Criminal Courts: A Contemporary Perspective, Edition 3

Craig Hemmens · David C. Brody · Cassia Spohn

Dec 2015 · SAGE Publications

About this ebook

Written by three nationally recognized experts in the field, Criminal Courts: A Contemporary Perspective explores all conventional topics (court structure, courtroom actors, and the trial and appeals process) as well as others seldom covered, such as specialty courts and the goals and functions of the law. Authors Craig Hemmens, David C. Brody, and Cassia Spohn take a comprehensive and accessible approach which allows instructors to cover all of the “standard” material and the option to add selections they consider interesting and relevant to their particular course. This text will provide students with an understanding of the foundational concepts and enable them to hold a detailed discussion about the criminal courts system and the participants involved.

Packed with contemporary examples and new pedagogical tools, the Third Edition has been thoroughly revised with the most up-to date content and resources to give students a more comprehensive understanding of the criminal courts system. Additional instructor resources and study tools can be found online at www.sagepub.com/hemmens2e.

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About the author

Craig Hemmens is a Professor in the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology and Criminal Justice at Washington State University. He holds a JD from North Carolina Central University School of Law and a PhD in Criminal Justice from Sam Houston State University. Professor Hemmens has published 20 books and more than 200 articles, many dealing with legal issues in criminal justice. He currently serves as Editor of the Criminal Law Bulletin, and previously served as the editor of the Journal of Criminal Justice Education and as President of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences. His current research interests include criminal law and procedure.

David C. Brody is a Professor in the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology at Washington State University. He received a JD from the University of Arizona College of Law and a PhD in Criminal Justice from the State University of New York at Albany. He is the author of casebooks on criminal law and criminal procedure, as well as scholarly articles that have been published in such journals as the American Criminal Law Review, Crime and Delinquency, Justice System Journal, and Judicature. His current research focuses on the selection and evaluation of judges, jury reform, and the interaction between law, politics, and criminal justice policy.

Cassia Spohn is School Director and Foundation Professor of Criminal Justice at Arizona State University. She is the author of several books, including The Color of Justice: Race, Ethnicity, and Crime in America (with Sam Walker and Miriam DeLone) and How Do Judges Decide? The Search for Fairness and Equity in Sentencing. She has published a number of articles examining prosecutors’ charging decisions in sexual assault cases and exploring the effect of race/ethnicity on charging and sentencing decisions. Her current research interests include the effect of race and gender on court processing decisions, victim characteristics and case outcomes in sexual assault cases, judicial decision making, sentencing of drug offenders, and the deterrent effect of imprisonment. In 1999, she was awarded the University of Nebraska Outstanding Research and Creative Activity Award.