Prosecutorial misconduct involves the intentional use of illegal or improper methods for attaining convictions against defendants in criminal trials. Previous research documented extensive errors in the prosecution of severe crimes. A theory formulated to explain this phenomenon proposes that in serious cases, increased pressure to convict…

This document presents three articles on law-related education (LRE) written either by or for students. Brent Halling, a senior at Castle High School in Newburgh, Indiana, opens the collection with an article on how due process protects rights. Halling explains the concept of due process and illustrates its reach through the case of Kenneth…

This article describes the law-related education (LRE) programs instituted by the United States Department of Justice Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP). By linking legal and constitutional matters to everyday life, the programs aim to bring alive for elementary through high school students legal statutes that often…

Prepared by the District of Columbia Street Law Project for its annual city-wide mock trial competition, this instructional handout provides material for a murder trial. The defendant shot the victim in the course of a violent dispute. The prosecution charges murder while the defendant claims to have acted in self-defense. The handout clarifies…

Prepared by the District of Columbia Street Law Project for its 21 annual city-wide mock trial competition, this instructional handout provides material for a mock rape trial. David Jones and Susan Williams, both students at Capital University, had dated on and off during the previous years and on the night of the incident had attended a party…

This document provides information on current Wisconsin statutes and state-level activities relating to the enforcement of controlled substances laws, including assistance provided to local law enforcement agencies. Part I of this document describes the Uniform Controlled Substances Act as enacted by Wisconsin, other statutes which may be used to…

This document contains seven papers from the ninth World Conference of Therapeutic Communities (TCs) that deal with drug abuse and the criminal justice system. Papers include: (1) "Some Characteristics of the Social Structure & Social Organization of the TCs" (Lewis Yablonsky); (2) "Therapeutics & Incarceration: They Said It…

This report is intended as a guide to judges, prosecutors, legislators, and other involved professionals who are interested in implementing strategies or modifying existing practices to improve the treatment of child victims and witnesses in their jurisdictions. Part I of this document provides an overview of the literature and a preliminary…

This document contains testimony from a Congressional hearing held in New Jersey to examine violent crime against the elderly. Opening statements are presented from committee members Matthew J. Rinaldo, William J. Hughes, Christopher H. Smith, and Dan Mica. Four panels of witnesses testify: (1) two elderly victims of violent crime; (2) federal,…

This information memorandum of the Wisconsin Legislative Council describes 1987 Wisconsin Act 332, relating to crimes and civil offenses against children and providing penalties. An introduction describes how Act 332 will reorganize existing crimes against children into a separate chapter of the Criminal Code and will revise crimes and offenses…

The bibliography on handicapped adult offenders covers all aspects of the criminal justice process--arrest, pretrial evaluation, determination of competency to stand trial, civil vs. criminal proceedings, and community and institutional treatment. An introduction discusses the number of offenders who are mentally retarded or physically…

This study proposes a method for reporting findings that combines true positives and true negatives to measure total accuracy of predictions. A retrospective study of dangerous behavior among criminally insane offenders in Colorado confirmed the findings of Cocozza and Steadman (1974) regarding the predictive validity of the Legal Dangerousness…

This annotated bibliography highlights the literature available on two important aspects of assistance to victims and witnesses of crime. The first section, victim and witness services, covers the need, function and implementation of services to assist victims, elements of effective programs and evaluation of specific programs. The second section,…

Issued by the Exemplary Projects Program, this document systematically identifies 19 outstanding criminal justice programs throughout the country and verifies their achievements, with the goal of encouraging widespread use of advanced criminal justice practices. Details on the operating methods, budget, staffing, training requirements, potential…

There are numerous opportunities for the Spanish surnamed in careers within criminal justice. The fact that lawsuits have opened doors, that Chicano power activists have demanded representation, and that a large segment of clients in criminal justice are Spanish surnamed certainly means an area wide open for entry. (Author)