Correctional Theory

“The text is an incredible composite of the literature that has shaped correctional practice. The authors have a great capacity for making research interesting and accessible.  Cullen and Jonson have accomplished their goal of motivating readers to become sophisticated consumers of correctional knowledge.”

—Betsy Matthews, Eastern Kentucky University

The Second Edition of Correctional Theory: Context and Consequences continues to identify and evaluate the major competing theories used to guide the goals, policies, and practices of the correctional system. Authors Francis T. Cullen and Cheryl Lero Jonson demonstrate that changes in theories can legitimize new ways of treating and punishing offenders, and they help readers understand how transformations in the social and political context of U.S. society impact correctional theory and policy. Designed to motivate readers to become sophisticated consumers of correctional information, the book emphasizes the importance of using evidence-based information to guide decisions, rather than relying on nonscientific commonsense or ideology-based beliefs.