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Criminal (In)Justice
A Critical Introduction

Third Edition
Available with:


January 2026 | 491 pages | SAGE Publications, Inc
Criminal (In)Justice: A Critical Introduction examines the American criminal justice system and the social forces that shape it. Using a conversational voice, the book engages readers and challenges them to consider the structural inequalities within the criminal justice system and the broader society it is designed to protect, prompting the question, "What can I do to make this better?" Author Aaron Fichtelberg employs a unique, critical perspective to encourage students to closely examine the intersection of multiple factors in the criminal justice system. Covering the foundational areas of policing, courts, and corrections, the new Third Edition continues to push students to challenge the status quo, confront the marginalization of social groups, and explore the role of discretion within the criminal justice system, encouraging them to develop their own informed perspectives on the system and its impact on society.

This text is offered in Sage Vantage, an intuitive learning platform that integrates quality Sage textbook content with assignable multimedia activities and auto-graded assessments to drive student engagement and ensure accountability. Unparalleled in its ease of use and built for dynamic teaching and learning, Vantage offers customizable LMS integration and best-in-class support.

 
About the Author
 
Acknowledgments
 
To Professors Using This Book
 
General Introduction
 
Part I: Crime
 
Chapter 1: Defining, Classifying, and Measuring Crime
The Media and Crime

 
The Rhetoric of “Crime”

 
Defining Crime

 
Classifying Crime

 
Measuring Crime

 
The Politics of Crime Data

 
Chapter Summary

 
Review/Discussion Questions

 
Key Terms

 
Notes

 
 
Chapter 2: Criminal Law
The Rule of Law

 
The “Ingredients” (Elements) of Crime

 
Defenses

 
Jaywalking: The Invention of a Crime

 
Chapter Summary

 
Review/Discussion Questions

 
Key Terms

 
Notes

 
 
Chapter 3: Criminology
Perspectives on the Crime Problem

 
Religious Approaches to Crime

 
Classical Criminology

 
Biological Criminology

 
Psychological Criminology

 
Sociological Criminology

 
Chapter Summary

 
Review/Discussion Questions

 
Key Terms

 
Notes

 
 
Chapter 4: Crime and Inequality
Economic Inequality and Crime

 
Racial Inequality and Crime

 
Gender Inequality and Crime

 
Intersectionality

 
Green Criminology, Queer Criminology, and Postmodernism

 
Chapter Summary

 
Review/Discussion Questions

 
Key Terms

 
 
Part II: Policing
 
Chapter 5: The Nature and History of Policing
Distinctions in American Policing

 
Policing From a Critical Perspective

 
Policing From a Critical Perspective

 
Policing in America: The Early Years

 
Federal Policing

 
The 1960s and Their Aftermath

 
The Homeland Security Era and Beyond

 
Chapter Summary

 
Review/Discussion Questions

 
Key Terms

 
 
Chapter 6: Modern Policing
The Organization of Policing

 
The Use of Force

 
The Constitution and the Police: The Fourth Amendment

 
Police Discretion

 
Civil Forfeiture

 
Chapter Summary

 
Review/Discussion Questions

 
Key Terms

 
 
Chapter 7: Police Deviance
Police Deviance in Context

 
Overenthusiastic Policing

 
Corruption

 
The Causes of Police Deviance

 
Addressing Police Deviance

 
Defunding the Police?

 
Chapter Summary

 
Review/Discussion Questions

 
Key Terms

 
 
Part III: Courts And Trials
 
Chapter 8: Courts
The Function(s) of the Trial

 
Adversarial Justice

 
Plea Bargains

 
The Courtroom Workgroup

 
Chapter Summary

 
Review/Discussion Questions

 
Key Terms

 
Notes

 
 
Chapter 9: Criminal Trials
The Process is the Punishment”

 
Pretrial

 
The Trial

 
Jury Instructions, Deliberation, and Verdict

 
Appeals and Appellate Courts

 
The Supreme Court

 
Politics and Constitutional Interpretation

 
Chapter Summary

 
Review/Discussion Questions

 
Key Terms

 
 
Part IV: Corrections and Special Topics
 
Chapter 10: The Theory and History of Punishment
Why We Punish

 
The History of Punishment

 
The Rise of the Prison

 
Prison Labor and Indeterminate Sentencing

 
Rehabilitation

 
Mass Incarceration

 
The Prison–Industrial Complex

 
After Incarceration?

 
Chapter Summary

 
Review/Discussion Questions

 
Key Terms

 
 
Chapter 11: Prison Life
Going to Prison

 
The Prison Population

 
Types of Prisons

 
Life in Prison, the Inmate Code

 
Women in Prison

 
Trans People in Prison

 
The Rights of the Incarcerated

 
Chapter Summary

 
Review/Discussion Questions

 
Key Terms

 
Notes

 
 
Chapter 12: Alternatives to Prison
The Collateral Effects of Incarceration

 
Community Corrections

 
Sex Offenses and Criminal Punishment

 
Alternative Incarcerations

 
Restorative Justice

 
Chapter Summary

 
Review/Discussion Questions

 
Key Terms

 
 
Chapter 13: The Death Penalty
The History of the Death Penalty

 
The Death Penalty and the Constitution

 
Other Developments in the Death Penalty

 
Chapter Summary

 
Review/Discussion Questions

 
Key Terms

 
Notes

 
 
Chapter 14: Juvenile Justice
The Language of Juvenile Justice

 
The History of Childhood Crime

 
Juvenile Justice

 
Juvenile Corrections

 
Special Cases

 
Chapter Summary

 
Review/Discussion Questions

 
Key Terms

 
Notes

 
 
Glossary
 
References
 
Index

We are currently in an era where the complexities of the American criminal justice demand thoughtful analysis and informed action, Fichtelberg's textbook rises to that occasion.

Kelly L. Fisher
Indiana University Kokomo
Key features
NEW TO THIS EDITION:
  • The new edition is available in Sage Vantage, an intuitive learning platform that integrates quality Sage textbook content with assignable multimedia activities and auto-graded assessments to drive student engagement and ensure accountability. Unparalleled in its ease of use and built for dynamic teaching and learning, Vantage offers customizable LMS integration and best-in-class support.
    • Flashcards and note-taking tools help students better prepare for class.
    • NEW! Audiobook Player allows students to listen to text content, boosting comprehension and retention. It offers flexible, on-the-go access, engaging both reluctant readers and auditory learners, improving the overall reading experience.
    • The Offline Reading option in the Student Dashboard offers greater accessibility to Vantage’s reading content, regardless of where students are or how strong their internet connection may be.
  • Updated data reflecting recent research on crime and criminal justice.
  • Revised language for greater inclusivity and added material on the experiences of diverse racial and ethnic minority groups.
  • Real-world examples connect theory to practice for deeper learning.
KEY FEATURES:
  • A conversational writing style speaks directly to students to make the material more approachable.
  • Reality Check boxes address common myths and misconceptions about the criminal justice system.
  • Criminal (In)Justice boxes highlight examples of inequality in criminal justice and potential remedies for the issues facing the system.
  • What Would You Do? boxes engage students with critical thinking scenarios aimed at applying chapter material to real-life situations.
  • Where Do I Fit In? boxes feature practical advice—from career opportunities to tips on what to do when pulled over by a police officer—to give students more insight into how to interact with the criminal justice system.
  • Statistics boxes reinforce learning about the issues facing the criminal justice system from an evidence-based perspective with up-to-date data and statistics.
Vantage Reference: 
Criminal (In)Justice - Vantage Learning Platform

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