Written by an esteemed criminologist and attorney, Criminal Law, Seventh Edition, uses a modified case approach to provide a comprehensive and contemporary introduction to the vast scope of criminal law. By employing carefully excerpted court opinions and cases to illustrate important points, author Sue Titus Reid gives students a taste of traditional case method without burdening them with massive amounts of legal material. Her succinct writing style minimizes unnecessary legal jargon and academic terminology, which helps to sustain students' interest.
The book's broad coverage includes misdemeanors, felonies, federal and state statutes and cases, and constitutional principles relating to criminal law. The seventh edition engages students through its coverage of such timely and provocative topics as the bombing of abortion clinics, pornography, child abuse, domestic violence, animal cruelty, racketeering, cyberstalking, identity theft, terrorism, elder abuse, juvenile issues, drug abuse and trafficking, and sentencing. This volume also features recent U.S. Supreme Court cases involving the sexual behavior of gay men, the incarceration of repeat offenders, the legalization of the medicinal use of marijuana, physician-assisted suicide, the detention of "enemy combatants" without due process, and the constitutionality of executing juveniles and the mentally challenged.
Reid weaves appellate court cases into the text to familiarize students with how the judiciary thinks and responds to questions of law. This encourages students to develop their critical thinking skills by asking them to analyze court decisions in light of their own views and perceptions.
New to this edition:
* Includes recent cases on corporate crime (including Enron, Tyco, Arthur Andersen, WorldCom, Adelphia, and HealthSouth), along with those on specific individuals charged with white-collar crimes
* Each chapter closes with a substantive case excerpt and case preview for students to analyze, encouraging them to focus on principles and essentials in greater detail
* Features more state statutes to exemplify crimes; these generate student discussion about the differences among states. Also includes state-specific guides for California, Florida, Illinois, New York, and Texas
* Now in two colors