Crime And Punishment: A Primer

Though the U.S. crime rate has been on a steady decline since the early 1990s, some caution that tough economic times could drive crime rates back up.

Lately, several high-profile white collar capers have captured the national attention, reigniting the conversation about appropriate punishment for non-violent, but egregious offenses.

As News & Notes kicks off a month-long series on crime, Farai Chideya gets a primer on crime and punishment from Franklin Zimring, a law professor at the University of California, Berkeley.

He's the author of The Great American Crime Decline. [Mark Godsey]

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