Economic Sanctions in Criminal Justice

Economic sanctions are court-imposed financial obligations aimed at punishing offenders (fines), funding the government (costs/fees, forfeitures), and compensating victims (restitution). These sanctions have been at the forefront of criminal justice reform in the past few years, and major legal and policy developments concerning such sanctions are under way across the country.Economic Sanctions in Criminal Justice provides an in-depth overview on how economic sanctions are currently being used in the United States to address the multiple goals of criminal sentencing. Featuring 15 empirical studies conducted in Pennsylvania by author R. Barry Ruback, the book investigates the societal, legal, and psychological impacts of economic sanctions in sentencing and corrections, including punishment, reintegration into the community, and the treatment of crimevictims. The book analyzes judges' and probation officers' decision-making when imposing and monitoring economic sanctions, and it examines how paying these financial obligations relates to offenders' recidivism. These analyses are tied to the issues of poverty and its intersection with race, including thedisproportionate burden of sanctions placed on minority groups. Ending with opportunities for future research and alternatives to monetary sanctions, Economic Sanctions in Criminal Justice is a go-to resource for researchers and professionals in the fields of legal psychology, criminal justice, and law advocating for what is fair and effective for victims, offenders, and society.

Dr. Ruback's authoritative volume is a must-read for scholars and policy-makers interested in shaping behavior through economic sanctions. Impressively, Dr. Ruback's book summarizes and integrates 20 years of interdisciplinary empirical research on economic sanctions by his and others' research teams to develop cogent and practical policy recommendations."-Brian Cutler, Professor, Ontario Tech University, Professor Ruback has been the leading expert on economic sanctions in the U.S. for decades. This book is an essential resource for anyone worried about the financial penalties that are stacked on to people who get caught up in American criminal justice systems. Many are driven more deeply into poverty, which cannot be good for their successful reintegration into society."-Kevin R. Reitz, James Annenberg La Vea Professor of Law, University of Minnesota, A wide-ranging study of the ethical, criminological, legal and policy implications of economic sanctions in US criminal justice. By combining this analysis with extensive empirical research into all phases of the imposition of money sanctions, Ruback provides an invaluable addition to the rapidly growing criminological literature on fines, restitution and related penalties in the criminal justice system."- Pat O'Malley, PhD, FASSA, Distinguished Honorary Professor, School of Sociology, Research School of Social Sciences, Australian National University

R. Barry Ruback, JD, PhD, is Professor of Criminology and Sociology at Penn State University.