Civil Liability in Criminal Justice

Book excerpt: Understanding case law in high-liability areas and performing the job within a legal framework places a criminal justice agency in the best position to defend against a lawsuit. This handbook addresses the problems confronting criminal justice practitioners and their agencies due to the ever-increasing number of civil liability lawsuits. It introduces the reader to civil liability generally and the federal law specifically, while indicating the steps that can be taken to minimize the risk of litigation. Civil Liability in Criminal Justice is one of very few texts on the subject that combines applicable case law and related liability research, a valuable feature for current and future policy makers and managers. Ross also provides an overview of current case law in high-liability areas, enhancing student knowledge and practitioner job performance.