40-year experience and investigation of the criminal justice system to find a solution to the nation's crime problem. Authors criminal justice education and skills span 40 years beginning in college and concluding in the present, with a compelling, urgent call for action. Building a persuasive case, the author's journey includes his extensive criminal justice career, beginning in college studying criminology during the Carter administration. In 1976 he turned in his "Crime Problem" thesis detailing what was wrong what needed to be fixed. He then went work in almost all aspects of in the criminal justice field for 40 years. Including as a Deputy Sheriff, Police Officer, Detective, Police Captain, Attorney, city attorney, elected county attorney, and appointed state assistant attorney general. Each new position and experience afforded ample opportunity for him to witness what was wrong and what needed change. The author soon learned as a Law enforcement officer, and I had a little effect or influence on the overall process. Often the first point of contact for the criminal justice system, the first point of contact for a citizen and at the bottom of a very long chain of command - the first cog in a gigantic wheel in the criminal justice system. "As I progressed through various titles, positions, and occupations in my criminal justice career, I realized that I was serving as a tiny cog in the criminal justice wheel. As a County Attorney, I could only implement and change things in my own County, and I wasn't in charge of the whole County. I was but one elected official in the county. Each official had its jurisdiction. I could recommend to the sheriff, or the County Court, or the District judge, but they were free to exercise their judgment. They were separately elected officials. Some times, I was effective in convincing, and sometimes, I wasn't. As the Managing Assistant Attorney General, I had a large area of responsibility. However, I was working for an elected official as his appointed representative for one region of a large state. As a mid-level manager, I had Layers of responsibility and chain of command above and below me. I didn't make policy, or vision, or mission, but I implemented and followed these directives in one area of the law. I was now a cog in a giant wheel. Managing an Office, the author witnessed the societal decline in social responsibility. Children being born out of wedlock caseloads increasing exponentially." The limited tools available to us were encouraging financial responsibility by increasingly absent parents, I by seeking orders to support their children.""Looking at my legal career retrospectively, I see it beginning with a tiny geographical location with some influence on criminal procedure. Then, to a large area of responsibility, with little influence on the process." This book will convince you. It is time for action. Grassroots action. Legislative action. Leadership action. Leadership from the top-down and bottom-up. The author reveals to you the course of action we should all be following. What works, and what doesn't, and what is on the horizon. The author concludes with a 6 point action plan for any affective leader in reforming of the entire criminal justice system!
