Criminal Courts: Structure, Process, and Issues, 4th edition

Published by Pearson (March 30, 2017) © 2018

  • Richard D. Hartley Texas A&M International University
  • Gary A. Rabe
  • Dean J. Champion Texas A&M International University
  • Gary A. Rabe

eTextbook

per month

  • Anytime, anywhere learning with the Pearson+ app
  • Easy-to-use search, navigation and notebook
  • Simpler studying with flashcards
$161.66

  • Hardcover, paperback or looseleaf edition
  • Affordable rental option for select titles
  • Free shipping on looseleafs and traditional textbooks

  • A straightforward look at the structure, process and issues associated with criminal courts including pretrial procedures, plea bargaining,alternatives to criminal prosecution, key courtroom personnel, judicial selection, jury selection, deliberation and issues, prosecutors and defense counsels, and sentencing and appeals.
  • Comparison of state and federal court systems describes their organization and the various functions of these different types of courts.
  • Comprehensive examination of the trial process includes opening and closing arguments, examination and cross-examination, and other aspects of presentation of testimony and evidence.
  • Discussion of the major sentencing systems explains the differences between indeterminate, determinate, mandatory, and guidelines-based or presumptive sentencing.  
  • A chapter on the courts and the media examines how the media is influencing the court process and how the Internet and television are used in the courtroom and have led to an increase in litigation.   
  • Key state and federal cases concerning court actions and defendant rights highlight important case law that has impacted the way courts process offenders.
  • Enhances teaching and learning with strong pedagogy:
    • NEW! Critical-Thinking Exercises and Case Study Decision-Making Exercises have been added to help students understand concepts and issues and apply them to real world and relevant current issues facing the criminal justice system (at the end of every chapter).
    • End-of-chapter review questions reinforce the ideas in the chapter.
    • NEW! Key terms are boldfaced and listed in the margins throughout the text and revisited at the end of each chapter, providing students with readily available definitions. A comprehensive glossary of the key terms and other terms appears in the appendix.
    • NEW! What do you think? margin features focus on key issues that let students think critically and form their own opinions on issues related to the main topics (in every chapter).
    • NEW! Learning objectives are added to the beginning of each chapter, and chapter summaries at the ends of chapters are organized around the learning objectives, providing students with a clear understanding of the material the will learn from each chapter, with review at the end to ensure understanding of key concepts (in every chapter).
    • NEW! Boxed sections discuss key cases and legal issues in each chapter, providing students with condensed summaries of case law and current controversial issues that affect decision-making practices in the courts (in every chapter).
    • NEW! Chapter openers have been included to heighten student interest in learning more about our court system and to provide real stories or snapshots of important knowledge about courts and the law (in every chapter).
    • Recently published readings are suggested at the ends of chapters.
    • An up-to-date bibliography of both research publications and legal cases is included to facilitate research and general study.

  • Learning objectives are added to the beginning of each chapter, and chapter summaries at the ends of chapters are organized around the learning objectives, providing students with a clear understanding of the material the will learn from each chapter, with review at the end to ensure understanding of key concepts (in every chapter).
  • Critical-Thinking Exercises and Case Study Decision-Making Exercises have been added to help students understand concepts and issues and apply them to real world and relevant current issues facing the criminal justice system (at the end of every chapter).
  • Boxed sections discuss key cases and legal issues in each chapter, providing students with condensed summaries of case law and current controversial issues that affect decision-making practices in the courts (in every chapter).
  • Chapter openers have been included to heighten student interest in learning more about our court system and to provide real stories or snapshots of important knowledge about courts and the law (in every chapter).
  • Key terms are boldfaced and listed in the margins throughout the text and revisited at the end of each chapter, providing students with readily available definitions. A comprehensive glossary of the key terms and other terms appears in the appendix.
  • What do you think? margin features focus on key issues that let students think critically and form their own opinions on issues related to the main topics (in every chapter).

Table of Contents

 

  1. Law: The Legal Battlefield
  2. The Structure of American Courts
  3. The Prosecution  
  4. The Defense
  5. Judges  
  6. Juries  
  7. Pretrial Procedures and the Trial Process  
  8. Pretrial Procedures: Plea Bargaining  
  9. Sentencing Goals and Structures  
  10. Judicial Sentencing Options, Sentencing Disparities, and Appeals  
  11. The Juvenile Justice System: Juvenile Rights and Case Processing  
  12. Juvenile Courts: Adjudication and Disposition  
  13. Diversion, Alternative Dispute Resolution, and Specialty Courts  
  14. Courts, Media, and the Litigation Explosion  

Glossary  

References  

Cases Cited Index  

Name Index  

Subject Index  

Richard D. Hartley is an Associate Professor in the Department of Criminal Justice at the University of Texas-San Antonio where he teaches courses on criminal courts and the administration of justice as well as research design and analysis.  He holds a PhD from the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of Nebraska-Omaha. Dr. Hartley’s research interests focus on decision-making practices in criminal courts. He has been involved with a number of funded research projects including an analysis of decision-making across multiple stages in the federal criminal justice system and a multi-site evaluation of veterans’ treatment courts. He holds professional memberships in the American Society of Criminology, the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, the European Society of Criminology, and the Society for Empirical Legal Studies. Some of his recent research appears in Crime & Delinquency, Criminal Justice and Behavior, and Criminal Justice Policy Review.

Dean John Champion, deceased (1940-—2009), was Professor of Criminal Justice at several universities including Texas A & M International University, Minot State University, California State University-Long Beach, and the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. He received his PhD from Purdue University and his BS and MA degrees from Brigham Young University. He also completed several years of law school at the Nashville School of Law. Dr. Champion was a prolific writer and has over 40 texts and/or edited works to his credit, a few of which were internationally recognized having been translated into Russian, Portuguese, Chinese, and Spanish.

He maintained membership in 11 professional organizations and was a lifetime member of the American Society of Criminology, Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, and the American Sociological Association. He was a former editor of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences/Anderson Publishing Company Series on Issues in Crime and Justice, and the Journal of Crime and Justice, and a contributing author for the Encarta Encyclopedia 2000 for Microsoft. He was also a former Visiting Scholar for the National Center for Juvenile Justice and president of the Midwestern Criminal Justice Association. Some of his published books for Prentice-Hall include Crime Prevention in America (2007); Research Methods for Criminal Justice and Criminology, 3rd Edition (2006); The Juvenile Justice System: Delinquency, Processing, and the Law, 5th Edition(2007); Corrections in the United States: A Contemporary Perspective, 4th Edition(2005); and Probation, Parole, and Community Corrections, 5th Edition (2008).

Gary A. Rabe. After serving for five years as the Vice President for Academic Affairs at Minot State University (MSU), Gary Rabe returned to his academic appointment as a Professor within the Department of Criminal Justice. Dr. Rabe earned a PhD in Criminology from the University Delaware, an MA in Criminology and Corrections from Sam Houston State University, and a BS in Criminal Justice from Minot State University. His professional experience includes Executive Director of the Rural Crime and Justice Center at Minot State University (MSU), Department Chair and Associate Professor of the Criminal Justice Center (MSU), Interim Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences (MSU), and Director of the Rural Law Enforcement Education Project at MSU. As Director of the Rural Crime and Justice Center, he was successful in obtaining over $8 million dollars in grants and contracts. Dr. Rabe’s professional memberships and services have included the National Consortium for White Collar Crime Research, the American Society of Criminology, the Law and Society Association, and the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences. Dr. Rabe has served as a consultant to the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center and the National White Collar Crime Center, and served on the editorial Board for the Journal of Crime and Justice. He was also appointed by the Governor to serve on the North Dakota Commission on Alternatives to Incarceration. His academic areas of specialization include Criminological Theory, Criminal Justice Policy Evaluation, Rural Crime, Criminology, Corporate Crime and Sentencing, Courts, and Sociology of Law. He has co-authored three books and published several book chapters, articles, and technical reports.

Need help? Get in touch

Pearson+

All in one place. Pearson+ offers instant access to eTextbooks, videos and study tools in one intuitive interface. Students choose how they learn best with enhanced search, audio and flashcards. The Pearson+ app lets them read where life takes them, no wi-fi needed. Students can access Pearson+ through a subscription or their MyLab or Mastering course.

Video
Play
Privacy and cookies
By watching, you agree Pearson can share your viewership data for marketing and analytics for one year, revocable by deleting your cookies.

Pearson eTextbook: What’s on the inside just might surprise you

They say you can’t judge a book by its cover. It’s the same with your students. Meet each one right where they are with an engaging, interactive, personalized learning experience that goes beyond the textbook to fit any schedule, any budget, and any lifestyle.Â