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In this comprehensive and objective reference to America's criminal past, the author offers 2000 A-to-Z entires covering significant crimes, criminals and law enforcement figures and techniques. Entries are chosen based on their symbolic or historical relevance and consist of biographies, definitions and detailed accounts of criminal activities. The second edition features new and updated entries on such figures, topics and events as the Oklahoma City bombing; Lee Harvey Oswald; bank robberies; serial killers, such as Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer and Andrew Cunanan, as well as female serial killers; the O.J. Simpson case; the World Trade Centre bombing; the Unabomber/Theodore Kaczynski; the Hillside Stranglers; Jean Harris and the Scarsdale Diet Doctor; the Sunset Slayer; the treatment of sex criminals; white collar criminals, such as Charles Keating and Michael Milken; and wrongful convictions.

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From the Introduction: The history of crime in America is quite simply the history of America--Carl Sifakis Why are the annals of crime worth studying? Author Carl Sifakis suggests that crimes and the people who perpetrate them--the killers, thieves, madams, prostitutes, crooked officers and judges, political bosses, gangsters, and even the victims involved--reflect the society we have created. In this comprehensive and objective reference to America's criminal past, he offers 2,000 A-to-Z entries covering significant crimes, criminals, and law enforcement figures and techniques. Entries are chosen based on their symbolic or historical relevance and consist of biographies, definitions, and detailed accounts of criminal activities. Among the topics covered are: Bank robberies Criminal firsts, including the Vikings' early depredations in the New World and the case of John Billington, the first convicted murderer in the Plymouth colony Jean Harris and the Scarsdale Diet doctor The Hillside Stranglers Lawmen and folk hero bandits of the Old West Major crime issues of the new millennium, including the use of DNA and other methods to prevent permanent miscarriages of justice The 1993 World Trade Center bombing The O.J. Simpson case The Oklahoma City bombing Organized crime, including its beginning in the Prohibition era, bootleg king Al Capone, and present-day figures such as John Gotti and Vincent Gigante Lee Harvey Oswald Profiles of colorful, brilliant, and sometimes devious prosecutors and defense attorneys Public enemies of the 1930s, including John Dillinger, Clyde Barrow, and Bonnie Parker Serial killers such as Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer, and Andrew Cunanan The Sunset Slayer The treatment of sex criminals The Unabomber/Theodore Kaczynski Urban crime, including New York City at the end of the 18th century and the crime rates in our cities today White-collar criminals, such as Charles H. Keating, Jr., and Michael Milken Wrongful convictions. Excerpted from The Encyclopedia of American Crime by Carl Sifakis All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.

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Library Journal Review

Freelance writer Sifakis (The Encyclopedia of Gambling; The Mafia Encyclopedia) has updated his fascinating reference work on crimes, criminals, lawyers, and lawmen. Arranged alphabetically and containing 182 photos and illustrations, the book has 2000 well-written, pithy entries. Crime stops for no one, and this second edition adds coverage of such recent developments as the O.J. Simpson trial, the Jean Harris trial, the Oklahoma City Bombing, female serial killers, and white-collar criminals. The book is exhaustive in scope, encompassing Bluebeard the pirate and turn-of-the-century criminals, as well as Mafia informer "Sammy the Bull" Gravano. The entry on Gravano, for example, conveys in 13 paragraphs the essence of the case against Mafia don John Gotti, as well as details of Gravano's life in the federal protection program. Sifakis has an eye for the telling quote by or about the colorful characters in this book, making for entertaining reading. Recommended for all libraries.DHarry Charles, Attorney at Law, St. Louis (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

School Library Journal Review

Gr 9-Up A welcome update of a standard resource. More than 2000 alphabetically arranged entries chronicle every conceivable manifestation of crime in the U.S. from the Salem witchcraft trials to today's cash-machine rackets. Articles range from a paragraph to more than a page, and most begin with a helpful identifying phrase. The writing is lively and informative, but in most cases assumes some familiarity with the subject. However, many relevant terms, such as bigamy, hoodlum, three-card monte, plea bargaining, and drygulch, have their own entries. The most significant revision is the inclusion of many biographies, on such figures from the last 20 years as the Mayflower Madam, John Gotti, Matthew Shepard, and Charles Keating. Unfortunately, unlike the 1982 edition, there is no indication on the spines as to which letters are covered in which volume. Scattered black-and-white photos and reproductions illustrate the text. A useful set for student reports, answering reference questions, or perusing for insights into the society we have created. Andrew Medlar, Chicago Public Library, IL (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted., Cahners Business Information

CHOICE Review

Adding to the recent explosion in reference literature treating individual criminals and their histories, Sifakis's encyclopedia updates the 1982 edition (CH, Oct'82, reprinted 1992). Its 2,000 alphabetic entries, broad in scope and concisely written, provide an adequate introduction to a wide range of North American historical crimes (chiefly murder but including robbery, election fraud, and poisoning). The time frame begins with the 11th-century massacres by Leif Ericsson's sister Freydis but focuses on events of the 17th to 20th centuries, ending with the killing of Matt Sheppard in 1998. A notable feature is the inclusion of 185 period photographs, posters, newspaper headlines, and other illustrations; a glaring flaw is the absence of a list of further readings at the end of each entry to which readers are explicitly referred from the opening text of the brief bibliography. Outrageously overpriced, this work is a decidedly optional purchase for reference collections holding either Encyclopedia of World Crime, ed. by Jay Robert Nash (CH, Dec'90; supplement, 1999) or Encyclopedia of Women and Crime, ed. by Nicole Hahn Rafter (CH, Mar'01). General readers and undergraduates. R. B. M. Ridinger Northern Illinois University

Notas de autor provistas por Syndetics

Carl Sifakis is a crime reporter & freelance writer. Formerly with UPI & The Buffalo Evening News, he is the author of numerous books & articles, including "The Encyclopedia of Gambling", "Hoaxes & Scams"; "The Encyclopedia of American Crime"; "The Mafia Encyclopedia"; "Crimes & the Rich & Famous"; & "Frauds, Deceptions & Swindles" for Facts on File/Checkmark Books. He lives in Kew Gardens, NY.

(Bowker Author Biography)