NCJ Number
162531
Date Published
1997
Length
772 pages
Annotation
This introductory textbook on criminal justice provides a historical review of the field by recognizing significant past developments and individuals who have already contributed to the study of criminal justice, focuses on contemporary issues, and allows readers to reach conclusions about the practice of criminal justice and apply what they have learned to their own lives as informed citizens of a dynamic society.
Abstract
The textbook emphasizes the multidimensional environment of the criminal justice system. Legal, technical, social, and institutional issues are all discussed as major shapers of the American criminal justice system. The textbook also covers the legal environment in which criminal justice agencies function in terms of courts, corrections, and probation and parole. In addition, the textbook recognizes the impact of social issues on the criminal justice system by covering American social problems such as the abortion debate, domestic terrorism, hate crimes, and the drug problem. The textbook describes the reality of crime and crime causes, as well as laws that govern crime and agencies responsible for the administration of criminal justice. The author points out that actual crime levels are relatively stable even though fear of crime is rising and that suicide rather than drive-by or drug-related shootings is the most common shooting death in the United States. He examines the changing nature of criminal justice, community safety, crime control, and individual rights. The first part of the textbook defines criminal justice and explores the criminal justice system and process, crime reporting, crime victimization, crime patterns, crime causes, and criminal law. The second part focuses on the history and structure of policing, private policing, police management, and legal aspects of policing. The third part covers adjudication (courts and sentencing), while the fourth part discusses corrections (probation, parole, and prisons and jails). The final part of the textbook concerns special issues such as juvenile delinquency, the juvenile justice system and process, drugs and crime, multinational criminal justice, and the future of criminal justice. Each section and chapter of the textbook begins with a series of thought-provoking questions. The U.S. Constitution is appended, and a glossary, a list of acronyms, and textbook indexes are included. Notes, tables, figures, and photographs