Book Review: Denning, P., Little, J., & Glickman, A. (2004). Over the Influence: The Harm Reduction Guide for Managing Drugs and Alcohol. New York: Guilford. 328 pp

• DOI: 10.1177/0734016807304872
• Published date: 01 September 2007
• Date: 01 September 2007
• Author: Robert D. Hanser
• Subject Matter: Articles

298
Criminal Justice Review
to be innocent of the crime. Other considerations that would favor abolition of the death
penalty—and that are supported in Haney’s book—include the fact that, according to the avail-
able evidence, the death penalty has no deterrent effect (beyond life imprisonment) on the inci-
dence of capital crimes and that, as suggested by some studies cited by Haney (p. 250, note 36)
an increase in the rate of executions tends to lead to an increase in the rate of homicides; that
the higher courts often refuse to invalidate jury decisions in favor of capital punishment in
cases where mitigating factors have not been presented or have not been presented adequately,
as long as certain formal requirements have been met; and that—whether deliberately or not—
the present system is significantly biased against African Americans.
In the event that the death penalty is eliminated, issues pertaining to appropriateness of
a sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole would still remain, but this
is a problem beyond the scope of this review.
Jacob Goldstein
Independent Scholar
Denning, P., Little, J., & Glickman, A. (2004).
Over the Influence: The Harm Reduction Guide for
Managing Drugs and Alcohol. New York: Guilford. 328 pp.
DOI: 10.1177/0734016807304872
Denning, Little, and Glickman set out to provide an alternate method of drug and alcohol
treatment that resolves many of the deficiencies that exist in current programs. In particular,
these authors provide an alternate approach from the disease model of addiction treatment
that is frequently used. Their alternate method of treatment is based on what is commonly
referred to within the treatment literature as a harm reduction approach. These authors
demonstrate the utility of such an approach and also show how this can resolve many of the
pitfalls associated with more commonly accepted modalities of treatment. In addition, it is
noted that clients seldom suffer from an addiction without also having...