The opening chapters survey the historical background and fundamental principles of criminal law. Basic jurisdictional problems are reviewed, as are rules which define a criminal act. The text discusses the need for showing that a criminal act was committed with a certain mental state and details the defenses available in a criminal case. Individual chapters summarize criminal law regarding assault, homicide, sex offenses and offenses to the family relationship, theft and commercial offenses (larceny, embezzlement, fraud, receiving stolen property, and white-collar crime), robbery, burglary, and arson. Other topics covered include forgery; drug and alcohol offenses; false imprisonment, abduction, and kidnapping; extortion and bribery; traffic offenses; crimes affecting the judicial process such as perjury and contempt; crimes against public order; and organized crime. Actual court cases are used as examples. Glossary and index.