NCJ Number
87379
Date Published
1982
Length
604 pages
Annotation
The textbook describes the functions of the police, court, and corrections systems as part of an overview of the criminal justice system.
Abstract
Chapters focus on crime statistics, covering official sources of crime statistics, criticisms of official crime statistics, secondary sources, and known crime and population characteristics, and theories of crime, Theories discussed included preclassical notions of crime and the law, classical and neoclassical interpretations of crime, biological and psychological/psychiatric theories, sociological theories, and political explanations. A section on types of crime reviews six categories, including predatory personal and victimless crimes, while a section on types of criminals details the characteristics of violent, property, and career/occupational criminals and offenders of public morality. Five chapters highlight various aspects of the criminal law, and discussion reviews the police role and court processing. The last two sections focus on corrections and controlling crime. A glossary and an index are provided, along with an instructor's guide. Chapter references and suggested activities are included.