Is our food safe? Much of the corn, soybeans, and canola oil we eat has been genetically modified, but we don't know the long-term effects of GM foods on our health and the environment. We also consume antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria through the meat we eat, and we face new threats like mad cow disease, avian flu, and bioterrorism.

"Food Safety: A Reference Handbook, Second Edition" provides a broad, readable, and level-headed overview of these and other food safety controversies. Through a combination of statistics and substantive information, it delineates the nature and...

Fully updated and revised since its initial publication, Nuclear Weapons and Nonproliferation, Second Edition explores all key issues related to the proliferation of nuclear weapons and efforts to curb them, from the U.S. atomic bomb project during World War II to current debates on nuclear terrorism, North Korea's nuclear test, and Iran's enrichment program.

Nuclear Weapons and Nonproliferation, Second Edition clarifies weapons-related policy debates from both U.S. and international perspectives, offering a detailed look at current technologies, arsenals, weapons tests, and...

Should corporations and their employees be held criminally liable for shoddy business practices? This volume explores both sides of the question, discussing the nature and scope of corporate crime, the controversies surrounding it, and the most promising solutions. How do we define corporate crime and how do we detect it? "Corporate Crime" guides readers through the definitions and concepts as well as the difficulties in detecting, prosecuting, and punishing corporate wrongdoing.

How do corporations get away with their crimes? This reference examines both the successes and the failures...

From the Code of Hammurabi (1800 BC) to the present, "Sentencing: A Reference Handbook" follows the historical evolution of the process of criminal punishment, then focuses on the U.S. judicial system to show how American sentencing laws have changed in response to surges of different types of crime, or to other factors such as prison overcrowding.

To help readers understand the complex issue of criminal sentencing, this informative volume describes the major sentencing procedures used in American courts (determinate, indeterminate, guidelines-based, and mandatory), highlighting the...

"Abortion in the United States: A Reference Handbook" offers a balanced, objective look at the ultimate "wedge" issue in American culture. This volume offers a revealing history of abortion politics and policy from the 1800s to "Roe v. Wade" to the present, with clear analyses of disputes such as public funding for abortion, the status of the fetus, contraception, abortion as a "litmus test" for candidates and judicial nominees, and more.

A separate chapter looks at abortion politics throughout the world and places the United States in a global context. Biographies of major players,...

The monumental natural and humanmade disasters of the 20th century, which killed 25 million people in Asia alone, have underscored the need for professional and coordinated disaster response worldwide. This book examines the profession and practice of emergency management in the United States, at the United Nations, and around the globe.

"Emergency Management" explores the history and development of the discipline from the first federal disaster relief proclamation in 1803 to the present day. It also analyzes current debates over when and how emergency resources are best utilized, and...

Except for the Oregon Death with Dignity Act, there are no U.S. laws that allow physicians to assist patients in hastening death. Many who support physician-assisted suicide ask, "Why not?" After all, the Netherlands permits both euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide, and polls suggest that many Americans want that choice available to them.

"Euthanasia: A Reference Handbook, Second Edition" explores that question through a balanced, thoughtful discussion of the legal, medical, and spiritual components of end-of-life questions. What are the potential pitfalls of legalizing assisted...

Fire management involves protecting natural resources from fire but also using controlled burning for land management purposes. Who are the stewards of land management and the researchers who devote their entire careers studying fire? How are ecosystems restored after major fires? What are the economic ramifications and what assessment tools are available?

"Forest Fires: A Reference Handbook" explores the historical, ecological, economic, and social dimensions of wildland combustion and their impacts in North America. Explaining how legislation and public perception have been shaped by...

"Violence in the Media: A Reference Handbook" documents the issues, impact, controversies, and consequences of one of the most insidious phenomena facing American society. With 99 percent of American homes having TV sets, the book's main focus is on television violence and in particular its effects on children, who spend an average of 28 hours a week watching television.

A historical synopsis, covering early concerns that continue to be hotly debated, describes congressional hearings and their outcomes. Brief biographies present perspectives on key players like theoretician Albert...

"Invasion of Privacy: A Reference Handbook" chronicles the most pressing privacy issues and dilemmas from around the world from the 17th century to today. Shocking accounts of government and corporate abuse liven discussions of controversial topics ranging from high-tech surveillance and the collection of personal data to bodily and sexual privacy. The Internet, a platform for free speech now subject to calls for rigorous censorship, and the global threat of terrorism in the post-September 11 era receive special emphasis.

Readers will also learn about disturbing abuses of power by the...