I am pleased to present to the readers of this web site the third consecutive issue of this journal. Volume 3, number 1 represents a significant step toward our goal of making this the best on-line journal in the field of criminology. I want to personally thank our contributors for their excellent work on this issue.

This issue of the journal contains five articles, plus one research brief. The first two articles deal with incarcerated women. Michael D. White, Michele Galietta, and Gipsy Escobar focus on the use of a literacy program to help reconnect incarcerated mothers with their children. Barbara H. Zaitzow's article deals with the pressing need to provide programming for incarcerated women. These two are excellent companion articles that lead off this issue.

The next three articles deal with the more general issue of the recent "get tough" policies that have made the United States one of the most punitive countries in the world. First, Daniel S. Murphy, Adam J. Newmark, and Phillip J. Ardoin provide us with a close look at one of the terrible consequences of these policies, one which affected the last two elections, namely that of disenfranchisement policies. This is followed by a close examination of California's "Three-strikes" legislation by Kelly Ann Cheeseman, Rolando V. del Carmen, and Robert Worley through a discussion of Ewing v. California. Finally, we have a study of several Supreme Court decisions on the death penalty by Matthew B. Robinson and Kathleen M. Simon.

Rounding out this issue is a continuation of what we began in the fall issue with a "research brief." This one provides us with a fascinating look at a topic that is rarely considered within the field of criminology, that of "Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders" as they apply to the juvenile justice system. Sharon Williams provides us with an analysis of this issue.

On behalf of the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice, I hope readers will enjoy reading these articles and make use of them in your own research. Also, I urge readers to submit articles for the next issue which is anticipated to be this summer. I already have two submissions (including another one on the death penalty and one on the children of incarcerated parents). I am hoping to begin including book reviews. Please send your research to me at the following e-mail: [profrgs@cox.net]

Editor Randall G. Shelden, M.A., Ph.D.