Book Description

Contemporary Criminal Justice: An Examination of the System, Its Challenges, and Its Future features current and objective research concerning the criminal justice system and its operations. The book gives students up-to-date content that addresses foundational concepts in policing, the courts, and corrections. The policing chapters focus on the history of policing and current practices, police and the law, as well as contemporary issues police are currently facing. The court system is discussed in chapters that detail courtroom proceedings, sentencing, and punishment. The chapters on corrections examine community corrections, prisons and jails, and reentry and reintegration. The final chapters of the book are devoted to juvenile justice and the future of the criminal justice system itself. Enriched with current examples that illustrate the system in action, the challenges it faces, and the hot button issues of the day, Contemporary Criminal Justice is an engaging, accessible text for courses in criminology, criminal justice, and sociology. Kendra N. Bowen holds a Ph.D. in criminology from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. She is an assistant professor of criminal justice at Texas Christian University, and has published in journals such as the Criminal Justice Policy Review, Journal of Interpersonal Violence, and the International Journal of Police Science and Management. Her community involvement includes serving as a board member on the Fort Worth Resource Council for Youth and Alliance for Children. Jason D. Spraitz earned his Ph.D. in criminology from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. An assistant professor of criminal justice at the University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire, he has published in the Journal of Interpersonal Violence and the Journal of Crime and Justice. He serves as an editorial board member forCriminal Justice Policy Review and as an executive board member of the Midwestern Criminal Justice Association.