Professor’s book on 'addiction to incarceration' earns honors

"Addicted to Incarceration: Corrections Policy and the Politics of Misinformation in the United States," a book by Travis Pratt, associate professor in ASU's School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, has been chosen by the American Library Association as an "Outstanding Academic Title" of 2009.

The book was selected by editors of the American Library Association's Choice magazine as one of the most significant academic works reviewed last year. Appearing annually in the January issue, this prestigious list of publications attracts attention from the academic library community.

Pratt's book explores the consequences of what he terms America's "addiction to incarceration," highlighting the scope of the problem, the nature of the political discussions surrounding criminal justice policy, and the social costs of incarceration.

"He ranks among the very elite in our field, right at the top of all scholars working on the problems of crime and criminal justice across the social sciences," said Scott Decker, director of ASU's School of Criminology and Criminal Justice. "His book's recognition as an 'Outstanding Academic Title' from a publication as prestigious as Choice is further evidence of that assessment."