The Toughest Beat: Politics, Punishment, and the Prison Officers Union in California

by Joshua Page

In America today, one in every hundred adults is behind bars. As our prison population has exploded, 'law and order' interest groups have also grown -- in numbers and political clout. In The Toughest Beat , Joshua Page argues in crisp, vivid prose that the Golden State's prison boom fueled the rise of one of the most politically potent and feared interest groups in the the California Correctional Peace Officers Association (CCPOA). As it made great strides for its members, the prison officers' union also fundamentally altered the composition and orientation of the penal field. The Toughest Beat is essential reading for anyone concerned with contemporary crime and punishment, interest group politics, and public sector labor unions.

Genres: Nonfiction, History

312 pages, Hardcover

First published January 25, 2011

Reviews

[Gina · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book reads a bit too much like a doctoral thesis, but it is fascinating nonetheless. For anyone interested in politics and public policy, this is a must read.