The purpose of the study is to analyze the implementation of the democratic principles in the court and judicial process in the trial by jury by the example of the history and development of this institution in Russia. The authors used different methods and approaches, in particular, historical, systemic and Aristotelian method, concrete…

This article is drawn from the authors' book, "Judging for Themselves: Using Mock Trials to Bring Social Studies and English to Life," which discusses the effectiveness of mock trials as tools for learning and assessments. Mock trials are effective because they are challenging, authentic projects in which students create and then do…

Recent meta-analyses of drug-court studies recognized the poor methodological quality of the evaluations, with only a few being randomized. This article critiques the design of the randomized studies from a statistical perspective. Learning points are identified for future drug-court studies and are applicable to evaluations both of other…

The purpose of this article is to persuade legal studies teachers of the benefits of using works from other disciplines to illustrate the rationales for law, the greater context in which the legal order operates, and the relationship between law and society. The tangential benefits of using works from other disciplines are the enhancement of the…

A bilingual pamphlet containing practical law-related information for recent Russian Jewish immigrants to New York City, this document addresses the court system. Following a brief description of the Newcomer series, 9 questions are listed, each followed by an answer. Questions asked include the difference between criminal and civil law; how the…

This booklet introduces secondary grade students to the criminal laws of West Virginia. It can easily be adapted and used by educators in other states. The authors believe that young people must recognize and understand these laws and the mechanisms which society uses to implement and enforce them if they are to function as an integral, important,…

This report presents information from four studies that investigated factors decision makers considered when transferring cases from the juvenile to the criminal justice system. All states have legal mechanisms whereby some juveniles may be transferred from the juvenile to the criminal justice system for prosecution. These decisions fall into…

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the trajectory of cases through four systems: child protection, law enforcement, the dependency courts, and the criminal courts. Method: This study focused on a county selected from a 41-county telephone survey conducted for the National Incidence Study of Child Abuse and Neglect (NIS-3). For this…

This catalog lists general articles on mock trials, information for arranging mock trial competitions, mock trial problem sets, and video tapes. The problem sets contain introductory material, applicable law, statements of facts, witness statements, and documents. The cases include issues in family, consumer, criminal, and immigration law. Several…

Objective: To understand how the Swedish legal system perceives and handles mentally handicapped children who may have been victimized. Method: Twenty-two judicial districts in Sweden provided complete files on 39 District Court cases (including the Appeals Court files on 17 of these cases) involving children with learning difficulties or other…

Describes the contemporary Chinese justice system highlighting the elements of "western" justice it embodies. Presents lesson plans, complete with objectives, procedures, and all required materials, for illustrating the system with two recent Chinese criminal cases which were heard in "people's courts." (JDH)

Presents a curriculum program designed to dramatize the trial experience. Utilizes the fairytale "Little Red Riding Hood" to present the facts of a criminal case. Outlines the mock trial, rules of evidence, criminal code, and facts of the case. Suggests that classroom experience be enhanced with field trips to a real court. (DK)

Describes in some detail the modern French judicial system, including the personnel involved; the structure of civil, criminal, and public law; and penal procedure. Modern criticism of this system is discussed. (AM)

The purpose of this guidebook is to give Minnesota legislators an overview of all laws affecting young people in order to have a reference aid on current state policies toward youth. State statutes and cases that provide rights, responsibilities, and protections for young people under age 18 are described. Part 1 of this guide, "The…

In the first part of the article, the author explains why he feels the responsibility for setting sentence guidelines should be confined to a separate body (a sentencing commission). The second part of the article rehearses the arguments for sentencing reform and, in particular, for presumptive sentences. (Author)