Introduction to Special Issue: Misdemeanor Justice Project—A Focus on Criminal Justice System Responses to Lower Level Offenses

• Author: Jeremy Travis,Preeti Chauhan
• DOI: 10.1177/0887403418766622
• Date: 01 July 2018
• Published date: 01 July 2018
• Subject Matter: Introduction

https://doi.org/10.1177/0887403418766622

Criminal Justice Policy Review

2018, Vol. 29(6-7) 527 –535

© The Author(s) 2018

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DOI: 10.1177/0887403418766622

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Introduction

Introduction to Special

Issue: Misdemeanor Justice

Project—A Focus on Criminal

Justice System Responses to

Lower Level Offenses

Preeti Chauhan1 and Jeremy Travis2

Abstract

To date, the enforcement of lower level offenses and the criminal justice system’s

response to these enforcement actions has received little scholarly attention.

To address this gap in scientific research, the Misdemeanor Justice Project (MJP)

commissioned nine scholarly papers focused on criminal justice responses to lower

level offenses. Each of the papers in this volume is guided by one of four overarching

themes, including officer discretion; the impact of lower level enforcement on

individuals, communities, and institutions; pretrial detention and diversion; and court

processing and legal representation. As a collection, these papers serve as a launching

pad for the development of a body of research in a critical and opaque area of our

criminal justice system as well as highlight areas for future research.

Keywords

criminal justice policy, courts, police discretion, research and policy

The Misdemeanor Justice Project (MJP) is thrilled to work in collaboration with

Criminal Justice Policy Review to release this special issue focused on criminal justice

system responses to lower level offenses. Until recently, the majority of scholarly

work and policy focus in criminal justice has been on serious crimes and felony arrests.

1John Jay College of Criminal Justice, New York, NY, USA

2Laura and John Arnold Foundation, New York, NY, USA

Corresponding Author:

Preeti Chauhan, Associate Professor, Psychology Department, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, 524

West 59th Street, 10th Floor, New York, NY 10019, USA.

Email: pchauhan@jjay.cuny.edu

766622CJPXXX10.1177/0887403418766622Criminal Justice Policy ReviewChauhan and Travis

research-article2018