America's Courts and the Criminal Justice System

Open this book and step into America's court system! With Neubauer and Fradella's best-selling text, you will see for yourself what it is like to be a judge, a prosecutor, a defense attorney, and more. This fascinating and well-researched text gives you a realistic sense of being in the courthouse, enabling you to quickly gain an understanding of what it is like to work in and be a part of the American criminal justice system. The book's approach, which focuses on the courthouse "players," makes it easy to understand each person's important role in bringing a case through the court process. Throughout the text, the authors highlight not only the pivotal role of the criminal courts but also the court's importance and impact on society as a whole.

1. Courts, Crime, and Controversy. Part I: THE LEGAL SYSTEM. 2. Law and Crime. 3. Federal Courts. 4. State Courts. Part II: LEGAL ACTORS. 5. The Dynamics of Courthouse Justice. 6. Prosecutors. 7. Defense Attorneys. 8. Judges. 9. Defendants and Victims. Part III: PROCESSING THE ACCUSED. 10. From Arrest and Bail through Arraignment. 11. Disclosing and Suppressing Evidence. 12. Negotiated Justice and the Plea of Guilty. 13. Trials and Juries. Part IV: SENTENCING THE CONVICTED. 14. Sentencing Options. 15. Sentencing Decisions. Part V: APPELLATE AND JUVENILE COURTS. 16. Appellate and Habeas Corpus Review. 17. Juvenile Courts.