The American System of Criminal Justice

The criminal justice system in the United States is best described as a system of related, but not necessarily co-ordinated, agencies. Accountable to different branches of government and having different goals, they may even work to the detriment of each other. Alpert looks at the links between the parts of the system and analyzes their relationships. After reviewing the general processes and structures of contemporary criminal justice, he looks at the police, the judiciary, and correctional institutions and at how these three elements are connected. He warns that criminal justice in America will slow down or stop if the various components do not work in relative harmony. Clear chapter summaries, didactic discussion questions, and many case examples make this book a good alternative for use in undergraduate classes.Alpert, Geoffrey P. is the author of 'The American System of Criminal Justice', published 1984 under ISBN 9780803921474 and ISBN 0803921470.