NCJ Number
39151
Date Published
1977
Length
303 pages
Annotation
THIS BEGINNING-LEVEL TEXT IS DESIGNED TO GIVE STUDENTS AN OVERVIEW OF THE AMERICAN SYSTEM OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE.
Abstract
EACH OF THE SUBSYSTEMS - LAW ENFORCEMENT, THE COURTS, AND CORRECTIONAL SYSTEM - ARE DESCRIBED SEPARATELY. AN ATTEMPT HAS ALSO BEEN MADE TO PROVIDE AN OVERALL CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK WHICH WILL ENCOURAGE STUDENTS TO TAKE A GREATER INTEREST IN HOW THE SYSTEM WORKS. EXTREMELY DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS OF THE STRUCTURE AND PROCEDURES OF THE SYSTEM HAVE BEEN AVOIDED. THIS INTRODUCTORY TEXT DOES, HOWEVER, CONTAIN SEVERAL UNIQUE FEATURES. A CRITICAL STANCE IS TAKEN BY POSING PERTINENT QUESTIONS ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AND BY DISCUSSING SPECIFIC PROBLEMS AND ISSUES. END-OF-CHAPTER DISCUSSION QUESTIONS ARE INCLUDED TO FURTHER ENCOURAGE ACTIVE PARTICIPATION IN THE COURSE. THE SOCIOLOGICAL, PYSCHOLOGICAL, AND HISTORICAL FORCES INFLUENCING OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEMS ARE ALSO DISCUSSED. CASE STUDIES ARE USED THROUGHOUT TO ILLUSTRATE HOW THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM ACTUALLY WORKS ON A DAY-TO DAY BASIS. APPENDED MATERIALS INCLUDE A LIST OF SUGGESTED READINGS, A GLOSSARY OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE TERMS, AN EXCERPT FROM THE NATIONAL ADVISORY COMMISSION REPORT ON CORRECTIONS, AND A COPY OF THE 1967 SUPREME COURT DECISION IN THE CASE IN RE. GAULT. AN INDEX IS ALSO PROVIDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT) (SNI ABSTRACT)...ELW