Constitutional Law

Book excerpt: An incomparably clear and contemporary introduction to the field, Constitutional Law decodes the "legalese," simplifies jurisprudence, and examines those specific provisions that govern the day-to-day work of criminal justice personnel while protecting the individual rights of whom they serve. Part one’s highly organized sequencing and structure explains legal concepts and principles in digestible sections, breaking complex ideas down into parts and making them easier to swallow. The first chapter summarizes the organization and content of the Constitution, providing an overview of our judicial system and how cases reach the Supreme Court. The next five chapters provide in-depth coverage of constitutional restrictions on police authority to detain, arrest, use force, search for and seize evidence, engage in technologically assisted surveillance, interrogate suspects, and obtain confessions. The next three chapters cover the Fifth Amendment privilege against compulsory self-incrimination, the Fourth Amendment defense against highly intrusive bodily searches, Due Process requirements for witness identification procedures, a criminal defendant’s right to counsel, and the constitutional safeguards applicable during the trial and punishment phases of a criminal case. The final chapter covers the constitutional and other legal protections criminal justice professionals enjoy in their capacity as employees, as well as their civil liability for violating the constitutional rights of others. The second part of the book contains approximately 200 pages of summarized cases which have been newly edited to ensure accessibility. These cases are specifically mapped to individual chapter topics to help you learn the doctrines and methods of constitutional argument, as well as how these can applied in a variety of prospective scenarios. * Updated with current constitutional decisions and precedents that reflect those issues of most concern to criminal justice professionals. * Each chapter begins with a outline, concludes with a summary, and includes boxed key terms and concepts. * A highly organized structure explains legal concepts and principles in digestible sections, breaking complex ideas down into parts and making them easier to grasp. * Part II contains briefs of key judicial decisions that exemplify how constitutional provisions covered earlier have been interpreted.