Essentials of Criminal Justice

A focus on understanding ethical issues gives students many opportunities to grapple with ethical concerns faced by agents of the criminal justice system in their professional lives. In support of this emphasis, "Ethical Reflection" exercises at the end of each chapter challenge students to apply their own sense of ethics to everyday decision-making. With integrated writing challenges, these boxes provide further discussion and reinforcement of chapter concepts.

"Careers in Criminal Justice" boxes include a "Reality Check" section that discusses the potential pitfalls of the career area, as well as what might disqualify a person from the career or job being highlighted.

The text's myth-busting "Reality Check" theme meets the challenge head on, helping students replace the fiction they've seen on television or the Internet with a solid understanding of the realities of the criminal justice system. Focus questions encourage critical thinking and discussion.

"Criminal Justice and Technology" boxes review some of the more recent scientific advances that can aid the justice system. For example, a box in Chapter 4 discusses body-worn cameras, which are finding their way into more departments in the wake of recent high-profile police shootings of unarmed suspects. Chapter 5 discusses the use of automated license plate recognition technology for capturing criminals.

"Contemporary Issues in Criminal Justice" boxed features highlight evidence-based criminal justice policies and practices, helping students to think critically about current justice issues. For example, a box in Chapter 3 reviews research on how capable people are of using guns in self-defense, one in Chapter 6 examines sources of data used to estimate the number of police shootings each year, and another in Chapter 11 explores whether current prison downsizing is leading to increases in crime.

New "Focus on Effectiveness" boxes showcase the best recent research on effective practices in criminal justice policy, while also teaching students to be critical thinkers about what works and doesn't work in the field. For example, a box in Chapter 5 looks at the efficacy of controversial "stop and frisk" practices, and another in Chapter 9 considers the effectiveness of different pretrial release mechanisms.

New "Ethical Reflection" exercises at the end of each chapter ask students to write about a controversial ethical issue while reflecting back on chapter content -- and drawing in new material from suggested websites.

The latest high profile topics in criminal justice are integrated throughout -- in chapter opening stories, feature boxes, and elsewhere. Topics include the heroin epidemic; recent terror attacks, such as the Orlando nightclub shooting; recreational marijuana legalization; police shootings, including the surge in ambush attacks on police officers; and the latest technology, such as body-worn cameras in law enforcement and predictive policing.