NCJ Number
109646
Date Published
1988
Length
275 pages
Annotation
This textbook for a course on the law, the courts, and the judicial process sets the topics in historical context with a view toward meeting the educational needs of both political science and criminal justice students.
Abstract
After examining the problem of defining law, the types of laws, and how they are applied in the American justice system, the book reviews the historical development of law and justice system from colonial times into the 20th century. A discussion of legal education and the practice of law encompasses the development of bar associations, restrictions on law practice, and the case-method revolution at Harvard University. The history and development of court systems cover their policymaking functions and their organization. A review of issues pertaining to key court actors is followed by an analysis of the due process guarantees for criminal defendants. The civil process is contrasted with the criminal trial, and a overview of the juvenile justice system includes consideration of important U.S. Supreme Court decisions that have impacted juvenile courts. The concluding chapter examines negotiation (plea bargaining, mediation, and arbitration) as the most frequently used method to resolve criminal and civil cases. A glossary; 250 references; and case, author, and subject indexes.