STREET LAW BEGAN IN THE SPRING OF 1972 AS A ONE-SEMESTER EXPERIMENTAL COURSE IN TWO WASHINGTON, D.C., HIGH SCHOOLS. IT IS TAUGHT BY LAW STUDENTS FROM THE GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY LAW CENTER AND HAS SINCE EXPANDED TO A FULL YEAR COURSE IN ALL SIXTEEN CITY HIGH SCHOOLS AND SEVEN D.C. PRISONS AND JUVENILE INSTITUTIONS. STREET LAW'S CHIEF PURPOSE IS TO GIVE THOSE WHO STUDY IT SOME KNOWLEDGE OF LAW THAT CAN BE OF PRACTICAL USE TO THEM IN THEIR EVERYDAY LIVES (ON THE STREET). THIS NATIONAL STREET LAW TEXT IS A REVISED AND EXPANDED VERSION OF THE CURRICULUM FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA; IT WAS FIRST PUBLISHED AS A SEPARATE TEXTBOOK IN 1974. AN INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER SETS OUT THE NATURE AND ORIGINS OF LAW, DISTINGUISHING CIVIL AND CRIMINAL LAW AND PROCEDURE, WITHIN OUR CONSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK AND DEVELOPING A CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK FOR STUDENTS WITHIN WHICH SUBSEQUENT LEGAL PRACTICES MIGHT BE BETTER UNDERSTOOD. CHAPTERS ON CRIMINAL, CONSUMER, FAMILY, HOUSING, INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS, AND ENVIRONMENTAL LAW NOT ONLY OFFER AN OVERVIEW OF THESE FIELDS OF LAW, BUT ALSO PROVIDE A PRACTICAL PERSPECTIVE ON MANY OF THE LEGAL PROBLEMS WHICH EVERYONE FACES IN DAILY LIFE. THE COURSE EMBODIES PRIMARILY AN INQUIRY-ACTIVITY METHODOLOGY DESIGNED TO STIMULATE STUDENTS TO THINK THROUGH PROBLEMS SYSTEMATICALLY AS ACTIVE PARTICIPANT LEARNERS. IT HAS BEEN DEVELOPED TO INCLUDE EXTENSIVE IN-CLASS STUDENT INVOLVEMENT INCLUDING ROLEPLAYING, MOCK TRIALS, AND PROBLEM SOLVING AS WELL AS FIELD TRIPS, GUEST SPEAKERS, COMMUNITY LEGAL PROJECTS, A MONTHLY NEWSLETTER COMPILED BY THE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, AND A CITY-WIDE MOCK TRIAL COMPETITION IN WHICH STUDENTS ACT AS ATTORNEYS AND WITNESSES, AND LOCAL AND FEDERAL COURT JUDGES PRESIDE. APPENDED MATERIALS INCLUDE A COPY OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS, A CRIMINAL JUSTICE GLOSSARY, AND A SUBJECT INDEX. FOR THE ACCOMPANYING TEACHER'S MANUAL, SEE NCJ-42156. FOR DOCUMENTATION ON THE STREET LAW COURSE IN THE LAW OF CORRECTIONS, SEE NCJ-42153 AND 42154. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)...ELW