Animals and Criminal Justice

by Carmen M. Cusack

Mahatma Gandhi said, "The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated." Since civil societies are ruled by law, they can be evaluated, both figuratively and literally, by how animals are treated in the criminal justice system. This book depicts animals' roles within society and the laws that govern how humans treat them. Carmen M. Cusack focuses on current issues in human-animal relationships and how these are affected by the criminal justice system. Her analysis, while objective, is rooted in first-hand activist, professional, legal, and criminal justice experience. She presents a comprehensive overview of the place of animals and the law, including pets in prison, K-9 units, constitutional rights, animal sacrifice, wild animals, entertainment, domestic violence, rehabilitation, history, and religion. She includes information about law, behavioural and social science, systemic responses and procedure, anecdotal evidence, current events, and theoretical considerations. Animals and Criminal Justice is a useful handbook and a thorough textbook, as well as a practical guide to animals' relationships with the criminal justice system. Professionals, including police, child protective services, judges, animal control officers, and corrections staff, as well as scholars in the fields of criminal justice and criminology will find this book invaluable.

254 pages, Hardcover

First published July 31, 2015

About the author

Carmen M. Cusack, J.D., Ph.D. is a criminal justice instructor and an editor of the Journal of Law and Social Deviance.

Reviews

[J Earl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Animals and Criminal Justice by Carmen M. Cusack is a very informative book that touches on many of the intersections between animals and the criminal justice system as a whole. This includes definitions of terms, legislation, animals as used in and as the target of crime fighting and many of the more subtle but legally important aspects of the topic.

While the book is easily accessible to the lay reader it can often seem dry. This is partly the nature of writing about anything where it intersects with legal systems, and there is absolutely a plural here. In the US we have national, state and local laws as well as different approaches within each of those levels. Cusack does a fine job of trying to be as exhaustive as possible in an area that is always changing.

This should appeal to anyone interested in animal welfare, criminal justice and all of the myriad ways these can come together. While I enjoyed reading the book as a whole I believe its larger value is as a quick reference for those who periodically need an idea of what the law says about a particular aspect of the topic. I also think this would be a valuable writer's aid for any fiction writers who might want to portray any animals in their stories interacting with the criminal justice system.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via Edelweiss.

[Susan Johnston · Rating 4 out of 5]

Princess Fuzzypants here:
Who is better than a cat to review a book about animals and the justice system.
So often we read about some atrocity or another that an evil human has purrpetrated upon one of us. It is doubly upsetting when said human is proud of his or her "accomplishment".
We have come far in recognizing that animals have feelings and suffer and feel pain. There are examples in ancient history where an enlightened society or human gave us the respect we deserve. But we still have a long way to go.
This book is a balanced look at the issues at hand (or paw) and addresses them fairly. I may not agree with all the opinions expressed. However, I do appreciate the position of the author.
If you are looking for a scintillating book with lots of anecdotes, this is not your book. If, however, you are looking for a scholarly review, it would be very worth your while.
Five purrs and two paws up.