Readers of this chapter will be able to:

1. Understand how individual values influence gun control policies
2. Define what is meant by the crime rate, how it is determined, and the factors that influence the perception of the crime rate
3. Understand the role of history, politics, and the courts in crime and public policy
4. Appreciate the multitude of actors involved in the criminal justice system
5. Describe how laws such as “three strikes” have contributed to mass incarceration
6. Discuss how mass incarceration, capital punishment, race of the individual, treatment of juveniles, and relationships between police and communities continue to be issues in criminal justice policy