The 1996 Revision sets forth the responsibilities of the organs of criminal justice--public security (police), procuratorate, courts, and administration of justice--as well as limitations on the powers of each. Of particular importance is the right to counsel when an individual has been charged with a crime, the time the suspect or accused may be held in custody, and the right to court-appointed counsel for the indigent in serious cases. The 1996 Revision marks the first change since a Criminal Procedure Law was first enacted in China in 1979. The book is divided into four sections: General Provisions; Filing a Case, Investigation and Initiation of Public Prosecution; Trial; and Execution. China's criminal justice system is still in a state of transition. In addition to a massive legal education program designed to familiarize the population with these laws, it is also necessary to educate the various organs of the justice system. The book claims that, given the shortage of trained legal professionals in the country, it will take a number of years before a fully developed legal system is in place.