On the Lam

July 29, 2019
This engrossing, detailed account from associate professor of criminal justice Clark and journalist Palattella (Mania and Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong: Inside the Mind of a Female Serial Killer) follows the history of bail from Ancient Rome to the creation of the U.S. Marshals Service and the FBI, organizations that have hunted fugitives since the 1930s. Despite the American public’s admiration for some outlaws—from Jesse James to Bonnie and Clyde and Robert Burns, who actually wrote I Am a Fugitive from a Georgia Chain Gang! while being a fugitive—people have been helpful in the capture of many of those on the lam, the authors note. Law enforcement agencies, which began crowdsourcing in the 1930s with the publication and posting of the FBI’s Most Wanted list, have used TV to appeal for information about fugitives (the show America’s Most Wanted, which ran from 1988 to 2012, resulted in the capture of 1,149 fugitives), and today, it’s the internet where the wanted are commonly hunted. Indeed, “head for the border” no longer guarantees freedom, as Eduardo Rodriguez learned when the LAPD used Facebook posts to track him down and capture him in Mexico. This is a must-read for anyone interested in the history of criminal justice.

September 1, 2019

Despite the threat to public safety, Americans have long been fascinated with fugitives from justice. Over the decades, fugitives such as Jesse James; Bonnie Parker and her lover/partner in crime, Clyde Barrow; and Whitey Bulger have captivated American imaginations, elevating them to almost herolike status. This work examines the history of the fugitive in the U.S. criminal justice system, beginning with the inception of the U.S. Marshals and the FBI, as well as the creation of the FBI's "public enemy" and "most-wanted" lists. After the creation of these lists, fugitives became American icons and were often romanticized in the media. Stories of famous (and not so famous) fugitives and how they evaded capture are featured throughout. The authors describe the various methods authorities have used to capture fugitives over the years and how the digital age makes it more difficult for these criminals to remain at large. VERDICT Although the stories of the fugitive captures are fascinating, many true crime readers will already be familiar with the basic facts presented here. Readers curious about the evolution of law enforcement agencies and their role in apprehending these individuals will be better served.--Melissa Stoeger, Deerfield P.L., IL

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