The American Criminal Justice System: A Concise Guide to Cops, Courts, Corrections, and Victims gives students an overview of the American version of justice. The book discusses the problems and challenges faced by the system and dispels some of the myths about criminal justice that students bring to class with them.

The book addresses several specific aspect of criminal justice such as the law enforcement response to crime, the prosecution and the defense, sentencing, corrections, and alternatives, the experience of victims, and the future of criminal justice.

Each chapter ends with a section entitled “For Your Consideration,” which gives students additional information related to the topic, including important historical events, court cases, and useful websites and books. This section also lists movies and television shows which feature the aspects of the criminal justice system discussed in the chapter.

The American Criminal Justice System is written for introductory courses in criminal justice. The book gives students specific factual information and an increased knowledge base. It successfully demonstrates that criminal justice is a fascinating field of study and that the criminal justice system touches lives in both dramatic and meaningful ways on a daily basis.