Explore the world of criminal justice in our text
Moller, Scott. Introduction to Criminal Justice. Great River Learning, 2020. ISBN: 9781644962916. Click to purchase in digital format. Print format is coming soon!
I wrote this book to provide an introduction to the American criminal justice system in a manner that is approachable, practical, and engaging, to inspire you to explore this fascinating area of study, and to arm you with skills and knowledge that will prove useful in any endeavor.
The book opens with an overview of career options in criminal justice, to provide context for your studies, connecting the topics covered in this book with your academic and professional goals.
Our second chapter is devoted to the art of writing. Criminal justice writing is critical because it produces profound consequences, both for individuals and for society. By applying the principles of great writing to the production of foundational criminal justice documents, you will develop clarity and precision in all of your writing.
The book then proceeds to survey the major fundamental areas of criminal justice. Chapter Three traces the development of criminal justice in the United States and invites readers to critically analyze public perceptions of crime. Chapter Four deconstructs criminal law and outlines the major criminal defenses typically advanced in court. Chapter Five assesses the influence of the United States Constitution. Chapters Six through Eight examine police work, Chapters Seven through Twelve explore courts and corrections, and the book closes with an overview of the juvenile justice system.
Each chapter begins a new area of study, with a list of specific objectives that provides a logical outline for the reading, and ends with a summary, followed by a practice quiz to allow you to check your knowledge and reflect on what you have learned.
Academic studies through a professional lens
I write from the perspective of a criminal justice professional who has worked in federal and state criminal justice systems, handling both adult and juvenile matters through every stage of litigation. I earned my law degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison Law School, then worked as a litigation attorney for approximately 20 years -- 15 of them as a prosecutor, handling felony and misdemeanor criminal cases from investigation and charging, through trial, sentencing and appeal. My writing and teaching method uses that lens of professional experience, drawing upon real-world examples and cases to bring abstract legal concepts into focus.
I am excited to offer this book as a roadmap to your academic journey into the world of criminal justice!
Table of Contents
Chapter 1 - Advance Your Education and Your Career
Explore and compare criminal justice careers
Set a roadmap for your education and career
Update and refine your résumé
Write a personal statement
Learn the ins and outs of background checks
Prepare for the polygraph or Computer Voice Stress Analysis exam
Navigate the hiring process
Chapter 2 – Writing for Criminal Justice
Examine and improve your writing
Refine your writing for maximum impact
Learn the basics of writing a police report
Write a summary case brief
Learn to write an essay in three steps
Support your assertions with APA-style citations to authority
Chapter 3 - Crime in the United States
Investigate how perceptions of crime are formed
Describe historical crime shifts in the United States
Compare the roles of American police, courts, and corrections in reducing crime
Assess systems for measuring and reporting crime in the United States
Chapter 4 - Criminal Law
Explain the nature and purpose of law
Differentiate between administrative, civil, and criminal law
Distinguish between felonies, misdemeanors, and infractions
Compare substantive and procedural law
Deconstruct a crime
Break a crime down into its elements
Summarize categories of criminal defenses
Chapter 5 - The Constitution
Investigate the historical underpinnings of the U.S. Constitution and its connections to criminal justice
Describe protections afforded by the First Amendment
Outline the rights guaranteed by the Second Amendment
Explain the protections provided by the Fourth Amendment
Analyze the rights sustained by the Fifth Amendment
Summarize trial rights afforded by the Sixth Amendment
Identify protections afforded by the Eighth Amendment
Trace the decline of states’ rights and identify the impact of the Warren Court on U.S. criminal justice
Chapter 6 - Police
Describe the role and history of police in the United States
Differentiate federal, state, and local law enforcement organizations
Summarize the basic organizational structure of a typical police department
Analyze methods of policing
Explain how police discretion and the “spirit of the law” affect law enforcement
Chapter 7 - Police Legal Restraints
Identify and describe constitutional restraints on police action
Differentiate between consensual encounters, detentions and arrests
Describe laws of arrest, explaining justifications required for police action
Analyze landmark cases that have affected U.S. law enforcement
Chapter 8 - Police Challenges
Examine police officer selection and training processes
Describe and deconstruct police subculture
Analyze police corruption and misconduct
Identify areas of police liability and remedies for police misconduct
Explain police use of force rules
Evaluate police use of confidential informants
Chapter 9 - Courts
Explain the concepts of jurisdiction and precedent
Compare and describe state and federal court systems
Identify and explain the roles of courtroom actors
Trace and describe the stages of the criminal justice process
Chapter 10 - Trial
Summarize what happens in a criminal trial
Outline jury selection in the U.S. criminal justice system
Explore common aspects of opening statements in a criminal trial
Differentiate and define the primary types of evidence that may be offered at trial
Define admissible and inadmissible hearsay and analyze landmark cases that balance the value of hearsay versus the Sixth Amendment right to confrontation
Identify characteristics of closing arguments in a criminal trial
Describe the role of the jury in a criminal jury trial
List methods and common reasons for appeal
Chapter 11 - Sentencing
Identify sentencing goals, and tools used to achieve those goals
Compare sentencing methods
Analyze the purpose and process of a presentence investigation
Differentiate between the roles of the prosecutor and the defense attorney at sentencing
Articulate the rights of the criminal defendant at sentencing
Explore the writ of habeas corpus
Trace the expanding role of the victim at sentencing
Clarify the role of the judge at sentencing
Describe the changed role of the jury in capital sentencing
Chapter 12 - Corrections
Compare probation and parole in the United States
Identify the duties of probation and parole officers
Analyze landmark decisions that affect probation and parole
Contrast imprisonment at the local, state, and federal levels of corrections
Weigh advantages and disadvantages of private prisons
Explore prison subcultures
Examine landmark cases involving prisoners’ rights
Chapter 13 - Juveniles
Trace the evolution of juvenile justice
Analyze landmark cases relating to juvenile justice
Compare juvenile and adult terminology, legal rights, and procedures
Summarize current trends in U.S. juvenile justice