This text offers a concise, affordable and reader-friendly introduction to the criminal justice system. It explores the system in four sections: the criminal justice system as social control, law enforcement as social control, the law as social control, and corrections as social control.

Designed with the student in mind, each chapter includes: "What You Need to Know," highlighting key points for the reader; brief chapter outline; review questions; vocabulary lists; "breaking news" items; and exercises to help students customize the material for different jurisdictions.

• Each chapter has an outline, "what you need to know," photos, charts, jurisdictional exercises, web links, a "breaking news" box, and vocabulary words with definitions.