NCJ Number
151316
Date Published
1993
Length
304 pages
Annotation
This book examines how criminal justice systems operate in other countries, discusses how history and politics as well as economic and cultural factors have shaped those systems, and considers how various systems address contemporary criminal justice problems.
Abstract
Part One presents descriptions of the families of law and the historical development of the legal systems of the model nations. Part One is essential as background for the remaining chapters. Concrete examples focus on six models: England's common law system, France's unitary civil law system, Germany's Federal civil law system, Saudi Arabia's Islamic law system, Japan's hybrid system, and the socialist law system (promulgated in the former Soviet Union and, in the main, still followed in Russia today). Part Two is organized according to process. Two chapters deal with police organization and operations, and one chapter deals with constitutional arrangements that affect criminal process. Another chapter is about basic criminal procedure, and two chapters are about trial processes and the personnel involved in these processes. Two chapters address sentencing and corrections. Part Three considers contemporary policy problems that affect the criminal justice system. Other chapters in this section discuss abortion, terrorism, drugs, and organized crime. Part Four summarizes and draws conclusions about comparative criminal justice systems in the world today. Each chapter provides questions for discussion and lists for further readings