APS 223: Sociology of Canadian Society

As citizens we are confronted everyday with violence, exposed to images of violence through various forms of media, and charged with dealing with violent behavior through our systems of laws and social control. This book is a critical examination of the violence within Canadian society. The chapters cover a wide range of topics including social, legal, and policy implications for our nation.

Many people consider Canada, particularly in comparison to its southern cousin, as a "peaceable kingdom. However, as the historical record demonstrates, Canadians have never been a thoroughly non-violent people. Violence in Canada highlights from an interdisciplinary perspective the major areas and contexts where violence takes place. Consisting of thirteen contributions, the book forms an indispensable guide to the subject.

Using the most current data available, her research reveals how we can better assess the effectiveness of crime control policies, as well as our own responses to crime, while promoting democratic values such as equity and accountability.

The original essays in Crimes of Colour explore the link between "race" and "crime" in the Canadian context. Much of the literature on race and crime to date has treated the category of "race" unproblematically; debate on this topic has focused primarily on the assumption that members of certain racial groups are most likely to commit crimes. In charting a different path, the authors in this collection provide critical and historical analyses of the connections between processes of "racialization" and "criminalization" in Canada.

Michael Weinrath offers an unprecedented look at how inmates and officers perceive themselves, their relationships with others, and new developments and ongoing issues in prisons, including behavioural programs, boundary violations by officers, female officers in male prisons, and the rise of prison gangs. Although progress has been made, prisons continue to be plagued by problems that prevent inmates from forging positive relationships among themselves and with correctional officers."-- Provided by publisher.