THE FIRST ESSAYS IN THIS TEXT EXPLORE AMERICAN ROOTS IN THE ENGLISH COURTS OF THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY AND TRACE THE GROWTH OF THE AMERICAN COURT SYSTEM. A NUMBER OF WRITERS THEN DISCUSS THE STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF THE AMERICAN JUDICIAL SYSTEM AS IT EXISTS TODAY. THE CLOSING ESSAYISTS LOOK AHEAD IN AN EFFORT TO SEE WHETHER AMERICAN COURTS AND JUSTICE CAN MEET THE DEMANDS OF AMERICA'S THIRD CENTURY. AMONG THE SPECIFIC TOPICS EXAMINED ARE JUSTICE AND THE MEDIA, TREATING THE FEMALE OFFENDER, THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM, VOLUNTEERS IN PROBATION, AND VICTIMLESS CRIMES. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)