Introduction to Criminal Justice provides a realistic description of the United States criminal justice system and how it works including police, courts and corrections. Much more than an “encyclopedia� of criminal justice topics, it provides an intricately woven picture of contemporary United States criminal justice covering relevant topics such as: the staggering increases in juvenile crime, police abuse/brutality, the crisis of prison overcrowding, and the growing trend of alternative sentencing. It helps students integrate the wealth of material to which they are exposed, and assumes a forward-looking perspective that recognizes the importance of individual rights, social order, multi-culturalism and high-technology as they affect the day-to- day practice of criminal justice students. The fundamental tried-and-true concepts of an evolving discipline give learners the critical thinking skills necessary to effectively apply these skills to the real world as they face today’s problems and the emerging issues of tomorrow.