learn? What do teachers teach? What educational and rehabilitative goals are embedded in official and unofficial policy? What processes inside and outside the building help or hinder the attainment of those goals?

As educational and justice agencies look increasingly to private subcontractors to deliver an array of services and growing numbers of young people are channeled into non-traditional educational settings and correctional institutions, it is imperative that educators and the general public understand how these institutions work and what problems their students and staffs encounter. This on-the-ground examination of education within the juvenile justice system will open your eyes to how we educate some of our neediest children. ... Read more