The Crimes of Politics

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Francis A. Allen has written this book for those concerned Americans interested in exploring the relationship of the state to the freedom of dissenting citizens. In three interrelated and informative essays, he addresses himself to ideological shifts affecting the dimensions of criminal justice, the nature of political crimes, and the significance and problems of political trials. Politically motivated criminality presents unique problems, and to ignore them is to deny justice. The author refers to some of the trials and prosecutions of political offenders, including the celebrated cases of Dr. Spock, the Chicago Seven, Father Berrigan, Angela Davis, and Daniel Ellsberg. All of these trials, he finds, threatened the legitimacy of the administration of justice. He suggests that such criminal processes be severely limited, that surveillance procedures by police be supervised, and that the exercise of prosecutors’ discretion be curtailed.