This was a required textbook for my Introduction to Criminal Justice college course.

At over 690 pages, it was rather enjoyable - for a textbook. I enjoyed how the front cover showed the progression from the police involvement, to the court procedures (both misdemeanors and felonies), to the final stages of corrections.

Since this was a subject I've been interested in my entire life, I perhaps enjoyed more so than the average person.

The book is divided into five parts:

#1.) Crime in America
#2.) Policing
#3.) Adjudication
#4.) Corrections
#5.) Special Issues

Starting with "Crime in America", the student is introduced to the history of crime in America, social justice, the system and functions, the process, due process and individual rights. Tee student also learns about the special categories of crime, the search for causes; as well as criminal law - the types, rules, and categories.

In the second part "Policing", the student learns the history and structure of law enforcement; purpose and organization; legal aspects; along with issues and challenges - such as corruption, dangers, use of force, profiling, bias, and civil liabilities.

Part three; "Adjudication"; covers the the court structure and participants, pre-trial activities and the trial, and sentencing. The student gets to know about the role of the courtroom work group, the stages of the trial, as well as sentencing.

Part Four - "Corrections" - covers the various areas comprising the corrections: probation, parole, community corrections, prisons and jails, as well as discovering prison life. The student also learns what the difference is in probation and parole, the role of the probation and parole officers, what intermediate sanctions are, the emergence of prisons, as well as the difference between jail and prison. The chapter on prison life delves into the differences between the male and female prison life, the staff, riots, prisoner rights, and issues that prisons face today.

The final part - "Special Issues" - covers topics that face today's society, particularly in a post 9/11 world. Juvenile justice, drugs and crime, terrorism and multinational criminal justice, and the future of criminal justice are all topics explored here.

The reader will learn about the history of juvenile justice, the legal environment, the process, and what juvenile offenders heading into adulthood face.

The chapter "Drugs and Crime" discusses the history of drug abuse, the common drugs, the types of people abusing/using them, the costs of abuse, as well as the problem of solving the issue.

Terrorism and Multinational Criminal Justice explores International Criminal Justice Organizations, globalization and crime, along with terrorism.

The book's final chapter - "The Future of Criminal Justice" explores more of the technical aspect of the subject - subjects such as biocrime, cybercrime, terrorism and technology, new technologies, along with technology and individual rights are explored.

As I said, since I enjoyed the subject, I find this book quite an invaluable reference for writing as well as understanding the criminal justice system. It isn't comprehensive by any means, but it provides enough for the student to research the topics of interest to them. ( )

It's a textbook in criminal justice -- and still I enjoy it. The author has a very broad perspective, and the breadth of the cultural and literary references is a joy to behold. ( )