"A Layperson's Guide to Criminal
Law," by Raneta Lawson Mack.
Published by Greenwood Press, May, 1999.
Finally! A concise and easy-to-read book about criminal law. From the
make-believe of Law & Order to the real-life drama of Court TV, people are watching
television shows about crime and criminal law. Indeed, the O.J. Simpson trial was perhaps
the most watched and most analyzed criminal law event of the century. Nearly everyone had
an opinion about
Simpson's guilt or innocence, and many watched every moment of the trial from opening
statements to the announcement of the verdict.
During many of these real or fictional trial dramas, legal terms are bandied about with
little or no explanation. What is "premeditation" and why is it necessary for
some first-degree murder charges? What is "circumstantial evidence" and how can
a prosecutor convict a defendant if no one saw the crime being committed? Why is a
charge of date rape so difficult to prove? What really happens when a defendant raises the
insanity defense? Unfortunately, in these days of "sound-bite" television, even
when an effort is made to explain these
terms or concepts, the explanation is often very brief, legalistic and difficult to
understand.
In my book, I answer these questions and many more in a concise and easy-to-understand
format. In addition to teaching criminal law to law students for several years, I have
also provided commentary to television and print media on various criminal law issues.
What I have learned from my experiences as a commentator is that a large segment of the
public is interested in learning the fundamentals of criminal law without a lot of
confusing legal jargon.
Thus, this book is geared toward the layperson with no formal legal training who desires a
more concrete understanding of the criminal law. The book takes readers step-by-step
through the more popular crimes, explaining their elements and offering specific examples
to illustrate some of the more difficult concepts.
Each chapter also offers several case studies that examine real criminal cases to further
explain the criminal law "in action." The book is ideal for
"arm-chair" criminal trial observers and anyone else who wants to explore the
criminal law for personal or professional reasons.
Lastly, although this book is a very handy reference tool for learning the basics of
criminal law, I should point out that it does not offer any legal advice. Anyone facing
the possibility of criminal prosecution or concerned about the rights of crime victims
should seek the advice of a competent attorney.
**About the Author**
RANETA LAWSON MACK is a law professor at Creighton University School of
Law and a legal consultant who does commentary for the broadcast media
on current legal issues.
** Table of Contents **
-- Preface
-- Introduction
-- A Brief History of Crime and Punishment in America
-- Basic Concepts of Criminal Law
-- Unlawful Killings
-- Sexual Assault and Related Offenses
-- Preparatory Criminal Conduct
-- Theft Offenses
-- Criminal Law Defenses
-- Miscellaneous Criminal Offenses
-- The Criminal Process
-- Glossary
-- Bibliography
-- Index
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