FOLLOWING A BRIEF INTRODUCTION ON THE NATURE OF CRIME AND THE RESPONSE OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM TO THE CRIME PROBLEM, THE TEXT EXAMINES IN TURN THE PRINCIPLE STAGES IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROCESS: LAW ENFORCEMENT, PROSECUTION, TRIAL, SENTENCING, AND CORRECTIONS. CHAPTERS ARE INCLUDED ON SUCH TOPICS AS POLICE PATROL, VICTIMLESS CRIME, POLICE DISCRETION, USE OF FORCE, AND POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY. THE ROLES AND INTERACTIONS OF EACH OF THE COMPONENTS OF THE COURT SYSTEM ARE EXAMINED, AND SUCH SPECIFIC AREAS AS PRETRIAL DETENTION AND PLEA BARGAINING ARE DISCUSSED. AFTER AN ANALYSIS OF THE MAJOR ISSUES IN SENTENCING, THE FINAL SECTION OF THIS TEXT EXAMINES BOTH COMMUNITY BASED CORRECTIONS AND THE PRISON SYSTEM. EACH STAGE OF THIS PROCESS IS EXPLORED FROM A VARIETY OF PERSPECTIVES ADVANCED BY HISTORY, STATISTICAL AND RESEARCH STUDIES, THEORY AND LEGAL PRINCIPLES, AND THE INDIVIDUALS INVOLVED IN THE SYSTEM. A LIST OF SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES AND ADDITIONAL READINGS IS INCLUDED FOR EACH CHAPTER.