"That relatively few criminal cases in this country are resolved by full Perry Mason-style strials is fairly common knowledge. Most cases are settled by a guilty plea after some form of negotiation over the charge or sentence. But why? The standard explanation is case pressure: the enormous volume of criminal cases, to be processed with limited staff, time and resources. . . . But a large body of new empirical research now demands that we re-examine plea negotiation. Milton Heumann's book, " Plea Bargaining, " strongly and explicitly attacks the case-pressure argument and suggests an...

Good Cop, Bad Cop looks at the rise of racial profiling, one of the most important and hotly debated topics in criminal justice, and traces its development from its origins in criminal profiling, through the use of profiles in drug trafficking prevention efforts in airports and on the U.S. highways, until it became synonymous with racial discrimination by law enforcement. The authors draw upon an extensive body of primary sources, social science literature, and court cases to examine how law enforcement, legislators, and the courts have handled racial profiling. They also review the...