NCJ Number
51006
Editor(s)
E E PEOPLES
Date Published
1978
Length
386 pages
Annotation
AN OVERVIEW OF THE NATURE AND SCOPE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND OF THE ROLES, FUNCTIONS, PROCEDURES, AND PROCESSES THAT COMPOSE THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IS PROVIDED IN THIS ANTHOLOGY INTENDED FOR THE BEGINNING STUDENT.
Abstract
DIRECTED AT THE STUDENT WITH LIMITED KNOWLEDGE OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE FIELD, THE MATERIAL IS PRESENTED IN SEVEN SECTIONS: LAW, LAW ENFORCEMENT, JUVENILE JUSTICE, ADULT COURT SYSTEMS, ADULT INSTITUTIONAL CORRECTIONS, COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS, AND CURRENT ISSUES AND TRENDS. LAW AS THE FOUNDATION OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IS CONSIDERED FIRST. BECAUSE CRIME IS DEFINED BY LAW AND DOES NOT EXIST BUT FOR ITS LEGAL DEFINITIONS, IT IS DISCUSSED IN THE SAME SECTION AS LAW. LAW ENFORCEMENT FOLLOWS AS THE COMPONENT WHICH ACTIVATES THE OTHER ASPECTS OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM BY DELIVERING SUSPECTED OFFENDERS FOR PROCESSING. AN EXAMINATION OF DELINQUENCY FOLLOWS THE PROCESSING OF JUVENILE OFFENDERS THROUGH ARREST, DETENTION, COURT, AND COMMITMENT. OTHER ASPECTS OF THE JUVENILE SUBSYSTEM ARE INCLUDED IN THE SECTION ON COMMUNITY TREATMENT. THE ADULT COURT STRUCTURE AND PROCESS IS DETAILED, FOLLOWED BY READINGS ON ADULT INSTITUTIONAL CORRECTIONS, WHICH EXAMINE THE HISTORY AND CURRENT STATUS OF VARIOUS INSTITUTIONS AT THE COUNTY, STATE, AND FEDERAL LEVELS. THE CONCLUDING SECTION DISCUSSES SIGNIFICANT ISSUES AND PERSPECTIVES ON THE JUSTICE SYSTEM AND ITS FUTURE. THIS SECTION IS INTENDED TO GIVE AN INTEGRATED PERSPECTIVE OF THE SYSTEM, WHILE INTERPRETING ITS EFFORTS TO DEAL EVER MORE EFFECTIVELY WITH THE PROBLEMS OF SOCIAL CONTROL AS AN ONGOING PROCESS. THE SELECTIONS INCORPORATE NOTES, REFERENCES, AND ILLUSTRATIVE MATERIAL SUCH AS TABULAR DATA. SEE NCJ-19992, 49075-49076, AND 51007-51011. (RCB)