The American System of Criminal Justice

The text's primary themes -- 1) criminal justice as a social system, including multiple subsystems, and 2) criminal justice as an interdisciplinary endeavor based on criminology, sociology, law, history, psychology, and political science -- broaden your students' perspectives on criminal justice.

The "Inside Today's Controversies" feature in each chapter discusses contemporary issues that pose problems, lead to emotional disagreements, and divide segments of society. Topics include racial profiling in stop-and-frisk, the use of military equipment and tactics by police, and proposals for police reform, including de-escalation training to reduce deaths and injuries from police use of force. These features help students develop an important ability -- to understand and discuss difficult issues that may challenge their assumptions about society and the justice system.

"Technology and Criminal Justice" features highlight important new technologies that affect the system today. The examples span the criminal justice system, including the challenges posed by transnational cybercrime, DNA databases, ransomware aimed at police department computers, crime prediction software, and electronic monitoring of probationers, parolees, and defendants released on bail.

"Evidence-Based Practice and Policy" features discuss examples of the important contemporary effort to apply systematic social science research to shape criminal justice policies and practices. Topics include evidence-based practices concerning police officers and implicit bias, victims' services, mentally-ill people who encounter police, suspect identification procedures, reentry and community supervision, approaches to police patrol, problem-solving courts, and public surveillance technology.

"Civic Engagement: Your Role in the System" expands on the civic engagement theme introduced in Chapter 1. This feature presents real-life examples, and then prompts students to apply what they are learning to a deeper exploration of the topic and compare their response to real-world results via the Internet. Similarly, the "Question of Ethics" feature at the end of each chapter draws from a real-world example to challenge students to consider the ethical problems that arise for various officials throughout the justice system.

"Close Up" boxes provide real-life examples from newspapers, court decisions, first-person accounts, and other current sources, illustrating how theory plays out in practice as well as the human implications of policies and procedures in criminal justice.

Each chapter includes several "Stop and Analyze" critical thinking features. These higher-order questions check students' understanding of what they have just read; some questions challenge students to develop arguments and conclusions about their own positions.

"Debating the Issue" sections within the text's boxed inserts can be used to spur classroom discussion or as writing assignments.

A new feature in each chapter entitled "Criminal Justice and the Risk of Misinformation" illuminates contemporary issues concerning the spread of information on social media, politically motivated misstatements, and communication flaws within criminal justice agencies. This feature addresses a new reality -- that students, whether as citizens or future criminal justice professionals, need to develop a capacity to question and investigate the accuracy and sources of information that reaches them so easily via online and social media sources.

New to the sixteenth edition, "Evidence-Based Practice and Policy" features update and reemphasize the growing importance of evidence-based practices in criminal justice. The contemporary effort to apply systematic social science research to shape criminal justice policies and practices is highlighted through numerous examples. Topics include evidence-based practices relating to police officers and implicit bias, victims' services, mentally ill people who encounter police, suspect identification procedures, reentry and community supervision, and public surveillance technology.

The 16th Edition also includes enhanced discussion of such high-profile issues as the use of local justice systems to generate revenue; bail reform; drug policy (sentencing, opiate epidemic, legalization of marijuana, designer drugs); sex assault (especially on college campuses); police use of force; training of police on de-escalation and implicit bias; police community-relations; police acquisition of military equipment/tactics; “lone wolf” terrorism; police body cameras; police use of drones; prison/jail health and mental health; restorative justice; reentry; sentence reform; prison privatization; expanded use of pardon power.