NCJ Number
77161
Date Published
1981
Length
647 pages
Annotation
This text delineates the major components of the contemporary criminal justice system, encompassing legal issues; sociological issues; legislative policy; and police, court, and correctional practices. It is intended primarily for university students during introductory study of criminal justice or law.
Abstract
The text details the framework of crime in America by examining the crime problem and criminal law and presents an overview of the field of criminology. Included here are up-to-date victimization surveys; crime causation theories, including sociobiological and crime control concepts; and an extensive section on criminal law, including the substantive crimes and criminal defenses. An overview of the criminal justice process begins with descriptions of the police functions of arrest and investigation and concludes with details on the correctional decision of release. A section is included on constitutional issues in criminal justice, with recent Supreme Court decisions and material on how a case reaches the Court. The text also discusses issues in policing, including information on female and minority police officers, productivity in police work, police violence, and stress as a new dimension of police work. Police investigations, police discretion, custodial interrogation, search and seizure limitations, and lineups are also reviewed. Additional sections are devoted to early court processing and cover such topics as the prosecution and defense attorney, pretrial release and bail, the jury system, and diversion. The concept of plea bargaining is also emphasized. Each aspect of the judicial process -- the courts, the criminal trial, sentencing, and probation -- is reviewed, and the text analyzes capital punishment and emphasizes recent empirical research on the effectiveness of probation in criminal justice. The final sections focus on posttrial procedures -corrections, parole, and prisoners' rights. Current information on jails, the concept of community corrections, and restitution programs is included, with attention to prison violence and juvenile justice standards. Chapter notes and discussion questions, case illustrations, charts, and an index are included. A glossary and constitutional amendments are appended, and an instructor's manual and study guide accompany the text. (Author abstract modified)