LIBERTY, RESTRAINT, AND CRIMINAL-JUSTICE - FORD,GERALD PRESIDENTIAL CONCERNS

This article addresses a number of criminal justice issues that Gerald Ford wrestled with during his political career from Congress to the presidency. The objective is to paint a reasonably clear picture of Ford's general philosophy of criminal justice and criminology by focusing on the logic and organization behind his policy positions on some of the more salient criminal justice aspects. The research utilized original materials in the Ford Library at the University of Michigan. It indicates that Ford's positions on issues involving criminal justice were influenced by his personality and leadership style, although the impact on crime policy was not direct. Ford's specific policy pronouncements and statements of political positions on crime-related issues deal with two major concerns: crime prevention and criminal corrections and punishment. Both are discussed in this article.