NCJ Number
68333
Editor(s)
R H MOORE,
T C MARKS,
R V BARROW
Date Published
1976
Length
542 pages
Annotation
THE AMERICAN CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IS ANALYZED AS A WHOLE AND AS THE SUM OF ITS PARTS, ESPECIALLY THE POLICE, CORRECTIONS AND THE COURTS; REFORM-ORIENTED RECOMMENDATIONS ARE MADE AT DIFFERENT LEVELS.
Abstract
INTENDED AS AN INTRODUCTORY TEXT ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE, BOTH FOR STUDENTS AND EDUCATED LAYMEN, THIS BOOK HAS FOR ITS OBJECTIVE A BALANCED COVERAGE OF ALL THE COMPONENTS OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, ALTHOUGH COMPREHENSIVENESS IS DISCLAIMED. ESSAYS BY CRIMINOLOGISTS, LEGAL EXPERTS, LAW ENFORCEMENT SPECIALISTS, PENOLOGISTS, AND PSYCHOLOGISTS ARE STRUCTURED AROUND SEVEN MAIN SUBTOPICS OF THE OVERALL THEME, I.E., CRIMINAL JUSTICE. THE FIRST SECTION ADDRESSES THE ISSUES OF CRIME, THE PUBLIC, AND THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, WITH ESSAYS ON THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE NON-SYSTEM, THE CRIMINAL CASES FLOW, PUBLIC OPINION ABOUT THE CRIME PROBLEM, SOCIAL CHANGE AND CRIMINAL LAW, AND THE PRODUCTION OF CRIME RATES. THE SECOND SECTION PROVIDES AN IN-DEPTH EXAMINATION OF THE POLICE ROLE, THE DEVELOPMENT OF LOCAL AND STATE LAW ENFORCEMENT, THE POLICE BUDGET, AND PROFESSIONALISM AND THE POLICE. OF SPECIAL INTEREST ARE THE FIRST-HAND EXPERIENCES OF A CRIMINOLOGY PROFESSOR TURNED UNIFORMED POLICE PATROLMAN ON THE BEAT, AND THE NEW PERCEPTION OF THE POLICE THUS ACQUIRED. PART THREE CONSIST OF ARTICLES IN WHICH EDITED COURT OPINIONS, TOGETHER WITH SOME COMMENTARY, ARE PRESENTED ESPECIALLY FOR THE STATED PURPOSE OF FAMILIARIZING CRIMINAL JUSTICE ADMINISTRATION STUDENTS WITH COURT OPINIONS. THE CASES DESCRIBED HERE ADDRESS THE ISSUES OF SEARCH INCIDENTS, THE MIRANDA WARNING, THE SEARCH-AND-SEIZURE EXCLUSIONARY RULE, AND THE RIGHT TO COUNSEL IN CRIMINAL TRIALS. JUDICIAL PHILOSOPHIES AND COURT MAGISTRATES' ACTIONS ARE VIEWED WITH THE NEW AWARENESS THAT COURTS ARE NO LONGER EXPECTED TO METE OUT PUNISHMENT, BUT MUST ALSO ACT AS A SOCIAL FORCE FOR OFFENDER REHABILITATION. THE SECTION ON COURTS ALSO HAS ARTICLES ON THE PROSECUTORS' FUNCTIONS; ON THE SELECTION, TENURE, VARIETY, AND QUALITY OF AMERICAN JUDGES; ON CONSTRAINTS AND CONFLICTS IN COURT ADMINISTRATION; AND ON THE NEED FOR JUDICIAL REFORM. BOTH THE SECTION ON CORRECTIONS AND THE SECTION DEVOTED TO JUVENILE JUSTICE EXAMINE INADEQUACIES AND FAILURES IN CURRENT PENAL PHILOSOPHIES, IN THE AMERICAN CORRECTIONAL SYSTEM AND JUVENILE COURTS, IN POLICE CONTROL OF JUVENILES, AND IN THE DOUBLE-STANDARD (SEXIST) ORIENTATION OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE FOR MALE AND FEMALE JUVENILE OFFENDERS. THE LAST SECTION DEALS WITH THE NECESSITY FOR NEW APPROACHES TO SOLUTIONS OF THE CURRENT CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROBLEMS, CALLING FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF INNOVATIVE AND ENLIGHTENED CRIMINAL POLICIES, ALONG WITH WIDE-RANGING REFORMS OF ALL THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE COMPONENTS. SOME OF THE ARTICLES HAVE SEPARATE BIBLIOGRAPHIES AND END NOTES. AN APPENDIX LISTS OBSOLESCENT CRIMINAL JUSTICE PRACTICES AND INNOVATIONS EXPECTED IN THE NEAR FUTURE. THE BOOK HAS NO INDEX.