For the first time there is a Criminal Law textbook specifically geared to Master's level or undergraduate legal studies/law courses on the subject. The book, written by well-known legal scholars, fills a void. Master's In Legal Studies programs have become quite commonplace in the United States, and, additionally there are colleges experimenting with new undergraduate law programs. Faculty teaching in those programs, or teaching in Criminal Justice classes, however, typically have three imperfect choices if they want to use the case method of teaching law: 1) they use a Juris Doctor level casebook but assign substantially less material from the book; 2) they use a simplistic undergraduate or high school level textbook; or 3) they develop their own materials.

This textbook, then, offers a perfect alternative. First, each chapter begins with an overview of the law on the subject covered for simple and easy access. The book that contains thought provoking problems designed to stimulate thought and produce interesting classroom discussion. The hypos are woven throughout the chapters and are designed to help students learn doctrine, illuminate trends in the law, and ultimately produce better learning. The book is also meant to teach practical skills to students going into the field. Some of the problems place students in practical situations that they are likely to encounter in a criminal justice career, and therefore encourage students to think about how they might handle those situations in real-life. The book is designed to be a very affordable paperback.