Customer Reviews

Basic Criminal Procedure (Police Practices): Cases, Comments, Questions (American Casebook Series)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

I am a law student, so I have read several law-related textbooks. This textbook is, by far, the most poorly organized course book I have had to endure. This is the time of year when law students everywhere are taking part in the old tradition of condensing their course notes into outlines that can be used to study for upcoming final exams. Converting the major points from this book into a coherent outline is grueling, because the textbook is "organized" in such a schizophrenic manner. At one point in the book, it basically admits to its own incomprehensible structure when it offers instructors and students the option of either continuing the book as put forth or following an "alternate" route that involves skipping ahead a few chapters, reading them out of order, and then returning. It's a law book, not a Choose Your Own Adventure story!

To compound the problem, the book includes volumes of material that either should have been cut out or at least paraphrased. For example, the book devotes considerable space to explaining the "standing" doctrine of the Fourth Amendment, yet glosses over subsequent cases that have substantially done away with the standing doctrine.

This was a required book for my criminal procedure course in law school. I hate to say it, b/c I usually only write a positive review but this book is awful. It is terribly organized, and at times it was actually difficult to decipher what case I was actually reading. Obviously buy it if it's required for a course you are taking, otherwise, don't bother unless you enjoy being frustrated and confused.

This is, by far, the worst law text that I have ever had to endure. Not only are the major topics organized in a manner that defies all logical explanation, but the note cases are completely useless. I'm almost half-way through my criminal procedure course and have no idea what I need to know for the bar exam. I strongly suggest purchasing a supplement and/or alternative text in order to compensate for the many deficiencies of this book.

I would have given this book zero stars, if possible.

I agree with all the other reviewers here and it makes me feel a little bit better about myself. This book is the worst organized, rambling mess I have ever seen. There are cases referred to for one sentence on one page early in the book, which refer to another spot later in the book with another 3 sentences. I have never seen so many note cases either. Why couldn't the author simply provide a seminal case with a few notes afterward like every other well written text? Awful, terrible waste of money and I feel dumber every time I pick this text up.

I agree with the other reviewers. Not only are the note cases useless, but it felt like the book was written by some senile old man who forgot to put in important information so rather than editing the material, he added rambling footnotes... to nearly every page. Reading for law school is exhausting enough without having to wade through this horribly organized, incoherent excuse for a book.

This book is unlike any law text I have ever read. It presents information in a confused and circuitous manner which is sure to perplex even the best student. The book, for some reason, assumes that the reader has read a number of not-so-common cases. A consequence is that it skips over the case and simply delves into comparisons about the case with other cases.

If the book is assigned for the class, there isn't much you can do. Just be sure to pick up an Examples and Explanations with your purchase....

I am a foreigner , but so far the text books I used are good , helpful, they are organized , neat and clear...but wait... definitely NOT THIS ONE, this one is like an overstuffed pillow, the author seems try to throw every possible thing in and try to remind you that there are possible variations all the time... the cases are all over the place and I just cannot get it... it lost me... I will not recommend this book if it is not on your Professor's required list.

This book has little to no organization. The notes often just pose nonsensical hypotheticals (I get enough of that in class, thanks) with no answers. The supplement's useless as well. It's been three years since this book was published - they should just put out a new edition so they can charge us even more for it.

Do yourself a favor and buy the E&E; you'll need it.

The bad reviews of this text are kind. I am in my last semester of law school and this is the only textbook that I have not looked forward to opening. This is not to say it is not jammed full of information. The information is simply not presented in an acessible, logical manner that facilitates inquiry and understanding. The "Note" sections between cases are a litany of often unelucidated references to cases elsewhere in the book or in caselaw. It may take 1.5-2 hours to work through 4-5 pages of "notes." In a curriculum setting, the "cost:benefit" ratio for time spent will depend on your assigment/professor's expectations and this can't be predicted apriori - ergo the problem with using this tome as a textbook.

Its ok!. Cases are not short, but not long either. Not entirely clear all the time, concepts do escape the author at times. I purchased a supplement to get the rules and gain a better understanding of the material. There is a companion book that follows the same cases, its very helpful to use BOTH.