Beat the Heat : How to Handle Encounters with Law Enforcement [Paperback]

Katya Komisaruk (Author), Tim Maloney (Illustrator)

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Katya Komisaruk applied to law school while serving a five year prison sentence for civil disobedience. She graduated from Harvard Law School cum laude in 1993, and has been a criminal defense and civil rights lawyer for over a decade.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: AK Press (April 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1902593553
• ISBN-13: 978-1902593555
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #651,520 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good advice, worth following, June 14, 2004

By 

Lisa J. Steele (Bolton, MA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Beat the Heat : How to Handle Encounters with Law Enforcement (Paperback)

Well written and amusing guide to avoiding trouble with law enforcement with repeated emphasis on using the right to remain silent and insisting on a lawyer. If more people followed this advice, criminal defense attorneys would have much easier jobs.

As noted in several places, the book does not substitute for the advice of an attorney, it is merely legal first aid to prevent fatal mistakes before the attorney arrives.

I would disagree with the authors on some minor details, but not on the critical details. I would likely even more strongly warn against representing oneself (p.175) in any but the most minor cases. I would also note that co-counsel or advisory counsel to a defendant representing himself is often very limited and the defendant needs to understand those limits before waiving counsel.

In sum, well worth reading.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Makes a handy gift, March 25, 2006

By 

blnkfrnk "(KRC)" (Arcata, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Beat the Heat : How to Handle Encounters with Law Enforcement (Paperback)

I found this book very helpful and easy to understand. It's a good resource for anyone who would like to learn about interactions with law enforcement and the court system in a clear, well-written manner.

It's a short book and a short, but thorough, introduction to the topic. It includes tips on how to avoid incriminating yourself (guilty or innocent), your rights as a citizen, and how to mediate difficult or confrontational situations. The author does not use a lot of complicated legal language unless it's necessary and appropriate to do so, and even then, she fully explains new terms and ideas. Cartoons and reproductions of sample legal forms illustrate important concepts.

I think this would be a great gift for a teenager or new college student-- anybody who is gaining a greater independance and who needs the tools to deal with that. Bundling this with a simple cookbook, health guide, and some choice theological or philosophical books would make a great "welcome to adulthood, here's the user's manual!" gift. It might also be a good resource for anyone beginning research into the Bill of Rights and how it's practically used.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Delivers as promised, December 27, 2007

By 

Amanda Brooks - See all my reviews

This review is from: Beat the Heat : How to Handle Encounters with Law Enforcement (Paperback)

This book does not claim to be a guide to all things legal or a lesson in police procedure. It simply focuses on what rights you have when encountering the police. It is a simple read, but full of information. Many copies of official documents are included for your study.

Although some of the laws may've changed (especially in regards to search warrants), this guide is still a great primer on what to expect and what to do.

Some of the tips may seem common-sense to some, but I was surprised at the number of ways even a smart person could be trapped by law enforcement into incriminating themselves. It's hard to think under pressure and Beat the Heat makes is easy to not have to think yet not land yourself in more trouble than you're already in.

I highly recommend the book as a basic guide to your rights when dealing with police. That's what it's supposed to teach and it really delivers. There are a lot of rumors dispelled and a couple of really simple things to remember. I'm going to recommend it to a number of people (as it was recommended to me), but I'm not letting go of my copy!