The Perils Of Federalism The Perils Of Federalism: Race, Poverty, And The Politics Of Crime Control Race, Poverty, And The Politics Of Crime Control

Much of the existing research on race and crime focuses on the manipulation of crime by political elites or the racially biased nature of crime policy. In contrast, Lisa L. Miller here specifically focuses on political and socio-legal institutions and actors that drive these developments and their relationship to the politics of race and poverty; in particular, the degree to which citizens at most risk of victimization--primarily racial minorities and the poor--play a role in the development of political responses to crime and violence. Miller begins her study by providing a detailed analysis of the narrow and often parochial nature of national and state crime politics, drawing a sharp contrast to the active and intense local political mobilization on crime by racial minorities and the urban poor. In doing so, The Perils of Federalism illustrates the ways in which the structure of U.S. federalism has contributed to the absence of black and poor victims of violence from national policy responses to crime and how highly organized but narrowly focused interest groups, such as the National Rifle Association, have a disproportionate influence in crime politics. Moreover, it illustrates how the absence of these groups from the policy process at other levels promotes policy frames that are highly skewed in favor of police, prosecutors, and narrow citizen interests, whose policy preferences often converge on increasing punishments for offenders. Ultimately, The Perils of Federalism challenges the conventional wisdom about the advantages of federalization and explains the key disadvantages that local communities face in trying to change policy.

In the past dozen years, a number of American cities plagued by gun violence have tried to enact local laws to stem gun-related crime. Yet policymakers at the state and federal levels have very frequently stymied their efforts. This is not an atypical phenomenon. In fact, for a whole range of pressing social problems, state and federal policymakers ignore the demands of local communities that suffer from such ills the most. Lisa L. Miller asks, how does America's multi-tiered political system shape crime policy in ways that empower the higher levels of government yet demobilize and disempower local communities? After all, crime has a disproportionate impact on poor and minority communities, which typically connect crime and violence to broader social and economic inequities at the local level. As The Perils of Federalism powerfully demonstrates, though, the real control to set policy lies with the state and federal governments, and at these levels single-issue advocates—gun rights groups as well as prison, prosecutorial and law enforcement agencies—are able to shape policy over the heads of the people most affected by the issue.

There is a tragic irony in this. The conventional wisdom that emerged from the Civil Rights era was that the higher levels of government—and the federal level in particular—best served the disadvantaged, while localities were most likely to ignore the social problems resulting from racial and economic inequality. Crime policy, Miller argues, teaches us an opposite lesson: as policy control migrates to higher levels, the priorities of low-income minority communities are ignored, the realities of racial and economic inequality are marginalized, and citizens lose their voices. Taking readers from the streets of Philadelphia to the halls of Congress, she details how and why our system operates in the way that it does. Ultimately, the book not only challenges what we think about the advantages of relying of federal power for sensible and fair solutions to longstanding social problems. It also highlights the deep disconnect between the structure of the American political system and the ideals of democratic accountability.

"Lisa L. Miller asks, how does America's multi-tiered political system shape crime policy in ways that empower the higher levels of government yet demobilize and disempower local communities? After all, crime has a disproportionate impact on poor and minority communities, which typically connect crime and violence to broader social and economic inequities at the local level. As The Perils of Federalism powerfully demonstrates, though, the real control to set policy lies with the state and federal governments, and at these levels single-issue advocates - gun rights groups as well as prison, prosecutorial, and law enforcement agencies - are able to shape policy over the heads of the people most affected by the issue." "Taking readers from the streets of Philadelphia to the halls of Congress, she details how and why our system operates in the way that it does. Ultimately, the book not only challenges what we think about the advantages of relying on federal power for sensible and fair solutions to longstanding social problems. It also highlights the deep disconnect between the structure of the American political system and the ideals of democratic accountability."--BOOK JACKET Contents......Page 10 Abbreviations of Group Names......Page 11 1. Interests, Venues, and Group Participation......Page 14 2. A Political History of Crime on the Congressional Agenda......Page 39 3. Contemporary Crime Politics in Congress......Page 60 4. Interest Groups and Crime Politics at the State Level......Page 96 5. Crime, Law, and Group Politics in Two Urban Locales......Page 131 6. Citizenship through Participation......Page 158 7. Democratic Accountability and Social Control......Page 178 Appendix 1: Congressional Hearings Data......Page 200 Appendix 2: Pennsylvania Legislative Hearings and Interview Data......Page 204 Appendix 3: Philadelphia and Pittsburgh Legislative Hearings and Interview Data......Page 208 Notes......Page 212 Works Cited......Page 240 B......Page 256 C......Page 257 E......Page 258 H......Page 259 L......Page 260 N......Page 261 P......Page 262 U......Page 264 Z......Page 265 Much of the existing research on race and crime focuses on the manipulation of crime by political elites or the racially biased nature of crime policy. However, Miller's study zeroes in on the political and socio-legal institutions and actors that drive these developments and their relationship to the politics of race and poverty Interests, venues and group participation A political history of crime on the congressional agenda Crime politics in Congress Interest groups and crime politics in the state Crime, law and group politics in two urban locales Citizenship through participation Democratic accountability and social control.