NCJ Number
193512
Date Published
1998
Length
27 pages
Annotation
This document and CD-ROM presents a simulated investigation and prosecution of a suspect for the possession of marijuana, and closely follows the actual preparation and trial in a drug possession case.
Abstract
The aim of Drug Bust is to give the user a concrete sense of the criminal justice process. The user of the CD-ROM is the assistant district attorney in charge of the investigation of a drug possession. The user interviews witnesses, attempts to negotiate a plea bargain with the defendant’s lawyers, and takes the case to trial if the plea bargain fails. The case proceeds in three stages: investigation, pretrial, and trial. The success of the user of this simulation depends on how well the investigation and the pretrial stages are handled. There are numerous traps for the unsuspecting user, mistakes that may lead to further problems down the line. The manual included with the CD-ROM includes information on how to insert the disk and the three stages of the investigation. Stage 1, the investigation stage, includes information on the investigation and interview techniques, the Criminal Investigation System computer, filing charges, the elements of the charges, the chemist’s report, and the search warrant. Stage 2, the pretrial stage, contains information on the plea bargain and pretrial motions. The final stage, the trial, includes information on cross-examination, the defendant’s case, and winning the case. Appendices and drug bust quiz