Journey back Inside The Blanket Fort as we finish our dive into an amazing group of books published by SIU Press in 2025.

While COVID-19 lockdowns affected nearly everyone worldwide, feelings of anxiety and fear were exacerbated for those already entangled in the criminal justice system. Scholars recognized the unique opportunity to study crime and the justice system’s response during this period, though they soon realized that determining the pandemic’s effects would be a complicated, nuanced process. Crime, Corrections, and the COVID-19 Pandemic: Responses and Adaptations in the U.S. Criminal Justice System, edited by Breanne Pleggenkuhle and Joseph A. Schafer for the Perspectives on Crime and Justice series, features analyses and findings from more than thirty contributors in eleven essays. The collection examines the multifaceted social, economic, cultural, legislative, and policy responses to COVID-19 and their impacts on crime and justice. It also explores how professionals across the criminal justice system adapted to unprecedented challenges.

The Scenographic Model: Third Edition by Darwin Reid Payne, Ronald Naversen, and Brad M. Carlson builds upon the theories and exercises in noted scenographer Payne’s landmark text to provide a modern exploration of the practice of theatrical modelmaking. With chapters on traditional and contemporary materials, tools, and techniques, the book serves as a foundational guide to understanding the historical, theoretical, and practical aspects of scenographic modelmaking, making it essential for the beginner, generalist, and professional design practitioner. This comprehensive text provides information not just from theater but also from other modeling disciplines and sources, including architecture, film, dioramas, dollhouse modeling, and model railroading. A useful resource for high school, community college, university, and community theater enthusiasts, it is an excellent reference book for theater designers throughout the country.