Product Description

Unique in its topical approach, this best-selling book examines systems of law, police, courts, and corrections by using more than 30 different countries to show the diversity in legal systems around the world. The book's organization helps readers understand the various ways policing, adjudication, and corrections systems can be organized and operated. This edition features more complete coverage of Islamic legal tradition, information on reform in Japan, more use of primary sources and updated material throughout. Fully updated to include more information on: The Patriot Act; Sunni and Shia Muslims; Substantive and procedural law changes for France, Germany, and Nigeria; Inquisitorial and adversarial systems; Trial under an inquisitorial proces; Juvenile justice system changes in England, Wales and China. Gives greater attention to the Islamic legal tradition and includes detailed descriptions of its key aspects. Reflect up-to-date events in Japanese criminal justice and covers changes that have been officially approved, but are not yet fully implemented. References the actual laws of many countries and provides additional information supplied by that country’s criminal justice agency.  Anyone interested in criminal justice across the world.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #122970 in Books
• Published on: 2007-03-02
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 496 pages

Review

"Reichel's book is a highly scholarly, yet readable, introduction to the study of comparative criminal justice systems." — Allen Anderson, Indiana University - Kokomo

"This text has a great strength in the direct writing and flowing use of language." — Art Jipson, University of Dayton

"While there are a growing number of texts in this field I have found this text to be the best." — Mitchel Roth, Sam Houston State University

From the Publisher
With a topical, rather than country-by-country approach, this book discusses how various countries around the world have organized police, courts, and corrections agencies. The text provides the rationale for studying other systems of justice and sets down the specific approach to be used.

From the Back Cover
Viewing criminal justice from a global perspective, this enlightening book provides the rationale for studying cross-national issues in criminal justice, and gives readers a knowledge base for understanding and appreciating the different ways justice is conceived and achieved around the world. Takes a topical (rather than country-by-country) approach to comparative criminal justice, organizing each chapter around a classification scheme to provide structure and rationale while discussing how various countries around the world have organized their police, courts, and corrections agencies. Makes constant reference and comparison to American issues and its justice system, and devotes the final chapter to Japan - providing readers with a clear example of how comparative criminal justice can be applied to studying a single country, and the benefits gained by such study. Updates statistics, charts and tables throughout, and now refocuses and streamlines Chapter 6 (The Police), reducing the number of countries covered and adding discussions on police corruption and global cooperation.

Customer Reviews

Great book and Professor
This book covers almost everything you need to know about justice systems around the world. It is full of facts and examples from several different countries ranging from courts, corrections and policing. Dr. Reichel is also my professor for Comparative Justice and I can tell you I have learned a lot between his book and personal teachings.

An International Perspective on Foreign Legal Systems
"Comparative Criminal Justice Systems: a Topical Approach" is a study of a few foreign legal systems with a political approach and an "international perspective". According to the author, Phil L. Reichel, the goal of his book is to extend the reader's knowledge about other countries, their citizens and their cultures but most important to find ways to improve society; not only at a local but at a global level as well.

In this book, Reichel talks about interesting facts about crime and crime rate around the world. For example, crime statistics may not be accurate due to lack of means to report them-small villages away from the city; same legal system encourages law officials not to make reports, political reason. Reichel also talks about substantive law and procedural law in the four legal traditions.

Learning an international perspective on foreign legal systems is also undoubtedly excellent to better understand and to improve the American Justice System. Although the last chapter of this book was so disappointing to me, I still recommend it.