Striking the Balance

The textbook Striking the Balance: Debating Criminal Justice and Law, 1st Edition, examines core controversies across the justice process through contrasting viewpoints. The work provides an introductory overview of the United States judicial system and explores the public policy dimensions of judicial decisions.

Coverage centers on competing perspectives within contemporary criminal and regulatory policy. Readers analyze opposing viewpoints on contentious issues, such as regulations governing assault weapons, to evaluate how legal disputes develop in practice.

With technical legal terms kept to a minimum, the volume is intended to accompany introductory criminal justice and criminal law courses. Chapter topics are structured independently of one another, giving instructors the flexibility to adapt the sequence of material to individual course requirements.