Introductory chapters present criminal justice as the outgrowth of political developments in the 20th Century, explain why some people commit crimes, and describe the nature and incidence of crime and the legal definitions of crimes. Additional chapters focus on the individual parts of the criminal justice system: the police, the courts, and the corrections system. Further chapters focus on the juvenile justice system and the reforms that have made it increasingly similar to the adult criminal justice system and intertwined with it. Figures, tables, photographs, illustrations, chapter summaries, chapter reference notes