Constitutional Law and the Criminal Justice System

CONSTITUTIONAL LAW AND THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, 7th Edition, equips you with a solid understanding of our complex Constitution and criminal justice system. The text avoids confusing "legalese," focusing instead on real-life examples to illustrate the material. More than 200 succinct, summarized cases written in plain English introduce you to the most influential and significant cases. You'll learn about the Fourth and Fifth Amendments, exploring their application to issues relevant to criminal justice: reasonable search and seizure, double jeopardy, and testifying against oneself. The seventh edition also includes expanded discussions of the First and Second Amendments as well as cutting-edge coverage of such high-profile topics as immigration, terrorism and homeland security, electronic surveillance and the use of drones, use of force, searches of cell phones and other digital evidence, and many others.

1. An Historical Overview. 2. An Overview of the U.S. Legal System. 3. The U.S. Supreme Court: The Final Word. 4. Equal Protection under the Law: Balancing Individual, State, and Federal Rights. 5. The First Amendment: Basic Freedoms. 6. The Second Amendment: The Gun Control Controversy. 7. The Fourth Amendment: An Overview of Constitutional Searches and Seizures. 8. Conducting Constitutional Seizures. 9. Conducting Constitutional Searches. 10. The Fifth Amendment: Obtaining Information Legally. 11. The Sixth Amendment: Right to Counsel and a Fair Trial. 12. The Eighth Amendment: Bail, Fines, and Punishment. 13. The Remaining Amendments and a Return to the Constitution. Epilogue. Appendix A: The U.S. Constitution and Amendments. Appendix B: Reading Legal Citations. Appendix C: Briefs of Marbury and Miranda. Appendix D: Shepardizing a Case. Appendix E: Legal Research.