It examines crime and criminological concepts, substantive criminal law, and efforts to measure the nature and extent of crime in the United States. It addresses classical theories on crime, punishment, and deterrence as well as their impact on public policy. Subsequent chapters address major perspectives explaining the onset of criminality: crime as a personal choice motivated by greed or lack of self-control, crime as a manifestation of biological or psychological traits, crime as a product of social forces, and crime as a function of the political economy. The text then reviews patterns in violent crime, economic crime, and crimes against the moral order such as sexual offenses, substance abuse, and organized crime. Another section analyzes the criminal justice system, initially describing justice agencies in the United States and procedural laws which guarantee citizens certain rights when they are accused of crimes. Separate chapters focus on the police, courts, and corrections, providing basic information on history, structure, and legal issues. Many topics of current interest are considered, including search and seizure laws, women and minority police officers, plea bargaining, diversion, mandatory sentences, extralegal factors in sentencing, and community-based corrections. Each chapter contains tables, references, a summary, and excerpts from published materials to serve as a focal point for discussion. The text provides case and subject indexes.