Criminal Law: Fourth Edition

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Written by a respected criminologist and attorney, this comprehensive and contemporary introduction to criminal law employs a modified case approach. Author Sue Titus Reid uses carefully excerpted court opinions and cases to illustrate key points, offering a taste of traditional case method without overwhelming students with excessive legal material. Her clear writing style minimizes jargon, maintaining student engagement. The text covers a wide range of topics, including misdemeanors, felonies, federal and state statutes, and constitutional principles. The seventh edition addresses timely issues such as abortion clinic bombings, child abuse, domestic violence, animal cruelty, cyberstalking, identity theft, and drug trafficking. It also includes recent U.S. Supreme Court cases on topics like the legalization of medicinal marijuana, physician-assisted suicide, and the detention of "enemy combatants." Reid integrates appellate court cases to help students understand judicial reasoning and encourages critical thinking by prompting them to analyze decisions based on their own perspectives. New features include recent cases on corporate crime, substantive case excerpts for analysis at the end of each chapter, and more state statutes to foster discussion on regional differences, along with state-specific guides for California, Florida, Illinois, New York, and Texas. The edition is now presented in two colors.