Customer Reviews

Juvenile Justice: The System, Process and Law (Available Titles Cengagenow)

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This text by del Carmen and Trulson is perhaps one of the best texts on the market. As a graduate student, I have taught Juvenile Justice and Juvenile Delinquency numerous times, and expect to following the completion of doctoral school.

What most impresses me about the book is that as a fairly new professor, the book is very organized and follows the juvenile system and process in a logical order, including all the necessary details without an overbearing encyclopedia like approach. This helps those just starting out, and I would assume old hats at teaching.

It is obvious the authors' experience in the field of juvenile justice and juvenile law, for they are able to explain sometimes complex subjects with ease and excellent example. The information in the text could be taught in Idaho or Florida, and the lessons about juvenile justice, process, and law are still relevant.

An added bonus is that the extra materials are outstanding. This text includes powerpoint lectures for each chapter. Each powerpoint is detailed and follows the text exactly--unlike other texts which simply do not do this. Perhaps the best part about the extras is the instructor manual and test bank. The questions are outstanding, for they do not overly focus on small and picky details in the text, rather they focus on main points that any professor would teach.

In sum, the best book on the market and I have seen/used many.

Perhaps one of the most widely recognized and respected scholars in the field of criminal justice is Rolando V. del Carmen, the Distinguished Professor of Criminal Justice at Sam Houston State University, who has produced countless texts, book chapters, and articles over the past several decades.

His most recent effort is Juvenile Justice: The System, Process, and Law, written with Chad R. Trulson, Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice at the University of North Texas and one of Dr. del Carmen's former students. In this text the authors provide a comprehensive and scholarly overview of the American juvenile justice system.

In addition to providing the reader with a sufficient theoretical and historical foundation, the book, comprised of fourteen chapters, explains in detail the various stages of the juvenile justice system through a rational progression. The chapters cover such topics as: theories and measurements of juvenile offending; the role of police in addressing juvenile crime; intake and diversion; status offenders; dependent and neglected youth; juvenile victimization; the detention process and certification as an adult offender; the national court system; adjudication, disposition, and appeals; juvenile probation and parole; institutional corrections; juveniles and the death penalty; students' rights and school crime; and a look to the future.

Missing from the text - which is a blessing - is the clutter of unnecessary pictures. Rather, the authors have included tables and exhibits that bear a strong relationship with the subject matter. Too, they have included occasional scenarios designed to promote student discussion. Each of the book's chapters begins with an outline and points to be learned, and is concluded with a summary of relevant points, review questions, and a list of key terms and definitions. In addition, relevant websites are provided for further research.

The text contains three appendices relevant to the study of the juvenile justice system. Appendix A provides U. S. Surpeme Court decisions relating to juveniles, and Appendix B lists the location of juvenile laws state by state. The final appendix provides the reader with guidance on accessing and interpreting court cases.

Juvenile Justice: The System, Process, and Law is an excellent undergraduate text. The approach taken by the authors in crafting this book will enhance the learning experience by those who use it. Rolando V. del Carmen and Chad R. Trulson are to be commended for their contribution to criminal justice scholarship.

This is one of like 5 books I have ordered from this site. And I can't express all the gratituded here on how well everything, for this and my other books, went as far as description on condition of book and the time it would actually arrive at my door step. Thank you!