IN THE OPENING CHAPTER AN EFFORT IS MADE TO ORIENTATE THE READER WHO IS NOT FAMILIAR WITH BRITISH CONSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS AND WHOSE UNDERSTANDING OF THE INSTITUTIONS AND PERSONNEL INVOLVED IN THE ENGLISH LEGAL SYSTEM IS RUDIMENTARY. THE CIVIL COURTS, THEIR JURISDICTIONS, THEIR RELATIONSHIPS WITH ONE ANOTHER AND THE JUDGES WHO SIT IN THEM ARE THEN EXPLAINED. SIMILAR EXPLANATIONS OF THE CRIMINAL COURTS OF BRITAIN ARE ALSO INCLUDED. METHODS OF CRIMINAL APPEAL IN THE ENGLISH SYSTEM OF LAW ARE REVIEWED, AND A PERSPECTIVE ON THE VOLUME AND NATURE OF THE CRIMINAL CASES COMING BEFORE THE MAGISTRATES' COURTS AND THE CROWN COURT IS GIVEN. THE AUTHORS THEN TURN TO THE BRITISH CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROCESS, TRACING ITS OPERATIONS FROM ARREST TO TRIAL. THIS IS FOLLOWED BY DETAILED REVIEWS OF SENTENCING, THE LEGAL PROFESSION, POLICE, PROSECUTION, AND ADMINISTRATION OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE. A NUMBER OF SUGGESTED READINGS ARE NOTED IN THE TEXT. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)...DMC