Criminal Justice Today, 17th Edition © 2024
Frank Schmalleger
Criminal Justice Today explores the crime picture in the US and covers the three traditional elements of the criminal justice system: police, courts and corrections. Navigating the tension between individual rights and public order, the text challenges students to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the US justice system.
The 17th edition adds four new types of social justice boxes questioning the viability of our freedoms. Students will consider the struggles of the US justice system as it adapts to a society that's increasingly multicultural and one in which the rights of a few can threaten the safety of many.
Hallmark features of this title
Real-world context
- Freedom OR safety? YOU decide boxes in each chapter, with corresponding critical-thinking questions, illustrate personal rights issues challenging policymakers today.
- CJ Careers boxes describe a variety of criminal justice careers in a Q&A format.
- CJ News boxes in each chapter present case stories from the media.
Updated features of this title
Four new cutting-edge box types
- Reimagining Justice boxes focus on today's top social justice issues.
- Is It Fair? boxes highlight disproportionality in today's justice system. Each box includes an “Ask Yourself ” question.
- Voices of Diversity boxes provide personal insights from social justice experts. These boxes explore possible solutions to many of today's pressing criminal justice problems.
- Justice Informed Policing boxes contain excerpts from a 2021 report of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. Covered topics, among many, include free speech, bias-free policing, and diversity in recruitment and hiring.
Discussions of hot-button issues
- Social justice issues surrounding George Floyd, Black Lives Matter, defunding the police and institutionalized racism are defined in Chapter 1, setting the stage for their discussion throughout the text.
- A discussion of how big city police departments are now training their officers in de-escalation tactics, in an effort to reduce and restrict the use of force, has been added to Chapter 8.
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